Becoming Christlike Disciples Critique - Book Report/Review Example

?Complete Sanctification – Book Critique “Becoming Christlike Disciples” by H Ray Dunning. Available online at: http rmnaz.com/sermons/Becoming-Christlike-Disciples.pdf Introduction: Summary of main contents. This is a relatively small book which deals with very big themes. The book is made up of two separate units, part I and part II. Each part has a clear structure based on one big concept, and the chapters break this big concept into smaller pieces. The book was constructed out of a set of sermons, and this explains why the sections are each quite short and tightly focused. There is, however a well explained overall theme that is underlined in prefaces and epilogues. Part I focuses on sanctification, also referred to as holiness, which is one of the key terms that are given prominence in Wesleyan theology. The author explores the ambiguous way that this term has been used by Jewish and Christian writers. Ten chapters of explanation follow, starting with the Old and New Testament usage of the word sanctification, and then linking it with other major concepts such as justification, the Image of God, the Spirit, etc. The aim of this approach is to show how this idea can be approached from different angles, and how all-round understanding can be gained by seeing what meanings it has in these different contexts. Part II Concentrates on the concept of the Fruit of the Spirit and following the same pattern as Part I, it introduces the concept, explains its multiple meanings, and then in separate chapters pursues a list of separate manifestations of the Fruit of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness etc. The author warns specifically against confusing these divine gifts with ordinary personality traits, which every person possesses and which are not necessarily evidence of the working of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life. In both sections there are numerous references to the Bible, and at the end of each chapter there are questions for the reader. These are designed to make the reader think more deeply about the ideas in the chapter that has gone before and give tips on areas of life where the principles in the book can be put into practice. Indications are given also for books which a reader might turn to for more information, both in footnotes all the way through, and at the end of each Part. This shows that the book is intended for quite serious study, as well as practical application in the reader’s own life. The author’s strongest arguments. From the outset it is made very clear that the Bible is the core of all the ideas that follow in the two major sections. The author emphasizes this when he writes “Both works found here were presented with the same intention, to make available a biblically sound, consistently Wesleyan interpretation of the doctrine and experience of holiness understandable by the average Christian” (p. 6). Passages of scripture spring out from every page, and with the result that in reading this book the reader inevitably grows closer to the content of scripture, finding out a great deal of information about what the Bible actually says on the subject of sanctification. From time to time there is some explanation of the writings of John Wesley or other scholars in this same tradition. Chapter 4 of Part I, for example, starts with a six line quotation from John Wesley’s sermons and leads back from there to the letters of St. Paul, and this tactic traces a continuous line of teaching about sanctification right back from modern times to New Testament times. The author explains how holiness is to be understood as Christlikeness, which is what happens when people have an on-going relationship with the risen Christ in their lives. In the following chapter the Wesleyan scholar and missionary E. Stanley Jones is cited, explaining how holiness is an expression of divine power, but in a humble and sacrificial way, rather than a triumphal way. The author uses a comparison with the early Church as evidence of how this lesson can be overlooked in Christian communities: “It took quite a while for the Early Church to understand this concept. And like them we still have not learned it very well” (p. 24). This argument based on history is easy to understand, and it depersonalizes the point somewhat, showing that whole communities have been slow to grasp the essential point of this doctrine. Psychologically this is a subtle and effective tactic, because it encourages the reader to include himself or herself in the group of people needing to gain a better understanding, and it avoids any outright accusations that might provoke denial or defensiveness. Using the example of other Christian contexts in the past makes the lesson relevant but not too sensitive. There is not very much in the way of persuasion in the text, because after laying out the scriptural text, and interpreting its meaning for modern readers, there is really not very much else to be said. Most of the time the book allows scripture to speak for itself, removing obstacles to understanding, and clarifying points of ambiguity. The author consciously avoids entering into a debate between alternative interpretations from the work of scholars who disagree with the Wesleyan view of scripture. The book is not intended to be a defence of the Wesleyan view against others, but a simple explanation of how the Wesleyan view emerges out of a close reading of the Bible. This ensures that a consistent argument evolves over all the separate chapters. Critique of the book. Judging by the frequent quotations from the Bible, and references to the Wesleyan authors, including quotations from some of the best known Wesleyan hymns, which are to be found in the book, it is fair to say that the author has achieved his objectives of remaining true to both the Bible and to the Wesleyan tradition. Although I thought I knew what sanctification meant