Have Faith Anyway: The Vision of Habakkuk for Our Times [Hardcover]

Kent Keith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 16, 2008

From Kent M. Keith, the author of the internationally acclaimed Paradoxical Commandments, comes a remarkable book about faith. In Have Faith Anyway, Keith explores the meaning of his eleventh commandment: The world is full of violence, injustice, starvation, disease, and environmental destruction. Have faith anyway. Like the other paradoxical commandments, this one focuses on the fundamental values we have in common as human beings.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Have Faith Anyway

From Kent M. Keith, the author of the internationally acclaimed "Paradoxical Commandments," comes a remarkable book about faith. In Have Faith Anyway, Keith explores the meaning of his eleventh commandment: The world is full of violence, injustice, starvation, disease, and environmental destruction. Have faith anyway. Like the other paradoxical commandments, this one focuses on the fundamental values we have in common as human beings.

To help us better understand the seemingly insurmountable problems we face today, Keith introduces us to the ancient prophet, Habakkuk. The story of Habakkuk reveals the prophet's struggle to understand why God seemed to ignore terrible violence and injustice during a time of crisis and danger for the ancient Hebrews 2600 years ago. Through his conversations with God, Habakkuk came to a faith and trust in God that could persevere even in the face of devastation and death. Habakkuk's poignant story is a parable that can help us to have faith even when our own world seems headed for disaster.

Using the inspirational story of Habakkuk and his struggles, we can learn to build a hopeful faith grounded in the love of God. Habakkuk showed us that whatever happens, we can have faith anyway.

From the Back Cover

Praise for Have Faith Anyway

"In this accessible discussion, Kent Keith . . . connect[s] Scripture to contemporary issues of faith and life. He takes up the book of Habakkuk . . . and shows the ways the book invites and empowers . . . faith. A special asset of the book is a helpful study guide that suggests hands-on engagement with the text and with life."
—Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary, author, The Prophetic Imagination

"I have always been disappointed that the prophetic books are used, quoted, and even understood so little by Christian churches. Have Faith Anyway brilliantly turns the corner on that sad pattern. Kent Keith makes one Jewish prophet alive and relevant in his historic setting—and even more in ours!"
—Richard Rohr, O.F.M., Center for Action and Contemplation and author, Everything Belongs

"Kent M. Keith has provided us with a significant and living word for today from the ancient vision of Habakkuk. He will draw you into the powerful faith of the prophet and help you to make it your own."
—James K. Bruckner, Ph.D., professor, Old Testament, North Park University, and author, Exodus and Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah

"Utilizing the tools of Israel's prophetic tradition, Kent Keith captures and expresses, in terms of twenty-first century concerns, Habakkuk's spiritual message about faith in God's unfailing presence in our lives. Faith—trust in God—is best described as the ability to live a joyful, hopeful, and committed life even in the midst of the world's negativity."
—Scott M. Lewis, S.J., associate professor, New Testament, Regis College, Toronto School of Theology

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (September 16, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470286288
• ISBN-13: 978-0470286289
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.7 x 7.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #624,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Have Faith Anyway, November 3, 2008

By 

C. J. Varney (Salt Lake City, UT United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Have Faith Anyway: The Vision of Habakkuk for Our Times (Hardcover)

What a great reminder of how we can choose to view life in these turbulent times. I've read the book several times, and it gets better. The book is powerful in its simplicity of reminding us that we are not the only ones who have had troubling times, and we can choose how to approach our problems. I am personally tired of the fear approach and am renewing my commitment to faith. Even though I don't understand why or how long things will be difficult, or even how to turn things around. If we profess faith, we might as well apply it.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Have Faith Anyway, November 7, 2008

By 

Lagioconda (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Have Faith Anyway: The Vision of Habakkuk for Our Times (Hardcover)

This is an extremely timely book. The world is indeed in trouble, but as Dr. Keith argues, we can have faith anyway. I found the chapter comparing faith and beliefs to be very helpful. The last chapter, with its conversation between a Christian and God, is truly inspiring.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Have Faith Anyway The Vision of Habakkuk for Our times, October 31, 2008

By 

Mary Frances Newman (Newport Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Have Faith Anyway: The Vision of Habakkuk for Our Times (Hardcover)

"Have Faith Anyway" is an exciting book becaue the life of faith is exciting and doable in the 21st century. The author takes us back 2600 years to the remarkable faith of the prophet Habakkuk and shares how this great prophet can still inspire us today. THe power of faith unfolds in each page of this book. Read it with amazement!