Mark Batterson
Multnomah Books, 2009, 192 pp., $17.99, WaterBrookMultnomah.com
Sometimes the best way to explain an idea more fully is to state it more simply. That is Mark Batterson’s approach in Primal. The book opens with an account of a trip to Italy during which Batterson descended through layers of an old church into catacombs where early Christians worshiped. This literal journey inspired him toward a spiritual one down in the core of Christian beliefs.
There is a fad in Christian writing these days comprised of discovering the “lost soul of Christianity” at the expense of truly exploring the future of faith. Batterson manages to avoid jumping on the bandwagon by giving practical examples of how modern faith can embody the core principles of Christian faith, rather than just copycatting ancient practices.
Each section of the book begs you to forgo the fluff, inviting you instead to explore the core philosophies of Christianity with the aid of everything from insightful quotes to fascinating facts about the human mind. Primal is likely to stir up a passion for the simplicity of a dynamic faith.
