Davyd Gosselin
BLOG TITLE: Organic Listening - Three Book Reviews
The first book up for scrutiny, #OrganicJesus (Kregel Publications, 2016) as the hashtag and missing space between the "c" and the "J" suggests has a cool factor guaranteed to draw GEN Ys and people who relish fresh approaches. In the tradition of Buechner (Wishful Thinking), Miller (Blue Like Jazz), Dillard (Pilgrim at Tinker Creek), Lemott (Bird by Bird), etc., the book presents Jesus Christ, version 11.0 with some minor fixes.
The book reboots territory covered by many contemporary Christian authors in a social media-friendly way. The reader benefits from sidebars, quizzes and cool facts included with the main text. The whole effect is great WYSIWYG, but can distract from reading. On the up side, each chapter has questions for group study at the back of the book.
Scott Douglas, a librarian and writing instructor (Gotham City) touches many of the thorny issues facing Christianity today, such as the relevance of the Trinity, Worship, One God, etc. He includes an interview with an atheist, short history lessons, quirky facts and a table summarizing the beliefs of the major world religions. If you like a cornucopia of matters related to Christianity, the book will satisfy.
I like the fact that Douglas tries to pump life into Jesus, rescuing his message from the trash heap of history, religion and "accepted" biblical interpretation. He shows that Christ lived rationally and supernaturally. In other words, the author attempts to appeal to thinking people while not downplaying Christ's divinity. I don't think hardened hearts will soften, but maybe ambivalent ones will give Christ further reflection.
© October 9, 2016, Davyd Gosselin.
The first book up for scrutiny, #OrganicJesus (Kregel Publications, 2016) as the hashtag and missing space between the "c" and the "J" suggests has a cool factor guaranteed to draw GEN Ys and people who relish fresh approaches. In the tradition of Buechner (Wishful Thinking), Miller (Blue Like Jazz), Dillard (Pilgrim at Tinker Creek), Lemott (Bird by Bird), etc., the book presents Jesus Christ, version 11.0 with some minor fixes.
The book reboots territory covered by many contemporary Christian authors in a social media-friendly way. The reader benefits from sidebars, quizzes and cool facts included with the main text. The whole effect is great WYSIWYG, but can distract from reading. On the up side, each chapter has questions for group study at the back of the book.
Scott Douglas, a librarian and writing instructor (Gotham City) touches many of the thorny issues facing Christianity today, such as the relevance of the Trinity, Worship, One God, etc. He includes an interview with an atheist, short history lessons, quirky facts and a table summarizing the beliefs of the major world religions. If you like a cornucopia of matters related to Christianity, the book will satisfy.
I like the fact that Douglas tries to pump life into Jesus, rescuing his message from the trash heap of history, religion and "accepted" biblical interpretation. He shows that Christ lived rationally and supernaturally. In other words, the author attempts to appeal to thinking people while not downplaying Christ's divinity. I don't think hardened hearts will soften, but maybe ambivalent ones will give Christ further reflection.
© October 9, 2016, Davyd Gosselin.