ABOUT THE BOOK:

If Generation Next is supposed to question everything and trust no one, where does faith fit in?Consumers demand that their food be pesticide–free, their cosmetics and shampoo be paraben-free, and that everything possible–from clothes to toilet paper–be made without additives or chemicals. But there’s nothing that has more additives to the original product than Christianity. How do we get back to the 100% organic version of Jesus?

In his personal search for the organic Jesus, Scott Douglas goes on a funny, thought–provoking romp through the foundations of belief. Christianity, he says, has become a simulacrum–a bloated, overprocessed image that lacks the true substance of the real thing. His search for the original took him far and wide through historical Christ figures, urban legends, odd facts about the faith, freakishly flawed Christians, and the Internet. Using relatable, contemporary anecdotes, and unlikely wisdom concealed within humor, Douglas reveals a way back to the authentic essence of following Christ.

By including “wiki” breaks, social media callouts, quizzes, charts, and more, #OrganicJesus is ideal for readers raised on social media who can’t step out of their house without tweeting about it or eat lunch without posting on Instagram. Douglas is careful to be as non–biased as possible, writing not for any particular agenda–political or otherwise–but instead encouraging readers to seek their own path for spiritual renewal. The result is a candid look at modern Christianity that will challenge savvy young Christians to put as much effort into discovering sustainable religion as they do in their pursuit of an organic marketplace.

MY REVIEW:

In our context it can be increasingly more difficult to come to a full understanding of who Jesus is, why He mattered and what to do in response. Alot of speculation gets mixed in to cultural views of who Jesus is and before long it is easy to see people adopt a version of Jesus that looks little like the man we see in the Bible. Douglas takes on an interesting challenge in stripping back some of these cultural layers to uncover a fresh perspective of Jesus and what it means to follow Him. The book is part theology, part historical and part spiritual formation. Douglas does well to intersperse many creative elements into the book for the reader to engage with such as “wiki” breaks, social media callouts, quizzes, charts, and more. I especially like the “Which Bible Hero Are You?” that is found throughout the whole book,  to create a unique spiritual inventory that helps those who take this journey with him to engage in a new way. Throughout the book Douglas is clear and to the point. Some of my favorite parts were the footnotes which are humorous and informative.

I don’t necessarily agree with every theological presupposition Douglas makes in the book but many of his points are spot on. If you are looking for a fresh perspective of who Jesus is, why He matters and what it means to follow Him then this is a book I would suggest that is free from the jargon associated with others books of this nature.

 

I received a free copy of this book as part of the Speakeasy Blog Review Program in exchange for my honest review. The thoughts expressed here are my own.