Rating: 
Summary: Lord Foulgrin's Letters
Review: I would recommend this book to any christian that doesn't understand how they are distracted from God's word by so many things in our lives. I have bought two copies of the book and one copy of the audio cassette. If you want to be able to recognize the devil when he tries to lead you astray,so as to crush him beneath your feet, please read this book. I have been in the church my entire life, both playing church and having a real relationship with God, and this book has helped me more than any sermon had ever helped me to focus on God's Word and to be able to focus on sermons without being distracted by the flaws in the church!!!
(Modern "Screw Tape Letters", C.S.Lewis"
God Is Good!!!
Rating:
Summary: Lord Roulgrin's Letters
Review: This book contains thought provoking stories about what could be going on in the supernatural realm. It seems to me that God has inspired Randy Alcorn to use his gift of writing to make us aware that the "powers and principalities of the air" are alive and well, and very present in our lives. Something all people, including the christian community, need to be aware of in these days.
I have used both his books as well as the cassett tapes of the stories with my youth group. Very powerful! I pray that for Mr. Alcorn and his family. Our enemy doesn't want this information out! Keep up the good work , Randy.
Rating:
Summary: This book is a great addition to anyone's collection
Review: I can't say enough about this book. Having read C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters, I was skeptical about Mr. Alcorn's book. However, I soon changed my mind. This is a very modern look at spiritual warfare and is a thorough analysis of the many ways that Satan tries to distract Christians and non-Christians alike. I like it so much that I am now leading a youth Bible study (I'm a youth director) on this very book and my youth are excited about reading it. Thank you for this book Mr. Alcorn.
Rating: 
Summary: Lord Foulgrin - Contempory Christianity with Contemory error
Review: The book is a good read for the beginner Christian. However due to the contemporary emphasis, it misses some time-independt truths which the immature Christian may mistake as immutable truth.Examples of the 'Demons'-plot' often ignore the heart of Christian compassion towards the classic teachings of Christ. These would include the equivalent and equal concern for drug addicts, prostitutes, and various societal misfits which Christ was Outspoken towards most valuble in helping, regarding them as equal amd primary to any REAL ministery. The book may misrepresent Dogma, and Doctrine for the LOVE and forgiveness of Christ. This may be hard to see, due to the double negative inherent in the discourse (i.e. what is GOOD for THE Father Below, is BAD for the Enemy (Christ/Vishnu/etc.).. Foulgrin may declare that the drungard and addict is not to be bothered with, since the real jewels of 'soul' are in upper management which may be mislead... their position in life makes them more important when emphasising sin-promotion. The inherent implication is that those of little social value have less meaningfull souls, Do NOT get me wrong - this is a good book. Just remember it as written for modern times, and the modern human conflicts, especially w.r.t. political agendas. Mis-representative of Christ's true missionary, it presents a material interpretation of soul-worth, similar to TV evangelism.
Rating:
Summary: I hate this book. Says the devil.
