Reviews (17)

A message for our time
I only have one thing to add to the other reviews about this book and it is this; I really believe that this is a message the Holy Spirit is sending out to the Church in different ways these days. I hope we will have ears to hear.
Good News (For a Change)
In The Myth of a Christian Nation, Boyd makes a direct challenge to those who call themselves Christians but have adopted Caesar (worldly) attitudes and tactics in a wrongheaded and tragic attempt to bring about the kingdom of God in America.The attempt is wrongheaded because, "[Christian] power to speak into people's lives and into the culture has never been given by Caesar, and it therefore can't be taken away by Caesar.Civil religion worries about such things, but not the kingdom of God."182."You can no more have a Christian worldly government than you can have a Christian petunia or aardvark."54
Underdeveloped
In starting, I'd like to say that I really wanted to like this book.The title itself its appealing, and to an extent, I agree with some of Boyd's comments.But as much as I would have liked to nod my head in agreement through and through as I read the book, it turned out that I simply could not do so.
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Subjects:  1. Christian conservatism    2. Christianity - Christian Life - General    3. Christianity - Christian Life - Political Issues    4. Christianity - Evangelism    5. Evangelicalism    6. Kingdom of God    7. Religion    8. Religion - Christian Life    9. Religion And Politics    10. Religion, Politics & State    11. United States    12. Christian Interest    13. Religion / Christian Life   

Editorial Review

Edward Boyd's agnosticism rested "not ... too much on any positive position ... but rather on a host of negative ones" about Christianity. In an attempt to address these negative issues, his son Greg, a professor of theology, asked his father, a strong-willed, highly intelligent, and stubborn 70-year-old, to enter into a correspondence in which "all of their cards would be laid on the table." Greg would give his father the opportunity to raise all his objections to the veracity of Christianity, and Greg would "answer these objections as well as give positive grounds for holding to the Christian faith." Read more

Reviews (103)

Jerking Tears & Provoking Thoughts
What could be more touching? A son, brilliant and educated, trying to reconnect with his father via a series of touching, challenging, and thought provoking letters. Over a span of three years, the father and son try to reconcile each other's beliefs and in the end both of them experience an insurpassable victory in life, death, and God! This relatively short book is easy to read and will definitely capture the imagination and hearts of skeptics and believers alike. Highly recommended.

Insightful
The book was letters from a father raised in the Catholic church that had many questions and doubts about a loving God. His evangelical son answers all his questions, and in the end the father gives his life to Christ. This book gives insightful answers to some difficult questions like "Why is there suffering in the world?" And "Why would a loving God let people go to hell?"

Father - Son Dialog On the Things That Matter
Greg and Edward Boyd have have given us a great blessing in publishing their correspondence on the nature of Christianity.This book is unique among the many apologetic sorts of books I have read for a few reasons:
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Subjects:  1. 1957-    2. Apologetics    3. Boyd, Edward K    4. Boyd, Edward K.    5. Boyd, Gregory A.,    6. Christianity - General    7. Christianity - Theology - Apologetics    8. Correspondence    9. General    10. Letters And Correspondence    11. Religion    12. Theology - Apologetics    13. Boyd, Gregory A    14. Religion / Christian Life   

Reviews (19)

