The Bible Jesus read (by Philip Yancey)

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I’ve appreciated and liked reading all the books I’ve collected by Philip Yancey, over the years. I’ve reread most of them at least once. The one I found least memorable was ‘The Bible Jesus read’, which I read in 2008. It was well overdue for a reread; all I could remember about it was that it related to what is generally known as the Old Testament (the Hebrew Scriptures). 

I’ve read about half a chapter per day over the past couple of weeks. The introductory chapter asks why we should read, or at least be familiar with the older parts of the Bible. Christians, after all, focus mainly on Jesus. His life, ministry and death are covered in the four gospels, and the rest of the New Testament explains the growth of the early church, and instructions for lifestyle, worship, and so on. 

But, as Yancey points out with examples, Jesus himself was familiar with the Jewish Scriptures. He quotes them several times, and expects his followers to know the context and background. So as a most basic tenet, if we are following Jesus, we should read the Scriptures that he read, as well as the more recent ones. 

The gift of pain (by Philip Yancey and Paul Brand)

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It’s nearly seventeen years since I first read ‘The gift of pain’, which was co-written by Philip Yancey and the late Dr Paul Brand. I found it eye-opening when I first read it, and almost impossible to put down. I decided it was well overdue for a reread.

The book is primarily autobiographical, based on extensive journals and recollections from Paul Brand’s childhood and early experiences as a doctor. Philip Yancey has turned it into a very readable and well-structured book that I have been reading over the past couple of weeks, a chapter or two each day. It's not like a typical Yancey book; he functions more as an editor. It's written in the first person with Paul Brand narrating. 

Paul Brand was born in 1914, in India, to missionary parents. In looking back, he sees a wonderful childhood, exploring the area barefoot, learning from conversations and observations. And then he was sent to boarding school in the UK, and to live with relatives. He says very little about those years, other than that he felt restricted, and often lonely. 

He didn’t intend to go into medicine, but by various circumstances, which he believes were divinely ordained, he started to study basic medicine and was hooked. He specialised in hand surgery, and planned to return to India. And ended up committed to helping patients with leprosy. 

Back in the 1930s, leprosy was widespread in India, with no known cure or even a way of stopping the progression of the disease. Gradually drugs were discovered that stopped it getting worse, and ensured that sufferers were no longer infectious. But if they had lost fingers or toes, or had serious scarring, they were unable to find employment or live anywhere other than a leper colony.

By extensive research, some of it funded by governments, Dr Brand gradually realised that it was the lack of pain that led to most of the disfigurement of people with leprosy. Without any sensation in their hands, patients would damage them by overuse, or by injury, and would not notice. They would develop ulcers on their feet, too, which would often spread and turn gangrenous. And even when medical staff operated on hands, or feet, the same problems would recur as patients could not feel any pain.

So alongside the biographical parts of the book are explanations about why pain is such an important benefit to the majority of us who feel it. The author goes into a lot of detail about how we feel pain, and I have to admit that I skimmed over some of the technical and medical details, as well as some of the descriptions of surgeries. I’m quite squeamish, and had no need to learn about which tendons had to be attached or removed. I also skipped over the sections about using animals for research, something which was much commoner then than it is now.

But most of the text is very readable, and once again I found it quite hard to put down at times. I knew the outline of the story - that Dr Brand was one of the pioneers in both surgery and healing techniques for people with leprosy. Without his research, and his extensive care and education of patients, leprosy would still be a much more widespread disease and problem than it now is.

I was also reminded about how important it is to listen to aches and pains. Brand explains that some are useful, and that our bodies respond by a kind of instinct - pulling a finger away from a hot surface, for instance, even though the pain of it may not be felt until some time later. He talks about three stages of pain, with the third one being the way we perceive it. Those who are positive and upbeat are likely to find a situation much less painful than those who dread it, or who are depressed about their illness. 

He also stresses the importance of support, of comfort, and of knowing that one can do something about a situation. He gives examples such as indigestion problems, where some people give in and assume they’re permanent, some want whatever a doctor can do, and some want to find out how to change their lifestyle to avoid future problems. 

Stereotyping, perhaps, and of course it’s not always that straightforward. But the principles are good. He points out, gently, that habits such as smoking or overeating will lead to health issues. However, he doesn’t do this from a moralistic point of view, and doesn’t pass judgement on his patients. And similarly with former leprosy sufferers, he helps them understand what they can do to assist their healing, without criticising or condemning them when they forget, or ignore his advice.

At the end is an epilogue comparing and contrasting the AIDS epidemic of the 1990s (when the book was first published) with leprosy as it was early in the century. Again, the author makes no judgement, but does make some interesting points. 

It’s a very readable book, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in this topic. There's an underlying Christian ethos, but it's very low key and not at all pushy.  

Review copyright 2025 Sue's Book Reviews

In His Image (by Paul Brand with Philip Yancey)

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I very much liked re-reading the book ‘Fearfully and Wonderfully Made’ by Dr Paul Brand (in conjunction with Philip Yancey) about three months ago. So I decided to re-read the sequel, ‘In His Image’. I have both these in a compilation volume called ‘In the Likeness of God’, which I read at one sitting just over 17 years ago.  I recalled that both books were well-written and extremely interesting, but not much more.

‘In his image’ delves more deeply into the concept that we were made in God’s image, and that our individual bodies have counterparts - metaphorically speaking, for the most part - in the worldwide and local church. It’s no accident that the church is known as the ‘Body of Christ’. We are God’s agents in the world, and if we are to function as intended, we need to be linked to each other as well as directly to God.

That’s about as far as it goes in general understanding; Paul Brand takes the metaphor to its extremes, and in doing so manages to be both educational and inspiring. ‘Fearfully and Wonderfully Made’ looks at the way we’re made and how our different systems work together. ‘In His Image’ is more about communication. 

