In the World, But Not of the World explores the threefold tension among Alasdair MacIntyre's prognosis for Western society; the desires of some for a social transformation with a Christian moral vision at the sacred centre; and a "baptist" understanding of Christianity as essentially voluntary, non-sacralist discipleship. Andrew Fitz-Gibbon uses five contemporary Christian social thinkers, from different traditions, as conversation partners. Through his examination of these thinkers, Fitz-Gibbon explores how the church may continue to truthfully narrate the Christian story in the midst of the moral tensions of late-capitalist Western society. His creative conclusion is that the church at the beginning of the twenty-first century can move toward a resolution of the central tension of "being in the world,but not of the world" through a synthesis of the believers' church tradition and an affirmation of communitarian liberal democracy.

Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 The Continuing Saga of Christian Social Thinking Chapter 3 Christian Social Theory and the Telling of Stories Chapter 4 A Truthful Tale of Messianic Community: John Howard Yoder Chapter 5 A Retelling of Protestant Neo-Orthodoxy: Lesslie Newbigin Chapter 6 A Magisterial Story of Polis Catholicism: Pope John Paul II Chapter 7 Creating a Narrative for American Popular Conservatisim: Pat Robertson Chapter 8 A Narration of Catholic Whig Tradition: Michael Novak Chapter 9 Towards a Resolution of the Central Tension in Christian Social Thinking

Andrew L. Fitz-Gibbon is an ordained Baptist minister. He is Adjunct Professor at Trinity College and Seminary in Newburgh, Indiana, and has been a guest scholar at the University of Newcastle and a visiting scholar at Cornell University.