The Carpenter's Apprentice: The Spiritual Biography of Jimmy Carter

Rating:
Summary: The Preacher and the Democrat.
Review: Dan Ariail is the pastor of Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia and Maranatha is the home Church of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter where they are active members. Rev. Ariail with the assistance of Cheryl Heckler-Feltz has attempted to put together a book that sheds some light on the Carter's spiritual life. It is indeed hard to understand the Presidency and post-Presidency of James Earl Carter without coming to grips with his basic religious beliefs. After all, while most former Presidents of both parties spend most of their time making huge sums of money or just relaxing, Jimmy Carter has done more to help more people than almost any man alive has. What is it that drives this wonderful man as he seeks to do good day after day? According to this book and several by Carter himself it is the former President's faith in God and his relationship with Christ.

Unfortunately, this book is mostly made up of accounts that have already been written about by Carter in his own books. In fact, if one were to combine several of Carter's books, this could be the condensed version. There are also too many long quotes from Carter's speeches and Sunday school lessons included in the text. With the book being as short as it is I felt the space could have been better used. Especially if it had been used to gain some extra insight from a man who knows Mr. & Mrs. Carter so well. I finished this book thinking a great opportunity had been missed.

There are however several wonderful insights to be found in this book. For example there are stories of Jimmy Carter going out with his Pastor to visit new families in the community which is just as much a part of his Christian outreach as are his diplomatic efforts. The last section of the book is basically a tourist information chapter for those planning a trip to Plains. Just last year my wife and I went to Plains and this chapter would have been a great help. Especially the section about visiting Maranatha Church. We managed to make the Church visit and were in the President's Sunday school class. After the service we were able to have our picture made with the former First Family and found that they are gracious and lovely people. If nothing else, this book will help you plan for such a trip so you can share with my wife and I in this once in a lifetime experience. We would have had a much easier time if I had had this book back then.

If you are a Carter fan you will probably already be familiar with most of the material in this book but you will probably enjoy it anyway. If nothing else you will get a little insight into the personality of Billy Carter from someone outside the family. Billy was also a member of Maranatha and the Sunday we were there his widow was singing in the choir. On the other hand, if you don't really know much about the family Carter this book would be a great learning experience. For those who have already read Jimmy Carter's books this would be a two star selection while for those new to the Carter story it would be worth four stars. I guess I'll have to average it out at three.