The Inkling's Book Reviews

The Four Loves

2006-08-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

Author: C.S. Lewis
ISBN: 0006280897
Publisher: Harper Collins
Review:
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One of my favorite quotes from this book, "All that is not eternal is eternally out of date" pg. 166, gave me pause to consider that classics such as this famous work of Lewis can be enjoyed by any generation because the subject of love in the broadest sense is truly timeless. In this book Lewis categorizes love into four variations, each with its own unique characteristics and tendencies. Here are brief descriptions. Affection is the attraction that for example a parent has to their children. It is a familiar comfortableness that can be found even in the most unlikely circumstances, such as between a jailor and prisoner. The relationship develops to the point where a departure of one of the involved parties would result in the sense of loss within the other. Friendship is the companionship derived from common interests. Eros is the "state which we call being in love", differentiated from the "carnal...sexual element" which Lewis names as Venus. Charity is the hardest to concisely define, other than God is this kind of love.

Considering the volumes that have been written concerning this immense subject, this book is an attempt to clarify categories and stake out definitions with a few comments thrown in. Therefore in this review I shall offer a few comments of my own which are by no means comprehensive and which are generally arbitrary. Indeed, it is laughable that anyone would attempt to construct a comprehensive study on the subject of love, apart from the Author of course.

"Man approaches God most nearly when he is in one sense least like God", pg.4. Lewis qualifies this statement as "nearness of approach", and this offers a bit of a conundrum. We hear all the time that we should pursue becoming more like Christ, and that as we do so we draw near to Him. Indeed, Paul states in Ephesians 4:13 that our destination is "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." In becoming more like Christ are we then drawing away from God? The key to this may be perspective. Paul is informing us about what the finished product looks like, i.e. our Christ-likeness with respect to the humanity of Christ. Lewis is illustrating the fact that to become like Christ we must acknowledge and offer to God those very deficiencies which make us unlike Him. In our 'weakness' we acknowledge His strength and thereby appropriate that strength which increases the growth of our stature. In the finished product those natural attributes which are 'competitive' with and diminish that growth, such as pride, are reduced to the point of no return. Thus we are like Christ in humility as we recognize there is no basis for our pride when our power is contrasted with His. This becomes useful in exposing the flaw in thinking that Love is supreme. Lewis quotes another author, "love ceases to be a demon only when he ceases to be a god." He offers this as a balance against the subtle error of "if God is love, then love is God." Those who promote this perform a feat of legerdemain in switching allegiance to God for allegiance to Love. They may appear to be more LIKE God but in fact they are further AWAY from Him.

Lewis makes the following insightful comment which could use its own discourse, "The human mind is generally far more eager to praise and dispraise than to describe and define." Ask anyone to describe anyone else and almost invariably you will find the description punctuated with statements of valuation. We simply cannot seem to pass the opportunity to voice our opinion and our perception of what is appealing or unappealing.

A very telling passage on patriotism also stirred my interest. In the context of love, Lewis sorts through the various ingredients found within patriotism (generally viewed as a love for one's country). At the time of Lewis' writing, the English empire was not what it once was and had taken a back seat to the industrialism of the United States. However, Lewis looks with a keen eye at historical English pride and his comments still bear fruit today in relation to the current, widespread jingoism in American culture. The superiority complex that nestles side by side with patriotism, i.e. we're better than they and therefore they ought to be like us, is very evident in American foreign policy. It is obvious to everyone, isn't it, that democracy is the best form of the goverment and therefore we ought to export it in any way we can. While I am not debating the merits of democracy, and I do think it is one of the best forms we can hope for here on earth, nevertheless of the evil and corruption that often accompanies such export they "only by being terrible do they avoid being comic". In reference to England Lewis says on pg. 37, "Large areas of 'the World' will not hear us till we have publicly disowned much of our past. Why should they? We have shouted the name of Christ and enacted the service of Moloch." I don't know how far America matches up with England atrocity for atrocity but it is evident that large swathes of the world will not hear what America has to say, even in the face of cruise missiles.

Of affection I have not much to say. Lewis uses a good illustration in the form of Mrs. Fidget who literally loves her family to death, and once death takes her from her family her family is loosed from the bondage of her affection. Individuals who need to be needed to the point where they drive their family crazy need to reexamine the motives of their 'love'.

I especially enjoyed the chapter on friendship. As Lewis says, it is the least natural of all the loves. Unfortunately, deep friendship is infrequently experienced in the modern world. People do have many acquaintances and even have those who they would characterize as a best friend, but few and far between is found true friendship in the likes of David and Jonathan. It has been harmed by the societal rise of homosexuality and the impression that deep male friendships must have something of that within it. Nothing could be further from the truth. As Lewis succintly puts it "Lovers are normally face to face, absorbed in each other; Friends, side by side, absorbed in some common interest." And two is not necessarily the best number for deep friendships. Lewis points out that when a third friend is added, each original friend gains that which the third friend brings out in the other. Lewis also notes that those who "want Friends" are bound not to have any. Instead they should focus on the truth that they see in some interest they have and undoubtedly they will find one who shares that and sooner or later a friendship may develop. It is also interesting, as Lewis points out, that in Scripture, Friendship is rarely (not never) the form used to describe the relationship between God and His people. It generally takes the form of Father/Children or Bridegroom/Bride. He gives the reason that whereas the relation of Father/Husband is symbolic of God's love, Friendship might very well be taken as literal instead of symbolic. I am not confident in that statement. Jesus called His disciples friends. I don't feel that the terms Father/Husband symbolize the same Love, rather, they are facets of that Love, albiet in a mystical, spiritual sense. Therefore as my Friend, even though He is the Kings of Kings, I have the undeserved and profound ability to open my heart to Him as a friend.