Review: The devil must hate this book for the same reasons that I loved it, and that you should read it. Unashamedly indebted to the premise of C.S. Lewis' "Screwtape Letters", "Lord Foulgrin's Letters" purports to be a collection of correspondence from the demon Lord Foulgrin to his understudy Squaltaint. Squaltaint's mission is to target the unknowing Jordan Fletcher by ensnaring him with evil, and prevent him from serving the Enemy - God. Fortunately for us, Alcorn has not just blindly emulated Lewis, but has added an innovation of his own. Alongside the demonic letters is a story recounting the events in the life of Fletcher and his family, a story that is readable on its own. Since Foulgrin's letters are very dense - as Alcorn might say, "the devil would convince us not to read them" - the independent story-line helps us along in sustaining interest. It makes Alcorn's effort more accessible and relevant for modern readers than its famous Screwtape counterpart. What Alcorn shares with Lewis, however, is the very thing that made the "Screwtape Letters" so popular and so powerful: a fascinating picture of the reality of spiritual warfare accompanied with a profound and insightful analysis of modern culture. Alcorn's portrait of this battle is of course fictional, but spiritual warfare itself is a Biblical reality. It is unfortunate that the content of the demonic letters does not always directly correspond with the accompanying plot description, and that Foulgrin's letters occasionally evolve into a hodgepodge of opinions on various matters, rather than structured expositions on a single theme. But nonetheless it is especially these letters at the end of each chapter that make this book so valuable. Alcorn's insights and analysis into today's world are sometimes shocking, but rarely are his criticisms misplaced. This book is not like a great deal of other contemporary Christian fiction. It is not meant to be. Firstly, it's not easy to read. Each section is in effect a mini-sermon, and it would be an excellent resource for group discussion. Secondly, it does not unrealistically present believers as shining saints. Alcorn's characters are like us: they have sins, shortcomings and struggles, and yet they experience progress in the Christian life. Thirdly, it's not light, fluffy and syrupy. It's meant to open your eyes to the reality of spiritual warfare, the dangers of sin, and the responsibilities of the Christian in the modern world. If you feel guilty at times, then it has succeeded. Alcorn equips his readers for spiritual warfare by critically analyzing our secular world though the glasses of his fictional demon. Although he also takes shots at the modern church, theological liberalism, and cultic Mormonism, Alcorn's critical eye especially targets modern secularism. In turn, he addresses the ills of our godless society: atheistic public education, secular colleges, abortion, pornography, and the occult. He warns against the dangers of the internet, television, and movies. He identifies our world's warped perspectives on love, sex and marriage, money and possessions. He demonstrates the relevance of the ten commandments in today's world. He encourages healthy habits for Christians, such as reading good Christian literature, maintaining regular devotions with Bible reading and prayer, and attending worship faithfully. He subtly teaches Biblical truths about complex theological problems and apologetics, by defending the divinity of Christ, maintaining the doctrine of creation over against evolution, and answering questions about the problem of evil in the world and how a loving God can allow suffering. Readers familiar with Alcorn's other writings on these subjects will recognize much they've read before. But it's a truth that bears repeating. Although what we have packaged in the end is Randy Alcorn's personal philosophy of life, it's essentially a Biblical philosophy. Certainly there are exceptions - More attention could have been given to the work of the Holy Spirit in preserving true believers in the spiritual war. But on the whole, Alcorn's theology is sound: he clearly states the bad news about human depravity and the default condition of sinful mankind as hell-bound, the good news of God's grace through Christ's atoning sacrifice, as well as the work of the Holy Spirit in working regeneration and preserving the saints. Alcorn is in fact a four-point Calvinist, committed to total depravity, unconditional election, invincible grace, and the perseverance of the saints - the doctrine of limited atonement being the only Calvinistic arrow not in his quiver. But alongside a sound theology, the premise of this novel also requires a sound demonology. Alcorn himself concedes that he is somewhat speculative in this respect. Although at times Alcorn became tiresome by unnecessarily spending too much time in describing the demons' hate for God rather than their deceptive wiles, his demonology was successful on the whole. It did raise some questions nonetheless: Is it possible for demons to witness scenes in heaven if they have been cast from heaven (Rev. 12)? Do demons have no ability whatsoever to read human thoughts? To what extent can demons control events such as causing a car crash or "inflict certain maladies" as with the case of Job? Alcorn has also struggled with these questions, and in the end a certain amount of speculation has to be accepted as a literary device and can hardly be avoided in a work of fiction. But a somewhat speculative demonology doesn't undermine the truth of Alcorn's theology or the accuracy of his cultural critique. And it is precisely this that makes Lord Foulgrin's Letters so brilliant. It resonates with truth and conviction, and reminds us of the Biblical truth of Ephesians 6. Life is a spiritual war in which we must not underestimate our enemy, put on the armor of God, and stand only in His strength. Alcorn concludes in his afterword "Know your God. Know yourself. Know your enemy. I pray Lord Foulgrin's Letters helps you better know each." This book sure does. That's the reason why the devil hates it, and you will love it.
