Earthen Vessels: Why Our Bodies Matter to Our Faith [Paperback]

Matthew Lee Anderson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 11, 2011

Our bodies matter. Christians today sometimes forget this, dangerously ignoring the importance of their physical selves when it comes to technology, sexuality, worship, and even death. Anderson's book will help readers learn what the Bible says about our bodies and grow to appreciate the importance of embodiment in our spiritual lives. It will also explore generational differences when it comes to how we perceive and use our bodies. Just as Christ's body was crucial to our salvation, our own bodies are an important part of the complete Christian life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"We evangelicals don't think we care about the body, but we really, really do. And Matthew Anderson--one of the brightest lights in the evangelical world--helps us care, ponder, think and pray more wisely as we give our bodies as a living sacrifice to Christ." 

 ----Mark Galli, Senior Managing Editor, Christianity Today

"Matthew Lee Anderson...is a serious student of God's Word and God's world, and in this book he patiently and insightfully explores a theology of the body from numerous angles...I suspect that many of us will think differently--and more biblically--about the body as a result of this very fine work."

---Justin Taylor, ESV Study Bible

"On nearly every page you can find two virtues rarely combined: surprising new insights and good old common sense. Here is good counsel (solid, soulful, scriptural) about how to be humans, in bodies, under the gospel."

---Fred Sanders, Torrey Honors Institute, Biola University

"This book is for the church who is in the world. It is a truth-balm for a broken culture addicted to body image. Be challenged to forsake your "quasi-gnosticism" and embrace the divine dignity of your body so that you can worship well."

---Darrin Patrick, Lead Pastor at The Journey and author of Church Planter

"Matthew Lee Anderson makes an important contribution to the evangelical dialogue about the role of the human body that is both scholarly and accessible...Christians will learn from this book that the body is important, but that we are not just computers made out of meat." 

--- John Mark Reynolds (Ph.D.), Torrey Honors Institute

About the Author

Matthew Anderson blogs at Mere Orthodoxy and Evangel. He graduated from Biola University's Torrey Honors Institute in 2004 and spent a year studying at Oxford University. Matthew works at The Journey, a large interdenominational church where he conducts research and develops curriculum. He and his wife live in St. Louis, Missouri.

Product Details

• Paperback: 255 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (June 11, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076420856X
• ISBN-13: 978-0764208560
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #81,959 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Matthew Lee Anderson is a husband and writer. He has worked in finance, social media, and education while honing his skills with the written word at Mere Orthodoxy. A graduate of Biola University and a Perpetual Member of the Torrey Honors Institute, Matthew is fascinated by the curious movement known as "evangelicalism," and is passionate about renewing its intellectual, spiritual, and social witness.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Evangelical Theology of the Body?, June 27, 2011

By 

G. Kyle Essary (Melaka, Malaysia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Earthen Vessels: Why Our Bodies Matter to Our Faith (Paperback)

Today, being an educated young evangelical unfortunately means that we inhabit non-evangelical writings hoping to learn from ideas in other Christian traditions to apply them to our own. As a young (31) evangelical, you can merely browse my reviews to see the types of books we read. Catholic (Feser, Budzizewski, Gilson), Anglican (Jacobs), Orthodox (Hart), etc. are among the influences we feast upon for the simple reason that it's often more satisfying. The "deep thinkers" in these subjects have often been non-evangelicals and unfortunately we find ourselves playing catchup too often.

Anderson's interesting new book follows this trend. The book begins with a quote from G.K. Chesterton, a Catholic, engages John Paul II's work on the body at various points, and frequently quotes C.S. Lewis, an Anglo-Catholic. It discusses the work of mainliners, such as Richard Hays and the Archbishop of Cantebury, Rowan Williams. It even quotes (surprisingly frequently) some of the leaders of the emerging church. Seemingly, only the occasional quote from Oliver O'Donovan or Dallas Willard come from the ranks of evangelical theologians (or philosophers in the case of Willard). He at one point (note 55) states that he will later come back to discuss the devotional writings of J.P. Moreland, but the only references to Moreland come in discussion of his understanding of the soul/body distinction.

