Church Books

I found this book to be well written and researched. James Jesse Strang is a unique character (A King no less!) in the history of Michigan. This book inspired me to visit Michigan's Beaver Island. As a compliment to this book I would also suggest reading Guardian of the Great Lakes The U.S. Paddle Frigate Michigan By: Mr. Bradley A. Rodgers.

I'm a relative of his and have recently become interested in learning about him. So please if you know about him tell me.

This work is a fairly standard, straight-forward biography of King Strang. It is very well researched, documented, and foot noted. It would appear that Mr. Van Noord dug deeper into his reseach than most authors dealing with James Strang have in the past. The book enlightened me on several points regarding King Strang that I had previously read and Mr. Van Noord found to be incorrect. If you are interested in learning about a fascinating man and those around him this is the book. However it gives only a sparce and very typical Beaver Island history and does not touch on the legendary (and I believe, mythical) Mormon, Beaver Island treasure at all. If those items are your points of interest, look elsewhere.

Mormonism's second prophet wasn't the famous Brigham Young -- he may have seized control of many of the Church's institutions, but he never claimed to be the "Prophet". That mantle was seized by the insteresting historic figure, James J. Strang, who led his portion of the Mormon Church from Nauvoo, Illinois, to Voree, Wisconsin, and then to Beaver Island, Michigan at the same time that Young was leading his branch to Utah.

Van Noord's book is a great biography of Strang which makes close use of Strang's journals, letters, books, and draws a great deal from the newspapers which Strang's church published. Strang's many successes both on Beaver Island and then also in the Michigan legislature, imply that he was quite a brilliant and eloquent character. The book leads you to wonder what might have happened had he not been assassinated.

The only problems with Van Noord's book are that he does not seem to be an expert in the field of Mormon history generally, and he has relied on informants in the modern Utah church -- the great rival of Strang's church -- for some of his information on Mormonism. Additionally, the biography definitely leaves you wanting a larger history of the Strangite church.

All in all, the book is an excellent read. I picked it up and nearly read it cover to cover uninterrupted, as I couldn't wait to find out what happened to Strang next.

I have done extensive study on the subject of Jas. Strang and his followers. I found this book and several others extremely fair-minded considering the controversies (as well as present day prejudices) surrounding this utopian experiment. I welcome other comments. My great-great grandfather was present at Strang's coronation on Beaver Island, Michigan.

The great Harnack thought that were the historian of dogma to include within his bag of evidence the liturgy, he would be giving himself over to superstition outright. This book counters and corrects such a claim, which is also a premise in the works of the late Jaroslav Pelikan. Distinct from paganism by its monotheism, and distinct from Judaism with its binitarian (not ditheistic) devotion to Christ, Hurtado argues that the early, and limited, amount of liturgical evidence from the Christians offers an insight into the Christian understanding of God with an application to today's worship.

The whole question of who Jesus was thought to be by his followers and their immediate successors, and thus who we are to think he is, is tied directly not only to the scriptures of the old and new testaments, but to how they were written for and used in the Church's liturgical worship. Make no mistake about it, Christianity is a liturgical religion through and through, and without this hermeneutical principle in place, how we understand Christ will be skewed. To this extent Hurtado's work comes as a welcome read on the whole, since it places Christian worship in its true sitz im leben of Jewish, Roman and Greek religion and public life.

His summary of public and private worship during the late BCE and early CE is worth the cost of the book, fitting it all in the first 39 pages. He moves from there to consider a few key themes of Christian worship: intimacy among believers, especially around the Eucharist, equal participation of all regardless of socio-economic standing through baptism into Christ, fervor and zeal, perception as the redeemed Body of Christ on earth, eschatological hope and participation in the kingdom of heaven here and now as a foretaste and finally, charismatic potency, something that is often overlooked in modern accounts.

Following this, Hurtado considers the strong binitarian nature of their worship, with the Father as the one who is accessed and praised in the Son, Jesus Christ. Hurtado proposes that the role of the Spirit was more of the whole ambiance, imbued with the Spirit's potency, which is the "same Spirit whom Jesus has sent". This is a very useful section for those who believe Jesus "became a God" only in the 3rd of 4th century for political reasons after Constantine. (If you have any background with the primary sources, you understand quickly that this late deification theory is a bunk proposal, long outdated, used to sell books under controversial titles.) Readers may be interested to pursue this idea further in Hurtado's amazingly detailed door stopper, Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity or the short version, How On Earth Did Jesus Become A God?: Historical Questions About Earliest Devotion To Jesus.

Finally, Hurtado tries to apply the previous knowledge to our modern context of confused, silly and downright heretical worship that tries to pass itself off as Christian. He does it rather gently with the typical calls to being clear who is being worshiped (not confusing the persons/roles of the Trinity, e.g. the Father did not die on the cross, etc), not being patriarchal (whatever that means for worship he doesn't exactly say, only that we are not create God in a male image after our own likeness) and worship as a participation in the heavenly worship even now (a shock that most Protestants are wary of given their soft belief or downright rejection of the "communion of saints" idea from Hebrews 11 and 12). See Any Friend of God's Is a Friend of Mine for some food for thought.

