If I had seen Ron Martoia's web site or seen a picture of him before I purchased his new book "Static", then I'm afraid I wouldn't have read it. I'm probably shallow for thinking that way, but I have to confess that I really dislike all things with glitz, glamour, vibrant colors, and slick presentations. I've always hated MTV. In my opinion, MTV killed rock music. I only listen to talk radio and don't listen to ANY music, other than the occasional ambient meditation CD, because I don't think any form of performance based music can exist today free from the greed and vanity of mass marketing. Now, in the place of music is one big stupid fashion and sexuality show with a faint presence of melody somewhere in the distant background. I like so much of what the Emergent conversation is doing to help educate the Evangelical community, but when I see a preacher with hair gel and a cool shirt or hear about a conference with "christian rock bands", flashy graphics, and disenfranchised video game playing twenty-somethings I immediately tune out and assume it is another Marc Driscoll or imitation rock-star wannabe.

Ok, I'm done bitching now...

I was wrong, this book is wonderful! I'm glad this book slipped past my overly critical (and often flawed) radar screen. By the time I realized who Ron Martoia was, I was already hooked by this book. I've made a commitment to try and read books from a variety of theological camps so I decided to give this book a chance. "Static" is very reminiscent of Brian Mclaren's "New Kind of Christian" using fictional conversations to model how traditional Christians might begin to have more robust theological discussions and potentially make shifts in their view of the world. The book is targeted at Evangelicals, but its intent is to introduce the type of biblical exegesis and critical thinking that is rare and even off-limits in many Evangelical settings. It does this without being critical of the Evangelical worldview and won't seem foreign to most traditional Christians. "Static" has the potential to make a huge impact much like Donald Miller's "Blue Like Jazz", which caught fire in the twenty-something Evangelical crowd a few years ago.

On a personal level, the book challenged me to rethink how I discuss theology with my many fundamentalist friends. I've had my fair share of run-ins with fundamentalists lately and after reading this book I really feel challenged to take a different approach. Martoia is still very much an Evangelical, but he isn't an idiot, a religious bigot, or someone that shuts down theological discussions immediately.

The most exciting revelation in this book is that Martoia summarized many of the ideas that Marcus Borg and Dominic Crossan have written about which reveal the Jesus of the Gospels as a contrast to the Roman imperial theology of Caesar as the divine savior of the world (he doesn't cite Borg/Crossan but the themes are consistent). This will be new for most of the readers of this book and he does a great job of introducing these concepts without asking Evangelicals to let go of their concepts of the divinity of Jesus or a theistic/interventionist view of God. I don't see eye to eye with Martoia's image of God but it didn't seem to bother me because he doesn't shut down other views as outside the realm of possibility. He does entertain the idea of rethinking afterlife but he doesn't throw out the concept. Instead, he suggests a restructuring of our priorites and a focus on the presence of the kingdom in our lives now rather than something that happens "only" after we die. That is a big step in the right direction and one that I'm excited to see discussed. It is yet to be seen if people can have this "both/and" approach and still be able to understand the radical political and social implications in the Bible's message and let this message effect their day to day lives, spending habits, and voting patterns. I'm willing to step back and see if this mixed message will be potent enough to make an impact without devolving back into a mentality of small minded charity instead of large scale systematic transformation. I hope it is possible.

The bottom line is that the work of N.T. Wright is beginning to have an impact in Evangelical circles. I don't agree with everything that comes from Mr. Wright, but I like what these 2nd generation manifestations of Wright's influence are beginning to say. It is a step in the right direction and I have to admit that his message stands a better chance of impacting the lives of traditional Christians than the voices of Borg, Crossan, and Spong who write for an entirely different audience within the mainline church and the more secular educational forums. I'm very encouraged by what this book says and I'm optimistic about its potential ability to bridge the gap between different Christian groups. You certainly can't judge a book by its cover and I'm humbled to admit I was too quick to make a judgement about this emerging prophetic voice.