147. Is Innovation Inherently Good? with Andrew Root, author of The Church After Innovation

Spiritual Life and Leadership

Andrew Root is the Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary and author of The Church After Innovation.
In this conversation, Andrew Root, the author of The Church After Innovation, invites us to think critically about innovation. We live in a world in which innovation is held up as almost an ethical good in and of itself. Andrew helps us think about where the drive to innovate in our culture comes from and helps us reflect on our own motivations as we work to innovate in our own churches and ministries.
THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDES:

• Andrew Root is the Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary and author of The Church After Innovation.
• “Innovation” has, in recent been years, been held up as an inherently good thing. Andrew Root started to wonder why.
• According to Max Weber, capitalism is rooted in a theological belief, sometimes called the Protestant work ethic.
• Hard work as an ethic in and of itself is fairly new in human history.
• Andy Root explains what he means by the “contradiction of capitalism.”
• Our focus on innovation ultimately makes the self the end-all be-all of our work.
• Mission and innovation often get confused for each other in the church.
• Unceasing growth is not always good.
• Andy Root says one of the reasons we want innovation and entrepreneurship is because they feel like strategies for control. And the church feels out of control.

RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:

• Books mentioned:
  • The Church After Innovation, by Andrew Root
• Andrew Root:
  • Website – www.andrewroot.org
• Related Resources:
  • Engaging God's Mission online course

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