Then I drastically switched during the following 26 years by opening my heart and soul to the Holy Spirit and praying on the daily. Romans 8:18-25 is fairly clear on that. Hillery, or as I call her, Hitlery, has proven over the years to be very anti- Christian . And, inspired by some of your words, I began to see faith as not unlike personalities that we have different types, that some people may experience and hear God often (and it is not my place to doubt those experiences), while I may long and doubt and wait far more than I hearand that that is okay that these different kinds of relationships with Him might be something He delights in, something He finds beautiful. One of the recent ones, Role Reversal on October 27th, is much in my mind at the moment. In January 2011 alone and hated by homophobic leadership, bullied and lied to by bishops I trusted with my life. Hi Philip, Although her struggles may be different from yours (hers is a personal journey through deep depression) you may find it helpful. I hope youre doing well. "With common sense and a poetic sensibility, Yancey poses fruitful questions and offers real insights.". It was you and your book that reminded me that mourning and dancing could touch each other; and they actually embraced each other in my life. To be honest (or TBH, Dad as my girls now say to me). Thats why, in desperation, Im contacting you. For me, there are two principles to keep in mind. Im still cringing all these years later!! However, it does not look as though it will address a question I am interested in. This is an excellent resource for daily quiet time. I have a question. She was out of control and I was feeling anxious at her aggressive verbal attack. I recommend The Art of Forgiving and Forgive and Forget, both by Lewis Smedes. I have seen the worst of church and political hypocrisy and the way so many of us hate those who are different. while also editing The Student Bible. He shook my hand, and said twice said, Father Richard you are a good man.. During one of those calls he said, You told me you blew up at an inmate, and that sometimes you need to blow up at inmates. All the children in the orphanage got excited because at least one little boy was going to have hope that day. Thank You for your commitment to a calling that truly blesses me and, Im certain, many others as well. My film was largely inspired by my own faith crisis and transition, and I thought that you might appreciate the film. I love your spirit. Of course I said yes. The present religion is wallowing in untruths. Today is the day. Id love to hear any you would recommend. He lives in Evergreen, Colorado. Smith told me to sell my condo and move 5,000 KM to Prince Edward Island. Disappointment with God was an understatement and my world was changed. I have heard of you, as both of my parents view you as one of their favorite authors. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. We read through Reaching for the Invisible God. Thank you for waking me up to the greatest gift the Church has to offer the world. I would then take the completed cards from the prisoners, put stamps on the envelopes and hand them back to the prisoners to be mailed. Thanks so much for your service to the hurting. Thank you for the encouragementand keep reading! I am the president of a Bible college and a seminary. I simply could not look the other way when I saw this happening. Thank you for asking the hard questions! My credit record is horrendous. I am a 38 year old video game developer. Thank you for so honestly sharing your story, and for all your years of probing issues of faith deeply and causing us, your readers, to think. I wanted to take this moment and tell you the impact this book as made upon me. After laying my hands 15 years ago on The Jesus I never knew, I have read 7 of your books and every book ignite a fire in me and to see the missing part of Christianity. Thank you for your hopeful vision of suffering redeemed. The pattern I see in the Gospels, though, is exactly what you describe, especially Jesus words to the Pharisees after the woman anointed him. When some staff had asked me to bless their homes, to pray with them and to help them spiritually, Paul told them that I was not a real priest because I was not RC. Like you, I have had quite a journey from that fundamentalist type upbringing to where my faith is now. Having himself undergone crises of faith, Yancey understands the varying degrees of belief amongst his readers, and he challenges Christians to become less judgmental and more childlike in their faith. ChristianityTodayLibrary.com newsletter January 21, 2008 reproduced in, Soul Survivor: How My Faith Survived the Church, "Library of Congress Authority Record: Yancey, Philip", "Soul Survivor Philip Yancey "About the Author", https://nypost.com/2011/12/25/in-my-library-jimmy-carter/, Official biography by Zondervan Publishing, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Philip_Yancey&oldid=1135826760, Short description is different from Wikidata, Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 January 2023, at 02:40. I first read Whats so amazing about grace? in 2008 and