Chasing Francis | ★★★★★★★

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Ever wonder what a religious outsider thinks about Evangelicalism? This book, written by Episcopal priest Ian Cron, came across that way to me. The book is a fictionalized account of the pastor of an evangelical mega-church as he loses his way then finds it again with a group of Roman Catholic monks in Italy. The story presents a somewhat idolized account of St Francis of Assisi and an equally dumbed-down version of Evangelicalism. I like much of the ideas presented in it but felt a bit insulted by the narrative as it presented Evangelicals as mainly superficial and materialistic. And, in contrast, it showcased Francis, and his followers, as the real deal.

All that said, I did enjoy reading a bit about the namesake of the current Pope. It gave me a sense of his identity as a Christian and why he is such a winsome leader. Like the man of Assisi, Pope Francis tends to work within the constraints of Roman Catholicism choosing to lead more by example than by religious words and dogma.

Overall, I liked this "Pilgrim's Tale" and, on a scale of ten, give it ★★★★★★★.

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