Blue Like Jazz my thoughts:
This book presents itself to the postmodern crowd unlike any book I have ever read. It is witty and entertaining, random and yet connected, and it connected with my life experiences to a point that it became scary. Donald Miller talked about love and showed from his unbelievable life experiences how he has found a new more authentic way to live for Christ. This was a great read, but when I finished I was left with some major concerns.
1) What exactly was he trying to say? People have asked me what the thesis of the book is and I cannot give them an answer. The book is so postmodern that it is almost indefinable. This leaves me with a feeling of emptiness. It is heartfelt and entertaining, but does it truly make a point?
2) I have some real issues with the reactionary attitude that Mr. Miller exhibits towards everything. I feel that he found a new church paradigm more because he could not submit to any that currently existed. I know he makes it out to be this amazing encounter with Christ, but his attitude seems so attacking of everything that he has been around. It leaves me to lack confidence in his experience. (And his experience is all he gives for his authority)
3) Experience seem to be the defining authority in his life. How very postmodern of him. He references the Bible now and again, but he is definitely not trying to show how it has been the reason for his life change. This makes me very uncomfortable because there are a lot of cults in the world that have been started by the same means. (I am in no way calling Donald Miller a cultist or anything like it, but his means of reasoning lack validity in my book)
4) I fear that Mr. Miller has opened up doors and reactions that he did not address or is not prepared to address. I feel that a lot of what the book was written about was great to read, but the attitude and encouragement of getting out of foundational and traditional churches scares me.
I did find this book interesting and the chapter on relationships was excellent for me to hear. I read it because I have heard of so many people who love this book and I wanted to read it very critically in because of Don's affiliation with the emergent church "conversation" as they like to be called. Please feel free to rip me as much as you want for my negative views.
Wakefield, I left you a message hoping we could get together. I would love to hear about your experience in the church plant and how this book has helped you. Gimme a call bro.
This book presents itself to the postmodern crowd unlike any book I have ever read. It is witty and entertaining, random and yet connected, and it connected with my life experiences to a point that it became scary. Donald Miller talked about love and showed from his unbelievable life experiences how he has found a new more authentic way to live for Christ. This was a great read, but when I finished I was left with some major concerns.
1) What exactly was he trying to say? People have asked me what the thesis of the book is and I cannot give them an answer. The book is so postmodern that it is almost indefinable. This leaves me with a feeling of emptiness. It is heartfelt and entertaining, but does it truly make a point?
2) I have some real issues with the reactionary attitude that Mr. Miller exhibits towards everything. I feel that he found a new church paradigm more because he could not submit to any that currently existed. I know he makes it out to be this amazing encounter with Christ, but his attitude seems so attacking of everything that he has been around. It leaves me to lack confidence in his experience. (And his experience is all he gives for his authority)
3) Experience seem to be the defining authority in his life. How very postmodern of him. He references the Bible now and again, but he is definitely not trying to show how it has been the reason for his life change. This makes me very uncomfortable because there are a lot of cults in the world that have been started by the same means. (I am in no way calling Donald Miller a cultist or anything like it, but his means of reasoning lack validity in my book)
4) I fear that Mr. Miller has opened up doors and reactions that he did not address or is not prepared to address. I feel that a lot of what the book was written about was great to read, but the attitude and encouragement of getting out of foundational and traditional churches scares me.
I did find this book interesting and the chapter on relationships was excellent for me to hear. I read it because I have heard of so many people who love this book and I wanted to read it very critically in because of Don's affiliation with the emergent church "conversation" as they like to be called. Please feel free to rip me as much as you want for my negative views.
Wakefield, I left you a message hoping we could get together. I would love to hear about your experience in the church plant and how this book has helped you. Gimme a call bro.
3 Comments:
Gabe, you don't have to go the emergent church, postmodern route to experience the kinds of things that Donald Miller experiences in the book. The modern church has (according to some) sacrificed right action and right relationship for right belief. But the postmodern/emergent church has gone too far off the other end, sacrificing right belief for right action. Both are important.
By
bradley, at 7:33 PM
Brad I could not agree more that Donald Miller's experiences are can be found outside the emergent church. My apprehension to the book (Which I actually did like) is that in a culture that craves relevance and authenticity, the attitude that the book gives will lead to sacrificing right belief for right action. I am not worried about the theological realm, but pop culture.
By
Our Family, at 9:53 AM
Yeah. I think people look at this as a postmodern book. It's not. It is a man's experience, which can be had without subscribing to his belief system (or actually, lack thereof). It saddens me that when this book connects with people, they head in the direction of the emergent church. But they have no idea what they're getting into. They just read a memoir they liked.
By
bradley, at 2:19 PM
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