Book Review: A Heretic's Guide To Eternity by Spencer Burke

Some of the books I track are re-telling the same story, changing some of the particulars to make the ideas palatable and meaningful for a new audience. Sometimes, there's nothing new in a book, and I can't wait to finish it or drop it and move on to something more challenging or encouraging. Sometimes, though, a book needs to be read slowly, digested carefully, questioned interactively.

Spencer Burke's new book has not been an easy read, but it's also been one that I haven't wanted to put down. I've taken my time, worked through his word choice and nuances, and come to the conclusion that either he's lost his mind and chucked the whole thing - or he's making some sense in the way we can relate to Jesus and to each other better. A Heretic's Guide To Eternity is not going to be the feel-good beach book of the summer, but for those who take the time to work through what's being addressed, this might provide a catalyst for something really meaningful yet to come.

The first thing that jumped out at me was the way Burke seems to choose words based on what they'll do to the reader: "At this point in our history, I believe God is to be questioned as much as obeyed, created again and not simply worshipped. Our views must be continually revised, reconsidered, and debated."  I almost passed right over "God...created again" - what did he mean by that?!? So I emailed the author, just to check, ask what he meant - and Spencer called me one evening while I was doing dishes, to discuss the book and what he might have meant by "re-creating God."

Good conversation, and I got a better handle on what he meant there and what he was getting at in the book as a whole, I think. After working my way through it, he's really talking about re-creating our image of God, whatever that might be, to something more true to scripture and to the way God's revealed Himself over time through His people.

Religion, at its most basic, provides a way of understanding the relationship between humans and the divine. But it's incomplete, so over time, elaborate systems, doctrines, and dogmas are developed to fill in the missing details. In fact, the desire to have our religion cover every aspect of human life is so strong that even when the sacred texts are silent, we'll find a way to make a connection. (p. 28)

Rather than binding and gagging grace behind the walls of Christianity and making access to it conditional on the acceptance of culturally created ideas, I believe we need to present the message of Jesus outside of brand Christianity. We need to present grace in such a way as to generate genuine wonder and amazement.... Grace is bigger than any religion. Grace cannot be bound by humanly constructed religion. Religion needs to embrace grace if it is to offer any hope to the word. (p. 47, 50)

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Article Author: Rick Stilwell

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