5 comments about Christian Doctrine.

1. I came across the book in 2002, when I was about to leave my seminary. I was studying at an conservative-evangelical seminary in East Java province. To speak frankly, my teachers never introduced me to this volume. But I found it outstanding! Shirley Guthrie, in my view, succeeds in articulating the Reformed faith for today's Christianity. I seldom find conservative systematic volumes have weighty points on the doctrine of trinity and creation in clear reasoning. With the revival of Calvin's focal points on those areas (and the connexion between the two), represented by Reformed theologians like Barth, Moltmann, Colin Gunton (the latter of which I pay my deep admiration), Guthrie strongly condensed the much more complicated discourse into the current straight-to-matter-volume.
   
   Forgotten by many theologians, that the one-ness of God, according to Guthrie, means worshipping the one-true God whom the Scripture proclaims, and not the "-ism"s (77); thus he doesn't indermine the one-ness to philosophical speculations--God being one in his 'ontos'; henceforth he paves the way the prominence of trinitarian theologian. So interesting while discussing the Holy Spirit, he has spaces on Christian spirituality as "looking outside, this worldly and recognizing the ordinary work of the Holy Spirit." (298-302), and no doubt that this is a staunch Reformed spirituality.
   
   I therefore have different opinion with my friend, Ongkowidjojo, though both of us are from the "same" root of Indonesian evangelicalism (yes, different schools). Guthrie IS a Reformed theologian in Calvinist wing though he has moved away from the Old Princeton school.
   
   For readers--pastors and lay people--please don't have reservation to pick this GREAT volume. Are you seeking a compact volume to nurture your mind, enrich your spirituality and grip your faith on solid foundation? This is ONE to choose.



2. Shirley Guthrie was an excellent professor and his book is wonderful at giving the basics of reformed theology. As he put it this is a good Sunday school text.



3. The best treatment of the subject I have used. Probably too liberal for the conservative right, but all sides of topics are treated by Guthrie. Essentially all aspects of Christian doctrine are treated in an easy to read but thought provoking way. It is a book for pew-sitters, not academics, but the writing is well supported by references and is faithful to scripture. Well organized by topic.



4. If you are Presbyterian, and indeed, a fairly modern, fairly liberal one, the revised edition of Guthrie's 1960's classic is well-worth reading. It is also worth a read if you are trying to learn about Presbyterian doctrine, Calvinism, British Calvinism, or the relationship between Westminster and Heidelberg.
   
   Reading the older (1960's) edition and the new one will reveal some interesting trends, presumably in not only Guthrie's mindset but in modern Presbyterianism. As others aptly noted--It's more PC, more hestiant, and less likely to have any absolutes.
   
   However, to be frank, and here's hoping this will not upset too many Presbyterian readers, calling this volume CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE is a little offensive and hubristic. Certainly, theologians of larger Protestant denominations (Lutherans, Methodists, Anglicans, and Baptists) would have a hard time agreeing with much of what Guthrie proclaims in this book.
   
   Members of Christianity's two largest bodies, Roman Catholic and Orthodox, would be downright hurt, I would think. And the latter would find it at least ironic and possibly risable that Guthrie considers the espoused doctrine "orthodox."
   
   So, if you are in the small body of likely readers noted above, this is an interesting work. If not, it's uncertain whether this one is worth your time.



5. I have used this with many local church groups and find it understandable, grace-full, and clear! It can be opened at any chapter and understood without reading the previous chapters. It is worth the money!

5 comments about The School Of Biblical Evangelism.

1. I haven't fully read the whole book yet but I love what I've read so far. Very informative, and helpful in hitting some major points. This book teaches how to interact with people of ALL beliefs and how God's Word always reigns supreme. If you're serious about evangelism, I'd suggest this book.



2. I think that one of the most important things but least done by Christians is "Evangelism". I love this book because it gives you the information that you need to build confidence in training Christians on how to evangelize. I love reading this book. It is the paper version of their (The Way of the Master) online course. It is handy and you can go through one of the lessons in just a few minutes.



3. I have been very impressed with this study! I have learned a lot and am so glad it contains many Bible verses, and quotes from Christian leaders (and others) through the years. It has really convicted and encouraged me to be a more consistent witness. Thanks to Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron. I would encourage anyone to buy this book!



4. I'm sorry, but this book is an embarrassment to the Christian faith. For some readers, the fact that I rated an evangelism book by Cameron and Comfort with one star automatically results in a disregard for all that will follow. But I would encourage you to read ahead.
   
   I am a Christian. A pastor myself in an evangelical church. Evangelism and apologetics are important. Very important. But Cameron and Comfort here address deep and complex issues with cliched soundbites and a severe belittlement of their "opponents."
   
