Benefits of Books

I have been reading this book every night before retiring to bed and I am very intrigued by the information in the book. I am a bit disappointed that there is no mentioned on recommended manufacturer's of tea. Other wise; the book is a good read.

This book is just full of probably most anything you ever wanted to know about different teas! It gives you information concerning health issues and which types of teas to drink! Well worth the money to have on hand! :)

I gave this book as a gift, but noticed it had a lot about herbs as well as teas. Nice

very informative book. i bought it as a replacement for a copy i gave to a friend. was worth it all over again.

Excellent book for people who want to use natural healing techniques with tea.

I am a perpetual beginner but I have enjoyed the benefits of yoga for years. Most of my yoga books and manuals show postures and sequences but they don't give me enough context to quickly or easily understand which asanas or sequences I should focus on. Since I am have little time...I don't like to work to hard figuring out what to do. This is the first guide that makes it quick and easy to decide what I want to do. It is smartly organized with its anatomical/chakra color-coding, anatomy reference and super easy fan format for scanning postures and stuffing into a briefcase or pocket.

I am keeping my other books for reading, but this is the guide I always take with me for my active practice...

I absolutely love my yoga fan. As a teacher and student, this book is an excellent guide for sequencing and for referencing any pose. I love how the fan is grouped and broken down into seven sections, which offers an easy and flexible sequence to follow. The sections are even color coded to match the postures with the chakras! I never leave home without this book. At any time, I can flip it open for a quick reference. It's also a great companion when traveling - it's small and easy to pack as a guide for my personal practice!

This is a great little tool for teachers as well as students (like me!).
It's well put together and covers a wide range of poses for all levels
in a very handy format!
Love it!

I've found the Yoga Fan to be a great tool for my individual practice. Developing my home practice is an integral part of my yoga practice, however left to my own devices it's easy enough for me to reinvent poses and confuse or lose sequences; having the Yogi Fan is like having a Yogi in my pocket to guide me.
It's organized in a usable way -- pose for pose; and it's wonderful for creating flow sequences. I'm particularly fond of the Yogi's tips -- I always find something useful there.
Great design, excellent construction, perfect packing size for when I'm out of town. Definitely recommend it.

Convenient, concise and informative. The pictures are great and the format makes it easy to follow and learn at one's own pace. For anyone looking for a good introduction to yoga, I highly recommend this portable and invigorating book.

This novel kept my attention from page one through the end. It's obvious M.E. Smith has a strong depth of knowledge of the pharma industry so as to leave the reader intrigued as well as educated as to what goes on behind the scenes. This is combined with strong love and compassion for family which the reader can relate to. Couldn't put it down!

This book was a great read. It moved pretty fast, had some interesting twists, and held your attention throughout. Just about the perfect length - can be finished in an afternoon or on a long trip.
My mother (who reads much more than I) also read the book and enjoyed it. She said it kept her very interested up to and through the conclusion.
I/we look forward to the next book.

This book is suspenseful, engaging, and well-written. It has that "can't put it down" quality that keeps you turning pages and wanting to read one more chapter, or to read through one more "day" (as the chapters are organized by date). The author's authentic experiences give the novel a strong foundation and offer convincing plots. The attention to detail creates vibrant pictures in the reader's mind without overwhelming. Well done! There will be sequels, I am sure!

I really enjoyed this book. The story caught my attention from the beginning and had me guessing all the way through. I loved all the details the author gives to help you understand the industry. It was really hard to put down this book!

It was a "stay up late til I get it done" book. I had to read to the very last page to figure out "who dunnit". I hope the sequel is coming out soon!

After personally speaking to Mr. Smith, I was convinced of his sincerity and committment to helping those applying for SSDI. I purchased this book, used the forms, and I got it on my first try.

His forms that I filled out(daily activities) and attached to all of my Doctor's forms were extraordinarily helpful and I believe essential in the decision making process for Social Security. It also proved helpful to the doctors who were making their reports. As long as your doctors know you, they still cannot be with you all day to know your moment to moment activities. These forms give them a birds eye view of what one deals with on a daily basis.

I recommend this book very highly.

