5 comments about Surprised by Truth: 11 Converts Give the Biblical and Historical Reasons for Becoming Catholic.

1. The first thing I want to say is, that as soon as I read this book I got my hands on Surprised by Truth #2 and #3! I loved this book! I learned so much about my Catholic Faith, even though I was already a Cradle Catholic. I also learned a lot about other faiths as well! I highly recommend this book not only to people who are considering becoming Catholic, but for Catholics as well! You will also enjoy the show COMING HOME on EWTN where converts to Catholicism speak on their journeys to Catholicism!The host is one of the men whose story is featured in this book, Marcus Grody.



2. This book is an old friend. It circulates amoung other friends, and
   eventually doesn't come home again, so I buy it again, and again, and
   again, and I will continue to buy it, as I like to have one on hand, and like many of my books I like to refresh my acquaintance quite often.
   These stories are inspiring, encouraging and hope full.



3. I have learned more from the testimonies in this book than I have learned in any catechism class. I highly recommend this book for anyone with questions about the Catholic faith. Each chapter explains how every author came to see the truth of the Catholic Church. Outstanding, eye-opening testimonies.



4. Very good! Page turner. I would recommend this book to anyone who was a sincere Protestant Christian in love with Jesus, and found themselves with the overwhelming joy and happiness at the unthinkable: to find themselves finally home at Rome. Recently reverted to the Catholic Church, I laughed and cried and giggled my way through nearly every page, as these conversion stories brought back sweet memories of my own reversion. Each soul goes through the same experiences I did when being surprised by truth! There is no place like home.



5. I really enjoyed this book. It is a collection of personal conversion stories from Roman Catholic converts (protestants, mostly). A great deal of RCC doctrine is discussed, but in the context of the personal accounts. It was helpful to read how other people have grappled with various doctrinal issues before making a decision to join the RCC. Especially helpful if you are considering conversion to Catholicism.

5 comments about The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren.

1. This book is more than just a book, it is a recount of terrifying instances in several people's lives and is the scariest thing I've ever read because it is true. I really can't describe it. People who just want to be scared or are just looking for a thriller - do not buy this book, it's over your head, and I'm not exaggerating. People who are genuinely interested in the paranormal and have a desire to know the truth, whatever that may be, and who have an open mind, you owe it to yourself to read this book. It affected me in a lot of ways. I couldn't put it down. Even though I recommend it to anyone who is SERIOUS about the field of the paranormal, I kind of wish I DIDN'T know what I know now.



2. FREAKY!!!!!!!!!It took me a long time to read this book because I was too scared to read it during the night!! This is a real good book but not for young teenager's (not sure if this book would be for some young adults)! There are parts of this book that are extremely scary and you have to put the book down and walk away because you wonder how something so evil and demonic can exist. I think this book is also a good tool for reasons why NOT to get involved into the occult! These entities or demons can rip a person's life or family apart and the scariest thing is that you cannot see who or what is doing it! This book does explain signs and warnings to look for if you think something is not right! It is amazing the courage and knowledge that the Warren's have on dealing with these evil things because it is not for the easy hearted.



3. A very well-written and informative book, highly recommended for those interested in hauntings/infestations.
   I ordered this book in combination with Hostage to the Devil Hostage to the Devil: The Possession and Exorcism of Five Contemporary Americans, Interview with an Exorcist Interview With an Exorcist: An Insider's Look at the Devil, Demonic Possession, and the Path to Deliverance and An Exorcist Tells His Story An Exorcist Tells His Story. The Demonologist tells only part of the story in regards to negative paranormal activity. However, it is important to see their 'pastoral approach' to infestations, which is not addressed in the other Roman Catholic sources (which deal with severe possession). The Warrens, as devout Catholics, are not as interested in proving phenomenon as eliminating it, which they appear to be very effective at (for all the criticism of their work, I have yet to hear that they did not help the plaintiffs in their cases). In-the-know Catholics may have difficulty with some of their beliefs (the Warrens, in the book, confess a belief in reincarnation, which is against RCC dogma), but the RCC does not have a definitive statement regarding human spirits remaining in this world after death. Therefore, it is understandable that the Warrens, not having clear theological guidance in their work, might occasionally stray from sound doctrine.
   Anyway, this book is more of a novel than a handbook. In fact, there is no thorough treatment of the topic from a Christian perspective that I have been able to locate, but this book is a critical part of building a solid understanding of how these phenomena should be approached and treated.



4. Iam an Exorcist, the book was great, a lot of information, God Bless you for writing this book, let the truth be known.



5. The Demonologist WILL--no question about it--be shocking and even perhaps stomach-turning to anyone of, let's say, naïvety or too much "innocence" when it comes to spiritual matters. I, on the other hand, having just finished Malachi Martin's formidable guidebook to exorcism (Hostage to the Devil), was so well prepared that I was easily able to power through the Demonologist with nary a feeling of dread or shock, and, anyway, I humbly accept that there are forces beyond the mundane, so, again, that helps with the startling information in the Demonologist. Additionally, if you're secular and haven't encountered this information of demons before, I guess it'd help to desensitize you to the information if you're a fan of horror movies, as much of the Demonologist reads like the stuff out of one's worst nightmares!!!!
   
   This tome is but a snippet of some of the more notorious cases of demon-infestation that America's most well-known couple of demonology--Ed (now deceased since 2006) and Lorraine (probably classified better as a clairvoyant)--have tackled in their decades-long career of morbidity. It's written by the author (Brittle) in a very fluid and fast-paced manner interspersing interviews and quotes from the Warrens together with academic talk on the subject and a case-by-case walkthrough.
   
   Demonology is the study of the diabolical; the demonologist (Ed Warren) is not an exorcist but more of a scientist in that he actively compiles a case-load of evidence that actually corroborates matters of faith, i.e., the existence of evil spirits et al. In all seriousness, the Warrens are collectors of the morbid occult, and their home is a veritable stockpile/museum of all kinds of accursedly infernal objects: dolls, full-length mirrors, etc.. Additionally, they possess recordings of demoniacal voices during exorcisms; suddenly materialized objects from hauntings, and other "goodies" like "psychic photos." In the book, Ed reasons that through this stockpile of cold, hard, objective evidence, he feels confident he could go to court and scientifically prove beyond the shadow of a doubt the existence of the demonic!!!!
   
