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In Search of Deep Faith: A Pilgrimage into the Beauty, Goodness and Heart of Christianity
Winner of a 2013 Leadership Journal Book Award ("Best of the Best" in "The Leader's Inner Life" category)
Why bother with the Christian faith? In the post-Christian world, doubt and skepticism come naturally to us. Many have given up on faith of any kind, finding it shallow and unsatisfying. But still we yearn for more. We hope for our children's futures. We long for lives that are meaningful, even eternal. Grappling with his own questions, Jim Belcher set out on a quest to see how the Christian faith faces the challenges of the modern world and answers the cries of the human soul. Seeking renewal after a draining season of life, he and his family spent a year traveling through Europe, exploring the faith that has shaped civilizations throughout the centuries. They rediscovered key figures, places and events in the history of Christianity, from C. S. Lewis's life at Oxford to Dietrich Bonhoeffer's death in a concentration camp. Through the experiences of William Wilberforce, Vincent Van Gogh, Corrie ten Boom and others, Belcher saw glimpses of insight, beauty and courage that transcended human limitations. He found himself surprised by joy and compelled by faith. Whether you are giving up on Christianity or encountering it for the first time, you are invited to come along on this pilgrimage. Even if you are unsure of the destination, the journey itself may take you far deeper than you could ever imagine.
FROM THE AUTHOR The story of In Search of Deep Faith by Jim Belcher
After almost 20 years pastoring two congregations, raising four children and finishing my first book, I was tired and worn down?out of gas. I needed to make a change, to find a way to regain my passion for my calling. While I was exhausted, my wife and I were also worried about our four children and whether they were developing a strong enough faith to last a lifetime. Were they being more influenced by the culture around them?the media, materialism and friends?than by the story of Christianity and its reality in their lives? Then we hit on an idea. What if we traveled on a pilgrimage for a year to England and Europe, and studied and experienced the biographies and places of some of the great heroes of the faith?people like C.S Lewis, Sheldon Vanauken, William Wilberforce, Corrie ten Boom, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria Von Trapp. Maybe this could get my passion back for my calling and at the same time help my children develop a deeper faith?a faith that shaped their imaginations and identities and futures. So we left the comforts of Orange County, Ca and moved to Oxford, England. We didn't have any definite plans but upon arriving we discovered that a pilgrimage has three components: to rediscover our roots, to understand that life is a journey and to know our ultimate destination. These three ideas became our inspiration, shaping the themes we pursued, revealing the heroes we studied, and steering us across time and place. And as the pilgrimage unfolded, day by day, month by month, what we learned and experienced over the year would startle us and surprise us and change us forever. In Search of Deep Faith is the record of this pilgrimage, an unfolding drama marked by suspense and intrigue. I hope you will take the journey with us and go deeper into the faith than you could ever imagine.
Why bother with the Christian faith? In the post-Christian world, doubt and skepticism come naturally to us. Many have given up on faith of any kind, finding it shallow and unsatisfying. But still we yearn for more. We hope for our children's futures. We long for lives that are meaningful, even eternal. Grappling with his own questions, Jim Belcher set out on a quest to see how the Christian faith faces the challenges of the modern world and answers the cries of the human soul. Seeking renewal after a draining season of life, he and his family spent a year traveling through Europe, exploring the faith that has shaped civilizations throughout the centuries. They rediscovered key figures, places and events in the history of Christianity, from C. S. Lewis's life at Oxford to Dietrich Bonhoeffer's death in a concentration camp. Through the experiences of William Wilberforce, Vincent Van Gogh, Corrie ten Boom and others, Belcher saw glimpses of insight, beauty and courage that transcended human limitations. He found himself surprised by joy and compelled by faith. Whether you are giving up on Christianity or encountering it for the first time, you are invited to come along on this pilgrimage. Even if you are unsure of the destination, the journey itself may take you far deeper than you could ever imagine.
FROM THE AUTHOR The story of In Search of Deep Faith by Jim Belcher
After almost 20 years pastoring two congregations, raising four children and finishing my first book, I was tired and worn down?out of gas. I needed to make a change, to find a way to regain my passion for my calling. While I was exhausted, my wife and I were also worried about our four children and whether they were developing a strong enough faith to last a lifetime. Were they being more influenced by the culture around them?the media, materialism and friends?than by the story of Christianity and its reality in their lives? Then we hit on an idea. What if we traveled on a pilgrimage for a year to England and Europe, and studied and experienced the biographies and places of some of the great heroes of the faith?people like C.S Lewis, Sheldon Vanauken, William Wilberforce, Corrie ten Boom, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria Von Trapp. Maybe this could get my passion back for my calling and at the same time help my children develop a deeper faith?a faith that shaped their imaginations and identities and futures. So we left the comforts of Orange County, Ca and moved to Oxford, England. We didn't have any definite plans but upon arriving we discovered that a pilgrimage has three components: to rediscover our roots, to understand that life is a journey and to know our ultimate destination. These three ideas became our inspiration, shaping the themes we pursued, revealing the heroes we studied, and steering us across time and place. And as the pilgrimage unfolded, day by day, month by month, what we learned and experienced over the year would startle us and surprise us and change us forever. In Search of Deep Faith is the record of this pilgrimage, an unfolding drama marked by suspense and intrigue. I hope you will take the journey with us and go deeper into the faith than you could ever imagine.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2013
14 people are currently reading
344 people want to read
About the author
Jim Belcher
12 books44 followersAuthor of In Search of Deep Faith: A Pilgrimage into the beauty, goodness and heart of Christianity (IVP) and Deep Church: A third way beyond emerging and tradtional (IVP). For more information go to www.jimbelcher.net
I am theDirector of the Practical Theology Department at Knox Seminary in Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
I love reading travel writing, creative non-fiction, long narrative journalism, history and biography.
I am theDirector of the Practical Theology Department at Knox Seminary in Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
I love reading travel writing, creative non-fiction, long narrative journalism, history and biography.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
February 10, 2020
I am not going to say a lot about this book. I enjoyed the premise, although perhaps the writing was a little contrived, or maybe it was just my own mood. Terrific idea.
April 4, 2014
Jim Belcher and his family were at a crossroads. He'd spent ten years pastoring a church from its very beginnings into a thriving congregation. He made the bold decision to resign. His wife needed a respite from the bubble of pastoral ministry. And he was facing a significant question as a parent: how do I help my children come to own a "deep faith" in their own lives, not just an inherited faith that disappears when one is removed from a Christian social context, but an enduring faith?
Belcher's answer was a pilgrimage through England and Europe revisiting the sites where thoughtful and courageous Christians he had looked to as heroes lived, and sometimes died for, their faith. This book is a kind of travel or pilgrimage narrative of that year.
The first part of the book follows their journeys in England exploring the martyrdom of Thomas Cranmer, Sheldon Van Auken's struggle for a meaningful faith, the life and places of C. S. Lewis, and the conversations that changed the life of William Wilberforce, who changed the course of British history with regard to slavery.
The second half of the book (Parts Two and Three) recount their journeys through Europe. He begins, interestingly enough with the life and art of Van Gogh, and his struggle between despair and belief. They move on to the French village of Le Chambon, where Andre Trocme and a village of Protestant Huguenots hid and saved thousands of Jews from the Holocaust. We shift then to Holland and the German prison camps where Corrie Ten Boom lost her sister but held fast to her faith for the same courageous act of protecting Jews. Then we consider the life and death of Bonhoeffer, and the equally courageous decisions of the von Trapp family, both like, and unlike their Sound of Music counterparts. We end with Heidelberg, and Martin Luther, and finally the soldier's cemetery at Normandy.
Belcher interweaves the narrative of his travels and interactions with family with the narratives of each of his heroes. And this also seems to have two major parts to it--the challenge of ordinary obedience in things like home school lessons and our Jekyll-Hyde struggle with sin during their stay in England. In Europe, and particularly as they witnessed the sites of courageous acts and even martyrdom, they wrestle with what constitutes a deep faith that sustains one through despair, danger, suffering, resistance, and in the face of death. It does seem that when Belcher realizes that the education in faith of this pilgrimage is more important than math and writing and grammar lessons that they all are opened up more to what God had for them on this pilgrimage.
I've read other narratives of many of the lives he profiles but I found Belcher wrote with a concise freshness that brought people like Lewis and Bonhoeffer to life in new ways for me. Perhaps it was the act of inhabiting their places. And I appreciate that Belcher "kept it real" with regard to the struggles as well as the moments of insights his family faced on this pilgrimage. One of the best books I've read so far this year.
