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by Timothy Johnson
Product Group: Book
Publisher: InterVarsity Press (2004-04)
ISBN: 0830832149
EAN: 9780830832149
Dewy Decimal #: 230
Hardcover: 216 pages
SKU: 090508015
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...no markings or highlighting...light shelf wear on dustjacket
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Product Description
Many of us are spiritually searching. We wonder if God is real, if religion is relevant, if faith is possible. We don't know what the answers are, and sometimes we don't even know what questions to ask. Don't shy away from the questions, says Dr. Timothy Johnson, medical editor for ABC News. That's where God meets us--in the midst of honest grappling with heartfelt issues. In this remarkable book, Dr. Johnson discloses his deeply personal journey of faith. With the same keen mind accustomed to medical and scientific examination, he investigates the plausibility of God's existence and explores the significance of Jesus of Nazareth. Despite all the difficulties of faith, he explains what he believes and why. Come join a fellow pilgrim on the journey. Ask the questions--and perhaps find God behind them.
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Customer Reviews
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Definitely not meant as a devotional
Rating  (5)
Date: 2008-11-26
This book is subtitled A Personal Journey, and it's certainly that. It is also a penetrating analysis of religion and science, and how they relate to each other in 21st Century terms.
Timothy Johnson began his adult life as a seminary graduate, planning on pastoral ministry, after growing up nurtured by the certainty of a theologically conservative background. Then he changed directions, becoming a medical doctor in order to relieve suffering and serve his fellow humans in what seemed to him the most practical way possible. That forced him to see a side of life from which he'd always been shielded before. Eventually he became the medical correspondent for a major television network, and most of us who read his book will know him from that role.
I've heard a great deal about this book that was based on quotes taken out of context. "He doesn't want to call himself a Christian!", for instance. Now that I have read it, I find those reactions saddening. However one may react to the science he presents, or to his analysis of it, this is a man who sincerely believes in and daily strives to live his faith. He's also a scientist (as every good doctor should be), so he doesn't have the doubtful luxury of ignoring facts when they seem to be in conflict with the beliefs of his childhood. Can the two be reconciled? Is that even necessary? And in any case, how can an intelligent, thinking person live as a follower of Jesus, when conflicts do apparently exist? One option is to "check the brain at the church door" (something I can't do, and furthermore won't do). The other is to struggle honestly, and still believe. And act on one's faith, no matter what.
This book hits me right where I live. It's written for those who need its message, not for those whose faith is comfortable and filled with absolutes. It should be readable whether or not one already knows the Bible, although it may be a bit challenging for those who find complex sentences and a rich (sometimes technical) vocabulary problematic. I found it not only worth reading, but worth adding to my carefully culled home library.
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the Hobo Philosopher
Rating  (3)
Date: 2008-07-02
1 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
If you are a serious student of the debate over the existence or non-existence of God, you don't want to waste your money on this book. Dr. Tim seems like a very nice man but he is no philosopher. The best part of this book is the bibliography - and I really do not believe that Dr. Tim read all of those books. If he did he obviously lost consciousness every now and then. He states a main argument every so often but then like all true believers he dismisses it with a wave of his crucifix or bible. This book is a freshman endeavor at its best. Get yourself a copy of the Impossibility of God if you want to get some serious research on this subject.
I made the big mistake in my career in philosophy in trying to learn philosophy at a college of Catholic priests - it was a total waste of time - as is this book.
If you would like to read something that reaffirms your want-to-believe notions then Dr. Tim is your man.
It is nevertheless complimentary to Dr. Tim that he even gave such matters the little serious thought. Greater religious leaders than him did considerably less.
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Poorly-researched nonsense for the Reader's Digest crowd
Rating  (1)
Date: 2007-11-25
2 out of 10 customers found this reveiw helpful
I was given this book by a believer and read it, basically, on a dare.
There were several passages that made me laugh out loud, but I'll give you only the most ridiculous. At one point Johnson says, "[t]he distance between planets in our solar system is about 30 million miles, just the right distance for stable orbits."
This is apparently an argument that someone positioned the planets, ignoring I guess the uncountable number of other stars where that might not be the case. And one could say that it also misses the possibility that our system ejected other planets while it was forming and--hey, if you're going to go to the trouble of designing a star system for life why bother with the other (uninhabitable) planets at all? And you DEFINITELY wouldn't want to fill it with dangerous asteroids and comets.
But nevermind all of that for a moment and just consider the basis for his claim. It's incorrect. The planets (not counting Pluto, just to be pedantic) average 395 million miles apart. That's an average--some are much closer to each other and some are much farther away. This can be determined in seconds with a google search and a calculator, so it certainly makes one wonder how much effort Mr. Johnson put into checking his facts. And it also makes me doubt that Mr. Johnson did all of the calculus necessary to determine that such a configuration is "just right for stable orbits."
If you find this book to be at all convincing, then I sincerely feel very sorry for you.
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A plainly written spiritual autobiography and theological treatise
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-09-04
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
FINDING GOD IN THE QUESTIONS: A PERSONAL JOURNEY - An accessible (i.e., plainly written) spiritual autobiography of ABC News medical editor, Dr. Timothy Johnson (an ordained minister prior to medical school). Dr. Johnson asks the big questions (e.g., who are we? Who was Jesus? Is God in control?), and humbly submits the answers he has arrived at after a lifetime of pondering. This 2004 book is a meditative and rewarding read.
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Time with this book is time well-spent
Rating  (4)
Date: 2007-05-10
6 out of 7 customers found this reveiw helpful
Dr. Timothy Johnson is best known as a medical expert for ABC news. What many people might not be aware of is that he is also a minister, having graduated from the seminary forty years ago. In "Finding God in the Questions," he attempts to dig deeper into his own beliefs and how he has come to them. He is also attempting to integrate the spiritual and secular aspects of his life in a more meaningful way. Perhaps as a means of doing that, he is donating all his profits from the sale of this book to organizations that serve the poor and disadvantaged.
Section One deals with "Does God Exist?" Dr. Johnson relies heavily on scientific evidence to make his case for his belief in an omnipotent intelligent being. One often comes across those who believe that science and faith are incompatible. For those who believe, however, an examination of our physical world only serves to reinforce that belief. At times, his scientific inquiry can be somewhat intense for those without scientific backgrounds. To his credit, he does tell readers they can skip those few pages of his book without losing the point of his book.
Section Two focuses on "What is God Like?" Dr. Johnson offers a brief history of how the Bible came to be and then turns his attention to what one can learn about God by studying Jesus. He encourages people to read the Bible with fresh eyes, to simply sit down and read the four Gospels straight through as if it was your first experience with them (for some, it may very well be.) He believes many people will be surprised by what they find there. For example, Jesus says nothing against homosexuality, but preaches heavily against divorce. He speaks strongly against the accumulation of material possessions, yet many Christians seem to make this their prime goal in life. Also, "Jesus clearly shows more sympathy to the outcast and to the sinful than he does to the righteous and formally religious." Johnson then goes on to discuss Jesus' parables and miracles. Lastly, he investigates the Resurrection, coming to the conclusion that it was indeed a physical resurrection.
