Thursday, October 8, 2015

The Colson Way, by Owen Strachan



This book is part biography and part a motivational call to action. It opens with many endorsemements of Chuck Colson, this book's subject, by Christian leaders of various professions. These endoresements are also praise for the book and how it tells of his life. This book opens with an Introduction by Eric Metaxas and it announces his experience of Chuck Colson and his expectations of this book and its purpose. Then the author, Owen Strachan, includes his own introduction and tells us what the purpose of his book is and what we can expect from this book. It is arranged in eight chapters, ending with notes citing sources the author used in research. It ends with acknowledgments of sources used in the author's research and ends with his own bio.

This book is much what I expected. Because of the title, I expected that Chuck Colson would be the subject of much of this book. I did not expect the book to consist of so much biography, though. I think I was expecting that the author would use more examples from trypical people and compare them to Chuck Colson and his approach to life and especially to his approach to living out his Christian witness publicly and openly. I fear that the author may not have done this because he may not have been able to find too many of such examples from "rank and file and everyday" Christians. This book is really a spiritual motivational one, using Chuck Colson to prod Christans into public action. The author makes it clear that this public expression of Christian faith does not mean that that the Christian reader has to get involved in the political arena, or identify wiith any poltical party, though Chuck Colson had made it clear that he leaned toward conservatism in his worldview. I remember him on a talk show, many years ago, when he had referred to "our Repubican values." I also recall that he was was quoted as saying that we "did not have a problem with global warming." I had listened, sometimes, to his short breakpoint commentaries and I knew he always challenged the Christian community to live lives of radical Christian discipleship, speaking up for the vulnerable, caring for the needy, and being open and open about one's faith in the public square. I found myself wishing that the book had held up a more "everyday" person as a role model of living out a Christian life in this American culture, but that is not what he did. The author admits that Colson was a powerful and prominent Christian, with a huge platform; he admitted that Colson was not perfect but stated that his flaws were the the better ones.

I recommend this book for younger Christians, such as the twenty-somethings. This book is explicity aimed at younger people though I'm sure this author intends to reach as many people as possible. I recommend this book for every pastor of every congregation, though, to give them more ideas for hoow to motivate and exhort their hearers to biblical action. So-called "progressive Christians" will like the emphasis on social action and "conservative Christians" will like the stress on the need to advocate for the unborn and for the sanctity of traditional marriage IF they approach this book with open minds. If they do not, they will not the the fact that we care called to both advocacy of traditional values as well as social action. Certain groups of people may be offended or triggered by this book, including LGBT people and those who have been involved in abortions. I can recommend it for many people, though.

I have receive a complimentary copy of this book through Book Look Bloggers. I was not required to give a positive review of this book.

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