Book Review: Faith of My Fathers by Chris Seay

March 5, 2006 Posted by Roger Overton

The past sixty years has seen dramatic changes in the
culture of America. These changes range from the way religion is viewed and the
invention of new forms of media, to the general demise of racism and the controversies
over abortion and homosexuality. How Christians have viewed and reacted to
these changes has differed over time. Faith of My Fathers explores these
changes and much more through the experiences of three generations of pastors.

Though Chris Seay is the principle author, Faith of My
Fathers is really a conversation between a family of pastors united by
their love for Christ but divided in their views of ministry and culture. The
conversations take place between Chris, his brothers, Brian and Robbie, dad and
grandfather (Papa). Donald Miller also adds his two cents from time to time.

After introducing themselves, the family begins by
discussing inner-church issues, such as the use of different forms of media and
music, multigenerational gaps, and the spiritual and family life of pastors.
They then move on to discuss doctrine and how to properly understand the Bible.
The conversation gets heated when they begin discussing abortion, James Dobson,
and how Christians should be involved in politics (if at all). After addressing
racial issues, Chris brings up a personal family matter to close the book.

The parts of the book I enjoyed most were those that
resonated with my own experiences. Since multigenerational issues were part of
the reason I left the church I grew up at, I was intrigued by that
conversation. What I didn’t appreciate
about the book was the input of Donald Miller. Some of his comments, especially
his rants again James Dobson and the Republican party, distracted from the
stories of Chris’s family.

In his foreword, Donald Miller describes Faith of
My Fathers as a documentary (15), and I think that’s the best way to
approach it. Those who are looking for a ‘how to’ in regards to the issues
discussed won’t find much direction. What they will find are rich and honest
stories born out of the real life experiences of men who have sailed the
rolling waves of a changing church and culture.