Rating: 
Summary: An interesting book
Review: I was intrigued by the premise of the book. And I think you will be as well. The writers set human history and the kingdom of God as a contest of God winning back his people through love and romance. And there is biblical basis to it. I didn't really find anything in this book that I would object to beyond just a mere difference of opinion. The book recounts in broad strokes what God has done to romance his people, drawing on the imagery of the church being his bride and the language God used (which is quite frank and surprising to those who have never found it in their reading -- it is there, Ezekiel is a great example)Where I would dock the book is in its literary structure. It's pretty sugary. Their style is to not go into great detail and to bring out other points of view and they tend to oversimplify certain core doctrines. I do believe that this book, when read with other ones, is a good part of a balanced theological breakfast. But by itself, it's not very satisfying.
Rating: 
Summary: Insightful look at the void passion and romance once filled
Review: This is an excellent book, and one that captures the lost passion so many of us live without. The authors attempt to demonstrate how much our lives are truly designed to be passionate, and drawn to God. There are two major themes: The first is that God desires a relationship with us. The second is that our lives are often confined to the "smaller story" and we seldom play out the role God has in mind, choosing instead to go through the motions of daily events - devoid of passion and romance. Often the depictions of God in the Christian Church cast Him in the role of a distant dictator. This is the metaphor I grew up with. A closer look at the Scripture reveals a God who is passionate and desires more than anything a right relationship with us. The authors discuss this concept at length and provide Biblical backing for the theology. The more compelling aspects of the book were the more practical. A close look at our lives reveals our fears keep us trapped in the mundane, and keep us from risking the "larger story" we are called to be a part of. We have lost the romance, the spark, and the adventure, of our youth, to be replaced with a cold logic and practical drudgery, and small stories. The depictions of the hope and grandeur of our dreams from youth are depicted with such stark reality, that it jars you awake to the fact that so much of what we call maturity is a lack of trust, adventure, and passion. There is a longing in each of us for something more, this book shows what that is. An excellent book, but one that must be discovered on your own. I chose not to go into detail in the review, as this book is not about the "what" of our lives, as some technical self-help rulebook would be, but rather about re-discovering the passion and romance we long for. Take a risk, immerse yourself, and prepare to be awakened.
Rating: 
Summary: Too ambiguous for me
Review: I have read four chapters and have decided not to continue. Several times while reading I caught myself wondering, "WHAT are they talking about?" I had a vague idea a good deal of the time, but nothing I could really sink my teeth into....certainly not much to which I could relate. I know the authors' intentions were honorable and it sounds like many people have gotten a lot out of this book. I guess I'm just not the sharpest crayon in the box! :)
Rating: 
Summary: Its ok to cry.....
Review: Best for guys who have thrown out emotion, joy, passion, and feelings from their relationship with God. The authors ask us to revisit those areas we've segregated to those "emotional unstable types". we've found refuge in doctrines and truths yet found ourselves longing for more. We all have those who we passionately seek to spend time with. Is it the same for seeking to talk with God? There's a Father who so desires to talk with us, anytime of the day, sharing our joys and pains.
Rating:
Summary: Begin the Adventure
Review: At the personal level, this was the most important book to me personally that I have read in the last three years. No other book, movie, or person has affected my life as much as John's writing and speaking. He puts the pieces together in such a beautiful way that you want to read this book over and over again.
Rating: 
Summary: Pure Fluff!
Review: This book is like cotton candy. Tasty, okay, pleasurable at the time but not really life sustaining or providing adequate nourishment in the long run. It's a fast, engaging read with some thoughtful insights but delivers short in what it actually means to be a Christian and walk with God. If you're looking for better (less feel good, fluffy) insights into how to develop a more deeper, more meaningful relationship with the Lord, I suggest other Christian authors. James Houston, "The Pursuit of Happiness" for starters. The Sacred Romance reads like it's title: pure, cheesy, fluff but at least somewhat entertaining like a second rate, romance novel.