When a neurological disorder forced me to resign after 32 years of working, I was overwhelmed, depressed and not sure what to do next. Fortunately, I had ordered this book 2 weeks before and had somewhere to turn. I completed the worksheets (LOTS of information that Social Security needs but does not request) and followed Mr. Smith's suggestion to have a personal interview with Social Security. The employee was visibly delighted with the detail provided in the worksheets and I just received approval of my application only 2 1/2 months after applying! (Locally, according to a story in today's paper, only 25% of applications are granted the first time around - and hearings take over 600 days.) I firmly believe that this book made a difference in my life.

You need this book. You need this workbook, even if you think your disability application will be successful, and even if you have an attorney. Most importantly, it keeps you organized while you are stressed from illness, financial insecurity, and uncertainty. It provides a framework to keep you organized, especially if you have many disabling conditions which must be considered in combination, and must be presented together to SSA.

After assembling your information in the format provided by this workbook, you can see if anything is missing, or needs updating, or is conflicting, and requires further explanation. You can also be confident that you are communicating your data completely and consistently to the many interviewers, on the multiple SSA forms and through the numerous levels of review, that you may encounter in your application process.

Another advantage of this book for yourself and for your application, is that it allows your individual medical specialists to get a complete picture of your overall health and of the conditions that disable you. For example, it might help your orthopedist decide whether you can walk on uneven surfaces, if he is aware that your field of vision is restricted. And once the workbook questionaires are filled out, they can serve as the beginning of a health diary, which will help you manage your health and deal with the periodic SSA reviews of your disability once you get it.

Finally, the biggest advantage you get from this workbook, is that it puts the SSA employees on your team by making it easier for them to do their jobs. You are providing them with the information they need on your case in an accessible format which is simple for them to process and evaluate.

Do yourself a favor. Get the Disability Workbook by Douglas M . Smith.

If you are applying for disability, this is the only book you need to guide you through everything. I've highly recommended it to thousands of people with chronic illness through HopeKeepers Magazine.

This workbook consolidates the information needed to prove disability claims and win benefits. It guides applicants through the application process with the goal of getting benefits promptly, without unnecessary appeals. The new edition discusses the "proofs" that the Social Security Administration processors look for, and it tells you how to keep your benefits through periodic disability reviews. The book is important because two-thirds of claims for Social Security disability benefit are denied initially.

Be sure to visit the author's web site too at http://www.disabilityfacts.com . It includes a variety of free articles for personal use, including: Prospects Improve for Winning Disability Quickly, Social Security Disability Outline (What to Expect), and Daily Activities Worksheet (very helpful when filling out the forms). Many frequently asked questions about applying for benefits are also addressed.

Resources available for a small purchase price include helpful items such as "Disability Evaluation in a Nutshell: A Three Minute Guide to Effective Medical Reports," to ensure that your doctor is keeping medical records and being an advocate for your health.

You will feel like you've got an inside scoop on how the system works. .

I wrote the above title and have been in touch with Doug. Little did I know there would be a time when I would need to apply for SSI for someone in my family. Doug's book is indespensible to the SSDI/SSI disability claimant. He lists the information you'll need and plenty of forms are included. He's also got some hints like "get a face-to-face" interview. It's your right. What more can I say, I wrote a book on the subject and for additional help I turned to Doug's book immediately and it comes through with the goods. I think my book "How to Get SSI and Social Security Disability" still has vital and helpful information to add, despite some self-styled "expert" who says my book is a lie. This same expert has the same opinion of Dr. Morton's book by Nolo. I am an expert and I give Doug's book a full 2 thumbs up.
Mike Davis

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Florrie Binford-Kichler, Founder of Patria Press, Inc.- an award-winning independent publisher and Member of The Children's Book Council; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

I love reading this book to my nieces and nephews it teaches great principles and also having all the fun of the Dewey character. What an amazing book and story!!!

My son loves this series. He has 4 book in the series. He loves to listen to them in the car. The books are great because they carry a good message with them. I would highly recommend these books! This one is by far his favorite. I don't know if that is because it was his first one or not, but he seems to like this one best. Very Cute book!