There are only a few points that I think could be better explained or corrected. First, he claims early on (46) that the early church had no priesthood (presbyteros). Well, perhaps it is semantics, and I suppose is depends on how you define it, but if it means "someone in a position of spiritual authority who leads the community and deals with a religious sacrifice/offering to God", then by all means they did have a priesthood. Why? Because the early Church understood their Eucharist as an offering of thanksgiving (the meaning of the word) unto God, which was a participation in the "once for all" sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for our salvation. And we know from the NT and the witness of people like Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp that certain men, not women, officiated at the gatherings doing this action. The NT calls them overseers, which is an English translation of episkopos/oi, which is another way of saying "Bishops". The fact is that the distinction between the episcopacy and a parish priest/elder was blurry in the first century and even in the second in some parts (see Acts 20:17 and Titus 1:5,7), but the role of priest/elder only developed when the house churches expanded in a given city beyond the liturgical participation of the "one bishop to every city" rule and Christ's return was not as soon as expected. In a sense, the Church had to be more structured for the foreseeable future, which could be a long time. But the liturgical action was the same, which is the point. See Elders in Every City: The Origin an Role of the Ordained Ministry and Apostolic Succession for two brief introductions to the topic.

That early worship was rather "informal" may not be the case, and I am not sure that is the only perspective to take from the primary sources. Whatever "relatively informal" means, it doesn't mean "make it up as you go along". Yes, there is was certainly a place for that, but the main structure of readings, homily, meal was set based upon synagogue and temple worship. It was still a very Jewish event. See The Shape of the Liturgy and In the Shadow of the Temple: Jewish Influences on Early Christianity.

I also feel that Hurtado could make much more of the significance of both baptism and the Eucharist, since they are defining liturgical elements in what it means to "do Church". It seems he stayed out of any areas of theology that may ruffle feathers. In this regard, please see Jeremias' two brief studies Infant Baptism in the First Four Centuries and The Origins of Infant Baptism: A Further Study in Reply to Kurt Aland and Werner Elert's magisterial Eucharist and Church Fellowship in the First Four Centuries . Christians were very much of one mind that they participated in the body and blood of Christ and were born again in union with Jesus through participation in baptism for remission of sins (little kids, too, and babes in arms) and regeneration. He skimps out on the Eucharist part, but does show that baptism was more than a "me and Jesus" affair. His explanation of what it means to be "called out" (ekklesia) is very good, however.

Lastly, his ending discussion on gender, God the Father and idolatry is interesting, but I am not sure where he goes with it. He writes that we are not to think God is a male, so males run the show. It is unclear if he means that woman can therefore lead the Eucharistic assembly as the bishop or elder, or if he means that men and women are otherwise equal, or what. Maybe I need to reread him. Be that as it may, I think it is not a proper use of liturgical theology, if this is what he means to say, that woman can officiate the Eucharist since we are all one in Christ with no male or female, rich or poor, etc. The elder/priest/bishop represents Christ, serves as an icon of Christ. I am not entirely convinced that this excludes woman from that role, but I would not make that sort of argument based upon talk of God as Father. It has everything to do with Jesus and his role, not the Father. When St Paul says that we function as images of the Father and not vice versa, this is not what he is writing about, so I wonder where to apply Hurtado's theme. Since the book is about liturgy, it seems to apply it there, but he never comes out and says it that way. On this point, see Speaking the Christian God: The Holy Trinity and the Challenge of Feminism, This Is My Name Forever: The Trinity & Gender Language for God and Women and the Priesthood. ( cant use more than 10 links per review, sorry!)

Ok, very lastly, in the context of his argument about gender he seems to say we cannot use images in worship, citing Exodus. Yet he could go on to cite a few verses further where God commands Moses to use images and he fails to see that post-incarnation we very much may image God in Christ, along with the saints, who are deified by his grace alone, which is done very early on as seen at Dura Europas and Rome. Seems a little truncated in the conclusion department. And that the book as not index is unacceptable. Seriously, what text of a scholary nature should go without an index? A major pet peeve!

Definitely worth the read.

As noted by others, this is a readable abridgement of Hurtado's more extensive published materials related to early Christian worship. Central to Hurtado's work is an insightful assessment of the key role monotheism plays in the object of worship and the equally central role intimacy plays in the context of that worship. Although not rejecting Trinitarian understanding, his assertion that early Christian worship was "Binitarian" (the worship of God in and through Jesus Christ) is as revolutionary as it is historically accurate.

Hurtado has a more detailed version of this book, but since it costs around $55 (!!!) this short version may be better for your wallet. Hurtado makes detailed comparisons to Roman religious practice showing how Christianity did (and did not) fit in well with Roman praxis. Among the interesting trivia is that Christian rejection of the use of images and sacrificial ritual led some opponents to think Christianity was more like a philosophical association than a religious group [25]. Hurtado also explores in some depth the implications of Christian worship terminology and practice, and concludes with a chapter on the implications of his findings for Christian worship today. After reading this book, you may not recognize your next Sunday service.

This is a short book, but, like everything written by Hurtado, is outstanding. Hurtado stresses from the outset that it is important to study the devotional practices of the early Christians because of what they reveal about Christian beliefs.

Christians saw themselves as monotheists even though they were also proclaiming Jesus as God. In fact, "There are basically two main identifying marks of early Christian worship, when considered in its religious context: 1) Christ is reverenced as divine along with God, and 2) worship of all other gods is rejected" (p 39).

