Review of "The Christian Atheist" by Craig Groeschel

I am still trying to decide why I didn't love this book. I mean, it's solid theologically, well-written, has a semi-controversial title, written from conviction and has a decent narrative to each chapter; however, I found it overall lackluster. This is like the new Sherlock Holmes movie: it has a decent setup and should work well-enough, but left me wanting so much more. 


What I Liked: Again, this book does what it set out to do. It seeks to call out, convict, and encourage people who claim they believe in God, but in their day-to-day live as if He doesn't exist. I've waited for a few years now to read a book like this, and Groeschel beautifully weaves in and out of biblical concepts and his own personal journey. It's obvious to see the heart of a pastor coming out from the chapters of this book. I think especially in high school this book would have been monumental for my spiritual growth. 


What I Found Lacking: For a book that desires to call out the lukewarm within the church body, this book has little bite. This is not to say that Groeschel is timid in his approach/writing, but rather that at times he danced around an issue instead of calling things like he sees them. I knew where he was getting and I honestly agreed with basically every point of this book, but there was just something missing in his overall presentation.


My Favorite Quotations: 
- "Over time, we accumulate such a long list of sins that we can't understand how God could possibly forgive us. Locked in a prison of shame, many Christian Atheists hate their pasts and themselves in equal measure -- and there seems to be no hope of escape."
- "Our actions confirm that a disturbing number of us truly believe this equation: better possessions + peaceful circumstances + thrilling experiences + the right relationships + the perfect appearance = happiness."


Recommendation: I DO widely recommend this book; however, I think the best audience might be a newer believer, or a believer who has been in a rut for years. That having been said, there still is a wealth of analogies and everyone will likely be challenged in one way or another throughout the course of this book. I would recommend this most widely to my high schoolers who are more inexperienced in the day-to-day life of a believer.