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What are readers saying about Blue Like Jazz?
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-05-14 01:43:09.
(Language: English)
 
At first I was skeptical about this book, I was anticipating a heretic will be writing about a dead God. Far from that far, this book really clarified a lot of feelings I had about 'Christianity' (religion). Though I do not agree with everything he says, e.g. his fear of institutions and etc. I cannot help but see a lot of my past self in this book. But I feel I have given up, I have become 'tolerant' I don't want to fight anymore against 'Christianity' and secularism. I just want to love Jesus and tell people about Jesus. I also identified with problems that he points out such as the equation of love as a commodity. Overall it is a good read, easy to read, and a fun read. It's how I would write if I was blogging for one (myself) in a third person sense. I admire how he puts in things in this book, which I would be too embarrassed to write about because I think it sounds stupid. Writing the book reflection on the otherhand is gonna be awful.Interesting dialogues. 
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-09-14 07:13:46.
(Language: English)
could relate to an unbeliever and a believer as well. The bomb when it comes to being relevant and transparent. read it if you havnt, it will leave you with weeks to think about thingsI personall think that those who dont like this book, are more then likely give in to the formula kind of teachings out there, safe, narrowed, steps, points, ext: i would encourage anyone to read this book and to allow the bigger points to sink in, and dont stress yourself about the nitty gritty., Just maybe donald has been precieved as a post modernism kind of thinker, however I believe that he is free, and has reached a place of maturity, which allows him to be free in a lot of his beliefs and opinions. I would encourage those who would like to read this book, to step away from the john c maxell kind of style, steps, formulas and what have you, and challenge your self to let god out of the box.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-07-21 06:51:18.
(Language: English)
I was very disappointed in this book. Miller's writing is often crude and difficult to follow, and he has a tendency to ramble. He also comes across as selfish, insecure, and immature, though at least he is honest about his character. He never directly condemns the porn and pot-smoking he mentions, and seems to encourage smoking and swearing as part of freedom in Christ. Also, it is ironic that condemns the judgemental attitude of many Christians, then turns around and portrays traditional, conservative Christians in the most negative light possible. Worse, the theology behind this book is twisted. There is not enough emphasis on sin and repentance, and Miller says on page 238 that there is something in us that makes God love us. He has almost no appreciation for traditional theology; everything is based on personal experience. This is unfortunate, because Christianity has always emphasized both faith and reason. There were a few positives to this book. Miller is refreshingly honest, and very passionate about social justice issues that are too often overlooked by American Christians. It also reminded me that conservative, traditional Christians such as myself aren't the only passionate believers. However, I fear that the vague theology and ambivalence toward sin could give both Christians and non-Christians false ideas about the Christian faith.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-11-27 11:15:00.
(Language: English)
This morning at about 1:30AM I finished Donald Miller’s “Blue Like Jazzâ€. I had been reading the book for a couple of months but finally got “into†the book enough to read it through in just a couple nights. I like reading again. The book is amazing. By amazing, I mean that it is totally different than any other book I’ve ever read. It’s almost like you’re reading a book by a person who decided to write every single word that came to his mind as he sipped on a latte at his local coffeeshop. Donal Miller is a Christ-follower - his words met my heart over these last few nights with the kind of “meeting†that says - “hello, I’ve felt that way beforeâ€. There isn’t a lot I DISAGREE with in this book, except maybe the fact that I don’t know how many beers Donald had to drink while he was writing. It still amazes me how “anti-drinking†I am at this stage of my life - I guess I’m just a Wesleyan through-and-through.. Anyways - the book carries the subtitle: “Nonreligious thoughts on Christian Spirituality†- and that is exactly what it is. Don Miller talks like a preacher’s kid - with his insight to the “Christian subculture†and his outrage with it. It’s an exciting book for me to read and it will take another reading to even scratch the surface of what great stuff this book is made of.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-08-27 01:02:35.