   Somewhat like a worn-out cliché, the Warrens' lifework of battling demons happened accidentally: as a young, married couple, they actually began painting haunted houses and selling the work at art shows for income. Soon, this morphed into them walking through the haunted houses and discovering that in most cases, the root of hauntings wasn't very friendly at all.
   
   The Warrens assert that most hauntings are in fact devilish; that is to say, INHUMAN SPIRITS are incurring the domestic disturbances, not merely Casper the Friendly Ghost. The Warrens are meticulous in differentiating between mere ghosts (once-human spirits) and demons (absolutely inhuman) because of a few, lethally important reasons. One, ghosts are psychically very feeble and can't hurt people or influence the environment much; demons have the power to hurt folks by their unnatural power through psychic, physical attacks, levitation, object-manifestation, oppression, and then possession!!!! Two, ghosts really have no intelligence in that they come short of interacting with people since they basically just repeat psychic-imprint actions they did during their lifetime; demons, conversely, will always use subterfuge to trick people into permitting possession of them.
   
   Some of the cases include a fretfully bizarre one that'd make for an effective horror story: the case of "Annabelle," a life-size, Raggedy Ann doll!!!! Here, the demon wasn't inside the doll, but it was deviously moving the doll around a woman's apartment to the point where it tricked her into believing it was merely the spirit of a little, lost girl. That was merely the MO of the demoniacal as the permission the woman bequeathed onto the invading demon to remain in the apartment was the foothold it needed to begin oppression. Before long, her roommate's boyfriend was actually attacked via several, long claw slashes across his chest. This case ended when an exorcism was done.
   
   Another case is more disconcerting because it involves the ignorant invitation of the demonic along with verily unnatural occurrences. The Warrens repeatedly warn that in most cases of demonic infestation, the fault belonged to ignoramuses for inviting inhuman spirits into their homes/lives via occult materials!!!! Case in point: a teen girl is actually bought--for Christmas, no less!--a book on conjuring demons by her mother! So, she recites the spells, and at first nothing happens...but this will change furiously very soon. The diabolically unnatural phenomenon increases from mere cold spots (Ed claims demons make rooms cold as their presence requires energy, meaning heat, which sucks the heat from a room) and heavy breathing in the teen-girl's bedroom to all-out disorder. After a short while, this escalates into unseen, demon hands beating on the teen-girl; birds "singing" outside her parents' window AT NIGHT; footsteps relentlessly ascending/descending stairs; radios playing and turning on/off relentlessly by themselves; furniture being thrown all over the living room; and pet dogs freakishly running BACKWARDS.
   
   In the aforementioned, the kids were exclusively the targets of the demoniacal attack insofar as the parents were largely spared this distressing phenomenon. Ed purports that this is another MO of the demonic: isolate certain family members to sow confusion, despair and infighting among the family unit. In fact, the Warrens clearly enumerate certain cautionary factors that you, the reader, can employ to determine whether you're experiencing anything infernal.
   
   You may be the victim of demoniacal oppression if:
   
   1) You feel a pervasive sense of doom OR evil all around you
   2) You experience disgusting smells
   3) You hear unexplainable moans, screams, rappings, poundings, whispering
   4) You endure mysterious changes in room temperature or ghastly visions
   5) You experience levitation, materialization, de-materialization, and teleportations of people and objects
   6) You receive strangling sensations around the neck
   7) You have your arms grabbed from behind
   8) You suffer cuts, wounds, gouges, burns or sudden illnesses
   9) You experience vulgarities mysteriously being written on your walls
   10) You endure random outbreaks of fire
   11) You have inhuman voices calling you on the phone!
   12) You see demon faces appearing on your TV!
   
   If you've experienced any of these in any cumulative pattern, it's advised you contact your local exorcist, priest or ghostbusters immediately!!!!
   
   If this sounds even the slightest bit disquieting, then chin up! This is actually but a taste of all the sordid details of the devilish that the Warrens go into in the Demonologist, and one must really read this book to get a full sense of it all.
   
   Nonetheless, some of the purports by the Warrens are so ludicrous that they stretch the bounds of plausible believability and, miserably, undercut their credibility. For instance, they allege that in exorcisms, the possessed can become hulking brutes that actually go on mini rampages, but in Malachi Martin's seminal Hostage to the Devil, not one of the possessed in any of his cases displays that chaotic power. Secondly, Ed Warren's logic at times is absolutely absurd and contradictory to common sense. In example, whenever dealing with accursed objects that demons allegedly infested, the Warrens routinely...get ready for this...take home the possessed objects!!!! Then, they allegedly display these accursed objects in Ed's study with, presumably, the infesting, inhuman spirit still attached to said object!!!! C'mon!
   
   Also, some of the Warrens' tales do seem rather tall as in unbelievable. Case in point: once, when taking home a possessed mirror that was used for summoning demons, Ed claims he and Lorraine were unrelentingly followed by a demon-truck on the freeway, that kept dumping green ooze/slime on their car!!!! This occurred in full view, apparently, of other motorists in packed traffic. Next, a demon-driven, black car planned to play "chicken" with their car as they were driving across a narrow bridge. Grossly questionable stories like that really sound falsified and hurt the Warrens' otherwise credible-sounding experience with fighting the diabolical. The inclusion of photos supposedly taken during "demoniacal activity"--which really only show trashed rooms and broken furniture--begs the question, Who staged this scene? I'm of course assuming the Warrens are telling the truth with the pictures, but there's always the hazard of deception.
   
   All told, though, the Demonologist is money well spent as it'll satisfy you on a few levels. If you're religious, then it will obviously seem profound to you. Even if you're an atheist, it will at least come across as a very scary read that will rival some of the best horror-fiction out there. If you're approaching this from a purely intellectual level, it will give you tremendous food for thought as you weigh the probability of inhuman spirits being real. The question you have to ask yourself above all else is, Am I brave enough to make it through the pages of the Demonologist? Well, are ya, buddy boy?!

5 comments about Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther.

