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Donald Miller

 

 

Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality

Amazon reader review: First of all, the author speaks in an honest, to-the-point manner. There is none of this fluffy "I'm trying to please you" style of writing. He writes as if he doesn't care if you like the book or not...and I loved it.

Miller bucks many of the clichés of modern Christianity and looks at it through his real-world perceptions, and compares that to what the bible says about Christ. There is not a lot of quoting of scripture, so don't be looking for a theological treatise, but his ideas are biblically sound.

For example, he talks about the fact that many non-Christians love others so much better than many Christians. Whereas many writers will spin out an exegesis on the great love chapter from the letter to the Corinthians, Miller simply states how he is embarrassed that we represent God's love in such a fake way sometimes, and expresses a desire for change.

This book is a wonderful insight into the thoughts of a man who has decided to analyze much of what he sees going on around him, especially in the world of Christianity. I found myself living in a world of clichés and easy answers, full of self-addiction, instead of becoming a thinking person who cares more about loving others and truly being in love with God.

This book has helped motivate me to be more intentional with loving others, and I've found my devotions more enjoyable since I'm expecting to meet God there, not just punch my devotional "time card" and increase my Bible knowledge.

With all of this being said, I have to say that the book was extremely engaging, provoking, and made me laugh out loud many times. I have recommended it to many and do so to you.

 

 

 

Searching for God Knows What

Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz, serves as campus ministry leader at Reed College. His writing voice is casual and somewhat eccentric, while his theories—largely derived from experience rather than extensive study—are at times brilliant, at times questionable and rarely supported by outside sources. The book covers a great deal of territory: Miller's walking away from God as a teenager and returning to his faith; the competitive nature of human relationships, painfully demonstrated through junior high memories; the meaning of morality and religion; the essence of true Christianity. But Miller's main theme is dissatisfaction with the way Christianity is taught and practiced. He says the religion ought not to be presented as a formula, its tenets broken down into bullet points to fit modern Western thought patterns. At its heart, Miller argues, Christianity is relationship. Interested people should be presented with biblical stories rather than steps to salvation. Miller also believes that many Christians behave correctly but their actions lack meaning: "The tough thing about Christian spirituality is, you have to mean things. You can't just go through the motions or act religious for the wrong reasons... this thing is a thing of the heart." However, Miller offers only faint suggestions to replace the formulaic or systematic approach to faith that he denounces.

 

 

 

 

 

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