Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz, says his longtime friend Josh Harris "explains Christian theology in a way all of us can understand" in Harris's new book. "If you are tired of hyped promises and want essential truth, this book is for you."
But that's not why I was looking forward to reading Josh Harris's latest book, Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why It Matters
Throughout the book Harris describes his spiritual pilgrimage. He begins with his roots at a seeker-sensitive, let's-all-have-fun youth group, and the reader follows Harris all the way to his current standing as pastor of Covenant Life Church outside of Washington, D.C. As he progresses through his life, he weaves theological truth into each chapter and relates it to his growing awareness of his own sinfulness and God's holiness. The result is an easy to read, fun to read, and informative look at the relevance of theology to daily life.
Perhaps I was drawn to this book because I too, like Harris and Miller, found myself enmeshed in Christian culture yet sensing that something wasn't quite right, that somehow I had missed something…that I had missed the forest while studying the trees. So it was with that background that I found myself suspecting that Harris had been on the same road I had been on, or that I had been on the same road he had been on. Or, perhaps most accurately, realizing we all need to be on the same road Jesus was on.
The American church desperately needs to thirst more for God than His blessings. Yet to most people, theology is not even remotely on their radar for study. I suspect that for many, the reason why that is may be that they are not in love with Jesus as much as they are in love with America, or with freedom, or with prosperity, or with musicm, or with money, or with other things–good or bad–that own our day to day affections. But for others, it may be because they do love Jesus but have not been taught well. Theology to them has been a lifeless series of memory games and sword drills (if you know what those are, you're older than I am, and I know which denomination you grew up in!).
Back to Miller's endorsement…while that had little to do with my desire to read it, I do hope it leads many who read Blue Like Jazz to take a look at Dug Down Deep and opt to read it. I'm sure some will question how much Harris and Miller truly have in common theologically, given the lack of clarity at times in Blue Like Jazz. At times in Dug Down Deep Harris infers that Miller has grown in the faith considerably since Blue Like Jazz's first publishing and would perhaps write some things differently were he able to do it over again.
That was good to read. I've heard way too many people justify a new-ageish, strange version of "Christianity" that is completely unbiblical and hold up Blue Like Jazz as their manifesto. Yet, when I reread Miller's book recently I didn't find it quite as lacking as I did when I first read it. Perhaps this is due to the fact that when I read it the first time, I had never heard of Donald Miller—he wasn't cool yet. But the second time I read it, I processed his story against the backdrop of what I had since learned about Miller-from reading his other books, hearing some of his talks, reading critiques and listening to a number of sermons from his home church. So I think the problem with BLJ isn't so much what is said, as much as what isn't said, leaving readers to fill in some blanks with their own understanding of "spirituality"…a spirituality that may not be Christianity at all, leading many to conclusions Miller probably did not intend.
So with BLJ as a backdrop, I found it refreshing to read a similar account of a spiritual journey that includes humorous, humble, and relatable autobiographical events, but with a theological framework that provides less room for false interpretation by readers. Harris explains why key Christian doctrines matter, how they impact your life, and why downplaying or ignoring them has eternal consequences. I highly recommend it and pray this book will find it's way into the hands of young people everywhere.
[disclosure: the reviewer was provided with a complimentary review copy by the publisher]
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Category: Book Reviews, Theology Matters
