Church Reviews

Food for the Heart: The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah

Published in Paperback by Wisdom Publications (2002-09)

Authors: Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Chah

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Highly Recommended

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-16

I highly recommend reading this book to anyone and everyone. The teachings of Ajahn Chah are so simple and direct. They aren't watered down for lay people; his message to lay people and monks is basically the same. While reading there where many times when I was genuinley inspired to practice the teachings. While reading there were many times when I thought to myself "Yeah, that really is how things are" because Ajahn Chah states the obvious things in life that we all just don't seem to notice. I have a bunch of Buddhist books and this is by far my favorite.

No Nonsense Dhamma

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-09

I had always been interested in Buddhism but nothing spoke to me the way the teachings of Ajahn Chah did inside this book. He offers a no nonsense look at life and what it's all about with nothing held back. I must admit that when I first read this there were many things that went against the grain of modern Western thought but the more one contemplates and puts into practice Ajahn Chah's teachings the more one comes to realize that what he says is true. I now have so much confidence in his teachings and the teachings of Theravada Buddhism in general that I'm going to take up ordination as soon as I pay off my student loans and finish helping a friend with some business. This is a book for anyone who wants to seriously put an end to suffering. As a buddhist and as a fellow human being I urge all who encounter this gem to read it, contemplate what is inside and then put it into practice. You won't be dissapointed. Also, as some other folks have said, most of these dhamma talks are free on the forestsangha.org and accesstoinsight.org websites. If you want a nice carry around version of Ajahn Chahs talks then regardless of the free reading on the aforementioned sites, I'd still suggest this book. May you all be free of suffering.

A Beloved Thai Master

Helpful Votes: 13 out of 14 total.
Review Date: 2004-03-07

Ajahn Chah took it upon himself as a life's mission to make the Buddha Dharma accessible to absolutely anyone, be that a Harvard professor or an uneducated rice farmer ( a life he was very familiar with). For about 25 years, until his death in 1992, he taught and trained nuns and monks on the way of monastic life while delivering countless wonderful teachings to laypersons around the globe. He taught Theravada meditation and applied the teachings thoroughly into his own life; he truly was practicing what he preached. Over a half million people attended his death in Thailand, an amount which says wonders about what kind of an impact he had on that region during his lifetime.

Chah always took great comfort from the Buddha's teachings on facing our suffering, simply to pass right through it with diligent practice. This monumental work successfully gives us all access to the core of Ajahn's teachings which he gave throughout his career in one convenient place which we can go back to again and again. It has 3 sections: Conduct, Virtue, and The World of Senses (which delves into meditation & wisdom).

This text gives virtually endless teachings on how to practice meditation, ethical living, and cultivation of wisdom. And to sum the book up, practice Chah believes to be the absolute core of the Buddha's teachings. While your sure to take away a breadth of helpful knowledge on how and what it means to practice, you'll equally enjoy his simplicity and humor, as well. Enjoy the book!

There has never been a Buddhist book so valuable

Helpful Votes: 23 out of 23 total.
Review Date: 2003-04-09

I read a lot of Buddhist books, and they all have value in one way or another. But never have I read a book that had ALL of the value of the other books between just one set of covers. This is that book.

Ajahn Chah of course was (and through his students still is) a marvelous teacher, with the gifts of humor and directness. Even in translation, you get a full feeling of what it must have been like to listen to this man talk. (Although, as Brahmavamso says, we laypeople get the jewels of sometimes all-night talks. Sorry, Ajahn Brahm!) This book is like having Luang Por speak directly to you, with kindness and toughness at the same time.

I "sipped" a chapter of this book a week, never wanting it to end. I have been reading it for six months now and finally finished it, and I will probably start over from the beginning and do it again. It is not overstating the point to say that this book is a gift to humanity.

Also, and this is less important but still nice, Food for the Heart is a truly handsome book. It's technically paperback, but with jacket tabs and a strong cover. The paper is thick and creamy--sorry if I'm enjoying my senses too much! :) And the typography is very pleasing. It's just a wonderful, wonderful book.

It's like hearing him speak!

Helpful Votes: 26 out of 26 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-03

This collection of talks from Ajahn Chah is well done. His first book, "A Still Forest Pool" was a breath of fresh air. The 'chapters' we short, some just a few sentences long, and were filled with deep teachings. 'Food for the Heart" offers long chapters and the incredibleness that was Ajahn Chah seems to jump off the pages. These talks have been translated from Thai and whoever did the translation did such a great job that often I feel as though I am 'hearing' the teaching instead of reading it.

"If you want to know the Dhamma, where do you look? You must look within the body and the mind. You won't find it on a bookshelf. To really see the Dhamma you have to look within your own body and mind - there are only these two things. The mind is not visible to the physical eye, it must be seen with the "mind's eye." The Dhamma that is in the body must be seen in the body. And with what do we look at the body? We look at the body with the mind. You won't find the Dhamma by looking anywhere else, because both happiness and suffering arise right here. Or maybe you've seen happiness arising in the trees? Or from the rivers, or the weather? Happiness and suffering are feelings that arise in our own bodies and mind." From Food for the Heart - page 336

So direct! This is Ajahn Chah really teaching and encouraging us to practice the Dhamma. His style of teaching truly encourages me to get on the cushion, and also to practice when I'm not on the cushion. There is no 'down time.'

