“Give Me Jesus:” A Reflection on Benjamin L. Corey’s Undiluted

Last updated on: September 2, 2014 at 9:50 am by Elizabeth Nordquist

“Give Me Jesus:” A Reflection on Benjamin L. Corey’s Undiluted 2014-09-02T09:50:34-07:00 Elizabeth Nordquist

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

As I read Undiluted by Benjamin L. Corey, I kept hearing an old African-American spiritual in my heart:

Give me Jesus, give me Jesus,

You can have all the rest,

Give me Jesus!

This book written with passion and intensity is one that evokes and echoes that longing of Spirit that followers of Christ so often feel as they wend their way on the pilgrimage of faith, as they find that way clouded and cluttered with some obstacles and diversions, often religious ones, that seem to come from somewhere other than the heart of Christ.

I have many points of connection to this author, even though our locations are miles and years apart from each other. We have attended the same seminary in different eras. I can with honesty say as he does in this blog, that I am “formerly fundie.” In the early years of my family life, we hosted and welcomed a house church in an effort to live more closely to the heart of integrity of the gospel. Corey’s personal journey, as he wrestles with the tensions of being Church in systems that seem to contradict the clarity and simplicity of Jesus’ person, teachings and example, are compelling and poignant. I am touched by his candor and truth-telling.

His path out of fundamentalism takes a different trajectory than mine, but I was deeply grateful to see that his focused search for what was essential to the heart of Jesus has taken him into an unabashed commitment to both justice and love as it is commanded and demanded by Christ as they manifest themselves in specific issues that confront those of us in the United States right now—poverty, hunger, gun violence. He calls us to confront and to struggle with the meaning of being a follower of the Jesus way without denying or softening the difficulties that are part of that enterprise.

The sermonic parts of the book were less compelling to me than the narrative portions. Also, I found myself feeling sad that the Church of Jesus, that was such a home for my journey in pointing me to God-in-Christ, felt so cheap and alienating to him. However, I continued to be grateful for his willingness to be candid and to keep looking, searching, deepening his love of Jesus, and sharing that search with others.

This book offers a strong, provocative word for all of us on the Way together. Oh, give us Jesus!

Previous Post

August 23, 2014

Blessing--an Active Verb!

Next Post

September 7, 2014 Changes of Season

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category action Advent animals attentiveness Beauty blessing body Book Review Brigid Bruce Reyes-Chow celebration change Christmas church clergy misconduct community compassion creation David Hockney discernment Easter Eastertide election Epiphany faith faithfulness feminism forgiveness friendship God of all seasons Gods world Grace gratitude Healing hesychia Hildegard of Bingen Holy Spirit Holy Week hope hospitality humility inclusiveness invitation Jesus Christ journey joy justice kindness labyrinth Lent letting go Light listening Love Love & Salt making space marriage Mary Mechtild of Magdeburg memory Mothering mourning music ordination patience paying attention peacemaking Pentecost perseverance pilgrimage praising Prayer preaching presence reconciliation remembering repentance restoration sacred conversation sainthood Scripture reflection Seasons seeing clearly serving silence soul friend spiritual direction spiritual practice St. Francis storytelling suffering time Transfiguration Sunday transformation traveling trust truth-telling Uncategorized wisdom witness women Word work worship

Select a Month January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

According to James, what should you do if you lack wisdom?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Ask God, who gives generously Study the Torah diligently Fast and pray for seven days Seek counsel from elders