The whole counsel of God?
This book urges us to get back to basics: to enjoy God's outrageous love and be a conduit of it. Also, we need to stop being critical and judgmental, and show a needy world what God's unconditional love is like. Instead of living by legalism, rules, and human effort, we need to rest in the acceptance and grace Christ offers us, then share this with others.
Kneejerk reactions abound.
It is quite amusing to peruse some of the comments and reviews men have made in regards to this book. The truth is, the author of 'Repenting of Religion: Turning from Judgment to the Love of God' does not even place himself in the outset of the title to write or critique biblical texts in any exegetical manner whatsoever; nay, he feigns not even the slightest interest in doing so. Therefore, let the reader understand that he is not to anticipate a systematic treatment of the Scriptures under any circumstance from Boyd in this particular work.
Dr. Boyds Book Repenting of Regligion is Excellent!!!
It is evident how the Holy Spirit has revealed to Gregory Boyd the awesome Love He has for His people.The message brings us to humbling ourselves before the Lord, to love as God loves, and the reason why we are here on this earth. We are to be vessels filled with the love of God, and bring others to Christ through His Love.I find that Gregory Boyds message is the Truth and the Truth shall set us free.The Body of Christ in these last days has to be in unity, and how is that accomplished?By laying our lives down for others just as Christ did.And we only can do this, not in our works or our own way but by being one with the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit John 17:21, 23, 26.To understand this book it must be read not with your head but by the leading of the Holy Spirit.It has opened my eyes to Who God is and what my purpose on this earth is, to see through His eyes, to walk in the Spirit and fulfill the lust of my flesh and to Love my God and my neighbors as myself.Thank You Gregory Boyd and thank you Lord for giving us Your Son, Your Love and Your Wisdom. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christian life    2. Christianity    3. Christianity - Christian Life - General    4. Judgment    5. Love    6. Religion    7. Religion - Christian Life    8. Religious aspects    9. Theology    10. Religion / Christian Life   

Reviews (23)

No Two Biblical Interpretations May Coexist
I open with a Bible verse from the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 5 verse 40, "and if anyone would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well;"Any Biblical literalist who is willing to put that verse into action, I am willing to listen to.In the meantime tremendous quantities of words by certain sectors of the self avowed Biblically correct have been spilled out upon this book in these reviews.A universal anger among certain of the devout permeates an assessment of how God allows free will to act.I am so glad that my fellow man feels free to impose his interpretations of Scripture on me as writ large by God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and him or her self as the case may be.Amateur exegesis at this level is awe inspiring if for nothing more than its intolerant virulence.Obviously, a preponderance of the readers of this book as reflected in these threads are offended by Boyd's proposition that God is not the direct author of every evil event in the world and the cosmos.
Hypocrisy of Boyd and His Church
I have been told positive things about Boyd and had intended to read this book on spiritual warfare. I have also attended a few of his services with my brother in the Twin Cities; however, after my most recent contact with his church, requesting assistance against the VERY SPIRITUAL WARFARE he writes about in his books, I no longer have faith in or desire to read anything he writes.
Not all things that happen are God's will
Boyd explores the idea that not everything that happens in our world is God's will.He develops the thesis that we were created with true free will, which necessitates the possibility of things happening which God does not want to happen.The practical implication in regards to suffering is that when we suffer, God suffers with us, rather than causing our suffering for some higher purpose.
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Subjects:  1. Christianity - Theology - General    2. Death, Grief, Bereavement    3. Good and evil    4. Religion    5. Religion - Theology    6. Spiritual warfare    7. Theodicy   

Reviews (36)

Commentary on Hypocrisy of Boyd and his Church
I have been told positive things about Boyd and had intended to read this book on spiritual warfare.I have also attended a few of his services with my brother in the Twin Cities; however, after my most recent contact with his church, requesting assistance against the VERY SPIRITUAL WARFARE he writes about in his books, I no longer have faith in or desire to read anything he writes.
An Inspiring, Scriptural Approach To Warfare Theology
There is no theologian that has influenced me more that Greg Boyd has. This book is great.
Weak God + Strong Devil = Neopaganism
Dr. Boyd is a smart and dedicated apologist.In this book, he seeks a comprehensive answer to the problem of evil (theodicy), an admirable apologetics effort.
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Subjects:  1. Bible - Study - General    2. Bible - Topical Studies    3. Biblical teaching    4. Christianity - Theology - Angelology    5. Demonology in the Bible    6. Ethics    7. Good and evil    8. Moral Theology    9. Powers (Christian theology)    10. Religion    11. Religion - Biblical Studies    12. Spiritual warfare    13. Christian moral & pastoral theology    14. Christianity   

