Joshua [Paperback]

This story lacked any character development. I don't see why people would be so mystified by Joshua. All the characters were simply written. I didn't like the book at all. Perhaps it was written for fifth graders? Was thinking it may instill some good discussion in my book club but I thank my lucky stars I never picked it. I barely finished it, it was AWFUL.

According to retired priest Girzone, Jesus did a poor job of establishing his Church the first time so he has to come back to straighten things out. The gates of Hell appear to have prevailed, as virtually every clergyman (Catholic or otherwise, and including the Pope) in his story is portrayed as a stuffy, arrogant, iron-fisted powermonger with little or no regard for people's souls. Of the two benign priests, Fr. Pat is an alcoholic, and gives the Catholic Eucharist to Protestant ministers, to the delight of his congregation. The other is overly conservative, but this "shortcoming" is overlooked since he's a nice guy. Joshua/Jesus is a libertarian freethinking moral relativist who elevates the human conscience above all revealed truths and dogmas, which serve only to enslave God's children who should be free to do what they please as long as they try to love God and one another. Joshua tells Fr. Pat to work for married priests, that the Sacrament of Matrimony is optional, and doles out lessons to everyone which subvert teachings and traditions which go back to the first century. Oh, and the pope is just another bishop: all bishops should be the supreme teaching authority for their flock. Girzone has shown by his writings that he was a dissident priest who obviously has a bone to pick with his church (and all organized Christian churches). It's unfortunate that even in retirement he still has a forum to attack the Church, and sow seeds of poisonous doubts and subversive thoughts in the minds of Christians, especially Catholics. As a Catholic reader, I could not enjoy the book due to the feelings of disgust I felt everytime Joshua went into one of his heretical spiels, or another clergyman was introduced (predictably) as a faithless despot who lords it over his cringing flock.

Any such attempt as this to describe what it would be like if Jesus were to be here on this earth in a contemporary setting (although He is sacramentally) is difficult and most likely hedges on being dangerous.

Christians are tied to the revealed truths of God in His revelation alone, a doctrine the historic Christian church has known as "the sufficiency" of Scripture (see Acts 20:27; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Luke 16:29). Hence there are no deficiencies in the Bible to be supplied by Girzone or anyone.

This wonderful sufficiency of Scripture applied to Girzone's opinions of Jesus' reaction to our modern spiritual situation thus justly allows us to critique his conclusions concerning this by seeing how well they stack up against the Biblical record, especially that of the Gospels.

A careful examination and comparison of this book to that of what the Bible teaches about Jesus notices an astonishing lack of any clear statement of the Gospel, the fundamental and only reason God became incarnate as a human! Joshua makes no such proclamation of His coming "to serve and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matt.20:28). Also, glaringly void is any mention of Himself in His favorite way as either the Son of Man of the Son of God. Here, Joshua speaks in generalities which suggest more of moral flavor than Jesus' concentration on the kingdom of heaven and forgiveness of sins. Also disheartening is Girzone's total vacuum of Scripture coming from the Lord's mouth.

In fairness, it must be commended to Girzone for his sensitivity to aiding the poor and unfortunate of this world, and his exposure of his own church body's concentration on works righteousness and spiritual hierachy. However, having said this, one needs to be reminded that all of these on their own, without true saving faith in the crucified Christ for sin, are worthless before the Creator/Judge of all things.

Therefore, this book exemplifies and attracts those who are not firm in their Biblical knowledge. I would stronly not recommend this or any of the other Joshua series.