Created to Be His Help Meet: Discover How God Can Make Your Marriage Glorious

Product Description

Somewhere over the passing years and changing culture, women have lost their way. This book was written to lead them bck home. Regardless of how you began your marriage or how dark and lonely the path that has brought you to where you are now.

Customer Reviews:

Right On.......2007-10-10

This book is dead on. I used to be a critical wife and nearly destroyed my marriage. This book offered me a new way of looking at my destructive habits that I could not see... I see them now. I am forever a changed woman and my marriage is now wonderful.

This book made me sick.......2007-10-09

There are only a few good points Debi Pearl shared in this book. But as I read, I realized why they had to publish it themselves. No one else would touch this book.

Many of the reviewers have already written how I feel (the ones who thought this book was dangerous and written for wives to be doormats to their husbands).

But there is one section of the book I MUST write about. It is on page 163 and it gives wives a sample dialog that she suggests:

WIFE: "What can I do to help you, Adam?"

HUSBAND: "Pick up the other end of that log, and help me move it over here."

W: "What should my next project be, Adam?"

H: "Have my dinner ready every evening, and take good care of my little ones."

W: "That is a very strong fence you are building, and the gate looks nice. I am so proud of you, Adam. What would you like now?"

H: "Take your clothes off real slow so I can watch...Yeah, you're a fine help meet."

I was so grossed out when I read that. And she calls herself a Christian? This woman and her husband are sick. This degrades women and our role in marriage. Please do not buy this book. I threw it right out as if it were crawling with maggots.

What an AMAZING book!.......2007-10-07

A friend of mine leant me this book....which turned into a "can I PLEASE keep this book!"

Thank you to the Pearls for this true "marriage changer".

It does not matter whose fault the marriage problems are.... SOMEONE has to take the step to make the change. The Lord will bless anyone who seeks to be like Him....

Thanks to the Pearls SO much....

Claire

EVERY MARRIED WOMAN NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK!!!.......2007-10-02

When the woman in leadership at my church first discovered this book, I was turned off by it becasue they were acting like it was the Bible. I wasn't married at the time anyways so it didn't matter. I do not recommend this book for a woman till she is with in a week of getting married. One God laid it on my heart to read it my whole attitude changed towards my man. I had found what my heart had been longing for, God's way. I am not saying use it like a Bible, yes there is tons of scripture in it and you feel full after reading it. I am saying use this book to get your mind going, put your personality into it. I know when I read it I use it to get my mind flowing and put my own personal touches to what she suggests. All you need to focus on is God's design for a marriage. I truly believe Debi did not mean for it to get church woman to worship this book...even though some seem to. She meant it to tell young woman (even old woman if they will listen) how to be a wife and follow God's design. I am refreshed and the feeling it gives me to be my husband's help meet is out of this world!!! My husband, trust me I reap MANY benefits from it!!! As for me and my house we will serve the Lord!!!

Do not buy this book!.......2007-09-29

We received this book as a wedding present some time ago. I read it during the first few months of our marriage and was completely appalled by its contents.

Before posting a review, I wanted to read it ALL THE WAY THROUGH to be sure that Debi Pearl's propensity to MISINTERPRET Scripture was not just an occasional error, and I found that, from cover to cover, her MISUSE and ABUSE of Scripture was ubiquitous throughout. According to her words, there is a hierarchy: God => man => woman => children. Listening to a marriage lecture by her husband (Michael Pearl) confirmed this unbiblical belief. They really do believe that God talks to the man, the man talks to the woman. The woman ought to submit to her husband's will as if his will and thoughts were God's will and thoughts. She is to submit to him as if he were her Savior. This is what they teach and THIS IS a LIE. Scripture does not say this! If it did, then Christianity would no longer be a monotheistic but polytheistic -- and Christ's mission on earth failed. He came so that there would no longer need to be any mediators between God and people (no more high priests), but according to Pearl theology, the man needs to be a 'high priest' on behalf of the woman. This is highlighted in Debi Pearl's encouragement to wives (in this book) to give up their 'quiet time' with the Lord in order to ensure time to serve their husbands. In essence, a woman needs to give up her relationship with God because her priority is husband, children and THEN God. This is heretical!!! God desires a deep and personal relationship with both men AND women. Every woman's first priority is God -- NOT her husband's.