The last section is "What Difference Does it Make?" In this section, Johnson explores the way faith should manifest itself in our lives. He studies the Sermon on the Mount and the high standard it sets for our lives. He acknowledges that one must leave space for mystery, and that the questions will never be completely answered in this lifetime. Yet, he encourages readers to follow Jesus' example, not because it will bring us "comfort and ease and even financial reward. The truth is that Jesus himself never painted such a rosy picture. . . . The only gift he promised for sure is that if we attempted to follow his teachings, we would be closer to the heart of God than we would otherwise be."
Overall, Johnson's inquiries will resonate with many. He brings his journalistic mind and medical knowledge as well as his theological background to investigate these questions. Time spent with "Finding God in the Questions" is put to good use.
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by DiAnn Mills, Gail Gaymer Martin, Melanie Panagiotopoulos, Lois Richer
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Incorporated (2004-02-01)
ISBN: 1593100817
EAN: 9781593100810
Dewy Decimal #: 813.540803543
Paperback: 352 pages
SKU: 102608017
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...no markings or highlighting...minor wear on cover
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Book Description
Do all road really lead to Rome? From the busy streets of Rome to the fragrant hills of Florentine, and from the gorgeous Isle of Capri to the romantic canals of Venice, four independent American women are compelled to explore this historic country that their parents and grandparents called "home." As they investigate the past and discover the secrets of their family heritage, will they also find the forgiveness, the freedom, the life, and the love they seek? These four brandnew novellas show that God can sometimes use the events of yesterday to reveal hints to one's future. Four American women explore the historic country that their parents and grandparents called "home"--along the way finding God's plan for themselves.
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Customer Reviews
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Too religious
Rating (3)
Date: 2008-08-12
0 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This book was great to read, but some parts were too religious and frustrating because they seemed very unrealistic. I'm a Christian woman, but it seemed as if the authors, also Christian women, were encouraging other women readers to submit to men. One chapter talked about a woman who tried to get away from her boyfriend by going to Italy, but he followed her and stalked her when she was there. The author romanticized this and made it seem as if this were "romantic", when in reality, he was smothering her and should have respected her and given her privacy to go to Italy on her own with friends and enjoy life.
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Contemporary Christian Romances Take Place in Italy
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-03-07
I have read many of these Christian novellas and I simply love every single one! This one I got because I am Italian and never have been to Italy!
This is a book made up of four short stories (about 100 pages each). That's four different girls meet four different boys and four happy endings. Yes, there are Christian undertones, so if you don't want to read about faith and finding God than this is not a book for you.
As a Christian, myself I feel reading stories like this strengthen my relationship with God.
Here is a little teaser about each story.
1. A photographer and a columnist for a fashion magazine are sent to Milan to get stories about Fashing Week there. The photographer is ver impatient and unfriendly. Will he learn patience and even love, while in Italy?
2. A girl goes to Italy to experience a romance great like her Grandmothers. She is so furious though, when her boyfriend shows up, she thinks he stalking her. What kind of romance will she find in Italy? What does she discover about her grandmother's romance?
3. A movie actress receives a letter from her long lost grandfather in Italy, who disowned his son for marrying another woman. The daughter of that marraige is orphaned and making a career as a movie actress. She has lost sight of God alone the way. Will she remember how to be a good Christian? Will she forgive her grandfather? Will she fall in love?
4. The last story is about a girl whose grandmother just died and her fiance just broke up with her. (Talk about bad days!) She is invited to come to Italy and stay with her grandmother's best friend. Little does she know that she is being set up with the woman's son, who has vowed never to marry. What will happen? Will she find love in Italy? If so, will it be with Nick who has vowed never to marry? What is his secret?
Great stories, that are fast and easy to read. Wonderful if you are developing your faith.
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Christian book alert
Rating (1)
Date: 2006-04-12
1 out of 6 customers found this reveiw helpful
if you are not into "Christian Literature" this book is not for you.
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Good
Rating (4)
Date: 2004-11-24
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This is a highly enjoyable read for the romance fans. The Christian themes only add to these short pleasures.
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"From Italy with Love"
Rating (5)
Date: 2004-03-08
2 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
"From Italy with Love' contains four novellas, each portraying different cities in Italy. The history lessons are great and of course what better place than Italy for romance. Each heroine found love and most importantly a greater relationship with God. In "The Lure of Capri," Ryan and terri were both able to grow and the proposal was one othe most romantic I've read. I am ready to get out my learn Italian cd.
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by Tau Malachi
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (2005-01-01)
ISBN: 0738705918
EAN: 9780738705910
Dewy Decimal #: 299.932
Paperback: 432 pages
SKU: 121808012
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...no markings or highlighting...curled cover
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Product Description
The noble idea of the Christian Kabbalah is not so much the worship of Jesus Christ, but rather a conscious evolution toward a divine or super-humanity. In this regard, Christian Kabbalah is quite different from its Jewish roots, and Gnostic Christianity is very different from orthodox Christianity. Both are about experiencing God and evolving toward God, rather than just studying theology.
This groundbreaking work is the first to present the Christian Gnosis of the Kabbalah in a practical and deeply esoteric way. It takes the reader from the basic ideas of the Kabbalah to in-depth explorations of the Tree of Life. Gnostic legends and myths of the Holy Mother, St. Lazarus, St. Mary Magdalene, and Jesus are woven into the study of the Holy Sefirot as well as commentaries on the Ten Commandments and The Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount.
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Customer Reviews
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Gnosis for a New Christos
Rating (4)
Date: 2008-10-08
Gnosis of the Cosmic Christ - A Gnostic Christian Kabbalah by Tau Malachi
Published by Llewellyn Worldwide
This lengthy work is well researched and written by someone who has been an initiate and a devotee and has been a practicing Gnostic Christian and Kabbalist for well over 30 years, and that alone should tell you that this is a work for someone who is searching on a much deeper level than someone else just interested in a quick overview of the subject.
What sets this book ahead of other works of similar nature is that the work is presented in the light of intense study of the Old Testament and the source works of the Jewish Kabbalah. There has always been the attempt to connect the two - Christian Mysticism and the Kabbalah, but they have always fallen more than a bit short of achieving that goal. However, Malachi eben Ha-Elijah has done a tremendously commendable job of not just connecting, but building a solid structure that is bound to exist for some years to come.
However, due to the depth of research, this is not a book that can be read just once, and the meaning understood, or the finer points discerned. This is a book that will have to be read, noted, contemplated and read again at a later date. I myself have gone through it at least three times and I am continually amazed that I find yet another aspect if this subject brought to light, I tend to like such books, as they seem timeless...what was meant to be discerned at one point of my life is now something else down the road, and another reading brings out yet another point. A very useful tool for the true seeker.
One other way that I determine the usefulness and authenticity of a work, newly published, is to peruse the bibliography and see if the author has indeed `done their homework' insofar as the number of works and the depth of the titles utilized, and one could spend a lifetime of reading just the bibliography. That alone tells me that this is a work that will be referred to for decades to come by those wishing to delve deep into the study of the Gnosis of the Cosmic Christ.