[I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through a contest hosted on Goodreads.]
Belcher's answer was a pilgrimage through England and Europe revisiting the sites where thoughtful and courageous Christians he had looked to as heroes lived, and sometimes died for, their faith. This book is a kind of travel or pilgrimage narrative of that year.
The first part of the book follows their journeys in England exploring the martyrdom of Thomas Cranmer, Sheldon Van Auken's struggle for a meaningful faith, the life and places of C. S. Lewis, and the conversations that changed the life of William Wilberforce, who changed the course of British history with regard to slavery.
The second half of the book (Parts Two and Three) recount their journeys through Europe. He begins, interestingly enough with the life and art of Van Gogh, and his struggle between despair and belief. They move on to the French village of Le Chambon, where Andre Trocme and a village of Protestant Huguenots hid and saved thousands of Jews from the Holocaust. We shift then to Holland and the German prison camps where Corrie Ten Boom lost her sister but held fast to her faith for the same courageous act of protecting Jews. Then we consider the life and death of Bonhoeffer, and the equally courageous decisions of the von Trapp family, both like, and unlike their Sound of Music counterparts. We end with Heidelberg, and Martin Luther, and finally the soldier's cemetery at Normandy.
Belcher interweaves the narrative of his travels and interactions with family with the narratives of each of his heroes. And this also seems to have two major parts to it--the challenge of ordinary obedience in things like home school lessons and our Jekyll-Hyde struggle with sin during their stay in England. In Europe, and particularly as they witnessed the sites of courageous acts and even martyrdom, they wrestle with what constitutes a deep faith that sustains one through despair, danger, suffering, resistance, and in the face of death. It does seem that when Belcher realizes that the education in faith of this pilgrimage is more important than math and writing and grammar lessons that they all are opened up more to what God had for them on this pilgrimage.
I've read other narratives of many of the lives he profiles but I found Belcher wrote with a concise freshness that brought people like Lewis and Bonhoeffer to life in new ways for me. Perhaps it was the act of inhabiting their places. And I appreciate that Belcher "kept it real" with regard to the struggles as well as the moments of insights his family faced on this pilgrimage. One of the best books I've read so far this year.
[I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through a contest hosted on Goodreads.]
December 17, 2013
Out of the Frying Pan: In Search of Deep Faith
When I accepted the copy of Jim Belcher’s latest book in exchange for a review, I had no idea that it was an invitation to such an enormous challenge. What’s the big deal, right? Just read it, and critique it! Sure, that’s what you’re getting here, but this is NOT where it ends.
I met the Belcher family while they attended ICCP during their stay in Provence, and was intrigued by Jim’s intentions to study his heroes of the Christian faith during a sabbatical year…with his family in tow, no less. We’ve been witnesses to expatriate families for many years, but none with such a clear plan—at least, none that were still holding true to that plan six months on. Expectations often get derailed early on while “living the dream,” so what makes the Belchers any different?
Their plan is the premise of In Search of Deep Faith, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2013. ISBN 978-0-8308-9576-2 (digital) ISBN 978-0-8308-3774-8 (print)
Like his favorite travel writer, Robert D. Kaplain, Jim and Michelle Belcher wondered “how to recapture the sense of endless possibilities before the accumulation of deeds to justify: when one was unaccountable to time because there was always time to make up for a mistake.” Added to that is their exploration of Pilgrimage. Jim quotes John Inge, in his A Christian Theology of Place, saying that “a pilgrimage is characterized by three things: a rediscovery of our roots, and understanding that life is a journey and a new focus on our true destination.” In Search of Deep Faith recalls John Bunyan’s A Pilgrim’s Progress, and I would add that this is the family man’s Blue Like Jazz. This is a journal revealed for our own introspection. Even in writing this review, my notes are growing, rather than being edited down for public consumption.
What is the difference between vacation and vocation? I’ve had to answer to that question uncountable times in the 25 years I’ve lived outside my native Pennsylvania. “What are you doing here?” Tim’s employer determines where we live, and as homemaker, I’ve struggled to maintain equilibrium in foreign lands. Because the Belchers voluntarily chose one year abroad, their experience was concentrated by the Refiner’s fire. We are invited as honored guests into their crucible. Jim writes with the clear confidence that even though he doesn’t fully understand God’s ways, he trusts that Father’s guidance will see him through.
There is an interesting flow between the ‘heroes’ stories and the Belchers’. The real lessons never grow old. Time is eternity, when it comes down to God’s principles. Each chapter highlights different characters in different countries in different generations over different periods and cultures. It’s utterly fascinating to see how such different people are similar in their quest for a higher goal, and Jim weaves past and present in such a way that invites future exploration.
As well as clear “heroes” of the faith such as William Wilberforce, C. S. Lewis, Corrie ten Boom, Dietrich Bonheoffer and Maria von Trapp, there are also considerations of Robert Louis Stephenson and Vincent van Gogh—what are the crucial elements of faith…or what derails a pilgrimage?
Oh, there is so much more I’d like to tell you about what I’ve found here! But that’s what’s taken me so long to write this much. In Search of Deep Faith is the kind of book that invites further study, both of the people of integrity whom Jim set out to meet, and for the possibilities for development in our own lives. The Belcher family participated in a courageous experiment, even if they didn’t know what that entailed when they began their journey. I was reminded of a lesson that Corrie ten Boom used to share, saying that our lives resemble a complex tapestry of which we only see the tangled threads on the backside. It’s only after looking back on a life well lived that we can see the beautifully woven pattern that Father designed for us.
I hope that I’ve convinced you to purchase a copy, and to join me for a coffee and further discussion. There’s so much more of this journey I want to unpack! For instance, the first several paragraphs really bother me. Not to drop any spoilers, the beginning did not sound like the Belchers I knew, and felt incongruous to the rest of the book. I was uncomfortable reading of their discomfort, and was frankly quite relieved that fearfulness was not a typical condition. Discomfort, yes, the pilgrim can expect that, but unrestrained worry? I’ve got a sense that this was tacked on in final editing to make us feel more at home, am I right?
To quote Jim, “This year abroad was about discovering our spiritual roots, then it certainly had to be about helping our children, and us, understand the battle within and how our old nature no longer defines our reality.” The Culture Shock that the Belcher family elicited plunged the entire family into deep change. It could’ve gone either way: broken binding idols of comfort and implanted a habit of growth, or driven them more deeply into the desire for comfort and developed a life of entropy. Jim’s expressed blessings on each family member are eloquent evidence that he recognizes their individual potentials and personal development. He blesses us, too!
How do we know if we are on a tour or a pilgrimage? According to Wright, “The rest of whether pilgrimage is genuine is…the question, whether you’re prepared for God to remake you instead, lovingly to break the brittle ‘you’ that you’ve so carefully constructed, to soften the clay in his hands” and to remake you in his image, not the one you imagined. Thanks, Jim, for this blessed assurance that we are not alone on this great journey. In fact, we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, and it’s a true blessing for us to remember that together.
I’m not in any way required to write a rave review simply because I received a free copy from IVP, or because I think the Belchers are people worth knowing (although both are true). I’m raving because not every book is worth recommending, and this one is! In Search of Deep Faith is available as an eBook, but I want to encourage you to support your independent bookseller. One of my favorites is Dallastown’s very own Hearts & Minds. http://www.heartsandmindsbooks.com/bo... for a 20% discount. If you’re looking for more thought-provoking or spirit-developing books, don’t hesitate to ask! They even ship wherever in the world you happen to be pilgrimaging.
When I accepted the copy of Jim Belcher’s latest book in exchange for a review, I had no idea that it was an invitation to such an enormous challenge. What’s the big deal, right? Just read it, and critique it! Sure, that’s what you’re getting here, but this is NOT where it ends.
I met the Belcher family while they attended ICCP during their stay in Provence, and was intrigued by Jim’s intentions to study his heroes of the Christian faith during a sabbatical year…with his family in tow, no less. We’ve been witnesses to expatriate families for many years, but none with such a clear plan—at least, none that were still holding true to that plan six months on. Expectations often get derailed early on while “living the dream,” so what makes the Belchers any different?
Their plan is the premise of In Search of Deep Faith, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2013. ISBN 978-0-8308-9576-2 (digital) ISBN 978-0-8308-3774-8 (print)
Like his favorite travel writer, Robert D. Kaplain, Jim and Michelle Belcher wondered “how to recapture the sense of endless possibilities before the accumulation of deeds to justify: when one was unaccountable to time because there was always time to make up for a mistake.” Added to that is their exploration of Pilgrimage. Jim quotes John Inge, in his A Christian Theology of Place, saying that “a pilgrimage is characterized by three things: a rediscovery of our roots, and understanding that life is a journey and a new focus on our true destination.” In Search of Deep Faith recalls John Bunyan’s A Pilgrim’s Progress, and I would add that this is the family man’s Blue Like Jazz. This is a journal revealed for our own introspection. Even in writing this review, my notes are growing, rather than being edited down for public consumption.
