5 comments about Touching the Rock: An Experience of Blindness.

1. This book was given to me as a gift a few years ago, and while I am neither going blind nor am actually blind, I found many of the ideas and experiences and thoughts and feelings expressed in this book to be very similar to my own. I have some particular cognitive difficulties (prosopagnosia, often called "face blindness") which give me a rather different outlook on life from most people, and I was amazed to see just how much in common my outlook on life was when compared with the author's life experiences. Well, maybe I wasn't that surprized, but it was still an eye-opening (no pun intended) experience for me to read this book in that context.

   Needless to say, I enjoyed this book very very much. It reads more like a personal journal or diary than an actual book, and that gives the whole book a very personal experience when reading it.




2. Heard the taped version of TOUCHING THE ROCK by John
   Hull, a moving memoir of a university lecturer who slowly
   lost his vision over a period of several years . . . he recorded
   his thoughts in a diary, and I must admit to being touched
   about how both he and his family dealt with his
   condition . . . even typing this brings teary thoughts to
   mind . . . imagine having seen a child as a youngster,
   then not being able to see her again as she grows up . . . or
   never having seen another child from the time he was
   born . . . it makes me want to hug my daughter, Risa . . . and
   to appreciate all that I do have!



3. On the front cover Oliver Sacks is quoted: "Staggering. . . the most extraordinary, precise, deep, and beautiful account of blindness I have ever read." But this book is primarily a message of facing change and developing methods for coping. Of compensating, of reaching out, of accepting your plight and going forward. You sense the author's despair and frustration, but he manages to see his difficulties as challenges. He engages you in the struggles he faces and overcomes. After all, he has a wife and four children, he lectures and attends conferences. Perhaps the most fascinating chapter of all, for me, was how he faced giving a lecture when he could no longer read notes. He eventually learned how to write his speech in his mind so that he could simply read one page as the next ones were being formulated. I pictured it as something like the beginning of a Star Wars movie. John Hull has somelthing to teach us all.



4. In place of the word "unsentimental" often used to describe this book I'd use "Lynchian", as in David. Blindness is just the starting-off point: The book is really a luxuriant journey into the *other* four senses and the heightened reality one begins to feel -- for instance how the white noise of a sudden rain can throw your outdoor echolocation into turmoil and immobilize you at some random place. With all respect to anyone looking for a good book on the disability, this one is for the artists.



5. I can't remember ever reading anything quite as compelling. I'm not going blind nor do I have any cognitive disabilities. However, if you are a practicing meditator as I am and are interested in the nature of consciousness itself, you will be quite intrigued with this highly descriptive account of both the visual and non-visual aspects of perception. If this book doesn't inspire you to start thinking outside the box, nothing will. That been said, the average reader will find this to be an unforgettable, beautifully written book well worth reading. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Journey to Mindfulness: The Autobiography of Bhante G..

1. This is the story of a Buddhist monk who was born and raised in poverty in Sri Lanka, and through dedication to the teachings of the Buddha became one of the great figures in Buddhism in the United States and the world today. This is an inspirational, charming and delightfully accessible book about a good life, well lived. However, for anyone who expects to find a story full of easy living and religious perfection, this is not the place to come! Buddhist institutions are made of people, and those people are subject to the same anger, fear, pride and jealousy as anyone else is. Bhante tells many stories of his difficulties with entrenched Buddhist institutions. There is no perfection there.

   Despite the fact that this is a kind of life that very few of us can relate to, so much of it is terribly familiar. Part of the beauty of this book is that it shows that we are all not so very different, that in the end we are all people, we all have problems, and that we all face the same challenges as human beings. The main reason that I love this book, however, is that what we are left with is the image of a good man who has lived an extraordinary life, but that this kind of life is within reach of all of us. Bhante G. does not, in the end, seem like a religious icon, so much as he seems like the better person in all of us.




2. This is an American success story. Bhante G. started out as a a boy monk who was born in a poor village in Sri Lanka. When he grew up, he got a Ph.D. He started a legendary monastery. He became the Chief monk in North America of his sect. He rides around in cool cars and sleeps in palaces He uses the latest G4 laptop. And, he returned to his village with a hero's welcome. Bhante G. says that this is the fruit of his karma in this life and in past lives. He has written many books. He has appeared on Larry King. He has given retreats and taught in Universities in every part of the world.
   
   I was interested in Bhante G.'s spiritual growth, but I didn't learn very much about it in this book. I did learn that he has decided not to pursue enlightenment in this lifetime.
   Overall, it was very interesting. I read another book about a CEO and I am going to write a report about how they are similar.



3. This is an interesting glimpse into the real world of one Buddhist monk, some Buddhist organizations, and frequently the shortcomings of some of the people in those organizations. I had hoped to learn more about Bhante Henepola Gunaratana's spiritual development and insights in hope of finding inspiration and ideas. Instead, the book seems to be more of a detailed listing of the author's accomplishments. There are several humorous anecdotes, but most of the stories describe bad behavior by Buddhists and non-Buddhists, which, although interesting, were subtly depressing to read. Gunaratana's candor is admirable, but I wondered how someone who gives their life to serious practice of Buddhism can be so quick to act in anger, and there seems to be an underlying fascination with worldly things, especially travel and sight-seeing. Read as an interesting autobiography this book is good, as a book related to spiritual themes, it is disappointing.



4. This is a very interesting book.
   I started reading it after attending this year a meditation retreat with Bhante so I was ready for a spiritual story. Instead what you get is an entertaining story about a strong will person who in his lifetime managed to do a leap that is simply unimaginable for all of us. From a poor boy in Sri Lanka who did not enough to eat to a monk having his own monastery here in US, traveling all over the world and preaching Dharmma.
   
   But the reason why I found this book interesting is because it dispels a myth for me. I always thought that Buddhist monks are above any other priests in any other religion. What you see in this book is the total opposite. The characters in this book suffer from the same human defects as anybody else and what they preach has nothing to do with what they do. Very sad, I know and the total opposite of inspirational but since it's true, we need to know.
   
