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Exactly as You Are: The Life and Faith of Mister Rogers
Welcome to the spiritual neighborhood of Fred Rogers “I like you as you are
Exactly and precisely
I think you turned out nicely
And I like you as you are.” Fred Rogers fiercely believed that all people deserve love. This conviction wasn’t simply it came directly from his Christian faith. God, he insisted, loves us just the way we are. In Exactly as You Are , Shea Tuttle looks at Fred Rogers’s life, the people and places that made him who he was, and his work through Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood . She pays particular attention to his faith—because Fred Rogers was a deeply spiritual person, ordained by his church with a one-of-a-kind to minister to children and families through television. Tuttle explores this kind, influential, sometimes surprising the neighborhood he came from, the neighborhood he built, and the kind of neighbor he, by his example, calls all of us to be. Throughout, Tuttle shows how he was guided by his core that God loves children, and everyone else, exactly as they are.
Exactly and precisely
I think you turned out nicely
And I like you as you are.” Fred Rogers fiercely believed that all people deserve love. This conviction wasn’t simply it came directly from his Christian faith. God, he insisted, loves us just the way we are. In Exactly as You Are , Shea Tuttle looks at Fred Rogers’s life, the people and places that made him who he was, and his work through Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood . She pays particular attention to his faith—because Fred Rogers was a deeply spiritual person, ordained by his church with a one-of-a-kind to minister to children and families through television. Tuttle explores this kind, influential, sometimes surprising the neighborhood he came from, the neighborhood he built, and the kind of neighbor he, by his example, calls all of us to be. Throughout, Tuttle shows how he was guided by his core that God loves children, and everyone else, exactly as they are.
211 pages, Hardcover
Published October 22, 2019
74 people are currently reading
1000 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
August 16, 2020
'When Mister Rogers called his viewers "neighbors," when he hosted us in his neighborhood for over thirty years, he was playing out his own greatest parable: calling us, gently but firmly, into lives of mercy and care for one another. He knew we wouldn't always get it right . . . but maybe he believed that if he got to us while we were young, if he told us that we are good, that we are lovable, and that we can build bridges of mercy, maybe we could grow into real neighbors to one another.' -- page 110
Although it can't compete with Maxwell King's outstandingly thorough The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers (and it's certainly not meant to) from early last year, I instead prefer to think of Shea Tuttle's Exactly As You're Are as a high quality companion piece to said biography. Tuttle's work does include basic biographic elements, but the underlying focus is more of an examination on Rogers' long-held Christian beliefs and spirituality - how it affected his overall life, provided guidance / direction throughout his career, and was gently used as a ministry of sorts on his TV series. Other GR reviewers have called this book 'heartwarming' and I completely agree with that adjective. Tuttle writes in a pleasingly concise manner and presents some interesting theological ideas and theories in the eighteen chapters. In closing, I'll go ahead and state the obvious - right now, and probably more than ever in our history, troubled America could again really use a 'good neighbor' like Mr. Rogers as a calming influence, and to kindly remind us of the virtues of tolerance and acceptance.
Although it can't compete with Maxwell King's outstandingly thorough The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers (and it's certainly not meant to) from early last year, I instead prefer to think of Shea Tuttle's Exactly As You're Are as a high quality companion piece to said biography. Tuttle's work does include basic biographic elements, but the underlying focus is more of an examination on Rogers' long-held Christian beliefs and spirituality - how it affected his overall life, provided guidance / direction throughout his career, and was gently used as a ministry of sorts on his TV series. Other GR reviewers have called this book 'heartwarming' and I completely agree with that adjective. Tuttle writes in a pleasingly concise manner and presents some interesting theological ideas and theories in the eighteen chapters. In closing, I'll go ahead and state the obvious - right now, and probably more than ever in our history, troubled America could again really use a 'good neighbor' like Mr. Rogers as a calming influence, and to kindly remind us of the virtues of tolerance and acceptance.
July 5, 2021
Summary: A religious biography of Mister Rogers.
It has been two months since I have posted a review on my blog. I have been on a vacation but mostly working on finishing up my certificate program in Spiritual Direction with six units of classes. I have read many books for class, but little for fun.
In the midst of books for class, I squeezed in the short audiobook of Exactly As You Are: The Life and Faith of Mister Rogers. I am very familiar with Mister Rogers. In addition to the recent documentary and biopic, I have read Kindness and Wonder, The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers, Peaceful Neighbor: Discovering the Countercultural Mister Rogers, and the full biography The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers. None of these books are perfect, but each has value in rounding out a human Fred Rogers.
I have been drawn to biography and memoir lately. Maybe it is a recent class on the spirituality of aging, but I am looking for examples of how people attempt to follow God honestly over a lifetime. I think hagiography was originally designed to inspire people to live their lives devoted to God. Ignatius was converted to a life of devotion to God by reading a book about the saints and a book about Jesus. This year I have been inspired by the flawed humanity of Eugene Peterson, Tish Warren's struggle with depression, AD Tomason's advocacy of counseling and healing, and Nate Powell's struggle to parent well as his tries to be an activist. I am not looking for perfection; I am more comforted in the struggle than in the success.
However, Mister Rogers does have a level of "success" in his sainthood that is particularly worth emulating. There is no perfection here; he was a flawed parent and husband and boss. But Fred Rogers was also attempting to be a Christian in his whole life, not just on Sunday mornings. I listened to Exactly as You Are on audiobook as I was doing errands and working around the house, but this is a book that I plan on purchasing in text because there are passages to savor and more inspiration to be gained. Hagiography tried to show not just the qualities of sainthood, but the evidence, often miracles, that showed God was working in their lives. Tuttle isn't trying to whitewash Rogers, but some near-miraculous stories are shared. I do not think the point of this section is the near-miraculous stories as much as it is the inspiration to follow God when we feel nudged. Silence and prayer are important to attune ourselves to God. But the next step of being open to hearing from and then acting on God's direction matters just as much. Yes, we might be wrong. And yes, sometimes we might feel silly writing a note or making a phone call or knocking on a door because we think God is prompting us to, but sometimes those prompts are the Holy Spirit, and there is a person that really does need us.
Mister Rogers probably does verge on the maybe too saintly to be helpful. We cannot really get to Mister Rogers' actual reality if he did not have the wealth of his family and the small-town stability of his upbringing. Most of us do not have wealth that allows us not to worry about income or a grandmother who can buy a concert-quality piano for a 10th birthday. But we do have our own gifts that we are asked to put into God's service. And I think that is really what Tuttle calls us to take away from Mister Roger's story.
If you are new to reading about Mister Rogers Exactly As You Are is where I would recommend starting. King's biography is an alternative starting point, but Tuttle has plenty of biographical details and I think a more human portrait that will be a good introduction to King's biography if you want to continue reading.