   An example of many: In a chapter on addressing the foolishness of evolution, Cameron and Comfort advise, "Don't spend too much time on the subject of evolution. It is the gospel that is the power of God to salvation, so it's important to swing from apologetics ... to the Moral Law ... as quickly as is comfortably possible" (424). The suggested dialogue that accompanies this advise paints an evolutionist named Miss Guided as mockably ignorant. She doesn't know how to articulate evolution and indeed presents it incorrectly. I have talked with many who hold the theory of evolution, and virtually all of them have been able to present their arguments with great sophistication. In a chapter INTENDED TO ADDRESS EVOLUTION, they mock it and advise you to not engage the issue on a legitimate level.
   
   If we want to educate people of biblical conviction and encourage their own faith in the process, it does no good to make light and poke fun of challenging arguements. Further, each chapter contains approximately FOUR PAGES that only lightly and vaguely address the issues (plus example dialogues and "study" questions). I'm sorry, but their is no way to legitimately work through the very well stated arguemnts of leading darwinists such as Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Christopher Hitchens, and Stephen Hawking using only four pages.
   
   At the end of the day, it is naive works like this that contribute to the widespread ignorance of many Evangelical Christians today, who are unable to make any reasonable presentation of faith apart from a watered down ability to truely talk about the concerns that real and genuine people face.
   
   On the other hand, to the person looking for a book that deals honstly and not mockingly with issues of faith, I would point her to another I have recently read: "What's So Great About Christianity" by Dinesh D'Souza. Though I am an Evanglical pastor, I am a bit of a hard sell, going into D'Souza's book a little skeptically myself. His philosophy is his strength. Though I have heard and read critiques on his science and biblical study, D'Souza does a great job working through lots of the philosophical obstacles toward believing in the existance of God. It is definitely worth taking some of your time. In this regard, he is deep and rich and challenging. If you're looking for something to encourage you're own faith, and give you words to TRULY address the concerns and challenges you face, you MUST pick up this book.
   
   Thanks for listening.



5. This is a book that is really a great school for anyone who wants to be an effective witness for Christ in this generation. It trains you to use the method that Jesus himself and arms you with facts that help you answer the world's objections. This is one winner of a book! Thank you Ray and Kirk!

5 comments about Jonathan Edwards: A Life.

1. Marsden, George M. Jonathan Edwards: A Life. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003.
   
   There is almost a glut of material on Jonathan Edwards. That can be both good and bad. It is good that men are wrestling with Edwards's life and thought. A study of Edwards can renew intellectual life within the church. Furthermore, Edwards is being fairly studied by scholars outside the conservative world. This, too, is good. But there is always the question when a new Edwards book comes out: is there anything left to say? George Marsden thinks so. And Marsden takes his point of departure from other Edwards scholars. For all of the work on Edwards, the standard biographies (Perry Miller and Iain Murray) leave holes in some places.
   Thesis: Jonathan Edwards lived in the crossroads of intellectual and social history. He is a perfect representative of both streams of both European and American thought: he was a traditionalist who stood for authority, order, and stable values. Ironically, he also planted the seeds of the individualism that would later haunt evangelicalism. Even more paradoxically, the very cure (e.g., the Great Awakening) to the problem (e.g., spiritual decay and social stagnation) would later become another problem for religious America.
   
   There are two illustrations of Marsden's thesis from Edwards' ministry: the Great Awakening and the communion controversy, the latter will be examined in light of his political views. In both cases we see Edwards the traditionalist clash with Edwards the innovator. Edwards' instrumental role in the Great Awakening conflicted with other pastors in the region. Unwillingly, or unwittingly, Edwards inspired other men to rise up and carry on the revival, a task that also meant criticizing the status quo ecclesiology. Another example is Edwards' view on church-state relations (160). Was Edwards going to be the traditional Constantinian Protestant and favor a state-protected church, or would he encourage his people to be a holy congregation, called-out and separated from the world? It appears he wanted both. On p. 196 Edwards advocates a strong Constantianism. This clashed with his view on presenting spiritual evidences to the Lord's Supper. It is obvious why.
   
   Solomon Stoddard, Edwards' grandfather and the previous pastor, sought a mediating position with the Puritans demand for evidence of conversion alongside the painful fact that many people did not have that evidence. If they did not have that evidence, they weren't really in the covenant. So they posited a "half-way" covenant. There was still the nagging problem of evidence. Therefore, the parishioners would give evidence of moral sincerity whereas Edwards' demanded evidence of godly piety (368). It was Edwards' downfall (or heroic hour, depending on your point of view) to overturn this compromise.
   
   Evaluation:
   This book faithfully carries on the Edwardsean tradition. It presents a pastor who sought Christ-exalting power in the pulpit. Yet it is one of the first sympathetic books on Edwards to illustrate tensions in his worldview--tensions the Evangelical world is feeling today. Does a longing for revival and fresh power from the Spirit undermine certain stati quo in Reformed orthodoxy? Marsden's thesis leaves the reader wrestling and thinking on this question. Another fine point is Marsden's emphasis on the healthy sexual morality and love found between Jonathan and Sarah, especially in light of current confusion on sexual mores. I heartily recommend this book.