Of Eros I will only draw attention to one point. Lewis makes the claim that because husbands ought to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, so too this headship placed upon the husband is most evident "...not in the husband we should all wish to be but in him whose marriage is most like a crucifixion; whose wife receives most and gives least...". Lewis does qualify this statement by saying that there is no virtue or wisdom in seeking such a marriage. I am not quite sure how to respond to a statement such as this. I can see the logic in Lewis' argument, but somehow I have to disagree. While the grace of God would be most apparent in a man who endures such a relationship and thereby gives glory to God I cannot help but wonder if Lewis is a bit off track, much like those who subscribe to the WWJD mantra. Jesus is not necessarily looking for us to do what He would do, but to do what He wants us to do and the two, I feel, can be quite different. There are many things Jesus did which I don't believe He expects us to mimic. Likewise with regards to marriage as a crucifixion I think the parallel is too sharply drawn and taken a bit too far.

In his passage on charity, Lewis refers to the vision of Lady Julian (I confess that Lewis makes a lot of obscure references) where God's relationship to the Universe is like a nut that He carries in His hand. He is certain not to let go, but it shows that God does not need the Universe. The 'nut' can make no claim towards any need of His. He instead "loves into existence wholly superfluous creatures in order that He may love and perfect them." It is a testament to the fathomless love of God that His love for us is not based upon any need of His, unlike our loves which are generally based upon some kind of need. Lewis ends the book with his discussion of charity and at the end I found that wonderful quote with which I began. I suspect that much of this book fits within that eternal perspective and therefore will always yield fruit to those that read it.

The Supremacy of God In Preaching

2006-05-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

Author: John Piper
ISBN: 0801065046
Publisher: Baker Books
Review:
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Piper's vision of preaching and it's purpose is truly refreshing. According to Piper, grandeur, gladness, and gravity are all missing from much of modern preaching. Instead, levity has invaded the pulpit. Preaching seems to be more of an attempt to invoke laughter than awe. However, preachers in particular must recover the gladness and gravity of preaching. He writes, "Gladness and gravity should be woven together in the life and preaching of a pastor in such a way as to sober the careless soul and sweeten the burdens of the saints."

Through his writing Piper conveys three truths about preaching. The Goal of Preaching is the Glory of God, and he quotes Cotton Mather, "The great design...of a Christian preacher [is] to restore the throne and dominion of God in the souls of men." The Ground of Preaching is the Cross Of Christ. He offers the following comment in response to self-esteem preaching:

"It horribly skews the meaning of the cross when contemporary prophets of self-esteem say that the cross is a witness to my infinite worth, since God was willing to pay such a high price to get me. The biblical perspective is that the cross is a witness to the infinite worth of God's glory, and a witness to the immensity of the sin of my pride. What should shock us is that we have brought such contempt upon the worth of God that the very death of his Son is required to vindicate that worth." pg. 32.

Piper writes that the cross "not only provides a foundation for the validity of preaching... [but] also provides a foundation for the humility of preaching." Preaching is only valid because the cross provides the means for our pride to be dealt with and for our glad acceptance of the Glory of God. It also serves to humble the preacher from deriving personal pride from the results of preaching.

Piper goes on to describe the Gift of Preaching. This is the divine empowerment of the preacher through the Word and the Spirit. Piper cries, "Quote the text!". So many preachers use a text as the starting block for the demonstration of their own ideas. Piper calls upon the witness of Jonathan Edwards as a preacher whose sermons were not only saturated with Scripture but also with the Spirit.

Piper uses the last half of the book to discuss the life of Edwards and how we can learn from this tremendous preacher. The Gift of Preaching that Edward's life exhibited was not only the Scripture soaked sermon, but the life of the Spirit within the man. Edward's was a man who walked with God. The Spirit was not a force in his life, it was the force. The Spirit needs to be the hallmark of the preacher. Not just during the few hours on Sunday when he is visible to the congregation, but during all hours of the week. Piper calls ministers not to attempt to be a certain kind of preacher, but a certain kind of person. The kind of person whose preaching is the visible manifestation of his continuous communication with and revelation of the supremacy of God.

Listening To God in Times of Choice

2005-11-25T20:17:00.000-08:00

Author: Gordon T. Smith
ISBN: 0-8308-1367-5
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Review:
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The quest for discernment is as old as humanity itself. Indeed, we discover in Genesis 3:6 that one of the reasons Eve took of the forbidden tree was that it was "a tree to be desired to make one wise." As Smith says, "we do not live well unless we choose well" (pg. 14) and unfortunately our desire for wisdom influenced probably the worst choice in history. Although Smith does not explore discernment in relation to fallen humanity, he still presents an interesting discussion on the foundations and avenues of discernment and dispenses practical advice on how to incorporate discernment into our lives.

