A promising work that focuses on an understudied spiritual topic.
A debut book explores God’s process of choosing people to participate in his plan.
Van Rensburg examines a subject that is not often covered in depth either by scholars or popular religion writers—the concept of being chosen. Men and women are chosen throughout Christian Scriptures for various roles and tasks, and few believers would dispute that God continues to select people for particular purposes today; nevertheless, the idea is not often discussed from a wide-ranging perspective. In taking on the notion of chosenness, Van Rensburg opens an important conversation. The author uses the story of Mary, mother of Jesus, as a framework for his approach. This is appropriate since no one personifies the idea of chosenness by God more than she. Van Rensburg labors to assist the reader in understanding what it means to be selected by God—to be the recipient of his favor—and how to react and follow through on that honor. The author’s concept is not limited in scope (such as “chosen for ordained ministry,” for example); instead, he makes it clear that God can and does use a wide variety of believers in impressively diverse ways. The author admirably assists believers in understanding the paradox between receiving God’s favor and nevertheless living an unsettled, if not turbulent, life. He helpfully notes throughout that being chosen does not automatically mean that a person will be liked, followed, or believed; nor will that individual necessarily obtain prosperity or evade troubles (a good reminder in this age of the Prosperity Gospel). The author’s greatest flaw remains his often forced use of language. Two early examples suffice: “A gaping fragility was unlocked in the antagonist’s demeanour,” and the idea that Mary might have actually thought to herself: “What if being highly favoured does not fit my presupposed framework of favour?...What if my expectations are misaligned?” Such vocabulary snowballs show up repeatedly in the book.
A promising work that focuses on an understudied spiritual topic.Pub Date: June 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5049-8840-7
Page Count: 186
Publisher: AuthorHouseUK
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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
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