(Language: English)
‘Blue Like Jazz’ by Donald Miller is a brilliant and thought-provoking book on ‘Christian Spirituality’. Miller offers a fresh perspective – certainly not very like the usual Christian book. Rather, Miller speaks to those of us who have become dissatisfied with traditional, institutional church, religious formulas, or the Religious Right for some examples. In ‘Blue Like Jazz’ I was introduced to a new kind of Christian. Written from a personal perspective, the book reads as if Miller and the reader are sitting and talking over coffee. The narrative of Miller’s own story is the framework for delving into topics of Christian spirituality such as faith, love, hope, belief, worship, etc. The book, however, is not set in a chronological order, but rather, each chapter could more or less stand alone while the whole is brought together by the flow of the topics. This was one aspect I liked and have found allows me to read whatever is most relevant. The book’s brilliance really lies in Miller’s openness about his own human failings to which I could relate, and his self-effacing honesty about personal struggles with faith, church, opening up to close relationships, self-centredness and shallowness, while almost paradoxically offering beautiful insights into ideas such as how we (the church and people in general) use love like money to reward those who serve our interests and withholding it from those who don’t, or the cost of real belief which demands more than lip-service, or the power of confession to bring healing. The story of the reverse confession booth he and his friends set up to confess their own sins to fellow students at Reed University was the story which made me go out and buy a copy for myself (as another reviewer said: that story alone was worth the price of the book). The subtitle, ‘Non-religious thoughts on Christian spirituality’ reflects much of the attitude of the book. For example, Miller writes of how he’d been a guest on a radio show when the host challenged him to defend ‘Christianity’. Miller’s response was that he could not. Saying that if you go out on the street and ask ten people what the word ‘Christianity’ means, you’ll get ten different responses. How could he defend a term which means 10 different things to 10 different people? Instead, he said he’d rather talk about Jesus and how he had come to believe that Jesus exists and cares about him. Although Miller throughout the book is critical of certain aspects of institutional Christianity such as the marriage between many churches and the political right, the embrace of consumerism, or the feeling that ‘evangelism’ has become a sales pitch, more about getting people to agree with us and join our team than about good news, he does so with humility, making it clear that he feels unity is more important than religious dogma and that he has no hard feelings toward Christians with different ideas. Theologically, although he rejects a systematic, ‘bullet point’ approach in favour of viewing the Bible as a story, and emphasizing a mystical take on the gospel as “It cannot be explained, and yet it is beautiful and true. It is something you feel, and it comes from the soul†and the non-rational/mystical aspects such beliefs as Jesus being both God and man at once, or that God is three distinct persons while being One at the same time. In spite of these differences in how spirituality is viewed, Miller basically affirms orthodox christian beliefs such as the authority of the Bible. On the whole, this was a great book, offering a fresh perspective on Christian life and faith to which I will continue to return. Of course this book is not perfect just as Donald Miller is not perfect. In fact, paradoxically, it is exactly his faults, and his frank admission of them which make this book so good - a work from the heart. The combination of relational ease, honesty and depth were the strongest points, especially in his honesty about faith and the narration of his struggle to find what it means to live it. Miller said that he was freed to write whatever he felt because he really didn’t think the book would be published. I for one am glad he has and that it has been. I hope you will be too.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-06-28 12:39:52.
(Language: English)
My respect to the guy for having a "fresh" take on modern Christian "spirituality," but ultimately I felt like I was reading the diary of my younger, more narcissistic and pseudo-intellectual self. I mean, the dude smokes a pipe, has a friend named "Tony the beat poet" and seems to think apologizing for the Crusades is the cutting edge of living the faith. He seems to have a great many opinions on who is and who is not living for the principles of Christ, but by the end of the book I had a far greater sense of how Don Miller perceives himself than of what those principles might be. This really strikes me as a case of style and form over function. Those who feel envigorated by his general leanings, however, should probably check out a similar author who actually has something to SAY. No free plugs here, but the emergent church movement would be a good place to start.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-07-08 04:18:00.
(Language: English)
It was as if we were broken, I thought, as if we were never supposed to feel these sticky emotions. It was as if we were cracked, couldn't love right, couldn't feel good things for very long without screwing it all up. We were like gasoline engines running on diesel. I was just a kid so I couldn?t put words to it, but every kid feels it. (I am talking about the broken quality of life.) A kid will think there are monsters under his bed, or he will close himself in his room when his parents fight. From a very early age our souls are taught there is a comfort and a discomfort in the world, a good and bad if you will, a lovely and a frightening. - Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz, 14okay, so yes I realize that was not really a review, but so you know I loved it and you should all read it. I just thought there was nothing better than the author's own words to explain his book. Miller's very readable "stream of consciousness" writing is very open and deals with things we all deal with. Some of it is almost like reading your own diary that you never really wrote because you couldnt put it into words... I cant wait to read his other books!!
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-04-04 04:27:49.
(Language: English)
Fantastic book! Its straight forward storytelling style made me read through at one time! I saw it as the tool/knowledge-box for ministry non-believers or anti-Christians. Actually I didn’t try to interact with the author before reading, for a part of me prejudged the post-modernist. But his honest and sincere tone drove me interacting with him. The Power is in the text, though he never quote any Bible verses, and since he is not trying to persuade, it makes no sense for me to shake my head towards the book. Again, he is not trying to persuade people to believe in Christ or selling the Christianity, so he is actually ready for critics, for the self-deny and selfless are profoundly rooted in him. =) The religious part, he is respectful for religious people, for “religions are not cool†but believers still can hold the faith tightly and confidently. All in all, it’s a fantastic book. Thank you, Don.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-06-08 05:52:08.
