The results of the 2000 presidential election dramatically illustrated a fact that came as no surprise: We the people of the United States are polarized -- politically and morally. Given this split, what is the public role of the church in our pluralistic society? How can the church have a voice in the public square despite the internal and external antagonism it often faces?Lawrence E. Adams thoughtfully and thoroughly addresses these questions in Going Public. He asks whether it is necessary for American society to have some common public ethic, a widely-held 'public philosophy' and sense of the common good, in order to sustain civic public life, and whether such a public philosophy is even possible. In light of the challenges facing the church today, he encourages it to understand the culture, not only so that it might fulfill the biblical mandate to understand the times in which we live, but also to engage public life responsibly and in a manner true to the vocation of the church.While specifically designed for clergy and church leaders, Going Public will be enjoyed by students, scholars, and all those interested in social ethics, political philosophy, Christianity and culture, and Christian thought.