While raised in an evangelical tradition, Penwell eventually was ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and as the title suggests, he seeks to address mainline denominations such as his own in particular. By "mainline", he means those denominations that largely had their heyday in the mid-20th Century -- think United Methodists, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, United Church of Christ, Presbyterian Church (USA), and a handful of others, not least of which is his own.
Penwell develops his survey in three sections. The first is a brief historical treatment of Christianity's varying place in the United States. This is by far one of the best, most accessible surveys I've read in years. He spends quite a bit of time in the Revolutionary War era, describing a decline in church membership for a time after the war that picked up again thanks to the Second Great Awakening. He notes parallels between that era and our own, particularly around the question of authority. As was true in the 18th century, denominations and their structures can no longer assume their authority. In a postmodern context, authority has shifted from those who guard the information. In the second section, Penwell explores some of the features of this new postmodern landscape, particularly as it relates to younger generations: They/we are more apt to embrace the term "spiritual but not religious", they are more likely to embrace diversity and inclusivity, and they are more technologically savvy. These factors, as one might imagine, are important to consider when attempting to understand what speaks to younger generations. In the third section, Penwell offers some suggestions for how denominations might need to look and be in order to embody faithful discipleship for this new reality.
What he's given us in The Mainliner's Survival Guide is just that -- a survival guide. It's one way the Church might envision the future of discipleship. This is a book for every church leader and for church leadership groups to study. I can't recommend it enough.
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I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, as part of the Speakeasy book review program, in exchange for my honest review here.