5 stars (True Christianity returns to the mainstream. Thank you, Jim Wallis!) - Kudos to Jim Wallis (best known until now as publisher/main writer of of the Christian magazine "Sojourners")for crafting such a well-considered read at a time when the American Church really needs it! Any Christian who is alarmed by the deciededly un-Christlike tactics & teachings of the Relgious Right (epitomized by shamefully out-of-touch leaders such as James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, & Pat Robertson) should buy this book and read it as soon as possible. Wallis lays out a viable plan to "take back our faith" from the hands of the Republican Party, and return Christianity to it's first century roots - a faith of compassion, peacemaking, and service to our fellow man. In one of the book's more facinating chapters, Wallis discusses the theological presuppositions of George W. Bush, and how they have lead him to confuse American imperialism with the Kingdom of God. But it should be noted that Wallis is equally critical of the secular left, and makes some good arguments that true Christianity can never be represented fully or faithfully by ANY political party. As a Sojourners bumper sticker campaign put it, simply by honestly, "God is not a Republican...Or a Democrat". All in all, an EXCELLENT read for anyone who has ever thought that something just doesn't smell right with modern mainstream Evangelicalism. 4 stars (A Very Timely Book) - As a Christian, I have become increasingly troubled by the direction of conservative Christianity in America. Christian leaders seem blindly willing to sell their integrity and their witness to a political party that largely ignores 95% of the Biblical message, all it seems for the sake of political power. I have also been less than enamored by the political left which seems to ignore the importance of faith in people's lives. When I saw a television interview with Jim Wallis, I was so taken with his thoughtful and refreshing approach to faith a... HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & Church & State :: CHRISTIAN LIVING PRACTICAL LIFE POLITICS :: United States :: Religion :: Politics & State :: Religion - Christian Living :: Religion :: :: God-s Politics - Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn-t Get It
5 stars (A great addition to the line-up) - My first impressions of the Renorare Spiritual Formation Bible are, what a great addition to the already crowded line-up of translations, study and style Bibles! I have not yet plumbed the depths of all that is available in helps to spiritual formation, but I can tell it is rich and will be an important Bible in my future. 5 stars (Don't miss this spiritual journey for the world!) - Personally, I am glad the Renovare editorial board asked those of us involved in the project to provide material that was inspirational, in-depth, thought-provoking, intricate and complex. I have never been of the opinion that Christianity ought to be reducible to a bumper sticker or a t-shirt slogan or that a Bible had to be compact and portable to be of any value. Other generations had no problem with Bibles that weighed a pound or two and had no issue with being afforded the opportunity to access copious amounts of inspirational material. They only asked that it be written with piety and integrity and that it not skate the surface. They expected to work their intellects and their spirits when they cracked open commentaries by Luther or Calvin or the Cappadocian Fathers or Matthew Henry. I believe the Renovare Study Bible lies happily within that tradition of the deeper life. It is jam-packed with essays and meditations and spiritual insights that will keep you thinking and wondering and praying and wrestling for months and years. Look, you have Walter Brueggeman of Old Testament fame, you have Eugene Peterson of The Message and Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, Virginia Stem Owens with all her wonderful literary ability, William Willimon of Duke Chapel with all his refreshing eloquence, Dallas Willard of The Divine Conspiracy, Richard Foster of Celebration of Discipline, Thomas Oden with his love of the old Christian writings, an incredible and eclectic gathering of believers spading the verdant earth of the Holy Bible. I am going throu... HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & Bibles & Other :: Religion & Bibles & New Revised Standard :: Spiritual formation :: Religion :: Criticism :: interpretation :: etc :: Bibles - Other :: Bi :: The Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible
5 stars (A premier book by a premier author !) - Huston Smith's book is a prominent review of the world's religions. His coverage of these religions is filled with accuracy, eloquence, objectivity, depth, and grace. This book will provide the reader with a marvelous educational experience! 