Behind Enemy Lines

Keating, Ray. Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York. Long Island: Keating Reports, 2020. 732 Pages. Paper. Kindle Available. $26.99. https://raykeatingonline.com/products/behindenemylines

If 2020's crisis taught me anything, it is that the title and subtitle of Ray Keating's nonfiction collection is no joke. 

Keating is an author to take seriously. You may know only of his calendars (which in 2021 have been sorely missed) or his fiction featuring Pastor Stephen Grant. At Lutheran Book Review, we're big fans.

Ray Keating has written columns and articles for a variety of publications for well over thirty years, including twelve years as a columnist for Newsday. 

Here’s a wide-ranging collection of columns and essays from Ray Keating covering faith, economics, politics, history, trade, New York, foreign affairs, immigration, pop culture, business, sports, books, and more.

Keating is a longtime newspaper and online columnist, economist, policy analyst, and novelist. 

In these often confusing and contradictory times, Keating describes his brand of conservatism as traditional, American and Reagan-esque, firmly rooted in Judeo-Christian values, Western Civilization, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and essential ideas and institutions such as the Christian Church, the intrinsic value of each individual, the role of the family, freedom and individual responsibility, limited government, and free enterprise and free markets.

Here are the major sections of Behind Enemy Lines from the Table of Contents...

 

• Introduction: What is Conservatism?

 

• Faith Matters

 

• Economics Isn’t Dismal ... Unless Left to Politicians, the Media and Professors

 

• Politics: Unsavory and Not-So-Unsavory

 

• Why Does Anyone Live in New York?

 

• The Not-So-Ugly American

 

• Trying to Learn from History

 

• Business Isn’t Evil

 

• Trade: Opportunity and Stupidity

 

• Immigration: Hope and Opportunity

 

• Pop Culture Ponderings

 

• Sports: The Great Diversion ... Mostly

 

• Thoughts on Assorted Books

I'm a pastor in Wyoming. He's a layman in New York. Yes, there are areas of honest and civil disagreement between our way of seeing things, but given he shared a collection the thickness of a Tom Clancy novel, the number of those disagreements in my estimation are very few. We still walk together as brothers in Christ as part of the same national church body, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. 

In the Spring of 2014 and Fall of 2015, the pastors of the LCMS Atlantic and Wyoming Districts got together for two pastoral conferences, one based in Queens and the other in Cheyenne. The word of the day for Koinonia I in New York was "context." That was unfortunate because it made our conversations more artificial and peripheral. By Koinonia II in Wyoming, both districts had new District Presidents. The conversation at my table for that round was not as productive as it should have been because the model we were to follow for our interaction was flawed. A Luther-era disputation, properly run, would have led to more unity. I loved the idea of actually talking with our brothers-in-office with whom we shared a common confession on paper. I was disappointed that a few of the men didn't actually believe or practice it anymore. 

I mention this recent history for two reasons. 

One of the honest disagreements this reviewer has with the author has to do with an interfaith prayer service at Yankee Stadium following 9/11. This is not the time or place to go into all of the details. Going forward, I believe we both want the best teaching and practice, especially when clergy or laity act or speak in the public square! It is possible to avoid unionism and syncretism and still show care and compassion in Christ in time of crisis.

The other reason is this: Ray Keating means what he says. He remains consistent, even when his view is true, yet inconvenient or unpopular based on who is in power.  He is served by a faithful pastor in a place where it is challenging to be faithful. Ray himself is a lay theologian. I make this judgement based on the theological content and pastoral care of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels, both of which are comparable to my own (apart from the action scenes and international intrigue). His is a voice worth hearing.

The collection begins with a welcome definition of the term "conservatism," a challenge in the Trump and post-Trump (and the potential of a "Grover Cleveland" second Trump term) eras. Keating's life experience serves the reader well as he delves into politics next. There's a lot we can still learn from Ronald Reagan!

Turning to economics, Keating really shines. Now is a good time to read his essay on School Choice. (If you haven't read his book on international trade, pick it up when you buy a copy of this volume.) His set of articles on the Coronavirus Economy are worth reading, and I want to hear more from him on this in 2021. 

Did we really learn anything from the Great Recession? Ray Keating did. Learn what we should have learned in Section IV. 

Section V focuses on faith. It was really fun for this reader to review the major topics Keating covered over the last few decades from movies to current events.

Given everything that has economically, socially, and politically happened in the State of New York in the last year, I wonder if the City will ever be the same. Keating shares his commentary, diagnosing why things are the way they are and providing some prescriptions for a path forward. Is there an opening for a conservative mayor?

War and history fill the next two sections of the book. People have forgotten history. Much of it isn't taught in some schools. Many have forgotten 9/11. Keating will help you focus on the most important things to remember.

Business Isn't Evil. And people really don't understand trade. Keating returns to his economic catechesis in two important sections.

Section XI provides important commentary for our national non-discussion on Immigration. Why doesn't common sense reign? Why is a wall so controversial? Who benefits from the lack of resolution of this issue long-term? Read Keating here to find out.

Keating is well-read. That makes him worth reading, especially when it comes to pop culture and sports. He is the kind of author you want to come back to regularly. That's a good thing in a novelist, columnist, or blogger. It's what human beings want in a friend and companion. 

It is appropriate that one of the best sections concludes the volume: Keating on books. It used to be that you could learn a lot about a person by looking at their library. Given the growth in talking heads on video from home, there has apparently been a new growth industry: companies selling (unread) books that look good on TV behind a so-called expert! I have no problem with large libraries or unread reference libraries (antilibraries), but I do have an issue with hypocrites! Keating is genuine as he shows his worldview and the books that shaped him as he responds to other books in praise and critique. This book reviewer learned a few tips from Section XIV.

Our friend Ray Keating has a lot to say in these 732 pages. These writings cover a great deal of his life. He remains steadfast and consistent in his positions and can back up opinions with facts. No, he has not always been treated fairly, but who has? He has stepped up to the mic and spoken for the good of any who would give him a fair hearing.

Rev. Paul J Cain is Senior Pastor of Immanuel, Sheridan, Wyoming, Headmaster of Martin Luther Grammar School and Immanuel Academy, a member of the Board of Directors of the Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education, Secretary of the Wyoming District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and a member of its Board of Directors, Wyoming District Education Chairman/NLSA Commissioner, and Editor of Lutheran Book Review. He has served as an LCMS Circuit Visitor, District Worship Chairman and District Evangelism Chairman. A graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Rev. Cain is a contributor to Lutheran Service Book, Lutheranism 101, the Hymnal Companion hymn and liturgy volumes, and is the author of 5 Things You Can Do to Make Our Congregation a Caring Church. He is an occasional guest on KFUO radio. He has previously served Emmanuel, Green River, WY and Trinity, Morrill, NE. Rev. Cain is married to Ann and loves reading and listening to, composing, and making music.