From the outset Smith differentiates his approach from two other discernment trends in Christian culture which he depicts as the "blueprint" school and the "wisdom" school. Those of the blueprint school believe that God has a perfect plan for each of us which we are to discover through "signs" and "open doors". Smith asks a question of the blueprint proponents, "Do we really have sufficient biblical evidence to conclude that God has a plan for each life - a plan that is predetermined?" I would suggest that the blueprint school and Smith's response both miss a key point. God's thoughts (or plans) towards us are many and definite, see Jer. 29:11, Psalms 139. But these thoughts are found within the nature of God, whose nature is outside of time. God sees our entire life as it will be, or rather, as it is in its entirety. He knows the end from the beginning. And the key to understanding this, I believe, is that as the master weaver, God takes the sum total of our choices, both for good and for bad, and weaves them into His master plan to achieve the maximum good. God's plan isn't a plan that depends on our choosing the right thing every time. He isn't constantly revising it every time we make the wrong choice. Paul says that "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God". Smith does, however, put his finger on the solution. Walking with God isn't a matter of meticulously reading every "sign" that comes our way in hopes of a better peek at the "blueprint", rather it is a matter of loving God and depending on that relationship to guide us.

The wisdom school advocates the internal absorption of the principles of Scripture so that through wisdom we understand how to choose wisely. While on the surface this approach appears to be "wise", it can tend to produce Christians whose confidence in decision making is grounded in their own wisdom, albiet appropriated from Scripture. Smith advances a good critique of this approach in that individuals cannot fail to have their wisdom influenced by things other than Scripture, i.e. our emotions and upbringing. I concur with him on this and would further suggest that our absorption of the wisdom of Scripture is through the fault-prone vehicle of human understanding and thus needs something additional for true discernment in the haze of our weaknesses.

Smith argues for a third approach that does not depend on signs nor does it depend solely on the wisdom we have been able to absorb, but rather upon the relationship we have with God within the community of the Church. He calls it our friendship with God and it involves the meeting of two free wills. It is also not a sporadic, only-in-a-crisis relationship that achieves true discernment (although God is gracious), rather it is the practice of a life of discernment that is most effective. And in this life of discernment the key is the inner witness of God. If we build foundations of clear commitment to Christ with continuing transformation then we are opening ourselves to that "still, small voice" in which the Lord can make known His will through direct communion with our spirit. It is this which the wisdom and blueprint school have passed over. Born out of a relationship with God is a life into which God breathes and directs through the Word AND the Spirit. Both are needful for proper discernment and both within the Church community. It is within a community that is encouraging, helpful, other-serving and above all honest that we can safely seek for discernment. Much of the book is devoted to exploring how the witness of the Spirit operates, how and in what type of life it flourishes and suggests different ways in which we can begin living a life of discernment.

I do have to take issue with one statement the author makes. On page 47 he writes, "There is no new revelation by the Spirit in the scriptural or apostolic sense." Although I agree that Scripture is complete and cannot be added to nor diminished, I wonder what he means by using the word apostolic. I believe that through the Spirit, individual Christians can, even today, receive revelations for themselves, for their community, and perhaps even for the world. I also believe they can take the form of prophetic revelation. Of course, any prophetic revelation is subject to Scripture and obviously should not be elevated to the level of Scripture, but we need to be careful about conveying the idea that God does not reveal Himself anymore to humanity. Hopefully, that is not the author's intention with this statement. I also found his comment that "there are few things so presumptuous as a pastoral candidate's statement that he believes he is called to a particular church" as a bit strong. Not being in the ministry myself I cannot identify with the calling to pastor, but I would hope that ministerial candidates only apply IF they feel called. Now granted, it may be a bit presumptuous to emphatically declare this to a congregation, but certainly a candidate should feel called.

More positively, Ignatius' third insight shared on pg. 54, "never make a decision or change a course of action when you are in desolation" spoke volumes to me. I wonder how many ill-choices are made from a poor vantage point. When we are in despair, when we are discouraged, it is then we are often tempted to make a change but paradoxically it is likely the worst time to make a change. Another point that was personally meaningful concerned false peace. False peace can arrive in the form of "comfortable" decisions that lead to mediocrity and it can be generated by busyness. We often hide anxiety through busyness and when that fails we often choose the most comfortable path which only serves to disguise the danger inherent in the "broad way".

There are many other beneficial insights disclosed in this book and I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking to increase their understanding of spiritual discernment.

The Life You've Always Wanted

2005-10-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

Author: John Ortberg
ISBN: 0-310-21214-6
Publisher: Zondervan
Review:
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I picked up this book looking for a light read, but I was pleasantly surprised at the insight it contained. The subject of the book is spiritual disciplines and Ortberg adroitly navigates this potentially dangerous ground by focusing on the purpose of the disciplines, namely, spiritual transformation. He uses the word "morph" to illustrate the concept of transformation through its use in New Testament. We start our human lives as transformed souls. Sin has transformed us into ugly, misshapen caricatures of what we were intended to be. God has, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, chosen to enter our world so that we can be "morphed" or restored to a new and, I would venture, better state.

But how many of us fail miserably in achieving that state? We seem resigned to marginal change. Instead of true virtue we settle for "boundary markers" to help us identify those within the church and those without. Boundary markers are acceptable as long they themselves are biblically sound. Indeed the chief marker could be considered love. "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." Ortberg is challenging us to re-examine this condition in which we find ourselves and realize that it is possible, and even expected, for a Christ-nature to be found in us.

Training is Ortberg's recommended overarching strategy to overcoming the flesh and ensuring that change is inevitable. We have a choice to make. We can allow ourselves to become submerged in the details of life so that our life is all about getting stuff done. However, Olympic athletes train with a specific goal and all other competing interests are subordinated to that goal. Are we not running a race? We must choose to run with the intention to win, and therefore all competing interests, although not intrinsically evil, must be taken captive for the purpose of winning the race.

