Jonny Riches

At best, "Letter to the American Church" is an insane piece of irony, completely forgetting comparisons that could be made in the same vain, to the side it's defending. At worst, it is a completely incoherent and ignorant rambling; which trivializes the horrors real families suffered under Stalin and Hitler, and targets marginalized and powerless people; pitting them as some conspiratorial silent majority (sound familiar?). In one breath, Metaxas, will describe the slow unassuming rise of "marxist ideals" — which the author essentially defines as anything they don't particularly like (e.g. trans-rights, affirmative action, equity) but really have nothing to do with Marx or Stalin — then in the next, threaten the reader with images of camps, and people being "stuffed in box cars." The hilarious irony of making this rationality leap is completely lost on Metaxas. Most liberal groups in America cannot even agree with each other on who to vote for, let alone organize and overthrow the good christian moralists of this great country — apperently putting them in camps and stamping out their morality. Yet, who was it that illegally stormed the U.S. Capital building, in an act of ridiculous treason? Who is it that has been lead by a selfish, egotistical, charismatic leader, that has tried to overturn elections, and silence reporters? Throughout the book, Metaxas gives several Biblical, and Post-Biblical examples of Church leaders standing up to tyranny, and being "canceled" for it (Bonhoeffer being censored, exiled from the country, and later murdered, being compared to rich celebrities getting made fun of on Twitter, is maybe one of the most cringe worthy things I have ever read in a book). What, again, is lost on Metaxas, is all of the examples provided — such as the almost cliched image of Jesus flipping the merchant's tables in the temple — his heroes are standing up to religious establishments, not trying to enact laws to inhibit other people's personal freedoms. Later in the book Metaxas can be quoted saying about others, "One is to speak so much truth, with so little love, that he is not actually speaking truth. We have seen and heard such persons, so obsessed with truth, that whether they are actually communicating successfully seems immaterial to them" Remembering that Jesus spoke harshly to the pharisees, and sternly to his disciples, but always with love and grace to tax collectors, prostitutes, and adulterers. Metaxas conflates love and truth, stating you can't have one without the other, but misapplies his own truth. In the end, my whole opinion of this book can be summarized with this, from Paul, "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some." — 1 Corinthians 9:22