Chameleon Christianity: Moving Beyond Safety and Conformity

by Dick Keyes
We are living in a time of crisis of moral authority, with culture wars raging all around. Although the Christian church’s message speaks to the deepest issues in contention, it often seems ill-equipped to act fruitfully in our society. Instead it can easily become part of the problem, not its solution – especially if we give in to the polar tendencies to turn into either chameleons or a tribe.
When Christians accommodate and compromise before the pressures of being a dissonant minority, we become chameleons. And when we turn inward as a Christian ghetto, using self-protecting measures out of fear, we become a tribe.
But as Dick Keyes explains, we can avoid the perils of polarization through biblical ways forward. One is apologetics – reaching outside of the enclave or sharpening ones argument for truth. Another is overcoming individualism to reclaim a real Christian community. However, no recommendation will be successful without true dependence on God and a return to foundations.
Chameleon Christianity calls Christians to righteously engage the surrounding culture. It provides tools for expressing the gospel and offers a fresh look at Christian community that crosses barriers of age, race, and gender.