BARTH, KARL (18861968), Swiss Reformed theologian, described by Pope Pius XII as the greatest theologian since Thomas Aquina, Most ancient societies and religions had an idea of an afterlife judgment, especially understood as a "weighing of souls," where the gods would rewar, Nicholson, William 1948- Thank you for sharing your heart, your struggles, the struggles of others and your faith. We look forward to more wonderful books. PS as a fellow Coloradan enjoyed your post on elk mating season this morning. I have only one advantage: I am still alive! He explained that he intended to ask them to replace Bridges of Canada because it was his belief that they were not qualified to oversee Chaplaincy Services. Perhaps He knows something we cannot understand that most of His children who are not believers yet are actually Future Believers? I tried to reason with him concerning Bridges, but kept quiet about my faith. Men also took concubines when they were already married and she may have been forced to agree to this for this to have the protection of a man and family. You have encouraged me, and shown me that its not wrong to ask these questions, to wonder about faith, to grasp with the issues that many seem to ignore. O prazer que J gozou em sua velhice um simples antegozo do que est para vir. Paul had turned her off me as he did other staff. God wanted to know me. Destroy its vast foundation, its splendid global edifice so fantastic Eventually Barry had enough of Pauls abuse and resigned. Being a gay man is to want something that only women are supposed to want, thus robbing women of their proper use as Paul puts it, whereas being a lesbian was virtually incomprehensible to the ancient Roman world in which the Church fathers wrote what became the New Testament canon. Again, I was told to shut up about it. You make me feel less lonely, and spur me further down the same path. You made me think more deeper about the world and the humanity. Read Romans 15: 4-13 My reporting had alienated me from Threshold Ministries and the church that had ordained and licensed me, and the police called me a liar. After 5 years I joined the Army. And your work has helped me through it. Thats how the light gets in. Chaplains Pauls father, as I understand, suffered from a form of mental illness that included expressions of anger and rage. (With Paul Brand) In the Likeness of God: The Dr. Paul Brand Tribute Edition of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made and in His Image, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 2004. Some reacted mercifully with peaceful speech while others were hateful with a condemner speech. I have gay friends and a godson who has had a gay marriage, and would welcome all into my church. Born 1948, in England; married Virginia Bell (a writer); children: three. Im trying to follow the bible and have had some pretty amazing things happen since then but now I feel like Im in the great darkness of testing the soul, and it has been a few years of this and Im really hurting. Its just illogical, but somehow this notion survives. Thank you for letting us know that when lives seemed so complicated, we have our simplest mode in coming to God through trust and prayer. My mind raced back to Japan, where I heard from parents who had lost their children to a tsunami in a middle school, and forward to that very morning when I heard from parents who had lost theirs to a shooter in an elementary school. He lived for almost 15 years. As Im now old and retired, Im wishing I could find something more to do, maybe reaching out as Dr. I asked the guard at the main control station outside the chapel about this, and he told me he had no idea what happened to it. I love all your books but have been most impacted by The Jesus I Never Knew (which I have used to teach a class of young people in my church) , Whats So Amazing About Grace? I ve had a few challenges came to know Christ, personally as an adult, husband in prison, later he died of alcoholism, mental illness in my family, yet steadfast in my own life to earn a doctorate and am now associate professor emeritus at a large regional university. Part of our assigned reading was to read your book, The Jesus I Never Knew. Gift. Senior staff in Threshold Ministries warned me to watch my back, saying that the director was out to get me. I wish that he might see that it is obvious God cares about him. I put it next to Mere Christianity as a must read for old believers. I sat down in Alberts office and just sobbed my heart out. But my faith is in God and I will continue to pray, not so much for my wants and petitions, as to grow in knowledge and relationship with God. The guard had come to see me in my office and asked if we could talk privately. Its funny how Dr. Besides politics, were everyday closer to a hate speech that really scares me. This book has renewed my affection for Jesus the Man. She had called ahead and warned them this queer as she saw me was on the way. I received an e-mail reply from him shortly afterwards, confirming my dismissal but providing no reason for it [36]. I know that history well, and also the Chinese version of similar atrocities. I will be purchasing a few more of your books as I only have 3 or 4, but know that you are in my prayers daily as I read a portion of your books. A reflexive Christian, (raised Baptist, drifted in and out of different