What's So Amazing About Grace?

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Mention the word "grace" and what immediately comes to mind for most of us is a bagpipe wailing the solemn notes of "Amazing Grace."

The grace of which Philip Yancey writes is the freely given and unmerited favor and love of God. This grace seems a remote, almost sentimental concept, without a place in our lives or our society. It is a vague, slippery thing to us, probably because we seem to experience grace so rarely and have managed to leech the word of meaning. But Philip Yancey has set about to rescue grace in his book What's So Amazing About Grace?

This grace is the true message of Jesus. All faiths have virtues and creeds and justice and truth, but Jesus speaks merely of receiving the love that God has for us. Accepting it, not earning it or making ourselves worthy of it. And frankly, accepting something we have not earned or are not worthy of is not an easy thing for most of us.

In truth, grace is both utterly simple and utterly confounding. Little by little, Yancey guides us into a clearer understanding of grace by using stories, in much the same way Jesus did. We read stories of both grace and ungrace at work in people's lives. Sadly, it is stories of ungrace that are more prevalent today, the current culture wars painful acknowledgments of ungrace in our lives as Christians in this country. Yancey helps us understand that ungrace is that state of being in which self-righteousness and pride are a result of thinking that we have somehow earned God's approval and may now stand in judgment in his behalf.

Philip Yancey was awarded the Gold Medallion Christian Book of the Year award for this book in 1998 by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Readers concurred with this decision, making this book an immediate bestseller. Believers and nonbelievers alike should accept Yancey's challenge to become agents of grace rather than agents of vengeance or judgment or anger. In truth, we are each starving for grace, ready to grasp it tightly. And it is through grace that all other hungers--for justice, for righteousness, for love--are satisfied. Yancey opens his book by telling us that "grace" is the last best word, and in What's So Amazing About Grace?, he proves that he's right. --Patricia Klein

Book Description

In 1987, an IRA bomb buried Gordon Wilson and his twenty-year-old daughter beneath five feet of rubble. Gordon alone survived. And forgave. He said of the bombers, "I have lost my daughter, but I bear no grudge. . . . I shall pray, tonight and every night, that God will forgive them."

His words caught the media’s ear--and out of one man’s grief, the world got a glimpse of grace.

Grace is the church’s great distinctive. It’s the one thing the world cannot duplicate, and the one thing it craves above all else--for only grace can bring hope and transformation to a jaded world.

In What’s So Amazing About Grace? award-winning author Philip Yancey explores grace at street level. If grace is God’s love for the undeserving, he asks, then what does it look like in action? And if Christians are its sole dispensers, then how are we doing at lavishing grace on a world that knows far more of cruelty and unforgiveness than it does of mercy?

Yancey sets grace in the midst of life’s stark images, tests its mettle against horrific "ungrace." Can grace survive in the midst of such atrocities as the Nazi holocaust? Can it triumph over the brutality of the Ku Klux Klan? Should any grace at all be shown to the likes of Jeffrey Dahmer, who killed and cannibalized seventeen young men?

Grace does not excuse sin, says Yancey, but it treasures the sinner. True grace is shocking, scandalous. It shakes our conventions with its insistence on getting close to sinners and touching them with mercy and hope. It forgives the unfaithful spouse, the racist, the child abuser. It loves today’s AIDS-ridden addict as much as the tax collector of Jesus’ day.

In his most personal and provocative book ever, Yancey offers compelling, true portraits of grace’s life-changing power. He searches for its presence in his own life and in the church. He asks, How can Christians contend graciously with moral issues that threaten all they hold dear?

And he challenges us to become living answers to a world that desperately wants to know, What’s So Amazing About Grace?

Customer Reviews:

What's so Amazing About Grace.......2007-08-27

This is one of the best books I have ever read. Philip Yancey has it right. At a time when some Christians alienate people with their right wing political issues and high and mighty attitudes, Yancey has brought to light through the Bible that it is better to effect change by showing grace. Yancey gives me reason to make make a difference. I am ashamed of not showing more grace to people in my sphere of influence. Thank you Philip Yancey for your honesty concerning your own life and for giving us a book that as Chuck Colson said, "makes everybody mad".

A must for all pastors.......2007-08-13

I did not know what to expect of Yancey, I had not red any of his book prior to this one. I got hoocked after the first page.
I believe that every christian and defenetly every pastors should read this book.
We serve a God of love and as Jesus says: I will know my followers by their fruith, and the fruith is that you love one another.
As Christians we say a lot of right morally speeking, but we need to be sure we say and preach that truth in love. So many times we come across as condaming. Paul talks about that in 1. Kor 13. We can speek with human or angles language, we can know all the secretes of the world, we can have profetic gifts, we can even give our own bodies as a giving, but if we have not love....

Take your time and read this book. Use it as a thremometer to find out how warm your love is.

Frode Schanke Eikum

Feel Good Religion.......2007-07-27

One can easily see why this book has received such praise. It is full of good news, amazing stories and exposes the positive aspects of Grace in its full depth. However, I found as I was reading this book, the author drifted from the scriptural view of Grace by selectively focussing on the "good feeling" of God's Grace and avoiding the sinners state of depravity, evil and death.

Preaching only about Grace, apart from preaching the depths of sin is preaching half a Gospel. The contents of this book are great for regenerate sinners who have been through the crisis experience or people who are under conviction and have turned to the Lord. When read by someone who is not regenerate, has not had that crisis of inner conviction, who has not cried out with Paul "who shall save me from the body of death?"; this book does a grave injustice.

Sinners must become convicted of their sin. Conviction is a far different thing than "I'm sorry." Without knowledge of the depth of sin and where the sinner stands before the Lord, he cannot appreciate the full depth of Grace. It is like singing the old hymn "He took me out of the mirely clay, He put my soul on the rock to stay" and only singing the second part of the lyric. Without conviction leading to repentance the sinner will not experience salvation and God's saving Grace.

This is the trend of the "feel good religion" that may be giving false hope to sinners who have not truly repented. What is so amazing about Grace is found in the old Hymn "that saved a wretch like me." Half a gospel, like half a hymn is no gospel at all.