   At times, the book is also funny.
   
   Thank you Bhante for telling us the truth!



5. Journey to Mindfulness is an autobiography by Singhalese Theravadan monk Bhante Henepola Gunaratana that through stories and anecdotes tells the story of a little boy born in a "very poor" village on the island of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) that had a dream of donning robes and living the life of a Buddhist monk.
   The style of the book has a conversational tone as the author leads the reader through 75 years of his life, giving the reader a view into the world of a Buddhist monk that most wouldn't have thought of before. It's a very human tale that shows us the flaws of the author as well as the people he encountered throughout his long travels. Most Americans probably have an idea of Buddhist monks as being austere, serene people that never have to battle with the real failings of human nature. This book shows us that this is not the case.
   This memoir is fascinating for other reasons, namely it gave me a glimpse into the culture of the Indian sub-continent and its surroundings that I hadn't seen before. Most of the books available on Buddhism are by Mahayanan or Vajrayanan authors of far Eastern (China, Japan, and Tibet) or American descent and rarely do people that study Buddhism get to learn about the culture of its oldest sect. For instance, I was surprised when I read a story about Bhante G. loosing his memory and as a last resort someone suggested practicing meditation even though other monks thought meditation in general was a silly waste of time.
   This book is about an imperfect person in an imperfect world trying to live by the Precepts of his faith. It's long on worldly, mundane, happenings and short on high-minded platitudes, which is really what I liked about it. It's an excellent study of a Buddhist trying to deal with the suffering indicative of the human experience.

2 comments about Bonaventure: The Life of St. Francis (HarperCollins Spiritual Classics).

1. I purchased this book in order to keep it on my shelf as a classic Catholic treasure. I was disappointed by the forward by Donna Tartt who wasted my time backhanding Christianity while explaining that she liked Francis anyway.
   
   Most bothersome was the publisher's decision to break up certain lines and paragraphs within the text like they were quoted poetry. This licence betray's Bonaventure's writing by suggesting that some parts of this work should be read as poetry while other parts should be read as narrative or history.
   
   Also missing from this work is St. Bonaventure's account of miracles wrought after Francis' death.



2. Do not be dismayed by other reviews of this Harper Collins Spiritual Classics series edition. The most objectionable thing here is indeed the mercifully brief Foreword by someone curiously named Donna Tartt who mentions here Fundamentalist youth, of having her curiousity pricked by a line in Franny and Zooey, but whose greatest offense to the memory of the great Saint Francis of Assisi is not only adding an extra s to his hometown as so many do, but also the two dismal citations of that hollow GK Chesterton.
   
   Believe me, the Foreword is very easy to skip, because the rest is pure gold. What we have here is the great and traditional translation by the prolific Catholic Ewert Cousins last published by the fine Catholic publishing house the Paulist Press in 1978. HarperSan Francisco did us a great service a few years ago in republishing this beautiful translation, now so very favorably available here upon the amazon. We have no need to cringe at purchasing other more costly translations when we have this excellent translation here hidden with silent fanfare, until now you know. You can get Ewert Cousins here very inexpensively. Skip the admittedly bizarre and uninformative Foreword; if you wish pul out those gratefully few brief pages, and live within the fullness of the Life of Saint Francis as recorded from primary sources very shortly after his death by the great Catholic theologian, spiritual writer and follower of Saint Francis, Saint Bonaventure.
   
   You may wish to find other writings by and about Saint Bonaventure elsewhere, including Theology of History In St. Bonaventure by then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, or in the always excellent Classics of Western Spirituality collection at Bonaventure: The Soul's Journey into God, the Tree of Life, the Life of St. Francis (The Classics of Western Spirituality). You certainly will wish to read more of Saint Francis, including The Little Flowers of Saint Francis (Dover Thrift Editions) and The Marrow of the Gospel - A Study of the Rule of Saint Francis of Assisi By the Franciscans of Germany. You could study and live and breathe Franciscan Poverty: The Doctrine of Absolute Poverty of Christ and the Apostles in the Franciscan Order, 1210-1323 (History Series). You might exercise the The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order: With a Catechism and Instructions or the Ritual of the Secular Franciscan Order. You may even be tempted to see some lamentable movie such as The Flowers of St Francis - Criterion Collection. But for now I can strongly recommend to your lectio divina this excellent publication of his life as originally recorded by the great Saint Bonaventure and well translated for the Paulist Press by Ewert Cousins. You may then also examine further Cousins translations, with commentary, at Bonaventure: The Soul's Journey into God, the Tree of Life, the Life of St. Francis (The Classics of Western Spirituality) in the excellent Classic of Western SPirituality series of the Paulist Press.

1 comments about Athanasius: The Life of Antony (HarperCollins Spiritual Classics).

1. I read that this is a classic still used in seminaries so I'm surprised that there are no reviews! Antony was an Egyptian hermit who gave away all his belongings as a teen to go live in search of God. He found many other holy men living on the outskirts of towns and learned from them, fasting and living a life of self-denial. He spent a lot of time fighting demons, which he describes as physical forms that would change shapes and actually beat him and talk to him. His efforts did indeed bring him close to God, and as he grew in wisdom people came to him for healing and advice, even the great leaders of the time. Others came to join him and it began a movement, but really all Antony seemed to want was to be left alone with his God - he didn't seek to influence world leaders or heal anyone but would when pressed to do so by those around him.
   
   It's hard in this day and age to believe what he says about the physical problems he had fighting demons, but the bit about how, as we try to do good it brings on us the temptations to do otherwise, against which we must always remain vigilant, is still relevant today.

5 comments about Soul Survivor: How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped My Faith Survive the Church.

1. Phil Yancy gives credit to 13 people for demonstrating to him how God made them impactful in his life for securing his faith. Telling their stories also provides to the reader a challenge to similarly allow God to use her or him. Although these 13 people are Yancy's favorite heroes of his faith, they are also effective role models for the rest of us. Even though we may not have the opportunities for the unusual impact that these 13 people had, we are challenged to use what we have and the opportunities we are given to serve God as He wants. There is also an encouraging variety of people types and demonstrations of faith.



