Book Review: "Hipster Christianity" by Brett McCracken

 In Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide, Brett McCracken, a twenty-something self-proclaimed Christian hipster, explores the age old concept of “cool” and the evolution of today’s “hipster” label and how they relate—or don’t relate—to Christianity.

The book itself is an irony because the concept of “hip” is not something frequently discussed, especially among hipsters (as McCracken frequently points out). But, he assures in the introduction, “It’s not a joke, and though it is humorous at times and occasionally ironic, it is by no means an exercise in sarcasm.”

 

Summary

The book is divided into three parts. The first is titled “The History and Collision of Cool and Christianity,” and deals largely with the meanings of the words “cool” and “hip”, providing background for the rest of the work.

The second part, “Hipster Christianity,” focuses on defining “Christian hipsters” and the “hipster churches” of today. It goes beyond the surface of the sub-culture, and touches on the ideals and values behind it.

In the final part, “Three Problems and Solutions,” McCracken finally arrives at the main discussion of the book. First he takes the stand that cool and Christianity do not meld, then he explains how they can, giving examples of how hipster Christianity does work.

Negatives

•  The first two parts are long and drawn out, and McCracken seems to be saying some of the same things over and over again. While all that background, the definitions, explanations and history are important and necessary for the discussion, they could have been condensed. He doesn’t get to the main point of the book until two thirds of the way through.

• In places, it’s wordy and poorly edited. He uses a lot of big uncommon words that aren’t a part of the average person’s vocabulary. A good portion of the content could have been written using a lot less words, and many of the fancier words could have been replaced with simpler ones that mean the same thing.  

•  Many portions of the text in part three seem unorganized and full of ramblings, while not pushing deep enough into the topic. It starts to read like a research paper for English class, going a little too heavy on the quotes and references to other works.

Positives

• The book is well researched and thought out. McCracken does not simply give his own opinion. He writes about visiting different hipster churches worldwide in preparation for the book, quotes a large number of expert and relevant sources on the topic and references a good amount of Scripture in appropriate contexts. 

•  It’s non-bias and well-balanced. It’s not an advertisement for Christian hipsterdom, nor is it a condemnation of the church. Rather, it is an honest search for the truth and a well-balanced evaluation of the topic and question at hand: whether or not Christianity can, or should, be cool. 

• He writes in the beginning that he is not out to bash or criticize the church, and he does well in keeping this promise. He points out not only what Christians are doing wrong, but also what they are doing right and how they can do better.

Good Quotes

“Cool and Christianity clash on a myriad of points. In fact, they share very few attributes in common. No wonder ‘cool Christianity’ frequently becomes so awkward and ugly! It’s like mixing oil and water.” (Chapter 11: “What’s So Wrong With Cool?”)

“I’m convinced that most secular seekers today care very little about how cool church is, but very much about how authentic it is. They are interested in the church being the church. They want the church to know what it is and be honest with itself and the world, and to quit putting on airs of glossy marketability and perfection. People see through that.” (Chapter 13: “Reversing the Ripple Effect”)

“Christianity’s appeal comes not from culture but from within—and the minute we start looking outside our own identity for affirmation about our relative relevance, we immediately begin to lose our cool.” (Chapter 14: “Relevance Is Not A Fad”)

Conclusion

The question is an important one in today’s culture, and one that Christians, cool and uncool alike, need to address.  Overall, this book does a good job at explaining Christian hipsterdom and the controversies surrounding this sub-culture. 

To learn more about Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide, or to take a 30 question “Are You A Christian Hipster” quiz to determine your “CHQ (Christian Hipster Quotient)”, visit hipsterchristianity.com. 

(In case anyone’s wondering, yes, I took the quiz, and yes, I failed. Miserably.)