So the first section looks at what we mean by ‘likeness’. Using anecdotes as well as medical language, Brand explores  how ‘likeness’ can be passed from person to person, not just via genetics but sometimes by manners of speech or quirks of language. It also discusses some of the incredible surgeries that can be done to aid victims of serious burns or illnesses that can ravage skin, particularly faces. 

The second section is about blood. There’s a lot of detail, some of which I found too technical, about how blood cells and plasma function. But I was very struck by some of the analogies drawn by the author. He looks at blood as power, as the life force; he demonstrates what is meant in the Bible by blood ‘cleansing’ us: a strange phrase at first glance. 

Then the author looks at the head, and in particular the brain, and what is meant by spirit. Finally he gets back to one of his favourite topics: that of pain. He acknowledges that some chronic pain does not seem to provide any useful function, while repeating how important most pain is, in alerting us to problems. Dr Brand worked for many years with leprosy patients who had lost all sensation of pain; this would lead to them exerting too much pressure on limbs, or being unaware of dangerous nails on the ground, or even rats biting. So he knew from many experiences how important it is that our bodies are tuned to be aware of potential damage. 

I found the book very interesting, but not as mind blowing as I did the first time. I’m not sure why. Perhaps I had subconsciously recalled some of it; perhaps it was assimilated in my mind, so that instead of being incredible revelations, it was reminders of the analogies and metaphors. And some of the medical descriptions, particularly parts about animal experiments, made me feel rather squeamish. 

Still, I thought the book well worth re-reading, and would recommend it highly to anyone who would like to explore the idea of being made in God’s image, and what the implications are of the idea of the Body of Christ.

Review copyright 2024 Sue's Book Reviews

Where the Light Fell (by Philip Yancey)

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I have acquired most of the books by Philip Yancey over the years. He’s one of my favourite American Christian writers, someone who writes from the heart, with honesty, acknowledging that often there are more questions than answers. In the books he has hinted - or stated outright, at times - that his childhood was difficult, and that he grew up in a racist, fundamentalist environment which he had to throw off to understand the grace of God.

So when I saw that he had written his biography, ‘Where the Light Fell’, I was eager to read it. Not quite keen enough to get hold of it in hardback, but when the paperback edition was available in the UK, I put it on my wishlist. I was given it for Christmas, and started reading it a few days later. I’ve read a chapter a day, sometimes more; today I was so intrigued to know how events panned out that I finished the last three or four chapters in one sitting.

Philip Yancey is an extremely talented writer, who manages to express situations and conversations in ways that are both easy to understand and yet profound. And he recounts his story without complaint, without asking anyone to feel sorry for him. His childhood was not the worst - as he and his brother discuss, towards the end of the book - but it was a very difficult one in a lot of ways.

Philip and his older brother Marshall were brought up by a committed fundamentalist Christian mother, after losing their father to polio when they boys were very young. It wasn’t until Philip was a young adult that he learned the shocking truth that their father chose to leave his ‘iron lung’, supported by his wife, as they believed that God would heal him. 

After the father died, their mother, in an agony of grief, dedicated her sons to God’s service, believing they would both be missionaries. She continued in her role teaching Bible studies, and counselling… and in public was a very strong, committed and caring woman. In private, possibly because she had nobody to talk to herself, she became easily angered, and was quite free with her hands and even belts, hitting her two young sons. 

But it’s not a depressing account; Yancey accepts that this is how it was, and as he looks back, he understands some of the reasons for his mother’s behaviour.  It wasn’t helped that they were part of a fundamentalist church, living in the American south, where racism was still active even in the 1960s. The children believed what they were told and rarely asked questions. 

The story moves on in sections - after anecdotes and descriptions of their childhood, the action moves forward to the college years. Both brothers are enrolled in a Bible college; both find it difficult to fit in, both become cynical in different ways. But although they were raised together, and had similar circumstances, Marshall was much more hot-tempered, while Philip was more of a peacemaker. And they reject their childhood fundamentalist faith in very different ways. Marshall throws it all out, Philip discovers Jesus.

There’s much more in this book, which I found both revealing and thought-provoking. It fills in a lot of gaps in the vague background I had understood for Philip Yancey’s life, and I’m sure it will help me make even more sense of his other books when I re-read them (as I do regularly).

I’m not always keen on biographies; some are full of facts or famous names. But ‘Where the Light Fell’ is honest, eloquent, and ultimately very inspiring.  Highly recommended.

Review copyright 2024 Sue's Book Reviews

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (by Paul Brand and Philip Yancey)

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It’s a long time since I read the books by the late Dr Paul Brand (in conjunction with Philip Yancey). I have two of them in one volume, ‘In the Likeness of God’, which I finished for the first time back in 2007. I recalled finding this inspiring, encouraging and helpful but hadn’t remembered much of the content. I have just finished the first of the books, ‘Fearfully and Wonderfully Made’, and, again, thought it excellent.

Paul Brand was a missionary doctor whose vocation was for people with leprosy. This was once a feared disease, leading to people becoming outcasts forever. Dr Brand was convinced that he should work with lepers, in particular doing what he could to help their deformed hands, since his speciality was on orthopedics.

During his work and research, he realised that leprosy did not attack tissues or bones, but that it is a disease of the nervous system. Patients lost the ability to feel, and thus did not notice the pain sensations that prevent us from (for instance) walking on sharp objects, or gripping too hard when trying to turn a handle. Pain, as Paul Brand wrote in another book, is a gift: something that alerts us to potential damage, and forces us to stop, or rest, or seek medical help.

However, ‘Fearfully and Wonderfully Made’ is not a biographical book, although it includes incidents from Dr Brand’s work.  Instead, it looks, mostly in layperson terms, at the way our bodies work. He starts with cells, explaining what they do and how the different kinds of cells function in our bodies. Then he turns cells into a metaphor for individual believers as part of the Body of Christ. 

