When Jones was five years old, his parents took him to see Star Wars
. It was his first experience, he says, with feeling awe. In this book, he argues that human beings are hardwired to crave awe, and draws on the six Star Wars
flicks to teach spiritual principles. Some of the content feels like an attack of the clones; many of the examples are scenes that have already been fodder for spirituality–of–Star Wars
books by Dick Staub and Matthew Bortolin. We hear again that we are numinous beings whose eyes often deceive us and whose lack of belief is why we fail. If Jones doesn't offer fresh insights into the two trilogies of Lucas's space opera, he does demonstrate willingness to wrestle with 20th-century Christian thinkers such as C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and J.R.R. Tolkien. As such, his book will likely be embraced by like-minded Christians, if not diehard Star Wars
fans. (Oct.)
