An energetic, inviting breakdown of sections of Genesis.
A senior pastor’s faith-based attempt to grapple with the origins of humanity.
“Is it possible one can get so involved in ‘religion’ they miss Christ?” asks McClure (Who Do You Say I Am?, 2013, etc.) at one point in his passionate and rhetorically fluid 2016 book, adding an implicit warning about worship-minded Christians who “know the rules but missed the Savior.” This emphasis on faith instead of faith rituals runs throughout this book, a warning against the ecumenical softening of the present age. “I have been amazed at how many church leaders and Christian education directors have told me that study of the Word of God is too hard and requires too much time,” he writes. His contention is that Bible study is not only essential to the Christian life, but also far easier and more natural than many modern-day Christians believe. He goes on to demonstrate this latter point by conducting a patient, accessible reading of the earliest stories in the book of Genesis, with particular concentration on the creation of humans in the Garden of Eden. “The more I consider Adam’s rising from the dust of the earth,” he writes, “the more I am convinced his origin is the key to unlocking the mysteries of creation.” This key is likewise a familiar theme in McClure’s work, this “hunger” of the faithful for a relationship with God, the duty to “allow ourselves to move deeper into God, closer to the heart of God—to be centered in God.” McClure has read widely and knows his Bible from front to back; his book is softened with many personal stories and peppered with quotes from Scripture. The book contains the usual dangers of a jeremiad: McClure’s “back to basics” approach must ignore legitimate complexity in order to land its points. The combination of personal and pastoral, however, strikes a near-perfect balance between instruction and fellowship. McClure’s Christian readers will read with pleasure.
An energetic, inviting breakdown of sections of Genesis.Pub Date: Nov. 3, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-63269-426-3
Page Count: -
Publisher: Deep River Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
