We can learn a great deal through ancient mentors like Francis of Assisi. As Ian notes in the book, "Chasing Francis," more has been written about Francis than any other Saint. So my first question is why did he write this book? While there are gleanings one can take away about Francis and spirituality from this book, one has to sift through a lot of "Emerging Church" chaff that really guides the story line. For someone who is familiar with the EC movement it is readily detectable from the first chapter. For the uninitiated, especially one who struggles with the reality that any organization, the church included, will not be perfect, it can be intoxicating as it plays to the longing of youthful idealism. Every organization that includes faulty and fallible people (that is all of us) always struggle with theory verses actual practice. Since church is made up of people, large groups, politics, and imperfections will always be part of it. If one is not careful, false expectations can be placed on the self and the church as a whole. While the Church will always be in need of refocusing, just pointing out some areas to improve does not mean that one gets to recreate the Church by ignoring the difficult portions of Scripture that do not agree with what one is comfortable with. This book exchanges a desire for holiness and truth for social action and subjective interpretation of Christianity. While there is a place for each of those concerns there is a hierarchy if one wants to call it Christian rather than political or social school of thought.
My first criticism is that the story line and characters are not aligned. The wishful message of the Emerging Church comes in direct contrast with the life of the author, the protagonist, and the Franciscan guide who leads Chase on his pilgrimage. The conflict ensues immediately in the book, no character building etc..., Pastor Chase loses his "faith" in front of the entire congregation during a sermon. So, this pastor has a "sudden" Gnostic crisis of faith or agnostic crisis in the pulpit comes across as totally contrived. Second he goes back to his bachelor pad condo (he's 39) and gets plastered. Again a simplistic way to quickly move into the author's intention of presenting his 5 core emerging church values. Seriously, how many committed evangelicals seeking holiness and God personally have a bar stocked enough to get lit up when things get down? How many on fire pastors use alcohol as a regular beverage and keep it in their condo? Again, rather than a story about Chase and Francis, I cannot help but notice that the bigger theme is to adopt those characters as props to present Ian's apologetic. I know one can say it is fiction. But there is also the claim that it is wisdom literature. Good fiction has basis in human experience. Wisdom literature goes deeper and touches upon what is real as well.
The second criticism that I offer is that this book presents an elitist's view of Christianity and a very narrow one at that. We start with a entitled wealthy pastor who hob knobs with Wall Street execs and business leaders. One quickly gets the impression he drinks Starbucks in the morning and manhattans at night. With little foreshadowing, he has a spiritual crisis while living an obviously nominal version of Christianity. The answer to this dilemma, travel to Italy.
He trades his fast paced New England Life for a slow guided tour of Italy. Who wouldn't enjoy visiting Europe at the snap of the fingers? His tour leader is Uncle Kenny, a chain smoking Franciscan priest, who leisurely guides Chase through a high end vacation destinations. They trade the mochas and martini's for cappuccinos and sangrias. He visits some of the most expensive and beautiful churches of Italy that cost untold fortunes and took the institutional church centuries to build, attends concerts that have the most accomplished musicians, and travels with a rag tag bunch of spiritual seekers. The architecture brings him to a new Christianity that the modern buildings in America fail to do. Interesting that the building does this and not the Holy Spirit, Scriptures, or a contemplative life like Francis. It just "happens" for Chase. He has to be informed that the "feelings" he has are from God, the Spirit. A personal touch from God is something he had obviously never experienced as an evangelical despite John 3:3. I guess you can be born again according to the author without experiencing the Holy Spirit.
Also there is no mention that these huge cathedrals sit empty for the most part in Europe. So, why don't more people in Europe, especially Italy, have this gnostic experience and flock to the art and architecture? The author offers no real explanation. But, hey why mention that when you are offering a backwards criticism of the American church and most readers will never be able to examine the false perception of European spirituality for themselves? Just make up facts and impressions as you go, as long as they build the facade you want to create as an author. Francis is the quiet mentor for all this new wisdom Chase gathers through journaling. That is about Francis' major contribution, a paragraph or two about his life, some biographical and some apocryphal.
Chase gains all this new and "real" theological insight in a matter of weeks. He never came across any deeper view of Christianity in all his seminary training, personal devotion, reading, or study? But traveling through Italy and journaling brings him to an epiphany that will change "everything" for Chase? If one just pauses for a moment at this wisdom literature, one would note quickly that there couldn't be a more marked contrast between the life of St. Francis than Chase and even his uncle. The latter live very, did I say very, pleasant and entitled lives compared to Francis.
In the end, Chase goes back to his institutional church and says basically, "Why can't we have the spirituality I just experienced for the first time a week or so ago, NOW." Real change takes time, not the snap of the fingers. The forgone result is that Chase and the church separate. The church is put in a bad light, Chase forgives them, because they just don't understand (he's in a good light), and he starts from scratch from his condo... The cliches employed can be a bit unbearable because they are so obviously contrived to fit the narrative for an apologetic. But it is not a novel about the characters or really an introduction to Francis, it is to be wisdom literature to introduce us to the values of the Emergent Church.