immediately bought 10 copies as Christmas presents for my bible group. My guess is that you are somewhat melancholic as well as very bright. I didnt agree with what was tolerated and what was condemned.I remember telling a friend of mine, how l benefited more from listening to doctor Phil than my local pastor. When he also told me to stop, I did so immediately. We are, in fact, dead We feed on knowledge which has long since decayed. Dickson and also the Harbinsons of YWAM Canada . Ive been reading Vanishing Grace, and it strikes at so many points that I myself have wondered; again, I want to thank you for what youre doing. Destroy its vast foundation, its splendid global edifice so fantastic Thank you for sharing your heart, your struggles, the struggles of others and your faith. It affirms mine. Simply dumbfounded. I was convinced that I was not good enough for God or that He hated me,or I had committed some un forgivable sin. It was a lonely time as I did not speak Dutch . It breaks my heart to think of him still away from the Lord. Several long stories center on Marshall, his older brother, and chronicle his decay into drugs, women and failed marriages, followed by physical and mental problems. I explained that the depression had resulted from bullying by my own licensor, Threshold Ministries, as well as my own Anglican bishops, Alberta government officials and the Edmonton police. I remember reading the books preface, where you write about 9/11 and an experience you had related to that tragic day. friend is just should know how much Jesus loves him. Im afraid the only hard copy audibles are cassette tapesthe book has been around for a while! The book you have written revolutionized my theology of grace and other essential doctrines. (Didnt mean to go on and onjust so happy to meet another real Christian Democrat. Many people are being diagnosed with various mental disorders (for lack of a better term) that can interfere with their Christian walk. People started commenting her photo with most hateful words. God bless you. Brenda Charrier. I loved reading your book The Gift of Pain. I am hoping you have some resources (that you have written or read) that deal with these hard realities but push me more toward hope and purpose. For whatever it is worth, I have passed this perspective on and tell you quite honestly that I have and do pray for you. I had watched the very funny film, What About Bob? 2 or 3 times before settling on the one kernel I should take away on my spiritual journey: When Bob (Bill Murray) is interviewed by a reporter, he says, I treat people as if they were telephones. One thing that kept me going was my hope that Paul would not be around much longer. Improbable but true. I came out of the abuse in my childhood and became so angry with God that I did briefly become an atheist in words, in college, but could never convince myself that I actually didnt believe in God. I had been on the Board of COPE along with Monty Lewis and Frank Constintino the founders of Bridges, both men sided with Church Army/Threshold ministries and refused to give me a job while they were living. I wish that these accusations were not true, but I am about 99.99999% they are. What it actually says is that a golden rope was tied around the High Priests leg. Philip. Or better, they needed celestial intervention to divert a couple Boeing 767s a hundred feet into the Hudson. After years of study on O. T. worship especially the tabernacle and temple worship, I have not been able to verify this fact. Well, here is a feedback of a very happy inhabitant of those countries. Thats something to believe in. And I know Christians dont do a lot of thinking, but they do have the Holy Spirit. For a while I have been wanting to send you a message and yesterday, I stumbled across a video featuring a talk of yours in Hong Kong (True Happiness?), prompting me to send you a note! I have corresponded with her staff on numerous happy occasions over the years [18] [19], so I turned to her for support. My name is Ephraim. In their book, they recorded an eyewitness account of a miraculous resurrection of a woman died in an auto accident. Jesus has my faith well in hand but Philip Yancey has helped me keep my sanity. I just wanted to thank you for your honest look at a lot of questions that most Christians seem afraid to ask. Neither of us was what you'd call a "happy" student. Youre very welcome. Thank you for for being you. The other candidates running only have very small numbersof followers. My husband and I have been trying for years to get pregnant. If thats not what you have done, then you are truly genius!! After the debriefing, everyone except me went for lunch. I loved that book but Im not writing you now for any renumerationI was more impressed (and touched) by your letter. Thank you in advance. Im so glad. The issue here is that crying out to GOD yields no results at all. When he came into my office soon afterwards to push me around some more, I walked up to this six-foot something big man and said, Paul, you are a bully and a liar. Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/yancey-philip-d-1949-philip-david-yancey. And further, if this is the case, how could anyone bend a knee to whichever deity is responsible for this plan? Dave ODonnell. It took me a while to finish the book as am I not only a slow reader; I also like to read books like this and then reflect on parts of them before continuing ; so as not to trivialize any one point. I recently attended a Young Life camp for military families at Trail West in May of this year. Elton Hewitt, I have said that quote, or something very close to it, at public speaking venues. Anyway, the new city on earth wont need the sun (Rev 21:23) since God will provide the light. This act of forgiveness is backed up by the command that Christians must forgive (70 times 7, etc.) Please visit our website if you can. I just wanted to say thank you, for your blog posts and student bible as much as your books. Next I read The Jesus I Never KnewI needed more. Heather, A new edition will be published this fall which includes discussion questions. I had invited Brian Harder to participate so there would be no questioning by him as to what it was about. I could not keep thinking about yesterday shooting at Texas Church, a family of 8 killed, a pregnant Woman with 3 children killed. At college, I often encountered friends who found themselves in the shadows between belief and unbelief. I admire some things about John Calvin, strongly object to others (e.g., his treatment of dissenters), and have real questions about some of his doctrines, such as Limited Atonement. Barry Rose, the chaplain that I had come to replace. I wanted to let you know that Ive been praying for you. I explained to Mr. Rasmus that I had written to the Commissioner directly because of advice I had received from Chaplain Paul Vanderham. You referred to how you have repeatedly had to field questions revolving around pain, suffering, and doubt. You may know that I went back and updated/revised the two books in one volume: Fearfully and Wonderfully. Thank you! Philip. The weekend retreat will have three teaching sessions, each taught by different guys, maybe with sub-themes: Grace from God, Grace between Christians and Grace to the World. This book was on his wifes book shelf. Anti-Semitism from the Mennonites I still struggle with lack of self-confidence and procrastination when it comes to writing. How inspiring and comforting your words are. Ive recently been contacted by a publisher and asked to write a book, and part of that has involved setting up a website/blog so that people on the internet connect with me as a person. We dealt with this story in church yesterday and I feel I have to defend the Samaritan woman at the well. I live in New Zealand but am happy to use a U.S. editor given the wonder of technology. I know you answered a lot of questions about writing in your Q and A section but hopefully you will still read this. So Tubalcain lived 1000 years into the Bronze Age which was 2000+1500+1000=4500 years ago. "This was something I wanted for myself. The Christian part of us is called to respond with forgiveness if it is sought we must forgive because we were forgiven (because we also sin). Speaking English is so much more easy than writing! The loud noise smashes God out of my mind. The quote is thus attributed to you, and it is implied that it comes from the book Rumors of Another World. We would like post your article Holy Sex, How it Ravishes Our Souls as a resource on our website. I support free legal services for the poor and disenfranchised, and generally campaign for Democrats. Im a Jesus lover and freak with a faith that doesnt make sense of why i have such an unbreakable faith. I have written books with titles like Where Is God When It Hurts, Disappointment with God, Reaching for the Invisible God and The Question That Never Goes Away. Im so excited I cant wait to tell the friend I aforementioned about this, since shes a big fan of yours and the one who introduced me to your books. For a long time, you have been one of my favorite authors, helping me to keep pursuing the faith when church hurt made me want to disappear. To keep from going to the Canadian Human Rights Commission after my dismissal from the Fort Saskatchewan Institution, Threshold Ministries offered me 5-year contract as Community Chaplain with CSC in Charlottetown, PEI. One day in heaven I hope to again say thanks. Funny you should ask. Hi Philip- Lastly knowing that my good deeds doesnt matter, neither in writing or not writing. What a waste of life. I dont know why I left a comment at all, but its therapeutic to me somehow. 