If you are new to Buddhism you might really enjoy his first offering, 'A Still Forest Pool' but if you have some background and are seeking a teacher who can inspire and really point the way to the Buddha's teachings, this is a wonderful book.

I hope you enjoy it!

Francis and Clare: The Complete Works (Classics of Western Spirituality)

Published in Hardcover by Paulist Press (1982-01)

Author: Francis

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Must read for all Secular Franciscans

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-26

I am new as an Inquirer to the Secular Franciscan Order. This book is a must read and was recommended by a Franciscan Priest.

St. Francis and St. Clare Full Force from a Fire Hydrant

Helpful Votes: 16 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 2004-08-15

If you are interested in Franciscan Spirituality this book is an absolute must; but beware this is St. Francis and St. Clare full force from a fire hydrant. Watch out! If you are used to getting St. Francis via an eyedropper you are going to get soaked! The editors have added scriptural references to the text. This allows the reader who has a Bible handy to go from St. Francis' or St. Clare's words right to Holy Scripture. That is a powerful combination. Don't read this book in a week, take a long, long time. You will be glad you did.

Understands Franciscan theology - outstanding translation

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-29

Frequently, to suit the author and their own agenda, translations of Francis' and Clare's works are either watered down or misunderstood. Regis Armstrong is one of the rare authors who truly understands the Franciscan mentality. He is, therefore, able to do outstanding translations that allow the true spirit of Francis and Clare to emerge. As a former Poor Clare (Poor Lady of Assisi), this book was highly recommended by our Mother Abbess (who is a highly valued Franciscan theologian in her own right). If it were possible to rate this book with 6 stars, it would be well deserving of it!

Learn From The Saint Himself!

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-04

"Francis and Clare: The Complete Works" is a collection of the Rules, Letter, Prayers and any other writings believed to have been written by these two founders of the Franciscan movement, Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi. I say "believed to have been written" because the authorship of some of the writings is based on the best scholarly research available, not on a reliable canon collected during the saints' lifetimes. The writings of Francis are presented first, followed by those of Clare.

Because the works consist of a collection of unassociated writings, they do not provide a guide to holiness, as do other works, such as St. Francis' DeSales "Introduction To The Devout Life" or St. Ignatius of Loyola's "Spiritual Exercises". This is more like a law school case book in which one reads the material in order to discern the important themes.

The important themes are not difficult to ascertain. One obvious one is the well known Franciscan emphasis on poverty. From these readings the reader gets the idea that the virtue of poverty is the detachment from things of earth so that one may concentrate on the things that truly matter. A second theme, which I had not associated with Francis, is that of reverence for and adoration of the Holy Eucharist. The prescriptions made by Francis in his day resonate well in our time with its struggle in maintaining a balance between Eucharist reverence and accessibility.

This book serves well as a tool in a study of the life of St. Francis. We look to biographies to learn from him through an organized rendering of his life. We look to "Francis and Clare: The Complete Works" to learn from the saint himself.

Excellent source

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2004-03-13

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the writings of St Francis and St Clare. The Classics of Western Spirituality volumes are generally well-researched, relevant, and well-introduced selections, and this is no exception.

Getting to Know the Church Fathers: An Evangelical Introduction

Published in Paperback by Brazos Press (2007-10-01)

Author: Bryan M. Litfin

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Bridge Over Troubled Church History

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-05

Americans are notoriously ignorant of the past, and American Christians are no exception. What little people do claim to know are often distortions of the past and are generally two-dimensional. Church history, moreover, can actually be discouraging to Evangelicals who might at best peer through the scratched lens of fragmented history and see only abusive popes, intrigue, politics, and schism.

Yet Dr. Litfin has built a bridge over that admittedly troubled Church history to bring out the humanity of those brave believers of the nascent Church. No longer should we be content to choose between stale academic treatments or pithy portraits produced by self-serving and ignorant authors. Dr. Litfin introduces the reader to real people with real struggles while simultaneously educating the Evangelical enthusiast as to the larger canvas of the impact these key individuals had on the development of Christianity. Moreover, reading this with an open mind will help Evangelicals work through the tension of a messy Church history that nevertheless brought out courage and faithfulness of men and women during times of great challenge to Christianity's very survival. What a message of hope for us in our day!

As other reviewers note, the language is accessible and fresh, though one should not dismiss its historical depth; on the contrary, the author displays a persistent commitment to authenticity and accuracy. The professional and layman would do well to add this to their personal library.

Great read

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-03

One of those books you don't want to put down. An easy read, very informative. I'm now looking for more books like it.

Christianity and Western Culture

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-17

Dr. Litfin's "Getting to Know the Church Fathers" is an excellent introductory text that fulfills exactly what the title proclaims. Litfin provides a intriguing historical accounts of men who protected the early Christian church. He accurately describes the church Fathers without making them righteous as he digs out both their saintly and sinful deeds.

