DONATE
DONATE
Back to all Events

Join Doug and Brian in reading A House Divided: Technology, Worship, & Healing the Church after COVID

Special Note about this Book Club

A House Divided is an important work that LCI is publishing and promoting on the 5th anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic. April 12 is the official launch date of this book, but we will be sending Advance Reader copies to all who join the book club by March 30 so you can have time to read the book before the first session. Those who join after March 30 will be sent a PDF or ePub copy, and can receive their paperback when the pre-orders arrive.

Book Description

COVID-19 is firmly in the past for most of us today. However, the social harms of the pandemic are only just beginning to be recognized in the global church. In truth, many Christians all over the world experienced spiritual harms which linger today.

This book kickstarts the much-needed conversation about responses to the COVID pandemic in the church. Giffone identifies pre-existing pathologies in theology and practice which were revealed in the crisis, and which still threaten Christian communities.

A House Divided advocates the importance of corporate worship, which was suspended during the pandemic. Tragically, the uncritical adoption of technology in recent decades has led Christians to undervalue the experience of God through embodied practices such as the Lord’s Supper, baptism, and fellowship.

Moreover, Giffone demonstrates that church leaders too often abdicated their spiritual responsibilities to secular authorities. Using the theme of flawed leadership in the book of Ezekiel, Giffone argues that leaders, and their congregations, can be restored through truth-telling and repentance.

Full of theological insight, sobering reflection, but ultimately hopeful prescriptions—this book applies biblical principles to current issues. Anyone who cares about the future of the church—scholars, pastors, church leaders, and lay people—will find this book provocative and engaging.

Book Club Details

  • $25 to join (is actually a donation to LCI)
  • Book is included in price of the book club! 
  • Three 80-minute discussion sessions (see dates below)

Discussion Session Dates

All session times 6-7pm Eastern Time

  • April 10
  • April 17
  • May 1
Join this book club!

What others have said about the book club

David MarinoTexas
I have found the book clubs to be of great value in expanding my ability to share the message of liberty with my fellow Christians and the message of Christ with my fellow Libertarians. The different perspectives, opinions and knowledge that is brought to the weekly meetings, are truly enlightening.
John OdermattPennsylvania
I've participated in all three LCI book clubs reading The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann, Jesus is Lord, Caesar is Not by various authors, and An Ethic for Christians & other Aliens in a Strange Land by William Stringfellow. These are three books that I very likely would not have read on my own and if I did, I would have struggled to keep myself accountable to finish each. While I liked and disliked parts of each book, the best part of the book club was the conversations during our weekly Zoom calls. It was extremely helpful to be able to bounce difficult sections or interesting critiques off of fellow book club attendees and to hear the same in return. Overall, I can confidently say that the books clubs have deepened by libertarian philosophy and strengthen my faith.
JasonOhio
Over the past year and a half I have moved from circumspectly examining Libertarian ideas to embracing a great deal of Libertarian philosophy. Because my faith is more central to my life than my relationship with politics and the state I have spent a great deal of time reflecting and synthesizing how these new ideas intersect with my Christian worldview and the Biblical framework I have long utilized for living out my faith in the world. LCI Book Club has provided a critical venue for verbalizing and testing my understanding of Libertarian and Christian ideas. More importantly, it has provided access to the valuable insights of fellow travelers sharing their own unique wisdom along this non-traditional path. Thanks LCI for sponsoring this excellent and important opportunity!

LCI Book Club Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to attend every meeting to participate?

In order to ensure the best possible discussion for every meeting, we encourage every participant to make as many of the meetings as possible. 

However, you will not be denied access if you are unable to attend all meetings. 

Will the discussions be recorded?

Yes. We have learned in previous months that recording the discussions did not impede the quality of the meeting, and allows those who were unable to attend to participate asynchronously. 

How will the reading assignments be divided?

Each book is unique and does not match up equally based on chapter to the week we discuss. Reading assignments will be sent out to the group at least a week in advance of the first meeting. 

What does the participant fee cover?

Your participant fee covers your access to the book club for the month you are participating in. You will be responsible for acquiring a copy of the reading material ahead of time. 

Your fee actually is considered by the IRS a tax-deductible donation to the Libertarian Christian Institute. 

Do you offer any discounts for joining multiple clubs?

We do not currently have a mechanism for offering discounts, since the fees are considered tax-deductible donations to LCI. 

Join our Mailing list!

Sign up and receive updates any day we publish a new article or podcast episode!

Join Our Mailing List

Name(Required)
Email(Required)
Consent(Required)