Mark Batterson is definitely one of my favorite authors. When I finish one of his books, virtually every page has many sections underlined. In fact, the biggest challenge is to digest all that is coming at you.
In Primal Batterson says it is time for a new Reformation. This reformation is not about creeds but rather it is about deeds. It is a movement based on being great at the Great Commandment – “You shall love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.”
He begins the book by looking at how the Romans had a habit of building things on top of things. An emperor might tear down a predecessor’s palace and build his own palace on top of it. He thin poses this assertion: “I wonder, almost like the Roman effect of building things on top of things, if the accumulated layers of Christian traditions and institutions have unintentionally obscured what lies beneath.”
Batterson then devotes the book to looking at the four primal elements detailed in the Great Commandment:
The heart of Christianity is primal compassion.
The soul of Christianity is primal wonder.
The mind of Christianity is primal curiosity.
The strength of Christianity is primal energy.
He sees the problem with Christianity is that we are not good at the Great Commandment. The solution is simply to become great at the Great Commandment. The book is that simple and yet it is filled with interesting facts, stories and insights that make it a joy to read.