before I read this book, in fact I found through reading Part I that there was quite a lot of detail that I had not grasped before. By the time I got to Part II, I had become familiar with the author’s style, and could anticipate how some of the chapters would unfold. The chapters on very common words such as “love” (pp. 54-57) and “goodness” (pp. 71-74) are excellent because they clear away some modern meanings which can be distracting, and they focus back on what the Christian meaning of these terms is, or should be. Understanding that these simple but crucial words were originally derived from attributes of God (p. 71) helps modern readers to orient themselves to the true and proper expression of them, rather than worldly copies that people aspire to but can never manage by their own efforts. A major strength of the book is the way that it changes the way people think by challenging common assumptions. The link between meekness and courage, for example, (p. 78) was a surprising one to find, because normally in the secular world people look down on meekness as a kind of weakness, and look up to courage, because it seems to show strength. I was not aware how much I had taken on board this view, without realizing that it was incorrect. The author explains how Christian usage of the term meekness is a different kind of spiritual strength, and it is insights like this that can change someone’s whole attitude to life. This new way of looking at meekness was perhaps the single most powerful message for me in the book, because it opens up a whole new avenue of responses to difficult things in life. The discussion question “how does meekness respond to opposition” made me think for a long time about possible errors in the way I have approached things in the past, and it cleared the way for me to think of better ways that I could adopt in the future. The image of Christ on the cross is an example of meekness in the face of violent opposition, even to the point of death, and thinking about this lesson made me realize that it is all too easy to get into heated debates about things, or to look for ways of resisting attacks on our faith. A person who is sanctified and who surrenders a lot of egotistical thinking to God will have no need to rebel and resist, and this made me think of Christians I have known whose witness is very low key, but nevertheless very effective at the same time. I did not find any major faults with this book, but perhaps one small criticism is that there is a slight mis-match between the target audience, and the actual level of the book. The author implies that he is not writing for an academic audience, or as an evangelist to non-Christians, but that he addresses the average Christian who has some knowledge of these matters, but is not by any means an expert. There is evidence of a familiarity with modern day thinking and an ability to translate abstract teachings into simple and clear instructions in language that everyone understands. An example of this is found at the end of Part I chapter 3 when the author sums up the whole chapter with the words “The bottom line is that we do not have to earn God’s favour by what we do.” (p. 20). Most of the book does achieve that stated aim of reaching the average Christian, but at times I felt that the book went beyond that average level. This higher intellectual demand can be seen, for example, in the way that the actual Greek and Hebrew works are quoted, even though the majority of the audience cannot be expected to have any knowledge of these languages. In chapter three, for example, the words eirene (New Testament Greek) and shalom (Old Testament Hebrew) are explained, along with their extended meaning as compared with the English word peace (p. 62). The explanation given of the difference is quite clear: “It is one of the big theological Old Testament Words and has a much fuller meaning than the absence of conflict. It implies a harmonious relation to God, to the other person, and to the created order” (p. 62). The author goes on to link this with examples of the concept being used in the New Testament, and the switch from one term to the other might be confusing for some readers. There is also a sudden and unexplained quotation from a Danish philosopher and theologian: “ ‘Purity of heart is to will one thing.’ Said Soren Kierkegaard. This statement is tantamount to saying that purity of heart is peace.” (p. 63). The relevance of this quotation, its whole context, and its precise meaning are not explained any further, leaving readers to wonder how it fits with the particular point being made. There is no footnote or reference, and so the reader cannot follow it up any further to gain more clarification. This suggests that the author is assuming general knowledge that may not be present in the reader, or perhaps just dropping a name into the text to encourage the really keen students to go and explore this author’s writing for themselves. Either way, this reference implies that the author has very high academic expectations of his readership that not every reader will be able to fulfil. I would recommend this book for Christians to read because it makes the very profound concept of holiness clearer, and gives good examples both from scripture and from real life on how to become holy in a serious way, and how to cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit in doing that. It helps the reader to turn theory into practice and it draws a clear connecting line from the present day, back to the time of Wesley’s life, and to the early Church and even beyond that into the Old Testament. Seeing this continuity reassures me of the enduring nature of the teachings of Christ, and their validity for all time. Overall, therefore, it would be fair to say that this book is a good source of very specific information on the Bible and its meanings, and beyond that it is an excellent prompt for further reflection and active use in daily life. Read More