The Morning Brew Book Review: THE BENEDICT OPTION by Rod Dreher

This recommended faith-based reading is not a pleasant perusal to go to bed by, but it amounts to a necessary wake-up call.

The Benedict Option by Rod Dreher (published by Penguin Random House LLC, 2017) is not relaxing and certainly not escapism; in fact, I found it to be downright disturbing.  

But, that's the point.  

By reading this book, you will learn about how cultural fates have come full circle and the perfect social-political-corporational storm has amassed to bring America to the brink of what the author calls "the Post-Christian Era".  Page after page, Dreher builds his case to prove that the diminishing Christian presence and practice here in the West is gasping from its greatest existential threat--one that even surpasses the Dark Ages.  

When I read this book last year, it was the first time I had seen such a harsh description of the state of Christianity in America today.  But instead of losing heart and abandoning the book, I found it all very relatable--not only now the dwindling of church attendance, but also the headlines of the growing legal and corporate threats to anyone trying to live by biblical standards in our schools and at the workplace.  And for what I hadn't understood before, the alliance of the social-political-corporational forces at work against Christianity, the author provided useful analysis and context.  

Dreher describes this Christian crisis in time and what it means for those of us who care.  His candor is refreshing and even relieving.  He further dives into how we blindly arrived at this point, causes that even predate America's existence as a nation.  Dreher identifies and expounds upon the following turning points:

* The 14th century's loss of belief in the integral connection between God & creation
* The 16th century's collapse of religious unity/authority in the Protestant Reformation
* The 18th century's Enlightenment, displacing the Christian religion with the cult of Reason
* The 18th-20th century's Industrial Revolution 
* The 20th century to present's Sexual Revolution

Dreher's historic research is impressive and vast.  All of it leads to the climatic question: Where do we go from here?

Dreher then lays out his book's namesake strategy for rebounding (or shall we say, reinventing) our position in society for the sake of the survival of practicing our beliefs.  Not surprisingly, it calls for the formation of isolated societies which instantly brought to my mind how the Amish have endured for so long.

It is that strategy, one that the author calls the Benedict Option, for which the book is titled and that is named for St. Benedict who during the Dark Ages incorporated this same idea for the survival of Christianity during that period.  In fact, Dreher reports on his visits to the monastery of St. Benedict in Norcia and interviewing the monks there to add to this blueprint.

As the reader starts to mull over this new yet ancient theory on using counter-culture and what form it would even take in present day America, Dreher offers up certain examples of efforts already underway in this country but which are on a much smaller scale; scattered seeds bearing some blossoms as proof of the ideology's possibility and viability.

But can such seeds be enough to eventually take root to grow into the force needed to save Christianity in America?  

Either the last chapter has yet to be written to confirm its call for action, or there is an entire sequel waiting to unfold in response.  In either case, The Benedict Option is a must-read to explore how course-changing historical events have pooled together to produce waves that threaten to reach beyond us and well into the future to completely drown out Christianity.  This book is the tsunami warning.  The take-away for each reader is to decide which option represents the highest and firmest ground to grab onto.   

The Morning Brew Book Review: BLOOD BROTHERS By Elias Chacour

Imagine you're a Christian child and a native of the Holy Land, living there as you and your family practice your faith in the very setting of Jesus' earthly life.  In the company of all your close as well as extended relatives, your home's setting is surrounded by where Jesus was born and raised, where He ministered, performed miracles, died and was resurrected.  But then, suddenly and without warning, you find yourself swept up in the raging violence and terror that begins the Israeli-Palestinian conflict…

My recommended faith-based reading for this week, Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour, is one of my all-time faith favorites as a story that has withstood the test of time for many reasons both earthly and spiritual.  One obvious--and unfortunate--explanation for its endurance is this book's earthly subject remaining so relevant.  Just last month, we saw President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.  And then last week, we saw Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas’s response of declaring the Oslo Accords (Israeli-Palestinian peace talks) now dead.

But the book's true gem of stamina is its special spiritual focus on reflecting the light of Christ in a dark place, and it is this quality that ensures its being a timeless treasure for believers no matter the headlines.

