Review of THE SEARCHERS by Joseph Loconte

The premise of this book is that people question their faith, and search for deeper meaning in life. The key concept that Loconte explores is questioning faith in comparison to the biblical narrative following the death of Jesus Christ. Drawing from the Gospel of Luke’s account of the men traveling on the road to Emmaus, the author points out that the men are extremely sad following the death of the man meant to be their savior. The book’s subtitle is “A Quest for Faith in the Valley of Doubt.” Loconte’s thought is that sooner or later, we will all find ourselves among “The Searchers.”

Loconte is an Associate Professor of History at the King’s College in New York City, teaching Western Civilization and American Foreign Policy. He has given testimony before the U.S. Congress on the issue of international human rights. I mention this, because before reading this book, I was unfamiliar with the man; and am impressed with his breadth of knowledge in a wide range of subjects.

The book is peppered with numerous references to contemporary and past cultural events, ranging from Constantine’s conversion, to modern events such as 9-11, conspiracy theories, and Hollywood’s treatment of angels in movie and TV. Loconte manages to give relevance to such things as Cal Ripken’s baseball records, C.S. Lewis, Rembrandt’s art, Julius Caesar, Harry Potter, the death of silent film star Rudolph Valentino, and much more along the way.

This is a fast and thought provoking read that helps people to understand the nature of doubt that comes across all people of faith at one time or another. Just as the men along the road to Emmaus came to realize that they were walking with Jesus, the author strives to help us understand our own faith journey by discussing these other significant cultural events.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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