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Amanda has been in Crossett the past few days (she has several more vacation days than me because of my Peru trip), so I’ve had a lot of extra time. I’m an introvert by nature, so this alone time has actually been very refreshing and restful for me (though I have missed Amanda and Sophia a lot).

I think I’ve read one book in English in the past three years. So, I figured this would be a great time to double that stat, and it just so happened that I was very interested in a book by A.J. Jacobs called “The Year of Living Biblically”. I wrote a post
about it last week and it seemed like everywhere I turned this book was mentioned (NPR, Relevant Magazine), so I bought it. I finished it up last night anticipating the return of my family and I have to say that the book was funny, entertaining, reverent, challenging, enlightening, and just a tiny bit disappointing. The disappointing part is by far outweighed by the overall quality of this book. I would definitely recommend it.

A.J. Jacobs was inspired (in part by his Jewish heritage, and in part by his very interesting ex-uncle Gil) to live for one year following all the commandments of the Bible to the best of his ability. He spent the first 9 months focusing of the Old Testament and the last 3 months concentrating on the New.

The book is written in a sort of journal form chronicling the project from preparation to debriefing. The thing I love about his book is that Jacobs goes into the project wanting to find the good in religion. And although he has been cynical about organized religion most of his life (he is an agnostic), he makes a sincere and calculated attempt to give it a fair shake. Just that fact alone is inspiring and challenging.

For example, Jacobs personally does not believe that creationism is a plausible explanation for existence, yet he visits the Creation Museum in Kentucky with an open mind and leaves with his mind unchanged, but graceful and understanding. I heard him interviewed on NPR (I can’t remember the name of the show) and the interviewer asked him about visiting the museum. “You mean they’re not all idots?” the interviewer jabbed. It is precisely the attitude that has caused so much division and hatred. Jacobs doesn’t have it. Far from it. In fact, in the book, Jacobs spends a lot of time taking up for the religious.

However, as note-worthy as it is, Jacobs’ friendliness towards the subject matter isn’t the best thing. For me, it was amazing to see Jacobs openly and honestly struggling with the existence of a personal God. It is an intensely intimate and transparent view into the human soul, Jacobs’ to be exact. He wants to believe. He wants to experience it. But there are so many things in the way (science, practicality, faith, worldview). I think it’s something that most people can relate to, whether they claim to be religious or not.

As I read most of this book at San Francisco Bread Co., I was constantly having to stifle my laughter (I didn’t want to make anyone feel weird). The commandment-induced quandaries that Jacobs got himself into were hilarious. For example, he realized that he had to be honest to fulfill the commands of the Bible. Even white lies were no good. In one instance Jacobs and his wife and son are eating at a restaurant. His wife, Julie, runs into a friend from college (she also is with her husband and child). Julie’s college friend says,

“We should get together and have a playdate sometime.”

“Absolutely.” Julie responds.

But then Jacobs says “Uh, I don’t know.” Julie’s friend begins to laugh nervously. Julie glares at her husband.

“You guys seem nice, but I don’t really want new friend right now. So I think I’ll take a pass. It’s just that I don’t have enough time to see our old friends, so I don’t want to overcommitt. Just being honest.”

Towards the end of the year Julie figures out a fun game to play. At random times during the day she would ask her husband this terrifying question: “What are you thinking about?” That’s a pretty common question for a wife to ask a husband. But, when you have a husband that has to tell the 100%, whole truth, it can get very interesting and quite comical to say the least.

Now for the disappointing part. The center of the Old Testament is the Law. It’s what God put in place to protect and consecrate his people. It was the manner in which his people could relate to him. Jacobs did an incredible job of entering into the center of the Old Testament. He truly lived and experienced it. However, the center of the New Testament is not the Law or really any commandments. The center of the NT is Jesus Christ. And to truly enter into the essence of the New Testament Jacobs would have had to live as though Jesus were who he said he was. In my opinion, this is where the book falls short. The last three months of Jacobs project, in which he focussed on the New Testament were certainly entertaining and helpful in understanding different strains of protestantism, but it didn’t get to the heart of what the New Testament is.

I really don’t want to discourage anyone from reading this book, because it is excellent. I give it two thumbs up, a 9.5 out of 10.

Jacobs said in the book that he has a problem with googling himself, so chances are that he’ll read this. Mr. Jacobs, congratulations on a job well done.

Posted on Wednesday, November 14th, 2007 at 4:53 PM in promise house | rss feed for comments| Leave a response, or trackback