denominations from college years deep into my 40s), I have tried to turn to God and fight through all this with Him, but I realized I didnt know how. Thank you so much for your efforts. I am 62 years old, and I am saying enough is enough! Is that all i can do? but i couldnt get any satisfactory answer or answer which solve my curiosity. I am reading Disappointment with God for the second time, the first time was when I bought the book some thirty years ago. The contents had not changed. Your books have always been challenging my traditional beliefs in Christianity, and I thank God they do. Then we have the darkside, and what beliefs and fuels them, the whispers from the void that quell the light. Lewis Smedes has the answer to my question? I just wanted to say thank you for your wonderful book: Disappointment with God. I read you comments concerning your struggles with mental illness and the lack of resources available. Ive recently been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, an illness not considered an illness by everyone but me, the psychologist, and a friend. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. So much for the foundation of the Bible. centered around insurance and banking contracts. I have danced through phases and seasons, and been dragged through others, but my faith is intact, and even maybe even grown, in the process. His mother was poor and eked out a living by working for churches and living in what today would be called substandard conditions. I read your book the question that never goes away. The rest of us? Though different forces had shaped her personality, my mother was given to angry, hurtful outbursts (my dad sometimes advised me to walk on eggs around her). We havent done well with the truth part at allthe truth would shine a light on their darkness so they repent, not hand over a light for free and then have them misuse it. One of the Christian World's Most Thoughtful Writers Offers a Fresh Take on an Ancient Spiritual Practice," p. 48, and review of Prayer, p. 49. When Brad Sass had found out that I had planted a tree in memory of his mother, he was deeply moved. . Whats the status on your personal memoir? and Disappointment with God, helped me and my wife navigate some very rough emotional seas when we found out our son, Jacob, was to be born with a fatal heart defect. This YWAM leader left me on the streets of Grand Junction for the night and I was terrified. Mdecins Sans Frontires helps those who suffer I grew up in the South as well and resonate with many of the things your share around race and healing from church contexts. Yours was one of the few books Ive read so far in christian literature, that has freely placed catholics alongside protestants in Gods kingdom. At the meeting, the Warden asked Paul to speak first, even though I had been the victim. My books are a process of exploration and investigation of things I wonder about and worry about. Yancey writes with an eye for detail, irony, and honest skepticism. God bless you , For first books, I would recommend The Jesus I Never Knew and Whats So Amazing About Grace. Id like to hear what you think, and no I do not expect you to have all the answers Im looking for, but probably reading what you have to say would help me see it in a different light. Everytime I get inside a bookstore, the first thing that I would do is to go to HelpDesk and ask where do they keep your books. It simply was not strong enough. OfficeCampus Life/Christianity Today, 465 Gundersen Dr., Carol Stream, IL 60188. I just could no longer handle the bullying and shouting. I asked Paul about the Christmas feasts/parties for each range, and as expected it was his way or no way. He told me I was on my own. If longer, write us a pyasst@aol.com. When I was 17, I read your book Prayer: Does it make any difference? in Korean. And then go back to what I did so well, God bless. I want to know God better. I also questioned the sincerity of Christians and legalism but, unlike Yancey, music was not important early in my life, mainly because music lessons were forced upon me. Something completely random and yet connected happened to me in the same week that Spilsby took my couch. (Matthew 6: 25-34) Choice, June, 1994, G.B. I know you answered a lot of questions about writing in your Q and A section but hopefully you will still read this. You know, dont break the connection just hang up and try again. This quote kept returning to me, and I began to ponder waiting on the Lord and in Gods time. Yes, its possible to be an evangelical Christian without embracing todays evangelical culture. Grace and peace. It is a million miles away from writing or anything creative in general. Whosoever has not sinned, people! In this way we have ceased being the likeness of God, and our existence is unjustified. ." I called my friend Capt. I applied for social assistance but was refused. They want to be just as extreme as liberals. Brad agreed that Pauls belief and behavior regarding flies was very strange. He himself had told me on previous occasions to get out of his office, and it was understood that such demands were meant to be just for that time and not permanently. with a lot less fear, and a lot more gratitude for the generosity of God. I have just read in Devotionals Daily your write up Do Yo Want To Know God? Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. Can both work together hand in hand? I was raised in a hellfire and brimstone church, and grew closer to God in a bible-teaching, grace-based church. Your book was written 32 years ago and God had me read it and put a deep burden on my heart for him. Smith blackened my name right across Canada and made it impossible for me to be accepted by a Bishop and so I went to the breakaway Anglicans, Reformed Episcopal Church ,and they were as cruel and bigoted as Capt. I hope that none of my readers is that grotesque anomaly an unchurched Christian-for the New Testament knows nothing of such a monster! This really upset me. And Lynn Green justified her actions by saying it was what she was taught. Unfortunately, very credible stories have surface in congregations very close to us personally that are difficult to ignore. Philip. When I said yes, he told me to put it back on and be our chaplain. You may enjoy the book Without God, Without Creed, by James Turner, which explores how careless language raises expectations about what an encounter with God should look like. I also told Brad again about Pauls bullying, and how Bridges did nothing to investigate it or to help me. I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Now I will go back lurking, Very helpful website, thank you. (With Brenda Quinn) The Jesus I Never Knew Study Guide, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 1997. What I love most about reactions to my memoir is that readers tend to tell their own stories in response. I hope youre doing well. Simone Weil is one who understands, Im reading and loving The Jesus I Never Knew. Years ago, I read and liked several other books of yours. I admit I dont know how to pray but want to learn as the disciples wanted Jesus to teach them to pray. Been reading almost all of your books. and one from the imagined doubts I perceived from others (is her faith not real?). We call it evil. Smith would never forget or forgave my acceptance into Church Army. And never ever should have considered going with them again in hind sight. Philip. We each had learned pastors who were regarded as Bible scholars; mine sometimes illustrated his sermons with humorous stories about darkies, and was the first person I recall using the curse of Ham justification for racial hierarchy. Hi, Gordon, Dear Mr Yancey, Compromised, Christs simple teachings have not been understood It really does seem that to many, a person is evil and hateful if they believe that marriage should be reserved for a man & a woman. But Godand prayer, Yancey concludedis much more complicated than that. I dont know. That idea came from the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, in a sermon he wrote. I know that hurts deeply: grief is where love and pain converge. Im still trying to work this out and would love to have your thoughts on this complicated topic. I have weird tastes in movies. Recently I did complete it and I put it online for free (www.trippingup.net). I was amazed at the odds of meeting his wife in a park where she does not even live, the same week as he took my couch. I hope to hear from you. Im sorry for what youre going through. She tried to raise her little girl as best she could until the rejection became just too much. I Was Just Wondering, Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 1990, revised edition, 1998. I want to share with you about my discouraged experience. Im glad to make this connection, and thank you for the encouragement Philip. You well describe the writing life as one of solitude in many ways, of being misunderstood, and seen as rather odd, and all of that has served to affirm that as a writer, I am normal! Recently I got rid of a number of books that Id owned for some years. Recently, I came across a copy of your book Reaching for the Invisible God, and I was extremely encouraged by your frank approach to doubt, the mysterious nature of God, and the personification of Him thats so widespread in protestant/evangelical culture. Finally someone who was honest. Thanks for your blogs in the meantime. It was appalling that something like this should happen to a small, elderly clergyman like myself. Any suggestion would be appreciated. Thank you for your time. Look at the movie called Huda Jama. Certainly there is nothing wrong with pointing out in love, errors to people you know well enough to do so. Bless you. Indeed I will pray, and may show up again sometime! We could not dance or go to movies or date girls who did. My life is over, a good man destroyed by those who hate and those who look the other way. I have searched and searched and searched and have found very little that even addresses the question, and even less that at all helps. Thank you for writing these books, and I hope that you will continue to use your gift for words to walk alongside those who struggle with doubt. I sent him an e-mail, requesting confirmation in writing. And further, if this is the case, how could anyone bend a knee to whichever deity is responsible for this plan? It was refreshing to be reminded that although God is unlikely to magic a solution to all of my fears and doubts, that he is steadfast and sure in his promises. I hope you have supportive people around you (pastor, friends, counselor) who can give you in person what no book can. The other candidates running only have very small numbersof followers. And Im very gratified to hear from you.