Blood Brothers was first published by Chosen Books, a Division of Baker Book House Company, back in 1984 with several reprintings that followed including my own expanded edition.  Despite its publication date,  this book remains the crucial backstory of the current headlines.  Preserved in print, its reverberating theme now climaxes as a call for a peaceful resolution before the coffin permanently closes on the two-state solution.

I was introduced to this book several years ago, when my children were still small and I wanted to find a way to introduce them to this matter but felt that the books I had read on it were too grim to share.  So I asked an organization that I belonged to, the United Methodist Church’s Task Force on Peace with Justice for Israel/Palestine, if they knew of a book that could explain the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without the end result creating the negative feelings of Anti-Semitism, Anti-Palestinian, or Islamophobia.  Being that we are an Orthodox Christian family, I also had some concerns about how the overall Christian connection would be framed.

The resounding recommendation I received from the UMC organization was Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour with David Hazard.  I went on to purchase this book for my son, but of course I also read it.   With all my previous readings, interviews, and attending lectures on this conflict, I had became rather well-versed about the many complexities of it which included the “Nakba”.  This is the Palestinian word for the catastrophy (their description for when Zionists arrived in Palestine and forcefully took the land in the Zionist quest to reclaim biblical Israel).  But what made this book of a Palestinian prospective different for me was that this story was told through the first-hand eyewitness account of a native devout Christian, Elias Chacour, who possessed the impressive pedigree of belonging to a family that could trace their lineage, along with the roots of their Melkite community in Galilee, all the way back to the very time when Christianity was born!  

Blood Brothers is Elias Chacour's own personal story, throughout which he bears his soul chapter by chapter in reflecting on what it was like to be a young boy caught up in the war of 1948, with the aftermath of dispossession and persecution.  While a reader with some knowledge on both sides of this issue might simply assume that since this story is about what a Palestinian experienced from 1947 on, then it must be all about devastation and loss.  But what such a reader is unprepared for is how Chacour's story surprisingly uplifts as he shares how his family struggles to survive in ways that were in lockstep with gospel teachings.  "Blessed are the peacemakers" became more than a directive; it justified their refusal to take up arms in their own defense.  

Chacour grows from being a child during the Nakba to a coming of age during the settler colonialism period that followed.  It was during this latter phase, as many fellow Christians were struggling to hold onto their faith, that our main character began to realize he was being called to serve the church.  Chacour provides his scattering flock with comfort, inspiration and enduring strength.  Though challenged, he balances retaining his truthful witness of the injustices all around him while reaching out to "love thy enemy".  Page by page, the reader experiences Chacour growing in his faith and humanity, his effectiveness leading to his climb in the ranks of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, earning credentials and credibility along the way as he evolves from survivor-turned priest-turned bishop-turned peace activist.  He even goes on to become an award-winning humanitarian.  All of these accomplishments lead to him to gain the admiration of his people, and eventually even the respect of Israeli officials and world leaders.

This book is further enhanced by its endorsing foreword by former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker III (who held that position during 1989-92).  Reading this message from someone in such high standing gives authenticity to the value of the book from an official American prospective.  It was the dedicated work of Sec. Baker that paved the way to the Madrid Conference in 1991, an endeavor which was the forerunner to open the door to the Oslo Accords a couple of years later.  And it was Oslo that has been the blueprint for the  peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians which had existed (at least on paper) right up to our present year. Sec. Baker's own efforts toward Holy Land peace makes his foreword all the more influential as well as informative for the reader.  

While you can be sure that you will gain a fuller knowledge and understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by reading Blood Brothers, know that you will also be treated to the story's testimony of how the depth of faith not only can succeed to sustain oneself, moreover it can inspire to educate and edifiy the faith in others who also face crisis. 

If you consider the Holy Land special and if you favor a peaceful solution to this region's sufferings, then you will prize Blood Brothers as much as I do.  Elias Chacour's classic proves that while following the Christian path is not always one that can avoid the dark division of politics and differing religions, Christians can nonetheless discover a way to avoid the demonization of others and truly "love thy enemy" even under the most dire of circumstances—and that is the treasured message mirroring this teaching of Jesus that makes Elias Chacour’s book one of the best faith-based books you will ever read!

The Morning Brew Book Review: THE SECRET CHORD by Geraldine Brooks

Welcome to the Christian Coffee Clutch's first edition of "The Morning Brew Book Review"!

