Glossy Books

There has been no less than an absolute explosion of Christian books and Christian book stores over the past two decades. But I pose this question, "Is the plethora of Christian literature now saturating the American Christian Evangelical Culture a good thing?"

I propose to answer this question with a cautious leaning towards "no, it is not a good thing." The reason for this negative response is my disappointment as to the content and focus of modern day Christian literature that has big sales. Simply pick up some pop Christian book written in the past few years and pick up something written by Tozer just a few years prior. The difference is big, and it is noticeable to any eye. Besides someone like a Piper, I'm afraid the caliber of writing that is read by the masses of Christians falls off dramatically fast. The most popular writers are not exegetes or theologians, but they are rather people who smile big, know the right people, and for whatever reason have automatic name recognition and a listening audience at the drop of a pin.

I have no problem with books being written for baby Christians, that are easy from time to time on the meaty substance. My beef is simply that with a majority of the stuff on our bookstores shelves now being fluff literature, we have either intentionally or unintentionally cultivated an American Evangelical Christian culture that now has no desire or ability to digest anything of substance. This is a reason for alarm and concern. Weak minds equal weak Christians.

With that I tip my hat today to Rudolph Otto. I do not agree with everything he says, but at least he says something. He and others have been my continued inspiration for my own work, which I continue to write entitled, "Pointed Nails." Although Christians will always disagree on issues, I always give credit to those who have enough balls to write something pointed and pressing. Otto coined a special term for the holy. He called it “awful mystery”. Otto spoke of the awfulness because of the fear the holy provokes in us. The holy fills us with a kind of dread. This concept stems from Otto's work, “The Idea of the Holy.”

Our God is not a god of fluff or gloss. Our God will give your conscience nightmares if you are mature enough to stomach it. May His Holy Name be forever revered.