I won't go into all the details, but Ortberg focuses on the following disciplines: celebration, slowing down, servanthood, confession, Spirit guidance, secret works, meditation, developing a rule of life and last of all suffering. One theme that I will touch on which is repeated many times is the concept of the well ordered heart. Ortberg quotes Augustine to define a well ordered heart in terms of loving the right thing, to the right degree, in the right way with the right kind of love. Indeed that is a lofty goal, that when we love, we love in those ways. It would eliminate many falsehoods in our lives. Is a well-ordered heart realistic? Well, I would view that goal as a destination, and as long as we are making daily progress towards that destination we can have hope that it will one day be a constant reality in our lives. But we must make the choice to pursue, single-mindedly, such a worthy destination. Without that decisive choice and the ordering of our lives around it then it will forever remain just a hope.

What Saint Paul Really Said

2005-10-03T21:31:00.000-07:00

Author: Tom Wright
ISBN: 0-8028-4445-6
Publisher: Forward Movement
Review:
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In what appears to be a shot across the bow to traditional Pauline interpretation, Dr. Wright offers in this book some fresh theories concerning the apostle Paul which will be later detailed in his anticipated work on Paul. Paul, having written a significant portion of the New Testament and particularly with regards to the fleshing out of Christian doctrine, has both provoked both admiration and bewilderment on the part of scholars from the time of his ministry to the present day. Dr. Wright offers to us, albiet in abbreviated form, an alternative which he believes harmonizes the Pauline texts where other approaches have failed.

In the first and last chapters of the book, Wright addresses some modern scholarship on Paul, notably that of A.N. Wilson. Again, his points are brief, but he conveys the sense that at times modern scholarship has probed close to the right approach but in the end falls short. It will indeed be interesting, especially in light of the main points of the discussion, how Pauline scholars respond to this challenge.

The essence of Wright's approach might be summed up as follows, if one should dare to do so. Saul, a very Jewish Pharisee of the kind who zealously demanded the freedom of Israel, was converted by God in an unorthodox manner, and from then on as Paul sought to declare the very confrontational proclamation that Jesus was Lord which formed the core of Paul's gospel. He did this, not from a Hellenistic perspective, but from a very Jewish worldview. He saw how the one true God of Israel had actually won freedom for Israel and according to Israel's true vocation, for the entire world. He did not invent a trinary God system, rather he reinterpreted the face of God as Jesus Christ, and he did not invent a timeless Christ divorced from the reality of Christ's ministry, rather he maintained the course of being a faithful interpreter of Christ. Last, but not least, justification from a Jewish perspective and thus from Paul's does not function as a method of obtaining salvation, i.e. the imputation of righteousness, rather it is the badge that identifies a believer as belonging to Christ and as having received a righteous status from God based on the work of Christ.

I have already read some initial negative reaction to Dr. Wright's work, and as I suspect, this work is destined for controversy. In fact, most of the major points Wright advances are definitely contested. I do not personally have any opinions on this work at this time, other than to say they are thought-provoking. Dr. Wright is very clever in exposing some of these arguments in a preliminary form. It gives him a chance to weigh the responses and answer them accordingly in his full thesis. I am very, very cautious at entertaining visitors who offer seriously divergent views from traditional interpretations of Scripture. Nevertheless, I fear that we have elevated Reformation interpretations to the level of Scripture. Judgment must always begin at the house of God and we must diligently search the Scriptures to see if these things are so. Dr. Wright's thesis must be held up to the light of Scripture, but in the same way, we must hold up Reformation thinking, and indeed I would submit all of the doctrines of the so called "church fathers." Is this to say that nothing is sure? Unequivocally no. Scripture is sure. Paul is sure. Peter is sure. Luke is sure. Everyone else has their own opinion, and it behooves us to opine together so that together with the Spirit we may reach understanding.

The Unknown God

2005-09-11T14:41:00.000-07:00

Author: Alister McGrath
ISBN: 0-8028-3864-2
Publisher: Eerdmans
Review: --------------
At 123 pages, filled with large pictures and many sidebars, this book doesn't take long to read. It is a pleasure to read, easy on the brain (which is vastly different from the last McGrath book I reviewed) and easy to follow. Although it looks more like a coffee table book than a theological tome it nevertheless rewiews, albiet briefly, several major themes of the Christian faith such as the longing of the human heart for God, hope in heaven, the freedom we have through Christ, the crucifixion and the resurrection. Actually, it functions as an apologetic of sorts for the hope of the Christian faith and therefore might take a very important place on your coffee table.

One of the greatest revelations a human can experience is the understanding that the emptiness and longing that is so much a part of our lives points us to the only one who can fill that need. God. Unfortunately many choose to ignore or discount that revelation and never experience the fulfillment that can be found in Christ. McGrath connects the dots of human longing and the promise of future complete fulfillment in Christ and shows how inextricable they are.

Monster

2005-09-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

Author: Frank Peretti
ISBN: 1-5955-4032-6
Publisher: WestBow Press
Review: --------------
Monster, being perhaps the most secular of his novels, is more along the lines of the Oath than with some of his other works. Even the Oath has more spiritual undertones than this latest novel. This latest effort contains only trace references to faith and spirituality, vastly removed from the angelic sphere of his early novels.