Introduction

Although I am an Orthodox Christian and this blog is primarily for Christian camaraderie, nonetheless with the commonalities and crossovers of other major religions there is certainly a place at this table for all people of faith and even for those just curious about religion in general.  I see such diversity as a strength for connecting, not a weakness of ambiguity.  Our coffee clutch is not really about pushing pluralism, it is more about the awe of discovery.  I have found that during my own interfaith dialogue experiences, not only did I learn about another person’s faith beliefs while they also learned something about mine, I unintentionally ended up reaping an increased knowledge about my own religion.  At such times, when my counterpart brought up a point that I had not considered or did not know much about, I would say to myself, “That’s interesting!  I wonder what my own religion’s approach is to that very same point?”  I would then go back to my Orthodox Christian sources and gain the benefit of being further schooled.

The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks 

Hits the High Note

Such was the fascination I felt and rewarding education I obtained as an Orthodox Christian reading Geraldine Brook’s The Secret Chord (published by Viking - An imprint of Penguin Ran House LLC, 2015).  This is a story about the life of the Old Testament's King David as seen through the eyes of his court prophet, Nathan.  However, it is not the Christian Old Testament account of King David's story, but rather in this version Ms. Brooks follows what has been recorded about David’s life as revealed in Jewish sources which include the Tanakh and the Talmud.   I had much appreciation for the obvious research Ms. Brooks did to construct the foundation of her story about this consequential point in ancient times, which makes for a must-read for any true lover of history no matter if that reader is a practitioner of any religion or even one who practices no religion at all.

While there exists no source that supplies solid and thorough information about David’s complete life story, Ms. Brooks took the numerous informational dots she had collected and connects them with the blending in of her own unique created brand of entertainment.  Her story is a captivating—and just as important, plausible—rendition of describing events like the violent battles, or even of a horrific rape, in disturbing graphic detail.  She also paints each scene in her own poetic style to add vibrancy to the historic story settings. Ms. Brooks also craftily reveals critical character motivation even for the most controversial figures (David being chief among them) along with their page-turning development.  All of these components work together to unfold her own exclusive and plausible story of David in its entirety.   For historical fiction in general and biblical historical fiction in specific, plausibility is key.  Ms. Brooks leaves the reader feeling that it all really could have happened that way.

Naturally, there are moments in “The Secret Chord” that are not in line with my own faith’s beliefs.  One example being that Orthodox Christianity does not officially hold the view that there existed a homosexual relationship between David and Jonathan.  This is not due to homophobia or heterophobia as Orthodox Christianity does not preach either; there is just no supporting evidence found in our scripture for it.  Even in David’s Song of Lamentation the language describing their relationship is interpreted as a powerful profession of love and grief with no explicit sexual suggestion.  Whether by reason of doctrine or dramatic license, Ms. Brooks’ story took a different view on this as well as some other points, but none of which interferes with nor detracts from the enjoyment of her story. 

Another layer of interest I found is a personal one.  I, too, albeit as someone with a different faith prospective but as someone who shares Ms. Brooks’ passion for David’s story, have authored a book about David and Michal, "CONDEMNATION: The Calamity of Israel's First Crown" which will be published by Archway, a division of Simon & Schuster, and made available in 2018.  Given Michal’s tragic life, along with how women were characterized and treated, David and Michal’s story is not an easy one to write for any female of today’s world.  As such, it was especially interesting for me as a female to see another woman’s take not just on the tragedy of Michal, but also on the belittlement of women evident in the treatment of them as well as additionally showcased in the amount of polygamy that occurred.  There is also the challenge of considering the justification for the excessive amount of  bloodshed, of the innocent along with the guilty.  I found it refreshing that Ms. Brooks did not gloss over such subjects but approached each of them by tactfully opening the door to some healthy debate, acknowledging the complexity while even offering critique.

While I have constructed a very different angle on the lives of David and Michal in my upcoming book, I have aimed to also achieve the same entertaining plausibility that Ms. Brooks has accomplished.  And I hope to attract a diversity in readership that “The Secret Chord” has proven, as I have attested to, is possible.

