“The Shack” by William P Young
“When the imagination of a writer and the passion of a theologian cross-
I have just finished reading this book after it was recommended by a friend. I have never read anything like it. The creativity and imagination of The Shack is just something else. It takes you to the very heart of God in a narrative like none you have ever read before. It dares to answer in some way the questions one never asks in church. The story is compelling and I guarantee you will be laughing and crying at some parts. At others, I kept saying to Nigel this is very, very clever.
I could not put it down.
It is easy to read but so thought provoking . I want to hear how others feel about it, so when you’ve read it let me know what you thought!
Liz Heath
August 2008
Film: “An Inconvenient Truth”
Al Gore’s film on climate change was released about a year ago. The science has moved forward a bit since then (it is now even more certain that the climate changes we are already seeing are caused by human activity) but the film is still an accessible and interesting way of appreciating the issues involved. For Christians climate change is particularly significant because it impacts disproportionately on the poor and God’s concern for the poor is evident throughout the bible. For more on climate change from a Christian standpoint see www.tearfund.org/Campaigning/Climate+change+and+disasters
I’ve got the film on DVD if anyone in the fellowship would like to borrow it.
Andy Neal
December 2007
Book: “The Language of God -
By Francis Collins, Pocket Books (£8.99)
There are people who believe that the findings of science rule out having a belief in God.
In this book Francis Collins disputes this view. He is one of the world's leading
scientists and led the international Human Genome Project which sequenced the three-
Francis Collins was an atheist into his twenties, but became not only a believer in the existence of God but an evangelical Christian, through a process which he describes.
He deals with some of the major difficulties faced by seekers: suffering, harm done in the name of religion, miracles. He has been helped in his searching by another atheist who became a believer, C S Lewis.
Collins, as well as being a scientist, is a qualified medical doctor and in an appendix to the book deals with some of the current issues in medical science.
There is a good deal of scientific material in the book which the non-
All in all a worthwhile book. Archbishop Desmond Tutu says it is 'a real godsend for those with questioning minds but who are also attracted to things spiritual'.
Bill Dyer
November 2007
Reviews
Tell us about a book you’ve read, some music that you’d recommend or a film that you’ve enjoyed. Contributions to Andy Neal, editor@wwbc.co.uk
“Christy Miller” by Robin Jones Gunn
Christy Miller is a pretty normal American teenager and in these books you go through parts of her life, meet her friends and deal with being a Christian and other social issues. They are fantastically well written and you feel like you are there with her and want to pray along with her. Some of the things in her life give you advice for your own life
The series is written for 11-
Chloe Howat
August 2008
“Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson
Rev Jack Ames (76) is writing in 1956 to his seven year old son to share the stories and experiences, joys and puzzles of his long and faithful life as a pastor in the insignificant Iowa town of Gilead. His honesty, example and wisdom are an inspiration. This novel, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2005, is gently and beautifully crafted. I read it twice and often paused to reflect on the Jack’s thoughts. It was extraordinary to find such Godly, Christian wisdom in a novel which has not arrived through Christian publishing channels.
Andy Neal
September 2008