I am constantly looking for good books for my three young boys. It isn't too difficult to find children's books that are entertaining, but if you're looking for anything beyond that to educate or even inspire your kids, most books fall flat. However, I was totally blown away by "Dewey Doo-it Helps Owlie Fly Again". This book has it all: entertaining characters, beautiful illustrations, an inspirational story, and even a *Bonus Music CD* with some great music. Oh, and to top it all off, a portion of the book's profits go to the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation. I highly recommend that you get this book for your kids! My boys love it!

We received this book as a gift. I was concerned that it would be too advanced for my 2 year old son, however, from the first time we read it he was engrossed. It teaches him wonderful values using lovable characters that he can relate to - a superb teaching tool!

I'm a programmer based in Silicon Valley and have received stock options over the years. No question, there is a lot of misinformation on the subject. Then again, the subject is extremely complex! However, when reading Taulli's book, things became much clearer. The sections on AMT were especially done well. If you want to understand your stock options, Taulli's book is a great choice.

Congradulations, Tom. Finally, someone has written a book that is understandable and readable for the financially saavy and not so saavy tech employee... This book contains information that is essential for (i) the employee who is interested in knowing the good and less than good about stock options and (ii) the executive and board who needs to correctly incentivize the employee base. Tom's book outlines the types of options available, how options work, and their tax and securities law treatments. The section on negotiation is particularly interesting and contains information not often available in a book directed at those of us who don't care to read a legal treatise. This book is well worth the read. Good luck and may your stock options be everything you hope them to be.

I wish I would have read this book before I exercised my options, I would have paid alot less to uncle sam. If you want to make sure you get the most money for your options, I'd get a copy of this book. The tax implications can get complicated and Tom lends clear guidance and strategies.

This book tremendously helped me negotiate a good option plan for a private company I recently went to work for. I would have taken the company's original offer and would have overlooked important terms in my plan and if I did not read this book. Anyone who is offered an option plan must read this book. I can not stress it enough. I learned they are as negotiable as my salary and benefits. It scares me to think of what I would have left on the table.

I have been a fan of Tom Taulli's writing for some time now. I highly recommend this book to any financial advisor, broker, or person who has stock options. He makes the tax and financial planning implications of stock options easy to understand. In addition, the book offers many useful tips and pitfalls to avoid from happening.

I found this book to be an easy read and very inspiring. I was motivated to get off my butt and start moving. It explains that we don't have to set records, just walk and be active for a few minutes every day. Well done!!

"Move Yourself" is a book that motivates you to do just that. Get up and move it! This is a friendly and very motivating book which allows you to feel positive about any level of exercise you're involved in.I have read so many books which made me feel that you MUST go for the marathon and if you didn't, well, you were just wasting your time. Let's face it, we're not all cut out to be marathon runners.
This book not only contains valuable health information in relation to exercise, but also has some great tips which can be used as you go about your daily life. By using a variety of these small and fun activities you can make a big difference in your mental and physical health, as well as, your overall well-being. When I exercise, I feel like the authors are cheering for me!

This book, along with a step counter, is the most
fabulous birthday gift you can give for sedentary
friends and relatives. The book tells you why you
better get moving OR ELSE and then shows you all the
fun ways of becoming physically active. I really
liked the way the program eases you into motion and
into higher gears.

I'm an active guy and I found great tips here on how to hone my exercise program. But for sedentary people, this is powerful jumpstart information that will get them moving in a fun way that incorporates activity in their daily life. I'm getting the book as birthday gifts for my slacker friends.

I received this book as a gift and found it to be an easy and interesting read. What most impressed me is that we do not need to be running marathons to be in good shape...just get off the couch and move everyday. I have always had a difficult time with disciplining myself to use the gym, but I do love my gardening, walking and tennis. The beauty of this book, is that we can and should be doing the exercise we love and the more variety, the better. I am trying to increase my strength training and I have also put my pedometer on my waistband again.
Good exercise tips, as well as nutrition information. Thank you Tim, Tedd and Martin.