2. This book is amazing. Gets to the heart of Christianity through the lives and actions of people that have shown God's love to our world. They are unlikely mentors but each one gave me a new or renewed faith in the one living God.



3. This book validated so many feelings I had about Christianity.
   
   It is an inspiring witness as to why it is so vital for Christians not to judge others. We are all imperfect.
   
   Read it.



4. Although it was subtle, this book is a balm for those who have been rubbed raw by the church. And through several mentors, Philip Yancey gives us his testimony of how he survived his struggles with the issue of the church. Some people are familiar characters and others I was meeting for the first time, but the book was entralling all the same. I added many books and authors to my wish list as a result of this book and I will definitely read many more by Yancey himself.



5. Yancey, sadly, is not out of the woods yet. He has stopped short of true Christianity and has adopted a heretical form of it. His book portrays the gospel as God making ridiculously impossible demands upon humanity. When they strive tirelessly to measure up, the good people admit to being miserable failures. The bad people also fail but won't admit it and become hypocrites. God pours his greasy grace over the whole mess, forgives them all and bids them keep on uselessly trying. Yancey evidently knows knows nothing about God's supernatural power working within us, producing His divine life and righteousness in us. Yancey is on the way but hasn't arrived yet.

5 comments about She Came from Heaven.

1. Most dog owners believe their best friend has innate heavenly qualities.
   Their collaboration whether by fate or design only proves the beauty of that dependency."She Came From Heaven" will render that true story with the vivid colors of one person's life experience.
   
   From page one, the story wraps around your heart and never lets go. Whimsey, the Black Lab who mysteriously arrived one night, carries the day
   through the best and worst of times.
   
   The laughter and tears keep the reader present, spellbound. But, as the story snakes around life's dangerous curves, the overriding spiritual message stays the course. Never give up! God is sovereign.



2. In this tender work we meet a couple and enter into the core of their lives. A couple just like so many others around the world, yet they were going to have an unexplained visitor who would touch both of their lives in a miraculous way. Both are animal lovers, so when a black Labrador appears at their home one night what could they do but take her in? Although Jim certainly felt a much more immediate attachment than our author did, the little puppy seemed to have been brought to them for a purpose. Whimsey, as she was named, seemed to have no past, and despite our authors desperate tries at finding her rightful owner that never happened, nor was she able to place the dog with anyone else. Whimsey soon became a part of the family and a sister and friend to Paisley, the couples other dog.
   The story goes on and the couple lives life and all its struggles and challenges. Unfortunately, unbeknown to his wife, Jim could not handle what he was up against in life and killed himself. The trauma, heartbreak, questions, guilt and blame all began for Rosanne as she struggled to make sense of his death. Here is where she reaches out deeper to a God who loves her and finds solace in Him, and comfort in the companionship of Whimsey, who seemed to know her every thought and emotion.She becomes an anchor, a lighthouse through the storm, and a true friend and companion.
   This story was one of life, pure and simple. Life is not often a Rose garden, but is more filled with challenges and sorrows as we walk the journey. In her walk, our author learned a simple yet complex fact. God is ever present, and often uses things, persons, and yes even animals to comfort us in our times of need. There is a lesson here that we need to be open to the knocking at our door with what maybe the very saving grace in the future. It is a story of heartbreak and sorrow, yet it is filled with courage and faith for a better tomorrow. A true heart to heart story.



3. She Came From Heaven is a heartwarming and tender story of a young couple in their struggle for peace, love and happiness. Rosanne brings us along on her journey through a relationship with a complicated man who could not figure out how to deal with his problems, resulting in his untimely death. A little puppy, Whimsey, who adopted them, seemed to bring love and loyalty to this troubled man. Though Jim's dog, Whimsey soon develops a bond with Rosanne and becomes her support through some very difficult times. The message here, is that God is always there for us and He knows what is best for us if only we pay attention. Uplifting and inspiring, I recommend reading this tender story.



4. Living in what appears to be a normal marital relationship with its joys and tribulations, a precipitous and unexpected turn of events leaves a shocked spouse in great despair. It is through her earlier discovery and deep faith in God coupled with the sensitivity and loving attention of her female, canine companion (a gift from God) that she is able to put her life back together. The story is nicely sprinkled with well-timed, effective humor that adds an appropriate balance to the poignancy of the unfolding drama. Some colorful support characters richly inhabit this work, in particular, Mrs. Carrucci, a strong willed, opinionated, earthy neighbor with a giving heart for those she likes. We wish she were our neighbor!
   
   This heartfelt piece is a great fast read and a veritable feast for the soul. We wholeheartedly recommend this book from first time author, Roseanne Pellicane and hope there will be many more.
   
   Ken and Janice Winston



5. I have a black female lab and I have always felt she came from heaven.So when I read this book I cried. My story was simlar only my husband died suddenly, leaving me with my only with my (2) beautiful dogs, one a black lab and the other a mutt like Paisley.
   The story moves a little slow, but in the end she brings you in and if you are a dog lover this is a must read book. Sometimes a dog will be give you hope and love in the darkest moments of your life and help you to face the future alone.

5 comments about Defending the Faith: J. Gresham Machen and the Crisis of Conservative Protestantism in Modern America.

1. D.G. Hart has proven himself to be one of the finest contemporary historians who focuses on American evangelicalism. For fans of Machen or contemporary North American Presbyterians - this book is absolutely a must read.
   
   What distinguishes this work from other biographies of Machen is Hart's tremendous ability to bring out the historical situation and cultural currents that swirled around the pivotal events in Machen's life. Hart provides us with a richly textured vision of the tensions within North American protestantism during the first half of the twentieth century.
   
   The book is ably written in clear prose. Even though the issues and arguments surrounding Machen's work are often quite complicated, this book is as much of a "page turner" as any work of such meticulous scholarship can be.
   