Hurtado lists six phenomena of early Christian religious devotion which he contends amounted to a "pattern of devotion that was unparalleled among other known religious groups that identified themselves with the biblical/Jewish tradition" (p 71). It was a distinct mutation. Certainly no group identified with Jewish traditions called upon a man as equal to God the Father as did the Christians. The name of Jesus was invoked as God even in the initiation rite of Baptism.

A well thought out and impressive work of scholarship.

Professor Larry Hurtado is one of the most important scholars of early Christianity. AT THE ORIGINS OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP contains his 1999 Didsbury lectures. While this book includes much of the same territory covered in Prof. Hurtado's other book, many readers will find it more accessible. The book's chapters on the Roman religious scene into which Christianity was born and contemporary Christian worship make the book a worthwhile purchase even if you have Prof. Hurtado's other works.

Fortunately, The Teaching Company led me to Phillip Cary and Augustine's Invention of the Inner Self: The Legacy of a Christian Platonist.

His book brings two thoughts to mind. First, when I entered Western Washington University as a mixed-up student who had been disenchanted with "organized religion," an anthropology professor said, "Dick, you must find yourself." Secondly, I've always loved my Catechism's definition of a sacrament as "an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace," but now Cary challenges me to look beyond the beauty of those words in order to gain insight into their Augustinian-Platonic meaning. His book unites both thoughts and sets me on a demythologizing journey.

This is a book I'll need not merely to read like The Reader's Digest. I'll have to live with it. That will require much study. At little over 200 pages, it's not long, and one quarter consists of notes and bibliography. But what his book lacks in length it delivers in depth. Happily, Cary is incurably interesting. And that's the problem. I have a hard time trying to put it down. He keeps digging dilemmas--or maybe I should call them paradoxes--that arrest my attention. Moreover, it's not the end of the story. Just this year, he published Inner Grace: Augustine in the Traditions of Plato and Paul, and Outward Signs: The Powerlessness of External Things in Augustine's Thought. The titles are witty references to my Catechism's definition of a sacrament. I'll need to read and mark all three books if I wish inwardly to digest all Cary has to tell me about Augustine's thought.

Moving from the Catechism to cataracts, the book's nine-point font bugs me, and I need my most powerful magnifiers to regain the joy of reading. Oxford University Press doesn't seem to realize America is aging. Nor does the corny cover reflect Cary's colorful style that, fortunately, is better reflected in the covers of Outward Signs and Inner Grace.

Prof. Cary's book on Augustine resonates with me as few books have. Every page is so fruitful. What is the soul? One might say: what are the limits and opportunities posed by "introspection" or "self reflection" or "self consciousness." The remarkable development from Plato through Aristotle through Plotinus to Augustine is captured in a unique, sensitive, and joyful way.
I'm a layman who formally studied a lot of philosophy in my twenties (forty years ago). I think back on my own painful quest for meaning earlier in life before I became a born again Christian (under reformed baptist doctrine). I was studying under a program of philosophy completely controlled by the logical potivists and the analytic philosophers of the 20th century. I was cut off from the history of philosophy with its great riches. In this book, I see the love for philosophy that I never was able to bring to fruition in my own studies. It is a joy to see that someone has succeeded where I failed.
The problem of the inner and the outer has dogged me all my life. I had a fixed mindset that the "Truth" lay with the inner -- the inner was more "spiritual." In this book, I better see the weaknesses of the "inner" yet, at the same time, the reasons for its great appeal to deeply reflective persons. The power of inwardness still has some hold on me. There is a mystical element of "union with Christ" in my philosophizing about my life and theology. Yet, by grace, I have been freed from the domination of the inward. To see the whole matter laid out in vibrant prose is a thrill.
Thank you Prof. Cary. Perhaps you never would have guessed that you were performing a great personal as well as a professional service in writing this book?

I'm a honors philosophy student at Eastern college, and Dr. Cary is my professor. I haven't read all of this book, but have flipped through it enough to know its worth. Dr. Cary's knowledge of Augustine is at once both vast and concentrated, and his writing is highly academic but very clear and easy to follow. I would recommend this work to any one interested in Augustine, the inner self, or historical and modern Christian thought.

To critique Augustine, is to critique Christion theology. All Christians pay homage to the feet of Augustine, and, ironically, all Christians seem to think that Augustine somehow agrees with them. This is true of both Protestants and Catholics. This is seen in a lot of popular writing, and sometimes even in scholarly writing. Because St. Augustine is neither Protestant nor Catholic (Catholic in the sense that we now understand it today) understanding him on his own terms has radical implications for all Christians. When I was reading this book I would ask myself, what is this guy driving at? What is the point to demonstrate that Augustine invented the inner self? Who cares if Augustine was a Christian Platonist? Well... everybody should! Because Augustine is considered one of the most influential writers since the apostle Paul! Dr. Cary draws some startling criticisms that are often considered 'biblical doctrine.' (E.g. the doctrine of the division of the soul and body, or that heaven is this aerial and surreal place.) No, Dr. Cary says, Christianity is a faith of heart and flesh. Christ came in human flesh to restore creation. My only disappointment with this book is that the conclusion is all too slender. I hope this is not the only book that Dr. Cary writes on this subject. I hope he is working on more.
Dr. Philip Cary is a brilliant scholar, and (I think) an incredible lecturer.
I first heard him in a series of lectures that he did to the Teaching Company, ... This book is accessible to both the scholar and the inquiring student. Dr. Philip Cary masterly uses common words and clearly defines unfamiliar words.
As someone who is always on the lookout for well-written book's and scholarly books to cite in later Ph.D. work this book meets both of those requirements. It is a bit pricey, but it is worth it. I bit Oxford Press now offers a more affordable paperback edition.

