Northwestern professor writes book about reaching the nonreligious

How can Christians connect with people who don’t consider themselves religious? That’s the question Northwestern College professor  Dr. Jason Lief explores in his new book, “Unbelievers: Secular Faith and the End of the Culture War,” published by Cascade Books, an imprint of Wipf and Stock.

During his fall 2024 sabbatical, Lief traveled to Germany, Italy, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, studying the writings of Christian thinkers Dietrich Bonhoeffer, St. Francis of Assisi and Søren Kierkegaard for insights into how Christians can engage with an increasingly nonreligious society.

“Unbelievers” opens by recounting conversations Lief had with a group of young people at a pub in Copenhagen. “I told them I was a theology professor and they replied that they aren’t religious, but then we ended up talking about religion for three hours,” says Lief. “Those conversations rattled around in my head for a long time, as I wrestled with who Jesus Christ is for the unbeliever, those who have abandoned the church. God loves them.”

The book’s title comes from a song by Grammy Award-winning indie band Vampire Weekend. Although the band members don’t claim to be religious, themes of faith, doubt and spirituality frequently appear in their music.

One of the book’s key influences is Bonhoeffer, a German theologian who, while imprisoned during World War II, wondered what Christianity would look like after the war. Doubting that the church could simply return to the way things were, he envisioned a Christian faith that engaged fully and fearlessly with the world. Lief builds on that vision, arguing that Christians should embrace the world as God’s good creation and recognize both the beauty and limitations of human life.

Drawing on the Christian confession that Jesus is fully human and fully divine, Lief explains how God’s decision to enter the world through Jesus demonstrates his love for creation. Rather than viewing Christians’ relationship with the world primarily as a battle to be fought—as in today’s culture wars—Lief encourages believers to follow Christ’s example by living as salt and light, serving others and participating meaningfully in the society around them.

“I hope readers come away recognizing that God loves this world and calls us to care for it,” says Lief. “I’d like to see the book strike up conversations about Christians’ relationship to culture and the cultural spheres that are good, recognizing that God is at the center of these things and that in our presence there, we discover the presence of God.”

A member of Northwestern’s  biblical and theological studies faculty since 2016, Lief teaches courses in practical theology, Christian education and youth ministry. He also serves as co-pastor of Maria Magdalena Reformed Church, a multiethnic congregation in Sioux Center. A 1996 Northwestern College graduate, he earned a master’s degree in theology from Wheaton College Graduate School and a doctorate in practical theology from Luther Seminary.