'O' God examines Oprah-style spirituality

Safe to say, the newest book out by Christian evangelicals Josh McDowell and Dave Sterrett will not make it as a selection for Oprah's Book Club.

"'O' God: A Dialogue on Truth and Oprah's Spirituality" ($15, WND Books) aims to give a Christian response to some of the spiritual views expressed on the talk show host's popular daily television program and in her monthly magazine.

Instead of leveling a critical and theological attack, the authors use a more gentle method. The points are made through a fictional dialogue between two female graduate students: a former Hindu yoga instructor-turned-Christian and a 30-year-old woman questioning her faith as she struggles with the death of her father and the last year of law school. The two bounce ideas off each other and debate the pluses and minuses of Oprah Winfrey's brand of spirituality.

It's a writing approach that McDowell applied in his examination of "The DaVinci Code" novel hoopla, and one that he will be using more in the future.

"I like the back-the-forth approach, with two people discussing all the different points," he says. "You get to cover all the bases and you're not preaching at readers. This gives readers a chance to think it all through, and let them come to their own conclusion."

McDowell, a prolific author, speaker and founder of a ministry aimed at young people, hopes the book leads readers to understand how Oprah's spirituality doesn't completely jibe with the evangelical Christian viewpoint.

It's not that he has anything against the powerful mega-star. He also doesn't consider her anti-Christian. If anything, "she's more anti-Bible believing."

"Once she heard a minister preach that God was a jealous God," he says, "and she made up her mind then and there she would not serve a jealous God."

What Oprah says is heard by millions. McDowell worries that her followers will accept what she says as gospel truth.

"There's not a lot of questioning that goes on," he says. "If she has a guest who makes a claim and she agrees with it, then it's the next big thing. With her audience and influence, she has immense power to shape the way people think."

Case in point: After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, an Episcopalian priest led a memorial service at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York, officials staged a memorial at Yankee Stadium, with Oprah as one of the main speakers.

Although he didn't interview Oprah for the book, McDowell would welcome the chance to be on her show and get into a healthy spiritual debate. While he may not agree with her promotion of spiritual teachers such as Eckhart Tolle or Marianne Williamson, he admires Oprah for her passion and commitment.

"She's a real genuine person. Whatever Oprah does, she throws herself into it 100 percent," he says. "I wish all Christians would have such passion."