Well, the last several weeks have been a whirlwind for Jamie
and myself, and that has brought my blogging exploits to a standstill. I can
think of no better way to get back in the groove than to write a review of one
of my most recent reads, Strangers and Aliens by Trey Dunham.
Trey’s book is an interesting new approach and genre for
writing. It’s a Bible commentary but it’s not like most commentaries. In the
author’s words, it is an anecdotal bible commentary for people who do not like
commentaries. It bounces back and forth between personal stories and
reflections on the book of 1 Peter. In some ways the book is reminiscent of the
NT Wright “For Everyone” series of commentaries in its use of personal story and
experience as a way of understanding the context of bible passages.
Trey’s book is deviates from NT Wright’s commentaries in a
number of ways. Trey is not, and does not attempt to position himself as a
theologian. Strangers and Aliens as a whole walks through a myriad of life
experiences for the author that show the uniqueness of individual stories and
how scriptures can be a lens for understanding and unpacking one’s experiences.
If someone is looking for a commentary or text with a high theology, this is
probably not the book for them.
On the other hand, Trey’s book is a wonderful series of
often funny reflections on how one’s life experiences can often be
illustrations of timeless truths. Strangers and Aliens is sincere, heartfelt,
and hilarious. If it were not categorized as a commentary, it might read as a
wonderful series of short stories as the author reflects on his upbringing,
life experiences, travels, and opportunities to strive to live faithfully to
the Biblical text.
At its price, this book is a bargain, and for the time it
takes to read it, it is a fun journey. I would recommend this book to anyone
looking for a book from an author who is willing to not take himself too
seriously, and I am hopeful that Mr. Dunham will engage readers with future
anecdotal commentaries.
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