What is the difference between vacation and vocation? I’ve had to answer to that question uncountable times in the 25 years I’ve lived outside my native Pennsylvania. “What are you doing here?” Tim’s employer determines where we live, and as homemaker, I’ve struggled to maintain equilibrium in foreign lands. Because the Belchers voluntarily chose one year abroad, their experience was concentrated by the Refiner’s fire. We are invited as honored guests into their crucible. Jim writes with the clear confidence that even though he doesn’t fully understand God’s ways, he trusts that Father’s guidance will see him through.
There is an interesting flow between the ‘heroes’ stories and the Belchers’. The real lessons never grow old. Time is eternity, when it comes down to God’s principles. Each chapter highlights different characters in different countries in different generations over different periods and cultures. It’s utterly fascinating to see how such different people are similar in their quest for a higher goal, and Jim weaves past and present in such a way that invites future exploration.
As well as clear “heroes” of the faith such as William Wilberforce, C. S. Lewis, Corrie ten Boom, Dietrich Bonheoffer and Maria von Trapp, there are also considerations of Robert Louis Stephenson and Vincent van Gogh—what are the crucial elements of faith…or what derails a pilgrimage?
Oh, there is so much more I’d like to tell you about what I’ve found here! But that’s what’s taken me so long to write this much. In Search of Deep Faith is the kind of book that invites further study, both of the people of integrity whom Jim set out to meet, and for the possibilities for development in our own lives. The Belcher family participated in a courageous experiment, even if they didn’t know what that entailed when they began their journey. I was reminded of a lesson that Corrie ten Boom used to share, saying that our lives resemble a complex tapestry of which we only see the tangled threads on the backside. It’s only after looking back on a life well lived that we can see the beautifully woven pattern that Father designed for us.
I hope that I’ve convinced you to purchase a copy, and to join me for a coffee and further discussion. There’s so much more of this journey I want to unpack! For instance, the first several paragraphs really bother me. Not to drop any spoilers, the beginning did not sound like the Belchers I knew, and felt incongruous to the rest of the book. I was uncomfortable reading of their discomfort, and was frankly quite relieved that fearfulness was not a typical condition. Discomfort, yes, the pilgrim can expect that, but unrestrained worry? I’ve got a sense that this was tacked on in final editing to make us feel more at home, am I right?
To quote Jim, “This year abroad was about discovering our spiritual roots, then it certainly had to be about helping our children, and us, understand the battle within and how our old nature no longer defines our reality.” The Culture Shock that the Belcher family elicited plunged the entire family into deep change. It could’ve gone either way: broken binding idols of comfort and implanted a habit of growth, or driven them more deeply into the desire for comfort and developed a life of entropy. Jim’s expressed blessings on each family member are eloquent evidence that he recognizes their individual potentials and personal development. He blesses us, too!
How do we know if we are on a tour or a pilgrimage? According to Wright, “The rest of whether pilgrimage is genuine is…the question, whether you’re prepared for God to remake you instead, lovingly to break the brittle ‘you’ that you’ve so carefully constructed, to soften the clay in his hands” and to remake you in his image, not the one you imagined. Thanks, Jim, for this blessed assurance that we are not alone on this great journey. In fact, we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, and it’s a true blessing for us to remember that together.
I’m not in any way required to write a rave review simply because I received a free copy from IVP, or because I think the Belchers are people worth knowing (although both are true). I’m raving because not every book is worth recommending, and this one is! In Search of Deep Faith is available as an eBook, but I want to encourage you to support your independent bookseller. One of my favorites is Dallastown’s very own Hearts & Minds. http://www.heartsandmindsbooks.com/bo... for a 20% discount. If you’re looking for more thought-provoking or spirit-developing books, don’t hesitate to ask! They even ship wherever in the world you happen to be pilgrimaging.
November 1, 2015
Remarkable. This book took me by surprise. My wife bought it for me speculatively thinking that I might enjoy it after noticing the references to CS Lewis and Bonhoeffer on the back cover. Yet so many books try to establish a link with those classic authors in promotional material that I've begun to be wary of it.
Part journal, part travelogue, this book covers the author's year out, mid-life, to visit places of significance in the story of post-Reformation Christianity in western Europe. Beginning in Oxford, Jim Belcher travels with his young family to places of significance to reformation martyrs (e.g. Cranmer), William Wilberforce, literary greats (e.g. RL Stevenson), artists (van Gogh), and those who suffered under the Nazis (the ten Booms and others). Adopting a framework of pilgrimage, with his wife and children, he reflects on not just the heroes of the faith, but core truths, finding rich insights in traditions such as Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer (1552) and the Heidelberg Catechism (1563). It sounds ambitious, I know, but Belcher pulls it off well, being personal and insightful without being over sentimental or unrealistic.
I enjoyed the way he reflects on and writes about the serendipity of travel and pilgrimage. There is so much in here that I could comment on. What are some of the stand-outs? Journeys, suffering, parenting, education, the sovereignty of God. The problems children and young people today face: technology, media addiction, Disney culture; and the lack of purpose, malnourished imaginations and impoverished moral education that sometimes ensue. Belcher writes about these things as a pastor knowing the realities of our world today and as a parent concerned for the spiritual security of his children. He doesn't claim to have all the answers, but invites us to come along with him for the journey. He speaks of the 'false liturgies of desire' which surround us today and encourages us to consider alternatives of faithfulness in the face of opposition, servanthood in the face of suffering and loving our neighbours as alternatives. He exhorts us to consider our very lives a pilgrimage, with the new Jerusalem our true home.
A very worthwhile read indeed, especially for anyone interested in reflective travel as a form of self-discovery mingled with some of the most challenging elements of Christian history since the Reformation.
Part journal, part travelogue, this book covers the author's year out, mid-life, to visit places of significance in the story of post-Reformation Christianity in western Europe. Beginning in Oxford, Jim Belcher travels with his young family to places of significance to reformation martyrs (e.g. Cranmer), William Wilberforce, literary greats (e.g. RL Stevenson), artists (van Gogh), and those who suffered under the Nazis (the ten Booms and others). Adopting a framework of pilgrimage, with his wife and children, he reflects on not just the heroes of the faith, but core truths, finding rich insights in traditions such as Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer (1552) and the Heidelberg Catechism (1563). It sounds ambitious, I know, but Belcher pulls it off well, being personal and insightful without being over sentimental or unrealistic.
I enjoyed the way he reflects on and writes about the serendipity of travel and pilgrimage. There is so much in here that I could comment on. What are some of the stand-outs? Journeys, suffering, parenting, education, the sovereignty of God. The problems children and young people today face: technology, media addiction, Disney culture; and the lack of purpose, malnourished imaginations and impoverished moral education that sometimes ensue. Belcher writes about these things as a pastor knowing the realities of our world today and as a parent concerned for the spiritual security of his children. He doesn't claim to have all the answers, but invites us to come along with him for the journey. He speaks of the 'false liturgies of desire' which surround us today and encourages us to consider alternatives of faithfulness in the face of opposition, servanthood in the face of suffering and loving our neighbours as alternatives. He exhorts us to consider our very lives a pilgrimage, with the new Jerusalem our true home.
A very worthwhile read indeed, especially for anyone interested in reflective travel as a form of self-discovery mingled with some of the most challenging elements of Christian history since the Reformation.
March 13, 2021
This book is sort of one of a kind. The author takes a sabbatical year from pastoral work to travel Europe with his family of 6, while researching for this book. They visit various sites of interest from a Christian perspective, seeing first-hand the places where key historical figures lived and worked. The book amounts to a collection of short biographies interspersed with a family travel memoir. A fun, relaxing read.
May 30, 2018
I picked this book up because I am going to Oxford this summer. The first 4 chapters take place in Oxford and share some of the great history that has taken place in this city in regards to a number of key Christians from the past (Cranmer, Ridey, Latimer, Vanauken, Whitefield, Lewis). I read the whole book but was most interested in the first 6 chapters, which were very good. The author is a an engaging writer and weaves his own story, theology, and personal reflection into the histories he is studying with his family while they are on pilgrimage around Europe. The book started out very well but seemed to run out of steam about halfway through. Still I enjoyed the first half tremendously and would recommend it.