2. Above all, it's very nice that I can recieved this book very quickly with perfect condition (paperback).
   Among biography of Jonathan Edwards, this book is a masterfiece!
   I'm very satisfied with this order!



3. I was seeking information regarding religious teachings before the American Revolution and found a theologian's theologian. This was not a quick read since I was largely unfamiliar with Edwards' writings and teachings. I now have a "Great Awakening" anchor thanks to Marsden's treatment of Jonathan Edwards, his time, and his contemporaries. An important preacher at a particularly important time in the history of America. Brilliant presentation by Marsden.



4. This is certainly a good biography of the life and times of the great Jonathan Edwards. However, it does lack something of a the personal touch, especially about the days to day details of his life; his study and spiritual life. For a man living in the backwoods of America, lacking intellectual and spiritual companionship, he must have (and other biographies tell us) spent much of his days in his study, writing, thinking and praying.
   
   Although I am not of Edward's philosophical or religious persuasion, I found the description of his thoughts very illuminating, and at times, a little frightening. When everything that happened in his little town or in the turbulent times of US and world history are sourced back to the work of God; in most cases, God's judgements on the sins of the people, one wonders what sort of psychological damage he must inflicted in his poor flock! You almost feel, that for all his learning, he was still living in pre-scientific times.
   
   And you have to laugh where he refers to Hume's Treatise as a 'corrupt book'!But at least he read Hume and a number of other enlightenment philosophers; more than what can be said for the average pastor or preacher/'pop'writer today!
   
   This is a good readable work that does justice to a great, though in many ways, misguided, thinker.



5. This is a long book; the text alone is a little over 500 pages. In the ample space of those pages, Marsden very fully sets out virtually everything that is known about Jonathan Edwards. First and foremost, this is the story of a life. It is biography on a grand scale, in which Edwards' life is described, from beginning to end, in great detail.
   
   What is really marvelous about this book is how Marsden combines the professional objectivity of a historian with sympathetic understanding of his subject. This is very important, because Edwards is not the kind of person that just anyone could write about in a useful way. The events of Edwards' life are not very dramatic or significant. What makes Edwards important is his thought. He was a theologican and a philosopher, who stood on the point of transition between a world in which God still reigned supreme and the modern world of secular thought and scientiic belief. He was also a defender of Calvinism, in a world which was about to turn against Calvin.
   
   To write usefully about such a man, the writer needs to have a deep interest in theological and philosophic subjects, and Marsden does. I am not entirely sure what his own perspective is, because he keeps his own beliefs off stage, as is proper, but Marsden says that he is, and he plainly is, someone whose personal religious viewpoint is not too far away from that of Edwards. Marsden is someone to whom the issues Edwards wrestled with are still alive. He is thus able to bring alive Edwards' philosophic and theological concerns in a wonderful way.
   
   I, personally, do not yet know enough about Protestant thought to really be able to make sense of all of this. Much of Calvinism seems very odd to me. I am perplexed by such doctrines as the teaching that humans have absolutely no ability to merit grace -- not just faith alone, but the further teaching that what we believe and feel is not relevant either -- combined with the belief that we should exert ourselves greatly to be saved. If nothing we do makes any difference, where is our motive to work hard to accept God? I find all of this very perplexing.
   
   Marsden does not try to explain the larger Calvinist framework of thought to those, like me, who are bascially ignorant of it, so much of this material goes past me. One point that came across very strongly, however, is that Edwards -- in his own, odd Puritan way -- was a passionate mystic, as devoted to God as Saint John of the Cross or Teresa de Avila. I think, quite often, we find the Puritans repugnant, because their stress on God's anger is so foreign to us. While I still find that aspect of Puritan thought hard to sympathize with, I am glad to have someone show me that the Puritans -- in their own way -- were extremely sincere and zealous Christians.

5 comments about Training Hearts Teaching Minds: Family Devotions Based on the Shorter Catechism.

1. This is very well written and insightful book expounding on the shorter catechism. It clearly and accurately lays and reinforces a strong foundation in our belief in Jesus Christ and the truths of God's Word. It is a wonderful tool for teaching children of all ages as well as the parents. I highly recommend it!



2. Training Hearts Teaching Minds has been a tremendously helpful resource to introduce the Westminster Shorter Catechism to my four-year-old. The questions and answers have been written in modern English (I felt like the original was a bit tough for my daughter's age), and there is a short daily devotional for each Q/A set. By short, I'm talking about 5 minutes a day or so. By the end of the week, my daughter usually has both question and answer memorized. This is so much easier, more edifying, more productive, and more fun than spending 5 minutes a day just drilling on the questions and answers. I don't have any experience using this devotional with older kids, but my sense is that parents of tweens and teens could use the short devotions as a jumping off point for discussion. The author includes related scripture references as well, which also aid in broadening and deepening the discussion. Highly recommended by this mom!



