Review: Rapture Ready!

Here we'll pause on the way to the Dr. Cloud trifecta and review Rapture Ready! by Daniel Radosh.

Rapture Ready! is a humorous and insightful look at the world of Christian popular culture, exploring such things as Christian rock concerts, Christian Superheroes, and Christian theme parks through the eyes of a secular humanist Jew. While one might expect either a too-pat treatment or else a scathing rebuttal - and at times, Radosh does appear close to veering into the latter - this is instead a fascinating look at what might be fairly nicknamed the American subculture of Christianity.

Radosh treats his subject matter fairly; he never pretends that he is trying to extoll this subculture; he also does not descend into mockery. Even the farcical elements - such as the BibleMan show he attends, the Ultimate Christian Wrestling event he witnesses, and the Passion Play in which he participates - are treated with a sort of laughing reverence and he never loses sight of the fact that, while these things are funny and even ludicrous to him, they are meaningful to the people with whom he interacts. His treatment of Christian literature is accurate, and he rightfully bemoans the kitschy and trite that can easily filter into Christian stores (pencil erasers, testa-mints, bumper stickers). His conversation with Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker is one of the high points of the book, as is his treatment of the Left Behind series by LaHaye and Jenkins (and the accompanying directions to Slacktivist's massive Left Behind expose blog.)

Radosh's tone is one of an interested sociologist who wants very much to understand how this strange culture in which he has been planted functions, and therefore it has a touch of the "alien archeologist" tone to it. It is not a book about religion per se, or an attempt to promote any one religious viewpoint. Nor is it a work that tries to demean or diminish any particular religious view. This in no way diminishes his message or the import of some of what he says, and while the reader might not agree with every pronouncement, he or she will take away some interesting ideas for further reflection.

I give it a 4 out of 5.

Get it: Rapture Ready

You can also read the author's "Rapture Ready!" blog.

Similar Books:

Why We're Not Emergent by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck.

Selling Out the Church by Phillip Kenneson and James Street.