Rating: 
Summary: An Encouragement for My Journey
Review: Yancey will appeal to a certain crowd with this one.A typical candidate would be someone from a more narrow version of Evangelical Christianity, who has become disaffected by it's lack of depth, anti-intellectualism and refusal to see truth in a broader perspective. I can see that some people from a more mainline background would think of some of the things as being 'Faith 101' topics. But for some people the book will be an eye opener. For myself I come at it from the point of view of someone who is an Evangelical who has always been plagued by doubt but still has had powerful experiences with God. I served for a few years in a well known ministry. I attended University and was schooled in science with the pervasive influence of modern rationalism. My mind was slowly pulled open. My Evangelical thought was simplistic and lacked depth. Over an 8 year period with some world travel, I began to reach a position of agnosticism. This was compounded by my looking back at my religious roots and realizing that a return to that world-view was simply not possible. G.K. Chesterton's 'Orthodoxy' helped me realise that faith is not irrational. Yancey, in this work, points me to some individuals that have modelled their lives in various ways, some of them living as Christians, some of them not. It is as if I have seen the world as being black and white, and suspected that colour existed. I had the odd flash of colour.
In this book, I have seen some colour, and also that reality is 3 dimensional. Christianity is not only available in vanilla, but strawberry and pistachio. Maybe it is a regular Baskin Robbins, that reflects a broader range of life.
Rating:
Summary: Their stories, his, and... yours...?
Review: One of the most powerful influences on our lives is story. The stories of other people. I them, we see ourselves reflected (or refracted, perhaps, as the case may be). And, in some way, a living sermon (for good or bad) has always spoken more clearly than a preached one. In "Soul Survivor" Yancey works his story into the stories of those who have gone before him, those he has learned from (again, for good or bad). In this, see three stories emerging, then... 1) theirs, 2) his, and 3) hopefully, our own. Interestingly enough, some of those Yancey learns from (through their stories) are Christians (MLK, Jr.) and some are not (Gahndi, for instance). Read it, and discover your story.
Rating:
Summary: Fresh Wind
Review: How do you rate this book? How can you rate a book that essentially contains 13 disconnected stories? The book is almost more of a bibliography of Yancey's character, which perhaps is why it's such a beautiful piece of work. There is a great deal of power in the story of an individual, and this piece examines briefly 14 individuals' stories which combine to form an explanation for a 15th story, that of the book's author. It is an autobiography of sorts that comes together from the skeletons of 14 other biographies. Not every chapter resonated with me, and that's part of the reason that I question how to rate this book. Some chapters are still ringing in my ears; others were almost lifeless as I even read them. But that's also a part of the magic of this book, I imagine. I think most people would be hard pressed to not find at least one chapter that doesn't strike them somehow. If not G. K. Chesterton's joy in everything, perhaps Paul Brand's unhindered love. If not Anne Dillard's piercing perception, perhaps Mahatma Gandhi's dedication to Jesus' principles. I believe there is something that can ring in any reader's heart if they are reading with honestness and thoughtfulness, which is, I presume, exactly how it was written.
Rating:
Summary: no bomb shelter Christianity
Review: We all have those key people in our lives who nurture us into adulthood, who give us courage and inspiration to live lives consistent with our beliefs. Soul Suvivor is the account of those people in Philip Yancy's life, and he writes of them in such a way as to inspire us too. -not because they have all the answers or because their lives are perfect, but because they are real, and because they are passionately involved with the world around them. In a culture that is sometimes more comfortable than compassionate, more efficient than involved, this book is an arousing call to live well.
Rating:
Summary: Soul Survivor
Review: This book was insightful, thoughtful and inspirational. I appreciate how others are willing to make themselves vulnerable so we may learn from them. Humanity in its frailty and greatness.
Rating:
Summary: Journey to Faith....