And just to substantiate some of my statements, here are some quotes from the book:
You are created to be "a helper suited to the needs of a man. This is how God created you and it is your purpose for existing....You are created to make him complete, not to seek personal fulfillment parallel to him." p. 21.

No, this is not Biblical. The Bible does not teach this. God made both Adam & Eve in His own image (so they are therefore EQUAL), and He called both Adam & Eve to rule over all the creatures (see Gen 1:26 - says "so that THEY may rule over..." it doesn't say "him" because where it says "man", God meant 'human beings' - both men and women.) A woman was created to follow God's will, not her husband's. Her purpose in existing is to fulfill God's will, not her husband's. And YES she is to seek personal fulfillment parallel to her husband -- because both men and women ARE EQUAL!

Here's an example of one of the many ridiculous stories from her book:
"As a general rule, my husband just doesn't take the trash out....One day recently my husband saw me struggling out the door with a huge sack of trash in one hand and several empty boxes in the other. Since he was headed in that direction, he volunteered to carry the heavy sack. He walked about ten feet ahead of me, holding the sack out from his body with one hand. I knew he was just showing me how strong he was. I was amused, as usual, by his display of manhood. After nearly 35 years of having me appreciate his muscles, you would htink he would tire of showing off, but he knows I have never tired of watching him perform. When he got near the lare trash trailer, he was really getting into his macho thing. With great fanfare, he flung the large trash bag as if it were a cement block instead of a thin plastic bag too loaded down for his own strength. Of course, the string broke, allowing the bag to hit the side of the trailer, bursting open and dumping trash all over the ground. I could tell he was a little embarrassed as I rushed over to clean up his mess, but he continued on his merry way."

She goes on to say that she used to get irritated and annoyed and made a big deal about things like this but has decided that it isn't worth it to make such a big deal about trash. She understands the male psyche - the male EGO and how hard it is for them to get over their PRIDE, so instead of making a fuss, she cleaned up his mess. Instead of holding him accountable for his pride and mistakes, she excuses and cleans up his mess for him. This is not biblical love. This is unbiblical indulgence.

Later, she goes on to say that if your husband comes home late for dinner without telling you, don't get mad, just wait for him to come home and heat up his food with a smile -- as if you hadn't been waiting for hours and hours. Again, no accountability.

Essentially, the message of this book is this: Let the husband do what he wants. You must be obedient to his every wish - no complaining or you will lose him and your life will be a horror of horrors (you will have to live in a "dumpy duplex" and worse yet, your children will be forced to go to public school), because you are not fulfilling God's purpose for your life of being one man's slave (or, as Debi Pearl puts it, "failed the very purpose to which you were created, to be a suitable helper to a man" p. 58). Every problem in a marriage goes back to the woman; it is always the wife's fault somehow.

I believe the Pearls would preach that a wife should submit to her husband even if he beat her. They would say, If he beats you, you're doing something wrong. Go back and pray and submit until you do things right.

My sisters, this is NOT God's will for our lives.

No one who reads the Bible and knows Jesus should believe a word of this book.

Amazon, please take this book off your catalog!

Average customer rating:

An excellent book for the times
An Excellent Christian Living Resource
Wonderful Study Guide
Good resource to have on hand for times when questions arise

The Glorious Journey
Charles F. Stanley
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0785283412

Book Description

Dr. Stanley has written an easy-to-use companion to many aspects of the Christian journey, such as questions about church concerns, daily living, doctrine, end times, personal growth, relationships, and spiritual disciplines. This is a practical resource to living the Christian life - from one of America's most respected Bible teachers.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent book for the times.......2002-04-29

Companies laying off enmasse. Personal and business bankruptcies on the rise. These are challenging times and this excellent book offers answer and solutions to these challenges and more.I also recommend Business Buy the Bible for additional scriptures to enhance personal and spiritual growth.

