The Close: A Young Woman's First Year at Seminary. Rev. Chloe Breyer recently wrote an article about her part in an interfaith effort to rebuild a mosque in Afghanistan. It was interesting and down to earth, leading me to read her autobiography. The book's theme perhaps could be found in her discussion of her internship in Bellevue in which one of her roles was to lead a discussion group among prisoners. One prison was upset that the even experts were not sure about the meaning of the Bible -- he wanted a religion that provided answers, while she liked the fact it had so many fascinating questions.

The book is like that -- it doesn't have many answers about the complexities of her religious faith, but examines the questions as she deals with her first year at an Episcopal seminary. Rev. Breyer is clearly in the liberal Christian tradition, unsure about her faith and true calling, struggling to serve her God. On the other hand, and this didn't quite please this skeptic, at the end of the day she is mostly accepting of the mysteries of her faith. For instance, she starts out saying Paul's letters at some points seemed a bit unsavory, but ends up saying she accepted their truth, even quoting one feminist religious scholar that argued he'd be supporting gay rights if alive today [uh ... unsure about that]. The book isn't an apologia of the faith though; it is an expression of her individual story and faith. And, it serves it's purpose on that end. For some, she and her faith might be deemed too human; for others, including to a large part myself, it is inspiring.

[Rev. Breyer comes from a mixed faith household -- her mother is Anglican and father is a secular Jew. She also is pretty well off, as suggested by her references to her travels and education. The sense of privilege seeps out at times and is a bit annoying. It is not addressed at all in the cited article or book, but she is the daughter of Justice Stephen Breyer.]