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courtney__bernard's review against another edition
challenging
informative
medium-paced
3.0
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: 18 July 2023
Format: E-Book
Publisher: InterVarsity Press,IVP
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"What Jesus Intended: Finding True Faith in the Rubble of Bad Religion" by Todd D. Hunter attempts to shed light on the essence of true faith in the midst of religious chaos.
While the book does offer some commendable aspects, such as well-researched citations and references and being Bible inspired, I feel that it falls short of understanding who its intended audience is.
One of the book's strengths is its extensive use of citations and references, which adds credibility to the author's arguments. Todd D. Hunter supports his claims with well-documented evidence from various religious texts and notable scholars, giving readers an opportunity to delve deeper into the subject matter. The thoroughness of his research is evident and provides readers with a solid foundation for further exploration.
However, I felt the book's biggest flaw is its failure to understand its audience. Hunter assumes a level of knowledge and familiarity with religious concepts that may alienate or confuse readers who are new to Christianity. The assumptions about readers' prior experiences with the church hinder the accessibility and engagement of the book.
"What Jesus Intended" lacks a cohesive structure and clear direction. The book meanders between personal anecdotes, theological discussions, and historical analyses without a consistent thread to tie them together. As a result, readers may find it challenging to follow the author's train of thought and discern the main points he intends to convey.
Despite its shortcomings, "What Jesus Intended" does contain valuable insights and thought-provoking ideas. Hunter's emphasis on the importance of a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ rather than mere adherence to religious practices is commendable. Additionally, the book raises valid criticisms of institutionalized religion and challenges readers to reexamine their faith in light of Jesus' teachings.
Final Thoughts: While the book excels in providing well-researched citations and references, its lack of clarity about the intended audience hampers its effectiveness. It may still be of value to readers well-versed in religious discourse, but those seeking a more accessible exploration of faith might find themselves lost amidst the rubble of this book.
Disclaimer: Thank you Netgalley and InterVarsity Press,IVP for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Release Date: 18 July 2023
Format: E-Book
Publisher: InterVarsity Press,IVP
Read More Reviews Here
"What Jesus Intended: Finding True Faith in the Rubble of Bad Religion" by Todd D. Hunter attempts to shed light on the essence of true faith in the midst of religious chaos.
While the book does offer some commendable aspects, such as well-researched citations and references and being Bible inspired, I feel that it falls short of understanding who its intended audience is.
One of the book's strengths is its extensive use of citations and references, which adds credibility to the author's arguments. Todd D. Hunter supports his claims with well-documented evidence from various religious texts and notable scholars, giving readers an opportunity to delve deeper into the subject matter. The thoroughness of his research is evident and provides readers with a solid foundation for further exploration.
However, I felt the book's biggest flaw is its failure to understand its audience. Hunter assumes a level of knowledge and familiarity with religious concepts that may alienate or confuse readers who are new to Christianity. The assumptions about readers' prior experiences with the church hinder the accessibility and engagement of the book.
"What Jesus Intended" lacks a cohesive structure and clear direction. The book meanders between personal anecdotes, theological discussions, and historical analyses without a consistent thread to tie them together. As a result, readers may find it challenging to follow the author's train of thought and discern the main points he intends to convey.
Despite its shortcomings, "What Jesus Intended" does contain valuable insights and thought-provoking ideas. Hunter's emphasis on the importance of a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ rather than mere adherence to religious practices is commendable. Additionally, the book raises valid criticisms of institutionalized religion and challenges readers to reexamine their faith in light of Jesus' teachings.
Final Thoughts: While the book excels in providing well-researched citations and references, its lack of clarity about the intended audience hampers its effectiveness. It may still be of value to readers well-versed in religious discourse, but those seeking a more accessible exploration of faith might find themselves lost amidst the rubble of this book.
Disclaimer: Thank you Netgalley and InterVarsity Press,IVP for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
bookanonjeff's review
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Solid Work Within Its Field. For those already familiar with the arguments presented here - at an extremely high level, essentially that religious leaders rarely know what the hell they are doing and tend to create "bad religion", but Jesus Himself is "good religion" - this is fairly standard stuff, presented in the fairly typical Christian Living genre format of some essay around a given topic with a few application questions at the end of the chapter. At least as someone well versed in what Mr. Hunter was talking about, there was nothing particularly ground breaking here, but perhaps this is the presentation that will allow some to approach the topic - in which case I'm fairly certain Mr. Hunter and I would agree that it would have been worth it for that reason alone.
The star deduction here is for the rampant proof texting, but it is rare to find a book in this particular genre without this practice.
And the other thing I felt I needed to call out here was the devotion of the final chapter to a particular ministry... where it turns out that its leader is one of Mr. Hunter's mentors, as he mentions just pages later in the Acknowledgments. This to me felt at least a touch improper, perhaps another similar minstry could have been highlighted there rather than one so closely personal to Mr. Hunter. But this is far from an allegation of actual impropriety, simply something that pings my own ethical philosophy - which I never hold anyone else to.
Overall a solid work in its field, and one worth considering even if you *are* familiar with the general arguments. Very much recommended.
The star deduction here is for the rampant proof texting, but it is rare to find a book in this particular genre without this practice.
And the other thing I felt I needed to call out here was the devotion of the final chapter to a particular ministry... where it turns out that its leader is one of Mr. Hunter's mentors, as he mentions just pages later in the Acknowledgments. This to me felt at least a touch improper, perhaps another similar minstry could have been highlighted there rather than one so closely personal to Mr. Hunter. But this is far from an allegation of actual impropriety, simply something that pings my own ethical philosophy - which I never hold anyone else to.
Overall a solid work in its field, and one worth considering even if you *are* familiar with the general arguments. Very much recommended.
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