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A must read for a seeker of the spiritual side of Christianity
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-03-31
This book is excellent, and I would highly recommend it. It can sometimes be a little hard to follow if you are not familiar with Gnostic terminology, but it is well worth learning it for the benefits of this book.
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A Bridge is Forming
Rating (4)
Date: 2007-10-30
3 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
This is one of those rare books that starts bridging the gap between seemingly different worlds.
Kabbalah (with Tantra) is probably one of the most important concepts forgotton by modern man. It is an ancient wisdom that could open so many doors to our inner selves.
Gnosis of the Cosmic Christ - although a difficult read at some stages - is an important book, as it brings Kabbalah, Gnosticism and Christianity togeteher, as it should be.
Highly recommended.
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Phenomenal Book, Wonderfully Written
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-10-09
4 out of 4 customers found this reveiw helpful
Finding myself - like so many others - not completely satisfied with contemporary Christian teachings, and left with a feeling that "there must be something more", I recently began undertaking a study of mystical traditions, including Kabbalah.
When I first began reading "Gnosis..." I found the material very heavy and a bit much to absorb, but even then there were passages that stood out to me and resonated with a deep, emphatic 'YES!'.
I explored a number of similarly-themed books, but none left me with a feeling of having experienced profound spiritual truths as I had with "Gnosis...", so I returned to Tau Malachi's book. I believe the brief departure was exactly what I needed. Having time to absorb the concepts of the Sephirot, Olamot, and a number of other elements, I've been able to continue my reading with greater ease. I believe that this book warrants this type of earnest study and reflection - especially for one like myself who is just beginning their journey. I am, once again, experiencing the 'YES!'
I cannot possibly recommend this book enough...it is simply incredible!
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Truly magnificent introduction to the Sephirot!
Rating (4)
Date: 2007-08-06
3 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
This is probably the best book I've read so far for an overview of the Kabbalah and the emanations of the Sephirot.
As you read it, you can feel the wisdom on each page. Tau Malachi is a modern master who shares the truth of the Kabbalah without getting all "new-agey" and wandering far from the ancient truths that have been passed down from true disciples.
Highly recommended!
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by John Eidsmoe
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Crossway Books (1984-07)
ISBN: 0891073132
EAN: 9780891073130
Dewy Decimal #: 261.7
Paperback: 239 pages
SKU: 091308024
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...no markings or highlighting...minor wear on cover
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by Miles J. Stanford
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Zondervan (1981-07-09)
ISBN: 0310330017
EAN: 9780310330011
UPC: 025986330019
Dewy Decimal #: 248
Paperback: 96 pages
SKU: 051908036
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...No Underlining or Highlighting...
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Product Description
This is the first book in the author's series on Christian maturity.
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Customer Reviews
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Reply to Kirk Bozeman
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-04-23
A friend and I talked about Mr. Bozeman's comment via email. His reply to me was truly great and I thought I would share it here. Please note that his comment was not written to be read by anyone but me, so I apologize for his direct and somewhat confrontational language and format. AS
Stanford had some very narrow, "old-school" Dispensational views not held by the mainstream of scholars today (at least the ones I've seen),
(This is an absolutely accurate assessment of Miles' dispensational understanding. His is a classic, Lewis S. Chafer, C. H. Mackintosh, John N. Darby, Patrick Fairbairn dispensational approach to Biblical interpretation. That is not what the current staff of Dallas Seminary or its recent graduates are teaching and following. Theirs is usually called Progressive Dispensationalism.)
and it shows in the way he understood Paul (especially) and the whole of Scripture in light of his writings, and is the undercurrent for this book.
(Again, absolutely true; however, the book is a compilation of letters from his file on subjects that he repeatedly addressed in answer to inquiries from people world-wide who wrote to him for clarification and Biblical understanding.)
(This is more evident in the "Complete" version, but not as evident in the "slim" version, which I feel is a bit deceptive to the reader, since the "slim" is more widely-read.)
This statement is purely based on ignorance. The "slim" version is the first book that Miles wrote in this series under the title Principles of Spiritual Growth. It was a grand primer for a new Christian. Later, that was expanded to The Green Letters, a broader set of letters in answer to more questions than were addressed in Principles of Spiritual Growth. Yet another book was issued called The Red Letters. Those were all combined by the publishers into The Complete Green Letters. Miles originally had his small books printed in Hong Kong and distributed entirely out of his small home office.
Whatever you do with this fact, (The only "fact" that he has mentioned is that Stanford does not embrace the Progressive Dispensational interpretation, but accepts and teaches the Darby, Mackintosh, Newell, Chafer interpretation)
the practical outworking of this ideology ("This ideology" begs for definition. On the surface it appears to mean `that dispensational understanding of the Brethren who defined it' compared with the understanding that is now taught and adopted by more recent teachers and preachers. For practical purposes that would be staff additions at DTS after Chafer's death and others who hold to the ideology of Progressive Dispensationalism, Covenant/Reformed/Calvinistic/Historical Dispensationalism as compared to Doctrinal Dispensationalism as an interpretive system)
for Stanford results in a very unbiblical view of sanctification (which may be defined by . . .?)
that makes it difficult to reconcile (The writer should have added; "that makes it difficult for me to reconcile)
many New Testament passages. It is difficult for me at this point to believe that the apostle Paul would have instructed believers to walk the way that Stanford does: the classic "let go and let God" mentality. (What does the writer object to about "let go and let God"?)
Stanford dresses this in very intelligent writing, drawing a very attractive, powerful picture of his "system". But, pretty as it may be, I now believe this line of thinking to be unbiblical. (He has made a serious claim without example or definition; or, as a lawyer might say; `based on facts not in evidence.')
This kind of teaching (Again, a claim without definition that must be taken as any form of "let go and let God" do His work in you.)
can lead believers to self-deception, replacing repentance, active faith, and active seeking of God with a "seated-in-heaven-spirituality" that is not allowed to examine itself, bordering on perfectionism and deep-seated in esoteric "breaking" experiences that simply will not happen in the life of every believer. (Miles Stanford taught throughout his life and ministry that the Believer's life and walk started with his union with Christ in His death [Romans 6] and his resurrection to new creation life in the risen Jesus. Further, that the source of his life here moved from Earth to Heaven when the Lord ascended 10 days prior to Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Spirit. His life in the Grand Assembly began on Pentecost with the indwelling Holy Spirit, who had positionally sanctified forever the believer from the world and into Jesus the moment he believed, and who now indwells every Believer accepted in the Beloved. Now that I am accepted and forgiven, and that my sins are forgotten forever; it would be more than foolish for me to believe that any thought or act of `repentance' on my part would, or could, move God to do what more on my behalf? All has been done! For the Lord said on the Cross, "It is finished.")
"Active faith"--does that, can that mean anything other than faith which emanates from within oneself? Was it my faith that actuated the grace of God that saved me, or was it the faith of the Only Begotten Son of God in the will of the Father that moved in my life to bring me to salvation? Most assuredly, as Miles himself taught me, it was the will of the Father and the faith of the Son who wrought my salvation in the eternal counsels of the past. So, I have been seated "in Him" since before the foundations of the world. John, in his first general epistle, begs us to clear thinking on this, as he states; "he who says he has no sin deceives himself."