"Blahous has produced a timely, comprehensive, accessible . . . review of the issues involved in financing Social Security after 2020. . . . Blahous is aware that the complexity of Social Security means there is no single best financial and political solution. Interested readers will find this a sound addition to the literature. Useful index. All collections." CHOICE

Given that I am a Democrat, now long gone from D.C. and that Dr. Blahous and I both happily sit at opposite ends of the political spectrum, one might think I'd have little interest in reading a book on Social Security reform by a member of the Bush administration. Frankly, the sole reason I bought this book was that I once had the pleasure of working with Chuck in Washington when we were both staffers in the office of Alan Simpson. Without a doubt, he was both one of the brightest people I'd ever met and one of the most human staffers ever to grace the Hill.

Chuck's book, "Reforming Social Security: For Ourselves and Our Posterity" is a reflection of that. One element of Blahous's brilliance is that he can gracefully translate the most complex issue into something anyone - even I - can easily grasp.

In a modern political environment, in which the five-second screambyte passes for reasonable discourse, Chuck thoughtfully presents a case for an approach to Social Security reform that I would normally not even consider, largely because the folks on "my side" are making political hay out of opposing it. I wish that Chuck's approach to the thoughtful discussion and development of policy were the standard in Washington. We'd all be the better for it.

Ignore the rhetoric from both sides on this issue. Take the time to read the book, consider his arguments, mark the heck out of the margins (despite that hefty $68 price tag), check his sources, weigh the evidence and then reach your own conclusions. You may well be surprised that your position has drifted somewhat. Odds are good that you'll be a bit closer to the truth for the effort.

Since Chuck's talents have largely been focused on Social Security issues for most of this past decade, it's often easy to forget that his PhD. is in chemistry and that much of his early work on Simpson's staff was devoted to questions of foreign policy. I, for one, would be pleased if his talents were relied upon in other areas as well.

Chuck's presence - indeed, Chuck's presence alone - reassures me that there is still some hope for this administration.

This easy-to-read book is a must read for anyone who is concerned about the future of Social Security and sick of the way politicians typically talk about the issue. This book provides hard facts about the problems facing the system and straight answers about the benefits and drawbacks of reform proposals.

I live and work "inside the Beltway" as we like to say here in Washington, DC. We tend to use a lot of big words, talk endlessly about inane topics, and congratulate ourselves that we have the American people "figured out".

In reality, there's a lot every Washington insider could learn simply by picking a point on the compass and driving a couple of hours away from DC in that direction. We need to hear what people really feel about issues that are important to them. Conversely, we need to educate the American people in a logical way, to give them all the information they need in digestible portions -- as Thomas Jefferson noted, "to set before mankind the commonsense of the subject in terms so simple as to command their assent [paraphrase]." It is in these terms, that Dr. Blahous writes.

Social Security reform is a weighty, complicated issue. Because it is not readily and easily understood by most, it is demagogued by politicians of every persuasion. Charles Blahous cuts through the demagoguery and provides a clear explanation of the Social Security retirement program's history, the need for reform, and events of the last few years that have led to the current debate on reform.

I enjoyed the author's writing style and tone. He conveys his message as one who earnestly wants to communicate the truth. Opponents of reform should pay heed -- with logic like this, there is nowhere left for them to hide.

Read this book. Get informed. Contact your elected officials in Washington and urge them to support Social Security retirement reform.

After the excellent "The Real Deal" (by Schieber and Shoven), is there anything more to say? Yes, a lot, actually, as Blahous's very original and valuable book makes clear. I loved several aspects. The honesty of the comments shines through. He criticizes the press, the demagogues, some unions, not in partisan fashion, but only where their bias or lack of knowledge contradicts facts -- a feature that earns the gratitude of all of us who want an honestly considered solution, whatever it turns out to be. His insider's view of the political evolution of Social Security's recent history is totally fascinating and another valuable feature. I'm a student of this subject, and Blahous's book helped me understand some things I didn't see clearly before. One is why certain factors in the NCRP plan were phased in over that particular 20-year period. Another is how valuable is the proposed raising of the benefuit for the lower-paid. A third is why he describes Senator Gramm's proposal as an add-on when I considered it a carve-out. Perhaps it's unnecessary for all members of Congress to read this book. But I do hope the necessary few on staff and others who help members decide how to vote read it, because the more it influences their deliberations, the better for the country.

