Rapid Randomness: {Book Review} "God's Not Dead 2" by Travis Thrasher

Rating: 4/5

God's Not Dead 2 is the sequel to the widely popular book and movie God's Not Dead that came out in 2014. In the first book, a student is tasked with proving God's existence to his atheistic philosophy professor. God's Not Dead 2 is novelized by Travis Thrasher, and focuses on a high school history teacher who is put on trial for discussing the name of Jesus in her classroom.

Grace Wesley is Teacher of the Year at Martin Luther King Jr. High School. When she answers a student's question regarding Jesus Christ, her whole life changes. The parents of a student sue her, and the school board disciplines her. People she thought were her friends testify against her. Through it all, she clings to her faith in Christ and lets the trail strengthen her.

Amy Ryan faced cancer, won and found faith. Now she's questioning whether her faith is genuine. As a blogger, she is covering Grace's trial in great detail. Along the way, she finds herself growing in her faith as she works through her doubt. With an ex-boyfriend that was terrible to her and a mother that has shut her out, Amy feels alone. Will she learn to rely on Christ?

Tom Endler is a lawyer with a rocky past. Because he represents the teacher's union, he is tasked with defending Grace. Desperate for a paying case, he agrees to take on the challenge of defending Grace despite the fact that he isn't a Christian himself. Can a lawyer that doesn't believe in God fight to prove Grace did not violate the Constitution?

As the case progresses and takes on national recognition, Grace and Tom struggle to stand up against the prosecutor's star lawyer, Peter Kane. Students begin to take interest, and protests erupt outside the courthouse. Soon, it is apparent that Grace isn't who is really on trial: God is. Proving the existence of the historical figure of Jesus Christ soon becomes Tom's answer to getting Grace a "not-guilty" verdict from the jury. Can this non-believing lawyer really pulls this off? Will his own faith be developed as a result of this whirlwind of a trial?

God's Not Dead 2 tells a vitally important story. It teaches how Christians can defend Jesus. Through reading of the characters' growth, Christians may find their own faith strengthened as well. From a literary critique standpoint, the story features deeply developed characters with intriguing backstories. The pacing of the plot is perfect; it does not move too slowly or too quickly. There are times during the trial that seem a bit drawn out, but this proves necessary given the content of the story line. God's Not Dead 2 is a nicely crafted piece of literature that tells a relevant story.

The movie God's Not Dead 2 hits theaters on April 1st. Check out the trailer below and make a plan to see the movie!