"Active seeking of God"--There is that word "active" again; this time attached to "seeking of God." It appears to mean that there is within man some capacity to turn one's self towards God and `actively' attempt to find and reach Him. If Scripture is to be believed, `there is none righteous, no not one' [Romans 3] and `there is not the [man] that understands, there is not one that seeks after God' [Romans 3:11 Darby]. The alternative to self-searching, self-seeking, pursuit of God is to stop! And, then let God wrap you in His arms at the feet of the risen Savior in Heaven, from where your life flows in torrents of living water; sustaining you until that moment when He comes and claims His Bride and removes Her to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
"Not allowed to examine itself?"--A pitiful bit of fiction at best, an attempt to distract from central issues, perhaps; a failure to read what Miles Stanford consistently wrote, or the expression of one already committed to the Armenian view that man has within him the ability to lay hold of God and claim his salvation based on his self-assessment and relative remorse and repentance. Miles' life was a series that consisted of the Hound of Heaven, hunting him down, finding him out, and dragging him from the mire of brokenness, onto the ground of peace. He cautioned us repeatedly that becoming self-absorbed took us deeper into the woods and away from the light of instruction and growth. That would lead, said he, to self-inflicted pain, and discipline by a loving Father. Better to examine yourself (the very essence of the Lord's Table) to make sure that what you testify to before your brothers and sisters in Christ is your soul bared and His righteousness appropriated.
Be careful with this book! Don't forget that the same Paul who said, "you were made to die to the Law... to bear fruit for God" also said "I beat my body and make it my slave". Again, the same Paul who wrote so much concerning our certainty of and blessing from being "in Christ" said that he was still striving to be found Him, still striving to be conformed to His death, and still striving to be conformed to His resurrection. (But, you missed the point that he was striving against himself, against the Old Sin Nature within to which he died in Christ through union, the conformity that he wished to attain, as so with the resurrection to new creation life of which Christ was the "First fruit")
There is no lack of certainty of heaven or of being presently "in Christ" here in Paul's statements. They simply point to the reality that (Practical or conditional) sanctification is a process that MUST BE "worked out" through faithful obedience as God "works in". It doesn't just happen by "reckoning" once we "get to the end of ourselves" as "The Green Letters" describes. (Thankfully, once I `got to the end of my self by realizing that I died to sin and self, then my Position in Christ became by condition in life through declaring myself to be dead to the power of sin in my life [blessed Reckoning) free from the Law of sin and death, and free to serve God by considering (Reckoning) my life to be expendable in service of my savior--just as my late mentor was finally able to drive into my aging brain. I thank Miles J. Stanford, who is as important to our age and day as was Martin Luther to the Reformation.
CB
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Highly recommended for new Christians
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-02-26
Although a Christian for a number of years, I never heard teaching like this. The reformed churches stifle "grace teaching" even though they throw in the word 'grace' into the mix once in a while. Positional teaching like this has opened my eyes to all that I am in Christ already--there is nothing left for me to do but believe and appropriate all that is mine. This is foundational faith teaching that I wish I would have heard as a new Christian but am nonetheless thankful to have come across it.
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Really good and radical description of grace
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-05-16
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
I read this for the first time when I was only 18 - and it helped to shape my view of God's grace
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No longer comfortable with "Letters".
Rating  (2)
Date: 2005-03-21
8 out of 14 customers found this reveiw helpful
I originally wrote a "glowing" review for this book, but I have since done much rethinking. Stanford may have some good things to say in "Letters" (if generalized and taken out of his context, frankly), but I am now uneasy about much of what this book teaches.
Stanford had some very narrow, "old-school" Dispensational views not held by the mainstream of scholars today (at least the ones I've seen), and it shows in the way he understood Paul (especially) and the whole of Scripture in light of his writings, and is the undercurrent for this book. (This is more evident in the "Complete" version, but not as evident in the "slim" version, which I feel is a bit deceptive to the reader, since the "slim" is more widely-read.) Whatever you do with this fact, the practical outworking of this ideology for Stanford results in a very unbiblical view of sanctification that makes it difficult to reconcile many New Testament passages. It is difficult for me at this point to believe that the apostle Paul would have instructed believers to walk the way that Stanford does: the classic "let go and let God" mentality. Stanford dresses this in very intelligent writing, drawing a very attractive, powerful picture of his "system". But, pretty as it may be, I now believe this line of thinking to be unbiblical. This kind of teaching can lead believers to self-deception, replacing repentance, active faith, and active seeking of God with a "seated-in-heaven-spirituality" that is not allowed to examine itself, bordering on perfectionism and deep-seated in esoteric "breaking" experiences that simply will not happen in the life of every believer.
Be careful with this book! Don't forget that the same Paul who said, "you were made to die to the Law... to bear fruit for God" also said "I beat my body and make it my slave". Again, the same Paul who wrote so much concerning our certainty of and blessing from being "in Christ" said that he was still striving to be found Him, still striving to be conformed to His death, and still striving to be conformed to His resurrection. There is no lack of certainty of heaven or of being presently "in Christ" here in Paul's statements. They simply point to the reality that sanctification is a process that MUST BE "worked out" through faithful obedience as God "works in". It doesn't just happen by "reckoning" once we "get to the end of ourselves" as "The Green Letters" describes.
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Basic and Inspirational for Mature or Maturing Christians
Rating (4)
Date: 1999-09-30
7 out of 7 customers found this reveiw helpful
This book is basic and inspirational for mature or maturing Christian. It can be summarized as: "Not I, but Christ who lives in me." I first read it in 1981 and have returned to it 5 or 6 times over the years. Now I am considering its use in discipling others. Each reading is short enough to be read devotionally. He doesn't waste words. Very appropriate and non-flowery language marshalling each word to clarify his point.
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by Frederick Fyvie Bruce
Product Group: Book
Publisher: InterVarsity Press (1983-06)
ISBN: 0877849277
EAN: 9780877849278
Dewy Decimal #: 232.954
Paperback: 265 pages
SKU: 041708018
Condition: Used: Good
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
F.F. Bruce examines seventy of the hard saying of Jesus to clear away the cultural and historical difficulties which keep us from grappling with the real challenge of Jesus' message. Evident is Bruce's keen evangelical scholarship and pastoral insight.
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Customer Reviews
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The REAL JESUS is LORD.
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-08-29
0 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
Want a REAL look at JESUS of NAZERETH? These sayings give us an insight as to WHO HE IS.ALL GOOD and FORGIVING!! these are TRUTH,LIFE,LOVE. something we can REALLY sink our teeth into.GOD of ALL CREATION.
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Solid Interpretations of Hard Sayings
Rating (4)
Date: 2008-04-04
2 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
I believe this book provides solid interpretations of the hard sayings of Jesus. The material is written from a perspective I share and find most important: that the Bible's recordings of Jesus' words are accurate and trustworthy, and that Jesus is who he said he was. From that perspective, one has to then deal with Jesus' teachings seriously, and they call those who believe in him to a radically different life than most of the world. Each chapter gives contextual information from the time in history of Jesus' earthly ministry, and also the context of what Jesus is saying within the particular Bible story being told.
