No comments about Assist Me to Proclaim: The Life and Hymns of Charles Wesley.

No comments about Benedict XVI: An Intimate Portrait.

5 comments about Tolkien: Man and Myth.

1. I read this book not knowing what to expect. A great pick for Lord of the Rings fans because it gives a deep insight into the man and the beliefs of the man who wrote such a great trilogy. I recommend for anyone that is a fan of Tolkien and anyone who would like to learn more about the religious themes behind his writings.



2. Joseph Pearce's biography on J.R.R. Tolkien is a short, yet fully engrossing and insightful read about one of the greatest literary minds of anytime. For those who disagree with my statement, imagine a man who not only rights a fantasy, but creates a new world even to the extent in creatng a language, and yet, thoroughly entertaining and teaching his readership. Pearce's book delves into the reasons why Tolkien developed the art he did while avoiding teh overly Freuden' psychological pitfalls of reading too much into the subject.

   There are no deep secrets here, just good common sense by listening to Tolkien's life, letters and writing. One gets to pierce Tolkien's Middle Earth and his Roman Catholic life and how is religious faith ineteracted with everything he did, from his marriage to his friendships. This is not a re-hash of facts and show-and-tale sensasonalism, but instead, a look into the man and the true nature of myths. An outstanding read!




3. If you have never read a biography of J.R.R. Tolkien, purchase this one. Biographies often tend toward the overly factual without great attention to the question of "Why?" What motivates the subject of the biography?

   Here we find that J.R.R. Tolkien was motivated in life and in his work by his Catholic faith. He used the power of creative myth to demonstrate his truths. These two concepts are Pearce's theses regarding Tolkien. This are not difficult theses. Tolkien wore his faith on his sleeve and he was very direct and forthright in stating that the Lord of the Rings is indeed a Catholic work.

   What I found very refreshing about Pearce's biography is that it is colored throughout by the influence of Tolkien's friends. These men (Chesterton, C.S. Lewis etc.) had an immediate and lasting impact on Tolkien's work and his world view. Giving the details here would spoil the biography for you, however.

   To that end, I recommend you pick this book up. It reads quite quickly and is far from difficult in its purposes and intent. You will not be disappointed if you are even the slightest bit interested in Tolkien, the man with the myth.




4. When choosing which biography to read on Tolkien, I chose this one because the author seemed to have great respect for Tolkien...so great that he was willing to take on the intelligentsia of England. As Pearce explains, in 1997 a poll was done in England to see what the best books of the century were. When "Lord of the Rings" turned up on top, the literary critics all over England (as well as the professors) were up-in-arms. They thought the craze for this work had come and gone. They thought that Tolkien only had a small, cult-like remnant left to his following (Tolkien's official biographer being among these scoffers). They condemned this work on many fronts.

   And so another poll was taken...and another. But, no matter who did the poll and how, "Lord of the Rings" kept turning up on top. What horrified the "experts" even more was that Tolkien himself was voted as the best author of the century. What could possibly be contained in his works that led to such unanimous support from the people and such criticism from the experts?

   That is what Pearce explores in this well-crafted biography. And, if you like Tolkien, you have to admire Pearce's approach from the beginning. He knew that Tolkien despised pop-psychology type biographies that tried to analyze an author's works based on his upbringing and life's events. Thus, while giving a sketch of Tolkien's life, Pearce respects Tolkien's wishes to not be dissected psychologically.

   Rather, Pearce took on the rather large task of helping laymen understand how Tolkien's faith - a particularly Catholic faith - influenced his writings. When I first read "Lord of the Rings" myself, I wondered how one man (Tolkien) could come up with all the depth expressed in this work. (For instance, I was in awe of the depth of the idea that Sauron could never anticipate Frodo's journey to DESTROY the ring because Sauron was so evil that he couldn't anticipate selfless acts.) What Pearce helped me realize was that much of the depth came from Tolkien's reading the likes of St. Augustine and other church fathers. I believe that Tolkien himself would say that he stood on the shoulders of Giants in order to get anywhere near the understanding he portrays.