(Language: English)
I think you're either going to be primed for this book, or you won't be. I thought I was primed for it, but maybe it turned out that I wasn't. Parts of it spoke to me, and parts of it really missed the mark. Also, the author turned out to be a bit too much of a "guy's guy" for me. That's obviously going to be a personal preference issue. I was hoping to respond to it more along the lines of how I've responded to Anne Lamott, but I absolutely did not. That may have been an issue of personal preference, too. I also wonder if where you are in your "spectrum of faith" matters. If you're pretty far from being a church-going Christian but not "anti-Jesus" (that would be me), are you going to respond more tepidly to this book/this author than someone who is a more fervent believer? I don't know. That said, I don't want to dissuade a seeker from giving it a read. As an aside, if I were in Portland, OR, I'd be curious to try out his Imago-Dei church.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-19 07:39:24.
(Language: English)
I bought this in the Greatest Hits book. I must admit, when I first picked the Blue Like Jazz book (and the Jazz Notes abridged version) I was curious what such a book was doing in the Christian section of the bookstore. As a jazz musician, I was completely intrigued. So I sat down and started reading it. I read half of the Jazz Notes sitting there. So I bought the Greatest Hits and read Blue Like Jazz. I so enjoyed the perspective and what it means to serve God and how serving religion is not really what God wants us to do. He is exactly right in that jazz music can be written down, but it is difficult to do so. And in many ways, it is "not the same" once it is written down. I hear a lot of jazz musicians who play very academically. They seems much like those who subscribe to religion -very formulaic in their playing. I'd rather subscribe to the essence of what it really is - whether you're speaking of jazz or Jesus. It's not the notes you play, but it's how you play them.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-12-31 10:22:37.
(Language: English)
OK, This guy has some interesting insights into incorporating spirituality into daily living. He, of course, has a different take on Christianity than I do. I don't think any two people can agree on the details so I won't focus my comments on our differences. He does point to the problem of isolation and how you can't grow spiritually when you shut yourself away. I find I have been indulging in too much alone time lately, and it really isn't all that enriching. Also a good point is his observation that when we are taught to love our neighbor as ourselves it not only means to treat the people you meet with respect and care, but also to give yourself the same love and respect that you would want to receive from others. When caring for others remember to value yourself as well.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-08-09 04:12:17.
(Language: English)
This is a great book for anyone struggling with Christian faith, and even non-Christians can get an insight or too from Don Miller's spirituality. The writing flows like jazz music, tending to wander from topic to topic and exploring ideas. What takes a star off for me is some of the high-handed means Mr. Miller presents his musings. For all that he complains of churches who are very political and imperialistic, he often does the same thing with his own brand of religion. Also, except for Jesus, he doesn't talk a lot about things that are specifically "Christian" in origin. Having taken more than a few religion classes in college, Miller's so-called "Christian spirituality" would be better off named a "spirituality of brotherhood," which applies to a lot more than just those religions labeled as Christian.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-07-25 09:00:31.
(Language: English)
Miller's book is a really FUN and easy read, and he has some really great insights and creative ways of putting truth. However, I'm concerned that there is a significant shift here away from the message of the Bible, as the Bible presents it. He's kind of sharing his testimony and sharing the message of Christ throughout the book, but the heart of the gospel message seems to be marginalized, in Don Miller's version of the gospel message. Don talks a lot about social justice, and about being real, and about Jesus "liking" us, but never do you find a clear explanation of what the "gospel" is. From page 112 -- he says "Jesus is the most important person in history, and the gospel is the most powerful force in the universe." Absolutely. But the next sentence, "I am learning not to be passionate about empty things, but to cultivate passion for justice, grace, and truth, and communicate the idea that Jesus likes people and even loves them." Is the idea that "Jesus likes people and even loves them" the gospel? Or is the gospel there on p. 55, where his friend writes to him, "This Jesus of yours is either a madman or the Son of God. Somewhere in the middle of [reading] Mark I realized He was the Son of God. I suppose this makes me a Christian. I feel much better now. Come to campus tonight and let's get some coffee." Is that the gospel, "realizing Jesus is the Son of God"? I'd be thrilled to get a note like that from my friend, too, but I would certainly want to show her some biblical truth there when we met for coffee, to make sure she understood the biblical gospel, and the way to receive it by repentant faith. So, this is a fun read, and often profound, but I'm concerned the clarity of the gospel is lost in all the fun. I Co. 15:3 -- "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-06-23 10:09:04.