Great book with solid references for parents raising their own children! Very positive, motivational book for mothers chosing the best career in their life-raising their own children.

The author demonstrates the process of bonding that occurs between mother and child during the first year and how this affects future well-being. Author explains the necessity for security of bonding between child and one trusted person; not just any person, the parent. Author shows the vital, major difference between parental care and care by other loving adults. Especially convincing: even the "best" day-care centers present children with an ever-changing array of caregivers, preventing the most important task of a child; developing trust and bonding. Details the damage done by "caregiver roulette." Author explains how bonding is the most important aspect of early childhood development, not intellectual stimulation. However, early bonding improves future learning in school. The only weakness of this book is that the author focuses mostly on the impact of non-parental care for babies and toddlers with little emphasis on the ramifications for older children and teenagers. The reader will be convinced that caring for one's own child is the most important career a mother or father can pursue, and that there is no comparable substitute.

The book go on saying how important for a child to have a constistant caregiver. Not only that but how important it is for parents to spend time with their kids.

Thank you, Dr. Fox, for finally being courageous enough to expose the myth of "quality time." For so long, researchers and physicians have known that attachment parenting is the ideal situation for infants and children, but, haven't disseminated this information in the mainstream. Dr. Fox recognizes the reality that for some parents, e.g. single parents or the working poor, working is a necessity. But for many millions of parents, generally mothers, working provides an opportunity for intellectual stimulation, career growth, or to afford the luxury of a lifestyle maintained previous to having children. Dr. Fox encourages parents to understand the value of investing in our children (shouldn't this outweigh the value of investing in a career while our children are young?) and offers many valuable tips on how to financially manage with only one income. Furthermore, she offers extensive research on the ramifcations of inconsistent childcare and insecure bonding with parents. The studies on what happens to our kids when we don't give them our time are quite clear and it isn't positive. Thank you, Dr. Fox, for speaking up.

The author demonstrates the process of bonding that occurs between mother and child during the first year and how this affects future well-being. Author explains the necessity for security of bonding between child and one trusted person; not just any person, the parent. Author shows the vital, major difference between parental care and care by other loving adults. Especially convincing: even the "best" day-care centers present children with an ever-changing array of caregivers, preventing the most important task of a child; developing trust and bonding. Details the damage done by "caregiver roulette." Author explains how bonding is the most important aspect of early childhood development, not intellectual stimulation. However, early bonding improves future learning in school. The only weakness of this book is that the author focuses mostly on the impact of non-parental care for babies and toddlers with little emphasis on the ramifications for older children and teenagers. The reader will be convinced that caring for one's own child is the most important career a mother or father can pursue, and that there is no comparable substitute.

Many folks who review this book and accurately appraise its theological content, should firstly know that most Christians are not even aware that Augustine held to a particular view on God's sovereignty, foreknowledge and providence. I was one of them.

So, in this book is so much truth in defense of the old, accepted truths of the Gospel. More to the point, Spiegel affirms that 'when you get down to it, of course, the issue at hand is not just the maintenance of sound doctrine, but also the nature of God'.

He approaches the task at hand immediately, and plainly refers to Augustine, Luther, Calvin and Jonathan Edwards in his opening presentation. Their views are accurately portrayed, and correctly summarized as being non-contradictory.

He quotes Hasker, who assumes the following: 'it is clear that God's foreknowledge cannot be used either to bring about the occurrence of a foreknown event or to prevent such an event from occurring...' pg 27

This modern view of Open Theism is closely connected to a low view of God's sovereignty. In this we find that man is negligent of not giving God all the glory. This work goes a long way to prove that view faulty. And once again Calvinism triumphs.

When assessing the two views of human freedom, that of libertarianism and compatibility, Spiegel's defense of the compatibilitist's view is ably done. 'Peter's freedom consisted in that he was not externally compelled (though circumstances presumably made FAITHFUL action more difficult).' pg 71

If as a believer you have struggled with some strains of the following beliefs (because fellow Christians believe, as do these proponents, in the inerrancy of Scripture) that you cannot wrap your head around, you need no longer concern yourself, for Spiegel destroys and destructs fallacies proposed by these:

1. Conditional Statements:
'If My people will turn from their wicked ways, then...'

2. Divine Regretting and Relenting:
God grieves over certain events such as His creation of human beings (Gen 6:6) and His making Saul king (1 Sam 15:11).

