Putting Away Childish Things

by Marcus J. Borg

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If you've ever had to sit in a college classroom and listen to a professor or lecturer speak patronizingly about your personal beliefs, and if you enjoyed it, you'll love this book.  Unless of course you are already not a Bible believing Christian, in the pre Enlightenment definition.  If that is the case, you will probably get a hoot out of the oh-so-witty conservative Christian stereotypes and smirk to yourself about how insightful Dr. Borg is.

Dr. Kate Riley is a professor of religious philosophy.  She lectures her students, she converses with her good friends (and an ex-lover), she writes in her journal, and she leads a Bible study at her Episcopal congregation.  We are privy to all of these lectures, conversations, thoughts and teachings. 

As Kate deals with a few life issues of her own and comes to a greater understanding of her connectedness to all things and of what it is to trust God, the reader is led through a survey course on post Enlightenment religious philosophy.  One almost feels proselytized toward these religious views.

Putting Away Childish Things is a fictional narrative intended, it would seem, to educate a less scholarly demographic in post Enlightenment religious philosophy.  The title refers to letting go of those "childish" notions like belief in an inerrant, inspired Scripture, creation, miracles and the resurrection story.  It shows those of us who are still clinging to these outdated ideas what true Christianity is and how Christianity can be reconciled with more enlightened views of Scripture.  It basically implies we need to just grow up.

Sorry, Dr. Borg, I'm not buying.

Please note, although it has a little Christian Fiction sticker from the library, I refuse to honor it with such label in my blog index.

Update 7/6/10 

Joe thought my sarcasm might have been confusing.  In the paragraph which starts, "Dr. Kate Riley is a professor of religious philosophy," I was trying to portray honestly the mindset of the character.  I was not espousing her personal views or acknowledging them as truth.

Just to be clear...