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Extremely enjoyable, if not flawed, book
Rating (4)
Date: 2007-11-25
5 out of 6 customers found this reveiw helpful
"The Hard Sayings of Jesus" is a well written & edited volume that is an enjoyable, if not slightly flawed, book. It is a nice gateway to begin the journey into the more difficult teachings of Jesus, from those with confusing meanings due to linguistic, historical, and cultural barriers to those with all to clear of meanings that challenge our own comforts.
While Jesus and his teachings are the focal point of the New Testament it must be noted with a touch of irony that the sayings of Jesus are not only the most challenging texts to follow as a disciple but can also be the most difficult ones to properly interpret. "The Hard Sayings of Jesus" by the late F.F. Bruce addresses both of these issues by introducing the reader to a host of problematic passages, providing a concise survey of the major points of debate, and then offers his best suggestion(s) to resolve the issue(s).
The format of the book is excellent and engaging, selecting 70 sayings almost exclusively from the Synoptic Gospels in roughly chronological order. The chapters average about three and a half pages so they are quite digestible, leaving you time to ponder and debate what you just read or squeeze in one... or two or three!... more chapters. Between the breadth of knowledge Bruce brings into his surveys, the intrigue of the sayings of Jesus, and the format of the book I found this short tome difficult to put down.
The strength of the book is Bruce did an ample job of surveying the most commonly acknowledged difficult or divisive sayings and concisely touches on a number of issues surrounding the saying before offering his own take on the issue--which are frequently quite good.
While the format of the book is to be praised it would have been helpful to the reader if each chapter ended with a bibliography of current research to continue further study. While it is unfair to demerit the excellent format of the volume the audience, which seems to be aimed at serious Bible students and undergraduate Seminarians, would have benefited significantly if the volume was presented as a gateway to deeper study. Bruce is obviously well versed in all the relevant material and is a master on the topic, an extended bibliography for further study would have been an excellent addition. As it stands, the current volume finds itself as a meager gateway to engaging the topics at a superficial level and left to hunt down the relevant works in other resources.
The target audience is confusing. Above I noted that it appears to be aimed at serious students of the Bible and undergraduate Bible students. Bruce does not hesitate to dialogue on issues like Gospel Source Theories (Q and the like), reference the Aramaic background of Jesus' sayings, and [infrequently] engage liberal-critical scholarship about the "originality" of certain sayings. Yet, due to the format, this is all done at a fairly superficial level--which is begging for thorough documentation. Yet the current format is a dead end in this regards, leaving the reader no direct way to further engage these issues. Furthermore, the book contains very little Greek which is surprising considering the audience and the helpfulness it could offer at times. Instead the reader is typically treated to arguments like, "The AV says... but the RSV renders better". Considering the audience it would have been worthwhile to dig directly into the Greek of the sayings. Those caveats noted, the book still remains accessible to the lay reader. While some concepts may be foreign and readers will have to take Bruce at his word, the writing is excellent and Bruce does a nice job of presenting ideas without assuming the reader will be formally acquainted with such concepts.
Which leads me to some of my major grinds with this book. In many ways I feel the book should be re-titled, "A Modern Christian Perspective on the Difficult Sayings of Jesus". The book dabbles just enough in difficult ideas -- Jesus spoke Aramaic, logia and source theory, Jewish background of the sayings, critical assessment of the originality of sayings -- without thoroughly engaging these issues when they not only offer significant contributions to the topic of discussion but also are deserving of a more thorough response and interaction. While a more thorough bibliography would have alleviated this issue, the current form of the book feels like a treaty aimed to engage these issues just enough to bypass them on the way to the conclusion. This is a disservice to the reader as they come away with the impression that these issues are resolved and have been adequately been addressed. I applaud Bruce for broaching these topics, but the current format doesn't lend itself to a very balanced treatment of every saying.
This leads further into the one area I found significantly lacking in this volume: The Jewishness of Jesus.
Jesus was born a Jew and lived a Jewish life. He is well acquainted not only with the Hebrew Bible but the Jewish teachings of his day -- of which he interacts with regularly and form and central theme in his conflicts with the Jewish sects of his time. Authors like Brad Young, E.P. Sanders, David Flussner, and David Daube among others have penned significant contributions in this field of study over the last four decades yet this volume only lightly engages these issues. This is not to say Bruce completely ignores this area of study, but I found the treatment in this volume completely lacking. Part of the difficulty found in Jesus' sayings is they are part of an inner-household conflict. Without fully understanding the positions Jesus disagreed with, and notably the many issues he agreed with his contemporaries, the reader isn't given a full appreciation of the thoroughness of Jesus' teachings. This is a significant aspect of understanding Jesus in his historical perspective: Jesus the Jew, not Jesus the Christian.
An example to illustrate this point is found in chapter 8 (Matthew 5:17ff) where the difficulty isn't with the saying, but with Christian theology and Pauline interpretation (p.42). Unfortunately Bruce mischaracterizes Jesus relationship to Rabbinic teachings (p.44) when he says, "It is plain that Jesus did not accept the Rabbinical interpretation of the law. Indeed, he charged the scribes, the acknowledged students and teachers of the law, with 'transgressing the commandment of God for the sake of their tradition'". This is followed by a reference to Matthew 15:2 and Matthew 24:4. While this typecasting fits quite well with traditional Christian views of Jesus and his conflict with his contemporaries, it is quite out of place with the historical Jesus. Ironically, the context of the passages in which Bruce is commenting (Matthew chapters 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount) are full of teachings that are paralleled in Rabbinic literature. Chapter 5 Brad Young's recent book, "Meet the Rabbis" is dedicated to the parallels in the Sermon on the Mount. While no one would argue that Jesus agreed with the Rabbis on every point, it is inaccurate to say that Jesus diverged radically with Rabbinical interpretation of the Law. For the same Jesus who sharply criticizes the Pharisees is also found engaging them in dialogue frequently, expressing common teachings found about the Rabbis, and even saying, "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach" (Matthew 23:2f). Of course, back the chapter 8 of the book, Bruce uses his general argument to put Jesus against the Jews and the Law, ethical versus ceremonial, and dismissing the "least of the commandments" on the basis of, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice". Yet was it not Jesus who said, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices-- mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-- justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former" (Matthew 23:23).
Jesus is a complex person and his teachings, like those on the Law above, aren't always concisely identified as either/or. As in the above example (truly, "Jesus and the Law" is a topic unto itself) Bruce's approach is outmoded and inaccurate. His initial frustration isn't with Jesus, but with his understanding of Paul, and gravitates towards Jesus tension with the religious leaders of his time, and not the law himself. His dismissal of Jesus connection with the Judaism of his time is quite flippant (and incorrect), and his approach to the issue is cast in traditional Christian apology and "either/or" rhetoric.
The difficult say of Jesus wasn't addressed in its proper historical setting but instead sidestepped with traditional Christian dogma.