December 26, 2013
This is an excellent book which is worthy of being on every bookshelf. Belcher chronicles his family's journey on their sabbatical sharing details which everyone can learn from.
Belcher goes back and forth between their personal story and the historical events his family studied while abroad. These lessons are a stirring encouragement for the reader of all levels.
Go buy it and start reading forthwith.
Belcher goes back and forth between their personal story and the historical events his family studied while abroad. These lessons are a stirring encouragement for the reader of all levels.
Go buy it and start reading forthwith.
January 9, 2018
I'm going to miss this book which took me by surprise how many ways it connected with my life. It is advertised as a book about a family pilgrimage into Europe, which it is, but it is also a book that makes fine devotional reading about various people of the faith we can and should learn from. It is especially helpful for parents and all those shaping young minds as well. At the same time the themes it wrestled with weren't simple or pedestrian, but concerned death, martyrdom, imprisonment, war, concentration camps, and other forms of suffering all the while somehow deeply inspiring and hopeful. The first part is a time for the family in England struggling with homeschooling and the second part is a tour across France and Germany to selected sites to learn about deep faith in trying circumstances. Belcher really loves his subject matter and takes time to tell the stories in riveting ways, interspersing family lessons, book quotes from what they were reading and a love for the journey of life. Highly recommended!
January 13, 2015
In 2010, after years of church ministry, Jim Belcher was worn out and spread thin, “like butter, scraped over too much bread,” to use the line from The Lord of the Rings.
So along with his family, he set off for a year in England and Europe, not as a vacation so much as a field trip. They visited important sites in the history of Christianity, while reflecting on the lives and teachings of their spiritual heroes—familiar people like C.S. Lewis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Corrie ten Boom, and William Wilberforce, as well as figures like André Trocmé and the villagers of Le Chambon in France, who were equally heroic, though their stories may be less well known.
Never have I read a book quite like In Search of Deep Faith, which chronicles the family’s pilgrimage. Part spiritual memoir, part history, part travel writing, I absolutely love how he weaves it all together.
An underlying theme throughout the book is the commitment Belcher and his wife, Michelle, have to raise their children in a way that will prepare them for what’s to come as they approach their teen and adult years. Repeatedly citing the much-discussed National Study on Youth and Religion, “which found most high-schoolers, even if they grew up in a religious home, were unable to meaningfully articulate their faith.” In Christian Smith and Melinda Denton’s book Soul Searching, which is based on the study’s findings, they coin the now-familiar term Moralistic Therapeutic Deism to describe the religious beliefs of typical church-going youth in North America, who describe their faith in terms of being good people, who primarily aim to be happy in life, while keeping God at arm’s length—not close enough to interfere in daily life, but close enough to intervene when the need arises. Needless to say, this falls far short of orthodox Christian faith.
Concerned about the seeming near-inevitability of MTD, Belcher wonders how to cultivate in his kids a “consequential faith” (to use Kenda Creasy Dean’s term) that will sustain them—a faith that will enable them to deal honestly with doubt, and that will instill in them the virtues needed to act with courage and conviction when doing so isn’t convenient. The family’s spiritual pilgrimage comes to constitute at least part of the answer, and wonderfully so.
The chapter on the French village of Le Chambon provides an unforgettable case in point. The story of the courage and conviction of pastor André Trocmé and his fellow villagers during World War II is told in the book Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed, but to my shame it was new to me. After France had capitulated to Hitler and Germany, the men and women of this Huguenot village risked their lives to provide a safe haven for an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 Jews, who at that point had nowhere left to hide. At a time of barbaric suffering at the hands of the Nazi regime, it has been said that “goodness happened” in Le Chambon, and it was because the conviction and courage of Trocmé and his parishioners had become deeply ingrained virtues, not mere accessories to an already full life. Embodying the sacrificial love of Jesus had become second nature.
In order for any of us to act as the villagers of Le Chambon did under pressure, who risked their lives to protect the lives of others, doing so would have to become second nature for us too. And for it to become second nature, we would need to see these virtues demonstrated in the context of a nurturing community. In other words, spiritual formation and fellowship in church have everything to do with doing justice and loving mercy in the world. You can’t divorce the two without grave consequences.
In Search of Deep Faith is not a comprehensive survey of the most influential Christian figures in history. Rather, it’s limited to those who have most influenced Belcher and his family—and who happened to come from a particular region of the world that the family could afford to visit in a limited amount of time. So I can’t fault him too much for the fact that this pilgrimage was so Eurocentric. Nonetheless, I hope I’d be forgiven for suggesting what a spiritual feast it would be if someone managed to write a book like this—part spiritual memoir, part history, part travel writing—exploring notable figures from the rich history of Christianity elsewhere around the world, particularly in the Middle East, where the faith began, as well as Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where fellow believers are reshaping the twenty-first century before our very eyes. (But we can’t ask Belcher do to everything; maybe I’ll just have to write it some day!)
One concluding lesson from this book that I’ll carry with me comes from the chapter on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who as we all know was ultimately killed by the Nazis, while so many other clergy in Germany embraced (begrudgingly or not) the nationalistic and racist ideology of Hitler’s regime. Like the villagers of Le Chambon, Bonhoeffer’s character had been cultivated through liturgical practices and deep community, both of which are instructive for us today.
But there was something else especially evident in Bonhoeffer’s life right up until the end. It was his eschatological imagination, biblically informed, which gave him eyes to see beyond a shadow of a doubt that Hitler and the Third Reich wouldn’t have the last word. The day is coming, he knew, when sin and death would be no more.
That hope sustained him then. That hope can sustain us still.
- See more at: http://timhoiland.com/2013/12/deep-fa...
So along with his family, he set off for a year in England and Europe, not as a vacation so much as a field trip. They visited important sites in the history of Christianity, while reflecting on the lives and teachings of their spiritual heroes—familiar people like C.S. Lewis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Corrie ten Boom, and William Wilberforce, as well as figures like André Trocmé and the villagers of Le Chambon in France, who were equally heroic, though their stories may be less well known.
Never have I read a book quite like In Search of Deep Faith, which chronicles the family’s pilgrimage. Part spiritual memoir, part history, part travel writing, I absolutely love how he weaves it all together.
An underlying theme throughout the book is the commitment Belcher and his wife, Michelle, have to raise their children in a way that will prepare them for what’s to come as they approach their teen and adult years. Repeatedly citing the much-discussed National Study on Youth and Religion, “which found most high-schoolers, even if they grew up in a religious home, were unable to meaningfully articulate their faith.” In Christian Smith and Melinda Denton’s book Soul Searching, which is based on the study’s findings, they coin the now-familiar term Moralistic Therapeutic Deism to describe the religious beliefs of typical church-going youth in North America, who describe their faith in terms of being good people, who primarily aim to be happy in life, while keeping God at arm’s length—not close enough to interfere in daily life, but close enough to intervene when the need arises. Needless to say, this falls far short of orthodox Christian faith.
Concerned about the seeming near-inevitability of MTD, Belcher wonders how to cultivate in his kids a “consequential faith” (to use Kenda Creasy Dean’s term) that will sustain them—a faith that will enable them to deal honestly with doubt, and that will instill in them the virtues needed to act with courage and conviction when doing so isn’t convenient. The family’s spiritual pilgrimage comes to constitute at least part of the answer, and wonderfully so.
The chapter on the French village of Le Chambon provides an unforgettable case in point. The story of the courage and conviction of pastor André Trocmé and his fellow villagers during World War II is told in the book Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed, but to my shame it was new to me. After France had capitulated to Hitler and Germany, the men and women of this Huguenot village risked their lives to provide a safe haven for an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 Jews, who at that point had nowhere left to hide. At a time of barbaric suffering at the hands of the Nazi regime, it has been said that “goodness happened” in Le Chambon, and it was because the conviction and courage of Trocmé and his parishioners had become deeply ingrained virtues, not mere accessories to an already full life. Embodying the sacrificial love of Jesus had become second nature.
In order for any of us to act as the villagers of Le Chambon did under pressure, who risked their lives to protect the lives of others, doing so would have to become second nature for us too. And for it to become second nature, we would need to see these virtues demonstrated in the context of a nurturing community. In other words, spiritual formation and fellowship in church have everything to do with doing justice and loving mercy in the world. You can’t divorce the two without grave consequences.