Subsequent chapters focus on skin, bones, and movement; short sections explain what these do, and why, and each time there’s a segue into his ongoing metaphors. I was particularly struck by one of the sections on bones, as he contrasts our internal skeleton with the exoskeleton of (for instance) some shellfish. An exoskeleton protects from harm, but does not enable any growth, or much range of movement. Brand relates this to people who have built up a protective shield around themselves, often (in the church) based on legalism or adherence to rules without any flexibility. 

The overall analogy is extremely well done, helped by Philip Yancey’s very readable style which took Brand’s notes and turned them into this excellent, thought-provoking book. It didn't blow me away quite like it did the first time I read it, possibly because I had absorbed some of the material without realising it, but I still liked it very much. It's informative without being dull, inspiring without being preachy, and of relevance to anyone who is - or would like to be - part of the worldwide church. 

I’m quite sure that Paul the Apostle didn’t think of his ‘Body of Christ’ metaphor in such a detailed fashion; he wouldn’t have known about blood cells at all back in the first century. But equally, I’m certain he would be delighted that his namesake almost two millennia later was able to take the phrase and apply it in such ingenious and inspiring ways.

Definitely recommended if you’re interested in what it means to be part of the Body of Christ in the 21st century. 

Review copyright 2023 Sue's Book Reviews

Disappointment with God (by Philip Yancey)

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When I find an author whose writing I enjoy or find thought-provoking, I like to collect all their books and re-read them every so often. I have appreciated the books by Philip Yancey since I first discovered him over 25 years ago, and try to re-read them about once every ten years. It was thirteen years since I last read ‘Disappointment with God’, so clearly time for e re-read.

The writing, as always with this author, is excellent - the book is well-structured, with the author’s thoughts alongside quotations from Scripture and from some other writers. He particularly favours CS Lewis in this book; Lewis wrote about his immense disappointment with God when his wife died, and clearly Philip Yancey found his thoughts inspiring and helpful.

But what makes his writing particularly interesting is that he gives some anecdotes from his own life too, and writes about encounters with people he met. One of them was a young friend who had given up on his faith. Yancey could understand exactly where his friend was coming from - he experienced crises of faith himself - and it was the three questions asked by the friend which inspired this book.

The friend asks: Is God unfair? Is God silent? Is God hidden? A little ironically, the friend lost his faith after writing an academic book on the subject of the Biblical book Job. Job is one of the earliest books in the Bible, and if the account is true rather than a parable or allegory (as some experts believe) he suffered loss, pain, bereavement and intense disappointment despite being one of the few people who lived in upright life and worshipped God wholeheartedly.

Yancey looks at these three questions in some depth, not answering them in a trite or quick way, but exploring their implications. Is God unfair? A cursory scan of the book of Job would suggest that he is. But while God allowed the immense suffering, he didn’t cause it; one could equally say that life is unfair. How far does God intervene in everyday life? Clearly not as much as many folk would wish, and not at all in Job’s life until the end of the book when there’s a lengthy exposition which puts everything into context.

As for whether God is hidden or silent, Philip Yancey spends some time recounting parts of the Old Testament where God clearly wasn’t either silent or hidden. From the Garden of Eden through to the Exodus from Egypt, God was a known presence, and people heard his voice, or saw direct evidence of God’s movement or directions. But it didn’t make them happy, nor did it make them more likely to follow him. It certainly didn’t stop them complaining or becoming disappointed. Perhaps human nature always wants something different from the status quo.

While I had not remembered the details of the book, or the specific questions asked, it felt familiar and encouraging. I didn’t learn anything new, but had some useful reminders. I thought overall it was a positive and helpful read, one which I would recommend to anyone asking the kinds of questions the author’s young friend asked, or wondering why God does not show himself more clearly and more often. I particularly like the way that the author explores and expands on the questions, looking at their implications, rather than coming up with pat answers.

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

Where is God when it hurts? (by Philip Yancey)

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I’ve very much appreciated all the books I’ve read by Philip Yancey, so I’m currently - slowly - re-reading them. He’s an American Christian writer who grew out of fundamentalist roots into an insightful, balanced and clear author. He does a lot of research, and has met some extremely interesting people in the course of his writing.

I last read ‘Where is God when it Hurts’ in 2008, so although I recalled the general gist I had entirely forgotten the detail and the stories he tells. I’ve read a chapter or two each day over the past ten days or so, and found it interesting, thought-provoking in places - and yet ultimately I’m not entirely sure that the question is answered. Maybe it can’t be.

The early chapters look at reasons why pain can be a good thing. As in several of his books, Philip Yancey references his friendship with Dr Paul Brand who worked for many years with leprosy sufferers. Leprosy - or Hansen’s Disease, as it’s apparently now known - leaves nerves unable to feel anything. This means that sufferers are unable to tell when they are damaging their hands or feet; lack of pain can lead to loss of digits or even limbs. In other ways, the author points out, pain and discomfort alert us to necessary lifestyle changes.

I had recalled this general principle, and have no problem accepting it; the world is a dangerous place and pain has an important role to play in protecting us from serious injury or disease. However, as the author acknowledges, it’s not that simple. People with incurable or progressive diseases may know exactly what’s wrong, and may take every precaution they can, adjusting their diets or way of living to no avail. And there are many who suffer through no fault of their own - emotionally as well as physically.

Other chapters look at people who have overcome terrible accidents or genetic abnormalities to live tremendous lives of courage and creativity. Yancey meets some Christians whose faith has grown, and who help others by their attitudes and understanding. Again, this is good to know, and encouraging… to a degree. The people described are exceptional, in my view, and seeing the way they grow in faith and strength can be daunting to those who are newer to suffering, or tired of it.

Since this is a Christian book, there are also sections about the way God suffers with us; he doesn’t necessarily cause the suffering directly, and won’t always heal it (though it sometimes happens). But Jesus suffered for our sakes, and God weeps with us when we hurt, holding us in his arms. This section was really the most helpful, and is the one section that begins to address the question in the title. Of course the question doesn’t just mean ‘where?’ in the locational sense; God is with the sufferer, and everywhere else too. But it may give at least a modicum of comfort and assurance.