On rare occasion Bruce's discussion boarders on the absurd. Chapter 10, "Adultery in the Heart" (Matt 5:28) is an example where Bruce overreaches in his conclusion (to score political correctness points?). Bruce is correct in using this as an example of where Jesus looks "inward" to intensify the demands of the Law, and he dutifully notes that the 10th commandment broaches the topic of coveting/desire of another person's spouse in the broader sense (Job 31:1 covers the lust of the eyes as well). But the conclusion, where he references the Pope with the provocative suggestion that one can commit adultery with ones own wife is laughable. While few would disagree with his point about treating women as sex objects (and Jesus did have an elevated and respectful view of women compared to society), the emphasis Bruce places on "woman" misses the point that the word Jesus chooses in "adultery" (instead of fornication or another word of the like) is defined as relations with the spouse of another individual. Further, what is "lust" in one context is frequently "desire" in a positive context in other passages--and is translated appropriately. While his attempt at nuance is appreciated, it is lost in the bigger picture in the use of "lustfully" in the New Testament as well as the distinction between fornication and adultery. All the while making a point which distracts from the thrust of Jesus argument: adultery is a condition of the heart long before it sprouts forth in the flesh (a process Jesus' brother James elaborates on in James 1:14f). Desire for a woman other than your wife is the root of adultery and it must be addressed there. While some may see this complaint as overly critical, the reality is Christianity, and notably Catholicism, has had a slanted view toward the holiness of sex and chapters like this do little to address this issue properly and, instead, create more artificial barriers. Bruce's conclusion falls well outside the primary domain of what the words of Jesus were intended to convey.
In the end this nifty little volume by the late F.F. Bruce is an enjoyable read that offers a solid starting point to engage some of the more difficult texts in the New Testament. It isn't exhaustive nor conclusively resolve many issues, but it does broaden the readers appreciation for the time & place of the original events as well as identify some of the baggage historical interpretations often bring to the text. If you enjoy wrestling with the teachings of Jesus you should enjoy this book--just remember to use it as a springboard for further study and not a final authority on the issue.
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Not the best for confronting cultists
Rating (1)
Date: 2005-09-21
8 out of 17 customers found this reveiw helpful
If you are looking for "Short and Snappy Answers to Defeat the Cultist on your Doorstep", this is not the book you want.
While each Saying is considered in a brief page or two, the style of this book is to discuss and analyze the text very closely, but so closely that the discussion bogs down into such things as transitive vs intransitive verbs, etc. Yes, it explains the subtlety of the text but in such detail that the answer can only be appreciated by a Believer. Unfortunately, I find that it does not answer my questions about the Hard Sayings of Jesus very well either.
Nothing in this book equps me to answer the Hard Questions of the Cultist who stands on the street corner passing out tracts or comes to my door offering "The Truth". On such occasions, which often degenerate into a theological streetfight, I need to use the Word as a sword. Therefore, I want a big sword not a magnifying glass.
As a Christian, I appreciate this book as it requires me to ponder the depth and richness of God's Word. But this is not the book to present to a skeptic who needs simpler, more direct, less obtuse answers to his or her questions.
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An excellent book to determine personal dedication to Christ.
Rating (5)
Date: 2005-07-12
12 out of 13 customers found this reveiw helpful
I have used this book as the basis for more than one study on personal commitment to Christ. This is where "the rubber meets the road." Are you willing to accept Jesus' way of living, or are you content to offer him lip service and slog along in the muck of worldliness? As Bruce says, "Any attempt to soften the meaning of Christ's words is probably wrong" (my paraphrase). My only problem with the book is that it brings me up against myself,...and I am often found wanting.
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by John R. Donahue
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Liturgical Press (2004-08)
ISBN: 0814627854
EAN: 9780814627853
Dewy Decimal #: 242.3
Paperback: 144 pages
SKU: 052408011
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...No Underlining or Highlighting...minor wear on cover
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Product Description
The commentaries on the Lectionary readings in Hearing the Word of God are an attempt not only to hear the Word of God in Scripture but also to suggest ways that the Sunday readings might continue to nurture faith and life. Inevitably they reflect the time in which they were first written--as a popular weekly column in America from November 2000 to Advent 2001. Hearing the Word of God includes Scripture readings for the Sunday, followed by a reflection on the reading, and concludes with "Praying with Scripture," a series of questions and meditations to guide readers in making a personal application of the reflection.
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by Charles W. Colson, Nancy Pearcey, Harold Fickett
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (1999-09-01)
ISBN: 0842318089
EAN: 9780842318082
Dewy Decimal #: 261
Hardcover: 592 pages
SKU: 092808018
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...no markings or highlighting...minor wear on dustjacket
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Christianity is more than a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is also a worldview that not only answers life's basic questions--Where did we come from, and who are we? What has gone wrong with the world? What can we do to fix it?--but also shows us how we should live as a result of those answers. How Now Shall We Live? gives Christians the understanding, the confidence, and the tools to confront the world's bankrupt worldviews and to restore and redeem every aspect of contemporary culture: family, education, ethics, work, law, politics, science, art, music. This book will change every Christian who reads it. It will change the church in the new millennium.
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Amazon.com Review
How Now Shall We Live was the heart cry of a people who lived during the Jewish exile from the Promised Land, yet it is no less the unspoken prayer of the faithful today. As author Chuck Colson puts it, "We live in a culture that is at best morally indifferent ... in which Judeo-Christian values are mocked ... in which violence, banality, meanness, and disintegrating personal behavior are destroying civility and endangering the very life of our communities." It is no small wonder that Colson--the founder of Prison Fellowship Ministries and author of several renowned Christian works--considers this book the most important work of his life. America, Colson states, is now in a post-Judeo-Christian era. Technically, this is what "postmodernism" means. In a generation in which the most respected brands of thought about reality declare that "God is dead," it is clear that a faith-based worldview does not prevail. So how do we teach our children that belief in God is respectable and intelligent? How do we fulfill our mandate to make "disciples of all nations" when friends and coworkers find the Christian perspective foolhardy and--in terms of rational thought--almost insane? Most important, how do we renew our entire culture, especially as it infects the global community, with the "common grace" of reinstating a prevailing belief in God and in His moral order? These questions' implications are far-reaching, and Colson's thorough inquiry is a ready match for the challenge. In effect, this book delivers a logical, more than just "because the Bible says so" framework for interpreting the Gospel to the postmodern world, while also illustrating the vision for a culture based entirely on Biblical principles--powerful tools, indeed. Christians are taught to love God with all their hearts, all their strength, and all their minds. How Now Shall We Live emphasizes that not to use one's mind in this idea-saturated culture is to abandon dying neighbors to bleed by the side of the road while going about one's religious way. As Colson puts it, "turning our backs on the culture ... denies God's sovereignty over all of life." It's this compassionate severity and prodding intelligence that make this book not only a good read, but a life-changing one as well. --Courtenay Gebhardt
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Customer Reviews
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Great exposition on social issues from a Christian Perspective
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-11-19
Charles Colsen is one of the better analytical and thought provoking commentators on cultural issues from a Christian perspective. This book is very readable but gives deep insights into how Christians can live out a biblical worldview in modern times.
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Who Will Read It?
