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Title: Soul Survivor: How My Faith Survived the Church by Philip Yancey ISBN: 0-385-50274-5 Publisher: Doubleday Pub. Date: 18 September, 2001 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $21.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.48 (48 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Conservatives Can Benefit also
Comment: Mr. Yancey is a pleasure to read in his latest book "Soul Survivor". In its pages he relates feeling very abused and mislead by his "conservative" boyhood church, thus the title "Soul Survivor". The book takes the form of several mini-bios of people who Yancey considers to be some of his most important spiritual influences. Beginning with the great civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and ending with the celibate homosexual priest Henri Nouwen, the book covers such luminaries as Dostoevsky and Gandhi.
It is very refreshing that Yancey can find inspiration in the troubled and downtrodden; and even in non-Christians like Gandhi. It seems, that Yancey relates to such people who
struggled with faith as he admittedly does. And he does succeedin producing golden nuggets from each of the lives that he writes about. Especially the life of Martin Luther
King Jr.
There is much to be gained by conservatives who will expose themselves to Christians who would normally be overlooked by traditional churches. Conservatives will find that
God can use even the stragglers and troubled of the faith. A refreshing thought for all of us who struggle to some degree with the faith and the life such faith would have us
pursue. It is an especially appealing message for Western Christians who are increasingly influenced and compromised by an increasingly decadent Western lifestyle.
Yet Yancey does us a grave disservice by not including even one traditional Christian saint. Not a traditional martyr among them! While it is comforting to know that Hindus,
celibate homosexuals, adulterers, and a divorcee with a 3 pack a day smoking habit can indeed be used by God. It is troubling that Yancey can't find a "hero" among all the worlds traditional Christian martyrs and persecuted, past and present. It seems that those who are "persecuted" by Yancey's "conservatives" with mere words and attitudes are
more deserving of his accolades than those who have risked life and limb and even given their lives for the faith and their fellow Christians.
This predisposition of Yancey's of seeing the whole church and the whole faith only in light of his struggle with his boyhood "conservative church" severely limits Yancey's
truly gifted writing and ministry. If Yancey would overcome this predisposition and "spread his wings" he would be one of God's greatest.
Yancey, describes his faith as a "Pascalion Wager", referring to the mathematician Pascal who decided to believe in God simply because if he was right he would gain everything, and if he was wrong the results would be the same as if he bet that there was no God. He admits that he is troubled by many doubts. Perhaps, this is why he fails to include a Paul, a Watchman Nee, a Deitrich Bonhoeffer, or any other Christians who developed rock
solid faith and morals and shed their blood as an undeniable testimony to such faith. Yancey even includes quotes in which his "spiritual influences" say, in effect, that such
faith is impossible.
I highly recommend the book. Allow Yancey to expand your horizons and your faith. But beware, Yancey is a double edged sword, his assumptions about faith can also limit your faith if you let them.
Rating: 5
Summary: If only we had more people like Phil Yancey...
Comment: I love the honesty of Yancey's work. Soul Survivor is possibly his most personal, most effective book yet. Phil Yancey tries to approach life without blinders. Soul Survivor is a wonderful retelling of his journey so far.
Yancey does not pull any punches in recounting his past. From being raised in a narrow, racist, legalistic church, to the influences that changed him into the man he now is...it is all told here in Yancey's interesting, engaging manner.
I would give my left arm for more honesty in our nonfiction writers. Yancey achieves meaningfulness by confessing his past and present shortcomings in this book. It is a shame that we don't see such openness in more authors. Honesty is probably my favorite thing about Yancey as an writer.
I really enjoy Yancey's descriptions of those who have influenced his life. It was great to read about how Yancey's old writing partner Dr. Brand affected his life. I think my favorite part of the book is his profile of Annie Dillard. I have recently started reading Dillard myself, and I am blown away by her.
I recommend this book. I encourage you to get a copy today.
Rating: 4
Summary: Great Book
Comment: What I liked about it: Real stories of real people struggling to figure out how to authentically answer the question "How then shall we live?" What set this book apart however, was its realness. All of the characters are presented with their tragic flaws. Thus, we're not left with any feeling of defeat ("oh how could we ever be perfect like they were"), instead we're challenged to recognize that each one of has the potential to effectively change our world on behalf of the gospel - and it would be best if we prayerfully consider in which ways God is leading us to do just that!
I was very moved by Yancey's personal struggle with Martin Luther King, Jr. I could identify with the evangelical skepticism of this man, having been brought up in a tradition with a lot of sidestepping when it came to civil rights. The man's foibles were too clear. Seeing how Yancey drew strength from his life (the good and the bad) helped me grow a much deeper appreciation myself.
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Title: Rumors of Another World: What on Earth Are We Missing? by Philip Yancey ISBN: 0310252172 Publisher: Zondervan Pub. Date: September, 2003 List Price(USD): $22.99 |
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Title: What's So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey ISBN: 0310245656 Publisher: Zondervan Pub. Date: 01 February, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.99 |
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Title: Jesus I Never Knew, The by Philip Yancey ISBN: 031021923X Publisher: Zondervan Pub. Date: 01 February, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.99 |
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Title: Reaching for the Invisible God by Philip Yancey ISBN: 0310247306 Publisher: Zondervan Pub. Date: 01 February, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.99 |
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Title: Disappointment with God by Philip Yancey ISBN: 031021436X Publisher: Zondervan Pub. Date: 28 February, 1997 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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