In his 'Augustine's Invention of the Inner Self' professor Phillip Cary shows the reader in a brilliant way how to reveal one of the most complex issues in Western culture to the average reader. As if it was his main goal to offer a didactic achievement the book is readable as a detective novel. Origin and conceptual development of the inner self are convincingly demonstrated.
Nevertheless I have one question about the book. That is: why doesn't Cary give us a more thourough explanation about Augustine's rejection of literature in education (see p. 97 and footnote 9 on that page)? According to my view finding ones self, being one of the purposes of education, depends for a great deal on exploring one's culture's history and literature. By searching the one and only Truth in the self being Christ, and at the same time repudiating culture's traditional vehicles for that search, as is vehemently recommended in Conf. 1.16, education as Augustine saw it might have been severaly hindered.
Since Augustine's time the humanities have suffered from enduring attacks by Christian critics. The search for the inner self, as we find it again in Pascal (see 'Pascal et Saint Augustin' by Philipe Sellier, Paris 1970; another reference I missed in Cary's book is 'La découverte de Soi' by Georges Gusdorf, Paris 1948), might be victimized by those attacks up till today's educational practice. On many schools and colleges in Holland and in many other Western countries, humanities are a bit of a nonitem.
How is Dr. Cary's opinion about the posibility of the actual consequences of Augustine's thought on these matters?

Dr. Guido Everts, Historical educationist
Amstelveen
The Netherlands
E-mail: geverts@hetnet.nl

This is a great discovery. You have probably heard the stories of Parley P. Pratt. Now you need to read them, and please review the historical significance in the footnotes. Also, good photography to compliment and help establish a mental picture.

This autobiography is outstanding. The book chronicles the life of
Parley P. Pratt. The book if entertaining, inspiring, and motivating.
The book contains several enjoyable stories. We can learn alot from Pratt's life.

A very vivid account of the early history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints written by man who lived it and contributed much to the LDS church. The book is written in flowing prose and interspersed with poetry, letters, etc. Parley Pratt joined the church after reading and accepting the Book of Mormon. His story follows the LDS church through their persecutions in Missouri, and Illinois and brings the church to its present location in Utah.

I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the LDS church as it is written by one of their early leaders.

Parley P. Pratt along with his brother Orson was among the earliest leaders of the Mormon church. His historical significance alone makes this worth the read. Luckily not only is this work historically important is is also really entertaining. Of all the books I have read on the early church this was easily the most entertaining.

Parley Pratt is a master storyteller. Furthermore, he lead a fascinating life that makes for an engrossing read. My favorite was the story about the dogs. (You have to read it to find out what I mean) There is some inspirational talk here as would be expected from any work by a religious devotee. Really a fun read and worth your time.

This is a first-hand account of the growth and history of the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints, as seen through the eyes of one of its highest-ranking insiders (and Apostle), Parley P. Pratt.

Pratt, a traveling preacher, first heard of the Book of Mormon in late August, 1830, and was baptized on about Sept 1, 1830. From then on, his life was one of total committment and devotion to God's work on Earth.

Pratt served several missions for the Church and also suffered through many persecutions with the Prophet Joseph Smith himself, including several months in a filthy jail cell in 1838-1839. These experiences are told in fair detail so that it is easy for me to visualize them as if I had lived through them myself.

If you want to know what life was really like for early LDS Church members and leaders, you need to read this book.

--George Stancliffe

As Peter Kreeft himself says, some of his simplest works are is most favored. This is one of them. Some of the most simple things in life can have the greatest affect on how well our life is. This book provokes thought on things that are often overlooked. I love Peter Kreeft's philiosophy and so far this is my favorite of his books. It deserves careful and thoughtful reading.

In 162 short letters to his adult children he summarizes what he would like them to be sure of, to realize, to do, and to love. The idea is nice. Kreeft puts all his intensity and devotion in his letters as he does with all his books.

The only minus I would give in this case is that it is too vague, too general in scope. I guess that is the nature of advice, otherwise it would need a full book to explain why this advice is given, why so important. Then this is not the kind of literature that appeals to me most. But for ole time Kreeft readers it won't disappoint.

Peter Kreeft is an outstanding philosophy professor at Boston College who has written over 40 books, most of which are excellent. Professor Kreeft is similar to G K Chesterton and C S Lewis in that he is a Christian philosopher who writes very clear and profound books that are full of wisdom.

BEFORE I GO consists 162 life lessons that Kreeft has learned, and each lesson is covered in 1 to 3 pages. Lesson 6, "The Most Important Person" is a hierarchy of what a person's priorities in life should be, with God first, one's spouse second, one's children third and so on. Lesson 9 is a succinct description of "What is a Good Person?"

Lesson 48 has a funny litmus test on how to tell if a book is a great book; funny because it rings true. And Lesson 51 has a poignant lesson learned too late from the poet Thomas Carlyle. Kreeft's advice on how to keep marriages intact in Lesson 87 is short, sweet and dead-on-target.

"Before I Go" is short - it took only about 3 hours to read - and full of wisdom. This is indeed a great book in that it gives cogent guidance on the good, the beautiful and the true. Were Socrates to read this book, he would realize that he had finally found that wise man that Socrates sought in ancient Greece but never found. This is Kreeft's 2nd best book - exceeded only by his outstanding HANDBOOK OF CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS - and I give it my highest recommendation.

