Book Review: When “Spiritual But Religious” Is Not Enough

Written by Lilian Daniel and Reviewed by Jessica Nylund Salt

Lillian Daniel’s newest book, When “Spiritual But Religious” is Not Enough: Seeing God in Surprising Places, Even the Church, was recently mentioned in one of Pastor Charlie’s sermons. In an age when so many people want to write off the institution of the church as being lifeless and dead, with great honesty and truth, Daniel offers an alternative, realistic, life-giving approach to the death-of-the-mainline-church crisis.

Pastor of a prominent United Church of Christ congregation in the suburbs of Chicago, Daniel challenges those who contentedly and easily “search” for God outside of the church walls by insinuating that it is a lot more difficult to see God in the face of suffering and death, poverty and injustice, and fallible human beings.

Daniel’s writing is both humorous and fabulous. Daniels is one of the presenters at the 2014 Wisconsin Council of Churches Washington Island Forum in late June. Her book is currently available in the Covenant Library.