Jul
14
2008
Getting To Know Cultural Change Agent John Seel
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you’ll know that I post thoughts on a regular basis from a friend of mine named John Seel. I’ve had various people write me asking me more about John because his thoughts are always stimulating and remarkably insightful. So I decided to formally introduce you to him, hoping that you’ll become better aquainted with him and the work that he does.
I first met John while I was in seminary. My mom and dad hired him to tutor my youngest brother Antony. He and I had breakfast one morning and became instant friends.
John has been, for many years, one of Evangelicalism’s most astute cultural analysts. You might remember his book The Evangelical Forfeit that came out in the early 1990’s, or the book he co-edited with Os Guinness entitled No God but God (both of which were instrumental in laying a foundation for how I think about Christ and culture).
John is a writer, educator, and cultural analyst. His career combines business administration, education, theology, and cultural sociology. He was actively involved in the founding of The Williamsburg Charter, The Trinity Forum, the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia, and The Cambridge School of Dallas.
He is a contributing editor to Critique magazine as well as The Journal, a publication of the Society for Classical Learning. In addition to the books I mentioned, John also wrote a book entitled Parenting Without Perfection: Being a Kingdom Influence in a Toxic World. His most recent book project, Special Forces in Kingdom Service: The Calling of Prophetic Schools, explores the impact of consumerism and egalitarianism on Christian schooling.
Currently, he serves as a viral marketing consultant and writer for Walden Media, where he was involved in the release of Amazing Grace. He is also the executive producer of the forthcoming Church in the Matrix project–a multimedia project based on David Wells’ most recent book, The Courage to be Protestant. He, and his wife Kathryn, are Anglicans living in Cohasset, MA.
OK, those are the facts. But here is an interview that The Work Research Foundation conducted with John a few months back. This will help you get to know him a bit better. When asked, what his most valuable learning experiences have been, he said:
My most valuable learning experiences have come from hard times. There is more to be learned from a dropped pass and failed exam than from cheering crowds or academic honors. I’ve had both: an off sides penalty my senior year in high school that cost my team the championship and a failed doctoral comprehensive exam that put my graduate studies in jeopardy. Only in the storm does one learn the breadth of God’s love and his faithfulness.
Even though John has been hard at work these past few years, he has been flying under the radar. But, I am happy to say that he is beginning to resurface in a much needed way at a much needed time. We need your thoughts on culture John. Keep ‘em coming, my friend!