In this novel Peretti seems to take more of an apologetic tone and weaves in evolutionary biology. Indeed, the "bad guys" in this story are evolutionary biologists who are undertaking some rather curious and bizarre experiments. Being unable to comment on the scientific basis of the "scientific" dialogue I can't tell how well the creation "apologetic"stands up, but it sure sounds good.

Like all other Peretti novels, I was compelled to finish it quickly just to find out what happens, and this novel does contain a few surprises and Peretti furnishes a nice twist ending. The characters are believable and the story flows very quickly. The maps are a nice touch and help the reader visualize the progression of the story.

Unfortunately it didn't inspire me like his first novels, The Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. Those novels really inspired me, and even if they are only one person's perspective, they awoke my spiritual imagination (which still must be primarily informed by the Word of God). However this novel and most of his recent books don't offer that same bold vision, rather the spiritual aspects have been submerging into the storyline so that in this latest novel they are almost non-existent.

That being said, I still recommend it as a good read for anyone who is a Peretti fan.

Blog

2005-04-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

Author: Hugh Hewitt
ISBN: 0-7852-1187-X
Publisher: Nelson Books

Review:
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If you are reading this review, chances are you have heard about the blogosphere. The blogosphere is a corner of cyberspace which is exponentially expanding. Blog is short for weblog, which is essentially an online diary, with the twist that it is meant to be read by others. The most successful blogs aren't your typical housewife-at-home daily list of things accomplished. Instead, they are political pundits, industry analysts and celebrities. One of the more successful bloggers (one who blogs), Hugh Hewitt, is the author of Blog. He is a radio talkshow personality who has leveraged his radio presence into the blogosphere and currently has a wide readership base.

Hewitt contends that the main stream media (MSM) such as the major daily papers, TV news broadcasters, and even flagship web sites such as CNN.com are being threatened, and may even be forced to change based on blogs. The reason Hewitt gives for this is all about accountability. Most news organizations exist for profit, and their accountability has historical been somewhat lacking. Most people realize that any given story in the news is probably factually suspect and perhaps even intentionally misleading.

The power of a blog with a sustained, large readership to bring these news organizations to task on their accuracy, partisanship, or blatant fiction has been demonstrated in several recent events. Hewitt shows how Senator Trent Lott, anchorman Dan Rather, and even presidential candidate John Kerry were all affected by the power of the blogosphere. According to Hewitt, instead of one or two editors vetting the news within a news organization, there are thousands of editors out in the blogosphere to give notice of error or inaccuracy. It may even go so far, as in the case of Trent Lott, that a story intentionally ignored by the MSM, may be picked up by the blogosphere and widely disseminated to the point where the MSM is forced to cover it.

Once a story picks up speed in the blogosphere Hewitt declares that it morphs into a blog swarm. If the story is hot it will be carried all over the blogosphere potentially in a matter of hours, giving many individuals the chance to read and perhaps even voice their own opinions. Such is the case of Dan Rather's story on the Bush memo. It was only in the educated and responsive readership of the blogs that textual experts started to come forward and declare the memo an obvious fake.

It may be much ado about nothing, but Hewitt makes a compelling case that every organization, whether it be a large corporation or a local church, needs to jump into the blogosphere and make their presence known. It provides an excellent platform for an organization to display its services, answer its critics, and provoke discussion about its core competencies.

As far as the book itself, the first half was quite interesting, especially the description of the major public events incited by the blogosphere. The last half was actually quite boring. Hewitt isn't the greatest writer, and frequently repeats his thoughts. It is obvious that this book was an off-the-cuff publicity generator for the blogosphere, but admittedly it is timely. I don't believe that MSM is going to "melt-down". They are far too entrenched for that. But I don't disagree that over time, more and more individuals are going to get turned off by the propaganda and will undoubtedly start looking for more trustworthy news sources.

For anyone who wants to know the power of the blogosphere this book is a good introduction. For anyone who doesn't know how to turn on a computer, this book is probably a bad idea. To get an idea of the variety of the blogs out there, visit Hewitts blog at www.hughhewitt.com and check out his favorite blogs.

And the Shofar Blew

2005-04-01T22:15:00.000-08:00

Author: Francine Rivers
ISBN: 0-8423-6582-6
Publisher: Tyndale

Review:
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I always hesitate reading a Rivers novel because I know that I will soon get caught up in the drama and dead-on dialogue always present in her novels. This novel is no different. By the end of this book we get to know each of the main characters intimately. Their hopes and fears become our hopes and fears. Indeed, of all her novels, I feel this one strikes closest to home because most Christians have at one point or another experienced the swirl of hurts and disappointments faced by these characters. The book covers a span of roughly fifteen years and we get a glimpse of just how difficult it can be to reap what we sow.

Paul Hudson is an ambitious young minister, anxious to seek the approval of his larger-than-life pastor/father. His ambitions drive him to hurt and betray the most important people in his life, namely his wife and son. His wife, Eunice, although perhaps a little too perfect, struggles to be patient and supportive although she eventually realizes that the direction her husband is headed will end in disaster. His son Timothy sees the situation all too clearly and like most preacher's kids, is tormented by the warped view he witnesses through the sides of the fishbowl. Samuel Mason, the elder who offers the pulpit to Paul on behalf of the failing local church, also sees the veering direction and, despite his sound wisdom, is gradually cast aside. Stephen Decker is the wild card in the mix, who has great potential to harm or help both the work of God and the work of Hudson, which are two very different things in this novel.

