I get a little bit tired of people saying, "I'm spiritual, not religious" or similar pronouncements. It always sounds to me either arrogant, self-centered, or evasive, or some combination of these. In Resurrecting Religion: Finding Our Way Back to the Good News, Greg Paul encourages Christians to embrace religion.
Granted, there is plenty of bad religion out there in history and current culture. But Paul points out that while faith alone is personal and concerned with belief, religion is communal and concerned with action. Without expressions of religion in action and justice, personal faith is lifeless, simply dry bones. Spending most of his time in the book of James and the Beatitudes, Paul brings these passages to life, applying them in the context of the church today.
I loved his theme of "Beatitude people." Paul is pastor of Sanctuary Toronto, where many attendees are poor, homeless, mentally ill, addicted, etc. They are the meek, the poor in spirit, the mourners, whose lot in life seems to be on the short end of everything. But as Isaiah writes, their valleys will be lifted up and the mountains made low. Paul offers hope for all of us, especially those that the world sees as residing at the bottom, because of the promises of the beatitudes.
This is the true religion of Jesus. Bringing together people from all classes. Preaching justice and putting the gospel to work in the body of Christ. It's not as easy as being spiritual on one's own, nor is it as cut and dried. But the rewards and blessings of this kind of community overshadow the discomfort and pain that may come along.
Paul writes clearly and passionately. He applies these scriptures in ways that will challenge many of us, but, to the extent that we are open to his prophetic voice, we may discover a deeper faith and a more vibrant, vital religion.
Thanks to Blogging for Books and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
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