Customer Reviews:
The Strange Case(s) of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.......2002-09-29
The artist Paul Gauguin once said that "life being what it is, one dreams of revenge." In "Bad Men Do What Good Men Dream," Dr. Robert Simon explains that all people have "bad dreams"--thoughts of suicide, or revenge, or crime--but only a very few cross the line from bad dream to bad action.
This book explores the nebulous borderline between what people think and what they do. The topics covered include serial killing, workplace violence, multiple personality disorder, killer cults, suicide, sexual misconduct by professional caregivers, rape, stalking and pyschopathic behavior.
In each area, Dr. Simon's analysis shows just how complex and surprising the human mind can be. Even apparently straightforward questions, such as whether a given criminal is likely to be dangerous in the future, or whether a "suicide" is actually an accident, turn out to be very hard to answer.
At times, Dr. Simon's style is a bit academic, but on the whole he writes clearly and does a good job of covering a wide range of complex issues.
Bad men do what good men dream.......2000-09-15
Dr. Robert I Simon's book Bad Med Do What Good Men Dream is an erudite and readable treatment of one of the knottiest questions in the history of humanity: what separates good men from bad men? Dr. Simon has applied his vast experience in clinical and forensic psychiatry to illuminate the similarities and differences between those who demonstrate remarkable psychopathology and "normal" people. He has explored the spectrum of violent and horrifying behavior, from killer cults to serial murderers to workplace violence, and provided a thoughtful discussion of the difficulties of identifying the good and evil inside us and around us. As a forensic psychiatrist, I found this book enlightening, thought provoking and well written. I highly recommend it to any professional or lay student of human nature.
the struggle between good and evil.......2000-08-26
Bad Men Do What Good Men Dream is a fascinating and well researched account of mankind's capacity for evil. Written by a forensic psychiatrist with years of clinical experience examining the human mind, the book not only provides the theoretical underpinnings of the subject, it provides the seasoned observer's inside account of what makes us "tick". In the humanist's tradition, it recognizes that dark thoughts are latent in all of us. Dr. Simon has produced a highly educational and riveting read without ever lapsing into the usual pomposity or sensationalism often found in writings on this topic. Readers will enjoy the many thought provoking discussions not only about why we do the things we do, but about what separates "good" people from "bad".
Pass on this one.......2000-08-15
...[T]his book has four or five chapters of differing criminal
behaviors (the serial murderer, the sexual deviant) told in
sensational stories with little serious discussion of the the
psychological basis or reasoning of why bad men do what good men
dream. In fact, the question of why bad men DO what good men dream is
never seriously examined. In fact, there is little, if any,
illuination of the causes or understanding of psychopathic behavior.
If this is a topic that interests you, you're much better off with
Charles Patrick Ewing's work or Henry Steadman.
Lacking in emperical evidence.......2000-06-23
This is a so/so book. Its main weakness is its reliance on sensational stories rather than on creditable evidence as to why people commit horrific crimes. For those who are facisinated with "criminal profiling" this may be worth a read, but for any serious scholar of forensic psychology, pass on this one.
Customer Reviews:
worth the money and effort to read.......2007-09-12
im glad i got this book i have a better understanding of the cards.
it is worth the money you put out for this book.
you will enjoy reading it and learning from it.
Wonderful Workbook.......2007-01-18
This is a great add-on to the Sacred Cards. This workbook helps you also in understand the meaning of each card and how to take this knowledge and put into practice. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Native American Practices.
Grounded Guidance for the Soul.......2006-11-08
Jamie Sams is an excellent teacher for people of all ages and all colors. This book takes your soul on a hand-held journey through the many aspects we all encounter in life that challenge our growth. Full of the wisdom of the ages, Sacred Path opens awareness of archetypes that only the author's deep understanding of human nature can help us discover in ourselves. A beautiful journey of self exploration in a wounded world.
Gives more depth to the Sacred Path Cards.......2005-07-24
This book allows the seeker to move forward in exploring the Shamanic Traditions more completely.
Wise and Wonderful.......2003-08-02
What a wonderful way to start a day: Picking a Scared Path card and then reading that specific chapter in this fine book! Clear, easy to read, it is an excellent tool for walking the Native American spiritual path, or any spiritual path for that matter. It may be out of print, but get a copy -- no matter what condition. A rare and wonderful book.