I liked the readable format in which to share some universal "words of wisdom" with my children. Perhaps reading them in another person's time & space will reinforce the significance for all.

Reviewed by Dr. Michael Philliber for Reader Views (12/07)

Having sat with several people as they draw close to the end of their life, I have noticed that many find themselves frustrated by the short time they have to say the final, important things to their loved ones. Peter Kreeft has taken a preemptive strike at that moment for his family by writing this short, readably warm book, "Before I Go: Letters to Our Children about What Really Matters." Kreeft states that this book is simply a "word-insurance policy. It is a way of speaking even after you are dead" (4). And he has written it for his grown children against the day that he may no longer be able to say what he deems are the important things, before he goes.

The short chapters are normally succinct, lasting anywhere from three sentences to three pages, but the depth of insight vastly surpasses the amount if ink and paper. For example, in one short chapter, he poignantly reveals the two categories into which people generally fall, "There are only two kinds of people: sinners, who think they're saints, and saints, who know they're sinners. There are only fools, who think they're wise, and the wise, who know they're fools" (51). It becomes clear as one reads further into this book that the writer is skilled at writing and at writing in a memorable fashion. I found myself struggling to put the book aside, because each chapter enticed me to jump to the next.

Kreeft teaches philosophy at Boston College, which shines through in several chapters, particularly in the superb craftsmanship with which he is able to hone an idea down to its primary point, like the following; "Worship God, love people, and respect stuff" (54). He is also a loyal Roman Catholic, and that similarly comes through clear and without apology all over this book. Neither of these facts detracts from the book, but is the reservoir from which he is able to dish out his nourishing and healthful comments.

The realism with which Kreeft sees the world, and with which he writes, is a two edged sword. Because of the down-to-earth way he airs his thoughts, he will be easily grasped, and heartily appreciated, by the simplest readers: "We strut and fret and preen and pose, but only God can make a rose" (86). But his earthy approach might also catch some completely off guard, especially as he uses expletives on occasion. Yet these are never gratuitous, but serve to drive home a valuable, salient point.

Reading "Before I Go" will be a pure pleasure for the thoughtfully reflective, and a valuable gift for many parents to use in passing on wise words to their children before they lose the ability to say those final, important words.

If you thought you knew how to truly pray you were wrong. This is a step by step way to spend time time with Jesus, God, the Most Holy Spirit, and Our Blessed Mother. This is how you life can be a prayer without words.

If you are a Christian and have a prayer life that is lacking,THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO PRAYER is a first-rate place to start understanding, get organized, and move forward in your prayer life.

The Orthodox way is a different approach from either Porotestants or Catholics, the two Christian traditions we are most familiar with in the west. As Archpriest Father George Sondergaard once told a class of Catechumens, "You Protestants and Catholics think everying is either-or; sometimes it's both!"

Thus it is with prayer-- the Orthodox way espoused herein by Father Michael introduces the reader to the concept and importance of having both formalized and personal prayer, that we may include ACTS--Adoration, Contrition, Thanks, AND Supplication in our prayer lives, rather than just asking favors of the all-holy Trinity.

Since the last great Church father, St. Symeon the New Theologian stressed the importance of a personal prayer life in addition to ritual prayer, it has been a vital component of Orthodoxy.

Protestants may balk at some of what Orthodox pray, for they pray for the dead, pray to Saints, and ask the Blessed Mary for intercessions. Yet, did not Mary intercede (successfully) to get her Son to change His mind at Canae? Do you not believe that virtuous men and women who have gone on before are alive in Christ and just as capable of praying for you as the car mechanic or office clerk you wouldn't hesitate to ask to pray for you? Don't you think that the Godhead exists in an eternal NOW where all is always unfolding and that thus you can pray effectively for those who have departed mortal life because their lives are yet unfolding before God?

This is the Orthodox way. And this book is a great place to start learning all about it. Not the sort of reading a monastic or cleric would benefit from, but certainly a great book for cradle Orthodox, Catechumens, converts and the curious.

What a wonderful resource!!!! One reading was not enough, I'm going to re-read and probably re-read it several times. Even if one is NOT Orthodox(I happen to be), he/she would find this a very useful tool indeed.

I believe that next to the scriptures themselves, the next best thing to read as a Christian is the lives of the saints. From the beginning Jews and Jews who became "Christians" have looked to their forefathers and mothers in the faith as examples, heroes and guides. A skim of Hebrews 10 and 11 confirms this, along with many other examples. But they did not gloss over the foibles and follies of the saints, but saw them examples of the grace of God working itself out in their lives. Fr Patrick's book on the saints is something of a primer for all Christians to help introduce us, or just to remind us, that we are part of a great cloud of witnesses that are not only fine examples of repentance, faithfulness and perseverance, but also of one Body with us in Christ our Lord. As the early Christians would say, "One Christian, no Christian." We are saved together as a body, while the only thing we can do alone is go to hell.

There are 14 main sections that focus upon various types of personalities from the bible, both Old and New Testaments. Each section contains about 10 or 11 devotionals that are each about 3 pages long. Topics include repentant saints, loyal saints, saints in need of improvement, saints in worship, suffering saints, clever saints, interceding saints, saints under pressure, gentle saints, zealous saints, visionaries, questioners, and persevering saints.