3. Just a note to say that this book is a Presbyterian catechism, not a Baptist one. The main difference I see is that of baptism and the Lord's supper being "effective for salvation." That, and it teaches that infants should be baptized. I don't want to start a discussion of the merits of one view over another. I just wanted to point out the differences to those who may be considering buying the book. I wish I would have known this before I bought the book.
   
   I am considering purchasing:
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Scriptural-Exposition-Baptist-Catechism/dp/1599250527/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1/104-6073377-0082326



4. I highly recommend "Training Hearts, Teaching Minds" by Starr Meade for anyone who has a family, or is in any way involved in the Biblical training of anyone, of any age, no matter how long they've been born again. As a church planting Pastor this is a book that I recommend that all of my congregation get, read, and apply to their daily lives and personal / family devotions. It will continue to reinforce the basics of the Christian life and take you continually deeper into the depths of God's Word. This is the first, but certainly not the last, thing I will be reading and recommending by Starr Meade; I will continue to praise Jesus for this book!
   
   Philemon 25 to you and your family,
   
   Pastor Tim Camp



5. I do daily devotions with my kids and it can be hard to find a resource useful for both a 5 yr old boy and 11 yr old girl. This book works perfectly. Rock solid theology with pleasant discussion material. It does move along slowly (37 weeks alone on the specifics of the 10 Commandments) but it can be done in 15 minutes a day. If you are new at devotions or just want solid teaching instead of feel-good fluff I strongly recommend this book. Best for ages 3 to 15 but new Christians of any age could get a good basic education with this daily devotional.

5 comments about What is Reformed Theology?: Understanding the Basics.

1. Being a non-Reformed person, I have always wanted a clear explanation of the Reformed viewpoint without a lot of the theological jargon. I found it in this wonderful book by R.C. Sproul. He explains the foundations of Reformed theology and the 5 Points of Reformed Theology.
   
   The chapters in this book are as follows:
   
   Part 1 Foundations of Reformed Theology
   
   1 Centered on God
   2 Based on God's Word Alone
   3 Committed to Faith Alone
   4 Devoted to the Prophet, Priest and King
   5 Nicknamed Covenant Theology
   
   Part 2 5 Points of Reformed Theology
   
   6 Humanity's Radical Corruption
   7 God's Sovereign Choice
   8 Christ's Purposeful Atonement
   9 The Spirit's Effective Call
   10 God's Preservation of the Saints
   
   R.C. Sproul explains with very clear text and helpful charts all the essentials of Reformed theology -- TULIP, covenant theology, God's Sovereignty, Limited Atonement, etc. This helped me so much to get a good overview and understanding of the essentials of Reformed Theology. Highly recommended!!



2. Dr Sproul is gifted with making the deeper truths of Scripture understandable. This book is an example of that.
   
   I found myself reading it three times because it affected me profoundly.
   
   At first, this book is a "high level" overview of Reformed Theology (as it is distinguished from broad evangelicalism and Roman Catholicism especially and explains what doctrines are held in common, as well).
   
   While Reformed theology is composed of "the five points of Calvinism" and covenant theology as a framework, it is more than that, including a starting point doctrine of God that is controlling and related to every other doctrine.
   
   Along the way, the book deals with some of the profound truths of Scripture such as how Jesus can be both man and God in an easy-to-read format. It conveys a sense of history with such events as the Council of Nicea in which the broader Church established these doctrines. It took a couple read-throughs to digest these and now has greatly helped my understanding of them.
   
   Not only is this book a good overview with good substantive explanation of key points but it useful as a reference text or as text for a Sunday school class.
   
   This book has the quality and information of many books all wrapped up in one. Absolutely outstanding.



3. A great book for those who wants to deepens in theology. This book is a must to any serious Bible student. With an easy to understand style, Dr Sproul explains the roots of Reformed Theology and its implications to christians of all times.



4. In simple words, this is a wonderful book. It will serve to straighten out a lot of mixed up Christians who, through little fault of their own, wind up with a disjointed view of Scripture and a serious misunderstanding of their own salvation, because they don't have a foundation in the fundamentals of Biblical doctrine.
   
   This book teaches orthodoxy as clearly and eloquently as I've ever read it or heard it preached. It's fair to say that the language is crafted, since Sproul has taught the subject in seminary for decades, and is completly familiar with the topic. His arguments are logical and well organized; they flow from premise to conclusion with such clarity that a novice can grasp the argument the first time through.
   
   This book makes my short list of must haves, both for it's impact and concise delivery in only 216 pages. Actually, its a masterpiece because it delivers exactly what its title advertises. If you have struggled to understand the Bible and the Gospel message, and just can't put the pieces together for an effective witness, step back, turn the T.V. ministry off, put aside the half baked theology of easy believism and man centered gospels, and return to the truths the Reformers burned at the stake to re-establish.