In Search of Deep Faith is not a comprehensive survey of the most influential Christian figures in history. Rather, it’s limited to those who have most influenced Belcher and his family—and who happened to come from a particular region of the world that the family could afford to visit in a limited amount of time. So I can’t fault him too much for the fact that this pilgrimage was so Eurocentric. Nonetheless, I hope I’d be forgiven for suggesting what a spiritual feast it would be if someone managed to write a book like this—part spiritual memoir, part history, part travel writing—exploring notable figures from the rich history of Christianity elsewhere around the world, particularly in the Middle East, where the faith began, as well as Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where fellow believers are reshaping the twenty-first century before our very eyes. (But we can’t ask Belcher do to everything; maybe I’ll just have to write it some day!)
One concluding lesson from this book that I’ll carry with me comes from the chapter on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who as we all know was ultimately killed by the Nazis, while so many other clergy in Germany embraced (begrudgingly or not) the nationalistic and racist ideology of Hitler’s regime. Like the villagers of Le Chambon, Bonhoeffer’s character had been cultivated through liturgical practices and deep community, both of which are instructive for us today.
But there was something else especially evident in Bonhoeffer’s life right up until the end. It was his eschatological imagination, biblically informed, which gave him eyes to see beyond a shadow of a doubt that Hitler and the Third Reich wouldn’t have the last word. The day is coming, he knew, when sin and death would be no more.
That hope sustained him then. That hope can sustain us still.
- See more at: http://timhoiland.com/2013/12/deep-fa...
June 9, 2018
Past history, personal memoir and travel log-- this book is a crisp easy read. It made me want to visit the sites of these great heroes. A tiny bit of the narrative seemed to focus on what would be "first world problems". I think Belcher realizes this when he reviews the horrible circumstances and suffering that some of these Saints endured. This book would be a good way to introduce people like Lewis, Bonhoeffer, Corrie Tin Boon, and Van Gogh to those who might not read about them otherwise.
November 8, 2021
This book was unexpected. I read it thinking it was a story about traveling to live the stories of "Heroes of the Faith" and it was, partly. But it was also an interesting look into the thought process of parenting and trying to raise kids with a deep faith that won't leave them disillusioned come college. It was one-third parenting, one-third series of biographies, and one-third modern family vacation stories. Overall, I enjoyed it, but it wasn't the book I thought I was opening.
November 2, 2018
I absolutely loved this book. My only regret is that I did not read it before we went to Europe. The book is about the author's family's 9 month trip to Europe. He tells the stories of C.S. Lewis, William Wilberforce, Vincent van Gogh, Corrie ten Boom, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, among others. Highly recommended!
May 7, 2020
Well thought out book on a topic of importance for families. A good reminder that this is not our home, we are passing through and need deep faith, a map, and help to make the journey a faithful one. Lots of books to add to the to be read pile as well as reminders and challenges for shaping and encouraging our family and those around us.
April 10, 2019
This book is both charming and challenging. The journey is fascinating and the transitions from the Oxford streets or RV to the lives of heroes of the faith is effortless. You feel you have really experienced the pilgrimage with the family and learned so much on the journey
February 23, 2019
3.5 stars
May 30, 2023
Eighth book of the G3 2023 Reading Challenge: A travel book.
I liked it overall. Didn't get the answers I was hoping for by the end. But I think that's part of the point.
I liked it overall. Didn't get the answers I was hoping for by the end. But I think that's part of the point.
December 20, 2013
I read Deep Church when I started doing vocational ministry and it absolutely shaped my approach to ministry so I began to read this book with very high expectations. It’s safe to say that my expectations were met, and even exceeded.
As the title implies this book is about a “Pilgrimage,” specifically a pilgrimage in search of deep faith. Belcher’s pilgrimage takes him on a journey to ensure that his “roots are deeper,” his “maps are better,” and his “destination is clearer.” (291) Roots, Journey, and Destination are what this book is about.
As you begin reading, you are immediately thrown in to a tense situation; you find Belcher and his family stuck in an RV in a shady part of Poland, looking for Bonhoeffer’s secret seminary at Finkenwalde. The rest of the book is filled with that same sort of suspense you encounter in the first few pages, except the suspense isn’t limited to his family’s adventures throughout Europe; the suspense comes from the stories of several historical figures he introduces us to.
Summary
The book is broken up into three parts: 1) Rediscovering our Roots, 2) Life as Journey and the Need for a Map, and 3) Seeing our Destination.
Rediscovering our Roots: These chapters emphasize the need for making our faith our own, and how making our faith deep bears upon our daily lives. Here we hear the stories of his family’s move to Oxford, but also the stories of the Oxford Martyrs. We also hear the story of Sheldon Vanauken’s search for beauty. Belcher also recounts the story of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, he explains that this story teaches us about our own struggle between desiring holiness and desiring our sin. He ends this section with the story of William Wilberforce.
Life as Journey and the Need for a Map: These chapters expand the metaphor of the Christian life as a pilgrimage, and show us that we need a “map” so to speak if we are to walk faithfully on that pilgrimage. He uses the stories of Vincent Van Gogh, Andre Trocme, and Corrie ten Boom as examples of people who didn’t have a “map” (van Gogh) and people who had the “map” to guide them in their journeys.
Seeing Our Destination: You can’t be on a pilgrimage if you don’t have a destination… Here Belcher emphasizes the need to know our “destination.” In times of trouble knowing our destination gives us strength to persevere. Belcher uses the stories of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria von Trapp (The Sound of Music) as examples of people who knew their destination. He concludes his journey with a trip to Heidleberg, the source of the Heidelberg Catechism. This final chapter is the clearest articulation of how the Gospel and the destination it points us to shapes our lives.
Pro’s
It’s a Great Introduction to Church History – I would not have expected it, but this book is actually a great primer on European church history, spanning the time from the reformation up until the 20th century. If you know somebody who could use an exciting introduction to church history then this is the book for you.
It’s a Great Book on Parenting – Throughout the book one of Belcher’s concerns is instilling a deep faith into his children. I got a taste of how difficult that actually is, to be honest it freaked me out, but at the same time it gave me hope that its possible to pass on a deep and meaningful faith in Christ to our children.
It’s Very Well Written – At the end of the book Belcher credits several author’s influence upon his writing, as you read you can tell that he has really worked on his writing skills. Yes, Belcher was a good author in Deep Church, but his writing skills have really improved. He crafts suspenseful stories and makes his points in a very clear manner. His writing kept me engaged the whole time.
Con’s
There are no real con’s - Some people might have some issues with his reformed leanings. Others might have some issues with him using Vincent van Gogh as a sort of “spiritual hero.” But there really isn’t anything to complain about here….
Conclusion
In a season of my spiritual life where I have been feeling spiritually dry and aimless, God used this book and Jim Belcher to encourage me to stay excited about moving forward on the journey God has put me on. The stories of Thomas Cranmer, Corrie ten Boom, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, William Wilberforce, and even Maria von Trapp encouraged me. Seeing their deep faith, which was grounded in the truths of the Gospel is sure to encourage anybody who reads this book. With that, I highly recommend this book. Whether you have been a Christian for a long time or whether you are just beginning to explore Christianity there is something for everybody who has decided to take a journey into Deep Faith.
(Note: I was given a free review copy by IVP and was under no obligation to give it a positive review.)
As the title implies this book is about a “Pilgrimage,” specifically a pilgrimage in search of deep faith. Belcher’s pilgrimage takes him on a journey to ensure that his “roots are deeper,” his “maps are better,” and his “destination is clearer.” (291) Roots, Journey, and Destination are what this book is about.
As you begin reading, you are immediately thrown in to a tense situation; you find Belcher and his family stuck in an RV in a shady part of Poland, looking for Bonhoeffer’s secret seminary at Finkenwalde. The rest of the book is filled with that same sort of suspense you encounter in the first few pages, except the suspense isn’t limited to his family’s adventures throughout Europe; the suspense comes from the stories of several historical figures he introduces us to.
Summary
The book is broken up into three parts: 1) Rediscovering our Roots, 2) Life as Journey and the Need for a Map, and 3) Seeing our Destination.
Rediscovering our Roots: These chapters emphasize the need for making our faith our own, and how making our faith deep bears upon our daily lives. Here we hear the stories of his family’s move to Oxford, but also the stories of the Oxford Martyrs. We also hear the story of Sheldon Vanauken’s search for beauty. Belcher also recounts the story of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, he explains that this story teaches us about our own struggle between desiring holiness and desiring our sin. He ends this section with the story of William Wilberforce.
Life as Journey and the Need for a Map: These chapters expand the metaphor of the Christian life as a pilgrimage, and show us that we need a “map” so to speak if we are to walk faithfully on that pilgrimage. He uses the stories of Vincent Van Gogh, Andre Trocme, and Corrie ten Boom as examples of people who didn’t have a “map” (van Gogh) and people who had the “map” to guide them in their journeys.
