Book Review: A Doubter's Guide To The Ten Commandments

[Note:  This book was received free of charge from Booklook/Zondervan in exchange for an honest review.]

We have all heard of the ten commandments at one point or another.  They have become so engrained in out society that they helped shape the fabric of law.  In A Doubter’s Guide best selling author John Dickson takes a look at the commandments and how they have shaped the world.

Do not let the title of the book distract you from the primary mission of the author.  This work is one of an apologetics nature, and each commandment is touched on.  The author states that the commandments did not spread as a result of Judaism, but as a result of Christianity and missions activity.  This is seen in the fact that the Old Testament points toward a New Covenant, and that Jesus is called a new Moses in the New Testament.

The commandments are also seen as a listing of rules and regulations that bind human freedom.  According to the author, and myself, this is not the case.  The author points out that true freedom is not doing what one chooses, because our human natures will take over and we will become slaves to such a freedom.  The commandments are a charter of freedom because they help us become what we were truly made for.

Overall the author does a good job describing how the commandments influenced western culture while being sensitive to the audience.  The book is written in such a way that one does not need a seminary degree to understand it.  It is written for the everyday person to pick up, and become better acquainted with the faith.

 

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