5. What is Reformed Theology? That really is a deep, honest question that has been lost in the majority report of evangelicals of the western world. While Sproul deals with the basics of Calvin's teachings, he also helps the reader see how the Reformed Theology flows from within the Scripture to form a matrix by which we read each book, each verse, each doctrine, and each truth of Scripture. An excellent introduction (and should be used alongside R. C. Sproul's DVD series by the same title). Sproul and others have helped us see past the titles of Arminian, Pelagian, Calvinism, et al and begin to see the golden threads of biblical understanding that have been a part of Christian instruction since the time of Augustine. Definitely a volume to devour several times. Each reading unveils more and more of the profound truth of doctrines that liberated the church in the early 16th Century. Get it and use it!

5 comments about Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith.

1. This book impressed me immensely; well beyond what I had expected and I had read two previous books by Kathleen Norris. It is a marvelous format that works like a sort of "Day by Day" series of inspiring and/or compelling theological thoughts. Rather than follow a litergical order of verses, Norris uses different words and terms associated with Christianity to fuel her observations. I honestly was expecting a sort of academic treatise on what various terms meant. What I got instead was an illustration of the essence of the meaning of various aspects and perspectives of Christianity. From the very beginning I was inspired by what Ms. Norris was sharing. She has observed a lot through her years and has a remarkable ability to recall those observations into illuminating stories.
   
   Part of the impression this book made upon me may have had something to do with the fact that I started reading it towards the end of a retreat I was on. It was at the Benedictine Convent and Abbey where Ms. Norris spent much of her time. I hadn't even considered the connection when I took the book along but I was quickly in tune with her comments about her experiences with the Benedictine nuns and monks. Part of the appeal of her book to me had to have something to do with so many events taking place in locales I am familiar with. However, the broader appeal of the book lies in her sincere devotion to the Benedictine Way while equally active in the main stream Protestant Church. She seems intent on exploring ways to find a closer and clearer meaning to her faith. Like Ms. Norris, I had experienced years apart from religion before returning to it with a sincere intention to become a "Good Christian". However, I needed to first understand what it is that comprises a "Good Christian". Kathleen Norris spoke to me in the voice of experience of someone who has gone quite a bit further than I. I say that even though my journey has led me to ordination as an Episcopal Priest. Ms. Norris shares a lot of her experiences as a somewhat reluctant lay minister in the Presyterian Church. I am satified that she has found her vocation.
   
   Ms. Norris is a Poet in the literal sense because it is her real profession. I'm not one for poetry but I have always enjoyed the rare author who can write prose and leave the impression that one has read poetry. Her book, "Dakota" is a masterpiece of that style as is "Amazing Grace". I confess that I was not as drawn into her book, "The Cloister Walk". I think that is why I was a bit shy about starting "Amazing Grace". However, I am very greatful that I took it on that retreat. I would recommend this book to anyone who aspires to know more about the Christian faith. Those even mildly interested will find a voice that speaks in a clear, compelling and informative manner. Too many similar book instruct; Ms. Norris inspires.



2. Unlike the the Author, Katherine Norris , I have been a Catholic all my 71 Years and She has renewed my faith and spirituality and taught me more about the religion I grew up in then all the catechism classes and college courses in theology I studied.
   She is right up there with Henri Nouen and Edwina Gateley.
   What beautiful reading.
   Rita Peters



3. I really enjoyed the fresh look at words used in faith discussions. I particularly liked the one on Silence.



4. My aunt recommended this book to me several years ago but I was involved with other things at the time and did not get it. Then Amazon recommended it to me again later and that time I did get it. I read it one essay at a time as a part of my daily devotional. It's a great feeling when an articulate, gifted writer puts into words one's own beliefs as this one did for me.
   Page 310: ". . . Here, too, is the justification of the mystic's certainty, as in Shaw's 'St. Joan,' when she responds calmly to an inquisitor's pouncing on the word imagination, as if to spring a trap. 'I hear voices telling me what to do,' Joan says. 'They come from God.' 'They come from your imagination?' her interrogator asks, and she replies, 'Of course. That is how the messages of God come to us.'"
   Kathleen Norris's extensive study of the Christian religious history is expressed in this book and benefits the reader.
   It is poetic in parts which presents a difficulty for me because although I value poetry and admire poets, as an analyical person, I often don't get it. (She says her husband is both poetic and analytical -- a wonderful gift.) Nevertheless it was a priceless experience.
   This is not a book for fundamentalist Christians. It is a book for us spiritual seekers who love God with all our hearts.



