The Benedict Option is the author’s way of imploring the Christian Community to return to the orthodoxy of the church as Jesus originally set forth. He talks about the ways the church has fallen away from the original precepts layed down and today’s modern church is nearly unrecognizable in its political correctness, tolerance and acceptance of many issues that were strongly preached against in the apostolic times. He sees family values and the Christian faith at odds with the coming onslaught of anti-christian discrimination. He discusses how Christians need to return to the original teachings and adhere strictly to the words of the Bible and not the modernized watered down version that church goers are fed today. Standing on the righteousness of his deep faith he upholds the Ten Commandments as guidelines for living not the 10 suggestions. Dreher does not mince his words, he does not apologize for clearly speaking his mind and he does not back down. He sticks his chest out for the arrows that will come from the sector of society today that has discarded the traditional values of the early church to accept as normal behaviors and attitudes less stringent moral turpitude than Jesus and His apostles preached. Dreher offers warnings and gives reasons as to why and when he believes the integrity of the religious Christians in today’s society will be brought up on charges and disregarded as anything but fanatics in the very near future. He cites examples of how Christians are being black balled in several ways already from legal procedures and Christian college graduates in the field of Law are being disregarded in Canada for their views on gay marriage, abortion, etc. with groups calling for them not to be allowed to practice due to their fundamentalist beliefs. St. Benedict is known in the Catholic Church for his adherence to a strict life of prayerful devotion and service. Dreher calls for a return to pure Christian values and living in community with like minded Christians eschewing as much as possible the watered down form of Christianity permeating society today to return to the life of Christian devotion modeled by St. Benedict. Not in a scary cult kind of way but in a let’s get back to basics organic kind of way. Well written in a format that is both teaching and reaching out. A good biblical work. His straightforward approach will offend some.
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