Heaven Is Now

March 19, 2012
In his latest book, Farley (God Without Religion) explores ways to live life and love God through the five senses. Each sense is loosely attached to a spiritual idea; for example, the “hear” section is about knowing which voice to listen to in one’s life and the “see” section is about being aware of what Jesus accomplished. As in his last two books, Farley effortlessly weaves scripture into his own thoughts. Yet unlike the last two books, the overall style of the text feels impersonal and detached. Recycled material (e.g., summaries of movies like Shawshank Redemption and Groundhog Day) and sermon speak (e.g., “Flip over to Matthew”) feel superficial compared to the personal tales he’s relayed in the past. And although each chapter contains a prayer, study questions are relegated to the back of the book, making for a less interactive read. Readers who can get past the standard sermon fodder and take the time to employ the back matter will learn how to refocus their lives on God. Agent: Andrea Heinecke, Alive Communications.