The author also misinterprets the interaction between Simon Weisenthal and the Nazi SS man who wanted a Jew's forgiveness. The SS man was seeking forgiveness in the world where his forgiveness needed to come from God. However, his confession before Mr. Weisenthal is part of that repentance. Grace was active and evident both ways here. Although Mr. Weisenthal, young and under extreme circumstances, left without forgiving, he evidently was touched by this incident such that it lit a spark within his soul that set him on a mission to understand Grace and find healing and resolution of his own wounds. A good scriptural interpretation of these events comes from Isaiah "A broken reed he shall not break; "A smoking flax He shall not quench." The SS man was a broken reed and Weisenthal the smoking flax. Forgiveness by Weisenthal would come in God's own time and tied in with the Grace of the healing of his own wounds. This often takes a lifetime.

Philip Yancey Does It Again!.......2007-07-22

Philip Yancy hits the nail on the head once again! Easy reading and wonderfully inspiring! Makes you feel so blessed and so full of grace! I loved every word!

Want to be stretched? Read this book........2007-07-16

Grace is such a common aspect of the Christian experience that we might gloss over a book with this title. But Philip Yancey offers an uncommon take.

If you've ever wondered why some people are turned off by the church, read this book. Yancey may echo your gut feelings. The church in the world is not about following a set of rules; it's a relationship--a grace-full relationship that God extends to us and we in turn extend to others. "Grace alone melts ungrace," Yancey writes. I think he's onto something.

Yancey reminds us of who we are as Christians: Sinners saved by (there's that word) grace. He points out that when Jesus got involved with some of the wrong people (the Gentiles, the "unclean"), he was tearing down an Old Testament principle that said, "No Oddballs allowed." And Yancey points out, Jesus replaced that principle with "We're all Oddballs, but God loves us anyhow." Therefore since God extends such grace to us, we can afford to be gracious and forgiving to others.

Yancey challenges the Christian's thinking about the relationship between politics and religion. And unafraid to broach forbidden subjects, he offers frank discussions on how his own thinking about issues in today's news has been challenged and stretched. Read this book and your ears will perk up at how often grace is mentioned in the Bible and sung about in the church--and how often we miss a chance to pass it on.
Sisterhood of Faith: 365 Life-Changing Stories about Women Who Made a Difference

Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery

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An outstanding person that we desperately need more of...
Amazing
A small man with a great impact
Yes he ended slavery
Amazing book!

Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery
Eric Metaxas
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0061173002
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Book Description

Amazing Grace tells the story of the remarkable life of the British abolitionist William Wilberforce (1759-1833). This accessible biography chronicles Wilberforce's extraordinary role as a human rights activist, cultural reformer, and member of Parliament.

At the center of this heroic life was a passionate twenty-year fight to abolish the British slave trade, a battle Wilberforce won in 1807, as well as efforts to abolish slavery itself in the British colonies, a victory achieved just three days before his death in 1833.

Metaxas discovers in this unsung hero a man of whom it can truly be said: he changed the world. Before Wilberforce, few thought slavery was wrong. After Wilberforce, most societies in the world came to see it as a great moral wrong.

To mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the British slave trade, HarperSanFrancisco and Bristol Bay Productions have joined together to commemorate the life of William Wilberforce with the feature-length film Amazing Grace and this companion biography, which provides a fuller account of the amazing life of this great man than can be captured on film.

This account of Wilberforce's life will help many become acquainted with an exceptional man who was a hero to Abraham Lincoln and an inspiration to the anti-slavery movement in America.

Customer Reviews:

An outstanding person that we desperately need more of..........2007-09-27

When I first started reading this book, the way the author wrote was so different from so many of the science and histories that I usually read, I was prepared to give the book four stars. It seemed like such a serious topic about the efforts made by English gentlemen to curtail the slavery trade, that Metaxas (author) seemed to be almost flippant. But as I read further in the book, and realized what a good, humorous, and loveable person that Wilberforce was, I could understand why the author chose to write in this vein.

I have yet to see the movie, but from reading the book it definitely aroused my interest in the movements of that time period and the people involved. Wilberforce could not have picked a harder social ill to try to bring to the right conclusion, that of stopping the slave trade with the eventual goal which he did not live to see, of freeing the slaves in the Americas. That he worked on this tirelessly for 40 years, through own personal trials and illness, and saw it to its conclusion is a testimony to the strength of his character. Where are those men and women today? Did they all come during that time period from 1750 through the early 1800s? Like our own American heroes from the Revolutionary War and men like LIncoln, who though fallible, did the very best they could to alleviate the sufferings of others? I wish we could clone a few of these people now to fix the many wrongs of our society, including the ongoing pestilence of slavery.

I eventually learned to enjoy Metaxas writing. It's different to be sure, but a nice relief from the overly serious tomes that I usually read.

Karen SAdler

Amazing.......2007-09-21

A highly readable book about an amazing man who optimisitically believed he could make a difference, and did! Like Frank Capra's Mr. Smith, William Wilberforce was a politician who stuck to his ideals. He was very conscientious about living out his faith and seeking God's will. He believed in the humanity of others and the responsibility to better society and help the less fortunate. Highly recommended!

A small man with a great impact.......2007-09-06

Though the name "William Wilberforce" is hardly at the tips of our collective tongues anymore, author Eric Metaxas thinks it should be. In "Amazing Grace," Metaxas relates the story of Wilberforce -- a slight, stooped and sickly man -- whose physical frailty disguised a great strength of character and soul. Wilberforce, as a member of the British Parliament, was (at least according to Metaxas's telling) the driving force behind both the end of the slave trade in the British colonies in 1807 as well as the abolition of British slavery itself in 1833.
The book covers all of Wilberforce's life, from the controversies between Anglicanism and Methodism of his boyhood, through his indolent college days, to his conversion in 1785 at age 24, to his parliamentary career and his death in 1833. Metaxas tells a rousing story of a young man in search for meaning and relevance, in an age of barbarity toward animals, criminals and "lower" races that is shocking to the modern ear. Metaxas sets the stage by discussing animal cruelty -- bull, horse and bear-beating -- that were popular pastimes of the era. His catalog of the evil done to black slaves is chronicled by those who had first-hand familiarity with the infamous Middle Passage or the treatment of slaves on the sugar plantations of the West Indies. Wilberforce's voice is heard through excerpts from his personal diaries, bringing this now-obscure person to life.