January 15, 2020
This is a heartwarming and insightful look at Mr. Rogers’ spiritual life. At times I felt like the book was a bit too speculative. Then again, I love spiritual speculation about TV shows so I wonder if that’s a hypocritical critique. All in all, a worthy read.
May 27, 2025
This book made me all the more obsessed w/ Mr. Rogers! So much of who he is Christ like! And so many practical applications of his life, ministry on television can be applied to youth ministry. The way he sees others, and shows the kindness of God will never get old!
January 21, 2020
How can you not like Mr. Rogers? He reminded kids that "It's you I like" and "It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood." Excellent read that reminds us that our faith should be infused in all aspects of our lives. My favorite take away was the reminder that all ground should be seen as holy ground.
October 3, 2019
In addition to telling a compelling and inspiring story about one of TV's most beloved icons, Shea Tuttle channels his best qualities into her writing, which is thoughtful, gentle, and deliberate. Reading this book feels strangely immersive, as if you're not just learning about the quirky, driven, and genuine man behind the neighborhood, but being cared for by him. Tuttle considers the ways in which Fred--the product of wealthy, loving parents from Latrobe, Pennsylvania--was both ahead of his time and a product of it. He preached self-acceptance and vulnerability. He was drawn to those on the margins. He inhabited the domestic sphere during a time when men were pressured (even more so than now) to be stoic breadwinners. He could also be dismissive of his employees' financial challenges and advised a close gay friend to remain in the closet. Nevertheless, it's impossible to read this book without feeling deep admiration and gratitude. Tuttle's blend of biography, philosophy, and seamless storytelling will make you want to put on a cardigan and cozy up with every old episode you can find.
January 26, 2020
I loved this biography of Fred Rogers. (Far better than another one I read recently, which was poorly and boring-ly written.) This was a wonderful look at the life he led and how he came to do the work he did. The writing flows very nicely and the book was organized very well. It was well researched and yet perfectly succinct and efficient while still telling us much about Fred. I loved the connection of his work to his beliefs. The religious connections shared in the book seldom felt forced, but rather just circled back to who Fred was and how he started out and why he did what he did. He was a fascinating man and he led his life well, an example of the kindness we need more of in the world. I highly recommend this book.
October 31, 2020
I have neither read the other biographies nor have I seen the documentary, but I can remember Mister Rogers Neighborhood television show and I can still sing many of the songs. Exactly As You Are is the thoughtful story of Fred Rogers. It is the story of his life as a young boy of a wealthy and supportive family in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Frequently bullied as a young child, Fred found solace in his family, music, religion and in his imagination. These strengths became the foundation of who Fred Rogers was to become and how his life would become integrated into ours. A very spiritual man, Rogers became a Presbyterian minister by taking classes during his work lunch hour. Religion was an integral part of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and he considered everyone his neighbor. His television program helped children to understand their feelings and their fears, to explain current events and to accept each as a neighbor.
September 13, 2019
I have long claimed that the mark of a good non-fiction book is how often you find yourself telling people about what you learned in it. As both a Christian and a social worker who specializes in Early Childhood, I told almost everyone I knew about a tidbit or wisdom from "Exactly as You Are: the Life and Faith of Mr. Rodgers."
So often children are thought of as an afterthought, mini-adults who should "get with the program." Mister Rogers' slow and deliberate approach to interaction with children saw them as full and complete beings. It came as a bit of a surprise to me that Fred Rodgers was driven by his Christian faith. And yet, the more I read about him the more I thought, "I want a faith like that. I want to lead like him."
This book is an excellent read for anyone struggling with the injustices of this world and how to parent, teach or counsel children in the midst of it.
So often children are thought of as an afterthought, mini-adults who should "get with the program." Mister Rogers' slow and deliberate approach to interaction with children saw them as full and complete beings. It came as a bit of a surprise to me that Fred Rodgers was driven by his Christian faith. And yet, the more I read about him the more I thought, "I want a faith like that. I want to lead like him."
This book is an excellent read for anyone struggling with the injustices of this world and how to parent, teach or counsel children in the midst of it.
July 26, 2019
I received an advance review copy of this book. I didn’t watch Mister Rogers often when I was growing up. While he seemed like a nice man, I didn’t care for the puppets on the program. I’ve read bits here and there about Fred Rogers on social media since his death, especially following tragedies, when people remember him saying “Look for the helpers.” I also learned that he was ordained, and as a clergy person myself, that interested me.
“Exactly As You Are” exceeded my expectations. I was fascinated to learn about his vocations as a pastor and television personality, and his passion for children’s programming that made children feel loved and special. His concern about children expressing their feelings especially resonated with me. After reading this book, I wish that I had watched the program more when I was a child, because I repressed a lot of feelings, particularly grief following my mother’s death.
My favorite chapter was 16, “Fred’s Big Feelings.” It opens with a description of a sermon he gave, and as a preacher myself, I loved that. I loved the way he tied two readings together (Jesus being “lost” as a 12-year-old and the cleansing of the temple) to illustrate the doctrine of the Incarnation. Rogers reminded those to whom he preached that Jesus was a developmental human who went through stages and as well as a human who experienced emotions like anger. Tuttle writes about Fred’s own anger, and self-doubt, and grief.
Grateful to have had the opportunity to read it in advance. I will definitely procure a copy for myself as well as for my church's library.
“Exactly As You Are” exceeded my expectations. I was fascinated to learn about his vocations as a pastor and television personality, and his passion for children’s programming that made children feel loved and special. His concern about children expressing their feelings especially resonated with me. After reading this book, I wish that I had watched the program more when I was a child, because I repressed a lot of feelings, particularly grief following my mother’s death.
My favorite chapter was 16, “Fred’s Big Feelings.” It opens with a description of a sermon he gave, and as a preacher myself, I loved that. I loved the way he tied two readings together (Jesus being “lost” as a 12-year-old and the cleansing of the temple) to illustrate the doctrine of the Incarnation. Rogers reminded those to whom he preached that Jesus was a developmental human who went through stages and as well as a human who experienced emotions like anger. Tuttle writes about Fred’s own anger, and self-doubt, and grief.
Grateful to have had the opportunity to read it in advance. I will definitely procure a copy for myself as well as for my church's library.
December 9, 2019
A very heartwarming biography of a heartwarming individual. Tuttle does a fantastic job capturing the theological influences on Fred Rogers. Each chapter ends with an explicit connection to a scriptural-theological-religious idea, and even for those who don't consider themselves "religious," it lends a layer towards a deeper understanding of what made Mr. Rogers who he was. Like Rogers himself, Tuttle approaches everything with a generous disposition, which makes for an enjoyable book overall.
I've also read Maxwell King's biography, which is excellent for a thoughtful and detailed story of Rogers' life and family, but faith/spirituality figures much less prominently in his account. Overall, I would recommend this over King's, though both are great, as it's shorter, much more accessible, but still manages to tell a complete story of such a remarkable man. For those who explicitly want to know more about the faith of Fred Rogers, this is your book.
