Title: If the Ocean Has a Soul
Author: Rachel G. Jordan
Major Themes: Biology, Theology, Devotionals
Synopsis: In this devotional memoir, marine biologist Rachel Jordan shares the joys, sorrows, life lessons, and faith journey through her explorations of the world’s watery depths.
I don’t tend to read that many scientific-type works; that’s not something I’m particularly interested in most of the time, because I frequently find that I don’t necessarily agree with the author’s perspective. I do love coming across a good devotional, though, so when I saw If the Ocean Has a Soul come up as a new release from Tyndale Refresh, I was intrigued. Reading through the back cover copy made me even more intrigued—the true stories of a scuba diver scientist and the things she learned in her career? I’m always up for a good story, and this one hinted at having slightly deeper things in it, too, so to say I was intrigued is an understatement. I requested this book for review, and I eagerly anticipated hearing back about it.
Publisher’s description:
For marine biologist Rachel Jordan, both science and Scripture are means of knowing creation and Creator. In If the Ocean Has a Soul, Rachel considers the natural world through a spiritual lens, meshing marine biology with biblical truths in a keen and current take on faith and science. With engaging storytelling and deep knowledge of the Bible, she asks and answers questions like:
- How can Christians reconcile religion and science when the two seem opposed?
- What do suffering and death teach us about the character of Jesus?
- How do we care for the environment when there seems to be little hope for repair?
- What do the ocean and its sea creatures, specifically, reveal about God?
In these pages, Rachel recounts fascinating aquatic phenomena alongside the sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic stories of animals she has known. You’ll lose yourself in the shadows of an underwater labyrinth; hear spiritual wisdom from a great-grandmother coral the size of a Volkswagen Beetle; and fall in love with Porky, the pudgy porcupinefish greeting visitors at the Windjammer shipwreck. And along the way, you’ll see how the promise of restoration unfolds in both physical and spiritual ways. Rachel’s thoughtful scientific and theological insights encourage us to know the Creator of the sea and everything in it.
My thoughts:
I’m so glad I got to read If the Ocean Has a Soul! I admit, I was a little nervous when I first dove into the book, because the chances were high that I wouldn’t be able to agree with the author’s point of view. I don’t mind reading books I disagree with, but in this case, with this subject, it seemed highly likely that the topic of evolution would be a major theme, and that’s something as a whole that I can’t agree with—so I approached it with a good degree of caution.
In this case, though, Jordan took a much different approach than what I was anticipating. Although evolution does come up from time to time, and there were a few paragraphs here or there that I couldn’t agree with (and some of the conclusions were ones I question), that actually ended up being a very minor part of this book. And I loved that! I can appreciate where Jordan is at, and the way she is trying to logically work out and make the scientific evidence jibe with what the Bible says. I appreciate her heart to search, to understand, and, ultimately, to see God in this most mysterious part of the natural world (to us land-bound creatures, anyway).
It’s hard to know how to describe this book. Each chapter begins with a story about something Jordan experienced or observed—something that on the surface might just be entertainment, but underneath contains rich life lessons she learned as a result. From there, she pivots to a semi-devotional, talking about all kinds of different matters relating to our faith, how we live, and how we can see God in even the minutest details.
Of everything in If the Ocean Has a Soul, I think my favorite thing was the way Jordan consistently and repeatedly pointed to God, over and over and over. Her love for Jesus flows off the pages, and that was the most beautiful thing I saw in this book—and there are many beautiful things to learn from this devotional!
I’m so glad I got the chance to read this book. It was inspiring, uplifting, hope-filled (despite some of the stories she told!), and I came away wishing I could read more. If you’re fascinated by the world God made, and appreciate books that blend biology with theology, I’d recommend you check out If the Ocean Has a Soul. It’s a gem!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.
WARNING: Evolution is mentioned/espoused multiple times throughout the book. Chapter 2: “Knowing that Genesis 1 was written as poetry should enlighten and guide how we read it.” Chapter 9: Drinking rum. Chapter 10: Deer put down.
Age levels:
Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