Book Description
Every sentence we hear is instantly analyzed by an inner grammar; just as a prism refracts a beam of light, grammar divides a stream of sound, linking diverse strings of information to different domains of mind--memory, vision, emotions, intentions. In The Prism of Grammar, Tom Roeper brings the abstract principles behind modern grammar to life by exploring the astonishing intricacies of child language. Adult expressions provide endless puzzles for the child to solve. The individual child's solutions ("Don't uncomfortable the cat" is one example) may amuse adults but they also reveal the complexity of language and the challenges of mastering it. The tiniest utterances, says Roeper, reflect the whole mind and engage the child's free will and sense of dignity.
He offers numerous and novel "explorations"--many at the cutting edge of current work--that anyone can try, even in conversation around the dinner table. They elicit how the child confronts "recursion"--the heartbeat of grammar--through endless possessives ("John's mother's friend's car"), mysterious plurals, contradictory adjectives, the marvels of ellipsis, and the deep obscurity of reference ("there it is, right here"). They are not tests of skill; they are tools for discovery and delight, not diagnosis. Each chapter on acquisition begins with a commonsense look at how structures work--moving from the simple to the complex--and then turns to the literary and human dimensions of grammar. One important human dimension is the role of dialect in society and in the lives of children. Roeper devotes three chapters to the structure of African-American English and the challenge of responding to linguistic prejudice.
Written in a lively style, accessible and gently provocative, The Prism of Grammar is for parents and teachers as well as students--for everyone who wants to understand how children gain and use language--and anyone interested in the social, philosophical, and ethical implications of how we see the growing mind emerge.
Customer Reviews:
If you only read one book this year, read this one........2007-08-04
Anyone who wants to understand what Universal Grammar (Chomsky) is all about could do no better than to read Tom Roeper's excellent book. And it is a must-read for anyone interested in child language acquisition, language teachers (first and second), and speakers of (or listeners to!) non-standard English.
However, this book is about far more than that. Or should I say, Universal Grammar itself is about far more than you might think. The book, and UG, are about the nature of mind, and what it means to be a human person. In fact, the title of Chapter 2 is "Grammar's Gift to Our Image of Human Nature." In that chapter, Roeper makes the bold statement: "The body is just an extension of the mind. The body is designed to express the mind--the opposite of the common view that the body is real and the mind an illusion."
Modern science since the Enlightenment has struggled with these ideas. Today, the world's mind seems to have arrived at a position of extreme reductionism in its thinking about nature and the human person. We think of this mental attitude as having been arrived at by dint of dispassionate, rational thought. However, Roeper will convince you that observation and logic in fact lead us away from reductionism.
Linguistics occupies an interesting position - it claims for itself, with some justification, the status of a hard science; yet its subject matter is the stuff of poetry. Linguistics does not shy away from this nexus, and in its philosophical underpinnings aims to do justice to both sets of values. Roeper's book leads the reader to an understanding of how this might be so, and to the hope that this may be the future for the other sciences also.
Roeper writes as a scholar and a humanist. In his introduction to the book, he expresses the hope that he has written "like a human being." In this, above all, he has succeeded.
Amazon.com
Focusing on the "eternal" nature of our existence, Craig Lundahl and Harold Widdison share their quest to understand "the purpose of life and the meaning of death." The Eternal Journey incorporates near-death experience (NDE) case studies that reveal the afterlife with cases involving pre-earth life encounters, making this an up-to-date work on the entire journey of the human soul. Grounded in scientific research yet emotionally charged, this is a revealing look at where we came from, what we're doing here, and where we're going.
Customer Reviews:
Worth the read!.......2007-07-04
Want a glimpse of where you will ultimately be living when you die?
Read this book. If you don't believe, you will when you die!
Also see my review of "The Message"
Enjoyed this book.
Angelfish
The First Shall be Last and the Last First.......2003-09-14
The Eternal Journey's best insight is that what kindnesses sincerely we do especially for the lowly and helpless is what is the most important thing we will be judged by once we reach the afterlife. All the earthly cares and pleasures we are focused on such moving up in the world will not matter much in the afterlife and going after material things solely will deaden our spiritual growth, which has eternal value. We grow by love and according to this book, our faith in the right sort of religious doctrine will not matter as much as how loving we were, even to those very different from us.