An Excellent Christian Living Resource.......2000-08-06

The Glorious Journey by Charles Stanley is an excellent resource for Christians. Divided into sections, the book covers a wide range of topics including Bible doctrine, daily living, personal growth, and spiritual disciplines. Each entry contains a Scripture verse, commentary by Dr. Stanley, quotes, and more. The graphics, information boxes, and index provide for quick and easy access to specific topics. This valuable resource has answered many of my questions regarding the Christian walk, helping me to better understand God's word and apply it to my life. Each of my brothers received a copy of this book as a birthday gift last year. I would recommend it to anyone desiring "insight, encouragement, and guidance" in their own walk with the Lord.

Wonderful Study Guide.......2000-01-16

I have used this book as a study quide as well as a devotional book for church group meetings. It is a great way to start conversations about hard to talk about subjects.

Good resource to have on hand for times when questions arise.......1999-01-04

This book is a very handy reference to have to gain insight into questions that may arise in our daily Christian walk. I have found it to be very useful to me when I need information on a subject such as Daily Living, End Times, Relationships. Personal Growth. These catagories are broken down into individual subjects dealing with just about any question you may have. I recommend this book to anyone ! It is great !

The Glorious Pursuit: Embracing the Virtues of Christ

Average customer rating:

A Glorious Success
An easy to read book on Spiritual Virtues
Excellent! A Must Read!
Helpful for those yearning to be restored to God's image.

The Glorious Pursuit: Embracing the Virtues of Christ
Gary Thomas
Manufacturer: Navpress Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1576830527

Book Description

This examination of the virtues of Christ is the best way to be transformed into His image and experience growth, maturity, and intimacy with God.

Customer Reviews:

A Glorious Success.......2005-11-08

Everything you need to know about Thomas' book is contained in the title. "The Glorious Pursuit" tackles how to pursue growing into the likeness of the glorious image of Christ. Many books in the past decade have confronted the topic of spiritual formation/spiritual disciplines. Some have broached the topic of the virtues. No other book has so biblically and practically addressed both together. Chapter by chapter, virtue by virtue, Thomas, like a master teacher, describes what the virtue is, then details the biblical and historical means to developing those virtues.

"Embracing the Virtues of Christ" empowers readers to develop the spiritual disciplines that lead to the spiritual formation of the following core spiritual virtues: humility, surrender, detachment, love, chastity, generosity, vigilance, patience, discernment, thankfulness, gentleness, fortitude, obedience, and penitence. "The Glorious Pursuit" shows you how you can cooperate with the grace and resurrection power of Christ as He orchestrates the formation of your inner life increasingly into alignment with His inner life.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Soul Physicians," "Spiritual Friends," "Biblical Psychology," "Martin Luther's Pastoral Counseling," and "Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction."

An easy to read book on Spiritual Virtues.......2002-11-16

The beauty of this book is the simplicity in which the material is presented. The author, Gary Thomas illustrates easily the virtues of Christ and the ways of incorporating them into daily life in order to grow spiritually. Thomas borrows a lot from St. John of the Cross, St. Theresa of Avila and most of all, from John Climacus. (He freely admits his sources, as well) This book, though, is much more accessible in its writing to the common reader. My only complaint is that the author tends to stretch metaphors to the breaking point where the comparison is almost silly sometimes. It does not detract from the book, though. For anyone who enjoyed this book, I would recommend the Ascent of Mt. Carmel and Dark night of the soul by St. John of the Cross, Interior Castle by St. Theresa of Avila, and The Ladder of Divine Ascent by John Climacus.

