Customer Reviews

George MacDonald

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

MacDonald was a master Christian apologist of the late 1800s, and an enormous influence on CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, WH Auden, and Charles Williams, to name a few. His fantasy novels and sermons have been a source of inspiration for every generation of Christian apologists and fantasy novelists since his death. MacDonald's writings, however, inspiring though they are, are often laborious and difficult to read. Additionally, much of MacDonald's writing phases in and out of print regularly, and is sometimes not easy to find. It is for these reasons that CS Lewis, who called MacDonald "my master," compiled this `anthology' of MacDonald's theology.

In this little volume are 365 "readings," short quotes from MacDonald's sermons, novels, or stories. Actually, more than 2/3 of this material comes from his sermons. Several of these quotations are uplifting and thought-provoking, and all bear the mark of a man who devoted his life to Christian apology through fantasy. An anthology like this is a good place to be introduced to MacDonald's thinking and writing, and also a large step in understanding such later apologists as CS Lewis. These readings, though sometimes taken slightly out of context, are a great look into the work of George MacDonald.

I wouldn't say that this book inspired me to want to read all of George MacDonald's works, but it was worth the money I spent on it. This book gave me some new perspectives on faith and the importance of understand and doing what God wants me to do. I don't agree with all of it, but I was helped by most of it.

A few quick samples: "Oh the folly of any mind that would explain God before obeying Him! That would map out the character of God instead of crying, Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?"

"Thy hand be on the latch to open the door at His first knock. Shouldst thou open the door and not see Him, do not say He did not knock, but understand that He is there, and wants thee to go out to Him. It may be He has something for thee to do for Him. Go and do it, and perhaps thou wilt return with a new prayer, to find a new window in thy soul."

"A man my sink by such slow degrees that, long after he is a devil, he may go on being a good churchman or a good dissenter and thinking himself a good Christian."

"Every one of us is something that the other is not, and therefore knows something - it may be without knowing that he knows it - which no one else knows: and... it is everyone's business, as one of the kingdom of light and inheritor in it all, to give his portion to the rest."

This is pretty much my favorite book (except the Bible). His thoughts are luminous -- no dry wisdom, but truth in the best sense, which he really lived out. Real food for anyone with a heart for truth, and a decent starting place for anyone else. you gotta read it! : ) It even has a few poems of his -- but check out "Diary of an Old Soul" for a whole book of them. The more I read of George MacDonald's the better I feel like I understand God and His Word-- he ties things together delightfully so they make sense. It's vivid. It is infused with that shining quality that CS Lewis aptly called "holiness" -- but not as we've imagined holiness!

While I am not typically a big fan of the short, daily reading format of quotes taken from some unknown context, I found and continue to find this book valuable and beautiful. Whether George MacDonald's theology was bad or not (and who's isn't at times?), one thing he conveys over and over in his writing is that he KNOWS the love of God. All the good theology in the world cannot measure against instruction about loving God and loving one's neighbor.

Personally, I often grow weary of head knowledge and I want to commune with a saint who understands and experiences love to a degree that I can only hope to reach someday. I want to be encouraged that love is action, not theory; that Jesus is reality, not concept; that life is fullness and joy, not numbers and facts. George MacDonald takes me further and beyond the average cliché and pat descriptions and expectations of the Christian life. He takes me places I always hoped existed and renews my belief that God is much more than I can want or imagine.

And for what it's worth, I believe there is another way to interpret statement 1, different from A Reader's interpretation in the following review: "Oh the folly of any mind that would explain God before obeying Him! That would map out the character of God instead of crying, Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?" I think G. M. meant that spending our time simply amassing facts ABOUT God is a poor substitute for EXPERIENCING God through the act of obedience. In other words, understanding the faith is different from walking by faith.

Those are my [opinion].

This anthology is a wonderful collection of beauty and insight into the Christian life. George MacDonald had the rare gift of getting to the heart of the matter, whether it be to convict or to comfort. C. S. Lewis did a masterful job (as always) with the compilation and introduction. This little volume is truly a blessing.

George McDonald has lots to say about how to act when you are not feeling well loved or connected to God. In short, how do we act when we're unsure of our faith or angry?

For example:

The Highest Condition of the Human Will

The highest condition of the human will is in sight. . . . I say not the highest condition of the Human Being; that surely lies in the Beatific Vision, in the sight of God. But the highest condition of the Human Will, as distinct, not as separated from God, is when, not seeing God, not seeming to grasp Him at all, it yet holds Him fast.-George McDonald quoted in C.S. Lewis George McDonald

I don't know exactly what he is trying to say, but what I think it means is that when we are shaken and unsure our continued faith is ever more amazing. What does this have to do with Good Samaritans? I hope something, or I am going to lose my key demo. I know that when I am not feeling good or happy that I am less likely to help others and pay attention to my principles. I think if others have the same problem we need to ask ourselves, "what does my mood have to do with what is right and wrong?" I think McDonald would say that a person with a strong will acts the same regardless of how he or she feels.--Luke T. GoodSamaritanblog.com

George MacDonald's writings are succinct and open-ended, permitting, even urging, the reader to ask life-changing questions which God, in His grace, never fails to answer. C. S. Lewis said of MacDonald "I regarded him as my master." Many of Lewis' written thoughts reflect truths as expressed by George MacDonald.

This anthology was edited/assembled by the late C. S. Lewis, and contains many of his favorite passages from the published works and sermons of George MacDonald. MacDonald was C.S. Lewis' "literary Christian mentor" - to quote this perhaps most popular and effective 20th Century Christian apologist (i.e. Lewis).

Many of the short quotations/exerpts marvelously synthesize Jesus' sayings and the Apostles' teachings into visual images. I particularly find the "Our God is a Living Fire" series.

C.S. Lewis called MacDonald "my master." Read this book and you'll see why. Though MacDonald's writing style is sometimes clumsy and sometimes confusing, at other times it soars. Lewis admits that MacDonald is not among the great writers if one defines literature as "an art whose medium is words." But creating fantasy, says Lewis, he "does better than any man." In this volume, you get mainly MacDonald's theological writings, taken mainly from his sermons. Again, Lewis says it best: "I dare not say that he is never in error; but to speak plainly I know hardly any other writer who seems to be closer, or more continually close, to the Spirit of Christ Himself." I can't say enough about this book--full of profound insights!

Although I have never read George MacDonald before, I figured if he is one of the more influential writers for C.S. Lewis, that I could certainly check out his "best of" book.

The intro from Lewis is wonderful, and explains his regarding MacDonald as "his master." Lewis says that he has never written a book in which he hasn't quoted from MacDonald, and one can see after reading this book how many of Lewis' thoughts may have been shaped by MacDonald.

My favorite entry in the anthology is entitled "The Knowledge of God," and reads:

To say Thou art God, without knowing what the Thou means -- of what use is it? God is a name only, except we know God.