As far as practical problems on earth, the book leaves one confused. Things have to be done and set up properly for society to function well and some ideas on how to do that are better than others. So I don't see how one could just sit back and not worry about such temporal problems, as the book seems to suggest we should.
The book suggests we should love everyone, but this suggestion doesn't make much sense to me on a practical level when enemies bent on our destruction will just take advantage of our love and attempt to take all of our power from us.
Another interesting insight is that we, our lives and our decisions are important both temporally and eternally. What we think and do or don't do rightly or wrongly will have an effect on everyone being that we are all interconnected. We should be careful of what we do, think, or say and we should consider what effect that we bring to us and others. This is not a meaningless existence, all of it is rather very meaningful and we are important players in this existence both here and now and in eternity.
Also, we are given a mission that relates to our families, which we should fulfill for spiritual progress of the family. Unfortunately, we don't know exactly what that mission is while we dwell on earth and have passed through the veil of forgetfulness. The mission probably has something to do with love, I suppose. Families and their relationships are important on earth and in heaven.
There are also other interesting tidbits such as it not a good idea to get addicted to something until it becomes a spiritual addiction. You will not be able to slake your cravings in the afterworld without a physical body.
The Eternal Journey has a Christian world view mostly. You get one shot at living a proper life and then you are judged eternally. You don't keep coming round and round like in reincarnation to get it right. It makes this one life much more important, if this is true. Some hellish NDE's are reported, which are about 12 percent of all reported NDE's. Whether hell is eternal or not is debatable, according to the book, but it is appropriately scary. A lot of what is reported in the book illuminates some scriptures such as earthly losers being winners in heaven (the last shall be first) and everything hidden shall be revealed (there will be no hidden secrets in the afterlife).
Reading this book may encourage readers to think about their lives, their values, and whether they are living right and valuing the right things.
This is a book without guile........2002-01-29
I've read this book twice, and I intend to read it again. This is simply the best organised, straight-forward, most scholarly account on the nature and purpose of life that I have ever read. Yet, at no time did I feel that I was being "sold" a particular dogma. There was nothing that I had to sit down and struggle to accept or rationalise;it just simply had the ring of truth. One look at the table of contents reveals the clear, logical organization of the book- there is no fuzzy minded pseudo- mysticism here. Everything from the nature and purpose of pre-earth life, life on earth, and post-earth life is right here. You find definate information on everything from angels, bewildered spirits, pets; to the big questions like the purpose of life and the nature of suffering. If you've been told that you can't possibly understand the great mystery of God's will, try reading this book- it gives some satisfying and comforting answers in clear and simple language.
The Eternal Journey How near Death Experiences Illuminate Us.......2001-12-11
This book was great so good that i ordered a total of six so i could give one to each of my family members. i recieved great service also.
Eternal Journey by Lundahl and Widdison makes Eternal Impact.......2001-08-27
This is the best book I've read in years. It's beyond inspirational. It's life-changing. Read this before Oprah's suggested book by Gary Zukav, "Seat of the Soul". If you already read that, you'll love this. It's proof.
Amazon.com
As the millennium clatters toward us, optimists and doomsayers struggle over its symbolism as a new beginning or a fiery end. The all-female cast of contributors to The Fabric of the Future includes New Age matriarchs like Shakti Gawain and Brooke Medicine Eagle and thinkers drawn from a variety of life paths, such as Angeles Arrien, Joan Borysenko, Flor Fernandez, Gloria Steinem, and Nancy Mairs. Editor M.J. Ryan voices a collective impatience over the mounting anxieties of an age that seems to be spinning out of control. "I became tired with all this breaking down--I wanted to know what was breaking through," she writes. Luisah Teish chides the cultural tourism that has many New Agers rather arrogantly appropriating sacred symbols and practices of peoples around the globe, reducing them to "the fleeting diversions of Western spiritual adolescents." Only "a radical shift in conscience as well as consciousness" can wrest the future from the excesses of the past, she insists. Dawna Markova celebrates the power of stubborn will, the possibilities inherent in disillusionment, and the paradox of embracing the unknown to tap a more fluid intelligence than the one available to those who move through life on autopilot. The Fabric of the Future has its share of repetition and half-baked thought, but wins out by joining solid consideration of how the past has shaped the present with fresh perspectives on what we might aspire to in the hereafter. --Francesca Coltrera
Book Description
The Fabric of the Future is a landmark work, containing the writing of some of the most original thinkers, scientists, and psychospiritual visionaries of today. Forty women - psychologists, writers, consultants, activists, and artists - offer a template for the next millennium and picture a future characterized by balance, integration, harmony, and hope.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Essays by Forward Thinking Women of our Time.......1999-04-29
This book made me glad to be a woman. In so many ways our society says women are defective. This book is a wonderful collection of essays by some of the brightest, most articulate women. It has wonderful language from so many authors affirming women and affirming how we can change the world. I particularly enjoyed Cheri Huber, Riane Eisler, Brooke Medicine Eagle, Barbara Marx Hubbard, and all the authors have something important to say. The listing of on-line resources is terrific. The book is very optimistic (and the on-line resources even more so) about the possibility of creating a good future.