Reviews (29)

Commentary on Hypocrisy of Boyd and his Church
I have been told positive things about Boyd and had intended to read this book on spiritual warfare. I have also attended a few of his services with my brother in the Twin Cities; however, after my most recent contact with his church, requesting assistance against the VERY SPIRITUAL WARFARE he writes about in his books, I no longer have faith in or desire to read anything he writes.
The reviewer below noted that open theology isn't the main feature of this book...
...and I think that's both a fair analysis and a key point to appreciating what it offers. I'm not an open theist, although I enjoy reading some of it (it's thought-provoking), but I don't believe one must be to embrace Boyd's model of warfare theology (outlined both here and in his 'God At War', another compelling book). This is worth reading for those of us who are secure enough in our own theology to be able to hear out other ideas without feeling the need to strike them down, point-for-point. Let the man speak and don't be so quick to judge! If your theology's right, there's no risk. If it isn't, you NEED to be challenged.

Great Help
I found this book to be extremely helpful. Before reading Satan and the Problem of Evil and God at War, I believed that I was hated by God just like Esau. In this book, Boyd provides a plausable explanation for how it was possible that I was caught in the crossfire of a world at war rather than being a "vessel for destruction". I believe that I have been loved by god before the foundation of the world, and that I am loved with an infinite love, and god does not want me or anyone else to perish.I am not a theologian, and did not realize when I read this how controversial this writing seems to be. For me, it was a God send. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity    2. Christianity - Theology - Angelology    3. Devil    4. Religion    5. Religion - Theology    6. Spiritual warfare    7. Theodicy    8. Theology    9. Trinity   

Reviews (21)

A Mixed Bag
While I have grown up entirely in liturgical, Trinitarian churches, I fully accept the doctrine of the Oneness of the Godhead, and have baptised people in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by immersion, for years. I do not, however, accept the legalism and trivialities trumpeted by the UPC, nor do I believe one must speak in tongues to be saved. That I believe to be heretical. The Scripture very plainly teaches that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone plus nothing. While I can appreciate 'some' of Gregory Boyd's pronouncements on 'some' topics, I definitely cannot accept them all, lock, stock, and barrel.Is Jesus in the Godhead, or is the Godhead in Jesus?

Gregory Boyd hit the central nerve of the UPC Doctrine
Not only did Gregory Boyd do a great job at exposing the many fallacies within the doctrine of the Oneness Pentecostal Doctrine, but he also shows, (by the responses in these reviews) that there are more than one belief within the UPC church. As an Ex-UPC person for almost 20 years, I'm here to say that Gregory Boyd hit the cental nerve of the UPC doctrine. This is a must read book for those who came out or is coming out of the UPC.

Boyd uses falsified evidence to support shaky theology
Gregory A. Boyd claims to have been a devout Oneness adherent before converting to Trinitarianism, despite the fact that he knows almost nothing about Oneness doctrine. His sensationalistic representations of extreme legalism and religious pride in the UPC, for example, is founded only in his own imagination. In addition to most probably misrepresenting his religious affiliations, he purports to address Biblical issues -- then relies almost entirely on Roman Catholic Creedal statements and Conciliar Proclamations to support his "Biblical" theology. He also refutes the well-established lack of Trinitarian teaching in the early church by presenting falsified versions of ancient church documents. For instance, Boyd convincingly supports the early existence of Trinitarianism by claiming that only a few years after the last book of the Bible (Revelation) was completed, Ignatius of Antioch openly appealed to Christians to direct prayer in the threefold name: "in the Son and Father and in the Spirit."
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Christianity - Theology - Christology    3. Cults    4. General    5. History of doctrines    6. Oneness Pentecostal churches    7. Oneness doctrine (Pentecostali    8. Oneness doctrine (Pentecostalism)    9. Pentecostal Charismatic Movement    10. Religion    11. Religion - Church History    12. Trinity    13. Religion / Cults, Demonism, the Occult    14. Theology: Systematic Theology: God, Contemporary Theology   