I've also read Maxwell King's biography, which is excellent for a thoughtful and detailed story of Rogers' life and family, but faith/spirituality figures much less prominently in his account. Overall, I would recommend this over King's, though both are great, as it's shorter, much more accessible, but still manages to tell a complete story of such a remarkable man. For those who explicitly want to know more about the faith of Fred Rogers, this is your book.
February 3, 2020
This is a Excellent book 📖 easy to read and follow, it’s a HUGE help to better understand the LIFE and what made Fred Rogers to be became and lived on a day to basis, Truly remarkable awed in this Iconic Larger than Life Man Of Service n Character. You’ll enjoy and better understand Fred Rogers aka Mr Rogers from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. It’s a Short Read you won’t be dissatisfied has tons of Gems.
January 27, 2020
Mister Rogers has touched the life of nearly ever adult I know. Shea Tuttle combed through the mountains of information about the icon of my childhood and revealed not only more about the life of the creator of the Land of Make-believe but also proclaimed the Good News, that in Christ we are all welcomed into God’s neighborhood. This book is a must for preachers and teachers, fans of Mister Rogers, and his greatest critics.
April 3, 2020
This was such a good book to read each night before bed, especially during these chaotic times. I had no idea how spiritual Mr. Rogers was, or that he went to seminary school. But when you think about it, it makes sense! An insightful, well-written book that describes the various influences that made Mr. Rogers the man he was (both on and off television).
May 26, 2021
Everyone knows I love Mister Rogers! Of course, we miss him. Books about him are just not the same as hearing Mister Rogers talk to us. The books let us think about him, and remember him, with our neighbors who also love Mister Rogers. This one is nice as you learn some more about the spiritual person. Nice.
January 12, 2023
This book was an easy read. I enjoyed reading the biography. There were many encouraging points in the book, especially when the author shared quotes directly from Free Rogers, that I was not familiar with. I’ll share it with friends as a light, encouraging read.
June 21, 2022
This is an *incredibly* good book. Very inspiring and paradigm-expanding. A book that has changed me for the better. Highly recommend.
March 7, 2020
A delightful book about a man who was decades ahead of his time.
June 5, 2020
4.5 stars, if I could. This man is what the world needs most right now.
April 22, 2024
"'Evil would want us to think the worst about who we are, so we would have that behind our eyes as we looked at our neighbor. Jesus would want us to see the best of who we are, so we would have that behind our eyes as we looked at our neighbor, and we would see the best in him or her.'" - Fred Rogers quoting his professor, William Orr - pg. 59
February 20, 2024
I enjoyed this book, mostly because I watched a lot of Mister Rogers Neighborhood with my kiddos. it gave me a deeper look into who he was. It definitely peeked my interest more and now makes me want to watch a documentary about his life. There are lots of different takes and opinions but mine is - no matter where you land, he was a good man that did a lot of good for a lot of children and many families.
August 11, 2025
A look at Mister Roger’s and how his faith shaped who he was. The more I learn about him the more impressed I am. If only we could all love each other exactly the way they are
June 30, 2024
A wonderful story of the life of Mr Rogers. While there are many disagreements I would have him I have great respect for Fred Rogers and believe he had a great amount of profound wisdom.
Mr Rogers was ordained to the ministry in the PCUSA (if I remember correctly) and was called to ministry in television. He encouraged the denomination to put money towards developing a christian show for children and was ultimately turned down and went on to make the show he is known for. I believe he was prophetic in seeing the importance of TV in the future education of America's Youth and as is often the case the church missed the opportunity to lead in this area.
Fred Rogers was a theological liberal on some counts. The author spends a whole chapter talking through Mr Rogers acceptance of homosexuality, this is what subtracts one star from the book. It did not seem to me to be a major part of his life and was included in the book to appeal to modern sensibilities. Instead I believe it could have been noted as an error on Fred's part and moved on from but it obviously was important to the author to include.
But overall a fascinating and wonderful man.
Mr Rogers was ordained to the ministry in the PCUSA (if I remember correctly) and was called to ministry in television. He encouraged the denomination to put money towards developing a christian show for children and was ultimately turned down and went on to make the show he is known for. I believe he was prophetic in seeing the importance of TV in the future education of America's Youth and as is often the case the church missed the opportunity to lead in this area.
Fred Rogers was a theological liberal on some counts. The author spends a whole chapter talking through Mr Rogers acceptance of homosexuality, this is what subtracts one star from the book. It did not seem to me to be a major part of his life and was included in the book to appeal to modern sensibilities. Instead I believe it could have been noted as an error on Fred's part and moved on from but it obviously was important to the author to include.
But overall a fascinating and wonderful man.
June 25, 2020
Great read..
This book has an insight of Mr. Rogers as a person and explores what made him the man he was! The book shows his talents as well as well as his struggles, his successes and shortcomings.. a real look at Mr. Rogers as a man facing many trials and tribulations throughout his life. Great read!!
This book has an insight of Mr. Rogers as a person and explores what made him the man he was! The book shows his talents as well as well as his struggles, his successes and shortcomings.. a real look at Mr. Rogers as a man facing many trials and tribulations throughout his life. Great read!!
December 19, 2019
Enjoyable, inspirational and well written book
The purposeful way he lived his life should be a blue print for us all. This is a book I will revisit.
The purposeful way he lived his life should be a blue print for us all. This is a book I will revisit.
December 13, 2019
First sentence: Weekday afternoons when I was a child often found me curled up on the brown, plaid couch in our basement family room, draped in a homely, single-yarn brown afghan, my fingers poking through its open knit.
Premise/plot: Exactly As You Are is a spiritualized biography of Fred Rogers, aka Mister Rogers. After a few chapters about his early life, college years, and first job experiences, the book settles down into exploring Mister Rogers and his neighborhood. From here the book becomes almost topical and each topic is a spiritual one. That is what sets this one apart. I have read several biographies of Fred Rogers. Largely each one has the same exact quotes and uses the same sources. Tuttle seeks a spiritual meaning, moral, lesson, observation in each and every aspect of his life, his relationships, his career.
My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved some chapters. I did. Other chapters were more speculative and seemed agenda-driven. My favorite section was the middle one, “Broadcasting Grace.” My least favorite section was the last one that speculated about Mr. Rogers’ sexuality, his views on sexuality and gender identity, his view on heaven.
I would not change one thing about the television show. I would not make it more “Christian” or more specifically Christian. I would not add explicit theological teachings that would be more appropriate coming from the pulpit than a puppet.
But I also would not draw conclusions about the complexity or lack thereof of his belief system based on the scripts of the show or his interviews with the media. Neither outlet would be a good one for presenting a systematic theology.
