On reading formationally
I recently read a book by an evangelical pastor addressing a hot-button cultural issue getting a lot of attention, both in and out of evangelical circles. I had been challenged to read it by several people I really respect, some of them saying it was “the best book they’ve read all year” or that it “should be required reading for all Christians.” In the weeks since reading it, the thing that is on my mind, even more than the book’s argument, is how we as followers of Jesus can read books like this in a responsible, discerning way with our growth in Christ in mind.
Books on of-the-moment topics written by those claiming the name of Jesus have the potential (and, I would argue, the obligation) to not only lay out a particular position, but teach us how to hold that position and engage in conversation in a way that leads to understanding, respect, curiosity, love, and unity in Christ.
That may seem like a lot to ask, but I think a higher standard is necessary for Christian authors writing books speaking to our cultural moment. We need books that, instead of preparing us to go toe-to-toe with one another, show us how to walk shoulder-to-shoulder as we receive Jesus’s gospel of grace and welcome the kingdom of God.
I have found that reading with the purpose of being formed into the image of Christ takes more than just a cursory reading and parroting of the talking points. It requires discernment that only the Spirit can give and asking hard questions of the book and yourself in the presence of Jesus. Once again, I realize this is a lot to ask, but what we consume is making us into someone, regardless of whether we approach what we read, watch, etc., with passivity or participation. Let’s take every single opportunity to consider the heart of Christ so that we might be like him.
Here are some questions I have personally found to be helpful to consider when reading any book, but especially if it’s written by a Christian author for a believing audience, on a hot-button cultural topic:
What is the author hoping to form me toward? Into whose image?
Who would the author say is my friend? Who, then, is my enemy?
What would the author say we need to be saved from? What do we need to be saved toward?
Is this book making it easier or harder for me to love the person in the pew next to me? My family members? The person down the street? People whose experiences are different than mine? My ideological opposite?
How do I feel a pull to use the information in this book? Perhaps…
As ammo, and if so, against whom?
As a light to understand my neighbor more fully, and if so, what have I learned about how to move toward them in love?
As security, and if so, what am I trying to protect myself from?
As a means to gain biblical backup for my already-held beliefs (yowza—that one hurts), and if so, what questions am I avoiding and why?
As a means of gaining acceptance, and if so, why is that person/group’s acceptance valuable to me?
As an invitation to be present to the heart of Christ in humility, and if so is that a priority the author seems to share?
What fruit do I see emerging from what I’ve learned?