1. This book was recommended to me by a Lutheran minister. I am not Lutheran, but when the school my children attend became a Lutheran school I thought that I should learn more about Luther. This book then is quite a scholarly work and goes into a lot of doctrine such as that of 'indulgences'. The great thing about this book is that you learn as much Catholic doctrine as you do Luthern because these doctrines must be explained before any critique is made. In some places the book is very easy to read (especially the parts detailing Luthers childhood and relationship with his family) and in others it is difficult (the doctirnal sections), but if you persist you will emerge much richer for the effort.



2. This book is written with intense, muscular prose, and oversees the life of a mighty thinker going through rough times for decades. Like the 16th century woodcuts that are depicted in illustrations throughout the work, the words seem to have a power that is more like an engraving or sculpture than passive tableau. The prose and mastery of complex theological, interpersonal, and historical issues gave me a reading experience I had not had since reading Allan Bullock's book on Hitler years ago.
   One feels profoundly immersed in the realities of Luther's struggles, yet at the same time, feels the imponderable weight of God's Providence. How did he wrestle with so many deep issues yet have time to marry, have six children, have meetings with friends and students, survive debilitating ailments, rebound from intense persecutions, and maintain a vibrant -- though sometimes coarse -- perspective? As I read the volume, I marched with Bainton through the intense and densely troubled waters of theological and liturgical disputes.
   Although I already in part knew the outcome;yet, at the same time, I was breathless: what would happen next? It was like watching those serial shows on TV years ago...what would happen to Flash Gordon in the next episode? So, I asked myself: how will Martin L. fare in the debate with Eck? How will he hold up before the Holy Roman Emperor? Will he survive the attacks on his life? What attitudes will he take towards other dissenting "Protestants?" It is a tribute to Prof. Bainton's narrative genius that I was brought into the "reality" of the times. In real life, we wonder: what will happen next -- especially with controversial actions that stir our deepest feelings.
   This book is more than a biography. As I said above, it's also a woodcut and a memorable personal experience where we get to participate in Prof. Bainton's great exposition of the life of the irascible but beloved Doktor Luther.



3. This edition of an otherwise wonderful book is terrible! The margins between the lines are so tight and the print so small and dense that one practically needs a magnifying glass to read it! We bought this as a Christmas gift for my husband's grandfather and were unable to give it to him because of its physical unreadability.



4. Good information on an important historical figure, but the reader has to tolerate far too much of the inane. For example, "...radio, television, and not even the internet were during John Calvin's time." Good to know.



5. This book was a great research source and a pretty easy read. I recommend this to anyone starting to study Martin Luther or the Reformation.

5 comments about The Beginning of All Things: Science and Religion.

1. Kung is one of the clearest theologians thinkers writing today. There are a glut of books out there promising to weigh in on some pressing issue that concerns the science/ religion controversy. I personally believe that it is a bogus issue largely fed by the publishing industry. That said, I think Kung's book is one of the few on the subject worth reading. I have read Dawkins and Hitchens and am generally sympathetic with their views. But Kung points out that while science (and history) may have much to say about human beings and perhaps what drives religious movements, it has absolutely nothing to say about God. Kung reminds us of the often forgotten distinction between religious experience and religious organizations. This book lays out the fundamental issue more clearly than any I have encountered.



2. First, my bias - Hans Kung is a genius. I have read the majority of his works and find them all to be great. I have often said that I am still a Catholic because him. For those of you not in the know, Hans is a Catholic and a theologian, but cannot call himself a Catholic Theologian. If this last sentence makes sense to you, than this book is for you.
   
   I read this directly after reading Dinesh D'Sousza What's So Great about Christianity. While many of their point are similar Kung has a much deeper understanding of the subtleties. It is not an easy a read as D'Sousza (I think this is probably due to the fact that is a translation), but it gives you a deeper understanding of the concepts. His argument that is it bizarre that scientist see no problem in the duality of light (wave/particle), yet squawk of the notion of the duality of Christ is sheer genius.



3. Hans Kung has been a formidable intellect in theology for many years having written over 50 books. His writing is characterized by breadth of learning. His book Infallible? An Enquiry (1978) led to loss of his license to teach theology in Roman Catholic schools but did not discourage him from pushing the theological envelope. For those who regard it as important, Kung's views were never found to be heretical. Now retired from his professorship at Tubingen University, Kung turns his attention in this volume to the question whether science and religion can coexist. His answer is that they do more than coexist; they are complimentary. Kung defines complementarity as a state "between science and religion in which the distinctive spheres are preserved, all illegitimate transitions are avoided and all absolutizations are rejected, but in which in mutual questioning and enrichment people attempt to do justice to reality in all its dimensions."
   
   Kung immediately engages the skeptic's question whether he argues for an unenlightened biblical belief in a being that created the world in six days. Kung replies: "Certainly not! I want to take the Bible seriously, but that doesn't mean I want to take it literally."
   
   Kung begins with an engaging and clear tour through cosmology. He leaves nothing out from Copernicus to Newton, Einstein, Big Bang theory, Heisenberg's indeterminacy and Godel's incompleteness. Kung's point is, not surprisingly, that science cannot account for everything. Kung draws us back to the fundamental questions about the origin of the first structures in the universe. Science may be able to explain the fine tuning of the first structures but the question remains: where did the minimal structure that already existed at the Big Bang come from? Why isn't there nothing? Kung offers God as a reasonable hypothesis that can provide intellectual answers to the questions of the beginning.
   
   In succeeding chapters Kung takes up the debate between creationism and evolution, life in the universe and the development of human beings. He includes discussion of the brain and the mind, the limits of brain research and the beginning of human ethics. Having started with the beginning of all things, his epilogue deals with the end of all things - hypotheses of the end of the universe and apocalyptic visions of the end.
   
   Kung does not set out new theories of science or religion and does not insist on one or the other as the final arbiter of reality (his term). Discussion today, like so much else, tends to polarize between those who view God as irrelevant versus the creationists and the left-behinders. Kung proposes to raise the level of discussion by invoking serious scientists and philosophers. The Beginning of All Things is a good starting point for clear and dispassionate descriptions of the interplay between serious science and serious philosophy/theology about the most intriguing and still unsolved mysteries of the universe and humanity.