Excellent! A Must Read!.......1999-08-17

I am very glad that I read this book. I have been recommending it to my closest friends. I met Gary and his wonderful wife in Virginia last year and found him personally "in synch" with this terrific book. High integrity.

Helpful for those yearning to be restored to God's image........1999-05-16

Some books merit a browse, some a ransack. The Glorious Pursuit merits the later. It's focus is giving practical guidance -- a track to run on, to those whose deepest yearning is to be forged into the likeness and image of God. Practical, helpful, and rooted in both sound exegesis and historical precedent.

Average customer rating:

Grace: The Glorious Theme
Lewis Sperry Chafer
Manufacturer: Zondervan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 0310223318

Praying the Rosary: With the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries

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Praying the Rosary:With the Joyful,luminous,sorrowful and glorius mysteries
Praying the Rosary
Lousy Bare Essentials -- Disappointing
Eye-Opening Little Wonder
A Rosary Resource Patterned on the Apostolic Letter

Praying the Rosary: With the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries
Michael Dubruiel , and Amy Welborn
Manufacturer: Our Sunday Visitor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1592761518

Book Description

Rediscover… Deepen… Contemplate… Based on the format suggested by Pope John Paul II in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae ("The Rosary of the Virgin Mary"), authors Michael Dubruiel and Amy Welborn help you: Rediscover — or experience for the first time — the comfort, hope, and strength so many have found in this ancient prayer. Deepen your love of Christ and His mother as your meditations on the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious mysteries reach a new level.

Contemplate the mystery of Christ. "To recite the Rosary is nothing other than to contemplate with Mary the face of Christ." — Pope John Paul II, Rosarium Virginis Mariae

Customer Reviews:

Praying the Rosary:With the Joyful,luminous,sorrowful and glorius mysteries.......2007-08-09

Thank you for having that book available. It is handy to take traveling because it is easy to pack and convenient and quick to use.

Praying the Rosary.......2007-02-05

Very helpful for those who are interested in the Rosary or those who are in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.

Lousy Bare Essentials -- Disappointing.......2007-01-19

No idea why this little nothing of a book is earning such positive recommendations. (Well, I note that one five star review below is by one of the book's co-authors!) It is not really anything more than a one prayer, one page instruction book for the rosary, with the prayer on the right page, a small illustration on the facing page. Do you know the little blue "Pray the Rosary" books by Rev. Lelan, printed since the 1950s by the Catholic Book Co.? Exactly the same idea here, but in a little hardcover, with Medieval icons as the illustrations. Actually it's not even as good as those little give-aways, since they offer memorable little thoughts to help focus the prayer: "I desire forgiveness for my sins," "I desire the virtue of patience," etc. This book does offer brief scriptural readings to accompany each prayer, its true--but then so does a rosary pamphlet I picked up for 50 cents.

Sorry to be so grumpy about it; I was just expecting more. There's nothing wrong with this book per se. It just doesn't offer anything that you can't get elsewhere in free or nearly free Catholic publications.

Additional Gripe: Notice how glorious and grand the illustrations seem if you preview this book with the Search Inside feature. But this book is about 3" by 5", so the pictures are around 2" by 3", about the size of a wallet photograph.

Eye-Opening Little Wonder.......2006-12-26

The best aid to prayer! Little prayer-helper that can be taken anywhere and which truly deepens the act and understanding of the Rosary. Love it! Just as I devoured "The How-To Book of the Mass" this one will get dogeared and tattered.

A Rosary Resource Patterned on the Apostolic Letter.......2005-03-23

For someone looking to "make a difference" in our world so filled with unrest and need, responding to Pope John Paul II's call to embrace the Rosary is one affirmative step that can be taken immediately. As a resource for making contemplation of the Rosary a part of your life, authors Michael Dubruiel and Amy Welborn have compiled the book Praying the Rosary: With the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, & Glorious Mysteries (Our Sunday Visitor, June 2003, hardcover, 64 pages).