Dr. Litfin teaches an introductory class titled Christianity and Western Culture at Moody Bible Institute that covers the majority of the content of his book. This past semester I had the privilege of being in this class. As I read "Getting to Know the Church Fathers" I felt as if I was once again in the same room with Dr. Litfin as he teaches not from a heady pious standpoint, but from a humble, learning stance. His goal is not to overwhelm or guilt but to reveal those who have gone before us, who have paved the way, and to call us to the same standard.

If you cannot take Christianity and Western Culture read this book.

"An Introduction ..."

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-28

Dr. Litfin's Book "Getting to Know the Church Fathers", overall is a helpful overview of a topic that modern Christians know very little about. He sheds important light on some of the doctrinal disputes came about, and how these figures were influential in shaping Christianity as we know it today. Another part of this book which i particularly enjoyed was that Dr. Litfin included short sections of writings from the church fathers at the end of each chapter and lists suggestions where one can learn more about the particular church father.

Dr. Litfin writes in a very plain style and is very easy to read. However, one of the downfalls in being so easy to read is that in some cases the book becomes to feel like it is not especially scholarly. This is demonstrated by his introduction to the church fathers in which he gave short modern anecdotes which i found to be superfluous. Another minor issue that he had with this book was it seemed to me that Dr. Litfin skimmed over or ignored altogether some of the blemishes that these Church Fathers had.

Overall, this book is definitely worth reading. Dr. Litfin has indeed blessed the church with this work.

a brilliant broad swathe through the ancient Xtn fathers

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-13

Bryan Liftin has written a very inclusive and dynamic book about the early church fathers, an excellent narrative of historical, biographical and theological themes. Full disclosure: I am not an evangelical Christian so I cannot comment from that perspective whether the book fulfills a need for that community. However, as one studying more about Eastern Orthodox Christianity I can say without fear of contradiction that this book provides anyone interested in the origins and development of the Christian ideas and beliefs which are still current in modern times a broad and intelligent introduction. Liftin covers the trail blazed by the early Fathers in a linear approach, looking both at the history of the life of each one but also how each develops the important articles of faith and determination of the sacred texts from their predecessors. One can read how the theology of the Trinity,for example, accepted by almost all Christian faiths of today was painstakingly developed and resolved in a sometimes conflicting and contradictory manner. The reader is readily engaged by Lifkin in this pursuit and can follow a path made very clear despite so many fits and stumbles during those early days. You can easily see how dedicated the Fathers were to the insistence on truth and true knowledge and understanding of Christ as a living person and as the transcendent eternal son of the Father. All of us who have believed in Christianity owe a great debt to the precision and life-long dedication of these remarkable historical figures and their writings concerning the true faith. Lifkin spends very little time proselytizing about the evangelical Christian's perspective, which really adds much to the fact that I think anyone of Christian belief will find this work enlightening, well documented, and 'orthodox', meaning the one truth unchanged as it was given to the Fathers from the Apostles. There's no question that he is opening a new door for fundamentalist Christians by acceding to the idea that the tradition which was given to the Church and maintained through the early Fathers is extremely relevant to evangelicals as it is to Eastern Orthodox and the Church of Rome and its various off-shoots such as the Anglican, Lutheran and Calvinist faiths.

Glamorous Powers

Published in Hardcover by Knopf (1988-10-26)

Author: Susan Howatch

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The church from the inside out

Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-26

Susan Howatch may be a woman with training in the law, but she gets inside the mindset of male priests in the Anglican Church (Episcopal Church in the U.S.) better than anyone else. This is a mystery, a suspense novel, a love story and a deeply psychological look at spiritual direction all rolled into one. The book begins with a man having a vision of a small country chantry (chapel). Outside the chapel is a unique suitcase. Is this god telling him to pack his bags and leave the monastary he has known for so many years? After intense spiritual direction, that I found riveting, he decides to leave. He goes on holiday, and while walking down the hall of the inn he is at, he see the suitcase of his vision! He has to meet the owner of the valise. She turns out to be a beautiful woman (much younger than himself). Will love ensue? What is god's will? This book will encourage you to consider the power of prayer and god's direction for your life. It will call you to wrestle with the possibility of healing and evil. This book began my love affair with each of the books in the "Starbridge" series. It could be the start of something special for you, too.

the best of thr lot

Helpful Votes: 13 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-05

The second in the series of Starbridge books - Glamorous Powers - is the one I liked the best. IN this book we get to know Jon Darrow, who figured in the first volume Glittering Images as Charles Ashworth's spiritual director, more intimately. Whereas in Glamorous powers, seen through Charles Ashworth's eyes, he was the perfect super priest who knew everything, here we actually get under Jon's skin and see him as he sees himself: as a flawed, confused man with many problems, in particular concerning his relationship with women. Jon had spent several years in a monastery as a monk, but now, in his sixties, he receives a calling from God to leave the monastery and fulfil a mission in the world - but he doesn't know what. Nor is he certain if that mission includes marriage.
For anyone with an interest in Gnosticism and mysticism, this is a particularly interesting book - but such an interest is definitely not a pre-condition for reading and enjoying it! I'm not the only Howatch reader to have this as their favourite in the series. (...)