4. In this book Kung uses his broad familiarity with modern science to consider how recent findings and theories relate to the question of faith in God. He is particularly good in the area of physics, where he provides a wealth of excerpts from the writings of some of the great physicists of the 20th century as they consider fundamental questions raised by their discoveries. He clearly points out the difference between scientific and religious thinking, not hesitating to reproach religious as well as scientific thinkers for not recognizing the validity of the other's methods and points of view.
   Along the way he never hesitates to reproach Church authorities for the methods they have used and unfortunately continue to use in their attempts to maintain orthodoxy. As a Catholic scientist I find his tone somewhat harsh in this regard, but I support his steadfast refusal to accept their disciplinary procedures in his uphill attempts at making the faith comprehensible to modern men and women. He is definitely ahead of the curve and this makes for controversy.
   It is important to point out that in spite of his left-of-center theological opinions he remains a priest in good standing and is held in respect by his former colleague and friend from Tübingen, the current pope, Benedict XVI. In fact in the fall of 2005 he had a friendly dinner and extended conversation with the pope, on which occasion he presented him with a copy of this book and received the pope's appreciation for his efforts in promoting dialog between science and religion.
   Some of the questions covered in the book are: what is the nature of reality; what came before the big bang; what does religion mean by creation; is there a role for empirical science in the question of God; how did life originate; how did humans come to be; what is the relationship between the brain and consciousness; and many other flash points in the contemporary exchanges between science and religion.
   He concludes his book with a magnificent description of the end of life as not dying into nothingness, as many in modern science would have it, but rather as dying into the ultimate reality we call God. To quote him: "dying is a farewell inward, an entry and homecoming into the ground and origin of the world...dying into the light."
   A beautiful book!



5. This was the first Hans Kung book that I have read, and I must say, I am rather impressed with his level of scholarship, clarity of thought, and vast scope of learning. His treatment of the interaction of science and theology was not bad, though I must confess that I did not think he was quite as good at it as Polkinghorne. However, I found that I was very dissapointed with many of the conclusions that Kung reached. In the majority of issues he discusses, he ends up reconsiling science and Christianity by having Christianity give up any claims it has in any area that science touches. Now, I am not advocating a literal six-day creation, or suggesting that we believe that the earth is flat, but I do think he has gone a bit far in denying that miracles happen. Whenever he perceives that Christianity and science can even potentially come into conflict, he always decides that (what he understands to be) science wins.
   
   For example, Scripture claims that Jesus performed miracles. Science tells us (according to Kung) that miracles cannot happen. What should we conclude? Well, according to Kung, we should conclude that the miracles did not happen. You would think that this would effectively undermine Christianity, but Kung tries to defend this position by making the absurd claim that the miracle stories in both the Old and New Testaments were not meant by the authors to be taken literally. It may be that Kung does not take them literally, but it is absolutely absurd to claim that the persons who wrote them, and the persons who originally recieved them, did not think they were to be taken literally. I found his section on miracles (pg. 151ff.) to be absolutely appalling, not because of his denial of miracles (though I do disagree with that), but because he actually tried to claim that this denial was in line with the thinking of the ancient people's who wrote and received the Scriptures. He could at least be honest and face up to the fact that his understanding of the historicity of Scripture is not the same as that of the authors of Scripture.
   
   Further, in his effort to avoid conflict, he banishes Christianity to the sphere of personal preference. He explicitly says that "no religion can dispute with others their way to salvation. Rather it is important in recognition of human freedom, especially the real freedom of faith, for each to respect its own path of faith" (p. 197). Christian teaching is no longer objectively true, but is instead a subjective understanding of the "other," which can neither come into conflict with science and history nor even competing (and logically incompatible) religions. I think his approach to the topic is well summed up in his conclusions about the resurrection, which is central to Christianity. He says that "I do not believe in the later legendary elaborations of the New Testament message of the resurrection but in its original core: that this Jesus of Nazareth did not die into nothingness, but into God" (p. 205).
   
   In short, Kung has a lot of good things to say about the compatibility of science and theism in general. He does a very good job of showing that science has not been, nor can ever be, the cause of the death of God. However, his sections of the relationship of science and Christianity are relatively useless for someone who holds to orthodox Christianity, as he promotes harmony by demolishing the claims of Christianity so that they cannot oppose what he understands to be science. I am emphaticly NOT saying that we should use Scripture as a science textbook, but I think denying both miracles and the historicity of the gospels amounts to denying the truthfulness of anything resembling historical Christianity.
   
   It may seem that I have had little good to say about a book I gave four stars. Let me emphasize that a good portion of this book is actually quite helpful. Those parts have already been written about in the previous reviews here. I simply wished to focus on the parts which previous reviewers have not. This is not a terrible book, as long as you understand what understanding of Christianity Kung is bringing to the table with him. If you disagree (as I do) with his liberal Christianity, then parts of it (the parts which I have mentioned) will be relatively useless and probably aggrivating to you, but there is still a significant amount of good, well thought out work to be had in it.
   
   Overall grade: B.

5 comments about Rees Howells: Intercessor.

1. For anyone seeking a deeper prayer life this book is for you. Reese Howells walked the walk. While the book portrays his intercessory life rather than a "how to manual", there are golden nuggets of insight and wisdom dispersed through out it's pages. It is also inspirational and brings encouragement to keep fighting the fight of faith.



2. I find it interesting that the few reviewers' low rating of this book because of Howells theological understanding of intercession. As though we can't find fault with his life, we must fault his theology. Notice this man, like many in the Bible, does not talk to God, or merely listen to Him--he talks WITH Him. That's the greatness of this man. After reading this book, by His grace, I will be on my knees more often. Perphas one day, I will talk less to Him, listen more from Him, and in between talk more WITH Him. Another thought: as exemplfied in this book. Prayer and faith are inseparable. The deeper the prayer, the greater the faith. And in turn, that faith reinforces even a greater need for prayer and dependence upon the Lord.



3. I read this book for the 1st time more than 25 years ago and have re-read it many times over the years. It is easy to read and understand and yet, with each reading, it so inspires you to move closer to God, be willing to surrender and do all that He asks, and to seek a deeper relationship of service. The tests may be difficult, as with Mr. Howells, but that makes the reward even sweeter!!
   