Reviews (49)

WONDERFUL book!
This book is amazing, wonderful, world-view changing and every Believer should read it!It takes a complex issue and breaks it down so that anyone can understand it.Open theism acknowledges free will in a way that most theologies simply can not account for, and for this... I am truly grateful!Imagine how big and wonderful our God is to be truly capable of creating us with free will!
Good theology, I recommend it!
Excellent summary of the open view of God, or of the so-called "Freewill Theism". The book has four chapters. The first chapter reviews and critiques the Classical View of Divine Foreknowledge and exegetes the verses brought to its support; the second chapter introduces the Open View and marshals biblical texts in its support; the third chapter highlights seven practical applications of the Open View; the last chapter consists in eighteen brief answers to objections made against the Open View.
Ideas have consequences: Open view vs. Bible view? Boyd's one big preconceived philosophic bias
Ideas have consequences. Important ideas have important consequences. Wrong ideas have wrong consequences. Dangerous ideas have dangerous consequences.
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Subjects:  1. Biblical teaching    2. Christianity - Theology - Christology    3. Christianity - Theology - General    4. Free will and determinism    5. General    6. God    7. Omniscience    8. Open theism    9. Religion    10. Theology - Christology    11. Religion / Theology    12. Theology: Systematic Theology: God, Contemporary Theology   

Reviews (7)

A Book Worth Looking Through
If you are looking for more of a philosophical look into the issue of God's foreknowledge at an acceptable reading level, then this is the book for you. I, however, was not. I found that Greg Boyd was the only author to present his view from a purely biblical/theological position, and was then chastised for his approach because he was not using an "objective" philosophical framework by which to defend the case of "open theism."
Excellent Introduction to the Foreknowledge debate
Most of the reviews on this page miss the boat entirely. Rather than actually reviewing or recommending DF the reviewers are merely venting their anger because their particular view is challenged. Gregory Boyd Fails to Make Biblical Case: openism??
"the prophet who prophesies will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord ONLY IF HIS PREDICTION COMES TRUE."(Jer.28:9)Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - Theology - General    2. Free will and determinism    3. God    4. God (Christianity)    5. Omniscience    6. Religion    7. Religion - Theology    8. Theology    9. Nature & existence of God   

Reviews (14)

Some Bitter Readers . . .
Wow, seems like some reviewers are really upset that this book doesn't provide a comprehensive conversion/education. I found it to be an interesting allegorical juxtapostion of Christianity with a popular movie, and a thought provoking way to harness the appeal of an approchable popular mythos to invigorate an occasionally staid and lethargic sprituality.
Take ItWith A Grain of Salt
Be advised that I am only halfway through this book so "take it with a grain of salt"! I have enjoyed some of Gregory Boyd's other books and have received insight from Holy Spirit about my own personal judgmental and religious attitudes through his writings. That's why I've picked up this book to read. However, you really do have to tread carefully reading this book because some of his ideas could easily veer off into the realm of wackiness.
Great Book!
It is certainly not suprising that many do not like this work. This is, of course, especially true of Calvinists, who tend to promote an anti- most things experiential/anti-most things scientific world view. This book is excellent for anyone familiar with recent developments in the study of cognitive science. It is really a work that consciously focuses on Christian meditiation, which is a lost art in Christian discipline today. Unfortunately, most Evagelicals that discuss the issue of meditation are given the label of "New Age." When, in fact, part of the disciple of meditation is aligning your metal experience to align with what Scripture says about the world and our relationship with God. This book provides a significant look at how Satan uses out mind to deceive us about God and our relationship with him. I recommend it to anyone wanting to understand Christian meditation. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity    2. Christianity - Christian Life - General    3. Matrix (Motion picture)    4. Motion pictures    5. Religion    6. Religion - Christian Life    7. Religious aspects    8. Spirituality - General    9. Religion / Spirituality   