I truly enjoyed the book, though with a few reservations. Metaxas's Wilberforce is a man whose worldview would be recognizable to moderns. As a man born of a racist and vicious era, he used his religious views in ways that ran counter to his society. He took seriously the scriptural dictum that humanity is created in God's image, resulting in the inevitable conclusion that people of color deserved the same treatment as whites. A sickly man, he showed great compassion for the poor and the weak, even extending this soft heartedness to animals. Among many other works, Wilberforce was a founding member of the then-named Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The reservations. Metaxas's style is usually staid, punctuated with the occassional tic -- he suddenly gets overly-cute or uses faux-Elizabethan anachronistic turns of phrase. He also tends to give Wilberforce solitary credit for opposing slavery, when this work started long before he appeared on the scene and ended after he left it. Metaxas's evidently sympathetic view of Wilberforce's spiritual life was another problem. In many passages, Metaxas presumes a conservative Christian worldview, lauding Wilberforce for making decisions that are in line with God's will, as though this was self-evident to the reader. Metaxas clearly roots for young Wilberforce to find God, and he speaks from with seeming familiarity with a convert's stages of maturation through during his conversion experience. There's nothing wrong with religious experience, but I found this overt tilt surprising and a bit troubling in a biography. Appallingly, Metaxas describes Anglicanism as a religion practiced in name only by bishops and clergy who no longer believed in its tenets. Metaxas even notes which bishops of the period are "orthodox," as though the reader understands and agrees to his meaning of the word. Metaxas may also be guilty of painting Wilberforce in too-bright colors. His subject's distrust of Roman Catholicism is minimized and his opposition to the right of labor to organize is left unmentioned. Wilberforce is sometimes portrayed as the most eloquent of speakers and other times as having a rather rambling and disconnected style. These inconsistencies and biases diminished the book's impact.

Nevertheless, I do recommend "Amazing Grace". In an age in which the wounds of racism and cruelty are still borne by too many, it is encouraging to read of a man who, though borne to wealth and privilege, put his faith into practice in a way that benefited so many and is still admirable today. "Amazing Grace" makes the strong case that William Wilberforce ought to merit at least a mention when the roll of the history's great humanitarians is read.

Yes he ended slavery.......2007-08-08

William Wilberforce did more than end slavery, he changed Western Civilization. He created the campaign button, used today to elect mere politicians, but he did it to end slavery and bring Christianity to India. He also helped recreate non-governmental organizations for schools, and widows and orphans of war and poverty. He helped change the penal code of Great Britain and bring back the use of morality to effect change for how small crimes corrupted society. (Note, this was the same tactics used by Giuliani to change the crime rate in New York.) Wilber ( his nickname among friends) was a short sickly man, gifted with a a superb speaking voice, great charisma, and the ability to be a great Christian leader without looking like a "stick in the mud" Puritan. He also had a strong backbone that allowed him to let insults, death threats, and 40 years of frustration slide by the way side. One day I hope to read his sons' 3 volume biography of his life, but in the mean time, you can't go wrong reading this well written and entertaining biography of his life.

Amazing book!.......2007-07-25

This book should have been called The Amazing Book. This is really an uplifting book and a must read. We all should have William Wilberforce as our role model.

William Wilberforce was the man to end slavery. More importantly, he is the man who made slavery unacceptable in our minds. Who today can honestly tell you that slavery is not evil or indeed needed for a country's economy? Merely two centuries ago, slavery was not only accepted but deemed necessary. William Wilberforce was the man who extinguished this belief forever! As a side note, I find it interesting that no prophet of any religion has ever succeeded or even tried to end slavery. A mere mortal by the name of Wilberforce not only succeeded in ending slavery, but succeeded into changing our minds into completely rejecting slavery as immoral. As the author says, Wilberforce truly changed the world! An amazing feat, and truly an amazing grace to befall upon us!

Wilberforce was a religious man, but at no time did he claim that he was chosen by God or claimed of ever receiving a vision or message from God. He was a simple good-hearted person who cared about the well-being of others, especially the less fortunate ones. He was kind and generous, and gave a lot of his wealth to the poor throughout his life. Even though at the start of his life he was indeed very rich, he died poor, and not even owning his own house. He lived the rest of his life living in the homes of his children. Yet he never felt cheated by life. He accomplished something that no one has ever achieved. He is indeed fortunate to be receiving prayers from so many till this day!

The book will expose the horrors of slavery, and how at the time the British (and the Europeans, but emphasize was on the British) viewed the African blacks as inferior beings, if beings at all. At the time, killing a black person, whether child or adult, was no different to the British as killing a rodent. Slaves were viewed as a material object to own and to discard of at any time as fit (usually by murdering and torturing the slave).

After reading this book, you will wonder how it was ever possible to accept the concept of owning slaves. What went through the minds of the Europeans at the time to accept such an abhorrent practice as the ownership and trade of slaves? And why do we think differently about this subject today than we did for the past thousands of years? What suddenly changed in our minds? Read the book, and find out how Wilberforce was able to change our minds on slavery. Don't be surprised if you shed a few too many tears.

However, Wilberforce, a member of the British parliament, had to endure many insults and opposition to finally pass the bill to end slavery. In fact, it was a twenty-year fight just to abolish the British slave trade, a battle Wilberforce won in 1807, and a fierce battle in parliament to abolish slavery itself in the British colonies, a victory achieved just three days before his death in 1833.

Wilberforce was hated by many and often called a hypocrite for caring more for the slaves and less for the poor working class. But as the author says, this accusation against Wilberforce was like saying that Christopher Columbus was a hypocrite for not discovering Australia as well. No one man or woman can ever end all the ills of man and woman, but together we can! If each man and woman today accomplishes just one great humane achievement, that's 5 billion humane achievements during our lifetime! If Wilberforce can do so much for so many millions, why can't we?

The author, Eric Mataxas, did an excellent job bringing to life a man who is truly immortal. Throughout the narrative of this book you will feel as if William Wilberforce is right there besides you. No other author could have written about Wilberforce as beautifully as Metaxas. This book is a real piece of art to be treasured in your library for the next generation, and makes an excellent bedtime story for our children.

What's So Amazing About Grace? Participant's Guide

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Practical and thoughtful reading
Recommended for Everyone!
Appreciate the honest escape this book provides
Ok, but it got redundant..
Life Altering

What's So Amazing About Grace? Participant's Guide
Philip Yancey
Manufacturer: Zondervan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0310233259

Book Description

The participant's guide to the Gold Medallion Award-winning ZondervanGroupware for groups of all sizes. This book helps group members explore, understand, and appreciate Christianity’s greatest gift to the world: grace.