3. Petitionary Prayer:
'Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find.'
'you do not have for you do not ask.'

4. Divine Ignorance and Error:
Biblical narratives that depict God as learning new truths on various occasions, such as when He says to Abraham, 'Now I know you fear God...'

These all are misrepresented biblically whereby the omniscience of God and omnipotence of Heaven are brought to nought by modern so-called evangelicals.

Spiegel's view of the 'Benefits of Providence', are enlightening:

'This (Augistinian) perspective serves as a corrective to the misleading language of "divine intervention" in the world. It is true that God might alert us to some danger...But often God is thought to intervene in the sense that His activity in our lives is somehow only intermittent and exceptional. Some people regard miracles in this way, as instances of exceptional divine activity in the world. Even more common is the view that miracles demonstrate God's presence and power beyond what is proven in nature. But making an exception to nature's ordinary operations is no more difficult for God than maintaining regularity...Once we recognize that the cosmos is a constant divine creation (Heb 1:3), nature's operations - regular or not, and pleasing or not - must also be recognized as following from the activity of the wise and omnipotent God. A proper doctrine of providence displaces this notion of mechanistic causal necessity with purposeful divine direction. Consequently, both nature's regularities and miraculous events are seen to be equally divinely intended.' pg 89-90

One thing I enjoyed was Spiegel's introduction of the concept of the omnipathos of God. Theologians will indeed indulge in this view, and hopefully find it to be biblical, and further develop the excellent work of Spiegel.

A competent defense of the orthodox view of God and one that should not be underestimated in its important contribution to theology. I recommend it also because James Spiegel is easy to understand, even when discussing complex theological issues such as God's sovereignty, foreknowledge and providential care. So much so, that where others have tried and failed, Spiegel has succeeded in convincing me of his high view of God.

Having lectured in systematic theology, and being an eager follower of the free will/sovereignty debate, when I spotted this book I snatched it up, without looking at it too closely. I assumed it would be just another biblical and theological defence of the Augustinian/Calvinist position which I would add to my collection.

Well, it is certainly that, but it is also much more. When I actually sat down to read it I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it does not just take the usual approach (digging up proof-texts for God's sovereignty and providence, and rebutting Pelagians and Arminians) but actually branches out in different directions, explaining how an Augustinian understanding of providence helps us in many other areas, be it science, philosophy, or aesthetics, as well as theology.

Such an approach is explained, in part, by the fact that the author is a philosopher, not a theologian. But he is certainly aware of his theology, as he makes major philosophical and theological forays into various fields. Thus he is quite able to take on recent challenges to the traditional view, such as free-will theism, and its predecessor, process thought..

His chapter on providence and science is almost worth the price of the book. In it he branches out in directions that the typical Calvinist might fear to tread. In this chapter he takes on some of the big controversies of the day. One is the question of origins, and how a providence model can answer the shortcomings of evolutionary theory and philosophical naturalism. He argues that a type of Intelligent Design theory best fits in with the Augustinian model.

Spiegel also explores another difficult and ongoing debate, that of the nature of consciousness, and whether some kind of mind/matter dualism is to be preferred over some form of physicalism. He argues that matter is not what lies behind mind, but the other way around. The divine mind is the ultimate source of reality, and the entire cosmos is mind-dependent.

All in all, not the usual sort of discussions heard in the sovereignty/free will debate. However, theological issues are also addressed, especially the issue of God, passibility, and the problem of evil. As to the issue of whether God experiences emotions as we do, and whether he can change, he argues a unique position: taking the best of both worlds. That is, he argues that God does have emotions and is passible, but also that God is atemporal and changeless. He calls this God's omnipathos. This synthesis (or compromise) may not please everyone, but it is a creative way to deal with this conflict.

As to the problem of evil, he argues that ultimately all suffering and evil has a purpose, although we may not know what that purpose is. He opts for the greater good, or soul-making, theodicy, arguing that our sufferings need not be wasted, but can lead to a greater good, and to more Christ-like character.

