Honest to God

Rating:
Summary: Honest to God, 40 years later
Review: = Honest to God, 40 years later
Reviewer: didaskalex from Raleigh, NC, United States

"If Bonhoeffer's radicalism is a trifle suspect, there can be no doubt about that of the bishop of Woolwich. Even so it was a radicalism that came fully into the open only relatively late in Dr. Robinson's career." Colin Brown

Honest to God, 1963
If there is anything to be said in a retrospective of this book rests with the fact that it is still alive and controversial. These are positive signs, for reconsideration of the meaning of faith. Whatever the late Bishop of Woolwich meant, was in true honesty to the audience he came to address, even though it was not clear then, how faithful was he to the traditional ways of thinking about, or personal relation with the Deity he was honest to.

John A. T. Robinson
The author was an outstanding thinker who wrote 25 books, of which honest to God was one of his early writings. He came to the lime light when he disagreed to a ban on lady Chatterley's Lover in Britain. He quotes D.H. Lawrence, 'The plumed serpent' in ch.6; (The new Morality). The greatest impact of this slim book which revealed no breaking discoveries, was only its promotion of the essential tension in religious thinking between tradition and change, (Ch.1: Reluctant Revolution) .

Honest to God Inspired:
Although what Robinson wrote came fully into the open causing a turmoil, it was preceded by the then recently published 'Beyond Religion,' written by D. Jenkins. The bishop, wrote his radical thesis while confined to his house due to a back injury that stranded for some weeks. His book was inspired by the same thinkers who were favorite to both and most mid century generation of theologians: Barth, Tillich, and Bonhoeffer. Robinson further enriched the clash with supporting quotations from Catholic liberation leaders of la Nouvelle theologie, De Lubac, and Congar, in addition to his favorite existential Jewish philosopher M. Buber.

Robinson's Radical theology:
The independent minded biblical interpreter that was liberal in his 'Study in Pauline theology' and 'Jesus and his coming,' his radicalism was only evident in retrospect. He took his readable theology in plain English to the lay Sunday newspaper audience.
"Admittedly, the Bishop did not say much that was new. Much of it was straightforward nineteenth century radicalism, brought up to date by the language of Bultmann, Tillich and Bonhoeffer who are treated as the three wise men of twentieth century theology. the novelty lay partly in the fact that here someone bringing the three together for the first time, and trying to make a synthesis out of them," (Philosophy& the Christian Faith)


The Debate
Soon after, that little book was discussed everywhere, by all the Byzantine minded lay theologians, while members of the organized religious institutions took the case to condemn or few times supports the Bishop, who by definition of his office discerns the reality of the faith of his Church. These were gathered, edited, and printed in a book entitled, "The Honest to God Debate, including the Church of England, C.S.Lewis, R.P.Hanson, and R. Bultmann. J. Robinson commented, complementing the positive reaction, writing under the subheading: Theology and the public, "It is a safe assumption that a best seller tells one more about the state of the market than the quality of the product!"

Rating:
Summary: Honest to God, 40 years later
Review: = Honest to God, 40 years later
Reviewer: didaskalex from Raleigh, NC United States

Honest to God, 1963
If there is anything to be said in evaluation of this book rests with the fact that it is still alive and controversial. These are positive signs, since whatever the late Bishop of Woolwich meant, was in true honesty to the audience he came to address, even though he was not certain about how faithful was he to the tradition, ways of thinking or personal relation with the Deity he intended to be honest to.

John A. T. Robinson
The author was an outstanding thinker who wrote 25 books, of which honest to God was one of his early writings. He came to the lime light when he disagreed to a ban on lady Chatterley's Lover in Britain. He quotes D.H. Lawrence, 'The plumed serpent' in ch.6; (The new Morality). The greatest impact of this slim book which revealed no breaking discoveries, was only its promotion of the essential tension in religious thinking between tradition and change, (Ch.1: Reluctant Revolution) .

Inspiration for Honest to God
Although what Robinson wrote was not unknown, since most likely that he read the then recently published D. Jenkins book 'Beyond Religion,' when confined to his house due to a back injury that stranded for some weeks. His book was inspired by the same thinkers were common to both and most mid century theologeneration: Barth, Tillich, and Bonhoeffer. Robinson further enriched the clash with supporting quotations from Catholic leaders of Nouvelle theologie, De Lubac, and E. Congar, in addition to his favorite existential Jewish philosopher M. Buber.

The Debate
Soon after, that little book was discussed everywhere, by all the Byzantine minded lay theologians, while members of the organized religious institutions took the case to condemn or few times supports the Bishop, who by definition of his office discerns the reality of the faith of his Church. These were gathered, edited, and printed in a book entitled, "The Honest to God Debate, including the Church of England, C.S.Lewis, R.P.Hanson, and R. Bultmann. J. Robinson commented, complementing the positive reaction, writing under the subheading: Theology and the public, "It is a safe assumption that a best seller tells one more about the state of the market than the quality of the product !"