The style of Yancey’s writing is, as ever, very readable, describing his experiences and the conversations he had with a variety of people. He quotes Scripture, of course, and gives his own opinion based on his research and reading, but he does so in a way that invites the reader to consider his point of view rather than insisting it’s correct. He admits that he doesn’t know all the answers; he looks to eternity, pointing out that our time on earth is but a dot in the scheme of eternal life,although to someone in pain for many years it might not seem like a very encouraging perspective.

Recommended if you’re a Christian, or on the fringe of the church, and would like to know what some church leaders and popular writers believe about this difficult topic. Yancey quotes other writers whose work is also worth reading on this subject.

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

I Was Just Wondering (by Philip Yancey)

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I have very much appreciated Philip Yancey’s writing over the past decade or so. He’s an American Christian writer who grew up in a fundamentalist church but has moved on from that. He sees the world from the perspective of flexibility and grace, and his books are full of wisdom and insight.

It’s nearly thirteen years since I read ‘I was just Wondering’, so it was clearly time to re-read. And, as usual, I had entirely forgotten the contents. The book is set out as forty-four articles, each of them under a broad heading such as ‘The Human Animal’, or ‘Necessary Voices’, which group the thoughts roughly into order.

Each section starts with a page full of intriguing questions: do gorillas have midlife crises? Why are people amused - or embarrassed - by rude jokes? Why are so few Christians joyful? Where do political tyrants come from…?  And while not every question is answered - perhaps some don’t really have answers - the author attempts to explore connected issues, and in some cases attempt at least a possible response to some of the questions.

The first section looks at the human race, including the ways we treat animals, lessons from goldfish, and some fascinating thoughts about dirty jokes, and why we feel so awkward about natural functions which animals perform without caring who might be watching. Another of the sections looks at life from the perspective of some of Yancey’s favourite Christian writers, some of whom lived in extremely difficult circumstances.

Each article, which is written a bit like a newspaper column, gives issues to think about, observations from the author’s perspective, and pointers towards God. It’s not preachy - he entirely understands why so many people are put off by the church - but offers a gentle kind of inclusive grace. There’s some irony, too, particularly evident in a chapter towards the end, with the title, ‘Imagine there’s no heaven’.

I don’t know that I learned anything new, although I picked up a few insights that I had forgotten or missed from my previous reading, and there was much to think about. I read just a couple of articles each day over the course of a few weeks, and found it an encouraging way to start the day.

Recommended if you like reading non-threatening Christian-based thoughts in bite-sized portions.

Review copyright 2021 Sue's Book Reviews

Vanishing Grace (by Philip Yancey)

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The American writer Philip Yancey is one of my favourite living Christian authors, so I try to acquire and read his books as soon as they are out in paperback. However it took a year or two for me to put ‘Vanishing Grace’ on my wishlist. I was given it for my birthday over six months ago, and have just finished reading it.

Overall, I thought it a helpful book. It’s realistic about the state of the church, and the way that evangelical Christians (at least in the United States) are often seen negatively. In surveys, respondents mention things that evangelicals are ‘against’, such as alcohol or abortion, rather than seeing them as offering or celebrating any kind of good news.

Yancey, with Scriptural backing, proposes reclaiming the word ‘evangelical’ to refer to the great news of God’s grace. He is quite frank in places about what Christians have done wrong, and the ways in which we have often stuck in our own cliques rather than going out into the world, as Jesus did, and meeting with those who need the Good News. He suggests that we need to show love and grace, not condemnation and rejection.

I have to admit, I didn’t find this book as compulsively readable as some of Yancey’s earlier books. In places it feels a bit heavy-going, and I found my mind wandering, sometimes, after just a few pages. But the points he makes are excellent. People are thirsty for recognition, for loving acceptance, for friends to be with them in all circumstances. We in the Body of Christ need to reach out in the ways Jesus did, meeting people where they are, showing them a positive way forward rather than condemning their current lifestyles.

The book is divided into four sections, which the author states are almost like four separate booklets in his mind. The first section, ‘A World Athirst’, looks at where we are, how we are perceived, and what the needs of the majority of people are. The second section, ‘Grace Dispensers’, takes as its premise that people who don’t follow Jesus are unlikely to listen to preachers or evangelists. However, they very often take notice of ordinary Christians, whom the author divides into three broad categories: pilgrims, travelling alongside others; activists, who work to make changes in the world; and artists, in the broadest sense (including writers), who offer metaphors and anecdotes that help people open up to spiritual issues.

The third section of the book is called, ‘Is it really good news?’, looking at why faith matters, and why we are here - looking at typical questions which post-modern people are starting to ask, and the ways we can address these issues with grace. And the final, shortest section, is called ‘Faith and Culture’. This looks partly at faith as related to politics - and is inevitably somewhat US-centric. However the author proposes that instead of trying to get ‘Christian’ laws passed, it is better for us to be subversive, a ‘voice in the wilderness’, perhaps, pointing people in the right direction when appropriate.

It’s a positive book, I thought, on the whole, and contains a lot to think about. Yancey expresses eloquently many things I had pondered, or which had vaguely occurred to me. However, we in European countries are far less inclined than those in the US to see issues in absolute terms, and thus are less likely to find the world quite so antagonistic. Instead, we’re more likely to be apathetic; accepting other viewpoints, certainly, but not taking any action at all.

I hope this book will act as a wake-up call to some who call themselves evangelical but are more critical than grace-filled. But also to some of us who, even if we avoid criticising, also avoid anything much that is positive.

Recommended. But note that it’s a book written for Christian believers, or at least those on the fringes of the church, and probably not relevant to those without faith.

