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Title: Love Your God With All Your Mind: The Role of Reason in the Life of the Soul by James Porter Moreland, Dallas Willard ISBN: 1-57683-016-0 Publisher: Navpress Pub. Date: July, 1997 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.37 (38 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Excellent challenge to Christians and the Body of Christ
Comment: "How is is possible for a person to be an active member of an evangelical church for twenty or thirty years and still know next to nothing about the history and theology of the Christian religion, the methods and tools required for serious Bible study, and the skills and information necessary to preach and defend Christianity in a post-Christian, neopagan culture?"
This question captures the essense of this readable and profound book. In it J. P. Moreland explores the intellectual life of the Church; the history of intellectualism (or lack thereof) in the Church; and the scriptural basis for why it's important for Christians to develop healthy, active, critical-thinking minds. And he offers some challenging and intriguing ideas for renewing the intellectual life of the Church (No senior pastors!!??).
As an active member of an evangelical church for close to twenty years who has much to learn about the history and theology of the Christian religion, J. P. Moreland's book has challenged me to spend more time studying God's Word and mastering the evidences for my faith so that I can be a more effective witness for Jesus Christ. This book has encouraged me to love God with all my mind (Mark 12:30).
This is an important, convicting, and helpful book for any Christian who sincerely desires to grow in their relationship with our Lord and Savior.
Rating: 5
Summary: A Must Read for the Whole Christian Church
Comment: J.P. Moreland, eminent apologist and Christian philosopher, has done it again. This book is awesome. Moreland begins with an historical account of why he thinks Christianity took a turn for the worst and moved into a state of anti-intellectualism. He then, in chapter one, two and three, discusses in detail how the Christian can gain back intellectual prowess. In part two of the book, Moreland proceeds to instruct the Christian into correct thinking via logic, philosophy, and correct theology. Part three consists of apologetics and its place in Christianity as well as developing a sound Christian world view and perspective. Part four takes what has been covered up to this point and incorporates it into an admonishment of sorts to "recapture the intellect in the Churches." Moreland has also included an Appendix (1) that lists many of the Christian organizations and ministries that focus on apologetics, philosophy, and other intellectual pursuits. Moreover, Moreland includes, in appendix (2)that consists of a list of required reading in various fields of study from politics to philosophy to apologetics to physics, etc. This book is wonderfully written and unfortunately pin point accurate. Thus, it should be read by every Christian in all areas of life.
Rating: 4
Summary: Why and How to use your Mind to Serve Your God
Comment: Describing the book is easy enough. It is a competent Christian philosopher-educator trying to heal the anti-intellectualism in the modern Church. To that end the book is first a description of the problem with a little historical analysis. ("How We lost the Christian Mind and Why We Must Recover It"= chapter 1) Then an explanation of the role of reason in the spiritual transformation that is the historic orthodox Christian faith. This is part 1 = "Why the Mind Matters in Christianity". The rest of the book is a two piece prescription, argued top down, from big principles to important particular and specific recommendations. But such simple descriptions don't do justice to such an important book, so i will expand, as he did into the details of the argument.
First, several motivations of the author are clearly seen and are important to understanding the way he writes and the structure of the arguments. One, he has a preacher-teacher's heart, concerned that people pick up this book, read and understand it, but most significantly internalize the ideas. To this end it is not a hard read, he uses the best techniques to involve the mind of the reader in the material. Uses clear language and argues point-by-point systematically building his book so that the average reader will walk away with the main points in his head, rather than leaving them, as is often done, still in the pages of the book. This alone recommends the book to Sunday School, high-school or college reading groups, or as he talks about in the book -- church libraries and study centers where the faithful are taught to think clearly about their faith. In fact, i'd propose that this book would be the required reading introduction to such study centers. Second, Moreland is concerned and worried about the condition of the average pew warmers mind and the skills he/she has acquired in this world concerning the faith and he desires to do something about it. That something is tied to vocation. Vocation, both types, the calling to walk in this world being ready to give an apologia, and the form of how to 'subdue the earth' with our own hands, ie our 'secular' job. This thread, slanted to college students looking for theirs, but applicable to all, prevades the book from the first page to the extensive list of resources in the back.
But what are the details? pg 39 "If we are going to be wise, spiritual people prepared to meet the crises of our age, we must be a studying, learning community that values the life of the mind." He assumes that anyone reading past this point will be desirous of attaining such a lofty goal. Convinced of the need, we need help finding the way to achieve it. The way is to understand Romans 12:1-2 "Paul puts his finger on the very essence of how we grow to become like Jesus: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world." he tells us, "but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." pg 65. But like any good preacher he doesn't stop at description but moves to prescription: "More generally, by choosing to undertake a course of study, meditation, and reflection, I can put myself in a position to undergo a change in the content, strength, and centrality of my beliefs." These beliefs we undertake to change are part of the plausibility structures of both ourselves and of the greater society we are a part of. This is his big argument, unless Christians are prepared and competent in understanding their beliefs then they can not communicate the Gospel to others(apologetics), nor can they influence an increasingly secular society(being salt). Simply put, modification of society's plausibility structures means you need to first understand and build your own rightly.
This takes him to part 2= " How to Develop a Christian Mind", which is mixture of top-down arguments like: "commitment to truth and reason" pg 99 and lower level details like: jog when you get tired to get out of a passive rut, pg 95. There is even a section on the elements of logic: "Clearing the Cobwebs from My Mental Attic" = chapter 5. It is this part that i found harder reading because of the changing levels, one part big issue analysis, then the next paragraph details on a conversation. The last part is application (typical sermon structure *grin*) with a very interesting section on "Refurbishing the Local Church" pg 190-200, where the details from his past ministries figures prominently in his recommendations. If you just want to read a few pages to get the best of the book, these 10 are them. Surprisely detailed, most certainly a big step for any local church, i'd love to move anywhere in the country where these ideas were put into practice.
Thanks for the opportunity to recommend the book to you, i hope you pick a copy up as a result of this review.
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Title: Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview by J. P. Moreland, William Lane Craig ISBN: 0830826947 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: April, 2003 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
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Title: Scaling the Secular City: A Defense of Christianity by J. P. Moreland ISBN: 0801062225 Publisher: Baker Book House Pub. Date: July, 1987 List Price(USD): $19.99 |
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Title: Habits of the Mind: Intellectual Life As a Christian Calling by James W. Sire ISBN: 0830822739 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: September, 2000 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics by William Lane Craig ISBN: 0891077642 Publisher: Crossway Books Pub. Date: July, 1994 List Price(USD): $24.00 |
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Title: The Divine Conspiracy : Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God by Dallas Willard ISBN: 0060693339 Publisher: Harper SanFrancisco Pub. Date: 15 April, 1998 List Price(USD): $23.95 |
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