The book is one person’s understanding of Rogers’ faith.
That being said, I found a few things troubling about his theology. Perhaps the things that make him a great neighbor make him a less ideal evangelist. As the book presents it, Mr. Rogers did not believe in the doctrine of sin. Mr. Rogers believed in man’s innate goodness. He believed in a God that loves us exactly, precisely as we are—whether we are in Christ or out of or apart from Christ. When dying friends allegedly asked Fred if they would go to heaven, he’d say yes, of course, God loves you exactly as you are. Now assuming the person is in Christ, that’s a fine answer, but supposing he or she isn’t that’s a terrible answer and a missed opportunity. One example has Fred saying something like, just think of all the people you’ve made happy with your music. Of course you’ll go to heaven. That logic is absurd!
If Tuttle’s assessment and speculation is correct, then Rogers seems to have some faulty foundations to his theology. Perhaps Tuttle is right. But maybe not. Maybe Fred was just uncomfortable broadcasting the necessity and exclusivity of Christ.
Imagine that one foot is the doctrine that humanity was created in the image of God and that God saw his creation as good, very good. The other foot is the doctrine of sin, the original sin, the fall of mankind, and man’s being enslaved to sin, dead in sin, unable to please God, unable to stand in front of a holy God. You need to stand on both feet if you want to stand. One supports human dignity, human rights, the value of life, a reason for treating others with respect, kindness, and love. The other shows the absolute and total necessity for the gospel, for preaching Christ and only Christ, for the urgency of evangelism. Apart from Christ, we stand forever condemned, separated, enslaved, hell-bound. In Christ we stand forever forgiven, accepted, loved, set free. The Bible clearly teaches both. We are created in God’s image. Even after the fall, human life is valuable, of worth, has meaning. But Genesis 3 happened. We are not sinless, innocent, perfect, sweet and lovable. Sin is real and rotten. It rots us from the inside out, spreads like a cancer, is fatal. There is only one cure, one hope, one Savior. There is eternal life in no other. To stand clothed in Christ’s righteousness is our only hope for judgement day. In Christ is security. To cling to our independence, our own righteousness, our own worth is destruction. One sin condemns. Let alone the totality of all our sin. But God is a great God, a loving and forgiving God. No matter how dark, how many, how monstrous our sins he forgives and forgives completely and forever those who confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. To be in Christ is to have life.
To stand on one foot and just one foot is foolish. The bad news of sin leads to the amazing, miraculous news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To exclude the doctrine of sin from our thinking, teaching, preaching, is short-sighted “love.” Truth must not ever be divorced from love, genuine love. But the genuine purity of our love cannot be divorced from truth or it loses its purity and genuineness. We must love wholeheartedly, but cling to truth as well. It is not loving to keep the truth to ourselves. If hell is real, if God does in fact hate sin, we should care and care deeply enough to share the gospel, to live out the gospel.
Premise/plot: Exactly As You Are is a spiritualized biography of Fred Rogers, aka Mister Rogers. After a few chapters about his early life, college years, and first job experiences, the book settles down into exploring Mister Rogers and his neighborhood. From here the book becomes almost topical and each topic is a spiritual one. That is what sets this one apart. I have read several biographies of Fred Rogers. Largely each one has the same exact quotes and uses the same sources. Tuttle seeks a spiritual meaning, moral, lesson, observation in each and every aspect of his life, his relationships, his career.
My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved some chapters. I did. Other chapters were more speculative and seemed agenda-driven. My favorite section was the middle one, “Broadcasting Grace.” My least favorite section was the last one that speculated about Mr. Rogers’ sexuality, his views on sexuality and gender identity, his view on heaven.
I would not change one thing about the television show. I would not make it more “Christian” or more specifically Christian. I would not add explicit theological teachings that would be more appropriate coming from the pulpit than a puppet.
But I also would not draw conclusions about the complexity or lack thereof of his belief system based on the scripts of the show or his interviews with the media. Neither outlet would be a good one for presenting a systematic theology.
The book is one person’s understanding of Rogers’ faith.
That being said, I found a few things troubling about his theology. Perhaps the things that make him a great neighbor make him a less ideal evangelist. As the book presents it, Mr. Rogers did not believe in the doctrine of sin. Mr. Rogers believed in man’s innate goodness. He believed in a God that loves us exactly, precisely as we are—whether we are in Christ or out of or apart from Christ. When dying friends allegedly asked Fred if they would go to heaven, he’d say yes, of course, God loves you exactly as you are. Now assuming the person is in Christ, that’s a fine answer, but supposing he or she isn’t that’s a terrible answer and a missed opportunity. One example has Fred saying something like, just think of all the people you’ve made happy with your music. Of course you’ll go to heaven. That logic is absurd!
If Tuttle’s assessment and speculation is correct, then Rogers seems to have some faulty foundations to his theology. Perhaps Tuttle is right. But maybe not. Maybe Fred was just uncomfortable broadcasting the necessity and exclusivity of Christ.
Imagine that one foot is the doctrine that humanity was created in the image of God and that God saw his creation as good, very good. The other foot is the doctrine of sin, the original sin, the fall of mankind, and man’s being enslaved to sin, dead in sin, unable to please God, unable to stand in front of a holy God. You need to stand on both feet if you want to stand. One supports human dignity, human rights, the value of life, a reason for treating others with respect, kindness, and love. The other shows the absolute and total necessity for the gospel, for preaching Christ and only Christ, for the urgency of evangelism. Apart from Christ, we stand forever condemned, separated, enslaved, hell-bound. In Christ we stand forever forgiven, accepted, loved, set free. The Bible clearly teaches both. We are created in God’s image. Even after the fall, human life is valuable, of worth, has meaning. But Genesis 3 happened. We are not sinless, innocent, perfect, sweet and lovable. Sin is real and rotten. It rots us from the inside out, spreads like a cancer, is fatal. There is only one cure, one hope, one Savior. There is eternal life in no other. To stand clothed in Christ’s righteousness is our only hope for judgement day. In Christ is security. To cling to our independence, our own righteousness, our own worth is destruction. One sin condemns. Let alone the totality of all our sin. But God is a great God, a loving and forgiving God. No matter how dark, how many, how monstrous our sins he forgives and forgives completely and forever those who confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. To be in Christ is to have life.
To stand on one foot and just one foot is foolish. The bad news of sin leads to the amazing, miraculous news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To exclude the doctrine of sin from our thinking, teaching, preaching, is short-sighted “love.” Truth must not ever be divorced from love, genuine love. But the genuine purity of our love cannot be divorced from truth or it loses its purity and genuineness. We must love wholeheartedly, but cling to truth as well. It is not loving to keep the truth to ourselves. If hell is real, if God does in fact hate sin, we should care and care deeply enough to share the gospel, to live out the gospel.