Review: Yancey is a superb Christain writer, his journey is an inspiration. There is no clear path that will bring any of us the peace we think we seek, but it's clear in this book that the "Journey" may be half the battle. Not only does he tell of his early horror in "The Church" but shares with us 13 Authors of the Faith that helped him KNOW & reclaim his Faith. We are human, not perfect. Turning from God, by leaving the church only leaves us alone & certainly just what the great deciever wants. I like many had stepped away from the church, but the great emptiness left behind made me realize I still wanted a relationship with the Abba(Father)... so through people like Yancey & finding a church based on God, Jesus & the Holy Spririt I have after years of struggle once more walk in fellowship. This book is based on intellect, as well as that emotional empty God shaped place in our hearts that like you & me, Yancey shared... He is wonderful to open his life to us, so as to better light the path. Blessed be,L<><
Rating:
Summary: Conservatives Can Benefit also
Review: Mr. Yancey is a pleasure to read in his latest book "Soul Survivor". In its pages he relates feeling very abused and mislead by his "conservative" boyhood church, thus the title "Soul Survivor". The book takes the form of several mini-bios of people who Yancey considers to be some of his most important spiritual influences. Beginning with the great civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and ending with the celibate homosexual priest Henri Nouwen, the book covers such luminaries as Dostoevsky and Gandhi. It is very refreshing that Yancey can find inspiration in the troubled and downtrodden; and even in non-Christians like Gandhi. It seems, that Yancey relates to such people who
struggled with faith as he admittedly does. And he does succeedin producing golden nuggets from each of the lives that he writes about. Especially the life of Martin Luther
King Jr. There is much to be gained by conservatives who will expose themselves to Christians who would normally be overlooked by traditional churches. Conservatives will find that
God can use even the stragglers and troubled of the faith. A refreshing thought for all of us who struggle to some degree with the faith and the life such faith would have us
pursue. It is an especially appealing message for Western Christians who are increasingly influenced and compromised by an increasingly decadent Western lifestyle. Yet Yancey does us a grave disservice by not including even one traditional Christian saint. Not a traditional martyr among them! While it is comforting to know that Hindus,
celibate homosexuals, adulterers, and a divorcee with a 3 pack a day smoking habit can indeed be used by God. It is troubling that Yancey can't find a "hero" among all the worlds traditional Christian martyrs and persecuted, past and present. It seems that those who are "persecuted" by Yancey's "conservatives" with mere words and attitudes are
more deserving of his accolades than those who have risked life and limb and even given their lives for the faith and their fellow Christians. This predisposition of Yancey's of seeing the whole church and the whole faith only in light of his struggle with his boyhood "conservative church" severely limits Yancey's
truly gifted writing and ministry. If Yancey would overcome this predisposition and "spread his wings" he would be one of God's greatest. Yancey, describes his faith as a "Pascalion Wager", referring to the mathematician Pascal who decided to believe in God simply because if he was right he would gain everything, and if he was wrong the results would be the same as if he bet that there was no God. He admits that he is troubled by many doubts. Perhaps, this is why he fails to include a Paul, a Watchman Nee, a Deitrich Bonhoeffer, or any other Christians who developed rock
solid faith and morals and shed their blood as an undeniable testimony to such faith. Yancey even includes quotes in which his "spiritual influences" say, in effect, that such
faith is impossible. I highly recommend the book. Allow Yancey to expand your horizons and your faith. But beware, Yancey is a double edged sword, his assumptions about faith can also limit your faith if you let them.
Rating:
Summary: An honest look at greatness.
Review: Yancey has always written about his life with an open heart, and now he looks at other great people who have influenced his life with the same open, and honest style. This book has influenced my pastor so much that he has read from it almost every Sunday the last 2 months. We are all fallen people, with much brokenness in our lives, and it is helpful to know that everyone deals with the same basic problems in life. We are all sinners desperately in need of a Savior. Yancey does a masterful job in giving mini biographies of these great people.
Rating: 
Summary: Has He Yet Survived?
Review: It was with great skepticism that I picked up Soul Survivor, because I know Yancey's feelings toward evangelical Christianity. However, I was pleasantly surprised at this book. Yancey is a tremendous researcher and wordsmith who is not afraid to put his true feelings on paper. That being said, I have some problems with Soul Survivor. Therefore, I give it a mixed review. There are some exceptional hilights in the book, but there are some lowlights as well. The chapter on Martin Luther King Jr. was especially stimulating and informative, perhaps the most balanced evangelical perspective on the complex civil rights leader I have ever read. As a suburban, white Christian, I do not know much about King, save the cliqued stereotypes I've heard from his dissenters and the flatterring portraits offered by his fans. While Yancey doesn't gloss over King's moral failures, he also points out his tremendous impact on our society. I was also struck by the incredible racism of the white church in the deep south. This chapter is the highlight of the book. My problem with Yancey is that he has yet to get over his past. He has allowed his own deep spiritual abuse to color his perspective of evangelical Christianity to the point of negatively stereotyping every fundamental Christian as a intolerant whacko. We are not. There are many compassionate, loving souls who seek to honor Christ and uplift their fellow man, white, black, or green. Yancey seems to think we've all had the same bad experiences in church. We haven't. I am particularly disturbed by Yancey's deification of those who've made a career of stumbling over the simple truths of God's Word. Those who trust God as what he says are considered simple, intolerant, and dumb while whose who made the simple things hard are portrayed as enlightened thinkers. All that being said, I would recommend reading Soul Survivor, just for the great biographical information of Yancey's subjects. Please, however, do not assume that all Christians struggle with such questions of faith.
Rating: 
Summary: Confused -- to say the least
Review: I purchased this book with an open mind. I did so because I have hitherto not enjoyed Yancey's previous books, his basic ideas or his style of writing. Since I am a minister of religion, I had hoped that Yancey's dalliance into the subject of the Church would hold my interest. My expectations were dashed one chapter into the book. Yancey thinks the Church is synonymous with individual Christians. He also thinks that important Christians have rescued the Church from its failures as an institution. His style is shamelessly condescending whenever he is talking about Christians who disappointed him as he grew up in High School and shamelessly egotistical when he associates himself with the bigger names in Christianity (which he consistently confuses with the Church). This book to be sure has little or nothing to do with the Church, and a great deal to do with the impression influential Christians have had on a man named Yancey. The biographical portions are poorly researched and the evaluation of the thirteen Christian figures hopelessly romantic and uncritical. A case in point: Martin Luther King's self-confessed womanizing and plagiarism are passed over without any critical comment. Last, but not least, the style of the book gives the impression that it was reworked too many times on Yancey's word processor. The one plus in this confused publication is that it is full of useful sermon illustrations and anecdotes.
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