Customer Reviews:

Practical and thoughtful reading.......2007-08-18

Yancey draws wisdom from multiple sources to bring this practical and thoughtful book to his readers. His insight was profound, and I have given this book to many friends as a result. I agree that grace is the glue we need to heal broken lives.

Recommended for Everyone!.......2006-05-17

I thought that this book was very informative and insightful. It presented many good points in common areas of Christian lives and our present lack of grace.

Appreciate the honest escape this book provides.......2002-02-10

I read this book over a long Christmas break and it was the perfect book for the season. Grace is an amazing thing and Mr. Yancey captures it so well in his words. Mr. Yancey's writing style is very comforting like a good conversation. I recommend this both as something to read and something to give as a gift to someone that needs a reminder of the good in this world.

Ok, but it got redundant.........2001-07-26

I thought this book had some very insightful looks into grace, and its role in Chrisianity. The problem I had with this book is that pretty much all the insights could have been fit into a 20 page paper. I ended up having to really force myself to finish the book because about half way through the book, I got really bored with the rehashing of the same ideas. Worth reading, but I would probably just stop halfway through, you will have gotten everything the book will offer you.

Life Altering.......2001-03-30

There are books that come along that make a difference in our lives, but this "takes the cake"! I feel my life will never be the same after reading his insights into Grace and the challenge we have before us as Christians. I am grateful to Mr. Yancey and feel I am blessed to be sharing this time in history with him. He has such a gift to offer. Mary Sue Reutebuch

Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce

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Short and light
Just a Glimpse of Wilberforce Through Piper's Eyes
ONE OF THE GREAT MEN IN THE WORLD
A Life Lived with Purpose
EXCEPTIONAL MAN OF GOD

Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce
John Piper
Manufacturer: Crossway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1581348754

Book Description

“John Piper’s succinct and superbly perceptive study of William Wilberforce deserves to become an acclaimed bestseller. It not only tells the story of a great man’s life—it also tells us how to understand the ultimate source of his greatness and happiness. Moreover, that understanding goes far deeper than the abolitionist achievements for which Wilberforce is honored, astounding though they were. William Wilberforce’s secret, as revealed in this book, was that he made the journey from self-centeredness, achievement-centeredness, and political-centeredness to God-centeredness. And he made it with Christlike joy.”
—Jonathan Aitken

Against great obstacles William Wilberforce, an evangelical Christian and a member of Parliament, fought for the abolition of the African slave trade and against slavery itself until they were both illegal in the British Empire.

Many are aware of Wilberforce’s role in bringing an end to slavery in Great Britain, but few have taken the time to examine the beliefs and motivations that spurred him on for decades. In this concise volume, John Piper tells the story of how Wilberforce was transformed from an unbelieving, young politician into a radically God-centered Christian, and how his deep spirituality helped to change the moral outlook of a nation.

As world leaders debate over how to deal with a host of social justice and humanitarian crises, a closer look at Wilberforce’s life and faith serves as an encouragement and example to all believers.

Customer Reviews:

Short and light.......2007-08-02

This sounds like it was a speech, transcribed, and then read by someone else to cheesy music. The book was repetitious. It did way too much hinting at what was coming next. In Piper's sermons it works fairly well, but in such a short book, it was a little annoying.

The book was a short attempt of explaining how Wilberforce's theology made Wilberforce so successful and increased his endurance for doing good. This was interesting, but it seemed pretty light weight to me. I'm sure there are better biographies out there. I know Piper does a magnificient job of explaining the concepts written in this book elsewhere.

All that being said. It was an interesting look at Wilberforce's life and work.

Just a Glimpse of Wilberforce Through Piper's Eyes.......2007-05-26

I have the greatest respect for William Wilberforce and for John Piper, but I'm not sure if this book is one that really needed to be written. Piper offers his own brief perspective on the life of William Wilberforce, a perspective easily obtained by reading a good biography of the British statesman. For readers familiar with Wilberforce and with Piper, there is nothing new here. For readers unfamiliar with Wilberforce, this title doesn't do justice to his magnificent life. A more detailed biography such as the one by Metexas is necessary to get the full impact. For readers unfamiliar with Piper, this book just hints at his views that are so eloquently stated elsewhere. I recommend passing on this title -- I give it two stars only from admiration for both Wilberforce and Piper.

ONE OF THE GREAT MEN IN THE WORLD.......2007-05-15

This is a wonderful book to read after seeing the movie Amazing Grace. Wilberforce was truly amazing. While in pain most of the time, he was still full of joy. I shall always remember him as a giant among men. Mr Piper did a good job in bringing out the importance of William Wilberforce.

A Life Lived with Purpose.......2007-04-23

This book provides a powerful insight into what can be accomplished when an individual has a deep-seated belief and conviction that they are willing to give his/her life's work to bring to pass. Such was true of Wilberforce, and his fierce determination to put an end to the slave trade, and slavery itself, in the British colonies. The book describes with clarity how he succedded in doing just that. Although the vote of victory abolishing the slave trade came in 1807, it was to be just three days before his death on July 26, 1833, that slavery itself was outlawed in the British Colonies. A life's work accomplushed! This is a small book, but very powerful. Great reading! John Piper is to be commended for a book well written.

Edna H. Love
United Methodist Pastor (retired)

EXCEPTIONAL MAN OF GOD.......2007-04-03

Wilberforce a hero for all time ~ his steadfast faithfulness, his reliance on the Lord, his compassionate nature, all used for the good of many, in spite of his own sufferings. A mighty little book, that makes you want to know more of this exceptional man of God.

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Spiritual blessings abound
Looking At Words In a New Way
Amazing Grace
Amazingly Good
Finding grace in a "dictionary"

Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith
Kathleen Norris
Manufacturer: Riverhead Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1573227218

Amazon.com

"Our ridiculously fallible language becomes a lesson in how God's grace works despite and even through our human frailty. We will never get the words exactly right. There will always be room for imperfection, for struggle, growth and change. And this is as it should be." With observations like this one, Kathleen Norris, author of Dakota and The Cloister Walk, has again provided a salutary corrective for contemporary Christians in Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith. The book is about how she learned to use religious words, such as "incarnation," "idolatry," and "evangelism." Norris is a feminist, a theological conservative, a sophisticate, and a country bumpkin. And she's one of the few living Christian writers who can be described as truly great.