Review by Sue F copyright 2018 Sue's Book Reviews

Prayer (by Philip Yancey)

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I’ve very much appreciated all the books I’ve read by Philip Yancey over the past decade or more. In the absence of new books by this author, I’m gradually re-reading the ones I acquired in the past. The one I have just finished is called, ‘Prayer: Does it make any difference?’ I first read it nearly ten years ago.

It’s a surprisingly long book, given the rather specific topic, and one with a great deal to think about. While the book is written in Yancey’s usual clear and readable style, with anecdotes here and there, it’s not a book to skim through. I found that ten or twelve pages each morning were as much as I could manage at one sitting, and each morning I found something in those pages to inspire or encourage me, or cause me to ponder.

The first section of the book is about keeping in touch with God, stressing the importance of prayer as communication, something which benefits the person praying as much as those for whom prayers are offered. The next section moves on to asking why we pray, looking at arguments against prayer, exploding some myths and misunderstandings. It concludes with the importance of prayer whether or not we understand the reasons. There are some interesting statistics, the result of some research done into the efficacy of prayer, which suggest that it does have some effect overall, whether or not anyone understands how or why.

Another section examines the language of prayer, pointing out that it’s not important to use specific words, and giving the analogy of a father enjoying his child’s talking even if it’s far from fluent, full of mistakes. Unanswered prayer is the topic for a further section; a very important one, where the author acknowledges that it’s often both difficult and frustrating when God appears to be silent, or contradictory. Some suggestions are made, looking at the global picture, but Yancey doesn’t make the mistake of offering pat answers or telling people to pretend that they’re not angry or upset when prayers seem to yield nothing but silence.

It’s a book primarily intended for Christians, but could be of interest to anyone with a belief in God who is interested in reasons for praying, ways of praying, and whether or not it makes any difference at all. It’s not always an easy read, but I found it thought-provoking and would recommend it to anyone wanting to know more about the importance of prayer.

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

The Jesus I Never Knew (by Philip Yancey)

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I have very much appreciated Philip Yancey’s books over the past fifteen years or so, and have most of them on our shelves. He is an American Christian journalist, who grew up in a fundamentalist environment but realised, as a teen, how unpleasant some of the teaching and practices were. He came to a new, relationship-based faith and in his writing explores many issues that believers struggle with. I’ve started re-reading Yancey’s books, some of which I have not picked up for a long time.

In ‘The Jesus I never knew’, which I last read in 2007, he decides to look at Jesus from the perspective of the first century, reading the Gospels as if for the first time, looking at different translations, and also different movie portrayals to try to build up a realistic picture of who it is that we follow, rather than the inaccurate images so often portrayed by the media, and even, for several centuries, by many Christian artists.

The first section of the book looks at the Jesus the author thought he knew, and then goes back to the Jewish background and roots, and the environment where Jesus grew up. We don’t know a great deal about his childhood from the Bible, other than one important incident when he was twelve; but from other historic documents a reasonable picture of the life of a carpenter can be built up. The author looks at the start of Jesus’ ministry, too, when he was thirty years old, including the temptations in the desert and what they would have meant.

The middle section examines the question of why Jesus came to earth at all. He points to the Beatitudes, how Jesus turned upside-down many of the precepts and sayings that the people of his time would have expected, and shows us just how offensive the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ would have been to his audience. We who have grown up hearing and reading the Scriptures cannot comprehend what much of his message would have meant to those around him.

The Crucifixion and Resurrection are covered in some depth, following discussion of Jesus’ miracles and what they would have meant. Inevitably some of what he writes is his own ideas and opinions, but even though I had read this before, I found much to think about, and gained some different insights about Jesus’ life and ministry.

The last section begins with the Ascension, when Jesus returned to heaven, and what he left behind. Looked at in the light of the rest of the book, there is, again, much to ponder. I don’t know that I will keep all this in mind, but may well refer to it again when discussing this topic. The style is straightforward, referencing other writers (such as CS Lewis) from time to time, and very readable.

The book is meant for Christians, or for those interested in finding out who Jesus was and is. A measure of faith is important; the author assumes the existence of God and the veracity of the Gospel accounts, while acknowledging that they were written by human observers and writers, who inevitably used their own perspectives on recent events.

Definitely recommended.

Review copyright 2016 Sue's Book Reviews

Meet the Bible (by Philip Yancey and Brenda Quinn)

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It’s over two years since I bought this book from a second-hand online store. I was attracted to it by the fact that one of the authors is Philip Yancey, one of my favourite modern Christian writers, although I knew nothing about the other author, Brenda Quinn. I also liked the idea - as indicated in the blurb - of going through the entire Bible in a year. However I had an alternative reading plan last year so started going through this on January 1st 2015.

I was a little surprised to find that nothing is dated; instead the readings and brief commentaries are titled ‘Day 1’ up to ‘Day 366.’ The introduction explains that this is so that people can start at any time of the year, and take breaks if they wish. However, as I did want to complete it in a year, I went through gradually and marked in the dates of the year, with an extra one for the last day as it’s not a leap year.

Unsurprisingly I didn’t exactly stick to the dates as given; when we were away, I didn’t take this book with me as it’s quite a heavy hardback, so got a couple of weeks behind. Other days I was up too late, or did too much, and didn’t remember to read it. But since I had written on the dates, and wanted to finish by the end of the year, I was able to catch up by reading more than one on other days.

The format of most days is a chunk of text from the Bible, given in full (so there was no need to find references and read elsewhere) followed by about a page of commentary, sometimes on the historical background, sometimes on how Christian faith and theology relate to it, sometimes with challenges for the reader. Each one ends in a very brief thought or prayer for the day, relevant to the passage in question.

I was surprised at first to find that, while some of the quotations are a couple of pages long, others are significantly shorter; however I quickly realised that this doesn’t in fact cover every verse of the Bible; it has something from every one of the 66 books, but while some are covered extensively, others are only touched upon lightly. I was a little disappointed at first as I had somehow assumed that this was commentary on the entire thing; however, it’s meant to be a panoramic introduction, so it makes sense to be the way it is, and I appreciated it.