Seeing Our Destination: You can’t be on a pilgrimage if you don’t have a destination… Here Belcher emphasizes the need to know our “destination.” In times of trouble knowing our destination gives us strength to persevere. Belcher uses the stories of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria von Trapp (The Sound of Music) as examples of people who knew their destination. He concludes his journey with a trip to Heidleberg, the source of the Heidelberg Catechism. This final chapter is the clearest articulation of how the Gospel and the destination it points us to shapes our lives.
Pro’s
It’s a Great Introduction to Church History – I would not have expected it, but this book is actually a great primer on European church history, spanning the time from the reformation up until the 20th century. If you know somebody who could use an exciting introduction to church history then this is the book for you.
It’s a Great Book on Parenting – Throughout the book one of Belcher’s concerns is instilling a deep faith into his children. I got a taste of how difficult that actually is, to be honest it freaked me out, but at the same time it gave me hope that its possible to pass on a deep and meaningful faith in Christ to our children.
It’s Very Well Written – At the end of the book Belcher credits several author’s influence upon his writing, as you read you can tell that he has really worked on his writing skills. Yes, Belcher was a good author in Deep Church, but his writing skills have really improved. He crafts suspenseful stories and makes his points in a very clear manner. His writing kept me engaged the whole time.
Con’s
There are no real con’s - Some people might have some issues with his reformed leanings. Others might have some issues with him using Vincent van Gogh as a sort of “spiritual hero.” But there really isn’t anything to complain about here….
Conclusion
In a season of my spiritual life where I have been feeling spiritually dry and aimless, God used this book and Jim Belcher to encourage me to stay excited about moving forward on the journey God has put me on. The stories of Thomas Cranmer, Corrie ten Boom, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, William Wilberforce, and even Maria von Trapp encouraged me. Seeing their deep faith, which was grounded in the truths of the Gospel is sure to encourage anybody who reads this book. With that, I highly recommend this book. Whether you have been a Christian for a long time or whether you are just beginning to explore Christianity there is something for everybody who has decided to take a journey into Deep Faith.
(Note: I was given a free review copy by IVP and was under no obligation to give it a positive review.)
December 25, 2013
Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look,and ask for the ancient paths,where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. - Jeremiah 6:16
“I want to go” was my immediate reaction to reading the first sentences of In Search of Deep Faith. In these pages Jim Belcher draws readers into the lives of his family on a year-long pilgrimage to Oxford, England, and then continental Europe. During this year they explore the history and practice of Christianity through the lives of people, the places they’ve live, and their stories of faith. The stories that draw this family on pilgrimage aren’t mere academic exercises, but ways of exploring their family’s faith journey, and in the relating of this journey, a path for the reader to enter her own exploration.
In the introduction Belcher quotes from John Inge’s book, A Christian Theology of Place, that a pilgrimage is “a rediscovery of our roots, an understanding that life is a journey and a new focus on our true destination.” Belcher then uses this definition to frame his family’s experiences as they reflect on roots, focus, and destination. As with any journey, they face many challenges along the way. But because the journey is about more than arriving at historical sites, this book is filled with more than recitations of sites and frustrations. Reflection on their journeys and the faith stories they encounter, especially as related to God’s Story, make up the primary narrative. Ultimately they realize that “Only the Story, heard, internalized and practiced over and over again, can truly change us and make us into moral creatures” (107). The practice of pilgrimage provides this family with the opportunity to hear the Story from many perspectives and inhabit it more fully.
Over this year-long pilgrimage, Belcher strives to find stories and experiences that will draw his children into a faith life that is grounded and lived because “if they [young people] can’t articulate their faith, . . . it will never become real, as it is articulation that engenders reality” (69). I don’t know if it was a ‘holy longing’ that I experienced as I read through the pages, but it was a longing to dive into these stories as well.
In following their journeys and musings I was reintroduced to
- C. S. Lewis who “soaked in the beauty of God’s creation and the company of friends on these tours.” (107) and drew Belcher to consider “what if education was more about discovering ‘the secret signature of the soul’” (115).
- Vincent Van Gogh who once preached a sermon title “Our life is a pilgrim’s progress” (147).
- Maria Von Trapp and the living faith she shared with the family into which she married.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was so dedicated to sharing the Story in his homeland that he started an illegal seminary and continued to preach the Gospel clearly, even when it clearly violated the growing Nazi edicts. For him, “Knowing the end beforehand change[d] everything” (247).
- William Wilberforce who followed God’s and remained a member of Parliament after his conversion, to follow his call of working against majority opinion to advocate for the abolition of slavery.
- The citizens of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, France, who displayed “convicted civility” as they protected Jews who came to their village in the midst of WWII
After finishing the narrative of this pilgrimage to articulate faith, to rest, and to build a foundation for a family, I wanted even more to head out on such a journey. Quickly I was thinking about who to invite, where we would go, the focus of the time, and more. However, the journey that Belcher lays out is not only about going to lands away from home, but into the faith lives before us today. So this is where I leave this book. Exploring my own search for faith - and in the back of my mind planning the next pilgrimage.
“I want to go” was my immediate reaction to reading the first sentences of In Search of Deep Faith. In these pages Jim Belcher draws readers into the lives of his family on a year-long pilgrimage to Oxford, England, and then continental Europe. During this year they explore the history and practice of Christianity through the lives of people, the places they’ve live, and their stories of faith. The stories that draw this family on pilgrimage aren’t mere academic exercises, but ways of exploring their family’s faith journey, and in the relating of this journey, a path for the reader to enter her own exploration.
In the introduction Belcher quotes from John Inge’s book, A Christian Theology of Place, that a pilgrimage is “a rediscovery of our roots, an understanding that life is a journey and a new focus on our true destination.” Belcher then uses this definition to frame his family’s experiences as they reflect on roots, focus, and destination. As with any journey, they face many challenges along the way. But because the journey is about more than arriving at historical sites, this book is filled with more than recitations of sites and frustrations. Reflection on their journeys and the faith stories they encounter, especially as related to God’s Story, make up the primary narrative. Ultimately they realize that “Only the Story, heard, internalized and practiced over and over again, can truly change us and make us into moral creatures” (107). The practice of pilgrimage provides this family with the opportunity to hear the Story from many perspectives and inhabit it more fully.
Over this year-long pilgrimage, Belcher strives to find stories and experiences that will draw his children into a faith life that is grounded and lived because “if they [young people] can’t articulate their faith, . . . it will never become real, as it is articulation that engenders reality” (69). I don’t know if it was a ‘holy longing’ that I experienced as I read through the pages, but it was a longing to dive into these stories as well.
In following their journeys and musings I was reintroduced to
- C. S. Lewis who “soaked in the beauty of God’s creation and the company of friends on these tours.” (107) and drew Belcher to consider “what if education was more about discovering ‘the secret signature of the soul’” (115).
- Vincent Van Gogh who once preached a sermon title “Our life is a pilgrim’s progress” (147).
- Maria Von Trapp and the living faith she shared with the family into which she married.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was so dedicated to sharing the Story in his homeland that he started an illegal seminary and continued to preach the Gospel clearly, even when it clearly violated the growing Nazi edicts. For him, “Knowing the end beforehand change[d] everything” (247).
- William Wilberforce who followed God’s and remained a member of Parliament after his conversion, to follow his call of working against majority opinion to advocate for the abolition of slavery.
- The citizens of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, France, who displayed “convicted civility” as they protected Jews who came to their village in the midst of WWII
After finishing the narrative of this pilgrimage to articulate faith, to rest, and to build a foundation for a family, I wanted even more to head out on such a journey. Quickly I was thinking about who to invite, where we would go, the focus of the time, and more. However, the journey that Belcher lays out is not only about going to lands away from home, but into the faith lives before us today. So this is where I leave this book. Exploring my own search for faith - and in the back of my mind planning the next pilgrimage.
October 23, 2018
What do Thomas Cranmer, C. S. Lewis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Vincent VanGogh and Maria von Trapp have in common? It's not a list I would have immediately put together, but Jim Belcher does, and quite elegantly, in his book "In Search of Deep Faith."
Several weeks ago, I received a message from a long-time friend of mine asking if I would read and review a new book written by a friend of his. Because of the mutual connection, I was glad to, though I had no idea what the book was about. It's probably not a book I would have picked up on my own, but had I not, I would have missed a real gem.