Rating: 
Summary: be prepared for soul searching!
Review: I enjoyed this book very much. I think that these types of books help people to learn about Christianity and its values in a way that most nonfiction books can not. My **only** problem with this book is parts with the human viewpoint. I had hoped when I bought the book that it would be like two of my other favorites: C. S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters and Walter Martin's Screwtape Writes Again.
Rating:
Summary: Seeing through the eyes of the enemy
Review: This book is very similar to C.S.Lewis' SCREWTAPE LETTERS. Randy even compares it to Lewis' in his forward. The main difference is that it is more relative to today's world. In this book you get a good understanding of the spiritual warefare that is raging around us all the time. Thank God that we can't see it with our eyes for I am quite sure it would be more than we could cope with! This book really helps you see how Satan tries to undermine and destroy you with deception and manipulation. It made me a little less gulible to the devil's tricks and a lot more on guard. It helps me realize how vital it is that we put on the full armor of God daily!
Rating: 
Summary: A focus on fear.
Review: In the afterward, the author states: "I've sought to fuel and govern my imagination by the Scriptures. To the degree that I've failed to do so, I ask the reader's understanding and God's forgiveness. Please realize that despite my genuine attempts to be true to God's Word, I don't claim infallibility for the book. In fact, I emphatically claim fallibility." This book is based on literal interpretations and misinterpretations of the Bible, the devil, and evil. This is how the world looks if we gloss over the Bible without digging deeper and discovering its true and hidden meanings. We are pawns of demons and angels in a cosmic game? This is not what the Bible teaches! For anyone who reads this book and is afraid of this world, read and remember Jesus' words in John 14: 12-14. Randy, we understand, and God forgives you.
Rating:
Summary: "Screwtape" for the new millenium
Review: I originally had no intention of buying this book, first because it looked like a blatant rip-off of C.S. Lewis' classic "The Screwtape Letters", and second because I was not too crazy about a previous novel written by this author. After looking at the book in a Christian bookstore, I saw it was in a little different format than "Screwtape", plus it was a very attractive book to look at, so I took the bait. And, Randy Alcorn, if you're reading this review, I repent of my previous attitude, because this book is a winner in every way. Unlike "Screwtape", "Lord Foulgrin's Letters" alternates between the correspondence from Foulgrin to his apprentice demon, Squaltaint, and the earthly activities of Jordan Fletcher, the human to which Squaltaint has been assigned. In the beginning, I wondered why someone as spiritually bankrupt as Jordan Fletcher even needed his own personal tempter (I guess that's why an underling was assigned the job), but soon enough, despite Squaltaint's best efforts and Foulgrin's best advice, Jordan begins to move toward a greater spiritual awareness, thanks to the witness of one of the friends with whom he plays basketball regularly. In Foulgrin's correspondence, the author covers all the bases as far as the tricks of the devil are concerned. In giving a glimpse into the spiritual realm, the book reminds me a little bit of Frank Peretti's novels. But the practicality of this book makes it far more valuable than your average work of fiction, for it increases awareness of the traps that Satan's henchmen can put in one's path. Plus, there are some interesting twists at the end. All in all, a stellar effort.
Rating:
Summary: The enemy is real
Review: Alcorn's book is a simple, well written account of a middle-aged man and the demons that plot to destroy his soul. This account is similar to Lewis' Screwtape Letters, but it is not a retelling of that classic. This book stands on its own. I found this book to be helpful in "observing" how dark spiritual forces may indeed work. Naturally, the direct actions and words of "Lord" Foulgrin have been sanitized for readability, but he is indeed a wretched demon. Reading this book made me more grateful that I have a strong tower in the Lord to run into in times of stormy trouble.
|