Rating:
Summary: Smoke and Mirrors from a rationalist
Review: Bp. Robinson's opinion should be read by every serious-minded Christian. But readers should be aware that his arguments are flawed because he relies on translations from the Greek that are simply not correct.

For example, Robinson relies on a specific translation of a Greek word to underscore his argument that the gospel writer Luke sees the universe as a three-tiered structure.

The latter was most likely true, but Robinson's translation is wrong. Luke uses the word "anephereto" to describe Jesus' ascension, and Robinson relies on the common translation "lifted up." Some translations also say "carried up." But the correct translation is "carried through" (see Rogers & Rogers) This seemingly insignificant point needs to be raised, though, because on it hinges Robinson's argument that we modern thinkers are beyond the three-tiered universe thought held by Luke and therefore beyond thinking about a supernatural god/God. But if Jesus was indeed "carried through" to somewhere else, Robinson has missed something in his analysis and we should investigate more closely the original text.

Again, he argues that "incarnation" (re: Jesus) is not a biblical term, yet the phrase that describes the incarnation -- ha logos sarks egeneto (John 1:14) -- means literally "the word became flesh".

And again, he mistranslates John 1:1 when he argues against Jesus being identical with God. (For a somewhat lengthy and boring reason why, using the Greek text, send me an e-mail: [e-mail], or see Dan Wallace's Greek grammar on use of the definite article.)

Perhaps most troubling is his insistence, with reference to Paul Tillich, that God is not a being, but "being-itself." But when we acknowledge an apple, don't we graciously allow for it to be simply an apple, rather than recognize only its apple-ness? Why can't God be God, not God-ness? Moreover, doesn't God-ness flow from being God, as apple-ness flows from being an apple, as "being-itself" flows from being a being?

Rating:
Summary: Smoke and Mirrors from a rationalist
Review: Bp. Robinson's opinion should be read by every serious-minded Christian. But readers should be aware that his arguments are flawed because he relies on translations from the Greek that are simply not correct.

For example, Robinson relies on a specific translation of a Greek word to underscore his argument that the gospel writer Luke sees the universe as a three-tiered structure.

The latter was most likely true, but Robinson's translation is wrong. Luke uses the word "anephereto" to describe Jesus' ascension, and Robinson relies on the common translation "lifted up." Some translations also say "carried up." But the correct translation is "carried through" (see Rogers & Rogers) This seemingly insignificant point needs to be raised, though, because on it hinges Robinson's argument that we modern thinkers are beyond the three-tiered universe thought held by Luke and therefore beyond thinking about a supernatural god/God. But if Jesus was indeed "carried through" to somewhere else, Robinson has missed something in his analysis and we should investigate more closely the original text.

Again, he argues that "incarnation" (re: Jesus) is not a biblical term, yet the phrase that describes the incarnation -- ha logos sarks egeneto (John 1:14) -- means literally "the word became flesh".

And again, he mistranslates John 1:1 when he argues against Jesus being identical with God. (For a somewhat lengthy and boring reason why, using the Greek text, send me an e-mail: [e-mail], or see Dan Wallace's Greek grammar on use of the definite article.)

Perhaps most troubling is his insistence, with reference to Paul Tillich, that God is not a being, but "being-itself." But when we acknowledge an apple, don't we graciously allow for it to be simply an apple, rather than recognize only its apple-ness? Why can't God be God, not God-ness? Moreover, doesn't God-ness flow from being God, as apple-ness flows from being an apple, as "being-itself" flows from being a being?

Rating:
Summary: Read this book and help our religions grow up
Review: I first read this book in the mid-70s after a few semesters at Bob Jones University and it confirmed the rightness of my decision to move on from fundamentalist and conventional Christianity, including the parochial Catholicism I grew up with. Robinson's book helped me in the personal journey from Sunday school and catechism piety to an authentic adult spirituality. Adults everywhere have been making the same move over the past thirty years and it is helping our religions to grow up as well. Read this book and join the movement from the pious pablum of traditional religion to the savory sustenance of adult spirituality

