This work delivers a sharp, outdoorsy look at a world full of spiritual marvels.
A debut book offers Christian reflections on daily life and nature.
Writing from the perspective of a lay pastor at a Lutheran church in North Dakota, Johnson is quite clear about his interests. Hunting, canoe building, and snowshoeing are the types of activities with which the author enjoys filling his days. And, as he argues, these outdoor hobbies are prime opportunities for spiritual advancement. From waiting in a hunting blind for a deer to paddling a canoe, the author draws connections from a variety of his favorite pursuits to Christian lessons. What might, for example, a raging Western snowstorm teach a person about God? As Johnson asserts: “I love blizzards because they remind me of who is in control.” Perusing such lessons in a series of short chapters (usually ending with motivational biblical quotes, such as “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Luke 12:22”), the reader comes away with an understanding that opportunities to reflect on the workings of God are almost everywhere in the natural world. In fact, it is the wilderness that allows one to “stop, recognize, and pay attention.” Although such diverse endeavors can be of varying interest (descriptions of searching for flint are about as exciting as they sound), the less familiar the reader is with things like rock climbing, the more there is to learn. Readers seeking an escape from their busy lives may find the notion of silent retreats—in which participants spend time alone in the woods for certain periods—to be a refreshing idea. Even for those who do not already agree with the statement that “we need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness,” many of the author’s depictions of his hobbies prove persuasive enough for the open-minded to want to give them a shot. Readers who already see God’s wonder during bear hunting season may not get much out of this book. But those who never thought to draw a parallel between the two may wind up coming away with new ruminations.
This work delivers a sharp, outdoorsy look at a world full of spiritual marvels.Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5127-6899-2
Page Count: 556
Publisher: Westbow Press
Review Posted Online: May 2, 2017
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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