Book Description

From Kathleen Norris, the author who "writes about religion with the imagination of a poet" (Chicago Tribune), comes this unusual, accessible, and profound investigation of Christian faith. Taking as her starting point the "scary words" that can intimidate and distance us from our religious heritage--words like judgment, faith, dogma, salvation and sinner, Norris blends history, theology, storytelling, etymology and memoir to help us reflect on their meanings. Always entertaining, and thought provoking, Norris awakens us to the possibility of belief. Through this exhilarating journey, readers will come to know more about the gradual conversion and the daily struggle for faith that Norris described in her bestseller The Cloister Walk. Amazing Grace will grant an illuminating perspective on how we can embrace ancient traditions and find faith in the contemporary, everyday world.

Customer Reviews:

Spiritual blessings abound.......2007-01-07

My aunt recommended this book to me several years ago but I was involved with other things at the time and did not get it. Then Amazon recommended it to me again later and that time I did get it. I read it one essay at a time as a part of my daily devotional. It's a great feeling when an articulate, gifted writer puts into words one's own beliefs as this one did for me.
Page 310: ". . . Here, too, is the justification of the mystic's certainty, as in Shaw's 'St. Joan,' when she responds calmly to an inquisitor's pouncing on the word imagination, as if to spring a trap. 'I hear voices telling me what to do,' Joan says. 'They come from God.' 'They come from your imagination?' her interrogator asks, and she replies, 'Of course. That is how the messages of God come to us.'"
Kathleen Norris's extensive study of the Christian religious history is expressed in this book and benefits the reader.
It is poetic in parts which presents a difficulty for me because although I value poetry and admire poets, as an analyical person, I often don't get it. (She says her husband is both poetic and analytical -- a wonderful gift.) Nevertheless it was a priceless experience.
This is not a book for fundamentalist Christians. It is a book for us spiritual seekers who love God with all our hearts.

Looking At Words In a New Way.......2006-02-23

I really enjoyed the fresh look at words used in faith discussions. I particularly liked the one on Silence.

Amazing Grace.......2005-07-23

Unlike the the Author, Katherine Norris , I have been a Catholic all my 71 Years and She has renewed my faith and spirituality and taught me more about the religion I grew up in then all the catechism classes and college courses in theology I studied.
She is right up there with Henri Nouen and Edwina Gateley.
What beautiful reading.
Rita Peters

Amazingly Good.......2004-12-18

This book impressed me immensely; well beyond what I had expected and I had read two previous books by Kathleen Norris. It is a marvelous format that works like a sort of "Day by Day" series of inspiring and/or compelling theological thoughts. Rather than follow a litergical order of verses, Norris uses different words and terms associated with Christianity to fuel her observations. I honestly was expecting a sort of academic treatise on what various terms meant. What I got instead was an illustration of the essence of the meaning of various aspects and perspectives of Christianity. From the very beginning I was inspired by what Ms. Norris was sharing. She has observed a lot through her years and has a remarkable ability to recall those observations into illuminating stories.

Part of the impression this book made upon me may have had something to do with the fact that I started reading it towards the end of a retreat I was on. It was at the Benedictine Convent and Abbey where Ms. Norris spent much of her time. I hadn't even considered the connection when I took the book along but I was quickly in tune with her comments about her experiences with the Benedictine nuns and monks. Part of the appeal of her book to me had to have something to do with so many events taking place in locales I am familiar with. However, the broader appeal of the book lies in her sincere devotion to the Benedictine Way while equally active in the main stream Protestant Church. She seems intent on exploring ways to find a closer and clearer meaning to her faith. Like Ms. Norris, I had experienced years apart from religion before returning to it with a sincere intention to become a "Good Christian". However, I needed to first understand what it is that comprises a "Good Christian". Kathleen Norris spoke to me in the voice of experience of someone who has gone quite a bit further than I. I say that even though my journey has led me to ordination as an Episcopal Priest. Ms. Norris shares a lot of her experiences as a somewhat reluctant lay minister in the Presyterian Church. I am satified that she has found her vocation.

Ms. Norris is a Poet in the literal sense because it is her real profession. I'm not one for poetry but I have always enjoyed the rare author who can write prose and leave the impression that one has read poetry. Her book, "Dakota" is a masterpiece of that style as is "Amazing Grace". I confess that I was not as drawn into her book, "The Cloister Walk". I think that is why I was a bit shy about starting "Amazing Grace". However, I am very greatful that I took it on that retreat. I would recommend this book to anyone who aspires to know more about the Christian faith. Those even mildly interested will find a voice that speaks in a clear, compelling and informative manner. Too many similar book instruct; Ms. Norris inspires.

Finding grace in a "dictionary".......2004-04-05

Kathleen Norris explores the language of faith that often puts people off or leaves them feeling estranged. Her meditations are not definitions of grace, faith, sin and so forth, but in what was for me a suprisingly spiritual way, she brings the vocablary that puzzles and confuses even regular church attenders up the the present time and present words and concepts in a manner that can have meaning and resonance. She uses personal experience and stories that allow the reader to relate and identify.

Amazing Grace: Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation, The

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A compelling eye-opener
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
An important book
Amazing Grace: Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation, The
A Disappointing Look into a Terrible Problem

Amazing Grace: Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation, The
Jonathan Kozol
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0060976977

Book Description

The children in this book defy the stereotypes of urban youth too frequently presented by the media. Tender, generous and often religiously devout, they speak with eloquence and honesty about the poverty and racial isolation that have wounded but not hardened them.

The book does not romanticize or soften the effects of violence and sickness. One fourth of the child-bearing women in the neighborhoods where these children live test positive for HIV. Pediatric AIDs, life-consuming fires and gang rivalries take a high toll. Several children die during the year in which this narrative takes place.

A gently written work, Amazing Grace asks questions that are at once political and theological. What is the value of a child's life? What exactly do we plan to do with those whom we appear to have defined as economically and humanly superfluous? How cold -- how cruel, how tough -- do we dare be?

