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nathanhansford 's review for:
Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality
by Donald Miller
challenging
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
I’d like to start by saying that this book is quite thought provoking and I appreciated his candor throughout the book in depicting his struggles and vanity. His discussion of accepting grace and love for himself were moving.
I think the ideas acted upon in his Confession chapter are great for those attempting to show the love of Christ to those burnt by organized religion in the past.
I think the ideas acted upon in his Confession chapter are great for those attempting to show the love of Christ to those burnt by organized religion in the past.
His chapter on Money has convinced me to better budget my own and push myself to tithe again.
I appreciated the focus on love-oriented ministry within the church and outside with a primary focus on dealing with people’s needs and discussing Jesus afterwards.
“Creating an arts group at a church is a great idea.” (p 137) — I agree!!! Give artists an outlet and they’ll make something beautiful!
“At the end of the day, when I am lying in bed and I know the chances of any of our theology being exactly right are a million to one, I need to know that God has things figured out, that if my math is wrong we are still going to be okay. And wonder is that feeling we get when we let go of our silly answers, our mapped out rules that we want God to follow. I don't think there is any better worship than wonder.” (p 206)
Unfortunately I think Don Miller comes off as a bit of a misogynist and is slightly demeaning in how he talks about people from other faith traditions. He’s quite judgmental throughout the book to various groups I think in an attempt to seem grounded but it just comes off as rude. This is in contrast to how highly he speaks of those proscribing to no religion.
Additionally, there are serval points in the book where I caught myself actually rolling my eyes or scoffing at his writing. He has the capacity for beautiful prose but just as easily will fall into cliche and bad jokes.
Additionally, there are serval points in the book where I caught myself actually rolling my eyes or scoffing at his writing. He has the capacity for beautiful prose but just as easily will fall into cliche and bad jokes.
I liked the book, overall well written and it’s fun to hear many of the anecdotes. I don’t agree with some of his remaining fundamentalist theological principles, but hey, it was 2003.