Jeff Sharlet, one of the best religion reporters out there, mines the depths and finds another positive review of his book, “The Family,” in the United Church Observer, the oldest continuously published ‘zine in North America. He summarizes the review at The Revealer:
“From the early evangelical efforts of Jonathan Edwards in the 18th century, through the ministry of the Family’s founder, Abraham Vereide, in Seattle starting in the 1930s, to today’s efforts at channeling mainstream American politics by the Family’s current leader and Washington insider Doug Coe, there has been a solid and silent movement to foster a particular kind of obedience to God in America…. Sharlet is a skilful writer who brings eloquence and a sense of wonder to this important story. Though he restrains himself from making judgments, his descriptive abilities encourage us to think carefully about the role of evangelical Christianity in this postmodern world, where everything and everyone is somehow connected.”
I agree with that analysis, and with the importance of Sharlet’s reportage. Click here to read a Q&A I did with him in July and an excerpt from his book.