Customer Reviews:
Words of a master practitioner.......2005-05-25
Kalu Rinpoche visited and taught extensively in the West at a ripe old age, urged to do so by the late H.H. the 16th Karmapa. This book is a largely a transcript of some of the most important teachings he gave to Western students.
Rinpoche present a traditional view, leaning heavily on the teachings of Gampopa's 'Jewel Ornament of Liberation', although he does present these in an easily understandable format (which is not always the case with Gampopa himself).
The book is a lucid and very accurate account of the most important teachings of Vajrayana and Mahayana Buddhism. I think the material should be accessible to most, although be advised that it is always best to receive a 'living' transmission from a living lama.
Also beware that Rinpoche cuts straight to the chase and does not package and gift-wrap the Dharma for the Western mind in the way that other excellent teachers - such as Ole Nydahl - do. Some things may be hard to swallow. But rest assured that there is still a lot of wisdom to be found in his words.
The Profound Dharma.......2003-09-05
At the beginning of this book, Kalu Rinpoche mentions the famed teacher Chogyam Trungpa, who brought the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism to the west in a very innovative way. Kalu Rinpoche says almost by way of apology that he's not into trying to adapt the material to the western mind too deeply, and he thinks it's most powerful to present these teachings in the more traditional context.
So, if you really want to have a solid Tibetan Buddhism 102, written in an incredibly human style, and you think you can handle some of the more punk-rock aspects of Buddhism (like the vivid descriptions of the hell realms) then this is an amazing condensation of the most important, vital teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, presented in thier full profundity.
However, if you just want to understand a little more about how the wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism could apply to your problems and inner struggles, it's probably a much better bet to get a book by Pema Chodron.
Book Description
25 lessons on the most frequently tested SAT topics in math, critical reading, and writing.
Features include:
-An overview of the question type
-Common answer traps to avoid
-Key formulas and rules
-Sample questions with walk-through explanations
-A 10-question practice quiz
-A wealth of supplementary material online, including mobile applications, flashcards, and a full-length practice test
Book Description
Here are the prominent ideas that can serve as the keystones for building a successful life. This collection is filled with wisdom that motivates and inspires us to reach for life's most fulfilling achievements. "If there's a way to do it better...find it." - Thomas Edison
Customer Reviews:
Inspirational quotes.......2006-06-26
This is a book of approximately 300 quotations derived from sources as varied as William Shakespeare and Mike Ditka.
This is the gist of the editors selections: "Purpose is what gives life a meaning," C.H. Parkhurst. Or, "You have to have a dream so you can get up in the morning," Billy Wilder.
Includes a brief introduction by the editor. You may also want to read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and The 17 Principles of Creating Wealth by Phillip Collinsowrth.
Ron Taylor
Author, Network Marketing: MLM Strategies for Success and Wealth Creation
Average customer rating:
- Good, but Incomplete
- A More Corporate and Covenantal Perspective (High View of the Church)!
- Not convincing
- This is NOT Reformed Covenant Theology
- Read something from the other side
|
The Call of Grace: How the Covenant Illuminates Salvation and Evangelism
Norman Shepherd
Manufacturer: P & R Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Evangelism
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Presbyterian
| Protestantism
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Theology
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Soteriology
| Theology
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Theology
| Religious Studies
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Evangelism
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Presbyterian
| Protestantism
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Theology
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Soteriology
| Theology
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Religion & Spirituality
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Theology
| Religious Studies
| Religion & Spirituality
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Federal Vision and Covenant Theology: A Comparative Analysis
-
The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church
-
Paul: In Fresh Perspective
-
Symphonic Theology: The Validity of Multiple Perspectives in Theology
-
Paedofaith
ASIN: 0875524591 |
Customer Reviews:
Good, but Incomplete.......2007-01-16
Dr. Norman Shepherd is a good theologian and pastor in the denomination in which I serve. We have called upon him more than once to preach the Word in the local church which I serve and his preaching has always been faithful to the Word.