5 stars (A Very Satisfying Theological and Intellectual Appetizer) - From what I've read previously, many people regarded Huston Smith's initial version of this book (The Religions of Man) as a classic examination of religions; a work that would have retained it's reputation without revision. Yet Dr. Smith was not content to allow his words to become dated, and we are all the better for it. Some of the changes might be regarded as more or less stylistic, such as rendering the title and text more gender neutral and thus more reflective of current thinking. Other additions include a discussion of the aboriginal philosophies of native Americans, Australians and Pacific Islanders. However the core appeal of this book comes from Dr. Smith's ability to illuminate the core principals and philosophies of each religion with both respect and admiration. Smith states his purpose early on as an exploration of ideas and beliefs. And he explicitly warns that this book "is not a balanced account of it's subject." Accordingly, "this is a book about values" not religious history. As such it forms an excellent basis from which a person might broaden their understanding of the major religions of the world. This is reinforced at the end of each chapter with the author's suggestions for sources of additional reading and exploration. Given the immensity of his subject matter, I'm amazed that Dr. Smith was able to keep his book at a manageable size. There are so many branches and divisions within the various religions that a less disciplined scholar might become lost in, adding pages and pages of minutiae that might otherwise obscure the overall purpose of relating how people of different fa... HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & Comparative Religion :: World - General :: Religions :: Religion - World Religions :: Religion :: Reference :: General :: Comparative Religion :: Huston Sm :: The World-s Religions- Our Great Wisdom Traditions
3 stars ( The Great Divorce ) - As C.S. Lewis' books go I think that this is not his best book by far. I would recommend reading some of his other works before this because if I had not of known of his amazing writing I would have forever considered him a terrible writer after reading this book. 5 stars (Truly Inspired!) - In this brilliant work of fiction, C.S. Lewis brings amazing clarity and light to universal truths that we can all identify with, but few of us ever fully grasp. I have gained a whole new perspective on a question that has, thus far, plagued my Christian walk: "Why is it that something that is so clear and painfully obvious to a Christian, is so extremely difficult to convince to an unbeliever?". As plainly as Truth stares us in the face, it's difficult to comprehend why others so easilly overlook it, while vituperating us "brain-washed" Christians. After reading this book, I am finally beginning to better understand the paradox. The truth is that, on some level, everyone sees the Truth. Many are just unwilling to let go of what they have come to embrace in this world. The meaning they have been able to build for themselves, and control on their terms, has become more presious to them than the Truth, and more desirable than true Joy. If their chosen lives were taken away from them, they would be miserable with Truth. One line from the story sums it all up. It comes directly after the most oft quoted phrase from the book ("...Thy will be done."): "All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell.". This is NOT to say that Evangelism should stop. By no means! We just need to learn when it's time to stop and move on to another. We can't make the choice for them. We are called to sow. Only God can tend the soil... OUTSTANDING book!!! 5 stars (I love this book so much I keep giving it away.) - This is one of my favorite books of all time. I've bought and read it many times over the past 30+ years. I do ... HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & General :: Fiction & Religious :: FICTION GENERAL CLASSIC & ALLEGORY :: Religious - General :: Religion :: Good and evil :: General :: Fiction - Religiou :: The Great Divorce
5 stars (The title is not an oxymoron) - The writer of Hebrews tells us in chapter 12 that no discipline seems pleasant at the time we are receiving it, but if we can receive it, learn from it, and apply it, then it will produce "a harvest of righteousness and peace" in our lives. Richard J. Foster gives his readers a beautiful and inspiring look at how spiritual disciplines work in our lives and cause us to become deeper and stronger people in Christ and His Word. In so doing, the process of discipline becomes precious--even joyful--to the mature believer who embraces it. There is a beauty in the simplicity of Foster's words and in the actions that he advocates. There are...to paraphrase a popular television exercise commercial..."no high impact gyrations, no tricky dance moves" here in this book. It's just good, solid, basic information that will bring about real results. But, it's far from dry. Foster is a patient and empathetic teacher. This special 25th anniversary edition is beautifully done, spare but elegant (a lot like the prose inside). This is one of those books that's not only a must for every Christian's bookshelf, but a must to read and apply. In a world full of noise and confusion, Foster offers a doorway into a "place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God." 4 stars (significant challenges...) - Since college, when a number of my dormmates read through this book, I have desired to partake in a 'Celebration of Discipline.' When a fellow brother suggested that I choose something that several of us could study together my thoughts we immediately thrust to this work. I knew I would need the accountability of a group to not just read but seek to apply the principals present by Richard Foster. The book is separated into 12 individual disciplines and further broken down into three groups, 'The Inward Disciplines,' The Outward Disciplines' and 'The Corporate Disciplines.' Foster opens with a warning, encouragement and guidelines for emba... HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & Spirituality :: Spirituality - General :: Spiritual life :: Religion - Prayer & Spirituality :: Religion :: Inspirational - General :: Christianity - C :: Celebration of Discipline- The Path to Spiritual Growth- 25th Anniversary Edition
