The final word first: Harris's shot at a creative systematic theology is a winner. His style is easy to read, and the plethora of stories helps keep a reader engaged in material that is important and rich but sometimes plays dry. The theological framework he erects was familiar to me, and so I navigated his landscape fairly well, but I think the ease and enjoyability of the work had more to do with how well he kept the storyline together than with my experience. I don't know of many systematic theologies that give you one long case-study to follow outside of the Bible with Paul or John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, and neither are "systematic theologies." Thus the format was unique and appreciated.
The chapters follow a progression from observation and experience of a broken world and God's existence to a search for truth that makes sense of it all: in essence, "why?" He takes us into his life journey from cultural Christianity to dirty, stinky, wash your feet salvation by grace alone. He looked for a foundation. What do you build your life and faith upon? If the person and work of Jesus Christ, why? How do you know? Harris looks to the Bible and finds clear and hope-full answers. God is transcendent and imminent. The Bible accounts for why we're messed up: because we messed up and we continue to manifest it through mess-ups. But, hope is not lost. Through Jesus' dying, the corruption of men and women like us, Harris explains, is undone. Jesus didn't just die. He took part in a cosmic judgment, standing in our place as the defendant in which the punishment reserved for us for being broken and continuing to prove our brokenness when such ways were/are clearly broken and another way was identified as right and good was placed on His account - not as if he did the wrongs, but as one who was willing to pay for the wrongs done. But that's not the whole story. Harris teaches a lot more, following his and his family's growth in sanctification, explaining aspects of the Trinity when he dabbled in charismatic worship practices at one point in his life. There were aspects of the book that I wasn't fond of. In a way of humor, Harris says a few distasteful things that could have been left out. He didn't; I'll get over it.
So, what Harris really did was write a "my Gospel" theology in which the truth of the Gospel and the terms of systematic theology were woven together. It was his testimony told through the teaching of trustworthy beliefs, or the foundation of a "humble orthodoxy." It's definitely a book worth giving to a friend, especially someone who was or is a cultural Christian, playing Church but not living for God and by God, or someone who has left the church, which for them was just a Christian culture, because they never had a foundation in the first place and were blown away when one of their misconceptions burst. Of course, others, maybe like you, can and should enjoy the book as well. If you do or already have, let me know your thoughts.
NOTE: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review