   In addition to such fascinating accounts of how Tolkien's faith manifests in his work, Pearce has a particular knack for addressing subjects that a reader would be curious about...without ever going too far. In this book, he writes about such things as Tolkien's marriage, his work, his experience in WWI, his friendship with C.S. Lewis, his critics, and his advice to his son when his son was getting disillusioned with the church. In all these things, Pearce gives you a full picture while retaining a delicacy for the the people involved.

   As someone who wanted an overview of Tolkien and an understanding of how his faith intersected with his life and work, I felt I had found the perfect source in Pearce's book.




5. The further I delved into Tolkien: Man and Myth, the more I realized that calling it a "biography" is a misnomer. I came to this conclusion because only a minor portion of the book presents biographical information. Instead, the book could better be described as a work of "apologetics". Apologetics, in its most classic sense, uses writings and examples to both clarify a philosophy and refute critical comments about that philosophy. This method is exactly what Pierce employed to near perfection in Tolkien: Man and Myth. Pierce uses the writings of Tolkien and others to refute the criticisms of Tolkien's works. In the process, he provides the reader with a thorough understanding of the philosophy that shaped Tolkien's writings, how Tolkien arrived at this philosophy, and how it influenced his interactions with others. The result is a deeper appreciation for Tolkien's efforts.

   Pierce deserves much credit for using the writings of the "man" to dispel many of the "myths" surrounding Tolkien and his books. By taking an apologetics approach to Tolkien's life and works, Pierce provides the reader with a better understanding of his subject than any standard biography could provide. Consequently, Tolkien: Man and Myth is an essential work for anyone studying the life of this literary giant.

5 comments about The Unusual Suspect: My Calling to the New Hardcore Movement of Faith.

1. The message that Stephen shares in his book I'm sure is profound, but I couldn't not stomach the writing --- too many "I know what you're thinking statements" when I really just want him to tell his story - don't tell me what I'm thinking.
   
   I could not make it through the book due to the butchering of the English language. Again, great message and I'm sure a younger audience may enjoy it more.



2. I am happy that Stephen Baldwin is a committed born again Christian, but the book I couldn't finish. Just not written the way I can read a book. Too much mention of God telling him this and that, and that's just too much for me. Hope others like it and get something from it though.



3. I picked this book up after renting the Christmas movie he did because I was curious. I read the book with an open mind, rather than with a critical or judgmental spirit. I was surprised by the Stephen's depth of faith and biblical knowledge having been a follower of Jesus for only 6 years. The book challenged me, one who has claimed to follow Christ for over 20 years, to get off my duff and stop sitting on the fence..to stop being the lukewarm Christian that John writes about in Revelation (that wasn't in the book, that was the work of the Spirit through the book).
   
   I recommend reading the book. The worse thing that could happen is that you waste 3-4 hours....or you could be challenged to stop sitting on a spiritual fence.



4. This book reminds us what handing our heart to Jesus is all about. I felt compelled, motivated, inspired, and excited reading this book. The same Stephen Baldwin humor and energy with the power of Jesus seeping through the pages! You can be hard-core, radical, and edgy and it is encouraged! This is what discipleship is all about! Relevant and REAL.



5. This book is a really great read. Funny, inspiring, hard hitting, Stephen Baldwin talks about his life in hollywood, doing and having it all yet still finding something missing.
   After a brief encounter with God in a journey out of substance abuse, he eventually came to faith years later after his wife became a christian. His story, and willingness once he found God, to lay down everything for him is as unique as it is inspirational.
   A really interesting, honest and well written account of a man who had it all but was still willing to lose it all for something greater.

5 comments about Saints for Every Occasion: 101 of Heaven's Most Powerful Patrons.

1. Saints For Every Occasion: 101 Of Heaven's Most Powerful Patrons by Catholic commentator and author Thomas J. Craughwell tells the fascinating, compelling, and inspiring stories of Catholicism's patron saints, with special attention to their aspects and relevance today. Each canonized individual is presented with a brief but memorable summary of their lives, to aid those seeking the right words for prayer in the medley of problems faced in this complex world. Highly recommended for personal, seminary, and parish library reference collections, Saints For Every Occasion is a thoughtful, serious, expansive reference that makes for intent browsing in times of inner turmoil.