   If you seek an inspiring book, with the power of the Holy Spirit, read this book and let the Lord use it to give you passion for His work.



4. Rees Howells: Intercessor book is very good. I am in the middle of reading it now. I find it hard to put it down. He really shows what surrendering your whole life over to the Lord is all about. I am learning so much from his book and see in my own life how I must get closer to the Lord. I thought I was doing OK until I started reading this. Excellent book for new believers and well seasoned believers. You will want to buy a few to give out to your friends and family!



5. Those familiar with the lives of George Muller of Bristol, or J. Hudson Taylor will appreciate the story of Rees Howell's life. Here is another giant of the faith who's life, more than anything else, is a testimony to the security found in totally trusting God for all our needs. This book is also an excellent primer on what it means to be, and how to live out the life of, an intercessory prayer warrior.

5 comments about Confessions (Penguin Classics).

1. True medicine for the heart: read it with the Bible. For centuries, AUGUSTINE'S CONFESSIONS has touched people's hearts and inspired the greatest philosophers to think on God, time, memory, creation, and our humble existence.



2. St. Augustine's Confessions is a masterpiece of literature. One of the first books ever written from an introspective first-person point of view, it is an intensely personal glimpse into one man's mind, soul, and relationship with God.
   
   The first nine of Confessions' thirteen books are the story of Augustine's life, beginning with his birth and early education. He recounts his sinful lifestyle and his mother's constant grief and prayers for him, and he praises God for faithfully seeking him until at last he was converted to Christianity.
   
   Books ten through thirteen explore the mind, the memory, the nature of time, and the interpretation of Genesis 1. Augustine displays his intellectual brilliance the most in these books, sometimes almost leaving the reader in the dust. The insights and opinions he offers, however, are ingenious.
   
   The entirety of Confessions is written with such eloquent style one can only conclude that his expensive education to be a master of rhetoric paid off. Some of the passages are so beautifully written that you have to stop, reread it, and think about it.
   
   Confessions is a challenge to read, but it is well worth it. Its depth, vulnerability, and beauty are seldom, if ever, matched.



3. Before reading any St. Augustine, I had formed an image of him as an intolerant puritan, almost Taliban-esque. As an agnostic, I did not at all expect to find him a sympathetic figure. The "Confessions," however, reveal a warmly human, hugely intelligent man, relating his own open-minded spiritual journey, which included way-stops at Manicheeism and neo-Platonism. Augustine formulated his religious and ethical systems through careful deliberation and observation, aided by an epiphany or two; his is not a story of blind, unthinking faith or of mysterious visions. His concept of God seems little different from the Chinese concept of the Tao, and his concept of grace little different from the Buddhist concept of enlightenment. Thus, there is considerable interest in his viewpoint even for non-Catholics, non-Christians, and non-believers.
   
   In addition, this book also constitutes an autobiography of material existence in the waning years of the Western Roman Empire, and thus should be of great interest to any classicist. Little examples: Augustine confirms that, at least around 400 A.D., the normal way to read, even among the most highly literate, was aloud; Ambrose's habit of reading silently to himself inspires considerable comment and speculation. We learn that high school students were rowdy, then as now. The Roman Emperor didn't seem to matter much in the lives of citizens.
   
   The Penguin translation by Mr. Pine-Coffin is excellent and very readable. He avoids the archaic "thou's" that plague many translations. Regrettably, the cover material chooses to emphasize the translator's status as a Roman Catholic as his single most important attribute, and his introductory comments are likely to strike non-Catholics as intolerant. Skip over that, and get right into Augustine's writing itself.



4. Augustine of Hippo was a very interesting character who had immense influence on church theology long after he was dead and buried. Some of his thoughts on church discipline and just war had long term results that he may have disliked, but his personal journey was an interesting one.
   
   Written as a "letter" to God, "Confessions" takes the reader through Augustine's life of wandering searchs in a variety of places for the spiritual solace that he desired. His comments on Manichaeism, philosophy and Christianity are personal and coloured by his own experiences. His own thoughts are very negative and dark in places, though "Confessions" smacks of a brutal honesty that is rare. At times, his writings are coloured by his disappointments, such as meeting with Manichaean priests.
   
   The Penguin translation is sometimes a touch dry in the presentation of Augustine, and that can make reading a bit difficult in places. At times the style is a touch on the hard going side. However, being quite cheap, this book gives you a very cost-effective introduction to the life of the man.
   
   However, this should not detract from the overall value of such a personal look into the life and reflections of one of theology's great historical figures. While I felt this version was not the best, the personal look at Augustine's life, loves, and disappointments put some "flesh and blood" on the person who is so often quoted in theological text books and so on.
   
   If you have not read this, then I recommend doing so. It is a cool book.



5. The place of St. Augustine's Confessions in the history of spiritual writing cannot be underestimated, so I will not belabor the point here. Suffice it to say, this book is, indeed, one of the great literary/spiritual classics ever written.
   It has been, for me, however, even more valuable as an examination of conscience. When I read of St. Augustine's sin, I see my own sinfulness; when I read of St. Augustine's doubts, I see my own lackluster faith; when I read of St. Augustine's cries to the Triune God for help, I pray that the Almighty will have mercy on me, as well.
   Very much like St. Augustine, I have often implored God for help & guidance, promising fidelity to His Commandments, but always accepting that guidance in my time, not in God's time. Like me, you may read the Confessions of St. Augustine & see quite a bit of yourself in what he has to say. The difficulty can be, though, that you may not like what you find. Nevertheless, I would urge you to read this book at some point in your life. You may just discover what St. Augustine eventually realized about the Lord: that your heart will be at peace once it rests in Him.
   
   Pax et Bonum!

5 comments about A Life with Karol: My Forty-Year Friendship with the Man Who Became Pope.

1. Pope John Paul II was one of the longest living and most dedicated pontiffs of our time. This book is truly the book to read to see what it was like to be in the Pontiffs shoes. It tells of his battles with communism and with war. With the everyday struggles he went through up until his dying day. It is truly a book that will give you the full feeling of what a wonderful and gifted Pontiff John Paul 2 was. One can only hope and pray that we who remember him as pope will one day get to remember him and honor him as a The People's saint.