Though compact in size, this book can and will have a tremendous impact upon your life if you choose to read and implement its suggested format. The book's introduction reiterates the Holy Father's call to this perfect form of Christian contemplation and points to the Blessed Virgin Mary as a role model for contemplating the true mystery of Jesus Christ, his life, death and resurrection. Bearing both the Nihil Obstat and the Imprimatur, Praying the Rosary incorporates all four sets of mysteries, including the new Luminous mysteries.

Welborn and Dubruiel follow the format suggested by Pope John Paul II in Rosarium Virginis Mariae including the announcement of the mystery, scriptural references, contemplative silence, the formal prayers of the Rosary (including a short prayer phrase following each Hail Mary related to the specific mystery), and a brief concluding prayer for each mystery. Newcomers to Rosary devotion will find the compendium of prayers at the completion of the book a helpful resource.

Complimenting the suggested format, stunning artwork graces the pages for each of the mysteries. Contemplation of these wonderful icons provided courtesy of St. Isaac of Syria Skete allows the user yet another point of interaction with the mysteries of the Rosary.

This book's compact size makes it the perfect tool for incorporating the Rosary into your daily devotional routine. The hardcover format is durable and will stand up to daily use. The book will easily slip into a purse, briefcase, day planner or coat pocket. Praying the Rosary has taken up permanent residence in my "home away from home", my vehicle, where my boys and I daily contemplate the mysteries of the Rosary in our own effort to better know and love Jesus Christ. We pray each day, joining our hearts and minds with countless millions around the globe, for peace in our own little corner of the world and beyond.

El Regreso Glorioso / Glorious Appearing : LOS ULTIMOS DIAS: LOS ULTIMOS DIAS (Left Behind #12)

Average customer rating:

A needed end

El Regreso Glorioso / Glorious Appearing : LOS ULTIMOS DIAS: LOS ULTIMOS DIAS (Left Behind #12)
Tim F. LaHaye , Jerry B. Jenkins , and Nellyda Rivers
Manufacturer: Spanish House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0789912317

Customer Reviews:

A needed end.......2004-08-27

In my honest opinion I think that this book was an end to a great series of books. What really disapointed me is that everything was made up too fast, and in the other books it took to much time to develop all the events taking place in the world.

Glorious Freedom: The Excellency of the Gospel Above the Law (Puritan Paperbacks)

Average customer rating:

Meditation on the Gospel
Great Puritan preacher

Glorious Freedom: The Excellency of the Gospel Above the Law (Puritan Paperbacks)
Richard Sibbes
Manufacturer: Banner of Truth
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0851517919

Customer Reviews:

Meditation on the Gospel.......2006-12-06

This is an excellent book. Sibbes beautifully lays out the importance, value, and centrality of the gospel in the life of the Christian. I found this to be especially helpful in breaking away from my over-developed sense of legalism.

Many Christians and churches will answer ethical questions by saying, "Well, what rule can we find on this topic in the bible?" They then simply apply that rule, which is basically obediance to the law due to fear of punishment from God.

Sibbes will help you see clearly how dependent we are on God's grace, and what a marvelous gift it is that our veil has been removed and we can be transformed into His image. Meanwhile, our job here on earth is to reflect his glory to an unbelieving world.

Excellent book, especially recommended to those willing to read slowly and with much meditation.

Great Puritan preacher.......2004-10-21

This book, included in the 7 volume complete works of Sibbes will warm your heart and motivate your Christian walk. There is much here to learn of God's glorious character and the beauty of God's Word. I would recommend getting the cd-rom version of these volumes from richardsibbes.com. They are cheeper and searchable on your computer. But you wont be dissapointed in Sibbes.

Average customer rating:

"A Glorious Angel Show" is highly recommended for family story hour celebration of Christmas and all that it means.
Very disillusioned!
The Perfect Christmas Book

A Glorious Angel Show
Dandi Daley Mackall
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1591454360

Book Description

Beautiful and amazing dual art elements and center spread pop up tell the story of Christ's birth on earth, and shows the angels' preparation in heaven.