He rounds off his discussion with some practical and pastoral applications of the Augustinian model of providence.

If your preference is for more-or-less Reformed theology, and you have interests in philosophy of religion and philosophy of science, there will be much in this book that will be attractive. It is an important contribution to a number of theological and philosophical debates taking place concerning some key biblical concepts.

Whether one thinks Spiegel has successfully made his case or not, one can agree that he has offered a stimulating and innovative way to approach some long-standing and controversial issues.

The doctrine of divine providence (i.e. God's knowledge and control of human events) is one with far-reaching implications both for Christian doctrine as a whole and the life of the Christian. My first note for Spiegel's Benefits of Providence is that it not only explores the implications of this doctrine, but serves as a primer for relating a high view of God's providence to doctrines not explictily considered by the author (e.g. the Trinity) and doctrines touched on only briefly in the work (e.g. Christians and social justice). Spiegel says, "My constructive aim is to reveal some significant benefits of the high view of providence, both of a theoretical and practical nature." The examples of "benefits of providence" provided by Spiegel open the floodgates of beneficial providence for the reader.

Secondly, although Spiegel works from a specific position on providence (the Augustinian view that God is in complete control and knows all future events), he is even-handed in his approach to competing views that also are "high" views of providence. He says, "I invite advocates of Molinism [a view explained by Spiegel in the book] and simple divine foreknowledge to explore the many benefits of the high view of providence, as their views are amenable to much of my constructive project." The view explicitly rejected and critiqued in the work is open theism, the view that God's knowledge of the future is limited and God allows certan events to come about in a passive sense (i.e. not under God's direct control). Spiegel is also even-handed in his approach to the various topics discussed in relation to divine providence. The reader will find his moderate approach to such topics as evolutionary biology, the question of the existence of a soul, and the question of God and emotion intriguing. He carefully explains the high doctrine of providence relative to these and other areas (such as ethics and art). I have some formal training in philosophy and found these particular explanations to difficult Christian problems novel.

Finally, Spiegel's book is penned from the hand of a professional philosopher, which is daunting to many (and understandably so). This work is a challenge, to be sure. Yet it is accessible for the lay person who is willing to put in time and intellectual work to better understand his or her doctrine of God--and even more importantly--his or her relationship to God.

I recommend this book.

Dozens of books have been published in recent years debating the extent of God's sovereignty and knowledge of future events. Few of these works, however, examine the far-reaching implications of the views they propose. In The Benefits of Providence philosopher James Spiegel fills in this gap by applying the Augustinian view of providence to several important areas of philosophical and practical theology.


Distinguishing between high (Augustinian, Simple Divine Foreknowledge, Molinism) and low (Process and Openness Theology) views of providence, Dr. Spiegel begins by explaining the core ideas of each of these positions. He then proceeds to contrast the biblical cases and explanatory power of the Open view with the Augustinian view, arguing that in each case the Augustinian view of providence is on solid ground and the Open view is not. Thus he contends that God has complete sovereignty, exhaustive foreknowledge, does not take risks, and that God's determination is compatible with the moral responsibility of human beings.

Having laid the foundation for why the Augustinian view is best, Dr. Spiegel applies this high view of providence to several areas in which he sees particular benefits. He begins with looking at the world as divine art, first through the divine conservation of the cosmos. This doctrine, he shows, has important implications for understanding natural laws, miracles, and art. As an explanation of divine art, he puts forward the E-C aesthetic model- "that the cosmos is an expression of divine emotion and a communication of God's eternal ideas." (105)

Dr. Spiegel then applies his high view of providence to the practice of science, specifically showing its implications for the problem of induction, the origins debate, and the problem of consciousness. Subsequently, he dives into the issue of divine emotion. While historically those who hold high views of providence tend to believe in God's impassibility, and conversely those of a low view tend to believe in His passibility, Dr. Spiegel seeks middle ground. He proposes that God is omnipathic, experiencing of all emotions eternally.

