Overall, I spent a lot of time in LOLZ-land. But the heart of all of these books is quite serious… He addresses the perfectionism that’s dogged much of American Christianity in a way that I’ve seen nobody else do – probably because they’re afraid to make waves.

My guess is that Frank’s portrayals of the Beckers cut so close to the bone that many of us just shut him off. That’s sad.

Can I understand why many people would be upset by these books (and Crazy for God)? Absolutely. Is he lacking in compassion? From my POV, not at all. If you’ve been through a few shipwrecks and lived to tell the tale, you’ll appreciate what he’s done here. Is there TMI at times? yeah, but I’m not gonna hold it against him.

iMonk’s comment on what can happen when we pretend that we’re “not broken” is right on the money. There aren’t any caricatures here, though it might seem that way at first. (Can’t say more without significant spoilers, so I’ll stop now.)

@ Nate H: You got it! (On “confessional” writers.)

I think that Frank Schaeffer ushered in the possibility that these kinds of writers could be taken seriously even though there is no place for them among the people who read “Christian” books. The Catholics have always had their artists, but now the evangelicals have them too. Be afraid.

Fwiw, I’m 2/3ds of the way through Portofino and have been laughing myself silly!

Nor will you, I think. Though I have to say that many of my personal impressions of L’Abri (and of some of the people who were there when i was) have – perhaps not surprisingly – been (for me) validated by Frank’s own recollections of the place. That doesn’t mean that I’m somehow “against” L’Abri – far from it, in fact.

Frank, just in case you drop in here again, I’d like to say “thanks” for your perspective, and (not coincidentally) for helping me realize that I got a lot right after all.

Frank was on Terri Gross’ “Fresh Air” less than a month ago.

Frank was also on Steve Brown, Etc a few months ago, it’s easily found in SBE’s archives. I had first heard him on SBE and then later on Fresh Air. While I absolutely love that show and Terri Gross’ interviews, I really got the impression (not the first time) that she doesn’t really “get” people of faith. She asked Frank why his rejection of Fundamentalism didn’t lead to atheism. I loved Frank’s response. It was something to the effect of “If I were to consider atheism I’d have to pray about it first.” Really made me laugh (in a good way).

But look, I had a defining experience in my home church and I’ll tell you right now I don’t want to know this level of information about the people who discipled me. And I work at a ministry that has helped thousands of students, and I doubt that they want to know all my problems. (That’s why this blog has gotten me in trouble this year.)

But is that part of the whole truth? Does it come alongside those experiences and people the spirit used? Yes, and often for greater good than we imagine.

The Becker’s don’t come to grips with their humanity easily. Calvin’s “growing pains” are the means by which they come to see many of their own issues that evangelical culture wouldn’t allow to be voiced.

I praise the Lord for all those good experiences at L’abri, and I haven’t read a page that made me feel Frank had any disrespect for what God did there. But his views of the humanity of his family are part of the human story- his story- that I believe it’s his right and place to tell. I know many disagree, but that’s my two cents on it.

peace

ms