Belcher's book is about his family's year-long pilgrimage through England and Europe, seeking to explore the lives of some of his faith-heroes, and along the way, seeking to learn about pilgrimage and what it means to instill deep Christian faith in his children. He writes in such a way that you feel as if you are there, includes pictures of some of the sites they visited, and effectively and powerfully weaves the stories of the heroes in with his family's story. Some of the stories I knew, some I thought I knew, and some (like Cranmer's) were brand new.
The theme is pilgrimage—but it's not just a travelogue across Europe (though that would have been enough to hook me). As the title suggests, Belcher is, all along the way, seeking to learn how these saints from the past can encourage and inform and inspire our faith today. How can we live beyond the superficiality of modern, American Christianity (what some researchers call "Moral Therapeutic Deism")? That's a question we all need to reflect on, and for me, Belcher's book has been a great place to start.
As it combines two things I love so dearly (travel and faith), Belcher's book is highly recommended, especially if you have young children you long to instill deep faith into. You don't have to make a physical pilgrimage like Belcher's family did (though how cool would that be?). Learning and sharing the stories of heroes of the faith can help us all see how we can better live more faithfully today. I commend this book to you; you'll find it an engrossing and enjoyable read, and it might even encourage you on your own journey toward deep faith.
Full disclosure: I was provided an electronic copy of this book in return for reviewing it, though I was not asked or expected to provide a positive review.
Several weeks ago, I received a message from a long-time friend of mine asking if I would read and review a new book written by a friend of his. Because of the mutual connection, I was glad to, though I had no idea what the book was about. It's probably not a book I would have picked up on my own, but had I not, I would have missed a real gem.
Belcher's book is about his family's year-long pilgrimage through England and Europe, seeking to explore the lives of some of his faith-heroes, and along the way, seeking to learn about pilgrimage and what it means to instill deep Christian faith in his children. He writes in such a way that you feel as if you are there, includes pictures of some of the sites they visited, and effectively and powerfully weaves the stories of the heroes in with his family's story. Some of the stories I knew, some I thought I knew, and some (like Cranmer's) were brand new.
The theme is pilgrimage—but it's not just a travelogue across Europe (though that would have been enough to hook me). As the title suggests, Belcher is, all along the way, seeking to learn how these saints from the past can encourage and inform and inspire our faith today. How can we live beyond the superficiality of modern, American Christianity (what some researchers call "Moral Therapeutic Deism")? That's a question we all need to reflect on, and for me, Belcher's book has been a great place to start.
As it combines two things I love so dearly (travel and faith), Belcher's book is highly recommended, especially if you have young children you long to instill deep faith into. You don't have to make a physical pilgrimage like Belcher's family did (though how cool would that be?). Learning and sharing the stories of heroes of the faith can help us all see how we can better live more faithfully today. I commend this book to you; you'll find it an engrossing and enjoyable read, and it might even encourage you on your own journey toward deep faith.
Full disclosure: I was provided an electronic copy of this book in return for reviewing it, though I was not asked or expected to provide a positive review.
January 8, 2014
This is a remarkable book chronicling the journey of the author's family as they set out on a modern Pilgrim's Progress. Beginning in Oxford, where they study the lives of luminaries such as CS Lewis, William Wilberforce and Sheldon Vanauken, they continue through stories of suffering found in the lives of Corrie Ten Boom, van Gogh, and communities which suffered as they hid Jews from the Nazis. The book concludes with reflections on destination, inspired by Bonhoeffer and Maria von Trapp. Jim Belcher is a well-read guide on this journey. He manages to weave together his own family's story--including parenting challenges, real-life issues in raising kids to have real faith, and homeschooling difficulties--with the history and stories of the people whose lives bring structure to this pilgrimage. He builds on and weaves together the insights offered by the lives and writings of these figures in a way that is both accessibly and helpful. Some of the chapters deserve five stars.
I appreciated the author's honesty as he and his wife Michelle think through their vision for their kids' education. And I'm not just talking about reading and writing--I'm talking about everything that a parent wants to offer his or her children in their education and shaping as people, from faith and belief to perspective and love of learning. I would love to take my children on a journey like this. There are so many places that, one day, I would love to show them, with the stories of faith and history that come alive there.
In his book "A Sacred Sorrow," Michael Card comments, "...when we are struggling to explain a difficult topic like prayer, faith, or perhaps servanthood, we resort to naming a person who incarnates that ideal...When we seek to understand discipleship we think of someone like Deitrich Bonhoeffer, not because of his great book on the subject, but because his life an death validated everything he spoke about in his writings." (38) That is why this book is so powerful. Each chapter highlights a person who embodies a particular lesson, and the lives taken all together provide a thoughtful survey of the kind of true education I want to give my children.
This book has already begun attracting attention and gathering awards, and it deserves them.
I appreciated the author's honesty as he and his wife Michelle think through their vision for their kids' education. And I'm not just talking about reading and writing--I'm talking about everything that a parent wants to offer his or her children in their education and shaping as people, from faith and belief to perspective and love of learning. I would love to take my children on a journey like this. There are so many places that, one day, I would love to show them, with the stories of faith and history that come alive there.
In his book "A Sacred Sorrow," Michael Card comments, "...when we are struggling to explain a difficult topic like prayer, faith, or perhaps servanthood, we resort to naming a person who incarnates that ideal...When we seek to understand discipleship we think of someone like Deitrich Bonhoeffer, not because of his great book on the subject, but because his life an death validated everything he spoke about in his writings." (38) That is why this book is so powerful. Each chapter highlights a person who embodies a particular lesson, and the lives taken all together provide a thoughtful survey of the kind of true education I want to give my children.
This book has already begun attracting attention and gathering awards, and it deserves them.
February 19, 2014
IN SEARCH IF DEEP FAITH is difficult to describe. It is a travel book, a book about parenting, a theological reflection, and an attempt to connect with the Christian past. Belcher pulls all of these elements together successfully. After ten years of building a church in southern California, Belcher felt a need to refresh and deepen his Christian faith and find ways to help his children develop a faith that would enable them to resist the influences that cause so many young people to leave the church during their college years. He and his family decided to spend a year in Europe connecting with heroes of the Christian church, people ranging from martyrs to writers to artists, and the places they lived. He writes not only about the meaningful visits to their homes and museums but also about his family's struggles during the year, including issues of obedience, his wife's struggles with home schooling,and the practical issues brought about by living in unfamiliar places and constant traveling. A couple of weeks ago I reviewed John Spofford's UNAPOLOGETIC. This is a very different book from Spofford's, but it seems to me that they have something important in common. Spofford argues that Christianity is ultimately about emotions, not reason. By following a path that involved entering the lives of the European heroes of the Christian faith, people such as C. S. Lewis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Corrie Ten Booom, Vincent Van Gogh, and Maria Von Trapp, Belcher was taking himself and his family into the experiential elements of Christianity, not the rational defenses of the faith (I don't know what he thinks about the role of reason in religion). This is not an apologetic work; it is a reflective memoir that will be helpful to other searchers after a deeper faith and, perhaps, to searchers who at present have no faith. I strongly recommend this interesting and thoughtful book. On a personal note, I was pleasantly surprised that when describing his visit to "The Kilns," Lewis's home, Belcher mentioned that the caretaker was Debbie Higgins, whom I knew slightly when she was a graduate student in English at Andrews University, where I taught history for many years, and later served as a teacher at Southern Adventist University, where my children went to school and with whom I talked briefly during my visits there.
January 23, 2014
The premise is great: slightly burned-out PCA pastor/thinker takes his family on an extended pilgrimage to visit sites connected with historical figures who have influenced them most, and uses the journey to tell us stories from the lives of figures like C.S.Lewis, Corrie Ten Boom, Vincent Van Gogh, and more. The result combines memoir, travelogue, and biography. It's clear the author did his homework and that he was committed to getting as much out of this once-in-a-lifetime sabbatical experience as he could. And for fans of Lewis et. al. (like me) it's great to have the chance to go along!
The execution is a bit flawed. The reader gets to know the author and his heart and mind, but his family play the role of audience more than I would expect... he tells us (over and over) what they were learning and that it meant a lot to them, but doesn't let them speak for themselves, doesn't "show" us what they are getting out of this or attribute the book's "ahas" to his family members. That felt a bit awkward to me; I wonder if he was trying to protect their privacy or if it was more that they were just along for the ride. Since the ride took them to many sites associated with martyrs, murder, and suffering - well, it could be a tough way to spend your year. Anyway, "Dad" is the one who had study leave, and grants, and time to write the book, so that may be why it turned out the way it did.