(Language: English)
Before trusting this author as a Christian mentor, check out what he says on page 238 concerning why he thinks Jesus died for him: "...Jesus didn't just love me out of principle; He didn't just love me because it was the right thing to do. Rather, there was something inside of me that caused Him to love me." Now, any of you who have ever heard the gospel preached (according to what the Bible says) and/or have actually read the Bible yourself know that THIS IS NOT THE GOSPEL! Refer to Romans 5:7-10 (preferably in context with the whole book of Romans, or at least the first 5 chapters to this point): "For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were ENEMIES (emphasis mine) we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." I cringe to say that I suspect this man, who is a leading voice today calling himself Christian, is a false teacher and because of his misunderstanding of the gospel, is not a Christian at all...I ache for him to know the truth and be a faithful witness, because he is endangering his own soul as well as the souls of the thousands being deceived by his pluralistic inclusionism which says belief in Christ and trusting in his death to atone for our sins is not the only way to salvation and righteousness before God. Some other warning signs include his mention of "dusting off his Bible" that had been laying under rubble for months, not being read (this is not a statement of judgment--we all go through dry, disobedient periods); but more scary than this is that he did not show any sadness or conviction about having neglected for so long the Word of God which is life to us (Deut. 32:47, Acts 20:32). These are indications that the Holy Spirit is not actively working in his life--when His working should be evident in this way, as it is an undeniable characteristic in the life of a believer. I would cite other indications, but I want to keep this brief. One note about his views of the Church. I agree that the Church today has largely fallen into a state of extreme hypocrisy and, in many cases, false teaching, which shows us why the churches are in disrepair. This is not in itself a reason to reject the Church as a whole. We are commanded not to neglect fellowship with other believers, and sometimes we will have to search long and hard to find those that hold to the Bible's teaching and truly want to live their lives accordingly. It is sad that he resorts to non-Christian examples for his source of truth, rather than reading the Bible, trusting God, and being faithful to promote biblical change even amongst hard times in the Church. In summary, if you do chose to read this book, do so with great caution and a mind toward discerning truth from falsity. Test what he says with the Word of God--the Bible--and pray to God for wisdom to reject what is false and follow what He reveals as true.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-04 07:24:17.
(Language: English)
Donald Miller definitely writes in accord with the subtitle of his book: nonreligious thoughts on Christian spirituality. He is very funny, and he offers some interesting insights and perspective on the Christian life. If only we could all be so honest about what goes on in our hearts and minds! However, while his honesty is to be commended, it is also his undoing. I am disappointed to say that in the case of Blue Like Jazz, the bad far outweighs the good. His "nonreligious" thoughts are often no more than a "hip" way of expressing irreverent and unbiblical views of God and the Christian life. Such thoughts, while often very real and very powerful, need to be repented of, not celebrated as honesty in the pursuit of God. And, its amazing how his understanding of the Christian life almost always ends up looking politically liberal, anti-republican, and it smells very much like the social gospel. However, it was Miller's conclusions that settled it for me. 1. He says on p. 238 that "there was something inside me that caused Him to love me." This is an utter reinterpretation of grace. Grace is by nature undeserved, unearned, and uncompelled by anything in us. If we deserve, earn, or compel God to love us then His love is no longer based in grace but in merit, which is against the very heart of gospel of grace. 2. He writes on p. 239 of Christian spirituality, "And that is the closest thing I know to Christian spirituality. A music birthed out of freedom (like the 1st generation of freed slaves who invented jazz music). Everybody sings their song the way they feel it, everybody closes their eyes and lifts up their hands." The problem with this statement is that it gives us no boundaries by which to worship God. It gives "freedom" to approach God however one pleases, without reference to whether or not that approach is in accord with what God has revealed in Scripture. Our approach to God is not based on "the way we feel it," but on the objective truths of His written Word. Miller misses this completely. 3. He writes on p. 240, "Ask Him to forgive you of your self-addiction, ask Him to put a song in your heart." While in some ways this is true, it is woefully inadequate and insufficient in describing our fundamental problem to an unbeliever. If Miller believes more than this, he needs to let us know. It would not even be enough to say that a life that is pleasing to God is a life that is addicted to Him instead of ourselves, because God is not a drug or an emotional high. God is the Almighty omnipotent Creator and Sustainer of the universe, and it is this God who sent Jesus to save us not only from our "self-addiction" but from His own wrath. Our problem brought about death, and if Jesus hadn't died our death for us then we would have, and that death would have been for all eternity. Jesus is a mighty Savior, who purchases with His own blood a people for God to call His own. Jesus turns rebels into worshippers. He gives life to those who were dead. He delivers into His own Kingdom those who were willing slaves to the dominion of darkness. We do not call people to be saved from "self-addiction" but from God's right and just wrath against them. We call them to repent of their godless ways and from following the kingdom of this world and turn and follow the rightful King, Jesus Christ. Shall we dispense with the very striking and powerful and unchanging language of the Scriptures and substitute "self-addiction" in order to make the gospel more appealing to a "post-modern" audience? Only if we dispense with the gospel itself. The gospel doesn’t change, and neither do the biblical categories and terminology by which we receive the gospel. Of course it is foolishness to the world to speak of God and of Jesus and of humanity and of sin in such “archaic†ways. But it is these very truths that comprise the true gospel. It is this gospel that God uses to save people, for “it pleased God through the folly of what (the gospel) we preach to save those who believe (1 Corinthians 1:21).†We preach the truth as accurately and faithfully and lovingly as we can, and we let God be the one who brings salvation through His message. Donald Miller wrote of the time when he set up a confessional booth where he and a few others could apologize to the world for the mistakes and sins of Christianity. He needs to re-open that booth. This time, however, he needs to confess and apologize for watering down Jesus, the gospel, and for painting the high and holy calling of the Christian life in terms that are often very foreign to what is in the Bible.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-08-14 05:13:27.
