review of Allan R. Bevere’s book, “All Is Not As It Seems: Random Reflections on Faith, Ethics, and Politics”

Review of Allan R. Bevere’s book, All Is Not As It Seems: Random Reflections on Faith, Ethics, and Politics. One quote from it from this blog.

Allan R. Bevere is a pastor,  professor, first rate scholar and blogger. I had the privilege of meeting him at Ashland Seminary this past summer, in fact he graciously hosted me there. I love this book. It is from the pen of a scholar who has a pastor’s heart so that the book will be of interest to everyone.

His goal is to broach subjects that we’re all interested in, but often squeamish to discuss with others, because heat often replaces light. He wants to model civility, and he wants to write in such a way that civil discussion is stirred. Indeed the book could be used profitably for a group discussion.

Wisdom is the word I would use to describe the book. And I mean down to earth, kingdom of God in Jesus oriented wisdom. I was hit over and over again with thoughts or slants in ways of looking at things which were new to me.  I finished the book knowing I was not finished with it. Food for thought to go back to later and reflect on.

Of course Allan gets into faith, ethics and politics, the title is not misleading. He does so as one who while a pastor, is part of a faith community seeking to live responsibly in the world as salt and light in the Lord. I found that either I was tracking with him, or else he was challenging my own thinking on issues on which Christians are at variance. Insight penetrates to the heart of things, beneath and beyond the surface appearance, so that indeed, “all is not as it seems.”

The book is reader friendly. Each chapter is short and stands on its own, and if Allan were sharing its contents in a sermon or talk, one would have been happy to have been there. But we have each of the fifty talks in a nice paperback.

The good teacher that Allan is, the book left me with the impression that I’d like to talk to the author about this or that from the book, but even more, I’d like to receive counsel from him when I’m in need of such. Of course the Spirit gives to all of God’s people in Jesus to counsel each other, but there are those who are set apart to at least model this well.

Sometimes the thoughts may seem simple, yet on a little reflection one realizes they are profound. At other times I was smiling to myself so to speak over the good insight and clear way he shares it.

Some of the chapter titles: “Why I Do Not Believe in Moral Victories”, “Mother Teresa and the Crisis of Faith”, “The Pain of Loneliness and the Glory of Solitude”, “Doctrine as the Language of Theology”, Disappointments along the Journey”, “Substance is Necessary, But So Is Style”, “Do Not Attempt to Make the Gospel Relevant”, “A Father’s Thoughts on the Occasion of His Daughter’s Graduation”, “Commitment is Serious Business: Some Thoughts on the Gospel of Mark”, “John Wesley on Predestination”, “The False Nature of Self-Defined Salvation”, “Jesus’ Resurrection and Why this World Matters”. Perhaps my favorite chapters (though impossible to say, really) were “Doctrine as the Language of Theology” and “The False Nature of Self-Defined Salvation” in which Allan expresses well the importance of our identity as part of and for community in our orientation in the world as God’s people. The former helps us see why we need to retain words like “forgiveness of sins, grace, sin, judgment, and resurrection” (p 92), etc.

Yes, Allan does get into politics, but not as one defending the right or the left, but as one who humbly but forthrightly seeks to look into and suggest a responsible outlook toward a course of action. As one of Anabaptist persuasion (he is also, along with Wesleyan persuasion which I probably share in, in part) I wrestle over to what extent and how Christians can participate in “the state”, and in politics within it. I think he points to a direction that while challenging, is good. That in some way we do participate, but that our participation is in terms of being people of the cross of Jesus. So that we would work at not being co-opted by the world, while like Daniel serving our God in the world. When one considers the world of politics, how this plays out both in how one serves and how we vote, this is challenging to say the least, but a part of the walk of faith we necessarily take in this world.

This is a book worth way beyond the price and time it takes to read it (only 162 pages). This may seem to be exaggeration, but I don’t mean it that way at all. I am glad that I have a copy and that I’ve read it. It was good for me, even if I would never read it again, but it is a keeper.