Very Good But A Little Less So Than Book #1

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-12-23

With the 2nd book in Howatch's Anglican trilogy, we explore the story of the monk who was the therapist in book #1. He is also 60 years old, a psychic and a vision from God sends him back into the world and out of the monastery. There is a great deal of counselling and angst in this novel as well. There isn't enough different about this novel to make it the same fascinating read as book #1 though. I've already bought book #3 and I hope we follow a different pattern with that one. He does find a new woman as part of his vision from God as her bag and her estate were specifically seen in it. The Anglicans must spend more time in analysis than Freud himself ever dreamed possible!

Writing at its very best

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-21

This review is for the first Ballantine Books paperback edition, November 1989, a volume of unknown origin found while cleaning out the bookcase. I decided to read it only because Amazon.com customers rated it five stars. Although I was raised as a Roman Catholic, and at age thirteen spent a year in the seminary, I soon became disenchanted with, and largely disinterested in, organized religion. Notwithstanding this bias, I'm glad that I read GLAMOROUS POWERS.

The plot opens in Grand Chester England at a quarter to six on Friday morning, May 17, 1940 in the cell of Jon Darrow, who for the past seventeen years has been a monk in the (fictional) Anglican Fordite Order of Saint Benedict and Saint Bernard. Jon is having a vision. He interprets this vision as God's instruction to leave the order and embark on a new, unspecified calling. Before Jon can leave, however, he must convince the Abbot General, Francis Ingram that his vision was a communication from the Holy Spirit and not an aberration of a disturbed psyche. There follows a fascinating mental dual between Jon and Francis.

This deep and literary exploration of psyches pervades the story. Before each chapter and section, the author liberally quotes from the works of W. R. Inge, particularly MYSTICISM IN RELIGION. Jon has mystical (glamorous) powers, healing powers, which Francis thinks are often nothing more than "parlour tricks." I thought of "Anglo-shamanism."

Although the story evolves within the institutions of religion, it does not tamper with faith or belief, so the reader need not worry about being upset by heresy or theological debate. The author confines polemic disputes between Anglo-Catholics and Roman Catholics, Low Church and High Church, to ritual, and treats these as external conflict rather than internal struggle. This story is not about religion, but about the psyche, with pervasive emphasis on the guilt and anger emanating from parental failures.

Jon Darrow has problems, "dis-ease" he would say. The larger than life character is Francis Ingram who unravels Jon's troubled psyche without revealing his own disturbances. At one point Jon shuns Francis and mires himself into a muck of troubles, and at page 296 I made a note that the story was getting a bit tedious. It revived, I thought, around page 339 with the return of my hero Francis. Indeed, the acerbic and witty letters written by Francis to Jon are splendid examples of writing at its very best.

One of the best in the Starbridge series

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2000-08-06

One only gets small hints in 'Glittering Images' that there is a lot more to Jon Darrow than meets the eye, 'Glamourous Powers' is his story. After leaving his order after seeing a vision, Darrow tries to work out his vocation and in his attempt lets his ego and spiritual arrogance get the better of him which leads to tragedy, but also the offer of spiritual renewal afterwards. An excellent look at how spiritual leaders and mentors have their own failings and the fact that they also need to be helped and disiplined. It is an excellent argument against those who are completeley against charismatic renewal, but also against those who are totally for it without seeing the warning signs and the need to be answerable to someone who you trust but who who you also don't have a cosy relationship with.

God & Government

Published in Paperback by Zondervan (2007-05-01)

Author: Charles W. Colson

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For the casual reader and the academic alike

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-17

This remarkably scholarly book by Colson combines both his profound knowledge of Christian ideals with a well-versed political understanding garnered from his years in the problematic Nixon administration. Colson's own experience in government and his rather unlikely conversion to Christianity gives the book credence even to those who may not fully agree with his arguments. Colson judiciously inserts historical fact amidst modern day arguments, and my husband said of the book, "Every time I think, `I'd like to hear that backed up' he provides exactly that in the very next paragraph."

Colson's wide range of sources make him a pleasure to read. He cites works ranging from Cicero to Nietzsche, C.S. Lewis to Augustine. He quotes from Supreme Court decisions and references the Bible. Each chapter is heavy with both footnotes and endnotes, and Colson also provides a list "For Further Reading." This is a great read, perfect for academics and the casual reader alike.

Breathtaking scope, scholarly balance

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-12

Although not strictly a scholarly work, Colson draws enormous breadth and integrity of expertise into this epochal exposition of the relationship of church to state.

I must confess that it took me 20 years to pick up this book, and that only on a whim. I had no desire to read Colson, having little belief in the value of celebrity or notoriety in lending value to a man's words. Though not a hater of things American, I am not starry-eyed about American mentality, especially when it comes to politics, and rather turned off by the way Americans (and others) confuse the domains of religion and politics, not just on the political right but at all points of the political spectrum. That Colson had been a special advisor to Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal had pretty well put him off my radar.

