Post Woke - by Neil Shenvi & Pat Sawyer (Paperback)

About the Book

Learn to recognize woke ideas in daily life and counter them effectively with logic, grace, and biblical truth.

Book Synopsis

Challenging Woke Ideology with Biblical Truth

Woke ideology--fueled by academic ideas drawn from critical theory--has accelerated the embrace of cultural values and practices that are in direct conflict with a Christian worldview.

To push back, Christians must assert a vision of race, gender, and sexuality rooted in the Bible's teaching. In a respectful yet unapologetic manner, Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer offer a levelheaded approach that will enable you to address controversial topics with logic, grace, and biblical truth.

Post Woke is a guide for practical action. You'll learn to recognize woke ideas in daily life and counter them effectively, influencing society for good while opening people's minds and hearts to the saving message of the gospel.

Review Quotes

"Christians today sense a need to think carefully about wokeness but often feel confused or uncertain about how to go about this. Shenvi and Sawyer offer a nuanced, careful, and biblically faithful account that all Christians will benefit from reading. They don't strawman contemporary critical theory, and they are careful not to overreact in their thinking. They also bring forceful critique against the acidic aspects of this ideology. Regardless of where you fall in this discussion, you will find much wisdom and insight in this fair-minded book."
--Gavin Ortlund, president, Truth Unites; author, Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn't

"Even though the excesses of the various social and political tendencies often referred to as wokeness seem to have subsided in the last year or two, Christians should not be complacent: Many of the social problems that made such impulses plausible still remain, and without a robust understanding of the flaws in critical theory and the Christian view of man, we remain vulnerable to the resurgence of radical ideologies. In this book, Shenvi and Sawyer offer a clear, thoughtful guide to the intellectual roots and cultural dynamics of critical theoretical discussion of such things as race and gender and provide calm, well-reasoned Christian responses that readers will find helpful as they think through these issues for themselves. A very fine book."
--Carl R. Trueman, visiting professor, Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government, University of Notre Dame

"I love it when books slap me in the face with clarity and conviction, making me think harder, not just nod along. This is one of those books. Shenvi and Sawyer admirably tackle the tangled web of wokeness with a rare mix of intellectual precision, humility, and genuine compassion. They don't use the term wokeness as a cheap insult, but as a helpful description to explain a cultural moment many are struggling to understand. No longer can we send our kids to college without this ideology being shoved in their faces. No longer can we turn on the TV or scroll through social media without encountering the very issues exposed in this book. The cultural current is strong, and it's everywhere. We need to be prepared. This book offers a much-needed flashlight in the cultural fog."
--Melissa Dougherty, apologist and author of Happy Lies

"If you think wokeness is gone, you need to think again. The effects of wokeness (i.e., critical theory) remain in the culture and church. Shenvi and Sawyer masterfully explain how we got to our cultural moment and how to think biblically about race, sexuality, and gender. Post Woke offers practical steps for raising discerning kids and lovingly engaging our neighbors in meaningful conversation. This is on my must-read list for every Christian."
--Sean McDowell, PhD, apologetics professor at Talbot School of Theology; author or editor of over 20 books; popular YouTuber

"In Post Woke, Shenvi and Sawyer cut through cultural confusion with biblical conviction, exposing the theological and moral bankruptcy of contemporary critical theory. They offer much-needed clarity on race, gender, and sexuality--boldly rejecting the false notion of 'gay Christianity' while holding fast to the gospel's call to repentance and faith. Accessible yet theologically robust, this book will equip both leaders and laypeople to stand firm in truth and love in a world that has lost both."
--Dr. Christopher Yuan, speaker; author of Holy Sexuality and the Gospel; creator of The Holy Sexuality Project video series on biblical sexuality and gender (holysexuality.com)

"Many people claim that the church should stay out of politics. So what happened? Politics become a 'protected category'--if one could classify something as political, then the church would stay silent. As Shenvi and Sawyer show, that is not an option for us anymore--not if we want to be salt and light in the world. The problem is that most churchgoers are still blind to the spiritual implications of these so-called political topics that are redefining Christian morality. In Post Woke, Shenvi and Sawyer show exactly how objective truth, the nuclear family, gender, and sexuality were all removed from acceptable pulpit topics and relegated to the political arena. We can't refute what we don't understand. But once we understand? Game on."
--Hillary Morgan Ferrer, founder/president of Mama Bear Apologetics; primary author/editor of Mama Bear Apologetics and Mama Bear Apologetics Guide to Gender and Sexuality

"This book is a great introduction to and refutation of wokeness--what Shenvi and Sawyer define as 'the contemporary cultural expression of critical theory.' To put it more plainly, this book is about race, gender, and sexuality--what our culture would have us believe about all three, and, by contrast, what the Bible teaches about each. With clear writing, careful research, and calm evaluation, Shenvi and Sawyer have provided an articulate and accessible resource that will serve students, schools, pastors, and churches--and really, any Christian living in the West--for years to come. If someone asks me, 'What is wokeness and what is wrong with it?' this is the first book I'll recommend."
--Kevin DeYoung, senior pastor, Christ Covenant Church, Matthews, NC; Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte, NC

About the Author

Neil Shenvi has an AB in chemistry from Princeton and a PhD in theoretical chemistry from UC Berkeley. He is the author of Why Believe?: A Reasoned Approach to Christianity and coauthor with Pat Sawyer of Critical Dilemma: The Rise of Critical Theories and Social Justice Ideology. He is married and has four children.

Pat Sawyer has an MA in communication studies and a PhD in educational studies from UNC Greensboro, where he is a faculty member. He is published in various outlets and coauthor with Neil Shenvi of Critical Dilemma: The Rise of Critical Theories and Social Justice Ideology. He is married and has three children.