Rating (4)
Date: 2008-08-25
0 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This excellent book has over 500 pages - over 600 pages including the Study Guide. If it could somehow be condensed to under 300 pages I think more people would be apt to read it.
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A Great Worldview Primer for Discipleship
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-06-18
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
As my title suggests, Colson's book would be a great worldview primer for discipleship purposes. In a day and age where people believe that creation is an accident and God is a non-issue, we have to begin by demonstrating that it is more logical to look to a Creator than to presume that all of creation is a coincidence, what Colson called pre-evangelism.
To take it a step further, many people in the church don't even have a Biblical worldview. This book equips you to begin spiritual formation of one's worldview -- and will help alter your own as well.
Having Nancy Pearcey on board for this book is a God-send. Colson's past work has had a tendency to be rather dry and laborious. Pearcey's contribution is a noticeable difference as the book flows and reads very well. Every section is broken up into smaller sections that are typically no more than a few pages, which makes it easy to set goals and get through this book -- don't let it's size discourage you!
While I sometimes felt Colson was far too staunchly evangelical, I'm glad I read it and recommend it for anyone struggling to define or help others realize a proper Christian worldview.
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Excellent inspiration for all
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-02-27
What an excellent and well-argued book. If only everyone, whether Christian or not, would read and consider this book how much better our society would be. The values expressed here far surpass what any governmental program or programs could ever hope to achieve. Well worth taking the time to read thoughtfully and ACT ON.
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An excellent resource
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-12-10
This book is a must for anyone seeking a clear perspective on the worldview multiplicities that have become the norm in American culture. Well written and researched (a Colson trademark), it is full of powerful illustrations as well as ordered arguments for the enduring truth of the Judeo-Christian worldview.
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by Robert A. Morey
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (1983-01)
ISBN: 087123260X
EAN: 9780871232601
Dewy Decimal #: 230.93
Paperback: 119 pages
SKU: 041708007
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: pages are normally yellowing or tanning with age.
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Do you find yourself on the defensive when a Mormon team knocks at your door?You probably wonder: Should I let them in? How can I tell them to go away without being unkind? Shall I try to witness to them? What should I say? This book tells you exactly what to expect, what to reply and how to be a witness to your faith. The first section explains an effective witnessing method and shows how the materials in the book are to be used. The second section clearly presents eight selected false prophecies of Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, from documented sources. These will help you to center the discussion on the real issue, religious authority, and will become the basis for refuting the whole Mormon system and presenting the truth of the Bible. A helpful tool for evangelizing Mormons
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Customer Reviews
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sick of the mormon reviews on "non-faith promoting" books
Rating (5)
Date: 2003-02-03
7 out of 10 customers found this reveiw helpful
After reading the Mormon reviews of this book and other "anti-non -mormon faith promoting books,I just had to say "HOW ..." Instead of making the dumb excuses and stupid comments, why don't you LDS followers provide some facts about the "truth" of Mormonism. Give some good, (use your brain now, not your warm, fuzzy feelings)solid facts and evidence. And yes, Mormonism does rest on one man, Joseph Smith Jr. He made up the book of mormon, the doctrine and covenants, pearl of great price, and his "corrected" bible. Those "standard works" all come from him. And no Mormon can say "the Journal of Discourses isn't a reliable source" because in the "Milennial Star" it is quoted as being "one of the standard works" right up there with the others. Brigham Young said it was scripture when he sent it out. I'm just so sick of reading these ... Mormon reviews of nonsense. If the book they read is so wrong, then shed some light on the subject, give some logical information, not a bunch of stupid remarks.
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Walter Martin reincarnation?
Rating (1)
Date: 2000-11-21
10 out of 19 customers found this reveiw helpful
One Protestant leader in a lecture compared Robert A. Morey to that of Walter Martin. I would agree, from a comparison of this title with Martin's KINGDOM OF THE CULTS. Both are suprisingly lacking of scholarship, though this is far worse. Martin is today a joke among LDS scholars at BYU (esp. FARMS), and this book would fare much better. It is an egregious title, quite simply.I come onto the Protestant Evangelist VS. Latter-day Saint debate with little bias, for I am wouldn't call myself either at the present time. For the Protestants (in their unusual epistemology) start witht he position to prove Mormonism wrong and "help" them, before analysing the LDS church on a factual level, this book will be a blessing. The problem? I feel that though this book has the ring of truth it is in turn specious. When I purchased and glazed through this book, I came to the rather obvious inference that this book was whipped together rather quickly. In earlier times my friends and I used to humorously joke that we whipped homework together "on the bus on the way to school," I would say Morey did just that (in a symbolic manor) -- this book doesn't have the thorough scholarship that is needed to tackle the 'big leagues' of LDS scholarship and apologetics in FARMS, FAIR, even SHIELDS. The essay by two extremely bright indivuals titled "Mormon Scholarship and Evangelical Neglect" which is a detailed analysis of the current lack of ANY scholarship to respond to LDS is a valid cause for concern which this book does not fill. The book is divided into two sections. Part 1 is a "how to use this book" which gives a brief discription of the LDS church from an Evangelical perspective, and then continues to give nine "documented" false prophecies. A found a number of statements in Part 1 to be unusual and noteworthy. First, he states that Mormons are "disciples of Joseph Smith" (pg. 12). In all my studies of LDS doctrine, history, and culture, I have yet to read a LDS refer to him/herself as a "disciple of Joseph Smith." (Though they do refer to themselves as disciples of Jesus quite often). Morey then continues (ibid.) to give tell us "A Christian needs to understand what a 'cult' is." His definition is what I refer to as the "Protestant" one, as there is no set in stone definition of cult and a Mormon could easily turn around and make a definition that makes Protestants to be "cultists" and in a "cult" while LDS are excluded from this definition. Mormonism has many similarities to the early church: is the early church a cult? Morey basically argues that any church that doesn't view the Bible as #1 authority, 100% is a cult, yet the early church didn't even have a Bible -- not some three hundred years after Christ where the century long debate concerning book authority was finally clamped down upon. I have a hard time believing the canon is the work of God or closed. Morey then continues and tells us that a Christian "must understand that Mormonism is a cult." Circular reasoning--yes. He then states that Mormonism is "built entirely upon Joseph Smith" -- this statement is ENTIRELY not true. Mormonism is based upon the standard works (KJV, BOM, D&C, PGP), past and present general authorities. It would be like me turning back at Morey and saying that "Protestantism is built entirely upon Paul of Tarsus." Morey's first false prophecy (hereby FP) is concerning Jesus' return and Joseph Smith's teachings concerning it. The 1891 issue is clearly a conditional prophecy (hmmm...similar to Jonah's escapades), while other's concern Jesus coming "soon" and "not many days hence", etc. etc. We must recall that the NT speaks of Jesus coming back "soon" and even before everyone from that generation dies. While scholars such as Witherington and Sproul have done detailed examinations of eschatology, Morey's comparisons are hypocritical. FP#2 concerns the 12 tribes of Israel. I admit to having never studied that and its relation to Mormonism, so I would examine his criticisms in that area. Next though, is his "moon man" FP criticism. Morey's analysis is horrible. His only first person (or Hyrum, Joseph Smith's brother) quotations come from a source dated around 40 years after Joseph Smith's death. Morey's arguments about the LDS trip to Salem are not given a time-limit and can yet occur. For the others I have yet to discuss, I again admit to ignorance concerning them. Though all of the alleged false prophecies of Joseph Smith seem to me to have about all the substance of most of the alleged contradictions of the Bible and false prophecies of the Bible. Morey concludes by writing "what should evey Mormon know" (pg. 117) where he quotes some biblical passages. I found his statement that we cannot be saved by baptism to be odd. It seems many Protestants believe in "decisionism" -- that one must make the sinners prayer (or similar) and/or they are saved at a specific moment which is much similar to the LDS view of baptism. It's not a work, it is what initiates grace though (as clearly something has to, and Protestants typically believe it is the sinner's prayer). Oddly, Morey writes there is a "heaven to gain and a hell to shun" as one of his finishing statements. LDS accept this and argue (to some extent successfully) that the Bible could and possibly does refer to three levels of heaven upon which we will reside. He concludes by writing that Jesus is the only name we can come to to be saved (and that Joseph Smith can't save us). Who said Mormons believed that Joseph Smith cleansed their sin? Any Mormons perhaps (this excludes some alleged statements in JoD by Brigham Young which we are at best unable to be sure were an accurate recording). I found this book to be bad, and another needless book among the 2000 other "anti-Mormon" books that have been (or still are) in publication. Sadly, I can recommend no good scholarly criticisms of Mormonism: there are none that i know of. I recommend a good, thorough analysis of Mormon doctrine, church, culture, history and then come to a full conclusion. Not some cheap shots from the hip from (Bob Morey), a man who is not an expert in the field.