   Hart's theological astuteness is also indirectly evident throughout the book. This allows him to portray individuals on all sides of the various issues as full and interesting individuals rather than as cardboard characters. We can easily understand why many would find Machen's opponents to be attractive figures, even though one suspects that Hart would often have sided with Machen.
   
   Highly recommended.



2. We have long needed a superior biography of Protestantism's leading conservative theologian of the first half of the 20th century. Hart has written an excellent work, in the process showing that he is as much at home in general American intellectual history as in the more narrow field of church history. The observations are perceptive, the prose clear. After mastering Hart's work no will be able to talk about "fundamentalism" in the same way again. Justus D. Doenecke, Emeritus Professor of History, New College of Florida



3. If there is one individual in American history that punctuates the struggle in the church to prevent the separation from reason to religion, fact to faith, it is J. Gresham Machen (1881 - 1937). Hart does an incredible job of putting this larger-than-life character in his proper historical significance and the book is a must read for any person who wants to more fully understand why the church is so impotent in her ability to relate in a relevant manner to the real issues of the day.
   
   Machen's struggle was primarily against the efforts within the Presbyterian church at the turn of the century to modernize and become more relevant to the cultural around them. Machen strongly believed that God's Word was timeless and the emphasis need to remain on educating and equipping the leaders of tomorrow with a strong foundation of theology and understanding of the truth and tenets of Scripture and the celebrated historical creeds of the faith. He became one of the most celebrated professors at Princeton Seminary, but was forced out of this position because of his unwillingness to compromise on the importance of solid biblical scholarship as well as his refusal to kowtow to the political structure within the church. After leaving Princeton, Machen and a few others founded Westminster Theological Seminary, which has gained a reputation for its Calvinistic theology as well as a reputation for solid scholarship, especially in the fields of biblical studies and theology.
   
   Machen's primary battle was with the church's move toward anti-intellectualism, the embrace of the emotional and sensational evangelicalism of the day that "won soles" but didn't change lives. Machen was an incredible figure that clearly demonstrated the power and influence of the church's slide away from her historical roots and moorings into the cultural drift we can so easily see in a vast percentage of our churches today - especially in Machen's beloved Presbyterian Church!
   
   The historical significance of Machen is only matched by his amazing and colorful personality. He passed away at a relatively young age really at the peak of his significance to the movement attempting to reestablish the importance of intellectual pursuits in the Christian walk; but his legacy is felt today through the lives and works of those who picked up the torch and continued the battle including the works of Francis Schaeffer, Cornelius Van Till, B.B. Warfield, and even Nancy Pearcey.



4. Never having read much about J. Gresham Machen, I came to this book slightly unprepared for the technical discussions Hart sometimes gets into about the intellectual and even cultural context in which Machen lived and worked. However, this really is one of the book's strengths because Hart does a great job showing how the ideas and debates of Machen's time influenced his thought. He didn't work in a vacuum and Hart points out both how Machen responded to his times and how his critics in turn responded to him. The only caveat with the book is that it is much more a study of Machen's thought than it is a personal biography about what he was like (though there is some of that too). In the end I walked away with a deeper appreciation for Machen's intellectual honesty, scholarly rigor, and courage in defending the faith in his day. Now I need to read Ned B. Stonehouse's J Gresham Machen: A Biographical Memoir.



5. Hart does a fine job of giving us a good overview of the person and times of J Gresham Machen. We are given sufficient detail to properly understand the circumstances surrounding him and the changes he was facing. This is an invaluable lesson for anyone who finds himself going against the trends of society.

4 comments about From Slave to Priest: A Biography of the Reverend Augustine Tolton (1854 - 1897) : First Black American Priest of the United States.

1. How does one write a review about book like this? The title alone tells such an incredible story, you know you will have to read it. Augustine Tolton was born a slave of wonderful parents. His father escaped slavery and fought and died for the Union Army in the Civil War. His mother made a dangerous journey North with three small children to find a better life for her children.
   
   Augustine Tolton wanted more than anything to be a priest, to bring Jesus to all people, and yet he was denied entrance into the seminaries in the United States because he was black. Finally, after many years of being turned away, he was received into the seminary in Rome through the efforts of priest friends of his. His life was not long, and yet the work he did was incredible despite the many obstacles he faced. Often times God calls others to finish the work started by great people. Father Augustine Tolton was truly a Man of God.



2. This book was recommended as a book for my high schooler to read while studying the Recovery period of American History. I read it while on vacation and couldn't put it down. The story of Augustine Tolton is sad and poignant, yet so inspiring. This man had a true calling, and had the inner strength and grace to persevere against overwhelming obstacles. The undying support of his mother, as well as a few mentors, are inspirational examples of true charity and moral courage. Even after becoming a priest, Tolton remained a slave -- a willing slave to the duties of his state in life, a slave of love and of service, which is what God demands of all. If this book becomes available on CD, I would like to get it for all of the truly devoted priests that I know.



3. Sr. Caroline Hemesath recounts for us the inspirational story of the first black Catholic priest in the United States with this book (originally published in 1973 and re-issued in 2006). Although she did a fair amount of research and interviews for the book (as evidenced by the bibliography), Sr. Hemesath presents Fr. Tolton's life in a series of fictionalized vignettes, a sort of "speculative biography." The result is, if not 100% accurate, extremely readable and provides a good picture of what Fr. Tolton's life was probably like.
   
   She is particularly adept at presenting the trials Fr. Tolton endured: the constant rejection by seminaries in his own country, the years spent building up money to pay for studies in Rome, the harassment at the hands of a fellow priest in Quincy. His was not a happy life, insofar as he never seems to have found a place to truly call home where he could be a simple pastor (which seems to have been his only real wish).
   
   On the other hand, his trials never diminished his love of the Church, even in its human brokenness, and Sr. Hemesath gives us a real sense of Fr. Tolton's anguish -- a cross of racism, hate and bigotry -- and joys in his life. Rather than bemoan his fortune Fr. Tolton sought one thing only: to serve God and his people. I highly recommend this book.