Customer Reviews:

"A Glorious Angel Show" is highly recommended for family story hour celebration of Christmas and all that it means........2006-11-05

Written with an elegant originality by Dandi Daley Mackall and beautifully illustrated by Susan Mitchell, "A Glorious Angel Show" is the tender 'pop-up' picturebook story of the Christmas nativity recounted with rhyme and repetitive phrases ideal for preschool and kindergarten children. The rather spectacular pop-up spread in the center of the picture reveals the heavenly proclamation by the angels that the savior has been born. Wonderfully 'child friendly' and a welcome addition to personal and family Christmas book collections, "A Glorious Angel Show" is highly recommended for family story hour celebration of Christmas and all that it means.

Very disillusioned!.......2006-11-02

This book has ONE pop-up, and it is lame! If you're a fan of the Sabuda or Reinhart pop-up books, you will be VERY sad you bought this book, in my opinion. I'm returning mine.

The Perfect Christmas Book.......2006-10-11

I can't believe such a gorgeous, lyrical classic can sell for this price. The cover is embossed, and the pop-up so well done. The text is poetic, capturing the thrill of Christmas from the angels' point of view, depicting their excitement on one level and the drama of the birth on another. This book has it all!

Glorious Companions: Five Centuries of Anglican Spirituality (Five Centuries Anglican Spirit)

Average customer rating:

Great Episcopal Sunday School Book
An Anglican "Bartlett's Quotations"
Thumbnails of the Saints
Companions for the Journey
Recommended to clergy and laity

Glorious Companions: Five Centuries of Anglican Spirituality (Five Centuries Anglican Spirit)
Richard H. Schmidt
Manufacturer: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Religious | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0802822223

Customer Reviews:

Great Episcopal Sunday School Book.......2006-05-30

We just completed a Sunday school class using a chapter each week for study. The discussion questions at the end of each chapter are thought provoking and facilitate group discussion. It is an excellent way for "cradle Epicopalians" and those new to the faith to learn about those who have shaped who we are. It will be a shock for some to learn about those in our past. It would be a good follow-up after Confirmation classes. This is an easy book to read.

An Anglican "Bartlett's Quotations".......2004-01-09

A good idea, but a rather disappointing achievement. There's very little to sink one's teeth into here. Mere snippets from 29 Anglican authors' writings are offered. None of them are longer than a third of a page, many of them are no more than 2 or 3 sentences. As a consequence, the reader doesn't get "Five Centuries of Anglican Spirituality" so much as "300 pages of Anglican quotes." Quotations are tricky things. If they're epigrams or one-liner witticisms--the kind of stuff Oscar Wilde, for example, churned out--they can stand alone. But quotations that are taken from larger works, particularly theological and spiritual ones, rarely do well apart from their contexts. They may provide raw material for lectio divina or meditative prayer. But they hardly give an idea of the depth or breadth of Anglican spirituality. It's all well and good, for example, to know that Dorothy Sayers wrote that "It is curious that people who are filled with horrified indignation whenever a cat kills a sparrow can hear that story of the killing of God told Sunday after Sunday and not experience any shock at all" (p. 273). But what does this quotable quote, which first appeared in the Introduction to Sayers' "The Man Born To Be King," actually mean? Read by itself, it's a commonplace, almost trite observation. It's only Sayers' reflections on this strange indifference to the killing of God, as well as her thoughts on scriptural "realism"--all of which Schmidt omits--that makes the passage worth attending to.

Thumbnails of the Saints.......2002-10-22

An excellent introduction to Anglican thinkers, although these interesting and informative essays are essentially starting places for more in-depth reading. And once we get past the obvious early figures, the choices of the profiled sometimes seem a little arbitrary, with echoes of an editor somewhere saying, "Can't we get some more women and people of color in here?" But Schmidt+ has done his homework, and there's food for thought between the covers.