(Language: English)
Honestly, i dove into this book with caution. I have struggled with my faith and have often wondered about the hypocrisy in the church and how a lot of Christians misrepresent what Christianity is all about to non-believers. This book touched on many of my struggles and gave valuable insight into REALLY believing in "unconditional love". I do not agree with all of Miller's views and wish he had read the Bible more in his journey, instead of predominately basing his faith on his relationships and his own ideas. However, i understand that Christianity can be painstakingly irrational to non-believers and fully trusting the Bible takes time. So, Miller comes to believe in a loving Jesus through trial and error and through believing in the mystical aspects of God despite the reason that has inhibited his faith for so long. For this reason, his story resonates with many who have struggled to believe in Christ for lack of proof or a scientific backbone. In the end, Miller's journey has been incredibly helpful for me to understand many of the more liberal cornerstones of Christianity. Plus, his conversational, sarcastic, and brutally honest writing style makes for a humorous and very real view of one man's journey to define his faith. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to challenge their faith by learning from Miller's numerous roadblocks that have stood in teh way of his faith.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-08 05:41:40.
(Language: English)
20 years ago, I would have read this book and shouted "right-on Don!" all the way through. Today, though I still think, many of his thoughts are right-on; his thoughts of the “church†and of “Christians†are misconceived. The church is what it is, people are what they are and the two can never be reconciled. The inconsistencies and hypocrisies he experienced in church have nothing to do with the church but with the attitudes of man within or outside the church. These unfortunate impressions shared by many of us in this postmodern generation are the result of man’s sinful nature and flawed view of himself. The church is perfect by divine design. The spectrum between Christian fundamentalism and Christian liberalism is so extreme and even within the extremes the spectrum is broad. In the midst of this spectrum is the church as intended. In this postmodern time, we are witnessing the pendulum swing from traditionalism as defined by any given denomination to emergent as defined by secular worldview, both missing foundational truths within God’s infallible word. Yes, it is all about love and relationships. Love should be unconditional, but relationships are costly. We are to love unconditionally, but our relationships we are to closely guard. When we enter into a relationship, we must evaluate the merit of that relationship from both perspectives. If we determine the relationship to be unhealthy, regardless the reason, that does not free us of our responsibility to love that individual. God has given us a standard by which to live. We must strive within ourselves to meet that standard. We are only responsible to spread the Good News to the lost and to encourage one another in Christ. This is a daily endeavor. It is my opinion that in discovering Christian love through relationships and community he now depicts church, unless emergent, as irrelevant. Church and THE CHURCH are not one and the same, though they should be. The church is about relationships and community, a church is defined by it parishioners. If the church holds fast to legalism and fails in expressing love it falls short of its purpose. If a church expresses love through relationship and community but compromises on morality it too falls short of its purpose. Blue Like Jazz is certainly a postmodern classic that reads much like a script from a Seinfeld episode, especially the chapter subtitled Penguin Sex.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-08-10 03:56:39.
(Language: English)
On the back cover, Donald Miller said, ‘…I used to not like God because God didn’t resolve. But that was before any of this happened.†Donald writes in a edgy, biographical style recounting his years trying to figure out God on his own terms using his own means. Perhaps it is because the Sunday school teachers in that wealthy church he was attending as a child never taught him a thing from the Bible so that is why he spent the rest of his formative years deriving his theology from his own life experience. Actually, he admits that perhaps he was taught but he probably was not paying attention. On the first page, he mentions that he was young when his dad left home. Later, when someone introduced to him the concept of God the Father, he concluded that God must be like the men who have been trying to get into bed with his now single Mom. I felt very sad for Donald and I wished I was there to tell him that that the Father God in his mind is not of the Bible. I thought perhaps one day, he will come to know that no one can ever come to know God through his own understanding. The Bible is the only source of truth about God’s nature. I thought, this misunderstanding will resolve when he gets older. With each passing chapter, he continues to build his understanding of God, man, and everything in between on the same foundation of sand he started out with as a child. It all starts and ends with Donald and his perception of truth and righteousness. He uses a lot of “I thinkâ€, and “I believe†when time comes for him to draw conclusions about what being a Christian is, and his moral and ethical convictions shift and change with each new brilliant insight and intuitive thought. For someone who calls himself a Christian, his view of God’s word is very low while his view of his own wisdom higher than that of the Bible. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14: 12 I struggled to read through his many cynical and often arrogant rants against the Church, Christians, and Christianity. On page 30, he comments on how he thinks Christianity is a failure because Christians are a dishonest lot. On the next page, Donald concludes Christianity is a religion for the intellectually naïve. Has God let the work of Christ, his redeemed, and his salvation plan fall apart like a broken toy? I do not think so and here is the reason why I believe that. A quick read of Matthew 16:18 would assure us that even the gates of Hades will not prevail against the church that Christ said He will personally build. Towards the middle of the book, Donald talks about sharing his faith. He said that for himself, he must first throw out Christianity and embrace Christian spirituality which is a nonpolitical mysterious system that can be experienced but not explained. I was baffled by that statement. In John 3:1-21 did Jesus not explain to Nicodemus how a person comes to see the Kingdom of God? John 1:1-5 speaks of how the Word and God is one and the same essence and that it was there throughout the creation process. In that short passage, the reader comes to understand that the message of the Bible is living, eternal and authoritative. From verse 6 to 34, John the Baptist “bore witness†to the coming Messiah, the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world. Jesus also tirelessly explained the parables to his disciples so that they would understand and have their faith strengthened. Matthew 15:15-16 is an example. Donald is suggesting that we should toss out Christianity because it is offensive, controlling, and conditional. I can see why Donald wants a spirituality cut off from any form of authority or accountability. In the final analysis, God does not resolve for him because he rejects the Word and the lordship of Christ. On page 235, Donald describes his Jesus for the reader. This campfire Jesus does not annoy you with ramblings or make demands. He is passive and speaks only to help you get to where you want to be in life. It amazes me that he read through the four Gospels and came up with that conclusion about the nature of Jesus. The Jesus of the Bible MAKES demands and CONFRONTS you with only two choices which is either to submit to Him or reject Him. There is no end to the onslaught of new and refreshing looks at Christianity. They always promise some new angle that will help you figure out how to feel good calling yourself a follower of Christ and still live life your way. Somehow, the words “authentic, honest, and genuine†when tacked onto a book written by a guy with no authority behind his doctrines (for a non-religious book, it IS full of doctrines) draws by the boat load people who are unable or unwilling to discern correct doctrine. Just as in the dark, a light house can appear to be moving to someone who is on a ship, Donald sees God (on page 4) as someone walking towards him on a dirt road. God needs to make an effort to make Himself clear because He is so mysterious and unknowable. Well, God has revealed Himself in His Word, Donald, so it is you who needs to be resolved. “For a time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables.†2 Timothy 4:3-4
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-05-31 09:22:24.
(Language: English)
Dudes and dudettes,This guy is trying to write like as if you and he were hanging out together someplace and really just trying to be real with each other. This is NOT a theolosive (if that wasn't a word before, it is now) book. Miller simply "talks" in a very personable way. It's easy to follow his personal stories. Sometimes it seems like his points barely get made or get lost in the midst of his stories, but that's okay. He still does a good job of making his main points.I would recommend this book for anybody who is trying to understand those christian people more or to those who want to know God a little more in spite of what his people are like. Actually, I'd recommend it to anybody. Never let God's people get in the way of knowing God himself. Miller kind makes that point too. And that's good! I gotta admit that Miller isn't actually my favorite kind of author, but that's because he and I are like two different peas in the same pod. He and are communicate from two different brain spheres. There's no doubt about that. But the fact is, I like the way that he has communicated his message. Miller finds a warm way to share how he has communicated godly truths to ordinary, non-religious people. While he does this, he effectively communicates in the same way to the reader.This is good! So many people who have been "religious" for any great amount of time will almost certainly fall into the trap of learning "religious speak" languages and fail to relate to non-religious people in terms that they can understand. This book serves as a reminder that Christians owe it to people to speak to them in their own language. And it also reminds them that Jesus isn't about letting us keep him to ourselves.
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Mark posted a review at 2008-06-27 02:15:49.
(Language: English)
I am conflicted with Blue Like Jazz, on one hand I enjoy his storytelling, but then I am also wondering what is the point of this book anyways. The subtitle really explains a lot because it is an oxymoron, and it is a game of semantics which he plays, he doesn't like Christianity, but rather Christian Spiritually. He does make some good points through the book but they don't make much impact because they don't seem to impact Miller. Most of the time I feel like I am reading the diary of someone who is high when he is trying to write and you finish reading a chapter and you wonder what is his point. In the chapter on Penguin Sex his analogy has no point he is just babbling on. I got tired of him defining truth by how you feel about something, that if it is awe inspiring it is true, and being authentic means that you can express yourself freely, it does matter if it is valid, it is true because you feel it. I read and interview which Miller said he wrote this book because "I wanted people to know who I am, and I wanted them to read it, and I wanted them to tell me they liked me anyway." and Blue like Jazz shows his self-absorption even though he preaches against it. There are some gems in this book but to separate them from his babbling is not worth it. I had read a lot of good buzz about this book but it really seems to be hot air, good for bedtime reading but not if you are seeking after insight, he has none to offer.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-10-05 10:25:13.