4. This book is an excellent look into the life struggles that African Americans faced long after their freedom was granted. A sensitive account of the real fear, sacrifice and patient endurance that this young man and his family endured. It is a testament to his faith in God and willingness to adjust his own expectations and accept God's plan for his life; he was always a tool for spreading the love of God and salvation through Christ. If ever there was an account of someone taking lemons and making lemonaide, this is it!

5 comments about C.S. Lewis and the Search for Rational Religion (Revised and Updated).

1. C.S. Lewis has had an enormous impact on the evangelical mind. His books still top the charts in bookstores. But what about the substance of his arguments? Philosopher Dr. John Beversluis wrote the first full-length critical study of C. S. Lewis's apologetic writings, published by William B. Eerdmans, titled "C.S. Lewis and the Search for Rational Religion" (1985). For twenty-two years it was the only full-length critical study of C.S. Lewis's writings.
   
   Beversluis was a former Christian who studied at Calvin College under Harry Jellema who inspired Christian thinkers like Alvin Plantinga (who was already in graduate school), and Nicholas Wolterstoff (who was a senior when he entered). Later he was a student at Indiana University with my former professor James D. Strauss. He became a professor at Butler University.
   
   In this first book, Beversluis took as his point of departure Lewis's challenge where he said: "I am not asking anyone to accept Christianity if his best reasoning tells him that the weight of the evidence is against it" ("Mere Christianity" p. 123). Beversluis thoroughly examined that hypothesis and found the evidence Lewis presents should not lead people to accept Christianity.
   
   According to Beversluis, his first book "elicited a mixed response-indeed, a response of extremes. Some thought I had largely succeeded. I was complimented for writing a `landmark' book that `takes up Lewis's challenge to present the evidence for Christianity and ... operates with full rigor'" (p. 9-10). But the critics were "ferocious." He said, "I had expected criticism. What I had not expected was the kind of criticism...I was christened the "bad boy" of Lewis studies and labeled the "consummate Lewis basher" (p. 10).
   
   In his "Revised and Updated" book published by Prometheus Books, which was prompted by Keith Parsons and Charles Echelbarger, Beversluis claims "this is not just a revised and updated second edition, but a very different book that supercedes the first edition on every point" (p.11). According to him: "Part of my purpose in this book to show, by means of example after example, the extent to which the apparent cogency of his arguments depends on his rhetoric rather than on his logic...Once his arguments are stripped of their powerful rhetorical content, their apparent cogency largely vanishes and their apparent persuasiveness largely evaporates. The reason is clear: it is not the logic, but the rhetoric that is doing most of the work. We will have occasion to see this again and again. In short, my purpose in this book is not just to show that Lewis's arguments are flawed. I also want to account for their apparent plausibility and explain why they have managed to convince so many readers" (pp. 20,22).
   
   Additionally, Beversluis tells us, "My aim in this revised and updated edition is twofold. First, I will revisit and reexamine Lewis's arguments in light of my more recent thoughts about them. Second, I will to reply to my critics and examine their attempts to reformulate and defend his arguments, thereby responding not only to Lewis but to the whole Lewis movement--that cadre of expositors, popular apologists, and philosophers who continue to be inspired by him and his books. I will argue that their objections can be met and that even when Lewis's arguments are formulated more rigorously than he formulated them, they still fail" (p. 11).
   
   C.S. Lewis' writings contain three arguments for God's existence, the "Argument from Desire," the "Moral Argument," and the "Argument From Reason." Lewis furthermore argued that the Liar, Lunatic, Lord dilemma/trilemma shows Jesus is God. Lewis also deals with the major skeptical objection known as the Problem of Evil. Beversluis examines all of these arguments and finds them defective, some are even fundamentally flawed. Lastly Beversluis examines Lewis' crisis of faith when he lost the love of his life, his wife. (He denies he ever said Lewis lost his faith).
   
   I can only briefly articulate what Beversluis says about these arguments here, but his analysis of them is brilliant and devastating to Lewis' whole case. The Argument From Desire echoes Augustine's sentiment in his "Confessions" when addressing God that "You have made us for yourself and our hearts find no peace until they rest in you." Lewis develops this into an argument for God's existence which can be formulated in several ways, but the bottom line is that since humans have a desire for joy beyond the natural world, which is what he means by "joy," there must be an object to satisfy that desire in God. Beversluis subjects this argument to criticism on several fronts. How universal is this desire for joy? Is joy even a desire? Is Lewis' description of joy a natural desire at all, since desires are biological and instinctive? Do all our desires have fulfillment? What about people who have been satisfied by things other than God, with their careers, spouses and children? In what I consider the most devastating question, he asks if there is any propositional content to the object of Lewis' argument. Surely if there is an object that corresponds to the desire for joy then one who finds this object should be able to describe it from such an experience. Based upon Lewis' argument she can't. In fact, Beversluis argues if she cannot do that then how does she even know its an object that corresponds to her desire for joy in the first place?
   
   Lewis' Moral Argument is basically that all people have a notion of right and wrong, and the only explanation for this inner sense of morality must come from a Power behind the moral law known as God. Beversluis claims this argument is based on a few questionable assumptions related to the Euthyphro dilemma, and it depends on the theory of ethical subjectivism from which Lewis only critiques straw man versions rather than the robust versions of Hume and Hobbes. And if that isn't enough to diminish his case, deductively arguing that there is a Power behind this moral law is committing "the fallacy of affirming the consequent." (p. 99). 1) If there is a Power behind the moral law then it must make itself known internally within us. 2) We do find this moral law internally within us. .: Therefore, there is a Power behind the moral law. As such this argument is invalid. Of course, there is much more here in Beversluis' argument.
   