Customer Reviews:

A compelling eye-opener.......2007-09-10

Kozol's Amazing Grace is a true eye-opener. After reading it, I feel that I had nothing close to an accurate image of the conditions of poverty that people still live in in some of the inner city neighborhoods. The reality Kozol awakens us to shatters the illusion America holds of "equal opportunity for all," and the book is an indictment of a far-too-unaware society run by politicians who must think about quick fixes (prisons, tax cuts) that try to please voters or address problem symptoms rather than causes (terrible schools, decrepit surroundings, congestion of the homeless, and the not-always subtle discrimination that continues in society). A truly important book, which will challenge any readers who are supportive of Rudy Giuliani to defend his startling insensitivity to the issue, displayed by his cutting of funding of public services that are so crucial to many people Kozol writes of.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind.......2007-08-20

Jonathan Kozol has dedicated his work on bringing light to the inequalities that exist within our nation. These inequalities are best seen, unfortunately but not unexpectedly, along racial lines. "Amazing Grace: The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation" is a book with a lot of questions, a lot of shocking information, but not a lot of answers; if only because the answers may not exist. It is a stunning look at the deep disparity between rich and poor within our nation.

Kozol focuses on the South Bronx ghetto of Mott Haven, the poorest borough in New York, clearly segregated from the middle and upper classes, where two-thirds of the population are Hispanic and one-third African-American. Through interviews with school children, teachers, ministers, and community members, Kozol paints a bleak picture of the equally bleak lives led by those who live in this area. He recounts stories of buildings where wires have been eaten through by rats that are the size of squirrels, of drugs being bought and sold openly on the streets (although the drug dealers have enough respect to break when school lets out), and of families too numerous to count who are being killed off one by one by AIDS. The way these children see the world is frightenly dead-on; they know when they're not wanted because it's proven to them everyday in the way they have to live.

"Amazing Grace" is not an easy read due to its topic matter. Kozol's style is matter-of-fact, made up of usually uninterrupted comments by those he's interviewed, sometimes with his questions thrown in, and his own comments and hypotheses as to how this can go on. But Kozol doesn't necessarily have answers or even blame. Surely, some blame has to go to a system that keeps the poorest people with the least chance for success segregated from others, a separation of the haves and have nots to the greatest degree. And certainly others would place the blame on the poor people themselves. Perhaps it's a combination of a lot of factors, not one or the other, but what is certain is that too little is being done (or maybe can be done) to make a difference before it is too late.

An important book.......2007-06-25

It is a book about children. Children who live in Mott Haven, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the South Bronx. I have almost never read anything that has moved me and at the same time disturbed me as this book has. Jonathan Kozol has with great care and sensitivity interviewed children living in this place that's both crime ridden and run down. Most of these kids start off as being trusting and innocent but grow into becoming more and more disillusioned about their surroundings and hope for survival. The HIV and AIDS virus has really hit hard in these places and this is connected to the large amount of the population that abuse heroin. The heroin has such self-mocking names as "Jungle Fever", "Black Sabbath", "DOA"(dead on arrival), and "True Power". Many of the children are born to addicted mothers, some of who are in jail, already contracting the disease in utero. First time mothers have an average age between 16 and 17, while grandmothers can be in their late thirties and great great grandmothers in their late 50s.

Its incredible how close Jonathan Kozol manages to come to these kids. They really take him in and open up their hearts. They share with him their stories. These stories are full of horrible and painful things that are so far from the realities that we experience here in modern day big city Stockholm. The segregation in these South Bronx neighborhoods is total, whether it's the schools, hospitals, or prisons. And almost always the kids receive the short end of the stick. Children tell of how they see murders on the street, get attacked by rats, how some are killed or burned from household fires, how some eat cold oatmeal out of the box for dinner, many of the kids live with chronic asthma due to anxiety, others live with mothers dying of AIDS, and often have classrooms that are decrepit and completely rundown. There are less qualified doctors and teachers here than anywhere else in the state of New York. There have been major tax cuts in the city that have hit these citizens hardest. Like cuts in sanitation that has resulted in mountains of garbage lining up inside buildings drawing hordes of rats. Cuts in maintenance of buildings that leave elevators broken, often resulting in playing kids falling down the elevator shafts and dying. The police refer to some of the housing projects to as "death camps" because so many drug dealers and addicts dominate them. The tax cuts have also led to many social workers losing their jobs as well as closing of several youth centers that allow kids safe places to be while their parents work. Prostitution is also common among the women. Mostly serving the truck drivers who drive through the neighborhood to deliver goods to the Hunts Point market that is close. They turn tricks for 3 to 5 dollars that go to feeding their addictions. This happens all hours of the day and night, even when the children can see. Many times when the children or adults are asked how they manage to survive they mention their faith in god and heaven. That the place that they are in now is more reminiscent of hell, but this is not where they will end up.

As a atudent of theology I cannot help but see this book as a strong wake up call. The gospels of the New Testament took the part of the poor, saying the last shall be first and the first shall be last. In the Christian nation of America that prints "In god we trust" on their coins-this is how they treat the poor. One priest who works in the South Bronx took a little kid with him when he had to drive to Queens to do some errands. There he took him to Burger King to eat. The kid had never been outside of the Bronx before. The priest later learned from the kid's teacher that he wrote an essay in school about their lunch called "My trip to Burger King"-the same way a rich kid might write about a trip he made to Florida. Most of these kids never get any Christmas or birthday presents. They don't even have their own rooms. Sleeping on sofas or on mattresses on the floor. One child says, " it feels like I'm hidden", and this is a good observation. Nobody wants to be reminded of what these children are going through. Therefore their stories are seldom, if ever, heard. This is why Jonathan Kozols book is so important. Only a short distance away just across 96th street lies the park avenue apartments that houses some of the wealthiest people in the nation, households with an average income of 300,000 dollars a year. Toward the end of the book the author talks to an old poet living in the Bronx and the start to discuss the Nazi holocaust and the concentration camps. How there are certain disturbing parallels to what happened then and whats happening now. How the outcasts and those human beings viewed as being "superfluous" are quarantined. "Its not the same" he says, "but there are some similarities. There is the feeling of eclipse. There is the likelihood of death for many. There is a sense of people watching from the outside but seeming paralyzed and doing nothing. And then there are the miracles."

Amazing Grace: Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation, The .......2007-05-07

I ordered a series of books for my daughter. Excellent email response, timely receipt and accurate updates of the order. More than what I expected. The materials were in good condition on arrival. Very satisfied with the service.