That is why I say that this book is good. And it's good in terms of his emphasis on the promises of God and the responsibility of men in the covenants which God has entered into in the history of redemption.
What is lacking is the word of assurance to the contrite believer. Yes, we are called to faithfulness, of living out our faith in obedience and holiness. There's no doubt about this.
The contrite believer needs to be constantly re-assured of a great truth that does not shine through in this book: Repentance (like faith) is a gift of God. (see Acts 11 & 2 Timothy 2) All the good we do is proof that God is at work within us. (Philippians 2, Hebrews 13).
Believers need to know that even their holiness is not their own. It is the work of God within. This could stand to shine through. Even our holiness is a work of God's grace. This is only glanced at in a reference to Ephesians 2:10 and at the end: "The Christ who was obedient for us is the Christ obedient in us." This should have been developed far more than it was.
It's a good book, but an incomplete one. Three stars.
A More Corporate and Covenantal Perspective (High View of the Church)!.......2007-01-13
Norman Shepherd's book The Call of Grace has aided to the current controversies within the Reformed faith regarding justification. It is provocative to many Reformed, in my opinion, not because it is unbiblical but because it ceases to be a part of any one particular camp. It really is a book that seeks to be both orthodox and ecumenical. It teaches covenant theology from a more rational and corporate perspective, rather than the individualistic and rhetorical perspectives that many teach through today.
Norman Shepherd, in the beginning of the book mentions how "there have been long standing differences between adherents of the historic Lutheran and Reformed confessions." He goes on to say that there are significant difference in the doctrine of the law. No problem there, right? Reformed pastors teach the moral law to be valid after conversion, but Lutheran believe in a more "spiritual" law, or a law that is not still mandated by the Old Testament.
These types of disagreements have caused many to teach a law-gospel dichotomy; that the law is a type of detour sign that shows us the gospel. The law is said to be part of a "covenant of works" that no man could tackle and then so the detour aspect comes in to play to show "grace" to the recipient. Then, after conversion, depending on your denomination, a type of new law comes in to help guide the Christian.
But Norman Shepherd proposes something different. He says that the Abrahamic covenant was a covenant of grace (with conditions of obedience) and the Mosaic covenant was also a covenant of grace (with conditions of obedience).
Many Reformed teach that there was a covenant of works with Adam (Westminster Confession mentions this term but does not say it is a "meritorious" covenant). And yet some Reformed even teach, as the dispensationals do, that the Mosaic covenant was yet another covenant of works. This then leads to that law-gospel dichotomy, that the law was completely separate from grace, and that only the new covenant was a covenant of grace.
If the covenants of old were covenants of works then, at best, they were covenants of grace disguised as covenants of works. In other words, God would have had to be deceiving the people since, according to Paul, even the OT saints were saved the same way we were (Romans 4). Why would God lie? Or, why would Moses propose a false promise?
So Shepherd goes on to say that the OT covenants were full of promise and grace. This then leads to the proposition that Christ did not come to morally earn a covenant of works, as many men teach (what is known as "active obedience").
Shepherd moves on through this little book to teach us that we should view election through covenant rather than viewing covenant through election. He says that when we view covenant through election we attempt to become "as God."(p.83)
Please allow me to comment a bit more: Ever since I became a pastor I have believed that we should teach election through covenant. To me it was the only way out of being tried as one who is judgmental. The accusations against Calvinists have been that they do not evangelize because they believe it is a waist of time to preach to reprobate, and that God will draw the elect. But we do not know who the elect are, as Shepherd proposes, and so we make a covenant assumption when evangelizing, hoping that all who we come in contact with are God's elect. Subliminally we know this is likely not true, since God has told us there are people going to hell. But we don't presuppose things based on what God knows but based on what we know; based on what God had revealed to us. And God has not revealed to us who the elect are and are not. So the debate narrows to that epistemological question: Do we act on what God knows or what we know? Which is reality to us on earth: the invisible or the visible?
