Loving Jesus

by Mark Allan Powell

Book Overview

The essence of spirituality is loving God, says Powell. The Bible, the Talmud, and the Qu'ran all direct their followers not merely to believe in God, to trust God, to obey God, and to serve God - but to love God. Can we learn to love God? In this biblical spirituality for today, Powell's earnest plea is for Christians to revisit their faith not by blazing in religious enthusiasm but by harboring a steadier flame and deeper commitment. Living at the...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0800636767
• ISBN13: 9780800636760
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

As titled

Previous reviewers, apparently well qualified, esteem this work. I came away happy from this: it put me in touch with a precious idea. Somehow, the notion that God loves his creatures never got purchase with me. He created this, and it was good, then he created that and it was good, then he created man and woman and that was good. But eventually, everybody was sinning and falling short of the glory of God. Next up, God sends his son to die for us so things can be better between us. What was missing was the trip to the pet store to buy the puppy that the little boy loves so much. The little boy is so delighted with that puppy; that is HIS PUPPY. Imagine God, who actually CREATED human beings, imagine how pleased and happy he is, just watching us. Makes us happy to love him back. Jesus loved him back, and is our best trailblazer.

Scholarly approach to piety.

"Loving Jesus" is by Mark Allen Powell, the Robert and Phyllis Leatherman Professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus Ohio, and he was the keynote speaker at the 2009 LIFT event of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA. He has several important scholarly books to his credit and is in the front rank of those who explain and encourage piety without leaving taking off their academic hat. This is not as easy or as common a skill as it may seem. On the one hand, you have superb scholars such as Gordon Fee who write very good books on reading the Bible for a lay audience, but in spite of Professor Fee's personal piety, virtually none of it comes out in his books beyond the Introduction. On the other hand, we have Bart Ehrman, a NT scholar of the first water, who can explain difficult issues of textual criticism to a lay audience better than anyone else, but who has left the faith for agnosticism. In between, we have Powell. I was thoroughly convinced of his scholarly chops when I read his survey of recent writings on the historical Jesus (Jesus as a Historical Figure). Therefore, I was quite surprised to hear his LIFT keynote address. It had none of the histrionics of a TV evangelist, but it had a level of piety which eclipsed that of most lay people I know, and even some clergy I have known. The very best thing was that the piety was not in spite of his scholarship. It was amplified and strengthened by his scholarship. The good news for us today is that this book, Loving God, has virtually all the ideas which Professor Powell expressed in his LIFT address, in greater detail, with all Biblical references fully laid out. And that's just the beginning. My experience in reviewing cookbooks was that if a book did not impress me with something within five minutes, usually within the scope of the Introduction or the first few pages of Chapter 1, it was not a five star book. If I got to the third chapter and still didn't find anything which justified my laying down $35 for the book, it lost another star. Based on that criterion, Professor Powell's book gets five stars, with a bullet. My reason for that is that the book give excellent answers to two questions I've puzzled over for several years now. The great thing is that the two questions have the same answer. The first question is `How do you tell the difference between a person imbued with the Holy Spirit, and a loose cannon?' The second question is `How do you support the notion that attending church services (for those who are able) fosters a superior level of piety and spirituality than saying your prayers and reading the Bible at home?'. The answer to both revolves around the nature of the Holy Spirit. It is very easy to mistakenly picture the Holy Spirit as something internal. This is the picture demonized by some modern philosophers as the `ghost in the machine' (Gilbert Ryle, The Concept of Mind, 1949). And, there is much to dislike about this myth. Powell hits

LOVING JESUS

We are using this book as a part of our Sunday School class at Zion Lutheran Church. It is very eye opening and reflective to read what he has written. Enjoying it very much

WONDERFUL BOOK FOR A LENTEN JOURNEY

The author has an everyday life way of explaining his point of view. He gives you some facts - tries your hypothesis and then breaks it down for you before you know it - and gives you a way to meet Jesus and understand him that you haven't felt or thought of before. Its a great book, an easy read and truly enjoyable and faith inspiring.

Finally, Another Way to Be "Evangelical"

This is excellent grace-filled theology without being "theological." Offers a way to joyous Christianity without neglecting life's ambiguities. Takes ecclesiology (the church) seriously while acknowledging the power of American individualism. This is a way home to the historic church for people who want a lively faith. If you love someone, send them "Loving Jesus." --Pastor Eidsvoll