3. In about 6 hours, an asteroid will pass Earth, in astronomical terms, by a hairsbreadth. The reason I am writing is to request a suggestion from you. [38] I also sent two letters by registered mail, one to Misty and one to Clovis LaPointe at the Edmonton Institution [39] [40]. Encyclopedia.com. They tend to resurface in a more toxic . What the kid does not know is that the parent denying them the chocolate worries more about their wellbeing, the effect sugar has on their health right before bedtime, their teeth and all the chocolate theyve already eaten that day. Discrimination or hatred due to religious beliefs was never a part of our lives. When he came back he told me that what I had been told was not true. I have not experience the depth of suffering and disappointment like many in your book, but I have had some times of deep uncertainty, fear, and confusion. Otherwise, Ive mostly read the novels by Richard Wright, Toni Morrison, Ralph Allison and the liketheyve certainly shaped my sensibility, if not my faith. He understood my struggle with Paul, as he had witnessed Rev. I am re-reading Disappointment with God and just had a question. You express yourself so articulately, and I appreciate the care you put into this note. I was then hired by Covenant Health as a hospital chaplain. I dealt with some emotional pain in Disappointment with God, but nothing like the kind of pain you experience. We bring up the fact that we ALL deserve judgement for our sins, and everyone is quiet. One thing that occurred to me (probably way too simplistic, but . Bills are late. I am currently on the third book of yours that I have read and find myself thinking deeper than ever while I take in your words. We had the privilege of meeting you and your lovely wife a few years ago when you were the guest speaker at Cherry Creek Presbyterian Churchs Chautaqua@Creek event. Now that I read a lot of your favorite authors (Endo, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chesterton, Lewis, etc.) I am sending you this e-mail because there are several questions popped up while reading your book. If that was what I was meant to learn, it was all worth it! Hello. Grace, still the best and last word, transcends all our feeble attempts, and my new spiritual faith seems to have transcended my christian faith the best way to put it for me. I read Whats So Amazing About Grace and agreed with your message so much that I have both recommended it and used several references from it in my amateur writer article The Simplicity of Grace prepared for my Serra Club Newsletter to be submitted for October. I recommend 2 books by Lewis Smedes: Forgive and Forget and The Art of Forgiving. You will see me more because there are questions I really want to ask you and It helped me see where God is coming from, in a way I was unable to see plodding along at just a couple chapters a day like I had done previously when reading through the Bible. If so please let me know where to send you a copy. Yancey worked as a journalist in Chicago for some twenty years, editing the youth magazine Campus Life while also writing for a wide variety of magazines including Readers Digest, Saturday Evening Post, National Wildlife, and Christianity Today. They tried to cast out homosexual demons, and I was told I was rebellious and so on. T roublesome issues like divorce and homosexuality take on a different cast when you confront them not in a state legislature but in a family reunion. This book has been such a ministry to me and it literally breathes life into me every time I read it. The neat formula and juridical language I had been taught didnt seem to do justice to all of the events that occurred during the Passion narrative. Excellent question. The stories are vivid and highly personal, revealing the good, bad and ugly of each life, often with emotional descriptions that will make you cry. Sigh, the church is composed of people. Actually, his views on abortion have been very mixed over the years, so I wouldnt count on it Philip, An article in CP politics has you wondering about voting for Donald Trump for pres. . The Shack ~ William Young Philip I really want to express my thanks to you for the blessing your books have been to me over the years. Understanding grace, as you know, is a huge part of that. And history has shown that anger can lead to even further injustice (French and Russian revolutions) or to genuine progress (anti-colonialism movements, fall of the Berlin Wall, South Africa). It cannot be found anywhere in the Bible, the Apocrypha, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, the Pseudepigrapha, the Talmud, Mishna, or any other Jewish source. Very recently, a popular christian leader and singer posted on her instagram what she called a #HolyIndignation. Philip. It enriches my walk with the Lord and it is an invaluable resource! In fact, as Ive pointed out before, the biggest group of givers on Kiva is Atheists, second are Christians. The problem with cut-and-dried is that it tends to produce a self-satisfied morality: OK, Ive kept all these laws, so Im better than other people. Hi Phil [31], With no one in my own government showing any interest in the rights of the Jewish prisoners, I also wrote to the office of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. When I read my bible or Christian books I want to visualise the stories. I felt very, very small. Neil Armstrong, For those who have seen the Earth from space, and for the hundreds and perhaps thousands more who will, the experience most certainly changes your perspective. For some people, listening to music opens up the communication lines, for others, going to church. It has been recommended that I have the book professionally edited and I was wondering if I could ask you