Cobb maintains that the current malaise of mainstream Christianity finds its source in its failure to think creatively about Christian faith in our time. In words that echo the dissatisfaction of today's spiritually malnourished people, Cobb states that the church's "ministers and bureaucratic leaders are too busy with 'practical' matters to engage in profound reflection. So the church grabs at quick fixes, catchy phrases, and public relations to resolve the pervasive malaise that all are forced to recognize."
— Bruce G. Epperly, John Cobb, Crystal & Cross by Bruce G. Epperly