Still, a very worthwhile and enjoyable read, especially for fans of spiritual memoir and of the Christian leaders and historical figures he profiles. Most of us will never have the chance to walk in their footsteps and interview others about them as the author did. I marked many passages for further reflection and am motivated to read more of his writing as well as those he quotes and alludes to.
The execution is a bit flawed. The reader gets to know the author and his heart and mind, but his family play the role of audience more than I would expect... he tells us (over and over) what they were learning and that it meant a lot to them, but doesn't let them speak for themselves, doesn't "show" us what they are getting out of this or attribute the book's "ahas" to his family members. That felt a bit awkward to me; I wonder if he was trying to protect their privacy or if it was more that they were just along for the ride. Since the ride took them to many sites associated with martyrs, murder, and suffering - well, it could be a tough way to spend your year. Anyway, "Dad" is the one who had study leave, and grants, and time to write the book, so that may be why it turned out the way it did.
Still, a very worthwhile and enjoyable read, especially for fans of spiritual memoir and of the Christian leaders and historical figures he profiles. Most of us will never have the chance to walk in their footsteps and interview others about them as the author did. I marked many passages for further reflection and am motivated to read more of his writing as well as those he quotes and alludes to.
February 14, 2015
I read Jim Belcher's
Deep Church
in 2010 and consider it to be an excellent framework for for church life, teaching and practice today. When this book came out I didn't hesitate to buy it, but it took me a while to get around to reading it. "In Search of Deep Faith" is a wonderfully inspiring and challenging account of Jim Belcher's year long family pilgrimage through parts of Europe, visiting places of significance and remembering people who have had a strong influence on their faith. The author and I share many of the same heroes: C. S. Lewis, Sheldon Vanauken, William Wilberforce, Corrie ten Boom, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Thomas Cranmer. Visiting places where these people lived and died, he told their stories with an intensity and vividness that renewed their profound meaning for me. He introduced me to some other heroes of whose lives I had known relatively little: Vincent Van Gogh, the Le Chambon community, and the real Maria Von Trapp among others. The stories and lessons derived from the experiences in their journey may have a profound influence on the journey that is your own life. I'm very thankful to Jim Belcher for sharing them with us. I treasure this book in a different way than Deep Church, but no less. More please.
October 3, 2015
Jim Belcher and his family go on a pilgrimage through England and Europe, investigating figures from the history of Christianity such as Cranmer, Lewis, Bonhoeffer, Corrie ten Boom and Maria von Trapp. The stories of these great figures is interwoven with stories about his family and their struggles. Jim and Michelle are concerned to impart a 'deep faith' to their children - a faith that will endure when they leave home.
The book is divided into three main sections. In the first section we are given stories that are designed to help us remember our roots, the second to remind us of the need of a map through life's journey, and the final section was a reminder of the importance of our destination to living well here. I was intrigued by the sections on Corrie ten Boom, Pastor Trocme (who along with his community helped protect Jews in southern France in WW2), Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Maria von Trapp. However all chapters were really interesting.
If you wanted to read short introduction to the lives of some great Christians from history, this would be a great read.
The book is divided into three main sections. In the first section we are given stories that are designed to help us remember our roots, the second to remind us of the need of a map through life's journey, and the final section was a reminder of the importance of our destination to living well here. I was intrigued by the sections on Corrie ten Boom, Pastor Trocme (who along with his community helped protect Jews in southern France in WW2), Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Maria von Trapp. However all chapters were really interesting.
If you wanted to read short introduction to the lives of some great Christians from history, this would be a great read.
June 23, 2014
This blend of episodic historical stories and family-travel memoir works much better than you might think it would, though I personally felt the historical content was definitely the stronger half of the book. Belcher highlights many expected (C.S. Lewis, William Wilberforce, Dietrich Boenhoeffer) and some unexpected (Thomas Cranmer, Maria Von Trapp, Vincent Van Gogh) historic personalities and their faith journeys. I found myself riveted by the stories of many of these individuals, and the book turned into a downright page-turner in the middle of some of those chapters (the Corrie Ten Boom section was particularly difficult to put down). Overall, Belcher's ability to take these stories and apply them to his own family's experience while traveling through Europe is impressive, and his ability to apply those lessons to the life of the reader is ever more so. Highly recommended for anyone with interest in history, religious history, or how to raise a family in faith.
December 20, 2014
This book I fear is only tough to categorize, as it is an Excellent snippets into the lives the Belcher's explore
In Search of Deep Faith is a great read, Dr. Jim Belcher and his family take us on a journey throughout Europe as the search out many of the Great Characters of the Church.
jim Belcher has away of transporting you in his writing as to have you truly feeling like you took this amazing trip & were really part of the family.
If you have never known about many of the people The Belcher's were searching for, this book is a great way of wetting your appetite to know even more.
I knew of the history of Thomas Cranmer and still found Jim's way of bringing out what happened so captivating!
Do yourself a favor buy this book, and after Dr. Belcher wets your appetite I am sure you will want to read more on those he so amazingly introduces us to
I gave this 5 stars and believe it would be a great introduction book for anyone
In Search of Deep Faith is a great read, Dr. Jim Belcher and his family take us on a journey throughout Europe as the search out many of the Great Characters of the Church.
jim Belcher has away of transporting you in his writing as to have you truly feeling like you took this amazing trip & were really part of the family.
If you have never known about many of the people The Belcher's were searching for, this book is a great way of wetting your appetite to know even more.
I knew of the history of Thomas Cranmer and still found Jim's way of bringing out what happened so captivating!
Do yourself a favor buy this book, and after Dr. Belcher wets your appetite I am sure you will want to read more on those he so amazingly introduces us to
I gave this 5 stars and believe it would be a great introduction book for anyone
December 12, 2013
This is a family-travelog/spiritual-biography-of-some-of-the-author's-heros-of-the-faith book. The author and his family take a year-long trip through Europe in order to spiritually recuperate. They travel to different locations that are related to people who had a deep faith (or can teach us something about a deep faith). Each chapter contains a story about the family's travel experience interspersed with spiritual biographical material on a particular person (Lewis, Bonhoeffer, Maria von Trapp, etc.). Each chapter also has a spiritual lesson for having a deep faith.
It sounds messy, but the author pulls it all off very nicely. I've only rated the book three stars because I don't like travelogs and I don't like biographies. Despite that, finishing this book wasn't a chore for me, which says something good about the book.
It sounds messy, but the author pulls it all off very nicely. I've only rated the book three stars because I don't like travelogs and I don't like biographies. Despite that, finishing this book wasn't a chore for me, which says something good about the book.
August 5, 2015
I would actually give it 3.5 stars. While it didn't totally rock my world I enjoyed the journey, the history and the process. I felt like Belcher found his writing stride the second half of the book but still thoroughly enjoyed all of it.
In a nutshell, Belcher takes his family on a pilgrimage to encounter mighty saints that have gone before us... C.S. Lewis, Bonhoeffer, the Oxford Martyrs (Cranmer), Corrie ten Boom, Maria von Trapp, and communities that stood up to evil because their beliefs and faith so molded and influenced their character. This book also was a warning shot across the brow to today's society in many respects.
In a nutshell, Belcher takes his family on a pilgrimage to encounter mighty saints that have gone before us... C.S. Lewis, Bonhoeffer, the Oxford Martyrs (Cranmer), Corrie ten Boom, Maria von Trapp, and communities that stood up to evil because their beliefs and faith so molded and influenced their character. This book also was a warning shot across the brow to today's society in many respects.
May 1, 2014
I found Belcher's book refreshing. Recently I have also had a renewed interest in rediscovering the roots of my faith and a deeper relationship with the Lord. The people and places that he selected to study and visit were very interesting. His descriptions of the places he visited with his family and his summary of the background stories of the people he looks up to were excellent. I was not really aware of some of the people he talked about, such as Sheldon Vanauken and the people of Le Chambon. It led me to look into more information about them on my own to learn more. All in all, I would recommend this book.
January 22, 2014
Inspiring and satisfying. This book was the perfect way to start my year's reading. I found myself enjoying this book simply for the pleasure of reading, and the journey it took me on was one I won't soon forget.
Travel Europe with the Belcher family as they explore the stories of Van Gogh, Wliberforce, Bonhoeffer and more. The reader will enter the lives of more than a dozen heroic men and women and measure thier faith through 21 century eyes. If I could buy one for all my friends, I would.
Travel Europe with the Belcher family as they explore the stories of Van Gogh, Wliberforce, Bonhoeffer and more. The reader will enter the lives of more than a dozen heroic men and women and measure thier faith through 21 century eyes. If I could buy one for all my friends, I would.
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