For Protestant readers who may feel uncomfortable with the idea of talking about "saints" in a way that sounds too "Catholic", they may ease into the idea by knowing that it is more like a hall of fame that is held up as an ideal, just as St. Paul says, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ." There is no competition between the honor we give to the saints and the worship we give to the Holy Trinity. Besides, "God is glorified in his saints," the Apostle declares in 2nd Thessalonians 1:10. Moreover, this book is only concerned with saints from the bible, so that is safe enough if you are hesitant. Who knows, maybe you will find yourself wanting to know what the disciples of the Apostles thought about the faith and how they lived and died for it.

While I highly recommend Butler's Lives of the Saints (4 Volume Matched Set) , they can be rather bulky and intimidating, and expensive. On the other hand, this slim volume is sure to become a standard as it is both educational and devotional, aimed at nourishing the soul without breaking the bank.

Readers may find the following books useful as well: Any Friend of God's Is a Friend of Mine, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Francis of Assisi: With Introductions by Ralph McInerny and Joseph Pearce, Father Arseny, 1893-1973: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father : Being the Narratives Compiled by the Servant of God Alexander Concerning His Spiritual Father.

Fr. Michael presents much more than simply a beginner's guide in this jewel of a little book. It is practical, realistic, and humorous and contains great advice on developing a wholistic life around prayer rather than a compartmentalized one in which one simply includes prayer. The idea is to do more than pray. The idea is to become prayer.

Highly recommended

I recommend this book to everyone searching for the answer to the questions:What does it mean that God is 'knocking"? How do I know when it is God knocking?..How do I answer His call? This book reminds the reader that God's "knock" is very simple and very powerful, and ALWAYS love! In His mercy , He asks only that we see ourselves as beloved sinners and abandon ourselves to Him as such! How do we do this?...read this beautiful and hope- filled book!

"...it is also true that you are loved not because of some kind of imaginary perfection or cleanliness of soul, but because you are a child - the Heavenly Father's child. He will always accept you. When you throw yourself into His arms with childlike trust, He will never despise you or abandon you" (pg. 66) This book is helping me to realize more and more the unconditinal love of GOD! I find it extremely helpful for my daily meditation. It is helping me to discover the true meaning of perfection, not the meaning I imposed on myself sense childhood in which I was actually trying to "be GOD" rather than need HIM. The book is sprinkled with deep yet simple and childlike prayers to our LORD. These prayers are very comforting for me because they do not disguise who I am, but help me to be before my GOD in truth. I recommend this book to anyone who is striving for holiness but finding themselves stuck in the muck of the truth that they are sinners...this book will help you see that it is exactly YOU who GOD loves and whose door HE knocks on in every moment!

As with Dr Biela's other books, it is nearly impossible to find adequate words to describe this one. Still I would give 10 stars if I could to each of his books. Using language that a 21st century reader can grasp, Dr. Biela (who happens to be a Ph.D in Physics!) illuminates the works and thoughts of the great Catholic mystics: St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Faustina Kowalska, etc.

In addition, he vividly elaborates on key New Testament passages: the tax collector's prayer, Mary's accepting to become the "servant of the Lord", the bleached sepulcher, the Samaritan woman at the well, etc. Readers will easily recognize situations in our daily lives where those words are applicable. Just about everyday something I have read in these books comes to mind. You will be surprised to find out what having faith "like a child" actually involves.

Needless to say Dr Biela's series of books has given me a radically different perspective as to what closeness to God means, and how God acts in our lives. Basically, we are nothing and God in us is and does everything. We come to this realization by removing the blinders in our lives which impede us from seeing this truth. Events which appear adverse to us can in fact be God's instrument to remove obstacles that separate us from Him. More than ever I seek to recognize how everything I do and everything that happens to me is God's action. The key impediment is our obstinate arrogance and the only solution is having absolute humility before the Lord.

Readers should be aware, however, these books are written strictly in the context of Catholicism. The sacraments are underscored as conduits of Jesus' action. Mary is exalted as the surest medium to put Jesus in the center of our lives. You will be hard pressed to find a more inspiring ellucidation of these themes than Dr. Biela's.

I could try to go on but, again, any words of mine fall short. This is Dr. Biela's third book, and I sincerely recommend you get all of them and read them in order. I believe that way you will get the most out of them. They are short and can be read quickly, although you probably will feel compelled to take your time and meditate on their message.

Prepare to be overwhelmed.

This book is the nourishment my soul has been hungering for. A must read for anyone longing to be touched by the healing power of God's love.

What a gift! This book is helping me make sense out of the tensions in my spiritual life. Funny what the Truth can do! In a gentle way, it reminds me that God knows me through and through, so I can quit hiding who I really am and just let myself be loved. For this, I am very thankful.

funny ,easyto read, information priceless to a long time Methodist
like me, I learned a lot from reading this book, it is a reference
for me, I'd like to thank the author for writing it

This book is a great read and VERY pertinent. It really makes you think and Belton had lots of great ideas. VERY FUNNY.

