[Discoslure: What follows is accurate but a bit of a rant: I wasted a lot of time reviewing this book for Crossway, holding off on publishing my opinion, only to have the publisher pull a fast one for marketing purposes. I'm not a happy camper. But, as I said, I had already come to my conclusions before getting jerked around by (Double-)Crossway.]
I read the manuscript about a month ago and, IMHO, it's a lousy book. Piper takes a noble goal - focusing our devotion on God rather than His gifts - and twists the gospel horribly to make it essential for salvation.
(He says, for example, that if a person has not seen the glory of God then he or she has not believed the gospel. This is more "back-loading" of the gospel - I don't hold to so-called "lordship salvation," but I grant that a biblical argument can be made for it. Piper's book, however, lacks any theological or biblical support for many of it's premises and conclusions.)
His exegesis (where he does any) is wooden and his eisogesis obvious. His organization is poor and his "excitement" comes off as disingenuous: a lot of "sound and fury signifying nothing." Sometimes it felt like Piper was trying to write a book by Jonathan Edwards.
Save your money and read it online. Better yet, save your time and don't read it at all.
Mike, Your rant lack concrete examples. Because you are negative in response, your arguement lacks sense and clarity. Why don't you find a more constructive way of using your critism to edify your brothers and sisters in the Lord instead of making subtle accusations of our Christian leader. Have you email Dr. Piper personally at bbcmpls@bbcmpls.org about your concern and critism? Is Dave Bish's blog appropiate for this?
Hey Dave,
ReplyDeleteJust to let you know, under the contents heading on the website, you can actually read the entire book in pdf form, not just chapter 1.
Paul Schafer
Dave, thanks for this, its much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteGBYAY
[Discoslure: What follows is accurate but a bit of a rant: I wasted a lot of time reviewing this book for Crossway, holding off on publishing my opinion, only to have the publisher pull a fast one for marketing purposes. I'm not a happy camper. But, as I said, I had already come to my conclusions before getting jerked around by (Double-)Crossway.]
ReplyDeleteI read the manuscript about a month ago and, IMHO, it's a lousy book. Piper takes a noble goal - focusing our devotion on God rather than His gifts - and twists the gospel horribly to make it essential for salvation.
(He says, for example, that if a person has not seen the glory of God then he or she has not believed the gospel. This is more "back-loading" of the gospel - I don't hold to so-called "lordship salvation," but I grant that a biblical argument can be made for it. Piper's book, however, lacks any theological or biblical support for many of it's premises and conclusions.)
His exegesis (where he does any) is wooden and his eisogesis obvious. His organization is poor and his "excitement" comes off as disingenuous: a lot of "sound and fury signifying nothing." Sometimes it felt like Piper was trying to write a book by Jonathan Edwards.
Save your money and read it online. Better yet, save your time and don't read it at all.
Hi Mike,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reflections. I think I will try to get hold of it, but your thoughts are most welcome.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteYour rant lack concrete examples. Because you are negative in response, your arguement lacks sense and clarity. Why don't you find a more constructive way of using your critism to edify your brothers and sisters in the Lord instead of making subtle accusations of our Christian
leader. Have you email Dr. Piper personally at bbcmpls@bbcmpls.org about your concern and critism? Is Dave Bish's blog appropiate for this?
Paul,
ReplyDeleteI don't mind people sharing negative thoughts - its good to be critical in our thinking..
I guess you have a point about contacting authors personally when criticisms are serious, and that specific examples are helpful.
Discerning reading is definitely good though.
Mike has been more specific here:
ReplyDeleteGod is the Gospel, or the Gospel according to Piper