2. Most of us were introduced to the saints while we were children. As we grew up, our idea of saints has remained on immature level. Thomas Craughwell's book re-introduces us to the saints from an adult person's point of view. The result is refreshing. It is such a relief to know that these 101 saints were not statues in real life. I now feel that Thomas Aquinas is someone I would like to know in real life -- and that Aloysius Gonzaga would be a little scary for his intensity! I left the book by my bed and read two or three capsule biographies each night for over a month. Interestingly, the most moving lives were those of the young saints -- but seen from the adult vantage point of wanting to reach out and protect these youths from harm's way. At the end, I was sorry the book was over. Then on the last page I saw that there is the possibility of a sequel. Let it be!



3. I am definitely not religious, but I found this book to be so entertaining and enriching that I have to recommend it. It's full of history and culture, and the author's sly style (which sometimes made me laugh out loud) doesn't interfere with the nourishment he gently makes available through the stories of the saints he's selected. It's the kind of book you love to dip into from time to time, to learn something and be amused and maybe feel a bit better about the world.



4. I have a few saints guides already, but nothing to match the thoroughness, timeliness, and charm of this one. The book has a lot of fun surprises (such as a saint for rock climbers), and a great deal of truly useful information. Craughwell makes saints more "relevant" by including saints for AIDS sufferers and the environment, but he never trivializes or cheapens his subject. And the entries are wonderful to read, a definite cut above the often dry, over-earnest style of other books. Highly recommended!



5. 101 Saints for Every Occasion is more than a patron saints book. Choc full of fascinating historical and biographical bits, it makes enjoyable reading for anyone. Those who have read patron saints books will find the contemporary adaptations interesting and first-time patron saints readers will undoubtedly wish to continue reading on this subject. We've recommended 101 Saints to friends and given several copies as gifts.

2 comments about Schweitzer: A Biography.

1. This is a fine biography of one of the greatest humanitarians of the twentieth century. During his lifetime, (ninety years) Schweitzer the great man transformed into Schweitzer the great myth; the great white hope, saving the bodies and souls of the primitive black man of Africa. In our post colonial age, with its post modern, abstract cultural theories of the `other', Schweitzer became an easy target for cultural critics, using the man and his work as representative of everything evil about the self-perceived superiority of Western man over `primitive cultures'. It is without question, that, for the most part, European imperialism justified their greedy exploitation of developing countries as efforts to `civilize' them. Our culture, knowledge and religion were superior to these `savages', and while we stole their natural resources, we gave them enlightenment. Further to this, however, as we stole and enlightened, we also gave them our diseases, which, in some cases, virtually wiped out entire peoples. From the very beginning, Albert Schweitzer was aware of the European's injustices to these people, and deeply felt some kind of atonement or restitution had to be made. Schweitzer's intention was to essentially help; his inspiring example paved the way for present humanitarian organizations to make a difference or at least become more effective in their aid. This biography successfully dismantles the `great white hope' myth, and presents the man as an insightful critic of Western values and traditional theology, a man who lived his philosophy - or as Schweitzer said, "Live his argument". One can never truly understand or judge someone based on what they say or what they write; only through the results of a person's actions can we really know them. Marshall and Poling's biography of Schweitzer includes his writing and many quotes from conversations and interviews, but argue his greatness from the stand point of his actions. In other words, his fifty years of service and the establishment of the Lambarene hospital, speaks for itself.

   Schweitzer became aware of his mission to serve his fellow travellers on this planet somewhat late in life. An established philosopher and theologian at age thirty, a principal of a respected seminary, he awoke one morning to realize everything life had given him, and it was time to give back. After reading an article calling for trained medical staff to work in West Africa, he knew what he needed to do. Against heavy opposition from family and friends, he returned to university as a mature-aged student to study medicine, attaining his degree. The public know much about his early life but as his daughter, Rhena Schweitzer, writes in the Forward, "It is the first biography that gives an account of the last years of my fathers live. It helps explain and dissipates some of the false ideas about his relationship to the Africans." This book dispels these falsehoods and myths, and is also a sensitive and objective appraisal of a man and his life.

   An inspiring read.