5. I loved Kathleen Norris's earlier books, "The Cloister Walk" and "Dakota". She's an odd mix--a poet, feminist, theological conservative, and country bumpkin. But I guess it's the poet I relate so strongly to. Her prose is lyrical, and I find myself thinking about something she has said at odd moments for some time after I've put her books down. Her words resonate, and her descriptions and stories convey a vocabulary of faith. She has the courage to ponder the tough questions and deal with doubt and possibility while sharing her inspiring observations.

5 comments about God Is Closer Than You Think: This Can Be the Greatest Moment of Your Life Because This Moment Is the Place Where You Can Meet God.

1. I purchased this book for a small group setting and it fit the bill perfectly. Ortberg has a way of uncovering truth and in this book, encourages you to find Waldo, a God who wants to be part of your everyday life. I enjoyed it personally, was challenged by it and found the group setting enhanced my learning. I do look for God differently now since I've read the book. He is closer than we think.
   I would have kept the orginial jacket cover. It focuses you to the subject matter much better.



2. Ortberg is a master. Next to his book, If You Want To Walk On Water, You've Got To Get Out of the Boat, this was as good as it gets for relating to God in our limited human minds. Ortberg has tremendous way of taking ordinary stories, humor and life experiences and making them clear pictures of what Scripture communicates. Excellent, excellent book.



3. Excellent book on putting God first in your life. Develop a close relationship with God. Easy pointers to use in your daily life. Beautiful!



4. The book is in great condition, but it doesn't look like the picture. I was disappointed that I received an older edition with the eye chart on the cover. It was a gift for a teenager and they would have wanted the newer cover.



5. I put off reading this book for a while, but when I got my Kindle this was one of the first that I purchased for it. I can only say that I wish I had read it sooner.
   
   I appreciate the challenge that John gives us to keep God in the forefront of all that we do. I know this may sound difficult, but I believe that as he states with practice it becomes easier.
   
   I have found that you can't just read this book, you have to put it into action in your life. If you do I believe you will be amazed at how much more you see God in all that you do daily.
   
   Thank you John for the challenge to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn!

5 comments about Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology.

1. A wonderful book with many new insights into God's interaction with his people. Concrete examples of daily living for God. God can only relate to us as humans by using the exact time, place and method of His Creation...as planned by Him. Once we realize that we were created to interact with God, only through His Creation, many avenues of understanding come into play. God is there. He sometimes speaks to us in a "ministry of abscence." That is, He waits until we are totally surrendered to Him, before He wil make His Presence known.



2. 
   Give the author an A for literary flair, C for communication ability, and D for substance. The carefully crafted sentences in the book roll smoothly one after the other like a beautiful story, lulling us into a neglect of the plot. What is the author really trying to tell us? It is true that in the introductory chapter he carefully defines his terms, but unfortunately these definitions are unique with him. "Spirituality" is how we live with God. "Idolatry" is using God for our purposes through praying for what we want. "Fear of the Lord," is his comprehensive term of how we live our spiritual life and does not involve fear. His valiant attempt to define the Holy Trinity ends up a hair short of polytheism.
   
   He divides his work into three sections: Creation, History, and Communication, the three being somehow related to God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. But the story rambles on and on lacking a coherent thread and, occasionally, internal consistency. A few pages after he describes how God's breath keeps man alive, he castigates the Gnostics who believe, as apparently he himself also does, that man carries a spark of God in him. My best guess about his apparent position in the book's first section is that mankind should live "to the glory of God," worshipping and praising him. So I ask myself, "Is this why God created mankind, to sing his praises and glorify him for ever?" Perhaps this is true, but in that case I don't find this God very glorious and praiseworthy.
   
   Frankly I gave up and stopped reading halfway through the book.
   
   (The writer is the author of "Christianity without Fairy Tales: When Science and Religion Merge," and of the forthcoming "The Way of the Butterfly: A Scientific Speculation on God and the Hereafter.")



3. The earlier reviewer is right: This is not a user's manual. Peterson doesn't explain his ideas with straight, clear prose. Rather, he waxes poetic and writes rather circularly, going round and round a point well after it is established, but not necessarily shedding new light on it each time. But then, that shows my preference in style; others apparently really like it.
   
   I think the book also is for the already-converted, those already familiar with his basic ideas and who share his assumptions. It is not for the non-Christian or the non-traditional Christian, especially since it seems to define "the spiritual life" (rather than "a spiritual life") only in Biblical terms, despite the spiritual practices and wisdom of many non-Biblical faiths.



4. A vibrant and concrete God-focused life. That is Eugene Peterson's vision for the Christian life, a vision that he lays out in Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology. This profound yet conversational book gives readers a glimpse of what a spirituality focused on Christ may look like, with a careful anchoring in the Scripture and in the Triune God, with an ever-living fear-of-the-Lord permeating every move of our lives.
   
