Confessions
of a Secular Jesus Follower by Tom Krattenmaker
The
title alone piques the interest of most people interested in Jesus with the
knowledge that we live in a secular society that has seemingly moved past a
religion or religious rootedness. How
does one both live squarely in the world, without the trappings of orthodox
belief, and follow Jesus? Reporter and
Columnist for USA Today Tom Krattenmaker, in his new book, Confessions of a
Secular Jesus Follower captures that sentiment as he seeks to follow the way of
Jesus without holding to the teachings of one church or denomination. Many will know Tom from his other books,
including The Evangelicals You Don’t Know, where he captured the spirit of
evangelicals in a progressive world, highlighting the people working in
Portland and the west coast.
In
his chapter on Bad Company, Tom levels our gaze at those who Jesus ministered
to and told stories about who were marginalized by their culture. In a winsome sort of way, Tom writes, “What
do we do with the very real possibility that our own kind sometimes does the
wrong thing, and the “other” kind sometimes does what’s right? (28) We too often don’t recognize that our kind
does do the wrong thing, even in a habitual and continual way and the other,
those who we deem evil or wrongheaded do the right thing. Tom points to the story of the Good Samaritan
as a story in which the outcast ends up taking it upon himself to help, care
for, and house a very badly beaten man.
Tom goes onto quip, “…the Samaritan for us may be a young African American
man in a hoodie, a Muslim woman wearing a burka, a redneck, a lesbian, a
Southern Baptist, a transgendered person.” (28)
Jesus didn’t have wrong people on his list but attitudes and actions
that were cause for his anger. This kind
of thinking and acting is important because it levels the playing field, seeing
all people as made in God’s image and having inestimable worth, bringing to the
table all kinds of talents, gifts, and resources.
After
aiming his words at men and their unchecked lust after women that many times
lead to immoral and ungodly behavior, Tom then turns our attention to how Jesus
viewed and acted among the presence of women.
He writes, “Jesus was downright profligate at times in his extension of
love, warmth, and acceptance to women, even to women of questionable
reputation.” (71) The strict
hierarchical or cultural lines of separation between men and women were not
followed by Jesus, and he even welcomed prostitutes and widows in his
ministry. Jesus’ question of “Do you see
this woman?” points harshly at the
Pharisees who saw this woman as unclean and not worthy of being in their
presence. Jesus acted in a fully
compassionate manner toward woman that told them of their dignity and value
despite what other thought about them.
I
enjoyed Tom’s book immensely and even the section on what we are saved from,
the notion that salvation and its consequences in our life can’t be relegated
to a heaven looking view only. But, as
we are saved, we are saved from a kind of material salvation where we nonstop
run the race of gathering more, thinking that the accumulation of wealth,
power, and stuff makes us who we are.
I
agree with much of Tom’s words from his concern about America’s incarceration
problem to his understanding of those who live in poverty and are considered
the invisible. Yet, although I think it’s
possible to seek a life of good and human flourishing without faith, I believe
that the Jesus we find in the gospel accounts calls us to much more than
justice and righteousness, but that he calls us to himself in a relationship
and to others, i.e. the church. The good
news of Jesus Christ, the hope of the gospel that Jesus saves us from our sins
and brings us into fellowship with God the Father is of primary
importance.
Thanks
to Blogging for Books for this book in exchange for an honest review.
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