(Language: English)
enough is enough. i can no longer be silent, while so many sing this books praises. it's time for a reality check. this book is not as good as everyone thinks, and i fear it's long term effects for the church. but first i will give credit where credit is due. first, miller is an exceptionally good writer. he holds the readers attention, and keeps them laughing as well as thinking. also, he did have some good things to say about the church being too closely affiliated with one political party, and many people in church are jerks. this is of course true, and has been needed to be said for a long time. this is the end of writing nice things about this book. where do i begin with the criticisms of this book? how about the title. "blue like jazz: nonreligious thoughts on christian spirituality." nonreligious thoughts on christian spirituality?...are you kidding me? here miller adopts the always cliche and immature line, "i'm spiritual but not religious." this is often used by people as an excuse for not becoming christian in the first place. i like jesus, just not his bride. if jesus is a cool beat neck hippie, who is like "whatever man...i'm just all about loving people man," than i like him, but if jesus demands anything from his followers i'm not interested. if i have to go to church, sit in a pew, pray, sing, listen, read, etc. than that's too religious and i don't want to do it, so i'm not going to, but it's okay i can still love jesus without christianity. on and on and on. the point where miller's ignorace gets hilarious is when he begins writing about how cool greek orthodoxy sounds, and how maybe he should become greek orthodox because it sounds so cool. this is coming from the same author, of the same book, with the same title, nonreligious thoughts on christian spirituality. of course, if he knew anything about greek orthodoxy he would hate it because it's deeply religious. however, it's obvious that he knows nothing of christian tradition and very little of christian theology. for all of you miller lovers, wake up. don't you get it. you've been duped by the next fad within christianity, post-modernism. i know it seems cool now, so did wwjd, but it's not. miller's book is based entirely on how he feels about christianity, not about what christianity is. i'm just as unhappy with the church as anyone else, but donald miller's version of christianity is not the answer...it's part of the problem.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-04 07:41:38.
(Language: English)
Though I don't agree on everything Miller says he makes you think. He makes you go past your natural judgemental nature to realize he has something worth while to say. It impressed me how much I thought like him and at the same time how much I found myself wanting to judge him but couldn't. Miller speaks on politics all through his book which also makes you think. Jesus was neither "democratic" nor "republican," He is on a totally different scale than that. Whether we like it or not though I think Miller has the right idea with who he hangs out with and loves on. If Jesus were here today and we were speaking in purely political terms He would be friends with the liberals. The people that the religious look down on.I truely think that if you can't get passed your judgementalness to bring something good out of Miller's book than you have missed the entire point of the book.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-08-24 06:42:21.
(Language: English)
This book might be called an improvisational, post-modern riff on Christian spirituality. ‘I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn’t resolve. But sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself… I used to not like God because God didn’t resolve. But that was before any of this happened.’ With these words, author and campus ministry leader Donald Miller begins a meandering narrative about life, faith and meaning, chronicling through a series of essays his personal journey toward an authentic Christian spirituality. Through careful observations that are at times hilarious and poignant, he shares his doubts, grapples with the paradoxes of Christianity and searches for joy. He explains how he came to ‘throw out Christianity and embrace Christian spirituality.’ While I was an undergraduate, I spent a semester in Washington, D.C. in a seminar programme. All thirty students, most of us earnest evangelicals, were studying at faith-based universities. Motivated by our beliefs, we wanted to understand public policy fit within the framework of Christian faith. We were housed in a low-rise apartment building right on Capitol Hill, about three blocks from the Library of Congress. The classes and internships were stimulating, but what I remember best was the conversations with my friends. Our apartment had a rooftop deck, where some of us would congregate at the end of the day. I spent many evenings watching the sun set over the Washington landmarks. The view was inspiring, even to a Canadian. We spent hours talking about the nature of religion, relationships, politics; we considered the meaning of life, we mused about the reason we were created, we wondered about God’s will, we wrestled with the mysteries of faith, and we dreamed about making a difference in the world. No topic was off-limits. Our conversations would stretch into the night and meander in any number of directions. It was a heady time for me. I was invited to think, to explore, to dream, to question. I learned that questions did not undermine my faith. I longed for a spirituality that had implications on how I should live, treat others, and act, following Jesus’ example of radical living. Donald Miller would have liked those conversations. While reading this book, I felt transported back to those evenings on the roof. Miller introduces us to his offbeat friends—including Tony the Beat Poet, his “flaming liberal†friend Andrew the Protester, Mark the Cussing Pastor, and Laura, a brilliant student who feels pursued by God. From each he learns about life, love and what Christian faith lived well looks like. We join Miller on his elliptical journey as he shares his own growth as a twenty-something adult making his faith his own. He writes on a series of topics, seeking truth, realism and integrity: “The more I climb outside my pat answers, the more invigorating the view…†Like a jazz musical composition, he freely riffs on subjects relating to theology, relationships, money, the institutional church, the “magical proposition of the Gospel,†and the need to receive God’s grace. I enjoyed Miller’s ability to see moments of spiritual truth in the midst of daily living. His fresh descriptions and witty observations made me think of a hybrid of Annie Dillard (the recognition of the amazing in the mundane) and Douglas Coupland (a Generation X sensibility). I laughed out loud at some of his asides. Without being glib, Miller is refreshingly honest and open: ‘The goofy thing about Christian faith… is that you believe it and don’t believe it at the same time. It isn’t unlike having an imaginary friend. I believe in Jesus; I believe that he is the Son of God, but every time I sit down to explain this to somebody, I feel like a palm reader, like somebody who works at a circus or a kid who is always making things up or somebody at a Star Trek convention who hasn’t figured out the show isn’t real. Until one of my friends becomes a Christian… I see in their eyes the trueness of the story.’ At times, Miller’s focus on his own journey seems a bit self-absorbed. He spends a lot of time over beer confessing his own idiosyncrasies to friends. I also sensed that he knows that his unconventional style of expressing his faith may not find favour in some of the more conservative corners of the evangelical world, and he is careful to add nuance to his writing to avoid offence to those people. And there were a handful of moments when I wondered about the depth of his approach. For example, what is Miller’s answer to the question of how to go to church ‘without getting angry’? Pray, he says, that ‘God will show you a church filled with people who share your interests and values.’ I think there is room to wrestle a bit more with the nature of the church; sometimes being in a genuine faith community means building meaningful relationships with others different from yourself. Of course, Blue Like Jazz is not meant to be a learned tome. Miller’s personal approach is a strength. He does not attempt to resolve the paradoxes of theology or replace life’s shades of grey with black and white; that is his point. We are called as followers of Jesus to respond to the free gift of grace and seek transformation even in the midst of uncertainty: ‘Too much time is spent trying to chart God on a grid, and too little is spent allowing our hearts to feel awe. By reducing Christian spirituality to formula, we deprive our hearts of wonder . . .It is as though my heart, in the midst of its euphoria, is saying to my mind, There are things you cannot understand, and you must learn to live with this. Not only must you learn to live with this, you must learn to enjoy this.’ Miller is not prepared to accept a shallow spirituality. He emphasizes that there are implications of the choice we make to follow the Gospel: ‘The trouble with deep belief is that it costs something.’ Our faith must make a connection to our heads, yes; to our hearts, too; and also to our hands. The Gospel message must transform us, and we must respond. His stories of living out his faith on a secular university campus—including his ‘reverse confession booth’—are wonderful examples. Miller’s jazz metaphor continues through the book. ‘I think Christian spirituality is like jazz music. I think loving Jesus is something you feel. I think it is something very difficult to get on paper. But it is no less real, no less meaningful, no less beautiful,’ he says. As a music ‘birthed out of freedom,’ he says, jazz is the ‘closest thing I know to Christian spirituality.’ This book would be a good discussion starter for people searching for meaningful spirituality, even those who are questioning faith or who may feel hostile toward the institutional Church. It would appeal to all who value integrity and for Christians who want a deeper walk with Christ. You don’t need to be a recovering fundamentalist, a cynic or an earnest evangelical to hear and appreciate the authenticity of Miller’s experience of God’s grace, love and acceptance. The book comes complete with an invitation to commitment, a post-modern altar call. It’s a call worth responding to.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-01-05 08:14:53.
(Language: English)
The sub-title is non-religious thoughts on Christian spirituality. Whether Miller really achieve this is debatable, in the end, whether he want to admit it or not, Miller is still busy with some religion, although then in the wider sense of the word, definitely different from what you’d find in Christian religion generally. Like many others he came from an American fundamentalist backgrounds, and then turned into some kind of emerging thing. What really strikes me is the amazing honesty with which he writes. I want to use this in our gap-year program, not so much to teach anyone anything, but more to help people in looking at their own stories with honesty. He struggles, but learn through this. He’s not always the nice guy, actually, sometimes he does some pretty stupid stuff, but then tell you about it (OK, maybe this just made him a good-seller, but I still liked it). Theologically? Well, don’t expect this amazing insights, or this new systematic theological treatise on God, but I don’t think this is what Miller intended. Rather, read it for what it is, one man’s story of spirituality (that which happen between our understanding and experiencing of faith, or, how faith becomes practical in our day to day life). And it’s really inspiring, and very funny. Or else, just read it for being a fine piece of literature (for the Afrikaans reader, he reminded me of Seks, Drugs en Rock & Roll by Koos Kombuis).
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-12-24 04:52:32.
(Language: English)
For a while, I had been avoiding books on Christianity. I have always tried to read them, but they always seem to be very un-fulfilling in that they mostly talk about the "superficial" aspects of Christianity (i.e. prayer, worship, devotionals, etc). This book was not like it and it really opened up my eyes to what Christianity really is and how much I still am lacking in knowledge. Don Miller presents his past experiences in a very nice manner that makes me think into my past and go "huh, how does that apply to me". He is presents all the things that are probably going on everyone's mind but never really willing to talk about (i.e. relationships, materialism, etc). Through anecdotes (which are hilarious and deep at the same time), I was able to see the challenges he faced in his spiritual walk, which are similar to my own in many ways as well. This is a great read if you feel somewhat stagnant in your spiritual growth, as it brings up many challenging points.
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