for a good editorial recommendation. This YWAM leader left me on the streets of Grand Junction for the night and I was terrified. As a gay Christian, how should I read you concerning same sex relationships? Until then, I keep you and yours in my prayers: may you persevere the race marked out for us! to anymore. Fully Accredited Bible College in Virginia. She is the bread-winner and works very hard for us and I feel that, as a Christian, love begins at home. Today as I finished your book, my 7 siblings and I, along with my Mom prepare to say goodbye to my 89 yo Dad, who lies in a hospital with Covid and only hours to live. In this way we have ceased being the likeness of God, and our existence is unjustified. You communicate very well in English! You make a good point, though: words change over time (80% of them pejorate rather than ameliorate) and it may be a losing battle. I love Philip Yancey because of his emphasis on Jesus, and how much Jesus loves every human being. Therefore, there was no Creation , Eden, Adam and Eve, Fall of Man, Noahs Ark, or Tower of Babel. I would be remiss if I didnt thank you properly or tell you that. I guess the kind of sympathy contained in your reply is something I dont hear much from people around me; too few ears, too many mouths, including my own, to be fair. I went out into the chapel and there stood CSC Commissioner Don Head. I asked him to return it to my office, and also told Paul about it when he returned. I have made four tours of Korea, and no country has treated me better. I asked him what he thought I should do and he said: Resign. As I sat and listened to the Word I was struck, convicted and in tears. But I have questions.so many questions right now. Your comments very well worth reading. I could appreciate what he was saying. I am currently reading What is So Amazing About Grace and often find myself going back to Scripture as I read, knowing that is where the truth is! That they respond to you is proof that you are following in his steps. We do. Well, Jesus was accused of being mad, and of having a demon too, so He knows how it feels! However, this did not get me down but made me realize I had received grace. Right now, I feel its taught me that prayers arent always heard or answered, that maybe God does not love me the way He loves others, that punishment can be harsh and never ending, its taught me that maybe Im simply destined to be this lonely failure, no matter how hard I worked and tried to have a good life and give a good life to my kids. Im honored to be a fellow pilgrim with you. He was shocked by such a question, and said there was no security issue concerning me. I decided to apply to the Church Army Training College . Friends even repeatedly appealed to the premier of PEI, Robert Ghiz [13] [14]. My doctor told me to find a good GP and to take a year off work to recover. I will not mention what religion I was raised, nor the denomination of my friends church because it is not about the religion it truly is about our relationship with Him! I also told myself enough is enough and finally decided to stand up to Paul. I spoke with him and he was very anxious. You were going through one of the most difficult passages of lifehow could you possibly think of anything else. I often wish I could have met you in person to say thank you; but I do believe that one day, in the light and joy of the redeemed world we are all longing for, I will. Grace is now something I am trying to let flow into all aspects of my life. As a 53 year old male who is happily married and extremely satisfied in every aspect of my life, the struggle remains in following Gods primary command to love God with all your heart and soul. God bless! Mr. Yancey, Now you too can be a grace-dispenser! Thank you for being you. Thank you for your trouble in helping me locate the source of this story. As we were chatting, he told me that he had not been asked to write any report on the envelope incident either. Ive purchased several of your book Prayer and given them away to people that I think would find it helpful. Mr Yancey, I am not fancy with words but I have been looking forward to speak to you. Are the contents the same? Im thrilled to know them. Maybe, maybe not. and its still the thickest book Ive ever read in my life. We would be interested in knowing if you would consider being a retreat speaker sometime in late fall of 2017 for a Saturday retreat and Sunday morning for our church service. Im sorry it took a disability to teach you empathybut in the long run, which is more important? When I prayed, God help me. I was exasperated on coming to this summation. It has been such a blessing in my life. It came at a very important time in my life. Please come and speak in South Africa, if you can find the time, Philip. The others there had to be submitted to him in every area. Being fairly new to the faith, although old in years, I have a hard time reconciling the fact that Jesus kingdom is not of this world, that we are not to be of the world (or in the world, I can never remember which word means which status) and yet politics would seem to epitomize being of the world. In recent years .