Reading for the Common Good (C. Christopher Smith)

In Reading for the Common Good, C. Christopher Smith wants us to understand that "our life together is composed of two essential and interwoven threads: learning and action."  "Without learning, our action tends to be reaction and often is superficial- we act without comprehending the many factors that are at play in a situation.  Without action, our faith is irrelevant, and most likely- to borrow a thought from the apostle James- dead."  An important component of learning is reading.

Why should we read?
Reading helps us learn our collective identity ("who we are") and vocation ("what are we going to do?").  Reading educates, helps us remember and understand the past, "builds our capacity for empathy," and helps us overcome "the cultural biases and blind spots that all humans naturally develop over the course of generations."  These things are necessary as we seek to contribute to the flourishing of our communities.  How so?  Well, "our society is shaped by our experience of the world and our capacity to articulate and imagine new possibilities."  Reading can transform "the way we see and experience the world," therefore broadening our ability to imagine where we could be and helping us get there.  In Colossians 1 (and elsewhere in Scripture), we learn that Christ is reconciling the entire world to Himself, and reading helps us better understand how we contribute to that.  Therefore, "our aim in reading . . . is not mere accumulation of knowledge but rather the sort of understanding that allows us to be engaged in meaningful, redemptive ways in the transformation of [the world]."

How should we read?
Smith discussed the four components of "lectio divina"- "the monastic way of slowly reading, praying and reflecting on Scripture"- and through a deliberate process of reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation, we can drink in any text slowly, fighting a culture where speed is the default.

But it's not just about reading.  "Reading is most socially transformative when paired with the practice of conversation."  So we don't just read- we talk about our readings with others in a community.

What should we read?
For the Christian, "Scripture is our primary text.  If God is reconciling all things in Christ, however, our churches should be engaged in a  broad range of work that bears witness to the comprehensiveness of God's reconciliation."  There are obvious books that teach us about topics from the environment to politics to racial reconciliation, but it's not just about nonfiction.  "Literature that is done well, even popular fiction, often sheds at least as much light on ourselves and our world."  Smith includes a reading list on several topics at the conclusion of the book.

Review

Smith makes a lot of good points, and this was a valuable read.  We should all be active readers for the reasons mentioned above, and the Church should be active in equipping us to be so.  One ding against this work: it got repetitive.  Covering the "why" and "how" of reading needn't take long, and that felt strung out a bit.  Similarly, the "what" portion could have been condensed to reading lists.  Smith, for several topics, repeatedly discusses the value of reading, and that was unnecessary.  I didn't need to hear over and over that "reading helps us understand politics [or] history [or] social justice [or] ..."  But overall, this 150-page volume is worth your time.

Rating: B+