The problem of evil and suffering is an important issue in these discussions, and so Dr. Spiegel turns to it next. After explaining why several of the more popular theodicies fail, he makes the case that the "Greater Good Theology" is the most biblically grounded and practical. Essentially this entails that all suffering exists for a purpose. The book concludes with moral and devotional applications, examining the implications for virtues such as faith and humility and for disciplines such as prayer and evangelism.

One sign of a good writer and thinker (in my view) is that the author anticipates his reader's questions. This happened several times as I read this book, particularly in discussing divine omnipathos, and though I wasn't always fully satisfied with the answers; I appreciate Dr. Spiegel's ability to anticipate possible objections. This is particularly important as his work sails in several almost uncharted theological waters

The Benefits of Providenceis an important and stimulating inquiry into philosophical theology. Though some will find its academic rigor challenging, most will find James Spiegel's clarity and passion for biblically based philosophy extraordinary. Though this is a significant work in the debate about God's sovereignty, I think it's more significant for those who hold to the Augustinian view. Regardless of whether we agree with every point, Dr. Spiegel has challenged us to apply our theology more widely and deeply.

I have a bad habit of waiting a week or two after finishing a book before writing a review. I tend to do this with books that are particularly challenging to me as I like to allow what I have learned to resonate in my mind and heart for a little while before committing those thoughts to paper (or pixels, as the case may be). The drawback, of course, is that I tend to forget details as time goes on! The Benefits of Providence by James Spiegel was one of those books that I saw on my desk every day for the past two weeks but have not attempted to review until today. Part of my reluctance in reviewing it was that in some ways I was overwhelmed by the book as it delved into topics which I feel particularly poorly equipped to discuss.

Subtitled A New Look at Divine Sovereignty, this book seeks to examine and explain divine providence from the Bible. The author attempts to answer such difficult questions as: "Does God actively determine every event that comes to pass? Or does he passively allow some events to happen?" Much of the book is set against the claims of those who hold to Open Theism and who would claim that God does not determine every event and that he does passively allow certain events to happen. Spiegel teaches a classical, Augustinian understanding of providence, affirming that God has exhaustive knowledge of the future and that he knows, controls and directs all that comes to pass. Along the way Spiegel discusses art, science, philosophy, emotion and evil. The book concludes with several moral and devotional applications for what has been taught.

The purpose of the book is to "show that the doctrine of providence, properly understood, is not only biblically sound but conceptually enriching and personally edifying." The author provides both a defense of the biblical, Augustinian view and a refutation of the Open Theistic position. "To see God," the author concludes, "as utterly sovereign provides numerous benefits to us in diverse domains, ranging from art and science to ethics and philosophical theology...The doctrine of providence must help us make sense of Scripture and human history, as well as our intuitions about beauty, goodness, and our deepest fears, desires and hopes."

While the book was certainly challenging and while it stretched my understanding of divine providence in many ways, it was not without its faults. There was one moment that I found almost comical as it seemed so far out of place in a book of this type. When discussing the virtues of people we most admire, Spiegel writes, "From the apostle Paul and Justin Martyr to Martin Luther and Mother Teresa, all of our heroes attained that status because of their struggles against and in the midst of evil." One of those people stands out as not belonging in a group of great theologians! Beyond Spiegel's seemingly obligatory mention of Mother Teresa, I had a few concerns about his understanding of the value and importance of human suffering, and particularly in his teaching on the beatific vision, wherein human suffering becomes valuable because of the direct knowledge of God it imparts to us. Aspects of the teaching of art and beauty will require some more thought on my part, but initially they made me uncomfortable (which is not necessarily a bad thing).

Looking back on this book two weeks later there is much I remember and much that made me grow. There is also much that requires a second reading for me to fully understand. My grasp of philosophy is tenuous at best and this made some of what Spiegel wrote about a little beyond my expertise. This is a deeply philosophical book and is not always easy to read and understand, even though it is very well written. If a proper understanding of divine providence is as important as Spiegel claims, and I believe he is right to suggest that it provides benefits to almost every area of life, it is a topic that ought to be near and dear to the heart of every Christian. This is particularly true in an age like ours where this doctrine is under attack. Despite a few concerns I really have no trouble recommending this book.