   In today's world, spiritual and theology are not words that are too often combined. There is no shortage of books on spirituality in some form or another, and neither is there any lack of books on theology, either biblical or systematic. But too often books on spirituality lack grounding in the person of Christ, and equally as often, books on theology get no further than doctrines or systems of thought. Eugene Peterson, in Christ Plays in Ten-thousand Places, elegantly combines these two streams into a tightly-knit pattern. He describes this synthesis as the conjoining of the two streams that have occupied his professional life, those of professor and pastor.
   
   There can be little doubt that Peterson has a keen eye for just the right turn of phrase and metaphor. He opens the book with the poem from which its title comes, and uses these perceptive words from the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins to provide the occasion for, and in fact give life to, his exercise in spiritual theology. The vision of Christ "playing" in ten thousand places, "Lovely in limbs" and "eyes not his." We were made for a life in Christ, made to be in relationship to this Triune God, made for his presence to live in and through us.
   
   Peterson unfolds a four-fold vision for his spiritual theology, a vision he then unpacks in three cycles throughout the book, echoing the Triunity of God as a vision for creation, history, and community. His vision entails a spiritual theology, and in fact a spiritual life, oriented around four terms, "spirituality," "Jesus," "soul," and "fear-of-the-Lord." "Spirituality" means a spiritual life that is truly alive, a life that is both in touch with the transcendent yet "vaguely intermingled with intimacy" (27). This is a life that is genuine, vibrant, experienced. "Jesus" points to a life that is concrete. In opposition to so much spirituality that focuses on vague impressions and abstraction, Jesus truly anchors our faith and life in the concreteness of history, the revelation of God to humanity in intelligible and meaningful form. "Soul" intimates the relational character of this spiritual life. God is a Triune God, a being-in-relationship, and we have been created in God's likeness and have been called into relationship with this Triune God. For Peterson, "soul" is set over against "self" as we realize the fullness that is found not by being curved in on ourselves but in opening the totality of our being (the "soul") up to relationship with the other, and ultimately with the Triune God who invites us in our entirety into relationship with him. Finally, "fear-of-the-Lord" speaks of the God-focused nature of this life. In cultivating a life lived this way, we live "responsively and appropriately before who God is, who he is as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" (40). These four terms form the core of Peterson's vision, and point to the vibrant life-in-relationship to which he invites us, a spirituality that is truly informed, or better, formed, by Christ and lived in him.
   
   Peterson then moves through this four-fold vision in three cycles, in response to the Triunity of this God who forms our spiritual theology. Through each cycle, he perceptively illuminates the world in which we live, with a very adeptly and subtly applied theological vision that at once informs the entire work without taking it over. He also speaks of pitfalls and obstacles that often result from distortions of the vision he is seeking. The core section of each chapter is its grounding in scripture, with extended reflections on two texts for each of the three cycles to give shape and anchor to his reflections. He then concludes with a reflection on the lived dimension of the truths he has been exploring, giving flesh to his visions of the Christian life through explication of symbols and acts such as Sabbath, Eucharist, and Baptism.
   
   "The end of all Christian belief and obedience, witness and teaching, marriage and family, leisure and work life, preaching and pastoral work is the living of everything we know about God . . ."(1). Peterson shares, through these pages, his blueprint for a life so lived, a life lived to the glory of God. This means living a life of congruence "between what a thing is and what it does" (334). We find this congruence, through Christ's example, when we realize we were created to live in Christ, and seek to live out that design. In our world where spirituality is so often self-focused, where we are told to look inside, told to seek self-fulfillment, Peterson shares with us a contrasting vision, the vision of a live oriented toward God. This means that we are called to participate and to live out this life, but it is a life of "prepositional participation" (335) as we are called to act "with," "in," and "for." We stand not at the center, but are always oriented outside of ourselves, oriented with the fear-of-the-Lord toward God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, the God of creation, history, and community.
   
   Peterson's book is one that I hope many will find time to read. His deep theological insight lends a profound depth to his reflections and truly models the type of "spiritual theology" he commends. The book also demonstrates the devotional and God-oriented focus he prescribes, as his pages so eloquently reflect a prayed theology. In the end, this is really a book about orientation, and it is just the prescription our wandering world needs to hear, myself clearly included. Many can get focused on self, others on theology, others on inclusion, at the expense of God. Peterson helps us shift our focus to the author of life, the worthy God, the end for which we were created, and points us toward a life where Christ plays. It is a jubilant vision of God-focused life, and an expression of what theology, when rightly done, may be.



5. Eugene Peterson is a very knowledgeable theologian and educator. He is thorough as well as very good at covering his topic from several different viewpoints and with a variety of "word-pictures" and sidelights on his topic. This book provided a very good basis for an online faith formation discussion I participated in.

5 comments about Secrets in the Dark: A Life in Sermons.

1. Frederick Buechner has great style, excellent writing and super content. I opened it and immediately became became engrossed.