I could not have been more wrong about him.

This book is the first I have read in which a comprehensive exposition of an appropriate relationship of church to state is laid out. Colson cannot be accused of confusing the two domains, yet he is clear about the valuable relationship between personal, and collective, faith, and public domain politics. A man highly qualified to speak about both, and his education in the school of hard knocks has paid off in spades. Though some reviewers appear to regard the book as a vilification of the religious and political right this is quite unfair -- Colson is balanced in both domains and his writing reveals little pandering to partisan interests. He could equally address a Republican Convention, or a Democrat one, or stand aside and offer telling criticism of both parties. The same balance is evident in his theological writing. I am reminded of the angel leading an army whom Joshua met and asked, "Are you with us or with our enemies?" The angel replied "Neither. I am for the Lord".

As for the book itself, it has an engaging style. The chapters are short, mostly in the form of parables. The first is an account of a fictional American president whose religious zealotry leads the world to the brink of war, a cautionary tale. Other chapters are straight retelling or dramatizations of the lives of men and women who held in their hands the keys to major world events of the 20th Century, retelling in gripping form the rise of the Third Reich, the behavior of the Church in Germany, the weak response of Chamberlaine, slippery dealings in the hallowed halls of American government, murder, redemption and forgiveness in the Phillipines and Northern Ireland, and much more.

The weakest point is a short digression into science and cosmology early in the book, a subject Colson would probably to best to leave untouched in his writing. It's the only blemish I can find on what is otherwise a masterwork.

Although written to the current state of the world 20 years ago, prior to the Fall of the Soviet Union, the Tienamen Square massacre and the First Gulf War, and the rise of globalized Jihadism in its current form, the book is strikingly current and insightful. Perhaps it is because the context of his writing is merely context---he does not write for it, but he draws on that background to write timeless wisdom.

I highly recommend the book not only to Christians but to anyone interested in answers to the unsolvable political and religious conundrums in the world. Although Colson offers few answers beyond Christ, it is perhaps enough to note that the answers he does offer are rock solid, and his book is more of an arrow in a direction than an 'X' marking the spot where treasure is buried.

Even more significant today than it was in 1989

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-07

When reading this book back in 1989, one had to assume Colson was thinking of Pat Robertson's run for the White House when he wrote this book. Eleven years later the American people elected a born-again Christian as President in George W Bush. Some of the things Colson warned about have now come to pass.

Although the events of 9/11 were out of the President's control and demanded action, there is little doubt that his Faith has shaped his view of world events.

"Kingdoms in Conflict" is a warning that God's Kingdom is not of this world and it cannot be forged through politics or war. Man's kingdoms and God's Kingdom are in conflict.

Colson's time in the Nixon White House and his born-again experience has allowed him to see the dangers of using politics to advance a religious belief. This book is more relevant today than it was in 1989.

Vintage Colson - Makes You Think and Not Just Feel!

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-08

Like Colson's other books, Kingdoms in Conflict challenges you to think deeply about what and why you believe.

The title focuses on the precarious balance Christians experience between heavy involvement and no involvement in politics. Colson's thesis seems to be that Christians need to maintain a balance - being in the world while not being of the world and Christians must be a light to the world and salt of the earth.

Colson uses the examples of Christian involvement (and lack of) in resisting Hitler, Marcos, and other brutal figures in history to illustrate the importance of Christians being involved in the political process without being consumed by the power that goes with politics.

Read and be encouraged to be rightly involved in politics while remembering that ultimately we are citizens of another kingdom to come that will last forever!

Elaborates on Truth

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-28

Colson takes a topic that has been discussed by Christians ever since the disciples questioned Jesus about it when He was in Galilee with them, i.e., the role of God's kingdom and that of man's. Colson contends that the kingdom of God is within a person. It is not an external means of control exercised by political power. In the Epilogue he cites Winston Churchill's last words, "there is no hope." But Colson counters that statement by explaining that spiritual things are not based on the circumstances of this present world.
On the other side of the coin, however, Colson presents specific examples throughout history where Christian have actively been involved in politics and government because of their belief in the eternal, unseen kingdom of God within. Having an awareness of things eternal, while contributing in this life is the balance he is seeking to describe.

God's Plan for Church Planting: Church Planting Manual Using God's Timeless, Supra-Cultural Principles

Published in Paperback by IMD Press (2008-04-28)

Author: Tim W. Bunn

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This is a Manual

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-14

This is one of those books that I wished I would have been able to preview before I purchased it online. It is a "manual" - which in this case is a book formatted with pages and pages of "fill in the blank questions."