Overall, this book is a call for all to examine the motives and direction of seeker-sensitive churches. We witness the descent of Hudson into a moral morass as he tries to fulfill his ambition at the expense of the simplicity of the gospel. Too many churches fall into the trap that Hudson willingly enters. As the church initially grows due to his God-given gifts, the original elders gradually lose connection with the church and are replaced with those whose ambitions mirror that of Hudson, and the growth of the church becomes the sole measure of success. Very quickly the building program enters the scene and due to the large-scale committments necessary for a large "vision", retaining and adding to the membership rapidly supplants the need to disciple and verify the Christ-likeness of those in leadership positions. It becomes all too apparent that the "seeker-sensitiveness" is really a cover for supporting the personal ambitions of the leadership. The gospel gets watered-down, heart-growth is set aside, services become entertainment oriented, and sound bites are preferred to sound doctrine. The descent into the madness of pleasing the world starts innocently enough and is driven by a desire to see souls saved, but when carried to its logical end, it leads to a place without boundaries, a place where God's voice cannot be heard. Worldly-sensitivity is Godly insensitivity.

Rivers carries this thinking to the bitter end and we witness the heart-breaking revelations and very credible sinfulness that inevitably accompany self-aggrandizement. Very difficult choices face many of the characters involved, choices that many Christians have had to face. Unfortunately we will continue to choose incorrectly and experience the sorrow that grips Eunice, Timothy, and Paul unless we empty ourselves of ourselves and listen to the call of God. Rivers symbolizes this call as the ancient call of the shofar that summoned the Israelites to repentance, to war, and to the presence of God. The shofar can be a consistent entity in the life of the believer if they have the ears to hear. From the beginning of this book to its climax we plunge with terrifying pace into the deafness of sin and ambition and the shofar gradually fades to silence.

How many believers like Eunice, Timothy, Stephen, and Samuel are hurt and broken on the wheel of another's sin and ambition? We never really know the impact we have on the lives of others, especially those of us in a place of Christian leadership. Paul turns from a pastor into a trader. He trades his family who love him for the superficial esteem of 'important' men. He trades his calling for his own kingdom. He trades his true friendships for the admiration of sinful people. And most telling, he trades the gospel for the support of faithless people. Of all, Christ is the one that is most rejected in this entire scenario. Christ is shown the door so that Influence and Power can enter.

This novel is a timely statement on current Christian culture. I am beginning to be deeply suspicious of efforts to engage the world on its own terms; of large-scale building programs; of showiness over humility; of modern methods that fail to present the gospel in a clear and simple manner. When we try to entice the world to come to church by worldly methods we do despite to the cross, which truly is the power of God unto salvation. Enticing is the activity of the Enemy. And anything less than the clear gospel is a cleverly hidden lie, and we wrong not only God, but those very people we are enticing.

However, in everything, there is always another perspective. There are some elders, some older churches, who do not have the Christlikeness evidenced by Samuel. Far too many churches have degenerated into a country club atmosphere where the cause of the gospel falls on deaf ears. We should ever strive to present the gospel to the lost in a way that they can understand and in a way which will open their heart to the Spirit. We need to reach the world through the power of the Spirit. Many churches could only identify with the Centerville church as it was before Paul Hudson arrived. This ought not to be the case. A church that has lost its hunger to see the lost come to Christ is itself lost. What this book is warning against is the fad-driven church, the "whatever it takes" church. An excellent article about this very subject was written by Rev. Todd Wilken, entitled, "The Fad-Driven Church". If you can find it, it will open your eyes.

Every Christian leader should read this book, but my fear is that those with the ears to hear do not need to read this book, and those who should read it would never crack its covers. But may it help strengthen the hearts of those who desire Christ, His will, His kingdom and nothing less. Finally, like most Rivers novels, this book is a page-turner, so if you are planning to read it make sure you've got lots of time to finish it quickly.

The Divine Conspiracy

2005-03-23T12:40:00.000-08:00

Author: Dallas Willard
ISBN: 0-06-069333-9
Publisher: Harper

Review:
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This book won the Christian Book of the Year award (1999) and it is not hard to tell why. Starting with the upside-down-ness of this present world, Willard goes on to systematically dissect the Sermon on the Mount revealing the sheer brilliance of perhaps the most famous discourse of Jesus. He shows that what appears to be a disconnected string of moral utterances is in reality a successively pieced together framework of how life in the kingdom of God ought to be. The Sermon progressively deals with the core issues which prevent the heart from experiencing the fullness and nearness of God's present kingdom on earth. Please note that this is not a book to be lightly picked up and skimmed. This book should be read slowly in order to understand the full import of each progressive step. Challenging, exceptional, and well written this book is a must read.

The Abolition Of Man

2005-03-18T12:26:00.000-08:00

Author: C.S. Lewis
ISBN: 0-06-065294-2
Publisher:

Review:
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As one of Lewis' more controversial books The Abolition of Man attacks the premise that values such as courage, honour, and appreciation of objects for their intrinsic merit are rooted in the subjective. He argues for the existence of the Tao, or that set of ingrained values by which society exists. He attempts to show the fruitlessness of attacking this somewhat vague, somewhat definite moral code.

Those who argue for Intellect as opposed to Sentimentality find themselves chiefly under the barrage of Lewis' wit. Lewis argues that it is through the conditioned emotion that Intellect governs the body, and Intellect alone cannot suffice. As Lewis says of Intellectual individuals, "It is not excess of thought but defect of fertile and generous emotion that marks them out. Their heads are no bigger than the ordinary; it is the atrophy of the chest beneath that makes them seem so." Over the course of the book, he deftly shows the slight of hand that must exist in order to support this philosophy. Take it to its logical conclusion and the results are disturbing.