Again, here we have an apologetic for the emerging church's criticisms of church that lack any real commitment to the institutional church (unlike Francis). I did not find any of the theories of forgiveness, process to change, or meaningful next steps to help people in the church grow in their experience of Christ, it just happens (I guess they could have purchased tickets and a travel plan to Italy for all the church members, would that have been a good use of the church's funds rather than a gym? I get the suggestion was to build a medical clinic, but that idea only formulated for Chase after his European excursion. Again, this is an indirect jab Ian makes against Chase's church). Do churches struggle with incarnating Christ in the community, sure all do. But simplistic answers and expectations that those who have Chase's concerns will have immediate response is simply childish. The idea that they take money dedicated to one purpose and totally change it overnight is ludicrous. Why not plan to build a medical clinic also, the church obviously had tons of money sitting around right?
So, what I gathered from the book is that we have the introspective look down the well of history. I don't feel any closer to Francis or truly understanding who he was or is. Once again it is the progressive who wants to apply a new focus and definition of Christianity. He builds a religion that co-opts Christian terms and history to conform them to himself as he looks at his own reflection in all he examines.
An interesting reality is that Ian, the author, plans a yearly gathering called the "Wild Goose Festival" which is based upon a rock style festival in England. It spans several days full top celebrity personalities of the liberal leaning folk where some have a formal commitment to some Christian confession and others who have a more ambiguous commitment. They hawk their books and bands push their CDS and I am sure you can get your "I've been there and done that T-Shirt." On one level, I believe they are free to do as they wish. But they are not free to criticize methods or means simply as a polemic for argument while UTILIZING the same activities. Again, do as we say, but don't watch what we do. Even though their version of spirituality is what they do! There are plenty of "institutional" churches that do exactly what Ian criticizes here through Chase the False Son. (not a very veiled hidden meaning in Chase Falson.)
The good take aways from the book are not enough to warrant a full read. There are a few good stories and the back questions that be used or be modified to help guide discussion about these ideals, but these are not unique to the Emerging Church. In fact, I would argue that the Roman Catholic Charities alone like the Franciscans eclipse ALL that the emerging church does for humanity (not that good is not appreciated when done) or all that they will ever do (there is no conserving power I can identify in the Emerging Church, they become what they criticize- institutionalized- when they do last beyond 10 years), so why reinvent and do less. Why not join the Franciscan order instead of recreating the church in the image Ian has?
If you really want to examine these questions from a more authentic perspective, read the "Ragamuffin Gospel" by Brennan Manning. Personally, I sense Chase's character was a two dimensional attempt to co-opt Manning's biography. Manning's life while troubled as well was based upon the Historic message of the Apostles and the Bible. He at least is a real person who as a Franciscan gave up everything, truly experienced suffering, married as a priest, divorced, and admitted his struggle with alcohol. Yet, spoke honestly about his faith, grace, struggles and hope. Rather than one who like Chase simply flitted about the countryside and had a deep epiphany where Christ was everything. There are plenty of great studies on Francis and other's who truly sacrificed and found God and love the church of Christ, warts and all.
On a practical note, I have a relative who communicates with dead people and goes to church. He has a much more syncretistic philosophy than Ian's. This relative adopts a Christ of his choosing and various definitions not tied to History or orthodoxy. In a recent conversation that had nothing to do with this book, but rather the book my relative authored, he shares the same concerns that the Emerging Church and Ian raise up as key points of faith. I can tell no difference in my relative's faith or concerns that were brought up in this book.
I truly believe He and Chase or Kenny would be able to talk with many of the same words and my relative would remain uninspired to come to faith in the Christ. So, I have to wonder where those who follow Ian's teaching will end up, if the Bible is mainly to be interpreted by personal experience rather than experience sifted through the lens of the saints who knew Christ personally. And if experience trumps history, tradition and reality. It is not difficult to read, but it is not written in great prose either. So, I'd turn to many other sources for my spiritual formation and not to this one at all.
Enjoy fast, FREE delivery, exclusive deals and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Flip to back Flip to front
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
| Price | New from | Used from |
|
Audible Audiobook, Unabridged
"Please retry" |
$0.00
| $7.95 with discounted Audible membership | |
|
Audio CD, Audiobook, CD, Unabridged
"Please retry" | $27.99 | $9.98 |
- Read with Our Free App
-
Audiobook
$0.00 - 87 Used from $1.73 35 New from $8.89
- 1 Used from $9.98 1 New from $27.99
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now
Frequently bought together
$11.43
Get it as soon as Monday, Jul 10
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
From the Publisher
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Chasing Francis | Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me | |
| Description | What happens when the pastor of a mega church loses his faith? Join Chase on his life-changing journey with a curious group of Franciscan friars as he struggles to resolve his crisis of faith by retracing the footsteps of Francis of Assisi. | A touching memoir of life with an alcoholic father who secretly works with the CIA, a dark pilgrimage through the valley of depression and addiction and finding a faith to redeem and a strength to forgive. |
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Top reviews from other countries
marizinha
São Francisco de Assis sempre um grande tema
Reviewed in Brazil 🇧🇷 on September 5, 2014
Maverick
Chasing an alternative to modern American evangelicalism
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 31, 2013
Amazon Customer
Study Book Rather than Novel
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 18, 2016
