A powerfully written analysis of the “treasures in Heaven” that await the Christian faithful.
A wide-ranging and biblically grounded examination of Christian salvation.
Right at the start of this book, Kaufman, who was most recently the president of the Foundation for Christian Stewardship, has stern words for fans of “prosperity gospel” who may have misconstrued his book’s title. The Bible, he insists, does not promise material rewards for adhering to one’s faith. Rather, the brand of soteriology he explains in these pages is concerned with the intangibles of faith and faithfulness and the reciprocal relationship he sees as being at the heart of the Christian experience: “To seek honor from God is to seek to glorify God,” he writes. “Our eternal reward of praise from God will produce eternal praise of God.” Kaufman pulls together his arguments about the nature of the Christian afterlife reward from an exhaustive reading of Scripture; indeed, the book concludes with an extensive set of appendices detailing text references for readers to pursue on their own. He also interweaves this scholarship with a broad spectrum of Christian interpretations, some of which may strike his readers as counterintuitive, as when he tells readers to rejoice if they “are experiencing the joy of suffering with Christ!” For the most part, however, Kaufman’s prose is strong and clear, and his biblical analysis and faith-related insights are fluidly readable. In addition, the faith scenario he describes, with Christians on a battlefield between the forces of good and evil, often makes for dramatic reading. At one point he assures readers that “God doesn’t need our prayers to accomplish His work: He invites us to participate in His work through prayer.” Many Christian readers will find Kaufman’s book to be a help in that participation.
A powerfully written analysis of the “treasures in Heaven” that await the Christian faithful.Pub Date: April 13, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-973687-47-4
Page Count: 412
Publisher: Westbow Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© 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.