AFTER MOST CELEBRATE "NEW CHRISTMAS", OTHERS AWAIT "OLD CHRISTMAS"

The Bible does not specifically
reveal the date of Jesus' birth

For Christians worldwide, a celebratory date does not always match the celebrated day.  This is why there is so much confusion with what has come to be known as the “New Christmas” as opposed to the “Old Christmas”.  

Not until the 4th century was
Christmas officially celebrated
on December 25th

The Bible does not specifically reveal the date or even time of year when Jesus Christ was born.  It wasn’t until the 4th century when Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on December 25th.

There is debate as to why he chose that particular date.  Some believe it was because of the celebration of Annunciation,

Orthodox Icon of Annunciation

which is when the Angel Gabriel told Mary she was going to give birth to God’s son, which was on March 25th.  Factor in nine of months of pregnancy brings us to the date of December 25th.  Additionally and of special spiritual significance, some early Christians were of the understanding that March 25th was also the date when Jesus died.  This was a calculation based on the 14th of Nisan in the Jewish calendar. 

Others believe that Pope Julius I chose December 25th because pagans at that time were already holding midwinter festivals during this month, and since people were already accustomed to celebrating things at that time it was convenient to work in Christmas.   One such pagan festival was called the “Saturnalia”, it honored the Roman god Saturn and was held between December 17th and 23rd.  Another celebration was “Dies Natalis Solis Invicti”, this celebrated the birthday of the Roman sun god Mithra and was held on December 25th.  The Romans thought that on this date the Winter Solstice was occurring, which is the day that has the shortest time between sunrise and sunset, which bolstered their belief that with the days that followed becoming longer that this was proof that their sun god was unconquered.  In their religion of Mithraism, the holy day was Sunday which is the origin of our word for this day of the week.

Pagans already worshiped Winter Solstice on Dec. 25th,
the sun winning over winter darkness.
Christians saw Jesus as "light of the world",
and chose same date with their different
focus on "light".

For these pagans, the Winter Solstice was especially sacred because it meant winter was over and spring was coming; they worshiped the sun winning over the darkness of winter.  But for Christians, it has instead always been Jesus who represents the light of the world, so it made sense to match the theme but hold their own celebration of Jesus on this same date.  These early Christians even borrowed some of the customs of the pagan celebration, such as Holly, Mistletoe, and even singing Carols, and gave these Christian meanings.

The Julian calendar was used during this period.  But it was flawed, not correctly matching the solar elapse of time.  It wasn’t until 1582 when Pope Gregory XIII established the “Gregorian Calendar”, which is what we use today, adjusting the now new date of December 25th and causing Christmas to come 10 days earlier than the December 25th date on the Julian calendar.  Many in the world were not happy with this adjustment at first.  Only gradually over the period of the next few centuries did this change become accepted and adopted by most of the world.  But there remained some who continued to refuse the Gregorian calendar, and they persisted in celebrating their December 25th date of Christmas on the Julian calendar which was a full 10 days behind the Gregorian calendar.  These different celebrations came to be known as the Gregorian’s “New Christmas” and the Julian’s “Old Christmas”.

Orthodox Icon of Epiphany

By the 19th century, due to its flawed measurement of time, the Julian Christmas ended up falling on January 6th which not only is the date for Epiphany (the celebration of Jesus’ baptism by St. John the Baptist), but it was also believed to be the same date when the Wise Men finally arrived in Bethlehem to worship the baby Jesus.  This duality lent itself to the Julian Calendar’s Christians to not only celebrate Epiphany but to do so in a way that mirrored their celebration of Christmas.  

As time went on, many of those who continued to follow the Julian calendar began to want a separate day from Epiphany to celebrate Jesus’ birth.  This caused most of them to adopt the Gregorian’s December 25th date for Christmas.

But, to this day, there remains many of the Orthodox and Coptic Churches that never accepted the Gregorian calendar.  Due to their continued Julian calendar reference, not only do these churches still celebrate the “Old Christmas” (which is December 25th on their Julian calendar compared to January 7th on the Gregorian), they also celebrate other Christian festivals, such as Pascha (Easter), on different dates than most of the Western Christians.

While Christmas dates may still vary for different Christians, nevertheless all believers everywhere equally pour out their own expression of devout and joyous worship to celebrate the day that their  Savior, Jesus Christ, came into the world as a newborn baby.