A Blessing

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-11

God's Plan For Church Planting is a wonderful guide comparing today's church to the church of the New Testament. The purpose of the manual is to seperate the essentials from the non-essentials, the absolutes from the non-absolutes. In today's culture we tend to prioritize the non-essentials. This is a guide to break down the role of the church, the pastor, the deacons, the husband and wife...etc. It is completely non-biased and is based on the Word 100%. I have been working through the manual and it has helped me grow in my walk personally as well as to consider the necessary changes that need to take place in today's church. We do not need a new stratedgy! I have also seen this implemented first hand in group studies and have seen the results. I highly recomend this book for personal use as well as for church group studies. Let us return to the Bible with the help of this book. What a blessing! - DH and JH

A Must Study

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-20

I studied through the whole manual and was extremely impressed with how it forces you to consider our lives and practices based upon the Bible. Although seemingly a simple concept, the manual does not rely on conventional wisdom or the prevailing wind, but relies on God's proven principles that He established long ago that are still relevant for today. Not only that, but it distills out the concepts so that anyone can understand and apply them immediately.

Must Read and Apply

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-19

This manual allows participants to harvest direction from God's Word in order to shape the church they plant or the church in which they now participate. Work through this manual (putting your traditions aside) and you'll discover God's Plan For Your Church. John

One of the greatest tools outside the Bible

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-16

Wow what a tool and based solely on the Word of God. It cuts through all the junk man has added over 2000 years and goes right back to those timeless principles of the new testament church. God has worked in my life through this book and I have seen him work in the lives of many in India and Bhutan. Truly it can be used in any cultural.

Goodbye, I Love You

Published in Paperback by Cedar Fort (2006-10-01)

Author: Carol Lynn Pearson

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Tragic, yet beautiful love story

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-15

Pearson's memoir drew me in from the first page, as she relates her initial encounter with her future husband. "Gerald shone. That's the best way I can describe him. He shone."
Can't we all relate to that Kismet moment, the first meeting with "the one." When our pheromones come alive and propel us to pursue the OBJECT, the prize, our destiny.
The author's Mormon religion has instilled in her, early on, a desire for an "eternal marriage" much like her parents own union, which only ended at her mother's death.
Gerald, also a Mormon, and Carol Lynn, joked about Brigham Young's statement that "any young man over the age of twenty-one who is not married is a menace to the community."
After Gerald proposes, he decides to share a deep truth with Carol Lynn. Which is that he has had homsexual experiences, but has repented of his sins. He then promises her that she will be enough for him sexually after they are married.
She accepts Gerald's promise, as she'd always been taught that when tempted, boy's were weaker than girls. Their ensuing marriage brings challenges beyond the norm, as Gerald loses his battle against his homosexual cravings. Yet Carol Lynn's love for her husband never dies.
As an author and a human being, she shines. Her personal integrity, compassion, and capacity for unconditional love, awed me as a reader. I devoured this book in two sittings, fascinated by the true love shared between this husband and wife. She supported Gerald, even when he contracted AIDS, and brought him home to die with she and their children by his side till the end.
They both rose to bear witness to their highest selves, in spite of their horrific circumstances. This memoir is full of rare insights into the complexities of a romantic relationship, and to the human condition. It educates, entertains, and inspires. Kudos to Pearson's courage in sharing this extremely personal story. An awesome book by an outstanding writer.

I laughed, I cried, I have plenty to think about

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-03

I had heard of Carol Lynn Pearson's story, and I expected the story to be interesting, but I had no idea how much I would feel, and how many things I would have to think about (a lot, not just the reality of homosexuality, not just the many types and forms of love, but many many things.) I was completely unprepared to laugh, but I did, and I must say, the Pearson's were amazing people. Such strength, such energy, such a desire to be like Christ and do what is right. This story is incredible and incredibly written.

For gay/straight spouses, tells both sides of the story

Helpful Votes: 10 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-13

This is the first book I came across that truly captured what it is like to be gay and married and it was written by the straight spouse. Of course, that was years ago and now I have come out of the closet and have found my voice and know what is in my heart. But back then I was deep in the closet and this book was a godsend. Thank you, Carol Lynn, from the bottom of my heart. It was wonderful to see in words what before I had only felt and not understood. However, I wished I had read your thoughts and feelings about being a straight spouse more carefully. It would have given me so much insight into what was going on with my wife. It took me years to gain that insight on my own. But back then it was all I could do to handle my own pain.

An excellent example of Christ-like love

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-28

You might not think an account of a couple who divorces due to homosexuality could be a memorable love story, but this one really is. I read this book many years ago, and was so moved by it. Carol Lynn Pearson is a remarkable woman. She writes this book with such transparency of her emotions. The love she had for Gerald Pearson before, during, and after their marriage is so rare. They truly were soulmates, but couldn't be married and both be happy. I started out by reading other books by her, especially about women in traditional church. She is Mormon and I was, at the time, too. I grew up Catholic, and that church and the Mormon church both put limits on what women can do. In in the Catholic church women can't be priests, and in the Mormon church, they can't hold the priesthood. She writes about the bewilderment of that inequity, the same way she wrote about her bewilderment of her husband deciding to live as a gay man, and the struggles he had with that decision. I have felt similar struggles trying to find a place as a woman in traditional Christian churches. When I tried to talk with others about my feelings about feeling less as a woman in the church, I was told I shouldn't feel that way. The way she writes about people who feel disenfranchised by policies and religious tenets made me feel like FINALLY someone gets it. I actually called her on the phone many years ago to tell her to tell her how thankful I was that someone else understood about being a woman in a tradtionally male dominated church, and she was so generous and gracious on the phone to talk with me for a few minutes, so I could tell her thank you. The compassion she has for people who feel like outsiders, and how she treats those people, is what I think of as true Christ-like love. I highly recommmend this book for anyone who ever felt like they don't belong. She went through a very difficult time and showed unfailing love, just like Christ would do.