February 6, 2021
Introduction: I remember the man, and I remembered how he and his program made me feel: completely seen, completely loved. I feel as if I have always known him, like he was a part of my becoming. Fred enrolled at Western Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh and began taking classes on his lunch hour. He was given special charge to minister to children and families through television. His message was I like you just the way you are and let’s grow together from there. I’ve simply tried to be open to the possibilities God has made available to me.
1/Childhood, Love, and Fear: Freddy missed school regularly due to illness and was overweight as a child and was teased by bullies. He didn’t forget what it was like to be fat Freddy. He created an intimate world of safety and calm. He didn’t ask children to stop being afraid, he gave them his loving presence.
2/The First Neighborhood: His dad served his employees and his mom served the community. They established the McFeely-Rogers Foundation. Fred called Latrobe ‘the garden spot of the world.’ (garden of eden)
3/Adolescence and Acceptance: Fred took homework to Jim Stumbaugh (football captain) in the hospital and they became friends (teasing stopped). Fred was voted most likely to succeed in his class. In the New Testament we read of Jesus’s empathy for those people who felt their own lives to be imperfect, and the marvelous surprise and joy when they sensed his great acceptance. When we hear the word that we are not lovable we are not hearing the word of God. He received thank you letters from kids, young adults, and parents of kids.
4/College Years, Loneliness, and Musical Expression: Fred found Dartmouth to be cold and transferred to Rollins. Fred majored in music composition and minored in French. Life is for service (marble engraving there). Through out his life, Fred used music to express how he felt, and he invited his television neighbors into that practice. This became a key part of his ministry with children and families as he urged them to offer their full, honest, selves to the world.
5/Formation in New York City: During spring break he went home and watched TV for the first time (they were throwing pies in each other’s faces). He thought it would be a wonderful tool for education and wondered why it was being used in that way. Fred’s transition into television work began with a significant YES (television) and a significant NO (seminary). The first 2 years of his television career, were full of significant choices – yeses or noes that would shape Fred’s entire life. We are molded by our actions and our rituals; the shape we take in each moment has everything to do with what we have spent all our previous moments doing. He said no to greater speed, more money, and higher ratings, he said yes to quieter goods; thoughtfulness, intentionality, and his own intuition and imagination for the work. He always stopped to share a kind word with people who sought his attention or offered him care-sometimes to the point of annoyance. Fred did not get impatient. Gabby Hayes show star (Gabby Hayes) said when he is filming he thinks of that one little buckaroo. When Fred looks at the camera he thinks of one person.
6/Whimsey and Seriousness on Children’s Corner: Fred was whimsical (making up puppet shows as a sick child) and serious (thoughtful and exploring deep questions). Fred and Josie produced 5 – 1 hour episodes each week. Josie and Daniel (puppet tiger) would have deep conversations on the show. Josie wanted to be an entertainer to children and Fred wanted to teach them. In Fred’s mind, seriousness must sometimes temper whimsey. Fred Rogers saw God everywhere and perhaps this is what made him serious and whimsical in equal measure. He saw God in the open and vulnerable hearts and minds of the children watching his programs, and so he worried about choosing just the right words and storylines to honor the time they and their families had entrusted to him.
7/Graduate Studies and Life-Transforming Teachers: Fred enrolled at Western Theological Seminary and took one class at a time during his lunch. Dr. Orr loved him right through seminary. Evil will do anything to make you feel as bad as you possibly can about yourself because if you feel the worst about who you are, you will undoubtedly look with evil eyes on your neighbor and you will get to believe the worst about him or her (Dr. Orr). Accuse yourself. Accuse your neighbor. Get your neighbor to accuse somebody else, and the evil spreads and thrives. Jesus will do anything to remind us that we are lovable and our neighbor is lovable too! Jesus reminds us that we are God’s, which means we are good, which means our neighbor, who is also God’s is also good. Goodness can spread and thrive too. This is why Mr. Roger’s had a ‘neighborhood.’ Margret McFarland: I don’t want you to teach sculpting. I want you simply to sit with the children and do what you feel you would like to do with the clay. Just love the clay in front of the children. The kids started using clay in the most wonderful ways. And that wouldn’t have happened if this gifted sculptor hadn’t loved clay right in front of them. Attitudes aren’t taught; they’re caught. Fred Rogers loved a lot of things in front of the children: feelings, conversation, clarity, people of so many sizes and shapes and colors. And, of course, he loved the children themselves. Maybe they would find themselves lovable like he did.
8/Canada, Fatherhood, and Separation: Fred moved to Canada for the misterrogers show. He tells about his son going for surgery and how the hospital staff took his son and put him in a cage crib and took him away crying. Afterward he emerged anxious and accident prone. One morning in the hospital crippled his son emotionally. Mr. Roger’s devoted several shows to topics of separation, preventing trauma, and alleviating anxiety.
9/Television and the Church: If television could so effectively teach, connect, and resource then the church should be a part of it. Fred was certainly disgusted with what children’s television was often used for – demeaning treatment of others, advertising, villains. Fred believed that television had enormous capacity for good, he necessarily believed it had equal capacity for harm.
10/Change, Fear, and Peace: Neighborhood of make believe is rearranged and it leads to fear and thoughts of war. Mr. Rogers talks about change there and in the world (Vietnam, Martin Luther King). The message was if you make a change that affects a child, you talk about it. Fred cared about the root cause of so many conflicts: change and the fear of it. He cared about what was happening on the inside of people as the met those changes with joy, curiosity, fear, or uncertainty. He cared- what people did with those feelings, because behaviors have consequences to individuals, to their neighbors, and to their neighborhoods of whatever size they may be. If we are going to develop generations of emotionally intelligent adults, we must address the emotional needs of the children who will become them. Isn’t peace wonderful?
11/Neighborhood Liturgy: Inarguably, we are shaped by it; whatever we do again and again, in the same order, in the same kind of ways. Freddy Rogers spent every Sunday of his childhood at Latrobe Presbyterian Church. It is no wonder that when Fred designed his own program in his own neighborhood, he built both out of liturgies: the music, aerial shot of neighborhood, opening the door, put on sneakers & sweater. It is no stretch at all to say that Fred believed his visits with his television neighbors to be times of holy exchange. Fred was a man of liturgy away from the neighborhood as well: rose early, read his Bible, went swimming, weighed himself – 143 pounds, and kept his same schedule in other time zones as well. Mr. Rogers was a program (not a show) that families used (did not watch). He avoided first person: our work, our offices, our home, our family, our sons.
