Book Review: "Scouting the Divine"

The adults in my family draw names for Christmas, and this year my Dad and I had each others' names. We both gave each other books. His book was some deep tome called "Westminster Theology Dictionary" or something like that. The book I received was "Scouting the Divine: My Search for God in Wine, Wool, and Wild Honey" by Margaret Feinberg. I recently finished reading it, and keeping up with my new resolution for 2010, here are my thoughts on it.

The author wrote the book as a way to explore how the agrarian world of the Bible - a world many of us are unfamiliar or disconnected from - helps us to understand God and His character. To do this, the author spends time with a shepherdess, a farmer, a bee keeper, and a vinter (someone who grows grapes and makes wine). There are four sections to the book, each dedicated to either sheep, farming, bees, or wine.

The style of the book makes it very easy to read; the author has a way of writing that breezy and whimsical, and she examines Scripture with an assumption that her audience is not too familiar or well-versed in it. Nevertheless, she makes some poignant connections to Scripture as she shares what she learns about shepherding, farming, and bee-keeping and what the Bible says about these topics.

The first section, which relates the time she spent with a shepherdess was my favorite. Not only were sheep a popular animal in Biblical times, but there is so much imagery in Scripture about people being like sheep and Christ being the Good Shepherd. I would recommend this book even for just this one part of it. Here's a passage that I especially liked:

The author and Lynne, the shepherdess, just entered the field where the sheep are grazing:

"Sheep were sprinkled around the muddy pasture like chunks of kosher salt on a giant pretzel. Those closest to us rhythmically chewing fresh grass; those further away remained undisturbed.

'As soon as they hear my voice, they'll come running,' Lynne whispered. These were Lynne's sheep. For her, the reality was simple cause and effect...

'Sheep, sheep, sheep, ' she said, her syllables solid and commanding without being threatening.

As the words echoed across the field, sheep began running toward Lynne...

At one point, the smallest lamb, Swan, who had watched us all day, dared to break from her mother and head toward Lynne. The shepherd extended her palm, wiggled her fingers, and spoke the lamb's name. Swan hesitated and then came forward to experience the gentle touch of her shepherd for the first time.

Lynne withdrew her hand. Swan stepped forward, wanting more. With a swift one-armed move, Lynne grabbed the lamb and held her. Swan melted into her shepherd's arms.

'Once they respond to my beckoning I have them forever,' she said as Swan rested her tiny head in the palm of Lynne's hand.

Lynne sounded a lot like Someone I'd been reading about."

All in all - good book, quick read, and good reminders of how much God loves us and calls us to trust Him.