Reviews (14)

A truly healing experience
I admit it. I bought the book for someone else - someone who was going through a very difficult time and was looking for answers and inner healing. But I decided I had better read it all the way through before giving it to him. I was only a few chapters into it when I found myself sobbing, and pouring my own heart out to the Lord. Praise God for Dr. Boyd's insights on prayer and on the importance of opening our hearts, our minds, and our experiences (past and present) to Jesus so He can lovingly heal each one. What was especially touching to me were the examples Dr. Boyd shared from his own life and how, through his own times of intimate prayer, Jesus healed even the most painful of memories. I recommend the book to anyone who desires to experience the loving touch of God and His healing presence in their own lives.

Refreshing insight for dutiful but bored pray-ers
Dr. Boyd has been blessed with one of the keenest minds in American theological circles today.Seldom will you find such a combination of honesty, careful scholarship and passion in one "package" as you do here.
A misleading title; a powerful message
"Seeing is Believing: Experience Jesus through Imaginative Prayer" may be a misleading title for Boyd's book on using our imaginations as receptors for commmunicating with God.Many people that have posted reviews seemed to have bought the book hoping for a biblical analysis on prayer.Had that been Boyd's intention in writing this book he would have failed miserably.Thankfully, however, that is not Boyd's aim and he makes that clear throughout.
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Subjects:  1. Christianity    2. Christianity - Christian Life - General    3. Imagination    4. Prayer    5. Religion    6. Religion - Inspirational/Spirituality    7. Religious aspects    8. Religion / Christian Life   

Reviews (24)

Get some perspective, people!
It shouldn't have to be said, but since no one has REALLY said it, I will.Do you negative reviewers actually believe that the authors hold all of these views?And that it is their intent for you to just pick any of them (cafeteria-style) and that they're all equal?Do you think that they crafted all of these positions?From many of the comments, some of you are placing the blame on Boyd and Eddy for presenting views held by a good number of your fellow believers.PLEASE....before blasting away with all the negativity, understand what the intent of the book is.
Bible-citing does not equal Biblical or Evangelical
"The Bible is used as the authority in defining every position described here. That should be enough for any evangelical to give it consideration."
Good food for thought for mature Christians
In spite of all the criticism it has received here, I think this book does a good job of presenting the various evangelical positions on the issues it covers.It's a great starting point for anyone wishing to explore or develop their own views on these issues in light of the differing positions taken by other evangelical Christians.Some have criticized the authors for bias toward their own views.But that's to be expected from a book like this.No one is completely unbiased.The intent of the authors is not to have the last word, but to help Christians begin to think through their positions on important theological issues.If you are afraid of having your theology challenged, either don't read the book or don't be afraid. It can be a great learning experience if you approach it with a critical, but open, mind.If you do read the book you should also be willing to do further reading and study on issues that are important to you.Each chapter has good list of further reading at the end for that purpose.Whether or not some of these positions are held by a majority of evangelicals is beside the point.The Bible is used as the authority in defining every position described in this book.That should be enough for any evangelical Christian to give it consideration.
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Subjects:  1. Christianity - Theology - General    2. Evangelicalism    3. Fundamentalism    4. Religion    5. Religion - Theology    6. Theology, Doctrinal    7. Evangelicalism, Theology: General Studies/Reference    8. Religion / Theology   

Subjects:  1. Religion - Inspirational/Spirituality    2. Spirituality - General    3. Christian Interest    4. Religion / Christianity / Spiritual Warfare   

Reviews (6)

Scholarship integrity restored
One of the most frustrating aspects of modern debate is when certain groups make basic conclusive assumptions and then tautologically "support" those assumptions with the appearance of scholarship.Generally they follow that up by accusing their critics of being anti-