Review: Fully Alive by Elizabeth Oldfield

When I saw that the recommendation on the inside cover of Elizabeth Oldfield’s Completely alive (Hodder & Stoughton) was written by Francis Spufford, I knew I would like it.

There used to be a handful of Christian authors who published successful mainstream works (including CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, Graham Greene, Evelyn Waugh, and TS Eliot), but today there are few works that cross the boundaries between secular and spiritual.

In 2013, Spufford, best known for his fiction, decided to address the lack of accessible discussions of the Christian faith published in the mainstream. Unconditional: Why Christianity, despite everything, can still make surprising emotional sense (Faber & Faber) was not aimed at the choir. In a “slightly vulgar” language (as Spufford explained to this magazine), he attempted to write about the Christian faith in a way that was understandable even to those who did not share his worldview.

This is an elegantly written book that holds up a mirror to the many problems of modern life

Now, nearly a decade later, Oldfield has taken up the mantle. Like Spufford’s offer before, Fully alive: caring for the soul in turbulent times is not afraid to use the odd swear word. Nor is it willing to omit or avoid topics that some Christians (and Christian books) may want to avoid because they are afraid to admit that (whisper it!) Even people who follow Jesus are not perfect. Or have wishes. Or sometimes shout at their children.

In a world where the temptation to curate an image of oneself has perhaps never been stronger, Completely alive In this book, Oldfield lays it all bare. Drawing on personal experiences, she writes about her own faith journey and her quest to live a “good, full and fulfilling life.”

A journey to more

Based on the structure of the seven deadly sins, each chapter offers a positive counterpart to Tertullian’s old list of vices, updated for a modern world. To combat envy, for example, the reader is invited to take a journey “from status anxiety to love.” In the chapter on anger, Oldfield addresses the fragmentation of our society and the spread of cancel culture, suggesting that the alternative to polarization is the Christian call for peace.

The chapter on gluttony takes a critical look at how and why we numb our pain and invites us to authentically experience the ecstasy of God (one of the best justifications for this charismatic experience I’ve ever read). In Lust, Oldfield offers a compellingly direct critique of pornography, hook-up culture, and objectification, while also being honest about her own experiences.

Elsewhere, she deals with greed and gratitude, distraction and attention, and individualism versus community living (the latter topic recently made headlines about middle-class communes in The times).

A glimpse of hope

It concludes with an introduction in which Oldfield tells her own story of conversion as a teenager at an unnamed youth festival, and a conclusion entitled “The G-Bomb”. Aiming to make the book accessible to those who consider themselves “allergic” to faith, this is a conscious attempt to save the good for last. The author’s stated aim is for the earlier chapters to act as an “antihistamine”, preventing the violent reaction that is so often triggered when Jesus is suggested as the answer to one of the questions that plague our souls.

Fully Alive is not afraid of the odd swear word

The result is an elegantly written and deeply honest book that holds up a mirror to the many problems of modern life while shedding a wonderfully engaging light on the Good News of Jesus Christ.

If you’re looking for an accessible, down-to-earth book for a skeptical friend, I highly recommend it. If you’re looking for a book that explains the claims of the Christian faith in a way that isn’t condescending and can be understood by outsiders, then again, go out and buy this book.

And if you’re already in the choir, don’t worry: Oldfield won’t preach to you. But as we journey together through life’s endless array of trials and tests, trying to understand our Savior and follow Him to something greater, will Make them feel seen and understood. And that’s exactly what a good book should do.