Churched by Matthew Paul Turner is a sometimes witty and funny discussion of spiritual upbringing. As a reader, I wondered how much of the book is truly a memoir as opposed to an embellishment to prove his underlying thesis. Clearly, the author has a sense of humor – just read pages 28-30 about the KJV term for donkey in Scripture! This format, in my opinion, cheapened his story and left it unfinished.
After reading this a second time, I am left puzzled as to the author’s true intent. Was it merely to portray fundamentalists is a poor light? If not, where is the rest of the story about his journey? The back cover of the book indicates that he “falls in love with Jesus,” but that cannot be assumed unless the author provides details lending to that claim. The subtitle referenced a journey toward God; however, the balance of the book does little more than poke fun at anyone that is a fundamentalist.
The first chapter and the last chapter scantly mention time outside of that circle; so, as a reader, I did not see how he has fallen in love with Jesus.
On page 213, the author issues one of his own personal absolutes: “Fundamentalism has little to do with Jesus.” Such a statement betrays a misunderstanding of Fundamentalism, but on page 223, Turner professes that he does not believe the Bible is infallible. Much of his humorous angst against fundamentalists comes from his own lack of understanding.
Historically, the term fundamentalism originated with the publication of 12 pamphlets entitled The Fundamentals by Princeton Theological Seminary (1910-1915). Contextually, these sought to explain the macabre events of World War One and provided a reaction to Darwin’s evolutionary theory. From that point of origin, many Christian colleges were created to teach these fundamentals – including the one that produced Pastor Nolan described in this book.
Simply put, fundamentalism, unlike modern liberalism, teaches the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Thus, salvation from sin is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ. The author’s absolute could not be further from the truth. Yes, some circles within the broader fundamentalist movement have introduced legalistic practices; however, the author’s far-reaching generalization is unfortunate and wrong.
Turner says on Page 108 that “being a fundamentalist was pointless without hell.” Once again, I have to disagree. I was born and raised within one of those legalistic, fundamental circles; yet, I developed an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Through much personal study and wrestling with Scripture, I came to realize that many of the teachings (i.e. suits on Sunday and tapered haircuts) were personal preferences rather than Biblical theology.
My current fundamentalist life is fueled by a love of Jesus. That love has produced theological depth and personal growth; yet, God utilized those times to forge a passion for the glory of God. I cannot agree with the front and back cover of the book which labels fundamentalism as a “holy mess” or the “chaotic mess of religion.” Such terms portray fellow believers as crazed and blinded simpletons, meaning the author completely overlooked the tenets of 1 Corinthians 12:26 that “the members [of the body of Christ] may have the same care for one another.”
If you are looking for humor, this is a great book. If you are looking for a story that shows a personal story producing a love for Jesus, this is not the book for you.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. For additional details, please visit http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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