   The Argument From Reason, as best seen in Lewis' book, "Miracles", "is the philosophical backbone of the whole book," from which "his case for miracles depends." (p. 145). Lewis champions the idea that if naturalism is true such a theory "impugns the validity of reason and rational inference," and as such, naturalists contradict themselves if they use reason to argue their case. If you as a naturalist have ever been troubled by such an argument you need to read Beversluis' response to it, which is the largest chapter in his book, and something I can't adequately summarize in a few short sentences. Suffice it to say, he approvingly quotes Keith Parsons who said: "surely Lewis cannot mean that if naturalism is true, then there is no such thing as valid reasoning. If he really thought this, he would have to endorse the hypothetical `If naturalism is true, then modus ponens is invalid.' But since the consequent is necessarily false, then the hypothetical is false if we suppose naturalism is true (which is what the antecedent asserts), and Lewis has no argument." (p. 174).
   
   Lewis' Liar, Lunatic, Lord Dilemma/Trilemma is one of the most widely used arguments among popular apologists, in variations, where since Jesus claimed he was God, the only other options are that he was either a liar or a lunatic, or both, which Lewis argues isn't reasonable. Therefore Jesus is God, who he claimed he was. Even William Lane Craig defends it in his book "Reasonable Faith." But it is widely heralded as Lewis' weakest argument as he defended it, and fundamentally flawed. Beversluis subjects Lewis' defense of it and his defenders to a barrage of rigorous intellectual attacks. There is the problem of knowing what Jesus claimed, which by itself "is sufficient to rebut the Trilemma." (p. 115). Also it is a false dilemma. Even if Jesus claimed he was God he could simply be mistaken, not a lunatic, for lunatics can be very reasonable in everyday life and still have delusions of grandeur. And it's quite possible for someone to be a good moral teacher and yet be wrong about whether he was God. Furthermore, the New Testament itself indicates many people around him including his own family thought he was crazy. In the end, Beversluis claims, "we can now dispense of the Lunatic or Fiend Dilemma once and for all....If the dilemma fails, as I have argued, the trilemma goes with it. In the future, let us hear no more about these arguments." (p. 135). I agree.
   
   In Lewis' book, "The Problem of Pain," he deals head on with the Problem of Evil coming at the heels of WWII. Suffice it to say, as Victor Reppert summarized the argument of his first book, Beversluis: "If the word `good' must mean approximately the same thing when we apply it to God as what it means when we apply it to human beings, then the fact of suffering provides a clear empirical refutation of the existence of a being who is both omnipotent and perfectly good. If on the other hand, we are prepared to give up the idea that `good' in reference to God means anything like what it means when we refer to humans as good, then the problem of evil can be sidestepped, but any hope of a rational defense of the Christian God goes by the boards."
   
   This is must reading if you think C.S. Lewis was a great apologist, and it's part of the Debunking Christianity Challenge (go to www dot debunkingchristianity dot blogspot dot com). Beversluis' arguments are brilliant and devastating to the apologetics of Lewis and company.



2. Philosophers and theologians have largely tended to ignore the Christian apologetics of C.S. Lewis perhaps because Lewis was neither a philosopher nor a theologian or perhaps due to a reluctance amongst such professionals to engage popular culture and to write for a general audience. But if nothing else the vast influence of Lewis' apologetic work demands a response from a professional philosopher with the ability to be rigorous in his argument while still being accessible to a general audience. John Beversluis admirably accepts this challenge and meets Lewis on his own terms: an insistence to follow where the evidence leads. It should be good news to both Lewis' fans and critics that Beversluis' C.S. Lewis and the Search for Rational Religion is back in print and furthermore has been revised and updated to address critics of the first edition.
   
   Beversluis thoroughly examines Lewis's three principal arguments for believing in the God of Christianity: the Argument from Desire, the Moral Argument, and the Argument from Reason and ultimately finds them all lacking. Beversluis slows down the fast pace that Lewis often sets in his writing and by doing so is able to point out the gaps in argument and the reoccurring fallacies that Lewis's very engaging writing style often conceals.
   
   Lewis is found routinely attacking straw men: characterizing the position he is arguing against in its weakest possible form and then refuting it in very short order. Lewis rarely responds to the views of specific thinkers who hold the position he is arguing against and seemingly overlooks or is unaware of criticisms of his own position which one could legitimately expect him to address. Beversluis provides the reader with more plausible versions of the positions that Lewis, intentionally or not, tends to caricature.
   
   False dilemmas are revealed with startling frequency such as when Lewis addresses the alleged divine status of Jesus Christ. Lewis confronts his readers with a choice claiming that either Jesus Christ was the son of God or that he must have been some kind of lunatic. If one is reluctant to deem Christ a lunatic, Lewis's false dilemma gives the impression that one must acknowledge him as the son of God. The position that Jesus may have been mistaken about his divine status but still had some worthwhile moral advice to dispense is ruled out as an impossible position to maintain. The position that the Gospels are not historically reliable accounts of Jesus' life is also not considered. Beversluis documents many false dilemmas in Lewis' work.
   
   In addition to successfully reconstructing and responding to Lewis's arguments, Beversluis also helps explain why despite the flaws, Lewis's work has been so influential. Lewis was writing largely for a very receptive audience who tended to already be convinced of Lewis's conclusions prior to even hearing the arguments. Furthermore, while Lewis was not a philosopher or a theologian he was undoubtedly a very skilled and persuasive writer. It should not be surprising that good writing and charged rhetoric can often change more minds than can rigorous and careful argument. This is evident in the fact that many of Lewis' fans are most impressed with Lewis' clever one-liners and rhetorical flourishes than with the arguments themselves. When Beversluis presents Lewis's arguments in plain language they are revealed as surprisingly weak.



3. This book leaves one with the impression of having watched Shaq knock out an elderly fan at Staples Center with three quick punches. And being proud about it.
   
   1) Lewis was a POPULAR apologist. His works were not meant to be tight philosophical arguments. They were meant to make sense of Christianity, at a simple level, for the average Briton during-and-after WWII.
   