Many Reformed do not understand the implications of epistemology and polemics within theology. The study of knowledge and the art of debate have come a long way since the Reformation. We certainly need to learn how to apply the great doctrines of grace in a more concise and logical way to where God's righteousness and God's mercy (law and grace) do not oppose one another to create the confusion of today's many divided camps. We need to know when the more Platonic philosophy is important and when the Aristotelian philosophy is important (two camps that have created harsh and unreasonable dichotomies).
The new covenant, as Shepherd teaches, brings clarity. It is based on the same promises in the old covenants but with that final fulfillment of the cross and resurrection. Christ is that living sacrifice that lives out his mercy and righteousness in our lives. Christ is obedient in us (p. 104); which is probably one of his harder statements to swallow, if you are a modern Reformed. But suffices to say, the doctrine of sanctification and its very reason of existing (see Shepherd p. 62) is very seldom taught or written on in the Reformed world. This lack of knowledge has fueled and even ignited this whole controversy, in my opinion. Certainly Christ's works are not infused like the Roman Catholics teach but his works must indeed have an eschatological outcome of some sort.
The Call of Grace is packed with clear teaching if you are willing to break down the walls of today's theological reductivism. And at only 105 pages, you should be able to read it in only a few nights.
Not convincing.......2005-04-20
The author of this book tries to demonstrate that to avoid legalism and antinomianism we must look at God's redemptive program "covenantally". There are two major sections in the book. The first section deals with the major redemptive covenants in the Bible (Abrahamic, Mosaic, and New); the second section deals with how the "covenant perspective" affects evangelism, election, and regeneration. Shepherd's approach is unlike that of other Reformed theologians. He argues that the "prophets and apostles viewed election from the perspective of the covenant, whereas we [modern Reformed theologians] have tended to view the covenant from the perspective of election" (p. 83). The thesis of this book is alarming and can undermine salvation by grace through faith alone. By emphasizing "covenant keeping" at the expense of Christ's sacrificial work and God's electing grace, Shepherd has turned around and gone back to the theology of the Medieval Scholastics that the Reformers opposed. In his discussion of the Mosaic Covenant, he argues that the Israelites had to obey the stipulations of this covenant in order to receive salvation (p. 40). Most Reformed scholars argue that the Mosaic Covenant did not provide eternal life, but temporal life in the Promised Land. Shepherd states that the Abrahamic Covenant was conditional, yet he forgets that God is the ONLY One who passed between the torn animals (Genesis 15:17). Therefore, God will fulfill this covenant regardless of the faithfulness (or faithlessness) of His people. Shepherd also states that the New Covenant is not opposed to the Mosaic Covenant (p. 57). If that is the case why did God have to give a New Covenant in the first place (Jeremiah 31:31)? The New Covenant is unconditional, and those who receive Christ will have the Law written in their hearts forever. He also states that in "Jesus we are enabled to become the covenant keepers that God intended us to be from the beginning" (Ibid). This sounds more like Romanism (with its view of infused righteousness) rather than Protestantism (with its view of imputed righteousness). Romanists say that we are infused with Christ's righteousness so that we can persevere and be successful covenant keepers. Shepherd's chapter on the Great Commission is deplorable and one can easily detect his postmillennial bias. I'm sorry to say but the Messianic Kingdom in its fullness cannot arrive in the present age, it will come at the Parousia (Revelation 20). His chapter on election is also controversial since no believer can have assurance of salvation since he or she cannot know whether he or she is an elect until he or she has fulfilled all the covenant requirements. I would argue (like most Reformed scholars do) that we are in the covenant of grace (or New Covenant) due to God's election of us in Christ. His accusation that traditional Reformed theologians cannot give comfort and assurance to struggling believers can also be turned around and used against his own view. Shepherd's theology does not only undermine assurance of salvation by putting primacy away from election, but destroys assurance by insisting on "covenant faithfulness" to the very end. Another disturbing part of Shepherd's book is his insistence that baptism "is therefore to be understood as of a piece with the total transformation of salvation" (p. 102). Therefore, baptism is part of the covenant obligation that one must go through in order to be saved. If this isn't works-salvation, I don't know what is. He argues that baptism is essential because there "are no secret believers, but only baptized believers" (p. 101). Did Shepherd forget that Joseph of Arimathea was a secret disciple or believer (John 19:38)? If covenant faithfulness is necessary for salvation what about those struggling believers like Lot, Samson, Solomon, Ananias and Sapphira, the Carnal Corinthians (1 Corinthians 3:1-3), and those Corinthians who died for abusing the Lord's Table (11:30)? Paul did not condone their behaviour but he knew that Christ's sacrifice covers all sins. To argue that we are not saved by works, but we won't be saved without them is double talk. The typical believer will assume a works-salvation mentality regardless of how you phrase the demands for works. Between antinomianism and legalism, Shepherd's view will make people slide down the hill of legalism. The Biblical way of looking at the relationship between salvation, covenant, and law is to subordinate covenant under Christ's sacrifice just as law is subordinate to the covenant. To put Christ's sacrifice, the covenant, and the law on an equal footing will undermine Christ's work on the Cross and lead believers into a Romanistic or Judaistic mentality. For those who think this book is such a great breakthrough in Reformed thought should think again. Shepherd's view sounds eerily similar to the Judaistic notion of covenant keeping by strict obedience. In fact, Shepherd does throw the Old Covenant into the New. The only positive thing about this book is that it will show the average believer where "ultra-covenantalism" will lead if left unchecked and gives readers a good understanding of unorthodox covenant theology.