Sometimes I read for myself the chapters or verses that were not included, and in many cases they didn’t add anything particularly relevant. In a few cases they were very difficult or discouraging sections, about mass violence or strict laws that make little sense in today’s society. Undoubtedly the authors (or the publisher) picked and chose what they commented on, but I think on the whole it gave a fair view of the narrative sweep of the different books of the Bible. The order is not always that of the Biblical books, but is more chronological, particularly switching between different books when some of them run alongside each other historically, such as the books of Kings and Chronicles.

Every so often, instead of a new section from Scripture, there’s what’s called a ‘reflection’: maybe a summary of a book that’s just been completed, or a reminder of some principle or focus that’s been covered in recent days. I often found the reflections particularly helpful, as they were more free-form and often relevant.

I felt that the mixture of the two writers worked well; their styles weren't the same, but gave a good balance overall. Both writers are American, but I don't recall this ever being a problem. Many people would not be interested in something like this, but for those who would like a good overview of the Bible, with some helpful commentary and explanations, mostly in non-controversial language that would be of relevance to any Christians, new or long-standing, I would recommend this book.

Available on Kindle, and still in print in the US as well as widely available second-hand.

Review copyright 2015 Sue's Book Reviews

Open Windows (by Philip Yancey)

(Amazon UK link)

I’ve enjoyed just about everything I’ve read by the American Christian writer Philip Yancey, over the years, and I’ve gradually started re-reading those of his books which I haven’t read for some time. I didn’t remember much about this particular one, other than that it was a series of vignettes of people or situations, through which the author found new ways to meet with and discover God.

I previously read ‘Open Windows’ in 2005. Re-reading over the past couple of weeks, I found there were parts I recalled, but much that felt fresh. In the first section, the author looks at the Arts in general; he covers music in the first chapter, looking not just at ‘religious’ music (ancient and modern) but secular as well, including that inspired by Christian topics.

He then looks at nature, particularly through the eyes of one of Yancey’s favourite writers on the subject, and then eventually spends a couple of chapters on Francis Schaeffer who was quite an outspoken communicator and prolific writer, although I would not have called him an artist.

The second section focuses more on communicating in general - the ways that Christians try to pass on the message of Jesus, and the importance of being a good writer. I was struck by his insistence that readers (or listeners) need to be led slowly into new ideas, to form their own conclusions, rather than told what the writer believes, followed by his or her own logical arguments. This is something that, I feel, many preachers should take note of!

The final section is more political, and took me rather longer to get through as I found that just a few pages were enough. There’s a lot in these sections, much to think about and ponder, but after three or four pages I found my mind wandering.

The writing is good, as with everything Philip Yancey produces, with plenty of thought-provoking comments and vividly recounted experiences. I found the book rather ‘bitty’; the three broad themes seem a bit forced, and each chapter is complete in itself. There isn’t a great deal that was directly about God; I should think the book could be read by anyone interested in Yancey’s views, whether or not they are believers.

The style is a little long-winded in places, and there are some sections which seem to be repeated in others of the author’s books; he has a great admiration for some writers and other famous people (Annie Dillard, Paul Brand and Mahatma Ghandi in particular) and his comments about them crop up regularly in his books.

But still, overall I enjoyed it and am glad to have it on my shelves. It's out of print on both sides of the Atlantic but can sometimes be found inexpensively second-hand.

Review copyright 2015 Sue's Book Reviews

Soul Survivor (by Philip Yancey)

(Amazon UK link)

I love to re-read books by my favourite authors, though I usually try to wait at least five or six years between re-readings. Philip Yancey is a Christian writer whom I first came across over fifteen years ago, at the recommendation of a friend. I find his writing to be honest and encouraging, sometimes almost a lone voice amongst American evangelicals, talking about grace and love in a way that’s a lot more appealing than much of the so-called ‘religious right’.

It had been ten years since I read Yancey’s ‘Soul Survivor’. My edition is subtitled, ‘How my faith survived the church’, although that’s perhaps a bit over-dramatic; others of his books describe his background and gradual rediscovery of a new and more authentic faith rather better. Still, this is a fascinating book, charting the lives and writings of thirteen other writers, all of whom affected Yancey in different ways, and helped his faith along the way.

It’s an interesting selection. All but one of the chosen writers are men; the exception is Annie Dillard, a poet who specialised in writing about nature. All but one of the chosen writers are - or were - Christians; the exception here is Mahatma Gandhi whose non-violent principles were, in many ways, more powerful than any other method of making governments listen.

There’s a mixture of nationalities amongst the chosen thirteen, a wide variety of writing styles, too. Yancey met most of them at some point, became friendly with some, worked alongside one of them for some years. What binds them together is that each one brought something new to his reconstruction of faith, and his understanding of who Jesus was and is.

I have to admit that ‘Soul Survivor’ is a bit heavy going. It’s not the kind of book to read in one sitting; I couldn’t even manage one chapter at a time, as I found my mind wandering after ten or twelve pages. I compromised by reading half a chapter per day, and that worked well. It wasn’t that the accounts were dull, or the writing repetitive; it’s more that I’m no history buff, nor am I particularly interested in many of the writers quoted amongst Yancey’s choice.

Since first reading this, I have in fact read (and very much appreciated) books by two of the selection: Henri Nouwen, the Catholic priest who did so much to reach out to others, and also Paul Brand, the brilliant doctor who first discovered why leprosy causes so much disfigurement. Philip Yancey worked alongside Paul Brand to produce one of my all-time favourite volumes, ‘In the Likeness of God’. I have also read some of GK Chesterton’s non-fiction writing; until I read the account in this book, I knew him only as the author of the ‘Father Brown’ detective series.