12/Parables of the Kingdom: I think it is really tough to talk about spiritual things. It can’t simply be talked about. Jesus himself used parables, so I guess that is our directive. King Friday buys parts for bombs because he thinks another neighborhood (Southwood) has already started building bombs. Turns out the parts were for a bridge so they could come and meet them. (During the Vietnam war). When Mister Rogers called his viewers neighbors, he was playing out his own greatest parable: calling us, gently but firmly into lives of mercy and care of one another. He knew we wouldn’t always get it right, that we are prone, to bow to fear and to serve competition, to privilege our own safety and to neglect other’s real needs. Maybe in calling us neighbors, he knew he was calling us something better than we actually were. But maybe he believed that if he got to us while we were young, if he told us, again and again, that we are good, that we are lovable, and that we can build bridges of mercy, maybe we could grow into real neighbors to one another.
13/Difference in the Neighborhood: Fred Rogers was ahead of his time on issues of difference and diversity. Francios Clemmons (African American) and Fred share a swimming pool (during Black protests in the nation). Fred Rogers did feminine tasks on the show (ironing, diapering a baby, washing dishes). He had handicapped guests on the show. His family employed African American domestic workers and he was friends with their children.
14/Puppets and Personality: What is essential is invisible to the eye (the little prince) Each one of the puppets were said to be a component of Mr. Rogers personality. King Friday represents authority. He was unusually and insistently self-focused. Lady Elaine Fairchilde represented Fred’s mischievous side. Daniel Striped Tiger Fred’s shyness, fear, and self-doubt. Some found his sincerity unnerving. Mister Rogers had a childlike quality. His daily disciplines and sense of God’s omnipresence meant that he was tapped into the deeper mystery of the world, and he took that sense into every human exchange. Many people commented on the intensity and focus of his presence. He embodied the sacred presence from the moment he woke up in the morning until the time he went to sleep at night.
15/Friends and neighbors: Fred made himself available to everyone and only a few people took him up on his offer of friendship. Fred has taken an interest in you; there is something out of this friendship that Fred wants to see happen. Fred had the talent of seeing human need. He saw that I needed something, and he was determined to provide it. And he did (Tim Madigan). All his friends agree that Fred made them feel special. Whatever moment he was in with another person that moment was sacred and all encompassing and the other person sensed that and internalized it (sacredness of the human transaction). Fred told Francois Clemmons that if you are gay it doesn’t matter to me at all. Whatever you say and do is fine with me but if you’re going to be on the show, as an important member of the Neighborhood, you can’t be ‘out’ as gay. People must not know. There were many people who suspected that Fred Rogers was gay. Fred said that if sexuality was measured on a scale he would be 5/10 because he found women and men attractive.
16/Fred’s Big Feelings: Fred gives a sermon at his church. Jesus grew through all the stages of becoming an adult human that each one of grows through. Jesus could and did have very strong feelings. I believe that Jesus gave us an eternal truth about the universality of feelings, Jesus was truthful about his feelings; Jesus wept. He got sad. Jesus got discouraged; he got scared; and he reveled in the things that pleased him. What if Jesus just sat? What if he had let his anger or his Sonship with God go unannounced? We would’ve known no Christ. And if Jesus hadn’t shown full humanness, then Jesus’s power to know and love people would have been limited too. Part of Fred’s truth was that he experienced significant anger, grief, and self-doubt in his life. He saw his own feelings and the feelings of others through the lens of the life of Jesus Christ, whose own emotional roominess made way for Fred’s personal growth.
17/All ground as holy ground: Fred and his friend heard the same sermon and she loved it and he did not. The Holy Spirit was able to translate the words of that feeble sermon to speak to the need of my friend. Even the space between television set and the receiver in need is Holy Ground. Daily prayer on set: Let some word that is heard be yours. Rogers is a pastor without a church, or better, one whose church has become the neighborhood. I will be having a hard time, and the phone will ring. For him such coincidences were the work of the Holy Spirit. He stopped in to see a pregnant, unmarried woman on her birthday (unknown to him). Unexpectedly stopped in to see Lisa right after her husband had died (he called the funeral home and he wept with her). Fred’s theology that has everything to do with those appearances that fell somewhere between mysterious and miraculous. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. Each of us can be used in perfectly wonderful ways.
18/Heaven is a neighborhood: Fred got stomach cancer. He couldn’t allow many visitors, which made him sad; he worried that people would think he was being elitist and he didn’t want to hurt their feelings. When I think about heaven, it is a state I which we are so greatly loved that there is no fear and doubt and disillusionment and anxiety. IT is where people really do look at you with those eyes of Jesus. God loves you just the way you are. He asked his wife: do you think I am a sheep? Her reply: Fred, if ever there was a sheep, you’re one. I think that after we die we have this wide understanding of what’s real. And we’ll probably say, ah so that’s what it was all about.
1/Childhood, Love, and Fear: Freddy missed school regularly due to illness and was overweight as a child and was teased by bullies. He didn’t forget what it was like to be fat Freddy. He created an intimate world of safety and calm. He didn’t ask children to stop being afraid, he gave them his loving presence.
2/The First Neighborhood: His dad served his employees and his mom served the community. They established the McFeely-Rogers Foundation. Fred called Latrobe ‘the garden spot of the world.’ (garden of eden)
3/Adolescence and Acceptance: Fred took homework to Jim Stumbaugh (football captain) in the hospital and they became friends (teasing stopped). Fred was voted most likely to succeed in his class. In the New Testament we read of Jesus’s empathy for those people who felt their own lives to be imperfect, and the marvelous surprise and joy when they sensed his great acceptance. When we hear the word that we are not lovable we are not hearing the word of God. He received thank you letters from kids, young adults, and parents of kids.
4/College Years, Loneliness, and Musical Expression: Fred found Dartmouth to be cold and transferred to Rollins. Fred majored in music composition and minored in French. Life is for service (marble engraving there). Through out his life, Fred used music to express how he felt, and he invited his television neighbors into that practice. This became a key part of his ministry with children and families as he urged them to offer their full, honest, selves to the world.
5/Formation in New York City: During spring break he went home and watched TV for the first time (they were throwing pies in each other’s faces). He thought it would be a wonderful tool for education and wondered why it was being used in that way. Fred’s transition into television work began with a significant YES (television) and a significant NO (seminary). The first 2 years of his television career, were full of significant choices – yeses or noes that would shape Fred’s entire life. We are molded by our actions and our rituals; the shape we take in each moment has everything to do with what we have spent all our previous moments doing. He said no to greater speed, more money, and higher ratings, he said yes to quieter goods; thoughtfulness, intentionality, and his own intuition and imagination for the work. He always stopped to share a kind word with people who sought his attention or offered him care-sometimes to the point of annoyance. Fred did not get impatient. Gabby Hayes show star (Gabby Hayes) said when he is filming he thinks of that one little buckaroo. When Fred looks at the camera he thinks of one person.
