Am I “Blue Like Jazz”?

I usually don’t read books like Blue Like Jazz, but I wanted to see what all the hype was about. A few brief reflections on Donald Miller’s immensely popular book:
(1) It is “honest” and “authentic.” This book says no to fake, “we’re all doing great,” made- for- TV Christianity, which I appreciate. It reads like Don Miller’s journal and is very soul-searching and self-reflective. One of the pivotal points in the book is the author’s story of the “confession booth” during the party week at his former college, Reed. Don and several of his Christian friends, in an effort to break through to a flagrantly pagan school, set up a booth in the middle of campus in which they confess their own sins and the sins of Christianity to their classmates. The result is a real spiritual breakthrough on that campus and also in Don’s life personally, as he feels that it was a “coming out of the closet” experience as a real Christian. The “confession booth” is a very moving story and offers a helpful picture of dealing very openly with sin. However, this does not seem to be a full and accurate picture of Christian spirituality and evangelism. Peter and Paul in Acts do not usually begin their sermons by reading from their sin journals but by lifting up the glory of Christ and calling for the people’s repentance. Don’t get me wrong, the Christian life is characterized by continual repentance from sin and pursuit of holiness. But in the New Testament we are not addressed as dirty sinners trying to live right but as saints washed by the blood of Christ, born again to a living hope, called to leave behind the life of sin. Don’s book tends to prize “honesty about sin” over “Jesus’ payment for sin” and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit to give us victories over sin.
(2) It is “nonreligious.” Don Miller’s chapter title “Church: how I go without getting angry” sums up his perspective on the church as an institution. His perspective is that pastors tend to be salesmen, Republican recruiters, and liberal bashers, and there is an element of truth that must be heard in his critique. In the churches he puts forth as ideals, the pastors say cusswords (see Ephesians 4:29 and James 3 for why this is actually not virtuous) and chew tobacco. He finally finds a church that he can go to without getting angry because it is spiritual, it values the arts, and it emphasizes community and authenticity. I like those four qualities also, they are important. Yet none of those four criteria distinguish a group of people as being followers of Jesus. He could be describing an AA meeting, a book club, a drama group, or a yoga team. Christians are distinguished in the New Testament by faith in a crucified savior, love for God and neighbor, and the Spirit’s transforming work in their practical holiness. A second critique: though it is very trendy in our generation to be down on the church (which Don claims he is not) it is the “institution” that God has chosen as his future bride. It is inconceivable reading the New Testament that there would be followers of Jesus that kept an arm’s length from the church.
(3) It is a helpful book to read. This point might seem utterly disconnected to my first two pessimistic comments, yet Blue Like Jazz made me think alot. It pushed me outside the box, which is a good thing. One example of this is in chapter one, entitled “Problems,” when Miller comes to the realization that the real “problem” in the world is not with the president’s foreign and domestic policy or with the threat of terrorists but it is the darkness of the human heart beginning at the personal level. He writes very boldly, “I AM THE PROBLEM,” and I resonated with this honest statement that seems to live out the spirit of Matthew 7:1-3, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” This book was also helpful and worth reading because it gave me insight into the mind of many “postmodern” Christians who are dissatisfied with a fake, political Christianity and want something new and fresh. We can work with these “Blue Like Jazz” folks as we avoid some of the trappings of cultural Christianity and orient our lives around a personal, transforming relationship with the Living God through his Son Jesus Christ as revealed in his Word. Thus, I give Blue Like Jazz a qualified recommendation. Posted by Brian