"Hard to put down Book"

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-15

Carol Pearson is a wonderful writer. I felt like I was right there with her she relly pulls you into her life and feelings. I only hope that Carol has found love and happiness with a strong, straight loving man, which she deserves. She treated her husband Gerald with compassion and sympathy, something not a lot of other women would do. The only thing that bothered me was Gerald's insistance that his children call him "gerald" and not "Dad" since he was the children's biological father. I sincerely hope Carol and her children have found closure, peace happiness and love: they deserve it! A wonderful book!

The Gospel of Jesus

Published in Audio CD by Highbridge Audio (2006-03-16)

Author:

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The Gospel of Jesus

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-22

A wonderful compilation and reading of the words and works of Jesus. At first I was a bit hesitant to purchase a reading of the Gospel by the dramatic voice and personality of Mr. Keillor. I was very pleasantly surprised and grateful, however, to find that he completely allows the story to speak for itself. The pacing is perfect and gives one time to think about the spiritual significance of the words. I have listened over and over and will continue to do so for years to come. The perfect gift for one who has everything, and a great bargain, even if one pays full-price!

new testament finally told by a story teller

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-08

This is great: I borrowed this from the library and now I'm buying it. Very understandable and easy to listen to. He draws you into the story and makes you feel as if you are there, as he always does. Wish he would do the old testament, too!

WOW!

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-04

I wasn't sure what to expect. I feared that inventing a "Gospel of Jesus" would trivialize the message, yet, this is wonderful! I found it almost meditative, prayerful. I do so appreciate that it "tells the old, old story that I have loved the best."

The Gospel of John

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-12

I liked it quite a bit. Garrison Keillor's style of reading helps to bring out the peaceful nature of Jesus. I did wish at times that he would emote a bit more, however. I also wished he wouldn't have put quite so many pauses in the sentences. But other than that, I was quite inspired by his reading.

the Gospel of Jesus by Daniel L. Johnson

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-01

Garrison Keillor has the perfect voice for reading the Gospel of Jesus. it is a pleasure to listen to and easy to follow, and would be a perfect introduction for someone wanting to find out what the Gospels actually say. there is no pretension or 'religiosity'; it is just a simple narrative. excellent!

Great Lent: Journey to Pascha

Published in Paperback by St. Vladimir's Seminary Press (1974-01-01)

Author: Alexander Schmemann

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A Must for the Lutheran Parish

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-24

This is easily one of the best books that I've read on Lent, but more to the point, on liturgy in general. That being said it is important to note that Fr. Schmemann himself warns against the tendency to make the liturgy `sentimental' or, as is the case in Lutheranism, to rationalize it. While I am passionate about liturgics, it is difficult to find books that treat the subject intelligently--that is, without writing paragraph after paragraph using nothing but adjectives and superlatives. The liturgy is that which outfits us for Kingdom life; not the Kingdom of Christ, but rather the Kingdom in Christ. Fr. Schmemann is more than aware of this. I would urge anyone interested in the liturgy of their confession to read this book.

It completely changed my understanding of Great Lent.

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-25

Sadly Fr. Schmemann passed away 25 years ago, but his impact as the greatest modern Orthodox theologian lives on. This book is a seriously written theological work, but it's easily understood by the ordinary lay person as well as the theologian. Fr. Schmemann explains clearly and carefully the place and purpose of Great Lent and dispels the myth that it's merely another period of observances and self-denials as Roman Catholics practise. To Orthodox Catholics it's part of a complete attitude and way of life, and the relationship of Great Lent to Pascha and the rest of the year and to the life of the Church is well explained in this book. After reading it cover to cover I was left awestruck. Other than the Bible itself, if you never read another book, read this one. It will change your whole attitude toward life, I guarantee it.

Must reading every year

Helpful Votes: 11 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2003-03-07

Fr. Alexander's exposition of the mindset of Lent is indispensable. He demonstrates clearly how Lent is more than following rules and giving up "the good stuff" until we can indulge oursleves at Pascha. Lent is, rather, a time to rediscover who we are and why we are here. I recommend any serious Christian reread this book every year when Lent approaches.

Catechumen's Perspective

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-18

I read this book as a catechumen making my first journey through Orthodox Lent, and found it a wonderful guide and aid in making sense of the sights, sounds, smells, prayers, prostrations, liturgies, etc etc that set this season apart from others in the Christian year.