2. This book is one more fine tome praising the life and work of Karol Wojtyla, known to the whole world as John Paul II. It is a pleasant and defensive biography of the pope told by his friend of many years. Also, it stands as a nice promotion piece for his possible beatification or canonization.
   
   But, the book is a huge disappointment in terms of revealing anything really personal about the man who elevated so many as Blessed or Saint for the homage of the universal church. The icon is preserved, but the real man called by the Spirit to be a saint and prophet among us remains hidden.
   
   Did Karol Wojtyla: smoke, enjoy mystery or science fiction writing, watch favorite t.v. programs, have favorite films, explore the myriad halls and hidden doors within the Vatican, ever don a disguise and roam the streets of Rome, love chocolates, doff his cassock in favor of mufti, sing in the shower, have pets, shudder at the thought of a forthcoming visitor, get sick from a meal overseas, continue to swim in the famous papal pool, stop and chat with the Swiss Guards or play cards or table games with household workers, have hobbies, prepare a meal himself, and so forth?
   
   So many years we watched him, admired him, were upliftred by him in good times and times of sorrow and sickness, and read his works. When will we know this man who loved to tease, had a playful side, and became a saint?
   That is the book which is awaited. I wish Cardinal Dziwisz had shared more of this kind of thing, the insight of a friend.
   
   THOMAS PATRICK HULL,
   CHICAGO



3. I loved this book. Cardinal Dziwisz writes a poignant and beautiful
   memoir about his life in the service of Pope John Paul II. Many myths are dispelled and we learn the truth about the fall of Russia and the wall in Germany. Behind the scenes truths are revealed for the first time and if you like history this is must read!



4. I bought the book excitedly hoping to learn more about the personality and struggles of John Paul II. The book is sadly a hagiography. I'm sure he will be declared a saint, but I wanted to read about the man, not a holy card.



5. If you were hoping this book would give you a very personal look about Karol Wojtyla the man, you will be very disappointed. Stanislaw Dziwisz, Wojtyla's personal secretary for 40 years, discusses only John Paul II the pope.
   
   Furthermore, only slightly more than half of this volume is in Dziwisz's own voice. The other half is written by the "narrator" - Gian Franco Svidercoschi - in "conversation" with Dziwisz. Svidercoschi doesn't bother to introduce himself in the book, but he worked on the 2005 TV movie, "Karol: A Man Who Became Pope," and a book that came out in 2007 entitled "Stories of Karol: The Unknown Life of John Paul II." Svidercoschi is billed as a "well-known Vatican observer" and comes from a Polish family.
   
   I was privileged to meet Cardinal Dziwisz and hear him speak when he did a book-signing June 24, 2008 at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. At that time he confessed he was unhappy with the "overly familiar" and misleading title "A Life with Karol" and had preferred his own title of "Witness," which probably would have been more appropriate. But his editors, Dziwisz said, insisted their title would sell more books.
   
   Disappointments notwithstanding, this book is worth adding to your collection. Dziwisz gives a beautiful, personal accounting of Wojtyla's last hours on earth. And he does a great job of explaining John Paul II's motivations for the unique conduct of his papacy and his responses to the criticisms he received. I found it riveting to the end.

5 comments about Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church (The Leadership Network Innovation).

1. No punches pulled. This not ecclesiology for those who like organs, robes, cut flowers, tapestry upholstery, "preacher voices", and Psalty.
   
   The church is in turmoil. What should it look like in the 21st century? what is a missional church? How, exactly, are we to be salt in a no-sodium age? The story of Driscoll's planting experience with Mars Hill Church in Seattle is one that EVERY Christian should read and heed. (And no, mainstream keyboard/skit/sermonette formulas are not the answer either.) We gotta open the BIBLE, preach tough sermons that proclaim the truth in a culturally relevant way, and get over ourselves. Read this book and let's get busy...



2. I really liked the book. I like the honesty from Mark, his willingness to be vulnerable, the insights to tough situations and early challenges of building a Christ-centered Mars Hill, the humor, and its "rough draft" form. On a side note...this air filter kicks some serious butt---->Duracraft DY-012 Oscillating 3-Speed Tower Fan :>



3. This book had the interesting effect of making me laugh, wince, and take notes, sometimes all on the same page! At the end of the day, I could not put the book down. I was captivated by a transparent pastor's heart who struggled day after day to put Jesus before his city in effort to see many converted.
   
   The book chronicles the life of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington where Mark Driscoll has been the Senior Pastor since its inception. Driscoll takes readers through the various stages of growth from a small broken down Bible study with "Indie Rockers" and "artsy" folks to a thriving megachurch of over 4,000 impacting one of the most unchurched regions in the US.
   
   In his narrative Driscoll explains, from first hand experience, some of the gestational development of the now prominent Emergent Church. Driscoll himself was involved, and in fact a leader in, a movement in the mid-90's to mobilize missionaries to their culture, impacting them with the gospel of Christ. As this movement expanded and gained traction Driscoll had to separate himself from it:
   
   "I had to distance myself, however, from one of the many streams in the emerging church because of the theological differences. Since the late 1990's this stream has become known as Emergent. The Emergent Church is part of the Emerging Church Movement but does not embrace the dominant ideology of the movement. Rather the emergent church is the latest version of liberalism. The only difference is that the old liberalism accommodated modernity and the new liberalism accommodates postmodernity." (p. 21)
   
   So here Driscoll is distinquishing between Emerging and Emergent...himself clinging to the prevailing positives of the Emerging movement (missional, theological, active) while distancing himself from the atheolgoical wing of the movement (Emergent).
   
   In many ways this book appears to be a living apologetic of the Emerging movement while distinguishing Driscoll as one of its most outspoken and able leaders. Perhaps this is why we see Driscoll speaking at a conference along with Brian McLaren, the outspoken leader of the Emergent wing.
   
