a warning about Blue Like Jazz
Elevating Experience Over Doctrine
I borrowed Blue Like Jazz from a friend and read it in an evening. In love I say that which will most probably offend: This is not a book to be educated on Christianity.
Donald Miller's relateable story is personal with all the doubts and struggles of Christians, but here is the word of warning to believers and unbelievers alike: his Christian beliefs are conclusions of human experience, and not derived from the foundation of Christianity -- the Bible.
The prime example of this statement is that it takes him until the last five pages of the book (236 of 242) to realize maybe he should actually read the Bible, as in -- all of it!
As Christian author and speaker, Miller does irresponsible disservice to unbelievers who might be curious about Christianity and Christians who may read the book to deepen their faith. Misleading them to glorify and romanticize fallen man's experience and worldly wisdom to determine Christian belief for 235 pages before introducing the possibility that maybe a Christian should read the Bible.
My recommendation instead of this book? The KJV Bible. You can buy a good copy for seven bucks and if you can understand Blue Like Jazz you'll have no trouble reading it in a year. Read it from Genesis to Revelations. Take notes, ask questions and pray that God will help you know him. Scrub out all the preconceived notions of Jesus, hypocrite Christians and televangelists and do the hard work -- read the Bible. When you are finished with that. Do it again.
Elevating Experience Over Doctrine
I borrowed Blue Like Jazz from a friend and read it in an evening. In love I say that which will most probably offend: This is not a book to be educated on Christianity.
Donald Miller's relateable story is personal with all the doubts and struggles of Christians, but here is the word of warning to believers and unbelievers alike: his Christian beliefs are conclusions of human experience, and not derived from the foundation of Christianity -- the Bible.
The prime example of this statement is that it takes him until the last five pages of the book (236 of 242) to realize maybe he should actually read the Bible, as in -- all of it!
As Christian author and speaker, Miller does irresponsible disservice to unbelievers who might be curious about Christianity and Christians who may read the book to deepen their faith. Misleading them to glorify and romanticize fallen man's experience and worldly wisdom to determine Christian belief for 235 pages before introducing the possibility that maybe a Christian should read the Bible.
My recommendation instead of this book? The KJV Bible. You can buy a good copy for seven bucks and if you can understand Blue Like Jazz you'll have no trouble reading it in a year. Read it from Genesis to Revelations. Take notes, ask questions and pray that God will help you know him. Scrub out all the preconceived notions of Jesus, hypocrite Christians and televangelists and do the hard work -- read the Bible. When you are finished with that. Do it again.