2. A brilliant bravo to a task well done. G. Marshall & D. Poling have captured succinctly the life of the last of the 'Enlightenment' minds. Albert Schweitzer was true to the principles of reason, naturalism and thought. He took these principles and undauntedly applied them to his religion and his culture. Albert Schweitzer was a critic of Christianity and modern civilization and this book captures Albert Schweitzer, "the critic".

   In the world and church around him he saw conformity and the lack of individual reflection. This is a book about a nonconformism, a brilliant theologian/philosopher and a humanitarian genius.

   Unlike other biographies of Schweitzer I have read, these authors write with a fluid, engaging style, pulling you closer to the man that they knew and profiled. Albert Schweitzer lived 90 years and the length of his life is a challenge that biographers must face. They must capture the individualistic spirit of Albert Schweitzer youth, the brilliance of his middle years and the tenacity of his old age.

   Albert Schweitzer's Nobel Peace Prize in 1953 spoke of his sacrificial work in Africa, his vital practical philosophy of life, his call to clear comprehension of the historic Jesus that Christianity needs to embrace, his musical brilliance, his compassion for the animal kingdom and his love of healing. Yet, to brush stroke with ink a portrait of this unbelievable figure is a demanding undertaking and Marshall and Poling have done it right, and they did right to one of the greatest personalities of the twentieth century. Strongly recommended. 4.5 Stars.

5 comments about The Experience of No-Self: A Contemplative Journey.

1. This is simply one of the most significant books on the spiritual journey written in our time-- indeed, one of the most important books of all time.
   
   Unfortunately, the book is often misrepresented by its admirers and critics alike. Some Christian critics of Roberts' paradigm fail to see its patently Trinitarian, Christian perspective. They dismiss her work as representing a Hindu or Buddhist advaitic ("nondualist") perspective-- which it manifestly does not.
   
   On the other hand, many non-dualists (Advaitins, Buddhists, and otherwise) have promulgated the claim that "The Experience of No-Self" is a Christian analogue to their nondualism-- but often with the caveat that Roberts' work is unneccessarily freighted with "mythic" Christian ideas based on her "Catholic conditioning."
   
   But this, too, is incorrect. Having attended many retreats given by Bernadette Roberts over a period of nearly twenty-five years, I know for certain that her paradigm is completely different from "nondualism"-- advaitic, Buddhist, or otherwise.
   
   As to her alleged "conditioning": she is a Christian not by way of "conditioning," but by way of direct Trinitarian revelations that were part-and-parcel of her journey.
   
   Indeed, she calls the nondualist misconception of her paradigm "forcing the fit," which she defines in a recent book as "redefining, clipping, pasting, twisting-- to make the original fit a dissonant paradigm" (Roberts, "Forcing-the-Fit" self-published, Foreword, 2008).
   
   Again, in her essay, "Nondualism," she writes: "It is unfortunate that those who aspire to a nondual state will never reach it-- because it doesn't exist. In truth it is just another illusion to be dispelled. With or without self, there is no state in the journey truly 'nondual,' neither in our earthly journey nor in heaven" (Roberts, "Essays on the Christian Contemplative Journey," self-published, 2007, p. 71.)
   
   In sum: many admirers of her work, and critics of her work, simply misunderstand it. Additional clarifications of her views on these matters can be found on the site, "Bernadette's Friends."
   
   
   Joseph Conti, Ph.D.
   Dept. of Comparative Religion
   California State University at Fullerton



2. "The Experience of No-Self" is a fascinating book for anyone interested in mystical states of consciousness. Bernadette Roberts describes her own experiences through the often harrowing journey of a modern day mystic. What makes this book so unique is that there is very little written in the classic literature that adequately addresses the state of consciousness which Bernadette herself attained. With the exception of a few passages by Meister Eckhart, the author of "The Experience of No-Self" could not find a frame of reference with which to compare her experiences. This book raises many stimulating questions and provides a great deal of clarification concerning previously uncharted territories. For those readers familiar with Buddhist teachings, it is interesting to contrast Bernadette's descriptions with those found in the Buddhist literature concerning emptiness and the concept of no-self. Of all of Ms. Robert's books, I found this one to be the most accessible, despite the fact that it engages the reader in a very complex topic. This is a testament to the profound depth of Ms. Robert's experience and her commitment and skill in communicating a difficult subject. The book is subtitled, "A Contemplative Journey," and even the great adventures written about in fiction can scarcely compare with the breadth and scope of this mystic's journey.