   In fact Driscoll references McLaren in Confessions:
   
   "Although I sincerely love Brian and appreciate the kindness he has shown me, I generally disagree with many of his theological conclusions. Because he comes from a pacifistic Brethren background, such things as power and violence greatly trouble him. His pacifism seems to underlie many of our theological disagreements since he has a hard time accepting such things as the violence of penal substitutionary atonement, parts of the Old Testament where God killed people, and the concept of conscious eternal torment in hell. Curiously, it is also Brian's pacifism that makes him such a warmly engaging person who is able to speak and write about theologically controversial issues while being gracious. Ironically, my love for and disagreement with Brian are both borne out of his pacifism. But I find it curious that, from my perspective, he is using his power as a writer and speaker to do violence to Scripture in the name of pacifism." (p.99)
   
   His point here about pacifism and violence to God's word is worth the price of the book. That is the type of silent violence that characterizes the neo-liberalism named Emergent.
   
   I love the resolve of Driscoll throughout the book. There were resistance and trials at every bend and still God graciously moved the church and its leadership through each. In fact, Driscoll regularly attaches the growth to the respective trials. On one occasion Mars Hill tried to do concerts and preaching outside by the river and were mooned and flashed by boaters going by. This, according to Driscoll, increased interest in the community and ultimately attendance.
   
   There are so many pages that are outright hilarious. The following is a quote concerning a worship pastor:
   
   "I really liked Tim because he is one of the few manly men whom I have ever seen leading worship. I am not supposed to say this, but most of the worship dudes I have heard are not very dudely. They seem to be very in touch with their feelings and exceedingly chickified from playing too much acoustic guitar and singing prom songs to Jesus while channeling Michael Bolton and flipping their hair. Tim was a guy who brewed his own beer, smoked a pipe, rock climbed, mountain biked, river rafted, carried a knife in his belt, and talked about what he thought more than what he felt.
   
   We clicked because I drive a 1978 Chevy truck that gets single digits to the gallon and has a bacon air freshener and no functioning speedometer and because I fashion myself as the self-appointed leader of a heterosexual male backlash in our overly chickified city filled with guys drinking herbal tea and rocking out to Mariah Carey in their lemon yellow Volkswagen Cabriolets while wearing fuchsia sweater vests that perfectly match their open-toed shoes." (pp. 146-7)
   
   Mark Driscoll is definitely a guy that I would want to have at a barbecue but may be reluctant to have speak at my church...but ironically both for the same reasons.
   
   Overall I really enjoyed the book. From a pastor's perspective it was awesome; refreshing and encouraging. The positives for this book are found in Driscoll's willingness to share the ecclesiastical lab that he has worked in for the last 15 years. Driscoll understands church, leadership and has a passion to reach and change culture for the glory of Christ.
   
   At the same time I am reluctant to openly recommend it. Driscoll does use crass language throughout the book (which is alarming and curious in light of 1 Tim. 4.12 & Eph. 4.29), and so therefore I am not comfortable putting it on a top 10 list. At the same time, from what I have read in the blogosphere and its relative outrage of Driscoll's language, I think they have, in large part, overreacted and missed the many of the great points and lessons of the book.
   
   Driscoll also sympathizes with Rick Warren, even crediting him with significant pastorly influence on him. This is not surprising considering Driscoll's continued affiliation with Robert Schuller and company at the Crystal Cathedral. This is curios and I do not understand why he is holding hands with these guys who are not straightforward about the truth of the gospel (Warren) and who deny the truth of the gospel (Schuller).
   
   Driscoll also makes it clear that he is charismatic, even asserting regularly that he receives additional revelation from God, prays and speaks against demons (however, Driscoll does say that he does not speak in tongues).
   
   As an aside, I look forward to the upcoming Desiring God Conference where Driscoll will be on the panel with conservatives such as John Piper, DA Carson & David Wells. I would love to be a fly on the wall when DA Carson and him chat about life and ministry and Driscoll mixes in a reference to Jesus as a dude....oh the diversity of the body... "Christ is all and in all" (Col. 3.11).



4. Interesting review of a Seattle church that went from storefront to megachurch status in nine years. Author is as much entrepreneur as minister - much like high growth business owners, he constantly started and killed ministries, hired/fired staff accordingly, and shifted locations on a regular basis and took risks in doing so. He also identifies the types of people he wants and doesn't want as church members and shows how technology can be used to attract and communicate with parishioners.



5. Mark Driscoll has marked a clear trail for those who desire to be relevant while remaining radically orthodox. Having waded through the land minds of a new generations desire to reach the world for Christ, he has come through in one piece bearing some great wisdom on how to relate to the postmodern culture while remaining deeply committed to the age old tenants of the faith. His work will make you laugh, and it might make you mad, but it will surely challenge you to authentic Christianity. Thanks Driscoll for sharing reality in Christ. It is true apostolic genius. Tom Griner

5 comments about Stepping Heavenward (Inspirational Library Series).

1. Stepping Heavenward is a very encouraging book on
   living the Christian Life according to the Bible.
   A very great help to me.



2. Stepping Heavenward is one of my favorite books. I read and re-read it periodically. I have also bought unpteen copies to use as gifts for Christian friends, particuarly teen-aged girls. Why? Sometimes it is so difficult to see spiritual growth in our own lives, while those around us are saying, "Wow, that girl is really growing spiritually!" It is this concept that is so beautifully expressed in this book. The central character is really discouraged, feeling she's not progressing at all. But those around her see her love, caring, and spiritual empathy. It's a great book. I really love it!



3. This book really helped me see how to be a woman of God and how hard it was to be a woman a few hundred years ago. Definitely recommend for any woman of God.



4. I ordered two copies of Stepping Heavenward, one for a friend's 18th birthday and one for myself. I was please to receive the book in time for the party and in great condition. It was such a joy to pass on this book because it is one of those that changed my life. It speaks to all ages and I have heard men speak highly of it, too. It is the fictional journey of Katherine, written in journal entries, beginning on her 16th birthday until old age. But it is really about the Christian walk, being made into the image of Christ. When I first read it I could identify to the younger Katherine, and then I read it a couple years later and got something new from it, so I now have my own copy and look forward to sitting with my old "friend" once again!



5. This wonderful book is a must read for your Christian daughters. It will encourage them in the things that are most important.

5 comments about Letter and Papers from Prison.