Lewis also comments on the phrase, "Man is conquering nature". He very shrewdly deduces that what this really means is that "Each new power won by man is a power over man as well." We in the West would do well to keep this in mind, although recent events, i.e. Asian Tsunami, would tell us that we are a long way from conquering Nature.

Lewis ends his argument with the conclusion "A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery." Indeed, those embark on a subjective journey will find themselves lost on a sea of possibilities in which their subjectivity will objectively drown.

Whether you agree with Lewis or not, you must be prepared to address his concerns if you are seriously doubtful about objective value, unless of course your doubt is just an excuse to do as you please, which is a most common ailment in the human species.

Dawkins' God

2005-03-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

Author: McGrath, Alister
ISBN: 1-4051-2538-1
Publisher: Blackwell

Review:
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Having only heard of Richard Dawkins indirectly, and never having read any of his books, I am not qualified to offer an informed review of this book (but then again, am I ever?). However, I will comment on a few things.

First of all, McGrath is very thorough (as far as I can tell) in his critique of Dawkins' work and does not isolate his argument to a single book but rather spans Dawkins' oeuvre. Not only that, but McGrath draws from a wide spectrum of sources against which to compare Dawkins' theories and make excellent use of theological authors as well as scientific authors.
Secondly, McGrath does not mount an all out offensive, rather, as he himself declares, he has merely "opened up some questions for further discussion". Thus, he has limited himself to drawing our attention to some of the problems and assumptions contained in Dawkins' writings. There are many profound and varied concerns at play in these discussions and a single book cannot attempt to answer them all. The "Meaning of Life" after all cannot be limited to a pithy phrase. I believe that McGrath shows considerable and respectable restraint.

McGrath does not, however, pull any punches. I especially love the following quote, "Dawkins atheism seems to be tacked onto his evolutionary biology with intellectual velcro". He tries to be respectful, but his incredulousness at some of Dawkins' blatant hypocrisy is very apparent and he uses Dawkins' own words at times to roast him on his own skewer. For instance, he quotes Dawkins when Dawkins "lambasted philosopher Mary Midgley for criticizing his 'selfish gene' hypothesis without any awareness of how scientists used language." See some of their discussions here in the "Issues in Darwinism" section. Dawkins goes on about her ignorance of biology and how his ignorance would be just as obvious if he were to critique her area of expertise. McGrath is astounded because this is the same Dawkins who "...knowing nothing about Christian theology, rushes headlong into the field, and tells theologians what they really mean when they use their own language...". I can almost see McGrath shaking his head in disbelief.

In this book McGrath is exposing the ridiculous transition that Dawkins has made between evolutionary biology the notion that there is no God. Essentially, McGrath makes a long (but needful) argument to show that Dawkins' belief in atheism is not supported by science and in fact, is supported mainly by his rhetoric and polemicizing. The one maxim that most scientists seem to adhere to (apparently apart from Dawkins and his neophytes) is that science cannot prove nor disprove the existence of God. As Stephen Jay Gould, a noted proponent of evolution, writes about the existence of God, "We neither affirm nor deny it; we simply can't comment on it as scientists."

The exciting thing I found in this book, which may appear to be a stumbling block to some readers, is the detailed technical knowledge that McGrath demonstrates. Quiz question, what does DNA stand for? With a PhD in molecular biophysics and as a professional theologian, he is eminently suited to tackle the mess that Dawkins has created (no doubt about my bias here). He dives right into the technical foundation (written for lay readers though) upon which Dawkins has constructed his worldview and can meet Dawkins at just about every point. In fact he is more suited to discuss the theological aspects of Dawkins' writings than Dawkins' himself.

This book is not for everyone, indeed, only those with an interest in the relationship between science and religion should attempt to read it, otherwise, you'll probably read about five pages and quit. There are some excellent gems of argumentative logic and some priceless examples of Dawkins' work which exposes just how important it is that you confirm your sources. The only problem that some inclined readers will have with this book is the apparent assumed validity of evolutionary biology. McGrath did not use this book to attack evolution, and in fact, appears to concede it in order to attack those precise points where Dawkins leaves himself defenceless. At times it is necessary to concede certain points, albiet temporarily, in order to argue other points. Not knowing McGrath's view of evolution it is impossible to assess whether he has conceded this point temporarily or permanently.

I found this book to be stimulating and very well organized in the presentation of the subject matter. McGrath is a very lucid writer and is quickly becoming, in my case, a preferred author.

Bringing Up Boys

2005-03-14T19:47:00.000-08:00

Author: Dr. James Dobson
ISBN: 0-8423-5266-X
Publisher: Tyndale

Review
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Bringing up Boys is written in the style of a good friend offering advice in a casual setting. The flow of the book is somewhat random, each chapter presenting a different perspective or challenge related to the transforming of "immature and flighty youngsters into honest, caring men who will be respectful of women, loyal and faithful in marriage, keepers of commitments, strong and decisive leaders, good workers, and men who are secure in their masculinity." As Dr. Dobson points out, this is a huge task that can only be fulfilled with the wisdom and grace of God.

