Books

A Review of How to Be Perfect

Dissatisfied with his aloof relationship to the Old Testament, Harrell, then minister at Park Street Church in Boston, decided to investigate Leviticus. Harrell sees Leviticus as the pivotal book for Jews and therefore for Jesus. He recruited 18 members of Park Street to spend 30 days "living Levitically," following the book's rules and rituals and chronicling their experience. Their ensuing adventures with breakfast meat, textiles and personal hygiene helped them reflect on the diligence of obedience and the importance of grace and illuminated the depth of meaning in New Testa­ment concepts of blood, sacrifice and atonement.