Jonathan’s Merritt’s _Learning to Speak God from Scratch_ is the kind of book that sticks with you long after you close the cover. Merritt argues that “[w]e are word-shaped beings who live word-shaped lives within word-shaped communities.” He argues that words are holy gifts from God that we often fail to use well.

After making a case for the importance of words, Merritt challenges readers to reimagine the way that we use the words of our faith. Words like creed, disappointment, and even God take on new meaning and new depth under Merritt’s careful and thoughtful exposition. Rather than shying away from words that have come to be seen as critical or judgmental, Merritt asks us to reclaim their meanings. By doing this, Merritt believes that we can better engage with our faith and with each other.

Merritt’s writing is accessible, eloquent, and clear. His passion for the written word and his compassion for people come through on every page. My one critique is that the inclusion of so many words sacrificed more in-depth analyses and discussions around each word. That served mostly to encourage me to explore more on my own.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in exploring their faith in a unique, new way or anyone who is interested in the way that the use of religious words has changed over time.