Rating:
Summary: A Captivating Book
Review: As a person who was acquainted with Brent Curtis for several years before he joined John Eldredge and wrote this book, I looked forward with anticipation to attending the first conference where the authors presented this material. At that time, the book was in process and was not released from the publisher until more than a year later. My life had already been radically altered to become more real, more true, and, yes, more vulnerable and able to admit failure in my relationships that it been. But after attending the first conference and later when I read and studied the book in a small group, I found that my heart was forever captured and changed by a God who is more than acquainted with my arrows and who knows my deepest desires and longings. Furthermore, I discovered that my longings were not something to be shunned, but something that were placed there to draw me into the great heart of God and to bring me to a place of deeper joy and life than I dreamed cvould be possible. Over the past 10 years, not only has my life radically and solidly been changed for the better by the truth in this book (as well as in John's subsequent books "The Journey of Desire" and "Wild At Heart,") but so have the lives of numerous of my friends who have read these books. Though it may seem to be impossible, I have come to KNOW at the deepest levels of my being that I am enjoyed and treasured by my Creator and my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. This God has been lovingly pursuing me through the long, dark tangled woods of my life journey as well as through the sunny meadows. Because of this God and the truth spoken in this book, the pain of life continues to be transformed into joy which is beyond explanation. If this book does not captivate and change you as radically as it did me, please do not get too discouraged or write off the value of the book. We all go through times when certain books mean more than they might at other times. If that is the case, I trust that you will experience the same positive life results through some other source. The truths cannot be denied because they are much bigger than either the book or the authors! For female readers (and for the men who love them) I would highly recommend a book by Jan Meyers, entitled, "The Allure of Hope."
Rating:
Summary: A transforming book full of redemptive truth
Review: As a person who was acquainted with Brent for several years before he joined John and wrote this book, I looked forward with anticipation to attending the first conference where the authors presented this material. At that time, the book was in process and it was not released from the publisher until more than a year later. My life had already been radically altered to become more real, more true, and more authentic in my relationships before I read this book, but when I attended the first conference and later when I read and studied the book in a small group, I found that my heart was forever captured and changed by a God who is more than acquainted with my arrows and who knows my deepest desires and longings. Furthermore, I discovered that my longings were not something to be shunned, but something that were placed there to draw me into the great heart of God and to bring me to a place of deeper joy and life than I dreamed could be possible. Over the past 10 years, not only has my life has radically and solidly been changed for the better by the truth in this book (as well as in John's subsequent books "The Journey of Desire" and "Wild At Heart"), but so have the lives of numerous of my friends. Though it may seem to be impossible, I have come to KNOW at the deepest levels of my being that I am enjoyed and treasured by my Creator and my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. This God has been lovingly pursuing me through the long, darkly tangled woods of my life journey, and because of it the pain of life continues to be transformed into joy which is beyond explanation. If you read this book (and the sequels written by John Eldredge) and it does not captivate and change you as radically as it did me, don't be discouraged too quickly; your experience cannot take away the truths this book contains. We all go through times when certain books mean more than they might at other times. If that is the case, I urge you not to write off the book or the message it contains, but I trust that you will experience the same positive life results through some other source or in some other way. The truths presented here are much bigger than the book can convey! For female readers (and the men who love them), I want to recommend "The Allure of Hope," written by Jan Meyers, which communicates these concepts especailly for women.
Rating:
Summary: A Romance to Savor and Remember
Review: This book seems to have been written especially for Christians like me, those who have been at the Sacred Romance for quite a number of years and who tend to get bogged down in the details and forget the beauty and desire our Savior has sparked deep within us. I needed to recapture the intimacy and fire and to view my life story in the context of the Grand Story, the Sacred Romance, that God has been narrating from the beginning. It took me a few pages to really catch on to what Curtis and Eldredge were up to -- but well worth sticking with it. A book to be savored. I found the accompanying workbook to be of great value in getting the most from the basic book.
Rating:
Summary: Who has ears to hear?
Review: The message of this book is not for every Christian because not everyone is at the same place in his/her life journey (i.e., Christian walk). However, if you are tired of playing church, wondering if there is more to this life, wondering what the abundant life looks like, wondering of God understands why you like the things you like, frustrated over why you can't seem to overcome the things (sin, addictions, fear) that plague you, and you have the courage to push beyond the boundaries of the conventional American Christian mindset, then read this book prayerfully and let God Himself speak to your heart. Do not make the mistake of thinking this message is about doing whatever you please. It is about finding within the framework of your current circumstances the life of joy and excitement that God destined you to have from before the foundations of the world. Afterall, He promises to give you the desires of your heart.(Ps 37:4)
|