   2) Lewis wrote in the 1940s. Even had he been writing as a professional philosopher, his works could probably be torn apart by modern atheistic philosophers . . . and corrected by modern theistic philosophers. Never forget that requirements for philosophical rigor change over time.
   
   3) Criticizing Lewis on the basis of "rhetoric" sounds more like a complaint against his excellent writing skills. It's like a health-nut complaining to a pastry chef that his product is too sugar-coated. Lewis was not aiming for tight logical arguments. Like Chesterton, his works are written at a "common sense" level. This is why "Mere Christianity" is a continual bestseller . . . it makes SENSE at a basic level.
   
   4) Not a single reader of Lewis would expect his arguments to hold up to close scrutiny. I certainly didn't. The gist of Beversluis' arguments, I came up with myself while reading. They're good arguments . . . but they don't conclude the debate. And while they seem more "logical" than Lewis's arguments, they certainly don't make as much "sense."
   
   5) I have to wonder why a professional philosopher would feel it necessary to pick on Lewis (who never earned higher than our equivalent of a BA, and who never intended his work to be held to philosophical standards). It's like tearing apart "A Brief History of Time" because it oversimplifies things, and doesn't lay out the math like it's laid out in a theoretical physics journal. I can only wonder about issues of jealousy and bitterness on the part of the author.
   
   In short: unless you're into bullies beating up 98-lb weaklings, I'd stay clear of this book. Lewis's arguments have already been sharpened and refined by modern Christian philosophers. Even Darwin could be critiqued like this.



4. Whether you are a Christian fundamentalist, an atheist or somewhere in-between you might be surprised at the notion that the existence of God and the truth of Christian theology could be arrived at through rational reasoning and logical argument rather than through, say, faith or revelation. But amazingly enough C.S. Lewis was such a skilled and clever wordsmith that he was able to convince many people that he had done exactly that. Starting with 10 minute British radio addresses during World War II and then in numerous books C.S. Lewis presented arguments that convinced my hearers and readers that rationality and logical reasoning lead inexorably to the existence of God and (even more amazingly) to the truth of Christian theology (rather than Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or other religious truths.)
   In his book "C.S. Lewis and the Search for Rational Religion" John Beversluis convincingly and thoroughly demolishes Lewis' arguments. Beneath Lewis' rhetorical flourishes were very weak arguments that completely collapse upon critical examination. Christians may continue to believe in Christian truths and God but they can no longer claim the support of logic, reason, evidence and rationality. They must now admit that they choose to believe on the basis of faith, in spite of the evidence, rational thought and argument rather than because of them.



5. I write only to counter the statement that Beversluis attacks strawmen. Having gotten half-way through the book I have found no such thing as of yet.
   
   To get bias out of the way, yes I am an atheist. I have, however, read most of Lewis' original apologetic works (Mere Christianity, etc.). Beversluis quotes extensively from Lewis' own works, and takes great pains to try and keep Lewis' quotes in context. If anything Beversluis is so cautious in setting up Lewis' arguments correctly that he makes the reading tedious at times.
   
   I will not say that this critique is a devastating refutation of Lewis' primary arguments (that's your decision to make). I will say that Beversluis is careful, and honest in setting up Lewis' arguments and he takes pains to explain why the arguments don't hold up to careful scrutiny. Whether you believe or don't believe this book is a worthwhile read after you have taken a look at Lewis' apologetic works.

5 comments about Mystics & Miracles: True Stories of Lives Touched by God.

1. Mystics & Miracles: True Stories Of Lives Touched By God by Bert Ghezzi Bert Ghezzi provides a scholarly focus upon the lives of twenty-four people of diverse personalities and backgrounds who have each known a special closeness to God through a greater wisdom in the mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ. Individual chapters recount the great miracles of male and female saints of history, from the healing touch of St. Martin de Porres (1579-1639) to the divine voices that made St. Joan of Arc (1412-31) change history. Mystics & Miracles is a wondrously spiritual, uplifting, inspiring volume, and enthusiastically recommended reading for students of Christianity and Christian history.



2. What's the difference between a magician and a mystic? The magician tricks you into seeing visible things that aren't really there, and the mystic opens your eyes to invisible things that really are. What's that got to do with Bert Ghezzi's new book? Its mystics use all sorts of inexplicable marvels - visions, healings, prophecies, you name it - to help you see your way to the ultimate unseen reality: God.

   The miracles are mind-blowing, no question about that. We're talking otherworldly, occasionally bizarre incidents - phenomena that would seem like so much sleight of hand if not for the sanctity of the souls around whom the jaw-dropping oddities regularly occurred. St. Dominic raises the dead. Padre Pio receives the wounds of Christ and is physically present in two places at once. St. Theresa Margaret's body refuses to decay, to this day, since her death in 1770. And so on.

   But consider yourself forewarned: If it's a sideshow you're after, you'll waste your time and money on this title. For Ghezzi's only so interested in the signs and wonders that followed his subjects wherever they went. What he's really after is the unfailingly generous way they answered God's call to holiness - and what their example can teach us about answering that call ourselves.

   Ghezzi excels at combining concise, fast-paced biographical sketches with carefully selected, illustrative anecdotes that show the mystics' faith in action. Yet it's his personal, sometimes bracingly candid, reflections on the impact the mystics have made on his own life that, for me, set this volume apart from others of its kind.
   
   I also like the way Ghezzi helps make sense of the mystical phenomena he cites by separating it into six categories - miracles of love; miraculous prayer; dreams, visions, and other wonders; miracles of conversion; miracles to awaken us; and miracles that changed the course of history.

   About the only thing I would have liked to see more of, particularly when reading about some of the more eye-popping occurrences, is direct referencing to sources and eyewitness accounts. Alas, that's probably the journalist in me. Or maybe it's my inner Doubting Thomas. Either way, I don't think I'm the only reader who will be tempted to ask, when reading about, for example, Jesus appearing to St. Gertrude and transporting her from her cell to a separate part of her convent: "Come on - did this really happen?"