Companions for the Journey.......2002-07-02

As a concept, "Glorious Companions" rates five stars. In execution, it occasionally falls to three. So let me give it four stars and say at the start I recommend the book highly, although with several caveats.

"Glorious Companions," a selection of the Episcopal Book Club, is a anthology or compendium into the hearts and minds of twenty-nine significant figures in Anglican spirituality. Proceeding chronologically, the author, Fr. Richard Schmidt, begins with Thomas Cranmer, the father of the Book of Common Prayer, and ends with Desmond Tutu, the prophet of forgiveness. In between, he covers figures as representative and as diverse as Richard Hooker, John Donne, Joseph Butler, Charles Gore, Dorothy Sayers, C.S. Lewis, and Verna Dozier. Some of his choices are inspired; it was a delight to see Samuel Johnson, a powerful writer whose writings on spirituality are largely unknown. Others, however, seemed arbitrary. Why Hannah More, for instance, but not Florence Nightingale? William Law but not William Laud? Thomas Traherne but not Benjamin Whichcote? Why Madeleine L'Engle over T.S. Eliot or W.H. Auden?

An especially strong feature of the book is its excellent Introduction. Schmidt writes his introductory essay as a road map not just to his book, but to spirituality, Anglicanism, and theological imagery as well. Each of the twenty-nine sections of the book are divided into four parts: an ink drawing of the subject by Dean Mosher; a short spiritual biography of the author; a selection of passages from the subject's writings; and questions for reflection and discussion to be used by study groups.

Generally Schmidt does a good job of placing his subjects in their historical, literary, and spiritual contexts and selecting appropriate passages for consideration and edification. But he can misstep on occasion. The section on John Donne was a disappointing example of these lapses. Schmidt focused more on Donne as a preacher of sermons than as a major English poet. Donne's poetry is difficult, but to ignore it in favor of his lesser talents is a lost opportunity for real spiritual discovery.

Recommended to clergy and laity.......2002-05-24

Although the author says this book is aimed at laypeople, rather than clergy, I wish every member of the clergy would read it, especially those who think a sermon has to be long and address every possible angle. Using clear language and examples from people's everyday lives, a skillful writer -- like Schmidt -- can convey deep thoughts without beating the issue to death.

Schmidt's introduction was, for me, the best part of the book. It really got me thinking and examining my own views.

The selection of profiles of influential Anglican thinkers was excellent, although I wished he would have included even more non-white, English men.

Because of its structure, the book is perfect to pick up and read when you have a few minutes. It is also suited for use by a discussion group.

Average customer rating:
Glorious Christianity (Lloyd-Jones, David Martyn. Studies in the Book of Acts, V. 4.)
Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Manufacturer: Crossway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Study | New Testament | Reference | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Victorious Christianity (Lloyd-Jones, David Martyn. Studies in the Book of Acts, V. 3.)

Courageous Christianity (Lloyd-Jones, David Martyn. Studies in the Book of Acts, V. 2.)

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ASIN: 1581346174

Book Description

In the fourth volume of Studies in the Book of Acts, Martyn Lloyd-Jones diagnoses the objections that an unbelieving world has to Christianity. He examines Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin in Acts 7 to uncover the reason why the Jewish leaders during the early days of the church were so outraged by what the apostles said and were so quick to persecute and silence them. It is the same reason why nonbelievers today reject the truth: sin. Sin infects people’s minds, hearts, and spirits, blinding them to the truth of Christianity.

Lloyd-Jones’s message is just as relevant today as it was when he preached it in the 1960s, and as it was when Stephen confronted the Sanhedrin almost 2,000 years ago. An attitude of bitterness, contempt, and disdain toward the Gospel has always blinded people from the truth and continues to do so today. Christians must understand this if we are to speak to the barrier of sin that prevents nonbelievers from seeing the Kingdom of God.

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