Friend of the JG has made something marvelous out of reviewing Dreher’s Benedict Option.  Its a review by a Jew of a book written by an Orthodox Christian about creedal Christianity, and if I could have every Mormon read it, I would.  Read it.

An excerpt from the introduction:

Almost all Dreher’s critics are accuse him of crying wolf or being a chicken-little at best, and more usually a looney-tunes-level alarmist kook or worse. Meanwhile, I’m saying that Dreher is underestimating his enemy, painting an overly rosy picture, and not being nearly alarmist enough. . . .

While Dreher may not be alarmist enough, at the same time there is a sense in which he also needs to lighten up.  There are two sides to the coin of rallying people to the fight. One side is negative: to shake them out of their complacency and fill them with justified terror and angst. “Wake up! They are coming for us! We are losing! The situation is dire!” But then, when the troops are marshaled, the other side of the coin must provide them with positive motivation, by reminding them what, exactly, they are fighting for.

And what traditionalists are fighting for is the way of life they cherish and which is awesome. A traditional, faithful life is filled with potential for moments of pride and sweetness and harmony with each other, the world, and the Lord. It allows one to meet adversity with a community, with love, hope, and joy. It is beautiful and true and worth fighting for.