3. This is an extraordinary account of our journey with God. In it, Bernadette talks of a milestone in the spiritual life that lies beyond union with God. After years of living a life united with God and given completely to God, she comes upon an event in which the entire self falls away. There is now no union, no center, and strictly speaking no experience at all. What remains is Christ and the Resurrection and a knowing (without subject) that to me speaks of the beginning of a beatific vision of God--a vision without mediator.

   In "The Path to No-Self" Berndette writes of the first part of our journey--the transformation where God replaces self at the very center of being. She speaks of this as the falling away of ego distinct from the later falling away of self.

   In "What is Self" a work that I hope will be printed again she speaks in much greater detail about what is known after the no-self event--about God, self, Christ, the Trinity and the Incarnation.

   There is no truer account of the spiritual life than these works by Bernadette Roberts. They profoundly illuminate the truth of the Christian revelation, and also provide insights for contemplatives of all backgrounds.




4. Bernadette gives a very personal, if not somewhat choppy, story of her experience of self transcendence. Although not very well schooled in the terminology of the Eastern traditions she does an adequate job of describing the states and stages she goes through on her 2+ year ascent beyond self.



5. Bernadette Roberts is quite simply one of the most extraordinary contemplatives of our time. Her accounts of her experiences, and her reflections on them, are invaluable to anyone pursuing a similar path beyond the notions of God into the mystery of the divine nothingness. But this is not the Roberts' book to start with; for openers, one should read Roberts' "The Journey to No-Self," which traces Roberts' own dark night and emergence into Union, the preparatory stage, in her view, for the even more radical experience of no-self. There has been no Christian advaita philosopher, previously, that i know of--at least none that did not get burned at the stake. Meister Eckhart danced in this neighborhood, however. In any case, for anyone engaged in the emptying journey into God, Roberts' is crucial reading; her books are like the companionship of a wise and seasoned friend.

5 comments about Blindfold's Eyes: My Journey From Torture To Truth.

1. Sister Ortiz account makes tears flow; the truth of her suffering makes folks strviing to become fully human think to our current situation...to the warmaking reality we allow, and the inevtiable suffering of innocents that ALWAYTS springs from it.
   
   Reading Ortiz makes you say, OUT LOUD "Never again." Ortiz makes you get up, call your representatives, and tell them that you are going to be a CITIZEN, and demand of them an end to what Ortiz calls "The ominous silence" surrounding torture and warmaking activity and all that accompanies them...
   
   Are you awake, and aware, now all you backseat warmongers?
   
   You're warmaking has always made me sick. Sister Ortiz' ordeal makes me overwhlemingly sad.



2. A spiritual journey through hell to light and grace. A book about torture and its effects, Blindfold Eyes is more than that. It describes an innocent nun's dark night of the soul as she is betrayed and disbelieved by her own government. It can speak to all of us who feel hurt and alone.
   
   Here is a link to a radio interview given by Sr. Dianna in 2002:
   
   http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/episodes/12262002
   
   Listen to her voice and you will hear how wonderful a person she is. This book is about the truth--which Sister Dianna tells without flinching.



3. A thousand Thankyou's to the Author for writing this Book. I had picked this up at the local library as I walking around the recent book arrival section.

   This was book was so helpful to me on a spiritual/religious level and I appreciated the sharing of the deep personal struggle and strategies to cope with Post Traumatic Stress.

   From a Religious p/o/v I thought this was awesome as it introduced me to completey new ways of seeing meeting God.
   It was also the first book that I have read on the experinces of the church in Guatemala.Although I have seen the documentary " Finding Dominga" at a retreat for PeaceMakers.

   I had also never read any of the works of the mentioned Poets at the vigil in Washington and now have them on my reading list.

   Thanks so much for sharing the journey .




4. Sister Dianna Ortiz' story had to be told and more importantly it must be heard. The first person account of her torture and rape is horrorific, but even more shocking is the scale of crimes committed against the people of Guatemala. Ortiz is even handed in describing the atrocities performed by the guerrillas as she is in telling on her torturers, the Guatemalan military. As an American, it is disheartening to learn about my country's involvement by providing military and financial aid to a regime that massacred thousands.

