Matthew Anderson’s book Earthen Vessels: Why Our Bodies Matter to Our Faith
The body is a much neglected subject in evangelicalism, and Earthen Vessels helps fill this gap well. It is filled with insight, while being a very accessible read. Beyond that, Matt is an excellent, excellent writer writer. Earthen Vessels is a joy to read not just because of what he says, but because he says it well.
Here’s the description from Amazon:
Our bodies matter. Christians today sometimes forget this, dangerously ignoring the importance of their physical selves when it comes to technology, sexuality, worship, and even death. Anderson’s book will help readers learn what the Bible says about our bodies and grow to appreciate the importance of embodiment in our spiritual lives. It will also explore generational differences when it comes to how we perceive and use our bodies. Just as Christ’s body was crucial to our salvation, our own bodies are an important part of the complete Christian life.
And here’s a blurb from Justin Taylor:
“What does Christianity have to say about the body? Much more than you might think. Matthew Lee Anderson—one of evangelicalism’s brightest young writers—is a serious student of God’s Word and God’s world, and in this book he patiently and insightfully explores a theology of the body from numerous angles. Rightly seeing the body as a gift from God for our good and his glory, Anderson insightfully shows us what a biblical worldview has to say about the body in relationship to community, pleasure, sex, sexuality, tattoos, death, prayer, and the church. Anderson’s arguments deserve careful consideration. I suspect that many of us will think differently—and more biblically—about the body as a result of this very fine work.”
You can also download two sample chapters of the book at Matt’s blog, Mere Orthodoxy, as well as watch a trailer for the book, read the rest of the endorsements, and more.