Book Review: Earthen Vessels, Why Our Bodies Matter To Our Faith

“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you (1 CO. 6:19 KJV)?”

One must ask themselves the question, “Does my body matter to my Christian faith?” The Spirit of God dwelling within my flesh makes my body God's temple. The body must matter if this flesh is the temple of God. Matthew Lee Anderson provides insight in his book, “Earthen Vessels, Why Our Bodies Matter To Our Faith.”

Chapter One begins with a quote from Scripture, “The Word became flesh,” from John 1:14. The next sentence is, “God took on a human body.” It is from this base that the author begins making the case for the human body being important to our faith in God. He brings topics such as how the world shapes our bodies, tattoos, pleasure, mortality, and spiritual disciplines to the forefront of discussion.

The book starts slowly, possibly in trying to lay scholastic credence to the book from the beginning. My opinion aside, it is clear Matthew Lee Anderson writes from a tremendous amount of research on the subject of the human body and how it relates to Christianity.

“Earthen Vessels, Why Our Bodies Matter To Our Faith” begins picking up the pace with Chapter Four, “The Body Towards Others”. The book increases in intensity as it proceeds through the remaining chapters. The author does a great job of keeping the material presented interesting and engaging once he gets beyond laying the foundation.

The author admits you may have with more questions than answers in the closing statements of the book. I agree with his assessment. We have the God of heaven in our bodies, therefore we must look at the role our bodies play in our faith. “Earthen Vessels, Why Our Bodies Matter To Our Faith” is a good starting point for study and discussion. I recommend this book for those interested in how the body matters to our faith.

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers as a part of their reviewers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."