Attention ALL United Methodists (whether or not you think you're confused)! This book provides exactly what the title suggests and does so in an organized, intelligent, and humorous way so I won't waste your time elaborating. Buy the book. Better yet, buy 4 copies. Give one to your church library and submit an article for the next issue of your church newsletter calling attention to the new addition. Take the 2nd copy to your Sunday School teacher and volunteer to use the book to teach the next several weeks for him/her. (I'm sure they deserve a break.) Give the 3rd copy to your youth director. (I sure wish it had been available to me as a youth.) Keep the 4th for yourself and loan it out often. I slightly disagree with the authors opinion that the "Bible Belt" is a state of mind. Perhaps, but I think we struggle with these issues much more in the south than anywhere else. Buy the book. You won't regret it.

I bought this book shortly after joining a United Methodist church. As a former southern baptist, I found this book very helpful in discerning the differences between the denominations. I've since recommended this book to several friends and family members.

I concur with Laura's analysis of this book. This is actually an introduction to UMC theology/doctrine, but it is presented in a very readable format. It describes what makes United Methodists distinctive from other denominations while allowing for diversity of belief. Buy it!

This is an excellent general book on worship. It includes exposition of both Old and New Testament texts, leading the reader continually back to the bible as the source for authority and information on God-centered worship. Horton taps into the thinking of other bible scholars. He also presents some material that may surprise some readers, in which the voices of the very young adult generation of Christians speak out on what they believe about worshipping God. If you invest in only one book on worship in the near future, this would be the one to read.

Michael Horton is editor of Modern Reformation. The magazine comes out every other month. It is devoted to bring a new reformation to the evangelical churches today. Each issue concentrates on a different doctrinal truth and how churches of today have moved away from that teaching. The magazine argues for systematic theology which today's culture pulls many a Christian from studying or discovering. The author of this book believes the Christian Faith is being dumbed down.

Jesus Christ is the central character of the whole Bible. The human writers of the Old Testament did not comprehend, but God knew.The Holy Spirit breathed both the Old and New Testament. God is the ultimate author of all scripture. The Law, man's rebellion against God, animal sacrafice, and prophecy all point to Jesus Christ. The Author states what is less clear in the Old testament is made clear through the revelation of the New Testament.

And he said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27 RSV)

The author's explicit thesis:

God has promised to save and keep His people through means he has appointed and through no other; the ordaining means of grace are limited to the preached word and the sacraments.

Worship ought to focus on God. All praise should be to God for who He is, what He has accomplished, and what He will do. Worship is a response to God. The author quoted from the Heidelberg Catechism: that God wants His people instructed by the living Word.....} If the people were not up to speed the answer was to get them up to speed, not accommodate the degenerating condition.

Scriptural Reading recommendation, Nehemiah 8:1-8

This scripture tells us the word of God was read and explained. The book of Hebrews explains the coming from the old covenant to the new. The word church comes from the Greek word ekklesia meaning shared. But the primary or chief concern of the church is not to build community, to enjoy fellowship ,or to have moral instruction for children. The primary or chief concern is worship our Creator for being the chosen, redeemed, justified, and sanctified, until one day we will be glorified in heaven. Therefore the gathering should not be out of habit, social custom or heart felt needs. As John the Baptist declared: Behold the Lamb of God to take away our sins. God provided the means to wash away our sins through Christ's sinless life, death and resurrection. Therefore the gathering should be a shared praise and worship for His Grace and long suffering.

The author further argues that praise should be object centered: God and His saving work in Christ. Not subject centered praise; lyrics of songs should not concentrate on what we are doing. An example of subject praise is the hymn: In the Garden . He walks with me He talks with and tells me I am His very own.

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the
sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
(Hebrews 10:19-25 RSV)

Scriptual recommendations: Romans 10:5-8, 13-15, 17;

Faith comes by hearing the word of God. The author argues that the sermon is central to worship. It must be about the word of God and not pop culture. through communion and Baptism God conveys His grace through the common elements water, bread, and Wine(or grape juice). God summons His people together for this purpose. Michael Horton argues you most know the things of God to know God. Faith is the sole means of justification. Faith comes through the hearing of the word.

For, "every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be
saved." But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not
believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!" (Romans 10:13-15 RSV)

Michael Horton argues that acceptance of authority even God is abnormal. Cutting ones path apart from everyone even God is normal. An individual cheat himself when he tries to reshape God instead of allowing God to reshape him. A church/worship service should reconstitute the individual life into a Christian life. A new script to an individuals life. Purpose, identity hopes should be conformed by the word and Spirit.

Spacialization of Heaven

Two Different Realms of Existence

Present Rule of Sin and Death

vs.
Coming realm of Consumation

Those Who Belong to This Age

vs.
Those Who Belong to That Age

The World is divided between those who belong to Jesus therefore the coming age and those who belong to the world, therefore are doomed in their sins.

The author also discusses today's and yesterday's culture. No age has a monopoly on truth. But truth in God's word should be the guide how worship should be structured, not how it attracts unbelievers or pleases the believer.

Overall Dr. Horton's book is excellent, particularly chapters 4 and 5. He does a tremendous job of locating the constitution of worship in Scripture and of addressing the narcissism so unfortunately prevalent in the church today.