Rating:
Summary: Totally refreshing and worthy of consideration
Review: I read this book thirty years ago, and ran across it the other day and decided to reread it. It remains as "honest and refreshingly revealing" today as it did thirty years ago. I was hoping to pick up several copies for friends but have discovered much to my dismay that the publisher is out of stock. Please publish it again, and soon. Robinson, who was Bishop of Woolwich, England in 1963 at the time of first publication, explores his personal faith concepts and convictions about God, the supernatureal, religion, prayer and the like. He draws on the writings of such men as Paul Tillich and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. At the time of first publication it was deemed very controversial by clerics as well as lay people. I suspect that controvery would still exist. However, it demands to be read and reread, as the issues of God, and the presence of God, remain provoking to both believers and non-believers. To quote Robinson, in his Preface, ..."I suspect that we stand on the brink of a period in which it is going to become increasingly difficult to know what the true defence of Christian truth requires...I believe we are being called, over the years ahead, to far more than a restating of traditional orthodoxy in modern terms. Indeed, if our defence of the Faith is limited to this, we shall find in all likelihood that we have lost out to all but a tiny religious remnant...I am convinced that there is a growing gulf between the traditional orthodox suspernaturalism in which our Faith has been framed and the categories which the 'lay' world finds meaningful today. And by that I do not mean there is an increasing gap between Christianity and pagan society...but...many who are Christians find themselves on the same side as those who are not. And among one's intelligent non-Christian friends one discovers many who are far nearer to the Kindom of heaven than they themselves can credit...What dismays me is the vehemence--and at bottom the insecurity--of those who feel that the Faith can only be defended by branding as enemies within the camp those who do not. (find the traditional framework of metaphysics and morals entirely acceptable)."

Rating:
Summary: EVERYONE MUST READ THIS BOOK!!!!
Review: I wish I would have read this book a long time ago!

Rating:
Summary: Changed my worldview
Review: In 1972 I was some kind of atheist and vulgar materialist. I was almost afraid of all religious views, and I tried to convince anyone I met that all religions were primitive superstition. Then I got in contact with some active Christian women, who at the same time were engaged in leftwing politics. I had quite intense discussions with them in some months, and I finally realized that my views were a bit oversimplified. One of them borrowed me a book, John Robinson's "Honest to God". I guess this book had a very deep impression on me. He presented a view on God, which finally broke up my materialist worldview and I began to become open-minded to religious, and even Christian, ideas. His intelligent, warm, and sympathetic discussion in this book did indeed play an important part when my worldview totally changed in 1973..

Rating:
Summary: A time to use plain language for the core of reality
Review: In Honest to God, John A.T. Robinson sets forth a short volume to explain in detailed but non-obscure terms the tenets of his form of liberal Christianity. He sets out to take the ideas of 20th Century theologians, and explain them in an accessible but not patronizing tone. In so doing, he manages to avoid the pitfall of many works of modern theology, in that Robinson writes a book about faith for people of faith and people without faith, rather than a mere academic exercise for other theologians.

In its day, Honest to God was considered quite controversial, as Robinson directly addressed his view of the non-literal nature of the Bible, his interpretation of the supernatural aspects of the Christian faith, and a muted but not hidden view that social mores have evolved from the days of earliest Christianity.

Although the book is now decades old, the book arguably deserves readers more today than it did upon its release in an era of liberal Christian works. Robinson does not shy from the complexities of modern theologians, but he uses the direct, workable language of the popular religious writer to show the reader that "liberal Christianity" is not merely a set of complex theories and redefinitions, but instead a real-world attempt to make sense of both the legacy of faith and the evolution of thinking brought on by science.

If you've always associated Christianity with the charismatic theology of televangelists, this book is an excellent read to understand a different, vital form of the faith. Although Robinson in his day Robinson attracted critics and controversy, this book is nothing more (nor less) than a short, good read about a way of experiencing the Christian faith. This was a watershed work of popular theology when it first appeared, and remains important today, when people mistake "liberal religion" for "liberal politics" and imagine that theologians are all trapped in the ivory tower.

Honest to God is a simple, good read, about ultimate things. It may not "convert" you, but its refreshing candor makes it worth the read.

Rating:
Summary: Remarkable and loiving exposition of Christ's only message.
Review: The "Smoke and mirrors" reviewer misses the whole point of this marvelous book, that Christ himself got beyond the strictures of rules and law and admonishes all of us to do the same. Bishop Robinson reminds us that Jesus' message is love, not ritual, and that by loving all and everything we do not OBEY God, we express Him profoundly in the world and EXPERIENCE Him by living His essence (God is love).

I was so amazed to discover a Christian Bishop encouraging us to go beyond being Christian, Jew, or whatever, beckoning to an end of "theism" simply by living lives of love----be we monk, mogul, or movie star. It is so liberating and fulfilling to love; how odd that some of us could not want this fulfillment, hungering instead for strictures of do's and don'ts, for ecclesiastical structures of power and authority, for form over substance.

As the Bishop understands so well, love integrates, enlarging and completing anyone who will love. On the other hand, hatred, and the divisiveness of sect, cult, nationalism, and every other sort of "ism" isolate one into smaller and smaller corners of reality. We cannot fully know God or His creation if we are not willing to extend love to every person, indeed everything our life presents to us.

Thank you Bishop Robinson for so eloquent and loving a book.