How to Catch God in a Butterfly Net: Theological Essays and Absurdities Detailing the Spiritual Shifts in the Mind of a Questioning Christian, Stephen Copeland (Copeland Writes LLC, 2020).
A life of faith is a journey. For centuries, the Christian Church taught that the primary purpose of that journey was to arrive at the destination—heaven. Over the past couple of decades, however, this view has been called into question. Many Christians and people of other faiths have now discovered that the journey itself is what is important. We, as people of faith, are all on the same journey, but each person’s journey of faith is unique. We can learn from each other, though, and enrich our travels.
Stephen Copeland shares a segment of his journey in his book, How to Catch God in a Butterfly Net. (This is a continuation of his journey that he first shared in his previous book, Where the Colors Blend.) Copeland has done a masterful job in sharing his struggles with several of Christianity’s long taught doctrines. He journals his travels from belief to faith, doctrine to inner experience, and from focusing on heaven to living in the here and now.
Copeland never loses his humanity as he records his spiritual experiences. He shares his mistakes, failures and doubts, along with his discoveries and triumphs. The reader is invited to join him in his journey; to understand the reasons for taking the paths that he took to gain a fresh perspective on life and faith from his discoveries. I appreciate the candidness and honesty of Copeland’s writings.
When I put this book down, I had gained a new perspective on some aspects of my journey of faith. I also felt encouraged to continue my exploration—to ask new questions and to walk different paths. I think any reader will be refreshed and inspired in his or her walk of faith, by reading this book. I highly recommend it.
I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. 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 16 CFR, Part 255.