6/Whimsey and Seriousness on Children’s Corner: Fred was whimsical (making up puppet shows as a sick child) and serious (thoughtful and exploring deep questions). Fred and Josie produced 5 – 1 hour episodes each week. Josie and Daniel (puppet tiger) would have deep conversations on the show. Josie wanted to be an entertainer to children and Fred wanted to teach them. In Fred’s mind, seriousness must sometimes temper whimsey. Fred Rogers saw God everywhere and perhaps this is what made him serious and whimsical in equal measure. He saw God in the open and vulnerable hearts and minds of the children watching his programs, and so he worried about choosing just the right words and storylines to honor the time they and their families had entrusted to him.
7/Graduate Studies and Life-Transforming Teachers: Fred enrolled at Western Theological Seminary and took one class at a time during his lunch. Dr. Orr loved him right through seminary. Evil will do anything to make you feel as bad as you possibly can about yourself because if you feel the worst about who you are, you will undoubtedly look with evil eyes on your neighbor and you will get to believe the worst about him or her (Dr. Orr). Accuse yourself. Accuse your neighbor. Get your neighbor to accuse somebody else, and the evil spreads and thrives. Jesus will do anything to remind us that we are lovable and our neighbor is lovable too! Jesus reminds us that we are God’s, which means we are good, which means our neighbor, who is also God’s is also good. Goodness can spread and thrive too. This is why Mr. Roger’s had a ‘neighborhood.’ Margret McFarland: I don’t want you to teach sculpting. I want you simply to sit with the children and do what you feel you would like to do with the clay. Just love the clay in front of the children. The kids started using clay in the most wonderful ways. And that wouldn’t have happened if this gifted sculptor hadn’t loved clay right in front of them. Attitudes aren’t taught; they’re caught. Fred Rogers loved a lot of things in front of the children: feelings, conversation, clarity, people of so many sizes and shapes and colors. And, of course, he loved the children themselves. Maybe they would find themselves lovable like he did.
8/Canada, Fatherhood, and Separation: Fred moved to Canada for the misterrogers show. He tells about his son going for surgery and how the hospital staff took his son and put him in a cage crib and took him away crying. Afterward he emerged anxious and accident prone. One morning in the hospital crippled his son emotionally. Mr. Roger’s devoted several shows to topics of separation, preventing trauma, and alleviating anxiety.
9/Television and the Church: If television could so effectively teach, connect, and resource then the church should be a part of it. Fred was certainly disgusted with what children’s television was often used for – demeaning treatment of others, advertising, villains. Fred believed that television had enormous capacity for good, he necessarily believed it had equal capacity for harm.
10/Change, Fear, and Peace: Neighborhood of make believe is rearranged and it leads to fear and thoughts of war. Mr. Rogers talks about change there and in the world (Vietnam, Martin Luther King). The message was if you make a change that affects a child, you talk about it. Fred cared about the root cause of so many conflicts: change and the fear of it. He cared about what was happening on the inside of people as the met those changes with joy, curiosity, fear, or uncertainty. He cared- what people did with those feelings, because behaviors have consequences to individuals, to their neighbors, and to their neighborhoods of whatever size they may be. If we are going to develop generations of emotionally intelligent adults, we must address the emotional needs of the children who will become them. Isn’t peace wonderful?
11/Neighborhood Liturgy: Inarguably, we are shaped by it; whatever we do again and again, in the same order, in the same kind of ways. Freddy Rogers spent every Sunday of his childhood at Latrobe Presbyterian Church. It is no wonder that when Fred designed his own program in his own neighborhood, he built both out of liturgies: the music, aerial shot of neighborhood, opening the door, put on sneakers & sweater. It is no stretch at all to say that Fred believed his visits with his television neighbors to be times of holy exchange. Fred was a man of liturgy away from the neighborhood as well: rose early, read his Bible, went swimming, weighed himself – 143 pounds, and kept his same schedule in other time zones as well. Mr. Rogers was a program (not a show) that families used (did not watch). He avoided first person: our work, our offices, our home, our family, our sons.
12/Parables of the Kingdom: I think it is really tough to talk about spiritual things. It can’t simply be talked about. Jesus himself used parables, so I guess that is our directive. King Friday buys parts for bombs because he thinks another neighborhood (Southwood) has already started building bombs. Turns out the parts were for a bridge so they could come and meet them. (During the Vietnam war). When Mister Rogers called his viewers neighbors, he was playing out his own greatest parable: calling us, gently but firmly into lives of mercy and care of one another. He knew we wouldn’t always get it right, that we are prone, to bow to fear and to serve competition, to privilege our own safety and to neglect other’s real needs. Maybe in calling us neighbors, he knew he was calling us something better than we actually were. But maybe he believed that if he got to us while we were young, if he told us, again and again, that we are good, that we are lovable, and that we can build bridges of mercy, maybe we could grow into real neighbors to one another.
13/Difference in the Neighborhood: Fred Rogers was ahead of his time on issues of difference and diversity. Francios Clemmons (African American) and Fred share a swimming pool (during Black protests in the nation). Fred Rogers did feminine tasks on the show (ironing, diapering a baby, washing dishes). He had handicapped guests on the show. His family employed African American domestic workers and he was friends with their children.
14/Puppets and Personality: What is essential is invisible to the eye (the little prince) Each one of the puppets were said to be a component of Mr. Rogers personality. King Friday represents authority. He was unusually and insistently self-focused. Lady Elaine Fairchilde represented Fred’s mischievous side. Daniel Striped Tiger Fred’s shyness, fear, and self-doubt. Some found his sincerity unnerving. Mister Rogers had a childlike quality. His daily disciplines and sense of God’s omnipresence meant that he was tapped into the deeper mystery of the world, and he took that sense into every human exchange. Many people commented on the intensity and focus of his presence. He embodied the sacred presence from the moment he woke up in the morning until the time he went to sleep at night.
15/Friends and neighbors: Fred made himself available to everyone and only a few people took him up on his offer of friendship. Fred has taken an interest in you; there is something out of this friendship that Fred wants to see happen. Fred had the talent of seeing human need. He saw that I needed something, and he was determined to provide it. And he did (Tim Madigan). All his friends agree that Fred made them feel special. Whatever moment he was in with another person that moment was sacred and all encompassing and the other person sensed that and internalized it (sacredness of the human transaction). Fred told Francois Clemmons that if you are gay it doesn’t matter to me at all. Whatever you say and do is fine with me but if you’re going to be on the show, as an important member of the Neighborhood, you can’t be ‘out’ as gay. People must not know. There were many people who suspected that Fred Rogers was gay. Fred said that if sexuality was measured on a scale he would be 5/10 because he found women and men attractive.
