ARA Review by Revslammer of How to be a Christian in Today's World.
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Revslammer
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ARA Review by Revslammer of How to be a Christian in Today's World.
[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, How to be a Christian in Today's World..]
How to be a Christian in Today's World
4 out of 5
From the opening page, this is a gut-grabbing roller coaster, as the author narrates instances from his life where emotions and circumstances have engulfed all reason. The early chapters of the book wipe the sugar-coated toxicity off the surface of the Christian life – and expose the reader to the gritty, earthy, messy reality of life as it really is – life, in other words, where Christianised fantasies evaporate and real Christianity begins.
The honesty of the early chapters is nothing short of brutal, but there is a beauty in that brutality that paves the way for the credibility of later chapters. Was it Ernest Hemingway who once wrote about fiction as ‘bleeding onto the page’ – or something like that. Well, that is a good summary of the foundations laid in this little book.
The final part is a careful consideration of what to ‘do’ as a modern Christian, with the pressures faced in the contemporary world. On discussing the Timelessness of God (a questionable concept for some theologians), the distinction between church (or ‘Churchese’) and bible is a helpful one. And this final section is an attempt to return contemporary Christians to hard-core biblical application.
The reason that this gets 4 rather than 3 (my default grade) is that, for any half decent biblical ethicist, to interpret scripture is to live it. This is precisely what the author has done, and has articulated this magnificently. The author’s experience in police impound yards, hospitals, city dumps and rehab programmes – not to mention his own struggles of past and present – colours his narrative with believability. Although he is an advocate of personal responsibility, his practical guidance transcends the individualism of modernity. In this light, the book is highly commendable.
It's weak point is perhaps, that the title (How to be a Christian in Today’s World) created the impression for me that the guidance and advice and exhortations would be more practical. In addition, I expected more engagement with contemporary societal concerns (which, as an experienced counsellor, I expect the author would be more than qualified to write about). For instance, with questions surrounding climate justice, gender politics, economic fairness – the major crises that face our global community today. This is the only reason I could not grade this as a 5. This may be unfair – since I realise this might be a different book (in which case, my plea to the author is – ‘please write that book – you are more than qualified, more than able, and will have something interesting to say’.) But it is what I expected from the title.
Nevertheless, time spent in the literary company of this pastor is time (and money) well spent.
***
View How to be a Christian in Today's World. on Bookshelves
How to be a Christian in Today's World
4 out of 5
From the opening page, this is a gut-grabbing roller coaster, as the author narrates instances from his life where emotions and circumstances have engulfed all reason. The early chapters of the book wipe the sugar-coated toxicity off the surface of the Christian life – and expose the reader to the gritty, earthy, messy reality of life as it really is – life, in other words, where Christianised fantasies evaporate and real Christianity begins.
The honesty of the early chapters is nothing short of brutal, but there is a beauty in that brutality that paves the way for the credibility of later chapters. Was it Ernest Hemingway who once wrote about fiction as ‘bleeding onto the page’ – or something like that. Well, that is a good summary of the foundations laid in this little book.
The final part is a careful consideration of what to ‘do’ as a modern Christian, with the pressures faced in the contemporary world. On discussing the Timelessness of God (a questionable concept for some theologians), the distinction between church (or ‘Churchese’) and bible is a helpful one. And this final section is an attempt to return contemporary Christians to hard-core biblical application.
The reason that this gets 4 rather than 3 (my default grade) is that, for any half decent biblical ethicist, to interpret scripture is to live it. This is precisely what the author has done, and has articulated this magnificently. The author’s experience in police impound yards, hospitals, city dumps and rehab programmes – not to mention his own struggles of past and present – colours his narrative with believability. Although he is an advocate of personal responsibility, his practical guidance transcends the individualism of modernity. In this light, the book is highly commendable.
It's weak point is perhaps, that the title (How to be a Christian in Today’s World) created the impression for me that the guidance and advice and exhortations would be more practical. In addition, I expected more engagement with contemporary societal concerns (which, as an experienced counsellor, I expect the author would be more than qualified to write about). For instance, with questions surrounding climate justice, gender politics, economic fairness – the major crises that face our global community today. This is the only reason I could not grade this as a 5. This may be unfair – since I realise this might be a different book (in which case, my plea to the author is – ‘please write that book – you are more than qualified, more than able, and will have something interesting to say’.) But it is what I expected from the title.
Nevertheless, time spent in the literary company of this pastor is time (and money) well spent.
***
View How to be a Christian in Today's World. on Bookshelves