A Disappointing Look into a Terrible Problem.......2007-01-29

Having read Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol, I expected something similar in style but different in content in Amazing Grace. I was not happy with Kozol the first time around but willing to try again, and despite my second chance this was just as disappointing. Normally in a book like this there would be a story that would connect the reader to the problem and personalize it, lots of fully cited statistics, and a workable solution. The book had only two of those, a story and statistics, which is my problem with Kozol. An excellent storyteller, he wraps you in page turning narratives, an unexpected plus in a book about America's most destitute victims of racism. Endless numbers prove his every point and bring you to his side of the table. That is not where the problem lies. Kozol's writing is simply annoying! Reading this book is like being guilt-tripped for something he makes you seem powerless over. I cannot stand that in either book he does not discuss a solution. The weakness is that it gets repetitive, going on and on with little difference between his rich people/poor people examples, however, the writing manages to stay interesting. What was most interesting was the similarity of Amazing Grace to Savage Inequalities. I thought that book was repetitive and mostly unhelpful, but now this? He even used the same school in both books and a critic of the book noted that the school he re-referenced has been repaired but Kozol had not bothered to redo his research. It is a strange feeling to read a book where the author has poorly plagiarized his own work. What is disheartening is that Kozol could write in such a selfish way. It cannot be articulated in one quote, but read the book and you will understand how he makes you feel like he is the only person in the world with a heart. It feels incomplete, and I am baffled that he did he not come across any way to help during his extensive research. I would not want to read another guilt tripping Kozol book and believe this is not an extremely important read. I would even recommend Savage Inequalities over this. I took away knowledge of a racial problem in America, but was put down by the seeming impossibility of any solution and the unnecessary jabs at anyone who is white or above the poverty line.

Casey Gollan

Captured by Grace: No One Is Beyond the Reach of a Loving God

Average customer rating:

Grace undeserved benefit, Wretch deserves punishment
Grace available to all
Truly Inspirational
I am captured and love it!
Sola Fad

Captured by Grace: No One Is Beyond the Reach of a Loving God
David Jeremiah
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1591453895
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Book Description

By following the dramatic story of the "Amazing Grace" hymnwriter John Newton and the apostle Paul's own encounter with the God of grace, Jeremiah helps readers understand the freeing power of permanent forgiveness and mercy.

Customer Reviews:

Grace undeserved benefit, Wretch deserves punishment.......2007-09-07

Grace is a gift; Grace is undeserved; Grace is unmerited; Grace is received. Grace is illustrated through the lives of individuals who have received forgiveness and undeserved salvation. Amazing Grace tells about the love received when Grace is given; that love is defined through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The doctrine of Grace is given in Paul's epistles. Capture by Grace written by David Jeremiah defines Grace received through the lives of John Newton, the author of Amazing Grace and the Apostle Paul. This book will give the reader greater understanding of God's wrath, God's judgment, God's mercy, God's Grace, the atonement, God's forgiveness, God's provision for sinners and God's love. David Jeremiah explores the words of the song Amazing Grace and applies them to the lives of John Newton and Paul. The author details scriptural backing for the lyrics of Amazing Grace by quoting Paul's epistles. This book is an argument against sentiment or to diminish the song's meaning through the changing the word wretch. Both John Newton and Paul knew they deserved hell; both men knew they deserved damnation. No man should demand justice, but praise God that Grace can be received.

Grace available to all.......2007-09-06

"[T]hat saved a wretch like me" is a key phrase in the hymn "Amazing Grace." We are all familiar with the song from either church or television. I remember them singing it on an episode of Little House on the Prairie as well as an episode of Cheers. If I remember correctly, it is also the hymn of choice in funerals when bagpipes are playing. That phrase of the song highlights a key focus of this book, the gift of God's grace to everyone, including the least likely.

To highlight this focus, Dr. David Jeremiah breaks the song into parts to explain what it means biblically. To illustrate, he gives us the life of John Newton (who wrote "Amazing Grace") and the apostle Paul. Both men were some of the least likely of people to be given this gift of grace. Paul persecuted the early Christians, and John Newton was a slave trader.

The book's intent is to instruct us, so the author has broken this down into sections so that the reader can think about each part of the song. In this way, the book is more interactive. The reader will get more from the book if he or she takes a moment in reflection.

The book provides information about the hymn that may not have been known by most people (and I found very interesting), as well as some information about John Newton. The focus of the book, however, is Christian instruction.

Truly Inspirational.......2007-04-07

Weaving the two stories - the author of the beloved hymn and St Paul show that grace is truly AMAZING!

I am captured and love it!.......2006-10-21

What can I say that has not been said! WOW! I thought I knew the whole story of the song, I was wrong. I love getting the rest of the story!This book is a blessong!

Sola Fad.......2006-09-20

Promise Keepers, Prayer Of Jabez, Purpose Driven,...Captured By Grace. How many of these Band Wagons are we going to jump on ?
How about the GOSPEL !!!

Amazing Grace: The Inspirational Stories of William Wilberforce, John Newton, and Olaudah Equiano (Radio Theatre)

Average customer rating:

Inspirational, educational and entertaining!

Amazing Grace: The Inspirational Stories of William Wilberforce, John Newton, and Olaudah Equiano (Radio Theatre)
Paul McCusker , and Dave Arnold
Manufacturer: Tyndale Entertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Religious & Liturgical | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1589973933

Book Description

The Radio Theatre production of Amazing Grace provides a prequel view to events featured in Amazing Grace, the movie. It offers listeners a more in-depth and personal story of each of the main characters--William Wilberforce (an evangelical Christian politician), John Newton (author of "Amazing Grace"), and Olaudah Equiano (slave turned quaker merchant)--three men instrumental in overthrowing the slave trade. The original Radio Theatre drama will bring out the essential spiritual elements in each story and show how the efforts of each man turned the tide of public opinion.

Customer Reviews:

Inspirational, educational and entertaining!.......2007-03-02

This 5 CD set from Focus on the Family Radio Theatre is an outstanding audio drama that I recommend to anyone wanting to know more about the lives of these great men of faith. Wilberforce and Newton are currently more popular following the release of the movie Amazing Grace and these CDs give greater insight into their lives before and after their miraculous conversion to Christianity. The other gentleman included in this set is Olaudah Equiano. Another substantial character in the Amazing Grace movie, Equiano was a former slave who was able to purchase his freedom while in America and then returned to England to join the abolitionist movement along side Wilberforce and Newton. Equiano's book was a best-seller and he was tremendously influential in the cause of freedom for others less fortunate then he.

