#264 | Sanctifying Suburbia: How Suburbia is Shaping Your Faith with Brian J. Miller

Travis Michael Fleming engages in a thoughtful conversation with Brian J. Miller about his influential book, Sanctifying Suburbia. Together, they explore the complex relationship between evangelical faith and the cultural dynamics of suburban life, emphasizing how the environments we inhabit profoundly shape our beliefs and practices.

Miller highlights that suburbs, often seen as mere backdrops, carry embedded assumptions about race, class, and culture—assumptions that have historically shaped evangelical expressions of faith, sometimes in ways that stray from the gospel’s call to justice and inclusivity.

As these suburban landscapes continue to change, becoming more diverse and pluralistic, the church faces the challenge of adapting its approaches and engaging authentically with its communities. This episode encourages listeners to rethink how place influences faith and underscores the need for a more thoughtful, context-sensitive approach to ministry in suburban settings.

Takeaways:

• Travis Michael Fleming and Brian J. Miller discuss how suburban environments profoundly influence evangelical identities and practices.
• The conversation highlights the necessity for churches to adapt to the changing demographics of suburbia, which is becoming more diverse.
• Miller argues that evangelical faith has historically been shaped by suburban culture, often prioritizing comfort over gospel radicalism.
• The podcast emphasizes the importance of context in shaping belief systems, advocating for churches to engage with their local communities meaningfully.

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