That said, Schmemann wrote in a far more engaging style and tone in his extremely popular "For the Life of the World." "Great Lent", in contrast, is drier (for Schmemann) and seems to drag a bit at times. That's not to detract from the value of the book in its essential purpose: to educate and enlighten Orthodox Christians, catechumens and inquirers about the theology behind, and inspired by, Church practices in Lent. It serves that purpose well, and gets 4 stars for it. However, I wish to reserve the five stars for some of his other books, which are truly outstanding both in content and style, whereas the style in this particular book felt weaker than his other works.

The chapter on the presanctified liturgy, describing the two views of the Church (both in waiting and in fulfillment) was masterful and, to me, showed some of that same Schmemann spark that makes one get all giddy to get back in Church and live this stuff out.

I HIGHLY recommend this book for any curious about educating themselves about Orthodox Lent and the Church's views on it.

On a scale of 1 to 5 this is a 10++++read

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2003-03-22

This is the book you want to give your Protestant and Catholic friends. It will detail for them just what Lenten Liturgical Worship is? (page 86, 87) and Looking for the Spiritual behind the formal (page 88) What Lent is & how it works? (Page 88) Along with What Christian Fasting is and is not, How to fast and the different kinds of fasting? (Pages 97, 98, 99)

Great Possessions

Published in Paperback by Sumach Press,The (1993-02-11)

Author: David Kline

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Birds and more Birds!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-31

I wish the descriptions had told me that it was basically a bird-watching book, since a vast majority of the chapters dealt with birds and that is not what I was interested in.

1

Living life Vicariously

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-25

This is a wonderful book. I live in an Amish area so was very surprised to discover such rich vocabulary and stunning visual imagery due to the fact that typically the Amish only have an eighth grade education. Reading this book is like spending days walking through the woods following animal tracks or bird watching. Or just lying in the hay and watching the world go by!

A Peaceable Kingdom

Helpful Votes: 15 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-08

"Great Possessions" radiates serenity and joy, but there is an underlying sadness for things lost--American chestnut trees, passenger pigeons, family farms. It is a rare natural history book that doesn't have this poignant undercurrent.

Here is an author who can write knowledgeably about diversified sustainable farming, because he is Old Order Amish and practices what he preaches. In the introduction, Wendell Berry says, "David's life--informed as it is by the Amish reverence for the natural world and the stewardship everywhere implicit in Amish farming--makes a union of economy and ecology."

This particular farmer-naturalist times his hay cutting to permit bobolink fledglings to leave the nest. When he top-seeds his wheat in the spring, his hand-cranked seeder flushes the horned larks and allows him to avoid their nests.

The Ohio Amish practice five-crop rotation so crop-damaging insects don't have time to build up. Horse-worked farms absorb almost seven times more water than conventional no-tilled farms.

Is it any wonder that the Amish in my area of middle Michigan at least, are quietly taking over the farm land that could not be made profitable by gigantic machines, insecticides, herbicides, and major debt?

Most Amish farmers are not pure organic farmers, but their use of herbicides is minute compared to the average non-organic farmer. The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) keeps trying to persuade this author that spraying poisons on his land would free him from tilling. An SCS technician informed him that "If I'd join the no-till crowd I'd be freed from plowing, and then my son or I could work in a factory. He insinuated that the extra income (increased cash flow) would in some way improve the quality of our lives."

The author, thank God, fails to get the point. He asks, "Should we give up the kind of farming that has been proven to preserve communities and land and is ecologically and spiritually sound for a way that is culturally and environmentally harmful?"

In one year, David Kline counted 155 different species of birds on his land.

When I was growing up a few hundred miles north of this author's Ohio farm, it was rare in those DDT-laden days to hear even a sparrow sing. At least we learned a lesson about that particular pesticide, and the birds are making a comeback. I counted 44 different bird species on our ten acres this year.

Maybe that's because I live in a county where the Amish farm.

God's Creation a Great Possession

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-11

The author, David Kline, is Amish and a farmer, so he lives very close to nature. While the subtitle is, "An Amish Farmer's Journal," this book is not about the Amish. It is about a man's love for God's creation that surrounds him on his farm and his sadness at what has been lost and what we continue to lose.

The introduction by the author is a powerful statement for sustainable, small scale, family farming. Wendell Berry in the foreword notes this with his statement that Kline's life, "informed as it is by the Amish reverence for the natural world and the stewardship everywhere implicit in Amish farming--makes a union of economy and ecology." In the introduction Kline asks, "Should we give up the kind of farming that has been proven to preserve communities and land and is ecologically and spiritually sound for a way that is culturally and environmentally harmful?" This truly summarizes the viewpoint David Kline brings to his journal.

Kline takes us through the year on his farm and lets us see the different plants, birds and animals that migrate through or live on his farm and those around him. He talks about the loss of Chestnut trees, mushrooms, Woodpeckers and a hundred other birds as they appear in his region of Ohio during the year.

This is a `must read' for those who love nature.

Kyle Pratt

Not much Wendell Berry, but a great book.

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2002-05-18

When I originally received this book, I was really unhappy because I was looking for something by Wendell Berry and he only wrote the 2 page introduction. However, this is a wonderful, beautiful book. You feel as though you were walking with Mr. Kline on a lazy afternoon while he explains the world around you.

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