Review of Faith Hacker
Posted: 24 Jan 2022, 10:38
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Faith Hacker" by James "Jim" Wilcox.]
James "Jim" Wilcox acknowledges that there was a time when he rejected anything associated with religion. Now, in this age of Artificial Intelligence, he pairs his faith and technological expertise to explore scriptures in Faith Hacker. Although the author modestly describes himself as a self-taught "software/tech community evangelist" and "Christian-faith geek," he has received Microsoft's Most Valuable Professional partner awards since 2019. Wilcox targets tech-savvy agnostics, but he reassures readers that he is not asking them to suspend their belief or unbelief; instead, he challenges them to search for their own answers.
In this exceptionally edited 145-page read, the author engages readers with creative inferences regarding the connection between technology, psychology, faith, and even music. For instance, Wilcox explores psychology's relation to the blues and the sacrament of communion. He writes, "Part of the reason the blues style of music is so popular is that it connects people on a primal level." The author shares "The Doctor's Description," quoting from the Gospel of Luke about the Lord's Supper. Taking it a step further, Wilcox compares the disciples' bickering over who was the greatest to current social persecution often perpetrated by faith groups. While his manner of connecting the dots may not resonate with everyone, many will relate to his honest soul searching.
"Paying forward my grandfather's challenge as best I can is what this book is about"; Wilcox begins the book with fond recollections of the influence his grandparents had on his life. These are my favorite portions. In addition to serving as the inspiration for the book, they provide readers with a more personal glimpse of the author, who reveals that he and his sister grew up with abusive parents. However, Wilcox keeps the tone of his message light, balancing technical jargon and scriptural musings while quoting entertainment references, such as The Office, The Matrix, and The Social Dilemma.
On the other hand, the "Asherah" narratives were my least favorite sections. Wilcox described these portions as "parables in technical terms," and while I grasped the parallels to the overall message, the sci-fi/fantasy delivery was not my cup of tea. Having said that, I will reiterate that the parables will most likely appeal to Wilcox's target audience.
It is my pleasure to rate Faith Hacker 4 out of 4 stars. Given the author's unique perspective and attention to scientific objectivity, I recommend the book to a broader audience than Christian readers alone. The following example illustrates Wilcox's likeliness to connect with the previously-mentioned target: "...no agnostic critical thinker can seriously take the scriptural creation literally. Still, a critical thinker can think of hypotheses that might make a literal truth behind it."
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Faith Hacker
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
James "Jim" Wilcox acknowledges that there was a time when he rejected anything associated with religion. Now, in this age of Artificial Intelligence, he pairs his faith and technological expertise to explore scriptures in Faith Hacker. Although the author modestly describes himself as a self-taught "software/tech community evangelist" and "Christian-faith geek," he has received Microsoft's Most Valuable Professional partner awards since 2019. Wilcox targets tech-savvy agnostics, but he reassures readers that he is not asking them to suspend their belief or unbelief; instead, he challenges them to search for their own answers.
In this exceptionally edited 145-page read, the author engages readers with creative inferences regarding the connection between technology, psychology, faith, and even music. For instance, Wilcox explores psychology's relation to the blues and the sacrament of communion. He writes, "Part of the reason the blues style of music is so popular is that it connects people on a primal level." The author shares "The Doctor's Description," quoting from the Gospel of Luke about the Lord's Supper. Taking it a step further, Wilcox compares the disciples' bickering over who was the greatest to current social persecution often perpetrated by faith groups. While his manner of connecting the dots may not resonate with everyone, many will relate to his honest soul searching.
"Paying forward my grandfather's challenge as best I can is what this book is about"; Wilcox begins the book with fond recollections of the influence his grandparents had on his life. These are my favorite portions. In addition to serving as the inspiration for the book, they provide readers with a more personal glimpse of the author, who reveals that he and his sister grew up with abusive parents. However, Wilcox keeps the tone of his message light, balancing technical jargon and scriptural musings while quoting entertainment references, such as The Office, The Matrix, and The Social Dilemma.
On the other hand, the "Asherah" narratives were my least favorite sections. Wilcox described these portions as "parables in technical terms," and while I grasped the parallels to the overall message, the sci-fi/fantasy delivery was not my cup of tea. Having said that, I will reiterate that the parables will most likely appeal to Wilcox's target audience.
It is my pleasure to rate Faith Hacker 4 out of 4 stars. Given the author's unique perspective and attention to scientific objectivity, I recommend the book to a broader audience than Christian readers alone. The following example illustrates Wilcox's likeliness to connect with the previously-mentioned target: "...no agnostic critical thinker can seriously take the scriptural creation literally. Still, a critical thinker can think of hypotheses that might make a literal truth behind it."
******
Faith Hacker
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