   Ortiz reveals in grisly, personal detail the physical, mental, and emotional abuse she suffered beyond her 24 hour detention. Her memoir is extremely painful to read. The turmoil she has experienced for more than a decade has not silenced her, instead, she has become a voice for those whose cries cannot be heard beyond their cell. Her memoir is a testimony for all torture victims.

   The Blindfold's Eyes would have received a 5 star evaluation had there not been two major flaws:
   1) The statistics of those killed and disappeared vary from different sources as they appear on different pages (p. 47, 183, 350, 422)from 20,000 to 47,000 disappeared and from 100,000 to 200,000 killed.
   2) Ortiz' objectivity becomes diluted during the DOJ investigations. Her characterizations in that time period are very judgemental; tribute is given to those who support her and those who oppose or question her are villanized. No one is neutral.




5. The Blindfold's Eyes is a tragic tale told by a broken woman. This shows how a brutal 24 hours can linger for a lifetime. Sistor Dianna's tragedy was horrific, proven by the way she releases the actual events of that day. Piece by piece, so things she will not even reveal. What caught my attention was the underlying story she presented when dealing with the US government. The lack of concern for this case and the cases of many others from Guatemala was astounding. The deciet and treachory that occurs so they our government could continue selling arms, training soilders, and talking peace (which was an utter joke) was disgusting. I commend Sister Dianna on being brave enough to put her horror to words, to stand in front of the government and point her finger, and to go on, rebuild, and learn to live again.

5 comments about Thomas Cranmer: A Life.

1. I have'nt finished this book but as you've asked me I respond. The book is heavy going,but probably no one will ever do better owing to the subject i.e Cranmer's deeds are known in all their inconsistancies in the earlier years,but nothing is known of the personal reasonings that gave rise to them.
   Even the glories of his style of writing just seemed to come from nowhere,but the Author does a good job in explaining its inimitableness



2. I took "Thomas Cranmer" on in order to make sense of a seeming paradox: What I already "knew" of him did not square with the theology I had begun to discover in his Collects and Prayer Book. I was curious!
   
   MacCulloch does a masterful job at presenting this complex, and sometimes contradictory figure of the early English Reformation. Despite the derrogatory review given by "a reader," I found very little bias and no axe-grinding in this work. Actually, I came to the book expecting some bias. Even being thusly prepared and properly skeptical, I found only a very few times that MacCulloch let his own opinions show through. (When he does, it is in parentheses with exclamation points!!) You can almost hear him chuckle at times.
   
   I read the book in 9 or 10 days, and never found it to be a chore; in fact, the most difficult thing was putting it down and going to bed! While the book is scholarly, and masterfully written, it is definitely not tedious or boring.
   
   I came to the end of the book with a deep respect for Cranmer. I have many points of disagreement with him, and yet a certain admiration for his eventual willingness to heroically stand where he believed the Gospel compelled him to stand. Fr. James DeKoven, an early Anglican theological hero in Wisconsin, once said "We live at a time when cowardice in matters of religion has been elevated to the status of virtue." Archbishop Thomas Cranmer proved, in the end, to be anything but a coward.
   
   I have corresponded several times now with Professor MacCulloch, and find him to be humble, dedicated, and helpful. I am now reading his "The Reformation: a history," and I plan to read everything else of his that I can get my hands on!



3. Many Anglican history books have an axe to grind. But not this masterful biography. The Thomas Cranmer of MacCulloch is very human, but no villian nor an unblemished hero.
   
   We see his theological evolution from a fairly orthodox Catholic to a stauch Protestant who went to the stake in defiance of Bloody Mary and the "Antichrist" Pope.
   
   MacCulloch also takes the reader into the historical sources and their reliability. These, along with his extensive footnotes will be of interest to any serious student of Anglican history.
   
   Yet this longish book is very readable and rarely gets bogged down, again unlike some other Anglican histories.
   
   If you want to learn about Thomas Cranmer or about early Anglicanism, this book is a must read.
   
   
   Mark Marshall is the author of God Knows What It's Like to be a Teenager.