This is NOT Reformed Covenant Theology.......2004-02-14
Shepherd departs from the Reformed tradition when he insists that covenant keeping, i.e., faithful evangelical obedience, is necessary for justification. He de-emphasizes classical Reformed teaching, such as eternal and unconditional election, justification by faith alone (apart from any of the works of faith), and the centrality cross of Jesus Christ in the life and consciousness of the believer. Read this book if you want to explore an innovative and "Arminianish" theology of salvation, but turn elsewhere if you want to understand the classical Reformation view.
For a solid and orthodox articulation of classical Reformed Covenant Theology, I recommend Louis Berkhof's _Systematic Theology_, and for a more thorough treatment, Herman Witsius' _The Economy of the Covenants between God and Man_.
Read something from the other side.......2003-05-29
Shepherd was thrown out of Westminster Seminary for his unbiblical view on soteriology in 1981, but not without leaving his mark in the seminary's faculty, which remains a problem to this day.
This book contains some very simple words, combined in a way to form sentenses and paragraphs that make no sense. So it is hard for those who lack the ability to discern the subtleties of theological language -- let alone Shepherd's confused language -- to really understand what he is saying, and to realize how unbiblical his view is.
For a short critique, I suggest that you search the Internet for John Robbins' review on this book, entitled, "False Shepherd". I think he rightly calls Shepherd's view "Neo-legalism".
Books:
- Behind the Wheel Chinese (Mandarin), Level 1: Learn to Speak Mandarin Chinese Quickly and Easily! (8 One Hour CDs)
- Berlin Interiors (Jumbo)
- Black Boy (The Restored Text Established by The Library of America) (Perennial Classics)
- Bungalow Bathrooms (Bungalow Basics)
- C'est La Vie: An American Woman Begins a New Life in Paris and--Voila!--Becomes Almost French
- Christmas Memories: A Keepsake Book from the Heart of the Home
- Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui
- Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui
- Concrete Countertops: Design, Form, and Finishes for the New Kitchen and Bath
- Courtyards: Aesthetic, Social, and Thermal Delight
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Art of Innovation: Lessons in Creativity from IDEO, America's Leading Design Firm
- Feeling Naked on the First Tee: An Essential Guide for New Women Golfers
- The World Is Sound: Nada Brahma: Music and the Landscape of Consciousness
- Alternative to Lean Production: Work Organization in the Swedish Auto Industry
- CompTIA A+ Complete Fast Pass
- Elsewhere
- Creative Wedding Showers: Homemade Invitations, Decorations, Games, Planning Tips, Menu Ideas and Mo
- Weightless Wealth: Find Your Real Value In A Future Of Intangible Assets
- 360 Degree Feedback : The Powerful New Model for Employee Assessment & Performance Improvement
- Parents Pregnant Teens and the Adoption Option: Help for Families
Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us
Guilty by Reason of Insanity: A Psychiatrist Explores the Minds of Killers
The Relationship Challenge: Finding That Special Person and Making It Work
Dark Dreams: A Legendary FBI Profiler Examines Homicide and the Criminal Mind
The Sociopath Next Door