Unfortunately, evangelicals have not truly formulated a comprehensive theology of the body. I feared that in attempting such a task, Anderson would either simply engage with non-evangelical authors without presenting his own perspective apart from critiquing others, or simply fall into the trap of writing a bioethical treatise. Of course, no theology of the body can remain neutral on bioethical issues, nor can it remain silent in the face of other perspectives on the body from non-evangelical worldviews, but if the book only amounts to one of these two traps, then a reader could just as easily be satisfied with the latest edition of First Things (no matter what month it may be, the magazine always contains a healthy dose of bioethical and body-related issues).

Anderson successfully steers clear of these two traps and although you may work through the first few chapters more out of hope than engagement, the real thrill begins in the chapter on tattoos. Although the first five chapters are successful in what they intend to do, there is very little that could be called original, evangelical work within them. Still, they lay the groundwork for what will follow.

The meat of the book is unquestionably chapters six through nine. The chapters did not dwell on critiquing other perspectives, but forged a distinctly evangelical perspective. The discussion of tattoos takes on this distinct evangelical flair. Anderson does not fall into simplistic biblical arguments, nor back down from strong evangelical convictions on the nature of the body. He asks what current tattoos mean as opposed to what they meant to our grandparents. The ties between modern tattoos and consumerism were precise.

Anderson deals with sexuality in such a careful way. He shows from Scripture and reason that sexuality requires the other, but that vocational celibacy should be praised in our churches. He further deftly argues against acceptance of homosexual behavior, but shows how the reality of the situation is that we all inhibit bodies with disordered desires needing to be redeemed in the light of Christ.

My personal favorite chapter was the chapter on death. Lest, I be thought to be morbid, I have often been fascinated at the extent our culture goes to in order to hide ourselves from illness, aging and death. I have pondered long and hard over the high walls we have erected around our suburban cemeteries, or how we move the "critical" and "hospices" cases to their own areas of the hospital, away from the people with lesser illnesses. I'm fascinated (and saddened) by nursing homes where we hide the aging away from our sight. And then there is the funeral, where we think that a little makeup, some sewing to keep the mouth shut, a little plastic to keep the eyes from sinking in and a good bit of formaldehyde can conquer death. I've actually longed for the days when we let the bodies decompose on our living room tables for a few days while family and friends came to visit. If we hide ourselves from death, we hide ourselves from the fullness of the victory that Jesus brought over it. I suggested to my wife that my funeral stray from the preparation process, and still have an open casket. She didn't think people would understand my purpose and instead thought they would just say, "Ewww." That's probably true, but the reality that provokes the "Ewww" is exactly the thing of which they need to become aware. In the chapter, Anderson discusses this attitude toward death, how we have consumerized the funeral, the growth of cremation and every topic in between. He takes into account the historical Christian perspective, but also gives it a fresh, evangelical perspective. Having inhabited evangelical churches and funerals, Anderson understands how we should curb these trends in our dealing with death to better portray Christ's victory over it.

I must admit that the final two chapters left me wanting more. After the great success of chapters six through nine, the final chapters on spiritual disciplines and the body and the church seemed a little shallow. It wasn't that the content wasn't good, but that it didn't live up to the level of discourse in the previous chapters. I actually expected the chapter on the disciplines to be a rehashing of Dallas Willard's work, but was thankful that the chapter was largely Anderson's own work. Still, as with James K.A. Smith's recent work, Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation (Cultural Liturgies), you are left wondering, "Is that it? Couldn't that be developed further?" I was particularly saddened that much more wasn't discussed about the body of Christ (the church) in relation to the physical body. The final section of the last chapter veered this direction, but ended too quickly.