4. MacCulloch's book provides access to the singularly foundational figure of the reformation in England. Most who recognize Cranmer's name at all know him only as the author of the first Prayer Book or the man who attained Henry VIII's annulment from Catherine. MacCullogh gives depth to Cranmer as a flawed yet faithful agent of the Church, one who sought with conviction the reformation of the Church of England but was also willing to slavishly follow his prince in order to achieve that reformation. The final chapter, chronicling Cranmer's fall and ultimate martyrdom, reads with the pace of a good novel. For Episcopalians and others with an affinity for the Anglican tradition, insight into Cranmer's life and thought is crucial, and MacCulloch presents that insight with skill.



5. MacCulloch seeks to present Archbishop Cranmer as a radical protestant with little scholarly interest or knowledge of the early church, and also that the "via media" of Anglicanism that resulted from the English Reformation was contrary to Cranmer's radical protestant beliefs and is a "myth." While MacCulloch may have written a biography he failed to examine the source of Cranmer's beliefs and theology. MacCulloch claims that Cranmer's eucharistic theology stems from the Swiss Reformed tradition: one had only to read Basil Hall's essay in "Thomas Cranmer: Churchman and Scholar" edited by Ayris and Selwyn to see that this is demonstrably false. Cranmer was heavily influenced by Lutheranism as well as by the "exposition of the most holy and learned fathers and martyrs" of "the holy catholic church of Christ from the beginning" (Cranmer's words) and as such his theology clearly stands in the same line as that of Richard Hooker and Lancelot Andrewes. This sort of "scholarship" with an obvious ax to grind is perhaps the worst sort. If you want to know Cranmer's views on the Sacraments (as most Anglicans or scholars of the Reformation do) please read him in his own words in "A Defense of the True and Catholic Doctrine of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ" (if you can find a copy in the library) or in "Thomas Cranmer: Churchman and Scholar."

5 comments about Daughter of Destiny: Kathryn Kuhlman.

1. This book was an honest account of Kathryn Kuhlman's life--telling all the sides of KK's personality from someone who knew her well. I had not known much at all about KK. The book was very uplifting to read about her miracle ministry--how it got started and lasted for years. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to read about the power of God in healing people and learning about this great figure who was in ministry. She was mightily used of God. There is no doubt about that!



2. Excellent story of Kathryn Kuhlman by Jamie Bucckingham. What I wanted to know was the 2 million plus that went to the people who seemed to force themselves into Ms Kuhlmans life - how did they get all that money and where are they now? I understand she made a second will when she was near death leaving most of her money to these people.



3. I had heard about Kathryn Kuhlman from a number of people so I thought I'd read her biography. The author was very good at giving an open account of her life, her strengths and her weaknesses. In some ways it may have shown too much of her weaknesses. As I read it I became dismayed at her life; her choices. But as I read on it was clear that God flowed through this woman; weird as she was. It also shows that God is much bigger than we think. After reading the biographies of Charles Finney and Smith Wigglesworth and reading a number of books by Kenneth Hagin, this book shows an entirely different side of God in how He operates via the Holy Spirit. Actually this book shows the Sovereignity of God completely contradicts many of the teachings of Kenneth Hagin's theology of God will only do things for you if you have faith. With Kuhlman God healed people who weren't even looking to get healed. People got overwhelmed by the presence of God and collapsed just walking by the door of the building she was preaching in; sometimes they weren't even Christians (though some became Christians because of that experience). I think everyone that reads this book will certainly be encourged by it to seek a closer walk with Jesus.



4. Jamie Buckingham did a tremendous job of purely getting the heart of Miss Kuhlman on paper. In reading this I feel as though I have walked with Miss Kuhlman and stood right beside her through some of her greatest times and most difficult trials. You will find yourself unable to help being caught up in the presence of God as you read this story of her amazing life. It is a story that will propel you to greater things in God! ENJOY!!



5. This was a very good book to read about the life of Kathryn Kuhlman. It was good for me because it encouraged me in some ways, because I know I'm suppose to be walking with healing power like she did. I had wanted to know how she dealt with life and still stay so anointed. The part that I really liked, even though it was shortly mentioned, was about the light of God's glory that appeared around her. It exhorted me in the right direction...