5 stars (A life altering book) - I first listened to this book in audio form on a long drive, so heard the entire text in one session. It really was an inspiring experience. I actually listened to it a second time on the return trip. Lewis' gift for verbalizing complex logical and moral issues amazed and inspired me. As one reviewer said, Lewis is the "ideal persuader for the ... good man who would like to be a Christian but finds his intellect getting in the way." His discussions are logical, yet human. A masterful book. 3 stars (Good stuff, except for the Arminian slant) - C.S. Lewis makes many insightful points, but his Arminian (vs. Calvinistic) views distort his presentation at times. For example, he suggests that it isn't God's "fault" that pain and suffering entered the world, i.e. God's sovereign will was thwarted by man. When of course Calvinists like myself argue that it's the Biblical view that our all powerful and sovereign God foreordains all things as the prophet Isaiah says. But overall, it was a worthwhile read. 5 stars (Thought Provoking Jack Lewis) - I'm a blogger. Blogging makes me read. It makes me turn off the television and read. This is very good. What I have been reading lately is C. S. Lewis. Particularly, I've been re-reading The Chronicles of Narnia. After reading through The Magician's Nephew and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, I decided to shift gears and read one of Lewis's theological works before resuming the Chronicles. All I can say is, "Wow!" The Problem of Pain is not what I expected. I'm not sure what it was that I did expect. Perhaps something more along the line of a good evangelical book - you know, shallow, but with lots of Bible verses. Pain is exactly the opposite. Deep and with very little use of prooftexting. How the Church of the twenty-first century needs more minds like C. S. Lewis! We have been drowning in the fluff of "make-me-feel-good-like-Jabez-bless-me-bless-me" Christian publishing for years. It is ... HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & General :: Religion & Christian Life :: CHRISTIAN LIVING PRACTICAL LIFE PERSONAL GROWTH :: Suffering :: Religious aspects :: Religion - Classic Works :: The Problem of Pain
5 stars (Excellent!!) - Shipping was quick, everything was exactly as advertised! Two thumbs up, five stars, all of the above!!! 5 stars (Recorded Grief) - C.S. Lewis can almost be described as a contradiction. For much of his life, he was an agnostic, eventually coming to accept Christianity not through any miraculous transformation, but through rational thinking. He was a confirmed bachelor, but wound up marrying late in life, to the American divorcee Joy Davidman, his perfect counterpart in almost every manner. His life was awakened by Joy's presence, but their brief marriage (just nearly four years) was terminated when Joy died of cancer. C.S. Lewis kept track of his thoughts and ramblings after this event in a series of notebooks that became " A Grief Observed ". " A Grief Observed " is at times almost too personal. Lewis leaves nothing hidden, allowing readers access to his anger and his questioning of God. He claims that these are not all his thoughts, merely 'one in a hundred', that he has recorded as he tries to sort through his sorrow and grief. He likens his pain to various metaphors, including that of an amputee who still feels the pain of the lost limb - for Lewis, his lost wife who was part of him. He finds that it is always easy to offer comfort to those who have lost loved ones, to even pray for them, when they are not our loved ones. He questions God at every turn, eventually finding his way back to faith, seeing this challenge as a test of his faith and love. "God has not been trying an experiment on my faith or love in order to find out their quality. He knew it already. It was I who didn't. In this trial He makes us occupy the dock, the witness box, and the bench all at once. He always knew that my temple was a house of cards. His only way of making me realize the fact was to knock it down." " A Grief Observed " is a short book, under one hundred pages, filled out with an afterword that is a brief biographical sketch on Lewis ... HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & General :: Religion & Christian Life :: Lewis :: C S :: CHRISTIAN LIVING PRACTICAL LIFE GRIEF :: SUFFERING :: CONSOLATION :: Religious aspects :: Religion :: A Grief Observed
5 stars (Spong has a lot to say) - Sadly, there are many hate-filled reviews by people who obviously haven't read this book. Or they have an ax to grind with the bishop. Whatever the case may be, it's to the "reviewers" own detriment. To pursue truth, we must look at all viewpoints, not just one. The Sins of Scripture is the third book by Spong that I've read. The themes he covers are much the same: that the bible isn't the infallible Word of God; that theism, where God is understood as a person-like being who interacts with the world, is no longer believable; that we should focus on this life, instead of the life hereafter, becasue God isn't the kind of God who literally raises people from the dead; and that the true test of a religion is its ability to engender love in a person's life. The bible, as Spong shows, is a cultural artifact written by humans at a paticular time and place; they didn't know everything about the world and thus couldn't make "absolute" truth statements for all time and space. The Jews held certain assumptions about the world and the