Whether intentionally or not, Goldman's account of his year at Harvard's Divinity School provides an apt illustration of his world religion's teacher, Diana Eck's lesson: "If you know one religion....you don't know any." The religion Goldman knows is Orthodox Judaism, and though he peppers his narrative with anecdotes about his Muslim friend or his Christian Scientist friend, it is Orthodox Judaism that is his main focus. More specifically, it is his struggle to recognize his deep religiosity with a modern, secular world that is forms the meat of this book.
There are very few Orthodox Jewish journalists. The news does not stop, whereas the Torah teaches us that God rested on the seventh day....and so should we. Jews consider it one of the most sacred rituals to observe the Sabbath from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. So how should Goldman, a cub reporter trying to work his way up as a copy boy at The New York Times, answer the question, "Do you work weekends?"
Chapter after chapter, Goldman tries to put religion -- both specific religions and in general -- in perspective. He is in over his head when he is talking about world religions like Buddhism, misunderstanding the nuance in that philosophy between desire and love, but is in his element when reminiscing about his personal history and spiritual journey. The Search for God at Harvard should not be read as a religious text or a final word on the subject by any means, but can be enjoyed as the personal narrative of a man struggling -- as we all do -- with faith.
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