sallyb72's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the prologue and epilogue. Thought provoking even outside of the Lenten Season.
dougsasser's review against another edition
2.0
Jon Meacham normally writes about American history. He does that, using careful research and authority. This is a series of musings on gospel texts by someone who is very familiar with the Bible and the work of historic and contemporary Christian writers. I don't object to his rellections but anyone who has done serious Bible study will not likely find anything new or novel in his observations.
kiahchamp's review against another edition
challenging
informative
medium-paced
4.25
Didn't love the pacing/style of this book but I really liked the way it made me reflect on my faith. There were definitely some notable quotes and points where the book shifted my perspective. It quotes the gospels a lot in a difficult, more dense translation that I am used to so that felt a little redundant at certain parts. Overal, a good theological book and I'm happy I read it.
willnorrid's review against another edition
3.0
I love Jon Meacham and his passion for American politics and history, but I did not particularly enjoy this one. Meacham's writing on the last words of Christ is both very cerebral and very devotional and steeped in church history as one would expect. As a believer with a more conservative theological perspective, Meacham's more ecumenical approach left something lacking for me personally. I think Jon is an excellent writer and historian, but this one fell a little short from me.
achwahoo15's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to embrace this book wholeheartedly. Meacham writes beautifully and profoundly about agape love, God's mysterious mercy, Jesus's participation in our pain, the Lord's Supper, and myriad other aspects of the Christian faith. The problem is that he can't seem to decide if he actually believes it. The Hope of Glory begins and ends with expressions of uncertainty and ambiguity that starkly contrast with the conviction Meacham writes with for much of the book. He makes good points that reason should not be abandoned for blind faith, that the Bible should not necessarily be taken literally, and that there are things about God we will never, at least in this world, fully know or understand. He takes this further than many Christians are comfortable with, however, declaring he does not believe in biblical inerrancy nor that Jesus is the only way to salvation.
Meacham does take seriously the Bible (despite questioning whether Jesus said everything the Gospels say he did), and the beliefs and writings of the early church. He does not disparage his more conservative Christian brethren or their views on controversial issues such as salvation and judgment, and he critiques at times mainstream theology, even that of his own Episcopal tradition. The tone of the book is humble, and it is refreshing to read a non-evangelical Christian's perspective on the Christian faith. The way the book ends, however, is frustrating, as Meacham wavers between certainty and ambiguity. "We don't know" seems to be his conclusion. We can't really know if God exists, or if Jesus is divine. He concludes that we should love each other, care for the poor and weak, keep communion, and "remain open, always open, to the mysterious grace of God." I can't decide if this tension between certainty and ambiguity, between reason and faith, is profound and inescapable or a refusal to commit, a desire to have both God and the world. Either way, this is a poignant book, sometimes confusing, sometimes beautiful, often contradictory, reflecting perhaps (intentionally or unintentionally) how Meacham himself views the Bible.
Meacham does take seriously the Bible (despite questioning whether Jesus said everything the Gospels say he did), and the beliefs and writings of the early church. He does not disparage his more conservative Christian brethren or their views on controversial issues such as salvation and judgment, and he critiques at times mainstream theology, even that of his own Episcopal tradition. The tone of the book is humble, and it is refreshing to read a non-evangelical Christian's perspective on the Christian faith. The way the book ends, however, is frustrating, as Meacham wavers between certainty and ambiguity. "We don't know" seems to be his conclusion. We can't really know if God exists, or if Jesus is divine. He concludes that we should love each other, care for the poor and weak, keep communion, and "remain open, always open, to the mysterious grace of God." I can't decide if this tension between certainty and ambiguity, between reason and faith, is profound and inescapable or a refusal to commit, a desire to have both God and the world. Either way, this is a poignant book, sometimes confusing, sometimes beautiful, often contradictory, reflecting perhaps (intentionally or unintentionally) how Meacham himself views the Bible.
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