human person that, in turn, shaped their theology and ethics. But we don't live in that first-century world anymore. If we take the bible literally--with its culturally conditioned ethical and theological pronouncements--we end up with a lot of absurdities, even immoral behavior. Since the world can no longer wear those old Christian clothes, Spong offers an alternative theism that he thinks is a better "fit" for the world. Bishop Spong is a good man and a good theologian. I've met the bishop, even had dinner with him at Boston University. We talked for an hour, and even though our faith journeys have taken different routes, I still admire his honesty to say things that many Christians don't want to hear but will eventually make the world a place that God wants it to be. Lee Tasey Author of "The Gospel of Arnie" 4 stars (Rescuing the Bible From Misuse) - Former Bishop Spong doesn't believe in the Bible ... HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & Christianity :: Religion :: Liberalism (Religion) :: Episcopal Churches :: Episcopal Church :: Criticism :: interpretation :: etc :: Criticism :: Christianit :: The Sins of Scripture - Exposing the Bible-s Texts of Hate to Reveal the God of Love
1 stars (didn't recieve that product/ credit card was billed) - i never received that book even though my cc was charged. it might have been sent in august but i wonder if they are still printing the book for me?? and walking it to maryland. i do not recommedn this source and had i known this would happen i never would have used amazon.com 1 stars (Flimsy arguments tell Christians what they want to hear.) - I'd read on a website about an atheist who'd converted to Christianity after reading this book, and C.S. Lewis tells readers that he was once an atheist himself. Since I'd love to believe that some Big Grand-Daddy in the Sky is going to make atrocities like George W.'s presidency all right in the end, I gave it a shot. I really did go into it with an open mind, but I was sorely disappointed. In essence, C.S. Lewis's argument is that since humans know right from wrong, we must be getting that notion from somewhere; hence, there must be a god who gives it to us. He dismisses the idea that right and wrong could be hardwired into the human brain by millions of years of evolution by saying the following: You cannot claim that the sense of right and wrong is instinctive because (a) we can have competing instincts, and (b) we often choose to morally follow the weaker of the competing instincts. He gives the example of the instinct to save a drowning man and claims that most people would experience two instincts in that situation--to wit, one to save the man and one to not put oneself in danger--and that the moral man would choose to act on the weaker of the instincts in order to save the man. According to C.S. Lewis, the decision-making that allows us to govern between instincts to choose the moral or immoral course of action comes from god. In a matter of a few minutes, C.S. Lewis dismisses--erroneously, I believe--the idea that morality is a complex biological process whereby the mind sorts through various drives, with the executive decision-making process ... HarperSanFrancisco :: Reading Group Guide :: Religion & Christian Literature :: Religion & Christian Life :: CHRISTIAN LIVING PRACTICAL LIFE PERSONAL GROWTH :: Theology :: Doctrinal :: :: Mere Christianity
4 stars (pleasant) - im personally drawn to portugese authors. in both the works of jose saramago and paulo i sense a very strong current: both of these men have a gift for capturing the essential human spirit in prose. to me, the alchemist was a dance; seamless blending of wordplay and personality, reaching for a portrait of the beauty of human experience. the story is fair and lighthearted, a saunter; however there is something quite magical about it. one could say it comes with paulo's integration of mysticism and arab cultures. there are many scenes where the reader, with the help of paulo, can deceive the senses into letting go as to transcend the present and play amongst the ethereal literary setting. all this works together to make reading this book a pleasantly positive and enjoyable experience. when low scores are given i do not understand what one could possibly be seeking other than a nice story. in terms of storytelling, this one is exceptional, and it would be something else if all approached this one with intent and respect. it deserves at least that. 2 stars (occasional insights in a shallow text) - Occasionally in The Alchemist there are moments that made me dog-ear the page, words and turns of phrase that I thought captured an important sentiment about life and the pursuit of dreams. But these rare moments are embedded in a foggy text, a text that has the appearance of wisdom but is actually quite shallow and vague. In Santiago's various discussions with the people and things he encounters, from the Englishman to the desert wind, there is a superficial feel of deep ideas being discussed when most of the time there is little substance to the ideas, little development and thought put into them. Profound words like "omen" and "heart" are tossed about without any effortful exploration of their meanings. These thoughts, these words, are dealt with too easily and superficially. Rather than stir me and engage me in deep thought, the book act... HarperSanFrancisco :: Reading Group Guide :: Fiction & Literary :: Visionary & Metaphysical :: Literary :: Fiction - General :: Fiction :: Fables :: Paulo Coelho :: :: The Alchemist- A Fable About Following Your Dream
