Two Things I Love About Matt Fradd’s Upcoming Book, Jesus Our Refuge

I just finished reviewing Matt Fradd’s new book, Jesus Our Refuge. I wanted to highlight two reasons why I think it’s an excellent book and why it should be part of your fall/winter reading.

Gospel Essence

First of all, I appreciate Matt’s grasp of the Gospel message. If you’ve listened to Matt’s show, Pints with Aquinas, you’ll know that Matt interviews guests with a wide range of viewpoints. Matt guides discussions on relevant topics with theological balance and objective questioning. This is on full display in Jesus Our Refuge. Here’s what I mean.

I find myself, as a Catholic author and thinker, often in the middle ground between two strongly held viewpoints. For example, in the Gospel, a rich young man questions Jesus by asking, “What must I do to have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16). Jesus answers, “Follow me.” For the young man, this answer was clear and precise. It was easy to grasp. But what does “follow me” mean in the year 2025? The answer to this question is perhaps the most important question for every human heart.

On the one hand, there are those who suggest that following Jesus is very easy. The Gospel makes few demands, and Jesus “loves everybody”, and of course, “everyone goes to heaven”. That would be great if it were true, but any serious person knows there is more to it than this.

And then there are those who answer this question by making the Gospel seem impossible to live, and that growth in holiness and getting to heaven is a path laden with obstacles and land mines. Again, a serious person knows that being a follower of Christ and being saved are not impossible at all, but are very much possible. Thus, somewhere in the middle is the truth, and Matt lays this truth out in Jesus Our Refuge. But I won’t spoil it!

The Seekers and the Finders

Second, Matt manages to speak to both the seekers and the finders. The seekers are those who are immersed in the chaos of a post-modern world. They haven’t heard or experienced the true Christ. The finders are those who have either grown up in the Catholic faith or those who have found it later in life. They have experienced Christ to some degree, but possibly in a less-than-perfect way.

Writing a book that speaks to both audiences is not easy. Matt does this because he understands post-modern culture. He knows why the seekers are “still seeking,” and he knows what the finders have possibly found and may still be missing.

Both groups need this book, and I’m betting you do too.