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Avg. Rating: 4.5
A gifted word master
Pick up any of the Yancey books and you will be drawn into his genuineness, personal vulnerability, and facility with words. In this book, Yancey takes the sometimes ethereal concept of divine Grace, and puts a human face on it, in fact many human faces. He makes it easy to imagine that I can access this grace, partake of it, and even become a conduit for it. Even if you do not agree with all of Yancey's theology, you will find yourself strangely drawn to his writings. He is the quitessential human being in a quest for God.
Simply Amazing
This was the second Philip Yancey book that I read (after The Jesus I Never Knew), and it is, by far, his greatest work. I have read this book almost a dozen times. The book explores the subject of grace in an example-driven, practical way that only Philip Yancey could write sucessfully. In response to criticism because of its controversy, I only have to say that the Bible is a very controversial book as well.
This is truly one of the greatest books I have ever read. I highly recommend this book for everyone who wants to learn more about God's amazing grace.
The best book I've read in years?
For some unknown reason, I resisted Yancey's work for years. I'd see it on the shelf and go blechh!!!, having never read a word he wrote. Finally in desperation for something to read, I picked this up.
Later that night after a reading binge, I put the book down, finshed in one sitting. Ever since I've been haunted by one sentance. "There's nothing we can do to make God love us more, and there's nothing we can do to make God love us less. In that one sentence, Yancey hits the paradox of grace.
As people of faith we are caught between the demands of law and the gift of grace. As one reads scripture, it almost seems as if the biblical writers still had not resolved the balance for themselves. Yancey tries to negotiate the balance between the Jesus who offers himself in unconditional relationship with us and the same Jesus who says I didn't come to eliminate one line of the law. Yancey does this largely through stories that make grace seem really accessible and really costly.
If you were to buy one book for someone who wanted to know what it meant to be a Christian in the 21st century, grab this one and give it to them. I've already gone through 5 copies.
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