Book Review “The Benedict Option”

The Benedict Option
©2017 by Rob Dreher
Published by Sentinel
255 pages

Rob Dreher is a senior editor at The American Conservative. He is one of my favorite bloggers. He is writing to give “a strategy for Christians in a post-Christian nation.”

This book had garnered a lot of attention and many reviews. Part of that is due to Rob’s story. He was raised in a mainline denominational church but had no concept of Christianity. He later converted to Roman Catholicism and eventually became a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He, however, is writing to little “o” orthodox Christians. This is a book for all believers to give serious attention, regardless of denomination.

Although Dreher discusses Saint Benedict and describes his visit to a Benedictine monastery, he is not proposing that Christians withdraw into monasticism. He is suggesting that we get serious about our beliefs and intentionally raise our families as such. The culture wars are over, and we have lost. We need “to develop creative, communal solutions to help us hold on to our faith and our values in a world growing ever more hostile to them.”

He has some very thought provoking ideas about local churches, the raising of children and even the future of Christians in the job market.

I recommend this book to anyone wanting to think about what our culture may hold for Christians and especially for parents trying to raise godly children in today’s environment.