Book Notes: Going Deeper

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I can vividly remember standing before a class of my college peers, trying to answer the question, “What is truth?” I took a piece of chalk and scribbled a blob onto the chalkboard. The point that I was trying to make was that truth was indiscernible, unknowable, and as clear as a nonsensical scribble. My professor calmly told me I was wrong. And, after much additional study and real-life experience on my part, I came to agree. If you’ve ever been confused about the truths about God … if you’ve ever held doubts in your head if not your heart, the book Going Deeper by Leo Severino (Ignatius Press, 2017) may be a welcome addition to your home library. If, on the other hand, you are confident in your faith, but you verbally stumble when questioned by an atheist or agnostic, Going Deeper may give you the power tools you need to rev up your personal apologetics machine.

After downloading a sample of the book, I was determined to read the entire work because I was captivated by the first chapter, which is entitled “Truth.” Because I was trained as a journalist, and found it a daily dilemma to uncover the real, unadulterated truth, I am always fascinated by the quest for truth. But nowadays my particular interest is in spiritual truths. Severino provides a succinct and valuable definition of the truth:

“Truth is the equivalence of thought to reality. In other words, when your thoughts match reality, you’ve arrived at the truth.”

Brilliant! I wish I had thought of that when I was standing before my college classmates. As the title of the book states, the work delves deeper, into the realm of who God is, while providing sound arguments for defending against claims that the all-knowing, all-loving God does not exist. The book is divided into short, digestible chapters, so it is ideal for moms on the go who do not have the luxury of devoting hours to uninterrupted reading. I think this work could also be beneficial for high school and college students who are looking for a concise, easy-to-articulate way to defend their religious beliefs. And one never knows when he or she may be called upon to defend the Faith. I recall talking to a fellow journalist once who thought he could attain great celebrity if he knew the meaning of life. I regret the fact that I’ve lost touch with this reporter, because I would point him to Going Deeper. He might not gain fame by reading it, but at least he would have a handle on life’s purpose as given to us by God. Those who have any experience with preschoolers may particularly appreciate the book’s “Lollipop Theory of Free Will.” If lollipops are involved, it has to be good, right? (If you have any doubts, consult your nearest three-year-old.) A book described as “a reasoned exploration of God and Truth” can be a challenge to take on. But if you would like your head knowledge of God to equal your heart knowledge, Going Deeper may just be the book you’re looking for. What would “going deeper” to know God mean for you? Visit our Book Notes archive.