The Abundance of Books Won't Be Diminished

A friend has suggested I write a book. Most of you know that I’ve been working on writing a book-length work for a few years now. The problem is I keep refining what I believe and so think that I can’t really say much that isn’t subject to change before the next chapter is done. I wrote an entire thesis on the Church rediscovering practices from primitive Christianity, Anabaptist communities, and Methodism, only to decide by the time it was finished that I no longer believed substantial portions of what I’d written. Then I toyed with the idea of writing a memoir, but the persistent question of “who the fuck am I and why would anyone care” kept bugging me. I moved to some sort of work on Christian agnosticism next, and I haven’t given up on that one yet, but this new suggestion is interesting, if unpublishable.

The suggested book would be a long-ish “letter” to the Church from someone who used to be inside but is now outside, tracing that process and commenting on the things that made me crazy while I was in, out, and trying to get back in the last time. It’s not a bad idea, but I don’t know any publisher that would touch it. It’s too churchy for non-specialty publishers and too angry/critical for Christian publishers. No one that I know, with few exceptions, wants to hear someone tell them what he perceives to be wrong with their community of reference from outside that community of reference. Memoirs usually take the form of “I was lost but now I’m found,” or “I was found but now I’m happily lost.” The latter form rarely offers anything worthwhile in terms of a constructive critique of a faith tradition. The first rarely offers anything worthwhile, period; it’s usually a record of a conversion that could happen in any faith tradition, but is used by a particular one to buttress the “truth” of that position.

Critiques of faith traditions abound, and for the most part, they are dismissed as the angry ranting of disaffected former members, people with an axe to grind. After all, having left the community, why would someone want to say anything constructive to that community, and how could the community listen to that sort of criticism without some painful self-reflection that might require change? It’s far easier to dismiss the criticism; it’s far easier to not give a shit about my former community. Still, I have friends who make their living in pastoral ministry, as well as friends who are faithful members of local churches. To the degree that we have a good relationship, they either endure my rants, or, on occasion, take me seriously. I’m not sure how someone who doesn’t know me could hear me without making assumptions about my current level of anger, bitterness, or cynicism that would preclude a fair hearing. Some people that know me think I don’t actually believe anything and that I’m simply engaged in a process of deconstructing everything so that I can be happily free of responsibility to “truth.” They might be right; I don’t know. Again, I think it’s a good idea; I’m just not sure it’s a publishable idea. Whaddaya think?

Comments

[Big Mike McVey]

I say quit your damn whining and write the book. If it's important enough to write, then you will find a publisher eventually. Having read your thesis, I know that your insight is invaluable to me as a pastor trying to restart a church.

I would buy several copies and distribute them to anyone and everyone that would take them.

And what about Brazos Press? Clapp seems to be more willing to try new things.

[brenda]

crazy things get published...

[fiodax]

I say go for it too. I did find this funny though:

" I wrote an entire thesis on the Church rediscovering practices from primitive Christianity, Anabaptist communities, and Methodism, only to decide by the time it was finished that I no longer believed substantial portions of what I’d written."

I find it funny because it describes very well the epistimological issues that come up alot on your blog.

I really think you should do this, I would purchase and read your book, so long as you posted a thread where we could discuss it too :)

I'm thinking about writing a book called "Information Theology" which takes complicated technical concepts like object orientated programming and explains them in the context of Reformed Doctrine. Would you read it?

[Leighton]

A book would be nifty, and for what it's worth, the older philosophy professors in the logic department where I did my graduate degree talked about the stuff they wrote before they were 45 as though it was nothing but phantasms and illusions held by reckless, foolhardy youths. Apparently for professional thinkers and writers, the really stable stuff doesn't come around until later in life.

This is just as well; I'd hate to see myself fifty years down the road trying to justify to my grandkids why Tarja Turunen is an actual, literal goddess in the metaphysical sense.

[M.Corley]

I think that such a book would be interesting and enjoyable, but I don't know if the letter format would be the best for getting published. Maybe if you could break the letter up and use each section to start each new chapter. Alternatively, you might consider a C.S. Lewis type approach and go for a "Screwtape Letters" type of theme. That would be funny at least, and if you played the reverse psychology angle properly, it would likely be entirely palpatable by the church! It might even be the next big thing and you could put out a study guide for small groups, too. I do think you need to write a book though, and I'm sure whatever format you choose would be very readable.

[D]

I would be interested in reading such a book, but only if you figure out (at least somewhat) what your purpose in writing it is. Nothing's worse than a long rambly letter where even the author doesn't know why they're talking.

But if you do end up with some sense of direction for a book, I'd definitely read it. Maybe I'd even make my church young adults group do a book study on it. I imagine it would be a good discussion-starter!

[Plano Michael]

"alternatively, you might consider a C.S. Lewis type approach and go for a "Screwtape Letters" type of theme."

Yes!!

Write the 'Screwchurch Letters' you are uncle Screwchurch and you write to you nephew, wormswallower

you have permission to be as critical as you want when you take on the role of the devil

[Zossima]

Greg, skip the religion. Let's write a book on beer together.

[Kristen]

Yeah. You should write it and then deal with getting it published.

[Whisky Prajer]

I'm wondering if you mightn't try a fictional narrative along the lines of Robert Pirsig, Ken Wilbur or (closer to home) Brian McLaren?

Pro-publication has its benefits and pitfalls, and I'll assume you're aware of most of them. Having experienced both sides of the equation, I don't hesitate to recommend self-publishing (Lulu, etc). Certainly you've got enough blog-readers to make it worth your while. You could even shake virtual hands with badchristian and a few other links on your sidebar and come up with your own publishing house. The revolution starts now, baby!

[Joy Schroeder]

Okay...first...I appologize...it's late...I'm 40 and I posted this a few minutes ago on the wrong thread by accident...Sorry!

Amazing...I read this...and I thought I wrote it myself...Seriously,it was like seeing what I am currently thinking and have been thinking for months and maybe'years', in front of my eyes in black and white...profanity and all...
I'd read your writings/memoires etc because I am already somewhat liberated to imagine that I am not the only Christian in the margins with these thoughts and ideas that are dangerous and scarey not only to me at times but to almost everyone I know.
BTW...I felt the same way the first time I read Brian McLaren...( Who has sold a few books!) I wonder if he felt the same way about writing what he was feeling and living too...since it seems to be so inflamatory to the ultra conservative and predictable?
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Posted by: Joy Schroeder | September 12, 2007 at 12:51 AM