1. I read this book several years ago at the behest of my Pastor when I was still a man of faith. And although I've essentially fallen out of that faith in the last few years, I still consider this one of the most inspiring true stories I have ever read. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German minister who openly spoke out against the Nazis-and allegedly even participated in the plot to kill Hitler-was imprisoned in 1943 and eventually hanged by the German government shortly before the end of the war. This is a collection of his correspondence with his family and friends during his two years of incarceration.
   
   
   
   The strength of this book is that Bonhoeffer was not only a truly courageous man who refused to abandon his principles, but as a Christian, he actually practiced what he preached. This seems to be rare these days and I think the reason that so many people resent Christians and Christianity is that they see so many of them as hypocrites. They constantly talk about God and peace, and righteousness, yet they are so quick to drop a bomb or condemn those that disagree with them. Bonhoeffer represents a pure Christianity of love and justice. This is my take at least and others might disagree with my assessment. With that said, this was a man who truly believed in his God and accepted with dignity whatever fate that God had in store for him. His courage and joy in the face of such a harsh fate is evident in his writings. So, even though I don't share Bonhoeffer's religious beliefs or some of his "ethics," I don't hesitate to recommend this truly inspiring book to believers and non-believers alike. My only warning is that there is a lot of theological discussion and those with little or no knowledge of the religion might find these parts a bit over their head.



2. I bought the book looking to know more about Bonhoeffer's theology..and ended up learning more about my own. Though at times I didn't agree with his thoughts, I found myself agreeing with the man. These letters mix profound questions with small daily details of life. It is authentic and transparent in a way that typical straightforward "theology" books can't be. There is honest, articulate, and earnest faith in these unselfconscious and private thoughts.



3. Dietrich Bonhoeffer's "Letters and Papers from Prison" is the account of an extremely intelligent German theologian and pastor who was thrown into prison during WWII. The correspondence Bonhoeffer shared with his family members during the time he spent in prision (over a year and a half)reveals his character in a remarkably honest way. The love and concern he has for his family and his selflessness, even while sitting in prison, are a great testament to the Christian faith regardless of your theological position.



4. Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Letters & Papers from Prison was a most edifying read, primarily because it stripped away the mystery and mythical aura that surrounded him, before and after his murder by the Nazis in 1945. The fact that his reputation is so universally well known is greatly due in part to his brother-in-law, the late Eberhard Bethge.
   
   Having been raised in a very German household myself, I would hear occasional stories from my own father, who grew up in Germany at that time, about the German pastor who was a part of the plot to kill Hitler, the one who was the moral conscience who aided the conspirators while they tried to rid Germany of the diabolical dictator and his vile atrocities that were sweeping throughout the land, for nothing was sacrosanct.
   
   Bonhoeffer, known throughout the Christian world for his books, The Cost of Discipleship and Ethics, among other treaties, pamphlets and sermons, was a great example in respects to how a man or woman can truly live an independent Christian life while working in the world and that heroism does not necessarily come from preaching the Gospel, but rather, living it or trying to. It also comes from incorporating nuances of those truths, big or small, into the daily activities of ones life and sharing that Christian goodness (in a healthy and practical manner) with people from all walks of life, irrelevant of class structure, education, ethnic background, et cetera.
   
   In this book, Bonhoeffer's theological musings move from the act of suffering to the meaning of love, whether human, religious or even material, and the insights that he shares with some of his correspondents, especially Eberhard Bethge, is sometimes profoundly compelling, and one can endlessly cite the abundant source material to back that up. But while he was accepting his cross of suffering, knowing in a way that it was a gift, he had an agony for those whom he was separated from, specificially his fiance, Maria von Wedemeyer-Weller.
   
   The overall profile of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, as presented in this work, showcases an all too human man, sometimes short-tempered and impatient yet very religious, contemplative, moral, ethical and surprisingly creative. For an example of that, read his short fiction piece entitled: "Lance-Corporal Berg: A narrative" which is almost similarly reminiscent, style-wise, to that of the writer and author Erich Maria Remarque. His poems, however, were not that great, but it made him only more real.
   
   Though I am Catholic and my interpretation of Scripture is slightly different, much of what Bonhoeffer wrote spoke volumes to me, especially in tackling the day-to-day challenges and experiences that life has to offer. I think he speaks to many people, and that is good, for what he has to say, by his life, writings, choices, down to his martyrdom can cross all ecumenical boundaries. And that is indeed a remarkable witness.



5. Reading his words, we are saddened in knowing he is soon to die a martyr at the young age of 39 by the Nazis. Bonhoeffer fought for biblical truth, and against appeasement. He writes his thoughts (at times very deep and philosophical) from prison, when he entered in 1943 until extradition to another prison over two years later, just before the Allies' liberation in 1945. In his letters to his parents amazingly he is not bitter, but thankful and in good spirits. He was always hopeful. He finds joy in even the smallest of things. Some of the letters we will discover are slightly coded to get through the "checkers". The preface sums it up better than I can: "page by page, these letters show us a picture of life in a prison cell, as it was experienced in all its aspects, with the intimate details of an individual life fused into a striking unity with the disastrous events that were going on in the world outside, a unity produced by an outstanding mind and a sensitive heart."
   
   Much of Bonhoefffer's letters were written to his dear friend Eberhard Bethge. Bonhoeffer expounded with difficult theological questions for Bethge........I would like to hear his answers. Bethge as editor writes the foreword and preface, along with what Bonhoeffer experienced during his final days. The preface is a short biography and explains how the papers came to be.
   
   The two years Bonhoeffer spent in his dreary jail cell he consumed an immense amount of literature; he discusses his favorites. He also gives us a hint of what jail life was like: the solitude, the allied bombings (air-raids), the cell attendants, and his fellow prisoners, whom he does not justify their pathetic cowardly actions; he believed prison was no excuse for poor behavior. Other subjects he touches on is liberalism within the church, and a world that is increasingly existing without God. He believed his thoughts were somewhat odd and his poems needed work, but they were far from it.
   
   This is a book of hope for all who will believe. If Christ is a lie, think of the millions who then threw their lives away in martyr for Him.
   
   Wish you well
   Scott