Embrace this Hope

If for no other reason to enjoy reading this work, are the many references to CS Lewis and the land of Narnia. Others too, like Dostoevsky. Zahnd knows how to weave in the classic writers as he navigates the fragility of faith. While there may be some areas of theology I find myself current differing with Zahnd, he makes solid points of why he comes to his conclusions but yet allows for the fact that none of us have all of the answers to this mystery and that our understanding evolves based on our experiences and influences, not to mention the Holy Spirit as teacher in our innermost being. Together with Zahnd I agree with the book's conclusion that "by the witness of the Holy Spirit that someday everything will be on fire with the divine glory of God. This is my hope. I invite you to embrace this hope. I invite you to believe in God." In an age where too many are deconstructing their faith to the point they throw it all away and say they no longer believe in God - he contends we can adjust how we believe despite how we were taught to believe, and still hold on to Jesus and still believe in God. I obtained a copy of this work through NetGalley and the publisher with no commitment for a positive review.

Not so fast here!

I should have know I'd be on the opposite end of this author's views by the mere word "Myth" in the title. On the plus side, this is a quick easy read, where the author tries to draw on the positive nature and teachings of Jesus to make the reader and the world a better place. There are questions after each short chapter to ask the reader to become interactive in their thoughts. As a Jesus follower who believes what I read in His word, I have a hard time wrapping my head around thinking that many stories are pure myth. It is opposed to my belief that God has breathed His word into men to capture what He is saying - providing it to us through inspiration and saving it over many centuries, with so many actual archeological finds of early manuscripts to confirm it. Its hard for me to hear that someone considers themself a Christian but denies the actual physical resurrection and virgin birth. That's where we differ, so while I cannot endorse this work, I also realize it is because of the paradigm and lens through which I am reading it. I was provided an advance copy of the book content through NetGalley without any commitment for a positive review.

The Jesus Music: The Book

I really enjoyed this book. I will admit that I also saw the movie, so I had that mental imagery in mind as I read. The book basically follows all of the film content. I have been a follower of Jesus music and the artists since about 1980, having worked in the industry through several radio stations. I've seen lots of feedback on the content of the movie (and thus the book) - much negative - about what was not included in the book. To be fair, it whets the appetite for those who want to know more and provides a great overview - there is no book (to keep it readable length) that could include everything important. Plus, fans of the genre often disagree on who or what events were most significant. This is a great starter point, and a solid comprehensive overview and worth the time. I like how it is pulled together in the timeline to bring us to where we are today in the industry and genre. I was provided an advance copy of the book content through NetGalley without any commitment for a positive review.