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Entertaining
Rating (1)
Date: 2000-08-20
2 out of 9 customers found this reveiw helpful
What an entertaining read...complete fiction I must add but a good book to remind you that there are still narrow minded people in the world who profess to know so much about a religon that they actualyy know very little about. This book makes a great lining for the kittie's litter box...wonderful absorbency!!!
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Entertaining
Rating (1)
Date: 2000-08-20
3 out of 10 customers found this reveiw helpful
What an entertaining read...complete fiction I must add but a good book to remind you that there are still narrow minded people in the world who profess to know so much about a religon that they actualyy know very little about. This book makes a great lining for the kittie's litter box...wonderful absorbency!!!
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Glad I let them in!
Rating (1)
Date: 2000-01-27
9 out of 20 customers found this reveiw helpful
I let the missionaries in and am forever thankful that I did. I wish I had grown up in the church--but I'm very happy that my kids are learning an important set of VALUES which they have the agency to choose to incorporate into their lives.
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by George G. Hunter
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Abingdon Press (1992-01-23)
ISBN: 0687179300
EAN: 9780687179305
Dewy Decimal #: 269.2
Paperback: 196 pages
Edition: 1st
SKU: 032408AC04
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: lots of writing on pages...minor creases in cover
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"Should be required reading for everyone who wants to communicate the gospel effectively to unchurched persons". --Robert H. Schuller, Founder, the Crystal Cathedral.
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Customer Reviews
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Lacking in Logic
Rating (1)
Date: 2008-10-27
In his book entitled How to Reach Secular People, George Hunter profiles the different groups of people and the different church related activities that are involved in evangelism to the post-enlightenment, western world. He begins by suggesting an explanation for how Christianity's influence over people in the West is no longer as prominent and effective as it was before the Enlightenment. He understands secularization to mean "the withdrawal of whole areas of life, thought, and activity from the influence of the Church" (26). With the rise of humanism, nationalism, and urbanization, the breakup of Christendom resulting from the Protestant Reformation, and the increasing impact of science and human reason, the momentum of secularization stripped the Church of its influence and impact on the world. Because the West was lost to secularization, Hunter thinks that "Christianity must now compete on its merits if it is to rewin the West" (32).
Hunter then spends three chapters describing the characteristics of what he calls "secular people," and describing strategies for reaching out to and communicating with these types of people. Among other things, he suggests that secular people are ignorant of basic Christianity; they seek life before they seek death, and they have a negative image of the church (52). He describes strategies for reaching secular people ranging from meeting people's basic needs to empowering people by giving them meaning and self-worth. Hunter then shifts the focus of his book to the characteristics of Christians who are good at reaching secular people. These kinds of Christians are effective communicators who are honest and credible and they understand the power of secularization on the secular mind. They have a set of core convictions that drive their reasoning and they realize that secular people have doubts. Apostolic churches should be concerned with the lost and not with self-maintenance. They should have congregations that are accepting of people unfamiliar with church culture and should use "music that secular people understand" (151).
I find Hunter's book to be confusing, lacking in logic, and unchristian on many fronts. . I get the idea that Hunter believes that before the Renaissance Christianity was doing really well because it had such dominance over public life, cultures, traditions, and thought. Hunter's purpose for writing this book is to help Christianity win back influence over these public structures because Christianity has become "private, problematic, marginal and. . . eccentric" (31). Does he want Christianity to be public, unproblematic, at the center of the world stage, and normal? The logical groundwork for his argument collapses when he advocates for a Christian society, in which everyone is influenced by Christian forces of culture and thought, and then supports Kierkegaard in his Attack Upon Christendom in which Kierkegaard writes "when everybody is a Christian, nobody is a Christian" (33). He makes odd, sweeping generalizations suggesting that religions other than Christianity have truth claims that are negotiable (33), that Buddhism and Communism are atheistic (37). In the introduction, he is unchristian in his suggestion that Christianity should exercise control over people, so as to shape their minds and lives without allowing them to have a choice in the matter (21-39). I find his association of Christianity with democracy to be dangerous (30), and problematic and illogical when he later condemns the deification of political ideologies such as Communism (42). He condemns secular people's concern for life before death (45) and yet calls the church to cater to such a position by bringing meaning to people's lives (57), thereby implying that Christians do not need meaning in their lives because they are not concerned with the present life. Hunter ignores the negative aspects of pre-enlightenment Christianity and does not discuss the impacts of secularization on Christianity. Hunter's book would be more helpful if he displayed an awareness of the complexities of defining the secular person and offered a critique of current Christian witness.
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Valuable - but don't use it as a prescription!
Rating (3)
Date: 2001-05-10
8 out of 8 customers found this reveiw helpful
George G. Hunter III is Dean of the School of Evangelism and World Mission at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky and has written such books as "The contagious congregation" and "Leading and managing a growing church". Hunter's stated aim in this book is "to draw together and systematize what is known about effective apostolic ministry to secular people in the West" (p. 18). He combines his own field research with the findings of other "reflective practitioners", a select group of individuals who have both worked at the apostolic task amongst secular people in Western societies and reflected on the process and outcomes in an organised way. Hunter confidently claims that there is sufficient insight contained in his book to help 99 percent of churches to triple the number of people they bring into the Christian faith.After an introduction in which he outlines the process of secularisation in the West, Hunter goes on to compile a profile of secular people in chapter 1 followed by chapters on themes and strategies for reaching secular people and communication principles and models. The final two chap | | | |