2. I believe that this collection of sermons by Fredrerick Buechner is profoundly rich in sensitivity and wisdom, proclaiming without a hint of judgment and with authentic humility and integrity, the good and reassuring news of God's mysterious and redeeming presence in this world, including to believers, non-believers, non-believers-who-wish-they-could believe, and the indifferent.



3. Frederick Buechner is an extremely honest and emotional preacher and this is a book of over thirty of his best sermons. It is easy to identify with his readable, inspiring and imaginative sermons. Buechner is optimistic and never boring--he speaks of a gospel of love that invites to confront and continue to engage our doubts; he speaks of a gospel that isn't overly literal but speaks truth in stories and emotion. He finds ways to engage his audience and certainly these ways are not lost on the page. Surely, a book for every Christain to have, a guide for the path.



4. Frederick Buechner is a warm, loving, witty, intellectual whom I greatly admire. After reading this book I have grown even fonder of him and I like to think grown in my faith a great deal too. It was my church service every morning. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I loved it.



5. I am an unabashed fan of Frederick Buechner. His use of stories enforces my personal conviction that doctine preached is less effective than Christ lived...inside or outside the church. I love his style and he is one of "those" three or four that I wish I could share a meal with and literally watch him tell his stories.

5 comments about Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church.

1. This is an excellent book that deals with the "truth" of what the bible says about being gay. It really explains the truth of the scriptures and shows you how people have wrongly interpreted the bible for many years. It would be especially good for people in the Presbyterian church. It is a wonderful read and would be very helpful for people who have a GLBT friend/relative or for a GLBT who has struggled with this. I encourage you to read this book and break free of the religious nonsense!! God is here for you now!!



2. wonderfully written. the author brings in facts along with the culture during the time it was written. you will thouroughly enjoy this book. after reading it the first time, i will digest it for a couple of weeks and then read it again. thank you jack rogers!!!



3. This is an intellectually dishonest book. The worst example of the author's dishonesty concerns his references to Robert Gagnon's book The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics. To put it plainly, Rogers misrepresents Gagnon's arguments and perspective. Either Rogers has not actually read Gagnon, or else he is bearing deliberately false witness. In either case, it is deplorable for a former General Assembly Moderator to use such tactics. This also calls into question every assertion in this book. As a Presbyterian pastor, I also consider it deplorable that this deeply dishonest book is published by Westminster/John Knox Press (which has published other embarassingly bad works including asinine conspiracy theories about 9/11).
   
   The large number of fawning reviews for a clearly deficient book indicate that the pro-gay caucus within the Presbyterian Church (USA) is growing increasingly desperate. If this book is the best evidence they have for their stance, then their cause is lost.



4. This book has much to commend it, but the author's summary of Barth on male-female relationships (and his subsequent rejection of same-gender love) disregards Barth scholarship of the past 10 years, and is a superficial reading of Church Dogmatics in any case. A brief conversation with George Hunsinger at Princeton--one of the leading Barth scholars in North America--would have cleared this up and resulted, I think, in a very different argument. Eberhard Busch, Barth's longtime secretary and a respected theologian in his own right, would also have been helpful.
   
   Barth, in the last months of his life, dictated a letter to a pastor struggling with the issue of homosexuality, in which he said that while he was too old to give the issue the attention it deserved, he suspected that if he were to rewrite the offending paragraphs in Church Dogmatics III.4, he would have said that homosexual relationships, too, shared in "freedom for community." That comment is brief, but striking, since "freedom for community" is precisely the divine gift in which heterosexual married partners participate, according to Barth.
   
   To argue that Barth believed that the male or female is incomplete without the other does not mean that Barth concluded heterosexual marriage was normative for everyone. In fact, in the context of Protestant theology in the early 50s when Barth wrote III.4, he rather boldly praised vocational celibacy and reminded the reader that Jesus had no wife. Therefore, if Rogers is right, Barth believed that Jesus was "incomplete" or "not fully human" because he was unmarried.
   
   On the contrary, if you dig deep enough, you can see a trajectory leading from III.4 to the comment near the end of his life that same-gender relationships might also be seen as a divine gift that leads to "freedom for community." So Rogers missed an opportunity to approach the issue constructively in a Barthian context: instead, he merely concedes Barth to those Barthians whose reading, like his, of Church Dogmatics is one-sided. Thus, Barth has to be rejected as a theologian of "male superiority" who has nothing to contribute to the debate. The sad thing is that up-to-date Barth scholarship--which would have called this view into question--was available to the author in his own church.



5. GREAT BOOK. I consider it a MUST READ for anyone who is searching for true understanding of what the Bible is saying regarding homosexuality. It is necessary to consider the history, the culture of the time and the people to whom the Bible refers. This book superbly details the cultural mores in biblical history that puts a differenct light on the understanding of homosexuality as opposed to what many people today choose to believe. To deny the importance of cultural factors is like leaving out the flour in a cake recipe.