I don't think Dobson needs to nor does he try to prove that there is an attack on the masculine psyche by the media, the feminist movement, the homosexual agenda, and countless other entities. He cites numerous studies, makes observations of culture, and quotes many individuals to demonstrate the obvious agenda of the current culture to tear down and destroy the age-old concepts of what men are and how they are to live. This policy is pervasive and it is all too apparent the confusion and turmoil that results. Kindergarten aged boys are being suspended for showing affection to their classmates in harmless ways. Male stereotypes in the media are grotesque caricatures and our culture is noticeably devoid of any positive male role models. Instead of culture supporting and affirming parents in the developing of their boys, parents are having to fight current culture to raise them appropriately.

This is not to say that little boys' biggest problem is culture. In reality it is probably themselves. Parents of little boys have to spend a great deal of energy just to ensure they don't harm themselves beyond repair. As Dobson quotes Plato "more than 2,300 years ago, Of all the animals, the boy is the most unmanageable." How true that is. Dobson emphasizes that boys are different than girls (no kidding), and that we need to help them channel all that energy into productive and beneficial avenues. Boys live in their own little world and it is our job as parents to help them expand that world, but also to call them out of it now and again to show them that they need to be concerned with the world of others as well.

Everyone's circumstances are different, and many families with single-parents do just fine, but Dobson is very clear that the chances of bringing up healthy, God-fearing boys are greatly increased with the presence of both a Dad and a Mom. If the family dynamics are healthy, the boys (and girls) get to see in living color how a healthy relationship between a man and a woman is supposed to work. However, most children these days learn these lessons from prime-time television because either Mom or Dad or both are not home. It is imperative that we as Dads, GrandDads, male teachers, etc. offer to our boys examples of proper masculine behaviour upon which they can model their own. Unless these examples are visible and consistent, boys will be thoroughly confused. As Dobson writes, "more than ever, boys are experiencing a crisis of confidence."

Obviously, some people won't like Dr. Dobson's Christian perspective, or his "archaic" view on masculinity. They may take exception to his patriarchal tendency and his critique of fashionable parenting techniques. However, to those people I offer a very sincere and hearty dose of reality. Children are being pushed by you to the brink of despair, and very soon will be lost forever meanwhile you will go to your grave thinking you have done them a service. Shame on you and thanks to Dr. Dobson for being "man" enough to buck the trend and expose these destructive policies.

This book contains many great words of advice for parents of both boys and girls even though it is tailored to raising boys. It is an excellent candidate to be read not just by parents, but by grand-parents, teachers and pastors. As many have stated, it takes a village to raise healthy children.

A Life God Rewards

2005-03-14T19:44:00.000-08:00

Author: Bruce Wilkinson
ISBN: 1-57673-976-7
Publisher: MultNomah

Review
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A Life God Rewards is a small book dealing with a big subject, namely, the relationship between what we do today and the reward or lack thereof in eternity. Specifically, Wilkinson deals with the six main events of life, as he has defined them: Life, Death, Destination, Resurrection, Repayment, and Eternity.

The first point I will make is that it is a good balance for the Prayer of Jabez which was also written by Wilkinson. It handles the subject of rewards most appropriately and argues that although God may reward us here on earth, it is not guaranteed and we must wait until eternity to see the true reward.

I do like how he brings out Heb 11:6, where he that comes to God must believe that he is AND that He is a rewarder. God wants to bless us spiritually now and in unimaginable ways in eternity. It is imperative that we believe this, otherwise we may miss out. The other point I took away from this concerns the story of the minas. God does have an expectation of the results we can achieve if we fully utilize our abilities, and if we fail to fully utilize those abilities, we can short-change ourselves of the size of the reward we might have received. But thankfully that expectation is not the same for everyone, rather, it is in proportion to our abilities. In everything, God is just and fair.

Overall, this is a quick read but has many important things to say.

How the News Makes Us Dumb

2005-03-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

Author: C. John Sommerville
ISBN: 0-8308-2203-8
Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Review
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This book is an argument against the news media as we currently understand it including its dailiness, its productization, and its deconstruction of context. He does not offer constructive criticism as it is his diagnosis that the media cannot be fixed, only removed like some sort of disease.

Even though the author has recommended against reviewing his book, i.e. one cannot reduce a prolonged argument to a few short phrases, I will offer my opinion of his argument.

First, the author seems to weigh very heavily towards the opinion that journalism in any state is ill-conceived and essentially flawed and although he offers a few conciliatory sops, he is obviously contemptuous of it. I believe that investigative journalism is a privilege of a free society and perhaps even a necessity. So I don't fully agree with him that we need to completely trash the news. He does offer investigative reporting in book form as a beneficial activity which I certainly agree with, but sometimes a book may not be the proper venue.

Having said that, I fully agree with the main thrust of his thesis that daily news is essentially irrelevant and most likely harmful. I especially liked the quote from Thomas Jefferson, "..the man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed that he who reads them; inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors." I equate partaking of news media with eating junk food. After you have eaten you are full, but you are still empty nutritionally. From political pandering to scientific superstition-mongering to historical irrelevancy the news offers us nothing but vanity. And what about those polls and statistics, well to paraphrase Mark Twain there are "lies, damnable lies, and statistics." I also liked the various examples that Sommerville gives of the incredible variation in interpretation of the "facts" by newspapers on the same day. Truly our reflection, our gathering of wisdom, even our understanding of our generation is horribly skewed if our sole information source is the news.

I just wonder what the author thinks of the Internet, and even of blogging. He doesn't mention the WWW, yet it appears that he has dedicated his book to it. Very odd.