Isaac M. Logan expands on ideas about Christian military service explored in his previous works, Reborn on the Fourth of July (2012) and For God and Country (2013) in this tightly researched and documented memoir. God Is A Grunt: And More Good News For GIs is filled with footnotes and first-hand insights into Army life that combine to display a perceptive grasp of military and Christian history, scriptures and theology. It is an an edgy call to faith for those who believe God loves a noble warrior. The best part is the author does not rationalize killing.
Issac spent more than six years early this century as an Army artillery forward observer. That included duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. After discharge in 2006, he pursued scholarly work that led to a Masters of Theological Studies from Duke University and a 2015 diploma in Systematic and Historical Theology from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
God Is A Grunt can satisfy an interested scholar or lay person. Isaac develops a warrior theology with clarity. He defines terms and offers background on life in the service throughout the first six chapters to establish the basis for the bold title thesis. He sees God (like army grunts) as the lamb whose sacrifice is needed for redemption. In Chapter 4, “If Jesus Is God, Then God Is a Grunt,” he explains:
As God, Christ is the Divine Warrior….But as a human, Jesus chose to be little more than a lowly grunt. As he was arrested, Jesus made clear that, as Commander in Chief, thousands of angels were at his disposal. His choice at that critical moment was to remain
an earthly soldier….giving his life rather than lead others in taking life.
At certain points, he speaks in a “soldier’s tongue”, but many readers might find the crudity more insightful than offensive. Isaac conveys a passion for the question of why and how a Christian can best serve God and humankind, at points the work sounds like an apologia. A little more research the ideas are a refinement of thoughts in his books published before the 2015 degree, Reborn on the Fourth of July; The Challenge of Faith, Patriotism & Conscience(2012) and For God and Country (in that order): Faith and Service for Ordinary Radicals(2013).
Isaac explains the military as “an extension of human society” whose essential role should be to guard divine intentions. Soldiers have “a higher responsibility” to protect and maintain God’s intent for humankind.
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