On the other hand, I have not the slightest interest in reading Tolstoy, Dostoevsky or Shusaku Endo. Nor do any of the others appeal. I had wondered if, on re-reading this book, I might be intrigued by some different writers and look up their works; that didn’t happen. My background is very different from Yancey’s, and my tastes are too. The first Christian writer who inspired and encouraged me was CS Lewis, whose work has shaped much of my own theology. The second was Adrian Plass, and the third was probably Philip Yancey himself.

If you’re interested by how different kinds of writing can affect someone’s faith profoundly, then this is a good book to read. If you like Yancey’s writing and are interested in some of the background to how he reached his current beliefs, then this fills in some of the picture well.

However, as a stand-alone book I didn't find it particularly inspiring; I’m glad I re-read it, but it didn’t do anything for me, and I wouldn’t recommend it as an introduction to his work.

'Soul Survivor', first published in 2001, has remained in print, with a new paperback edition in the US in 2003, and another in the UK in 2007. Unsurprisingly, it's now available in Kindle form too.

Review copyright 2015 Sue's Book Reviews

The Question that Never Goes Away (by Philip Yancey)

(Amazon UK link)

I was quite surprised to find a free ebook by Philip Yancey, when browsing the Christian section at the end of last year. The title made me wonder if it was actually a re-vamped - or shorter - edition of his classic ‘Where is God when it hurts?’, so I downloaded it, and have read it over the last few weeks.

It turns out that ‘The question that never goes away’ is a new book, almost a sequel. The subtitle is the question:‘What is God up to in a world of such tragedy and pain?’ Yancey writes of his experiences when asked to talk to parents who have lost children in tragic school shooting incidents around the US, and also in war-zones. He continues to ask difficult questions, to attempt to speak to people going through appalling circumstances, without sounding trite.

Of course there are no easy answers - as the author has found for himself, increasingly. His is a refreshing voice amongst American evangelical writers; rather than taking a definite stance he is open to many ways of looking at events and problems; in them all he has an abiding faith in a God of love, but does not try to quote Scripture or to give false hope or pat answers.

Philip Yancey’s writing is always good; he has a talent for explaining complex concepts to lay people without ever being condescending. He acknowledges that each individual is different, that nobody can go through anybody else’s pain, and that we all deal with tragedies in different ways.

And yet, the book doesn’t really say a lot more than was explored in ‘Where is God when it hurts?’. I’m glad I read it; it was a good reminder that life isn’t easy, but that God is still with us, wanting to hold us close, to share in our pain. But I don’t think I would have paid full price for it.

Recommended nonetheless. It’s now available in print form as well as Kindle (no longer free), so the link above is to the paperback edition. 

Review copyright 2014 Sue's Book Reviews

Church: Why Bother? (by Philip Yancey)

(Amazon UK link)

Looking for something relatively light-weight on our Christian shelves, I picked this book up. I like Philip Yancey's writing, and this is a short book - only 100 pages. It's on a topic that really doesn't go away - how important is 'the church' (whatever we mean by that word) in the life of a Christian?

It's nearly eight years since I first read 'Church: Why bother?' which is subtitled, 'My personal pilgrimage.' I don't think I've come to any conclusions or found any answers to the underlying large question, and hoped this book might help me focus better, perhaps providing some straightforward and Biblical solutions.

Unfortunately, it really didn't. Not that I had any problems with the book; it was very readable, with some personal anecdotes charting the author's upbringing in a fundamentalist and racist church, his move right out of church life for a while, and his gradual return and increased commitment. He gives plenty to think about too: the importance of support within the Body of Christ, and the necessity for being part of a community for all kinds of good reasons, even when one is an Introvert.

He also demonstrates how important it is to accept each other as the flawed individuals we are, to love rather than criticise those who make mistakes, or sing out of tune, or give boring monologues. And I totally agree with almost everything he says... except that he doesn't answer the question that torments so many: is it important - or indeed necessary - to attend a particular congregational meeting on a Sunday morning every week (or as often as possible).

If it's possible to experience Christian community in small groups, and other activities, and if we feel closer to God on our own, or with just one or two people and if we can contribute to the life of the Body without actually being present on a Sunday morning, is it actually constructive for those who find the whole structured service thing tedious and irrelevant?

This question really isn't answered; the author makes what felt to me like an illogical assumption, that 'going to church' was synonymous with 'being part of the church'. For many, the two are quite different.

Still, the writing is good, and there are many good points made so I thought it still worth re-reading. Recommended in a low-key kind of way for anyone interested in this topic.

Note that this book, first published in 1998, is still available on both sides of the Atlantic, and can now also be bought in Kindle form.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews

What's so Amazing about Grace? (by Philip Yancey)

(Amazon UK link)

I've been reading books by Philip Yancey for over a decade, now. I find him one of the most powerful modern American Christian writers, who uses anecdotes and his experiences as a journalist to present the message of Jesus and to encourage and inspire Christians all around the world.

His best-known book is probably 'What's so Amazing about Grace?' which I first read in 2005, and liked very much indeed. When I have read other books on the topic of grace, I have always mentally compared them (usually negatively) with this classic by Yancey. And, in the absence of any new books by this author, I thought that it was more than time for a re-read, eight years later.

I've been reading two or three chapters per day for the past couple of weeks, and have enjoyed it very much. The message is one that bears repeating: God offers us grace. There is nothing, as Yancey puts it, which we can do that will make God love us more, and nothing we can do that will make him love us less. God regards us with far more love and compassion than even the best of parents regard their children. And so we should be offering grace freely to those around us.

Unfortunately what Philip Yancey has perceived in his travels, and particularly in the ultra-fundamentalist racist church where he grew up, is what he calls 'un-grace'. He sees it continue at the time of writing; not that racism was accepted any more, but there were undoubtedly people who were prejudiced against the poor, the ragged, the divorced, the gay... the list goes on, and is little different today, or so it seems from the US Christian media. Grace is not something that Christians are renowned for.