   And maybe my skepticism is a sign of how much I need a book like this. Not so much as a reference work, but as a guide to prayer and contemplation. Ghezzi was way ahead of me on that thought.

   "Most of us will never experience mystical phenomena," he writes. "No raptures, ecstasies or other preternatural events will overtake us. I don't know about you, but I'm grateful for that, because mystical consolations come at a great personal cost that I am not sure I'm ready to pay. However, we can permit God to lift us up, embrace us, press us to his cheek, feed us, teach us to walk in his way, lead us with human ties of love, and listen to our prayers. Wouldn't you consider that to be miraculous? I would."

   No argument here. And here's hoping my enjoyment of Ghezzi's book is not the fascination of a bystander drawn to the believe-it-or-not hour, but rather a manifestation of rightly ordered mysticism, or some small semblance of it, at work in my own life.

   David Pearson is features editor of the National Catholic Register [URL].




3. Whatýs the difference between a magician and a mystic? The magician tricks you into seeing visible things that arenýt really there, and the mystic opens your eyes to invisible things that really are. Whatýs that got to do with Bert Ghezziýs new book? Its mystics use all sorts of inexplicable marvels ý visions, healings, prophecies, you name it ý to help you see your way to the ultimate unseen reality: God.

   The miracles are mind-blowing, no question about that. Weýre talking otherworldly, occasionally bizarre incidents ý phenomena that would seem like so much sleight of hand if not for the sanctity of the souls around whom the jaw-dropping oddities regularly occurred. St. Dominic raises the dead. Padre Pio receives the wounds of Christ and is physically present in two places at once. St. Theresa Margaretýs body refuses to decay, to this day, since her death in 1770. And so on.

   But consider yourself forewarned: If itýs a sideshow youýre after, youýll waste your time and money on this title. For Ghezziýs only so interested in the signs and wonders that followed his subjects wherever they went. What heýs really after is the unfailingly generous way they answered Godýs call to holiness ý and what their example can teach us about answering that call ourselves.

   Ghezzi excels at combining concise, fast-paced biographical sketches with carefully selected, illustrative anecdotes that show the mysticsý faith in action. Yet itýs his personal, sometimes bracingly candid, reflections on the impact the mystics have made on his own life that, for me, set this volume apart from others of its kind.

   I also like the way Ghezzi helps make sense of the mystical phenomena he cites by separating it into six categories ý miracles of love; miraculous prayer; dreams, visions, and other wonders; miracles of conversion; miracles to awaken us; and miracles that changed the course of history.

   About the only thing I would have liked to see more of, particularly when reading about some of the more eye-popping occurrences, is direct referencing to sources and eyewitness accounts. Alas, thatýs probably the journalist in me. Or maybe itýs my inner Doubting Thomas. Either way, I donýt think Iým the only reader who will be tempted to ask, when reading about, for example, Jesus appearing to St. Gertrude and transporting her from her cell to a separate part of her convent: ýCome on ý did this really happen?ý

   And maybe my skepticism is a sign of how much I need a book like this. Not so much as a reference work, but as a guide to prayer and contemplation. Ghezzi was way ahead of me on that thought.

   ...

   No argument here. And hereýs hoping my enjoyment of Ghezziýs book is not the fascination of a bystander drawn to the believe-it-or-not hour, but rather a manifestation of rightly ordered mysticism, or some small semblance of it, at work in my own life.

   ...




4. I came upon Ghezzi's book during a very difficult time in my life. I picked it up because I thought it would be interesting (which it was) but it was more than that. It was encouraging, consoling, amusing, fortifying and helped give me insight to deal with my own situation.

   Ghezzi combines stories about the struggles and miracles of the saints with excerpts from their writings (and occasional quotes from others...I liked the remark of retreat master Martin Smith: "Do you really believe that God hides his will from us and expects us to search for it as though we are on a treasure hunt?").

   I came away from Mystics and Miracles impressed not so much with the miracles as with the mystics themselves...their wholehearted reliance on God and his care for them. Ghezzi manaages to create a sense of solidarity on the part of the mystics with us ordinary humans. I had the sense, after reading it, that these men and women were my partners on the path of life and if they could make it through hard times, so could I.




5. I loved this book. It told the lives of these saints in down to earth terms that you could really connect with. At the same time it also told about the miracles that God worked through these saints, explaining why or when God did these miracles and what the results were. I really learned how very practical God can be in working miracles through people to draw people closer to Himself. A WONDERFUL little book!
   I can't resist adding what was on the back cover of this book.
   "When one of the novices in his monastery decided to give up the religious life for one of wealth and luxury, Martin de Porres did everything -- including pass through locked doors -- to convince the young man of his true call.
   When given the divine gift of healing, Lutgarde of Aywieres asked God, "Why did you give me such a grace, Lord? Take it away, please!" Then she impishly added, "But give me something getter!"
   "'Bert Ghezzi has rescued mysticism from the midst of trendy spiritualities. In Mystics and Miracles, he shows us how God breaks suddenly and powerfully into the lives of ordinary people -- like you and me -- and changes then forever. If your prayer leaves you longing for more of God, read this book, slowly.' Mike Aquilina, editor, New Covenant"
   "'Bert Ghezzi combines a wonderfully engaging style with real spiritual substance that feeds the soul. I highly recommend it.' Charles J Chaput, O.F.M., Cap. archbishop of Denver"
   I can only say "Amen!" to the above paragraphs of these great books!
   This book includes stories about the following saints in alphabetical order:
   Anthony of Egypt, Anthony of Padua, Apphian, Catherine of Siena, Clare of Assissi, Dominic, Elizabeth of Hungary, Francis of Assissi, Francis of Paola, Francis Xavier, Gertrude the Great, Ignatius of Loyola, Joan of Arc, John Bosco, Lutgarde of Aywieres, Martin de Porres, Padre Pio (Blessed), Patrick, Perpetua, Sabas, Solanus Casey (Venerable), Teresa of Avila, Theresa Margaret, Vincent Ferrer