Overall, I cannot help but recommend the book. There are clearly some sections that I believe could have said more, but the heart of the book is well worth the price. Matthew Anderson has shown himself to be a capable writer with a broad and clear grasp of his topic. I, along with most likely all who read this book, will be looking forward to whatever he writes next.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening and enlivening. Worth the price and then some., July 20, 2011

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Christopher Krycho - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Earthen Vessels (Kindle Edition)

It has become something of a truism in recent years that any discussion about the state of American Christianity will inevitably include a reference to Greek philosophy and latent gnosticism. It is a bit fitting, then, that Matthew Lee Anderson opens Earthen Vessels, his new book on theology of the body, by asking whether American Christians have the dualistic, negative view of the body so frequently attributed to them.

His answer? Actually, evangelicals have usually expressed their theology pretty well in this area--when they have expressed anything at all. Evangelicalism's theology of the body has been characterized not so much by gnostic hatred as by general neglect punctuated by occasional reactions against culture. We need a fuller conversation about an area largely unaddressed, and Earthen Vessels is intended as a conversation-starter, not the final word on theology of the body.

Unlike many of his conversation-starting emergent peers, though, Anderson doesn't think the conversation is one without parameters. In his introduction, he writes, "Grace has a shape, and that shape is Jesus. My question is how that grace shapes our arms and legs, our skin, and other organs." Throughout the book, Anderson is at pains to ground the discussion of our treatment of the human body in a coherent theology of God and his work in this world.

That's a necessary corrective for two reasons. First, it stands in opposition to the secular anthropology that characterizes most people's thinking about the human body, including many people inside the church. Second, it is impossible to build a theology of the body without reference to its creator, whose image it is made to reflect. It is true that "while the knowledge of God precedes the knowledge of ourselves, we cannot know who God is without reinterpreting what it means to be his creatures in light of that knowledge."

So what should we think of the body? The entire Christian narrative affirms that the human body matters to God. At the moment of creation, God shaped men from the physical elements of this world. Anderson comments, "If ever there was a question about the goodness of the physical body, the incarnation of Jesus Christ definitively answered it." The resurrection of Christ puts an exclamation mark on that answer, and it emphasizes that our physical bodies are not prisons from which we will someday escape, but glorious temples to the God of all.

All well and good, but why does this matter? Anderson answers in his introduction:

---"If we do not cultivate a strong and thoughtful evangelical understanding of the body and enact practices that integrate this understanding into every part of our lives, then we will end up incorporating ideas and beliefs into our systems that are contrary to what we would consciously affirm."---

We need this theology of the body, and we need to apply it carefully to the questions our culture poses. Earthen Vessels tackles the controversial topics with a remarkable amount of both forthrightness and thoughtfulness.

In his chapter-long discussion of tattoos, Anderson drills down to the real core of the modern movement as one of self-expression and identification, arguing that "Tattoos and body piercings may appear on the body's surface, but they contain a depth of meaning that is worth exploring." Further, "Our bodies exist in communities, and we cannot fail to acknowledge this if we wish to live in them well. What we do to our skin matters as much as what we do within the skin."

His insight suggests to me Anderson isn't particularly happy with the uncritical acceptance of tattooing, piercing and bodily alteration--but, interestingly, he never comes right out and condemns the practices, either. He addresses the relevant Scriptures and finds the arguments typically made from them wanting (as do I). It seems he is more interested in sparking a deeper, more thoughtful conversation than he is in making pronouncements at this point. Frankly, given the relative paucity of good discussion on this topic, that's an approach I can get behind.

Anderson's discussion of sexuality is equally nuanced and helpful. If I had to pick only one chapter of Earthen Vessels for everyone to read, this would be it. Unlike most evangelical discussions of sex, Anderson gets beyond the simple affirmation that marital sex is good and looks to the point of our sexuality--and, just as importantly, to the glorious purpose of single celibacy. Paraphrasing Oliver Donovan, Anderson writes, "Marriage points to Genesis, singleness to Revelation." Continuing, he makes a point which deserves to be reproduced in full:

---"The teaching that our wholeness depends upon sexual fulfillment lies behind many of the problems in evangelical teaching about sex. We implicitly convey to young people that sex is a need by marginalizing those who are single or cordoning them off in singles groups so that they hopefully will get married. Then we expect them to live some of the most sexually charged years of their lives without yielding to temptation. No wonder young people struggle to stay sexually pure: either sex is essential to their flourishing as humans or it isn't. And if everyone who is married thinks it is, then young people will too--regardless of whatever else we tell them.

