Book Review: Jim & Casper go to Church

I've read two book in the last month. I'm not quite back to my old book-a-week form, but I can feel the book reading love coming back. It helps to have good material.

I finished Jim & Casper go to Church by Christian Jim Henderson and Atheist Matt Casper, in just two sessions. The book is a complementary volume to I sold My Soul on eBay (Reviewed here)  and written by the same man who bought Hemant Mehta's soul.

I've already told a few people how much I enjoyed this book. The point-counterpoint format allowed me to think deeply about the topic being presented. I found wisdom and intelligence in the exchange between a Christian pastor and secular Atheist. I thought the book might be biased, but it turns out that objectivity was the key element of the book. There is no meanness or hate in its pages. Only a real desire to help Christians understand why it is hard to draw the unchurched through the doors of their churches.

The book clarified something important for me. For starters, I am now and have always been a follower of Jesus. I just do not believe he was God or is in any way divine. I follow the teachings of Jesus (or I try too), but I also follow the teaching of other great philosophers and teachers, Buddha, Gandhi, Socrates, the list is long.  I found this same thinking to be a theme carried by Atheist Matt Casper. I also found respect for this position by Christian Jim Henderson. Respect goes a long way toward building a bridge of tolerance and understanding between our two communities.

Looking into church culture across America was an interesting idea. It drew me in and would not let go. Part of what puts me off of church is the cultural rituals of worship. Every denomination has its own, all slightly different, yet all strangely important. I've been to many churches, the rituals put me off every time. They make me feel like a stranger, unwelcome and in some way unsophisticated. Yet understanding that the rituals are in some way a part of connecting to god was helpful. I had always considered them to be more of a control mechanism than something that sets a worshiper free.

I found the exploration of the larger church culture interesting from a "how is it done" perspective. Getting me through the doors is anther matter. Nothing is more repulsive than the bluster and glitz of a Saddleback or Lakewood. In fact, any church with parking police is off the list.

The emerging church section was stimulating. I found a strong kinship here. Something that could draw me in if I could ever get over my fear of the sanctimonious and fake church culture. Church never feels genuine. Partly because the people who attend are likely to be the first people to sit next to me at the pub, and partly because of direct negative experience. Church is always a performance. Yet this book showed me more of what church could be, something more authentic and approachable. I started to think about the possibility that I might harbor some biases that are unjustified.

Matt Casper asks the question "Is this what Jesus would do?". I asked this same question as I read the book. The answer was almost always no. Some of the churches feed the poor and some were working in the local community, but many more were focused on converting the unchurched masses with a simplistic "if you die now, you go to hell argument", or worse, asking for mountains of money to pay for "the show". Jesus taught by example. He feed the poor, and talked to them too. I do not recall Jesus pressing his followers to empty their pockets every seventh day to pay for his makeup.

I am proud of Matt Casper. He represented atheism well. Matt's words are wise, insightful, and well meaning. His indignation at the commercialism and isolation of the larger churches was heartfelt, his critic of the showbiz side of religion was refreshing. I always looked forward to his view of the music. It was the highpoint of each chapter.

The authors time was limited to a single Church service, so in some ways the analysis is superficial. A bigger budget and more time would have allowed for greater depth. However, for the time spent, the authors produced an outstanding work. Pastors across America will read it, so too will my fellow Atheists. I can recommend this book. In fact, I am proud to do so.

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