Godtalk: Travels in Spiritual America

In "Godtalk" writer Brad Gooch plays the role of a "spiritual tourist", covering 5 different American religious subjects: 1) the Urantians 2) Deepak Chopra and Gurumayi 3) Trappist Monks 4) The Cathedral of Hope 5)Islam in New York City. Gooch does a good job of getting a variety of different religious persectives and involving himself in the spiritual rituals of the groups he encounters. But, ultimately, the book amounts to a series of sociological surveys without the writer actually being able to experience first hand what it means to be a practicing member of the religions covered. Gooch is a scholar, an English professor actually, so he does bring a signicant amount of intellectual weight to this project. He also maintains a generally objective approach. But, truthfully, I would have appreciated a little more editorializing on his part. Personally, I find the wacky outer space based theology of the Urantians to have less validity than the centuries old practices of the Trappist monks, for example. But Gooch typically sticks to providing an overview of the sects and their leaders without many opinions being offered along the way. Still Gooch has a readable enough style of writing and, for the person interested in American religious movements, this is a worthwhile book

This is a fascinating book which mixes personal observations and historical background to reveal, with insight and humor, a number of religious quests in contemporary America. For me the most satisfying chapter was "A Busy Mosaic: Islam in New York City." After September 11, we have come to demonize Islam as a religion of hate and terrorism. What this chapter reveales is the binding sense of community that has drawn to Islam in America a disparate group--including those seekers from other faiths. Islam is not an easy religion to follow, and I was profoundly moved by Gooch's ability to describe how the principles of the Moslem faith become the string that binds people together even in the most distracting city in the world--New York. The extent to which Thomas Merton has influenced several generations of monks was also a revelation to me. For someone like myself, who is not religious but religious curious, I admired the non-hokey tone of the book.

A good book takes you on a journey...this one will take you on a spiritual marathon. Gooch's writing, a graceful blend of intellect, humor and straightforwardness, left me longing for more...each chapter like a visit to a small story book town...a town you don't want to leave. From the mysterious Sadler and Book Urantia to the minimalistic way of life of the Trappists, to the detailed accounts of Jerry Falwell's ministry, the experiences reads with a naked, rich, insightful, yet intangible simplicty, the very core of what one hopes religion is truly about. Gooch is on the pulse...genius.