Perhaps there was a bit too much about ungrace, rather too many anecdotes from around the world for my tastes. They were interesting, to be sure, and I had not remembered most of them - but by the time I was about three-quarters of the way through the book I did start to wonder if there would be anything else about grace. I had totally got the point that much of the church around the world shows ungrace and that something needs to change. But I didn't find much that showed a positive way forward.

However that's really my only real problem with the book, and there was nothing in particular that struck me as unnecessary. I'm not up in politics so I did skim a few examples of ungrace but they would no doubt be of great interest to those who understand or follow this topic.

The writing is great, the style extremely readable, and the message very clear.

All in all, I would recommend this book highly. It has remained continually in print on both sides of the Atlantic, and can be found now in Kindle form as well as paperback. For those wanting to read it in home groups or with friends, there are also study guides available.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 20th October 2013

Finding God in Unexpected Places (by Philip Yancey)

(Amazon UK link)

For many years I have enjoyed Philip Yancey's Christian books, and we have most of them on our shelves. I decided to start re-reading them, and picked this one up, thinking I hadn't read it for probably six or seven years.

I first read 'Finding God in Unexpected Places' in 2005, and liked it very much indeed. It consists of a good number of short chapters, mostly based on Yancey's travels as a journalist, as he finds different expressions of the Body of Christ around the world.

However, although I had forgotten most of the details of the various anecdotes and thoughts (other than what is possibly my favourite chapter title, ever: 'They also serve who only sit and click' - tremendous encouragement to writers!) I found myself glossing over some of it on re-reading recently. I read just two or three chapters each morning, and sometimes had to re-read a paragraph which I had not entirely taken in.

It's not that there's any problem with the writing - which, as ever for Yancey, is excellent - nor that the book was uninteresting in any way. Far from it. But it all seemed rather too familiar - as if it were me that has become jaded, rather than the book.

It was, then, not quite such a surprise as it might have been to discover that I actually re-read 'Finding God in Unexpected Places' as recently as November 2010. No wonder it didn't seem as if there was anything particularly new in the book - although, perhaps, a little concerning at how much I had forgotten!

Still, well worth reading anyway, and highly recommended to all. Available in Kindle form as still as remaining constantly in print in paperback, on both sides of the Atlantic.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 13th July 2012

What good is God? (by Philip Yancey)

(Amazon UK link)

I've been reading, and very much enjoying books by Philip Yancey for many years now. He writes from a gentle, grace-filled Christian perspective that often clashes with the right-wing fundamentalist viewpoint of many in his country (and amongst whom he was raised). He is a journalist who looks for God all around the world, and seeks to reach out in love to all people, no matter what their race, background or behaviour.

In 'What God is God?" Yancey travels to ten very different regions of the world - from Cambridge (in the UK) to Mumbai (in India); from China to South Africa. He visits a conference for former prostitutes in Wisconsin (in the USA) and a Bible college (also in the USA). In each of these diverse places, he describes why he is there, writes about what he observes, and also mentions how he hopes to be able to reach out in some way to the people concerned. The second part of each of the ten chapters is a transcript of the talk he gave in each of the situations described.

The writing, of course, is very good. The subject matter is all interesting from a general sociological point of view, and helped me to realise afresh just how diverse humanity is, and yet how every person in the world has the same need to be loved and accepted. Yancey's aim in writing this book is to see how God works in each of these situations - whether the message of Jesus' love is relevant to people considered lowest of the low; and, indeed, whether it remains relevant to academics, or even, ironically, those who are training to be professional Christians.

His conclusion seems to be that yes, God is at work. He is apparently most active amongst those whom society has rejected, those who have nothing left but their faith. Yancey points out how Jesus ministered mostly to down-and-outs: the despised, the sick, the untouchables. His harsher words were directed only at the hypocritical Pharisees and other supposed leaders who should have known better.

There's an underlying criticism, I suppose, of those who see the church as an elite for the 'nice' people, who condemn sins they don't practise themselves. But still Yancey manages to convey grace and acceptance - of reaching out in love to all, and showing a little of Jesus' compassion.

I don't think Philip Yancey is capable of writing a bad book. This one is not his greatest, most powerful work, in my view, but still an excellent read.

Recommended to everyone. The theology is fairly low key, and I think it would probably be non-threatening to anyone interested in knowing what real Christians do around the world, whether or not the reader has any faith.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 26th April 2012

Finding God in Unexpected Places (by Philip Yancey)

(Amazon UK link)

I do like Philip Yancey's writing. It's down-to-earth, yet thought-provoking. Clearly Christian, but not dogmatic - and eminently re-readable.

I first read 'Finding God in Unexpected Places' in 2005 and was very impressed with it. However, five-and-a-half years later I'd forgotten what it was about, so it seemed like a good idea to re-read.

It's in variable length chapters, with anecdotes, thoughts, and general ramblings about life and God. The style is friendly, and it's a book that can be dipped into or read from start to finish. I did the latter, and took about ten days, reading a few chapters each day.

It's divided into six sections. The first, 'Finding God without really looking' shows how God can be found in any circumstances, sometimes when we're least looking for him. God is in creation, and the most unlikely creatures or scenery can point us to him.

I found the next section 'Finding God on the Job' particularly encouraging. The first chapter in that section, 'They also serve who only sit and click' struck home deeply; I spent most of my time at home writing, or working on websites or blogs. It was very encouraging to know that someone as big in the Christian world as Philip Yancey suffered many of the same inadequate feelings as I sometimes do.

After that, Yancey writes about finding God in a fractured world, among the headlines, and in the cracks. He has travelled widely, and bases much of his writing around ex-Communist countries he has visited, and the astounding rise of faith in some oppressed societies.

The final section is, perhaps surprisingly to some, entitled 'Finding God in the church'. One might think that the church was not at all an unexpected place to find God - but the first chapter is about lively Christians in oppressive prisons in countries such as Peru.

All in all, it's a very thought-provoking book with plenty of interest to Christians of all varieties, and probably to others as well. Definitely recommended.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 24th November 2010