I realize there are deep difficulties here, not the least of which are discerning the call of singleness and establishing structures and systems of support within the church for those called to it. But the absence of visible, lifetime singleness within our communities suggests that our affirmation of marriage and the goodness of sexual pleasure have overstepped their boundaries. We cannot affirm the goodness of the created order as Christians without also seeing how it has been caught up and renewed in Christ--which those who are called to celibacy bear witness to by their lives and their love. A church without singles has lost one of its main ways of warning against a sexual idolatry that has driven the whole world mad."---

I cannot emphasize enough how essential this point is to the recovery of a healthy view of sexuality among evangelical circles. Sex has become a god--perhaps even the chief god of our culture. We cannot take sex lightly, but we must stop honoring it with highest place. Sex, too, will pass--heaven promises delights far greater and deeper and richer and fuller. Only when we reorient our perspective will we be able to rightly respond to the questions posed by singleness, marriage, and yes, homosexuality.

The only points I found to quibble with in Earthen Vessels were in Anderson's discussion of spiritual disciplines. Unsurprisingly, he takes a number of cues from Dallas Willard and Richard Foster, whose books have informed a generation on the spiritual disciplines. In many ways, that's a good thing; both Foster and Willard take the body seriously, and they take the church's legacy of spiritual disciplines seriously. However, both tend to overstate the case for some of the disciplines--and here, Anderson follows their lead.

In his discussion of silence and solitude, Anderson seemed to suggest that these are necessities for every Christian. Unfortunately, that's not an assertion I can find grounds for in Scripture. That's not to say they aren't valuable; to the contrary, both silence and solitude can be immensely helpful for believers--perhaps especially in this media-saturated age. Thus, Anderson is right to point us to these time-honored disciplines; I just wish he'd been a little more nuanced in his advocacy--especially because the points he makes about these disciplines are really good ones.

Conclusion

Earthen Vessels is an important book for the evangelical community. The human body matters, and God has said a great deal about it. We would do well to pay attention. Matthew Anderson has done the evangelical community a service in writing a book that is thorough, well-written, and solidly grounded in the gospel and a health focus on God himself. Good as the book is, it isn't comprehensive--it couldn't be, and was never meant to be. It's a conversation starter. I, for one, hope the conversation is a lively one.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An ambitious, thought-provoking book, July 29, 2011

By 

Steven Lulich "interested reader" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Earthen Vessels: Why Our Bodies Matter to Our Faith (Paperback)

This is definitely an ambitious book. The author is a friend of mine and I know he's a really smart guy, but I was still impressed and even surprised at both the breadth and the depth of the research and thought that went into this fine theology of the body. After reading the book and letting it simmer on my mental back burner for a couple weeks, I'm particularly struck by two things:

1) It is thought-provoking in all the right ways. On multiple occasions, I have found myself prompted by a sign or an overheard bit of conversation to mull over again some point or other from the book. It generates conversations and thinking.

2) It's actually quite pastoral in tone - humble, personal, with the edification of the Body of Christ as well as the bodies of Christians as its chief goal.

Other reviews have commented more specifically about the content itself, so I won't try to reinvent that wheel (the other reviews are excellent).

It isn't a perfect book, of course. In particular, I thought that sometimes Anderson's (usually self-deprecating) humor went a bit too far, so that it sometimes comes off as excessively negative toward his evangelical heritage or toward people whose views or practices he is trying to address. Fortunately, this only occurs a few times and without malicious intent, and the book as a whole is very generous.

I did feel that the book took a while to really get going. In the Preface and the first two chapters, it was often difficult to follow the line of the argument and it sometimes felt like Anderson was just trying too hard to be scholarly. Chapter 3, however, was a jewel, and the rest of the book just seemed to get better and better. It's here that Anderson becomes personal and approachable, and it's here where the conversation really takes place.

Overall, a really good book. It will make you think, it will build you up, and it will glorify God. A job well done!