The production quality of the CD audio drama is first rate -- absolutely outstanding. I would recommend this set to everyone and it is entirely appropriate and entertaining enough for a younger listener as well -- probably a young middle school aged student around ten or eleven could follow the events and find the stories educational and entertaining.

What's So Amazing About Grace? Study Guide

Average customer rating:

Liberals & Moderates, Beware
Amazing Insight !
This book changed my life
Here's What's Amazing about Grace
food!

What's So Amazing About Grace? Study Guide
Phillip Yancey
Manufacturer: Zondervan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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General | Religion & Spirituality | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 0310219043

Book Description

Author Philip Yancey combines his talents with Brenda Quinn’s to produce a study guide for his Gold Medallion Award-winning and best-selling book, What's So Amazing About Grace?.

Customer Reviews:

Liberals & Moderates, Beware.......2007-07-21

Yancey's book does have many good parts. It hasn't changed my life but I don't expect a publication with one person's interpretations to do that.

You will see the author is biased. He understates the fact that religious organizations have become too political. If you believe the "religious right" is more of a religious wrong, especially with Bush-43 and other neoconservatives, you'll be better off looking for a different author.

Unfortunately, I'd purchased this book without knowing enough about Yancey's history. Use a search engine to check out his style and personal opinions before you make the purchase.

Amazing Insight !.......2004-10-28

It is an easy, smooth and deep read !
Certainly helpful for anybody who wants to understand more of Gods grace we already recieved.
Go for it, it will change the way you see things, your first thoughts in the morning and your relationships.

This book changed my life.......2000-12-15

This book really did change my life by forcing me to look at the world around me and how I react to it as a Christian. Since reading this book, I have felt personally challenged to convey God's grace to others, particularly those that are "different" from myself. I think this is the best Christian book out right now and I have already given it as a gift to several friends and family members. If you are a Christian and have become discouraged by the negative reaction to Christians by non-Christians, read this book and help me start to change those stereotypes.

Here's What's Amazing about Grace.......2000-05-02

How can I add anything to all the rave reviews of this book? Why does everyone love it so much? Two reasons: the fact of God's grace and the fact that Yancey conveys that grace in a well-written book that is moving and touching. Yancey -- praise the Lord! -- is one conservative Christian who understands that Christianity is about God's love and forgiveness and not about a wrathful, rule-enforcing God who forgives grudgingly. And Yancey has a way of conveying this message with art and feeling. I have already bought multiple copies of this book to give to friends. I consider it a must-read for anyone looking for God's love.

food!.......1999-12-17

Stunning, beautiful. All I hunger for. From Bear Grylls, author of 'Facing Up', published March 2000 Macmillans

Average customer rating:

Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace
What a teaching tool!!!
You Can Do Anything

Amazing Grace (Reading Rainbow Book)
Mary Hoffman
Manufacturer: Dial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0803710402

Customer Reviews:

Amazing Grace.......2007-02-05

I got the book as a gift for my grand daughter who likes to draw. The vivid colors and expressions on the characters faces should keep her interested for a while. The story line is an added bonus.

Amazing Grace.......2005-11-09

I liked this story because Grace can be Peter Pan if she put her mind to it. My favorite part is after the ballet. I would recommend this book to a friend because its about your imaginery. The book is amazing.

By: S.J.
Los Angeles
Age 5

Amazing Grace.......2005-10-17

This is a great story with a great message. It tells children there are no limits to what they can be. It tells children not to be deterred by sterotypes or opinions. You can be anything you set your mind to. I bought copies for both my son and my niece.

What a teaching tool!!!.......2004-11-30

Do you need a book that confronts racism, appreciates theater, and shatters stereotypes on a primary level? If so, Amazing Grace, by Mary Hoffman, is the book for you. Not only does this book cover the above topics, but is also highlights on key items for younger readers, such as reading about individual achievements and moral dilemmas.
Grace, a first grade African American female, has an imagination with no boundaries. Grace loves to act out stories that she is told. At school, Grace's heart runs with excitement when her teacher announces that the class is going to do the play Peter Pan. Everyone wants to be Peter Pan, which highlights the enthusiasm for theater among these students. However, as Grace wants to be Peter Pan, her classmates tell her first that she can't because she is not a male. The second reason her classmates say is that she can't be Peter Pan is because she is black. Here lies the racism in this book.
The teacher allows each student to take home lines and memorize them to try out for roles. The best would get Peter Pan. In the mean time, Grace's grandmother takes her to a Romeo and Juliet ballet that features a black Juliet. This inspires Grace to go home and learn those lines as best as she can so that she will be the best one in the class. When it is time to try out, Grace is by far the best Peter Pan and the class votes to let her fill this role. This is where the shattering of stereotypes comes into play.
Past the social issues, Amazing Grace also fulfills the requirements that the Temple textbook states are good children's literature. First, children's literature must speak to the child. Children, especially that would read Amazing Grace, are extremely egocentric. Therefore, they want to read about the potential for individual achievement. Any child that is repressed for any reason could identify with Grace. There are a lot of things that Peter Pan was not, not just simply black. African American students could truly identify with Grace, having to deal with their differences that are spawned by their skin color and culture.
The last noticeable characteristic of good children's literature apparent in Amazing Grace is the presence of in depth thought, especially on morals. This book spawns thought on all the social issues mentioned above. This book would most certainly cause students to re- evaluate their thoughts and stances on racism, stereotypes, and maybe even theater. So many times, students think that what their parents believe is what they have to believe. However, educating students can help not only in letting them make their own decisions, but also educating their parents as well.
Finally, this book is an excellent book for teachers because there are many activities that can be done to accompany the reading. Perhaps this would be a great book to lead into their own class play. Another idea is to place this in a unit on racism and segregation in the upper elementary levels. Also, a teacher could do dress up day and the students could be whatever they want to be. All stereotypes are shattered for the day and each student can be free to be who they are. Amazing Grace may be one of the most influential books that I have ever read on racism and the way that Grace and her family handle this issue is admirable.

You Can Do Anything.......2002-12-16

This story is about a girl that pretends to play the parts of all kinds of different people and one day thiers a play and she wants to play the part of Peter Pan and some kids tell er she can't then she goes home. Later on they her parents tell her she can do anything she wants as long as she puts her mind to it, and she did.

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