I did find his virtual assault in chapter 2 on believers experiencing God somewhat overdone. Granted, there is far too much seeking of the experience in the church today, but that does not and should not be taken to mean that a believer cannot have some kind of experiential reality of God. Further his observations in this area seem to neglect passages like Psalm 27.7-9. And his discounting of believers seeing God at work in the present "The world is shot through with divinity and nearly everything and every experience is an opportunity to touch and see God's face" (pg. 39) seems to emphasise God's transcendence at the expense of His immanence, the latter of which is also confirmed by Scripture, e.g., Psalm 19, 50.6, Romans 1.20, etc. The overall thrust of this chapter suggests that it is impossible for a believer with, for lack of a better phrase, their theology straight, who is seeking God in accordance with His word, to witness God in His creation, which again seems to me to contradict Scripture. It is true that these experiences are not means of saving grace as defined in Scripture, nor should they be mistaken for or sought as ends themselves, but that does not - when they are truly of God - diminish their reality or significance in the life of the believer.

Insofar as the reference to ministers being formally sent or approved by an ecclesiastical body, "And, by the way, Paul clearly understood 'sent' to mean sent by the church through its appointed officers, as his insistence on the laying on of hands reminds us" (pg. 42), while that is true, I would offer that what Paul did not have in mind are the formal scholastic hoops now required by many of those same bodies before they will even consider recognising (much less ordaining) a person as a minister. The idea that one cannot be a theological sound and truly called minister unless formally educated and ordained (which seems to be what Dr. Horton is getting at) is contrary to the Scripture to which he appeals. Timothy had no formal education that we know of other than being brought up with an understanding of the Scriptures and his being mentored by Paul. Neither did Titus, or for that matter Peter, James, John; nor in all likelihood did the many house church leaders like Priscilla and Aquila, Nymphas, etc. While I agree that seminary and ordination is the common and perhaps even preferred route into ministry, that does not mean that God cannot/does not sometimes call and equip people without their having done everything according to some set of denominational rules and requirements.

In closing, while the bulk of this review takes issue with the author's views as mentioned above (thus the 4 star rating), the book on the whole is well worth reading. It speaks particularly to a serious problem in the church today and should be read and heeded by far more people than it probably will be.

A Better Way: Rediscovering The Drama Of God-Centered Worship by Rev. Michael Horton (Associate Professor, Westminister Theological Seminary, California) is a clear and careful examination of the Christian worship of God. Individual chapters address the Biblical passages that form the source of Christian worship, and the importance of putting God and Jesus Christ foremost. Specially written for those who keep the faith, as well as for pastors and worship leaders, A Better Way is strongly recommended as a profound, life-changing book about what it truly means to express one's reverence with a Christian context of scripture and tradition.

In this day and age, all you have to do is shop around and you can probably find the church that has a worship style of your choice. In some ways, this might be good, but it does cause some bitter division in churches that have not settled on the style that "works" for them.

Is this the right way for it to be? Has the purpose of worship gotten lost somewhere between the traditions and the new ways? Where is God in all this, in other words.

The author, one of the members of the popular White Horse Inn radio show that examines Reformed theology for the edification and equipment of the believers, realizes that worship is one of the primary functions of those God has called to Himself. Using Biblical illustration, he teaches readers what worship was meant to be, and also provides some useful material that brings aspects of the Bible to a new light and helps some parts that have not quite made sense a bit more comprehensible.

***** The man to whom the book is dedicated, James M. Boice, would be proud if he could read this educational and informative text.

This book gives you a great understanding of Billy and Ruth Graham's sincere contribution to Christianity and their faith in God.

I loved this book. It was an inspiring and delightful time spent viewing the photos and reading about this man's life. I ended the book with the feeling it was more than just a book about Billy Graham - it was a book of history. Mr. Graham has touched the lives of countless people, but has also had the opportunity to meet with more heads of state and influential people than most public officials. The pictures and commentary were indeed a trip through history. Billy Graham is a true public servant as well as a preacher. What a great gift has been given to this man of God!

For many years through all his dedication in giving his life for Jesus Christ and helping others, Billy Graham is truly God's Ambassador. Tehabi Books in conjunction with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has organized and produced the story of the man with a lifelong mission of giving hope to the world. The book is lavishly covered with black-and-white and full color photos from the archives of eyewitness photographer Russ Busby. Busby had spent most of his life documenting Billy Graham's ministry around the world. In just half a century, Billy Graham has traveled the world to preach the Gospel to millions of people across the globe-more than anyone in history.

The book captures public and private moments from his humble beginning as a dairy farmer's son in Charlotte, North Carolina to one of the most influential evangelist of the 20th century. 'Billy Graham: God's Ambassador' includes comments, quotes and personal reflections mostly from the words of Billy Graham himself and those who have been closest to him. This insightful book looks at Graham as the advocate and preacher of human rights and world peace, Counselor with Presidents, world leaders and celebrities, inspired a positive influence in times of conflict and discord and at home with his family he was husband and father. This is an intimate and unique portrait of a man who dedicated his life to the Gospel and the world's most prominent figure of this century. Quoting from Daniel Webster-"If we work on marble, it will perish; if on brass, time will efface it; if we rear up temples, they will crumble into dust; but if we work upon immortal minds and imbue them with principles, with the just fear of God and the love of our fellow men, we engrave on those tablets something that will brighten to all eternity."

As a biography, "Billy Graham: God's Ambassador" is not as good as Graham's own autobiography, "Just As I Am". However as a coffee table book it is excellent. The photography is superb. The text is eye catching. The layout exceptional. This is a much better book for public display than most of the books I come across.

This book covered everything I could hope for on this man who has been voted one of the most admired and influentuel men of the last century.I loved the photos as well as the commentary by himself and from so many other sources. It was inspiring and informative. My husband and I were competing for our chance to enjoy the book. Should have bought two copies!