16/Fred’s Big Feelings: Fred gives a sermon at his church. Jesus grew through all the stages of becoming an adult human that each one of grows through. Jesus could and did have very strong feelings. I believe that Jesus gave us an eternal truth about the universality of feelings, Jesus was truthful about his feelings; Jesus wept. He got sad. Jesus got discouraged; he got scared; and he reveled in the things that pleased him. What if Jesus just sat? What if he had let his anger or his Sonship with God go unannounced? We would’ve known no Christ. And if Jesus hadn’t shown full humanness, then Jesus’s power to know and love people would have been limited too. Part of Fred’s truth was that he experienced significant anger, grief, and self-doubt in his life. He saw his own feelings and the feelings of others through the lens of the life of Jesus Christ, whose own emotional roominess made way for Fred’s personal growth.
17/All ground as holy ground: Fred and his friend heard the same sermon and she loved it and he did not. The Holy Spirit was able to translate the words of that feeble sermon to speak to the need of my friend. Even the space between television set and the receiver in need is Holy Ground. Daily prayer on set: Let some word that is heard be yours. Rogers is a pastor without a church, or better, one whose church has become the neighborhood. I will be having a hard time, and the phone will ring. For him such coincidences were the work of the Holy Spirit. He stopped in to see a pregnant, unmarried woman on her birthday (unknown to him). Unexpectedly stopped in to see Lisa right after her husband had died (he called the funeral home and he wept with her). Fred’s theology that has everything to do with those appearances that fell somewhere between mysterious and miraculous. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. Each of us can be used in perfectly wonderful ways.
18/Heaven is a neighborhood: Fred got stomach cancer. He couldn’t allow many visitors, which made him sad; he worried that people would think he was being elitist and he didn’t want to hurt their feelings. When I think about heaven, it is a state I which we are so greatly loved that there is no fear and doubt and disillusionment and anxiety. IT is where people really do look at you with those eyes of Jesus. God loves you just the way you are. He asked his wife: do you think I am a sheep? Her reply: Fred, if ever there was a sheep, you’re one. I think that after we die we have this wide understanding of what’s real. And we’ll probably say, ah so that’s what it was all about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2019
This is a gentle, generous, beautiful book about a person who embodied the best of what America can be. At a time when so many of our values are being challenged, it’s good to be reminded of what an incarnational faith looks like. You’ll fall in love with Mr. Rogers all over again.
The scene Shea Tuttle describes in the introduction of her great new book is so familiar that it could be any one of us as a child. Curled up on a couch wrapped in a holey Afghan watching a television show alone. And then the magic as a performer reaches through that screen and across that space and connects in a way that made us feel, not entertained, but involved and known.
In truth, there are very few television personalities who can achieve this kind of connection, but Fred Rogers did that for Tuttle and millions of American children. He made her feel “completely seen, completely loved.”
Exactly As You Are: The Life and Faith of Mister Rogers is Tuttle’s inquiry, born of love, to try and uncover something about the man behind Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the long-running PBS children’s program that, for many of us, became as much a part of our childhood furniture as the couches on which we curled up to watch. Yet, despite hundreds of episodes produced over five decades, Tuttle admits that the man himself was something of a mystery. He was at once serious and whimsical, gentle and moved by anger, privileged and yet drawn to those who were excluded or outcast.
He was also motivated by a deep and abiding faith, which was also a bit hard to put your finger on because he found it difficult to talk about. As Tuttle shows, however, that faith found its way into everything he did. It wasn’t just in overt markers such as his ordination as a Presbyterian minister or the prayer he said each time he headed to the set: “Let some word that is heard be yours.” It was in the themes of his show and his message of unconditional acceptance, something that was bedrock to his understanding of what it means to be a neighbor.
Read my full review on Heartlands: https://alexjoyner.com/2019/08/12/why.... I received an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The scene Shea Tuttle describes in the introduction of her great new book is so familiar that it could be any one of us as a child. Curled up on a couch wrapped in a holey Afghan watching a television show alone. And then the magic as a performer reaches through that screen and across that space and connects in a way that made us feel, not entertained, but involved and known.
In truth, there are very few television personalities who can achieve this kind of connection, but Fred Rogers did that for Tuttle and millions of American children. He made her feel “completely seen, completely loved.”
Exactly As You Are: The Life and Faith of Mister Rogers is Tuttle’s inquiry, born of love, to try and uncover something about the man behind Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the long-running PBS children’s program that, for many of us, became as much a part of our childhood furniture as the couches on which we curled up to watch. Yet, despite hundreds of episodes produced over five decades, Tuttle admits that the man himself was something of a mystery. He was at once serious and whimsical, gentle and moved by anger, privileged and yet drawn to those who were excluded or outcast.
He was also motivated by a deep and abiding faith, which was also a bit hard to put your finger on because he found it difficult to talk about. As Tuttle shows, however, that faith found its way into everything he did. It wasn’t just in overt markers such as his ordination as a Presbyterian minister or the prayer he said each time he headed to the set: “Let some word that is heard be yours.” It was in the themes of his show and his message of unconditional acceptance, something that was bedrock to his understanding of what it means to be a neighbor.
Read my full review on Heartlands: https://alexjoyner.com/2019/08/12/why.... I received an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 13, 2019
Exactly As You Are is a beautiful book that made me love Mister Rogers even more than I already did. It is easy to read yet very thoroughly researched and intelligently written. Shea Tuttle’s writing is well crafted, with words and sentences woven together beautifully, and each chapter left me wanting more. I read this book having already read a different book about Mister Rogers and watched the documentary that came out in 2018, but I learned so much more about him from Tuttle’s book - she almost made me feel like I knew him personally! This book seemed to unlock some of the magic of Mister Rogers, shedding light on some of the reasons why we loved him and the neighborhood so much. However, the author doesn’t paint him as perfect. She points out some of his blind spots, weaknesses, and humanness, too, but she does it in such a gentle and respectful way that I believe Fred Rogers himself would have smiled if he had had the chance to read it. The book speaks objectively to Mister Rogers’ faith and how his beliefs shaped his life and his show, and I appreciate that Tuttle doesn’t take a side on whether or not she agrees with his theology. I donate or pass on a lot of the books I read, but this one is a keeper - what a gem!
June 22, 2020
I first attempted reading a Mister Rogers biography in the fall of 2019. It was so poorly written and organized... I couldn't bring myself to finish it. Then, one day while checking in books, this title came across the desk. I was instantly drawn to it and placed it on my account. It sat on my physical 'to read' shelf for some time before I finally cracked it open. It was an easy read and gave a great view of Mister Rogers in general while focusing on his faith. The text explores how his faith influenced each and every episode of his programs as well as how he viewed life and treated others. I found the material presented here was the perfect kick start to some further study on this interesting man. This book might be perfect for you as a feel good, warm and fuzzy depiction of the man so many felt they 'knew' but at the same time, he continued on as an utter mystery. I am only giving 4 stars instead of 5 because there were times I felt the author could have dug more into a topic, but, at the same time, I enjoyed the ability to have a brief overview rather than heavy study. The breeziness of it lent to the ease and quick nature of the text.
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