You'd have to be living in a hole to not know that Mark Driscoll is my favorite author and preacher. His first two books have had a major impact on my life. If I had a role model, he'd be a top contender.
Of late, he has published a couple more books, but I've dragged my feet in getting to them, because they look to be rehashes of his recent sermon series, which I've already seen. Also, they just don't seem to have that punch that his first two books had - something akin to a sophomore slump? I don't know, and admittedly, I haven't even read them yet.
But he has a new endeavor that has my curiosity piqued: Porn Again Christian. This is a small booklet that Driscoll wrote a long time ago and has been a staple at his church in Seattle. Because of its incendiary nature, the booklet never made it off of the church campus and into a publisher's hands. Driscoll has finally decided to publish the booklet for free as an E-Book on the Resurgence website. He is going to release one chapter each week throughout October and November.
I've read the first couple chapters and I can already see that I like it. Driscoll warns that the book is not intended for women, and it is most definitely not intended for uptight, religious types.
Alas, I don't even think that I am comfortable re-posting some of it here, for fear of the flack I will take from the "uptight religious types."
Of late, he has published a couple more books, but I've dragged my feet in getting to them, because they look to be rehashes of his recent sermon series, which I've already seen. Also, they just don't seem to have that punch that his first two books had - something akin to a sophomore slump? I don't know, and admittedly, I haven't even read them yet.
But he has a new endeavor that has my curiosity piqued: Porn Again Christian. This is a small booklet that Driscoll wrote a long time ago and has been a staple at his church in Seattle. Because of its incendiary nature, the booklet never made it off of the church campus and into a publisher's hands. Driscoll has finally decided to publish the booklet for free as an E-Book on the Resurgence website. He is going to release one chapter each week throughout October and November.
I've read the first couple chapters and I can already see that I like it. Driscoll warns that the book is not intended for women, and it is most definitely not intended for uptight, religious types.
Alas, I don't even think that I am comfortable re-posting some of it here, for fear of the flack I will take from the "uptight religious types."
2 comments:
Lew:
I've taken a look at this book online, but I'm not impressed and, if you don't mind, I'd like to explain why.
The author repeatedly uses scripture quoted out of context to support his points. All of the quotes about 'whoring' that he cites from OT prophets are about the Israelites worshipping false idols--whoring after many gods, instead of remaining faithful to one. That's a serious gaffe.
Also, he makes a comment at one point about masturbation being akin to homosexuality in its involving only one sex--having only one gender in the room at the time, as he specifically puts it. This is just plain goofy. If a man masturbated in front of a prostitute, would that be better--or if I were masturbating and my cat walked into the room, would I then be tending toward bestiality? It's laughable.
I admire the emphasis on loving sexual communication within a marriage--and he's very open-minded on that, I notice--but his arguments are unscholarly and come off as glib.
There are much better Christian arguments about proper sexual expression; that the body is a means to an end, morally speaking, and sex is a greater, more fully human act when it is used to the benefit others (as, for instance, a couple's efforts to maintain a good sexual relationship is of collateral benefit to their extended family by contributing to the strength of their own marriage)--and that quick fixes to satisfy lust ultimately benefit no one. That's just one that comes to mind.
Thanks, nevertheless, for an interesting read.
Greg
1. Glib and insensitive could easily be used to describe Dricoll, unarguably.
2. The masturbation equals homosexuality is indeed goofy and unnecessary.
3. The only place I think that I would disagree with you is in Driscoll's use of the O.T. "whoring" verses. I think he was just simply using those verses to show, that by some people's standards, God's "language" could be considered crass. Or maybe I misread it.
4. This little booklet has been a dissapointing read for me, though not in total contrast to Driscoll's personality as both a writer and a preacher. He has been known to step out onto a limb more often than not, and sometimes, those limbs are quite weak.
But nonetheless, in a popular culture of uptight, sissy Christians, I'll still stick with Driscoll as one of my favorites.
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