How to Be Good in a World Gone Bad: Living a Life of Christian Virtue [Paperback]

James S. Spiegel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 25, 2005

Provides concrete examples of each virtue and offers practical suggestions for their development.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is more than a book of suggestions--this is a manual for how to be ""blameless and pure children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation.""" (Shirley Updyke What's New on the Bookshelf 20041223)

"Few Christian books so powerfully combine biblically spiritual insight with common-sense realism done in a manner that advocates the fruit of the Spirit. Spiegel assesses applying Christian virtues in our contemporary world. His insight into human psychology is sharp, and his ability to write to the reader's experience without pulling punches or being judgmental is a rare jewel. . . . Recommended to anyone interested in growing in grace." (Gerry Wisz CBA Marketplace 20041201)

"Few Christian books so powerfully combine biblically spiritual insight with common-sense realism done in a manner that advocates the fruit of the Spirit. Spiegel assesses applying Christian virtues in our contemporary world. His insight into human psychology is sharp, and his ability to write to the reader's experience without pulling punches or being judgmental is a rare jewel. . . . Recommended to anyone interested in growing in grace." (Gerry Wisz CBA Marketplace 20041223)

"This book should not only be considered essential reading for Christians of all ranks (including pastors), but for anyone who wants to know the key ingredients for successful leadership. It's all in this work. And the price of the book is affordable. It is scholarly in its reading but not difficult, with classic sayings of leading philosophers and theologians sprinkled throughout. The author, James S. Spiegel. . . . writes clearly to spur us on to excellence." (Rev. Austin Miles Agape Press )

"Dr. Spiegel's book provides the road map to rein in the flesh, go beyond ourselves, and be the example to the world that God would have us be. Christian should consider themselves as being under construction with their eye on that goal. This book should not only be considered essential reading for Christian of all ranks (including pastors) but for anyone who wants to know the key ingredients for successful leadership. It's all in this work." (Rev. Austin Miles www.MichNews.com )

And this book gives the finest example of ruling oneself that can be found today. Every serious Christian should have this book. Come to think about it, so should everyone else. (Rev. Austen Miles AgapePress )

From the Back Cover

"Be patient always." But what about when our prayers seem to go unanswered?

"Seek peace." But what about when good intentions don't result in a resolution?

"Be humble." But what about when no one gives us the acknowledgment we deserve?

It's hard to be good, especially when everything—and everyone—around us seems to be going from bad to worse. How can Christians live the virtuous life that God has called us to?

With candor and clarity, James Spiegel explores twenty-two different traits of a person with excellent character, including: humility, kindness, generosity, wit, justice, patience, courage, peace, gratitude, faith, and love. Each chapter features concrete examples and practical steps for developing specific virtues. This is more than a book of suggestions—this is a manual for how to be "blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation…" (Phillip. 2:14).

 “This book is a workout for the Christian soul. It will stretch you in ways you did not think possible, but after reading it you will feel stronger in the faith than ever before.”

—Stephen H. Webb
Professor of Religion, Wabash College
Author of Good Eating, The Divine Voice, and Taking Religion to School

James S. Spiegel (Ph.D., Michigan State University) is professor of philosophy at Taylor University, Upland, Indiana. He is the author of Hypocrisy: Moral Fraud and Other Vices, as well as numerous articles. He lives with his wife and three children in Fairmount, Indiana.

(20041001)

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Kregel Publications (February 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825436958
• ISBN-13: 978-0825436956
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,246,733 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

James Spiegel holds a PhD from Michigan State University and currently teaches philosophy at Taylor University. He is the author of several books, including the award-winning How to Be Good in a World Gone Bad. Spiegel is a frequent speaker at Christian colleges, conferences, churches, and on radio programs. He lives in Fairmount, Indiana, with his wife, Amy, and their four children, Bailey, Samuel, Magdalene, and Andrew.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book Well Written in Hope of a Life Well Lived, February 12, 2005

By 

M. McNeil (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How to Be Good in a World Gone Bad: Living a Life of Christian Virtue (Paperback)

I would highly recommend this relevant and insightful book. Spiegel writes with a philosopher's mind, a pastor's heart, and an artist's pen to gently force the reader to reflect on the quality of the life they are living.

First, I should say that I was surprised at how much I liked this book. Virtue was not a subject that I was particularly interested in primarily because I labored under a faulty understanding of the subject. But I had stumbled upon Spiegel's earlier book on Hypocrisy, which I appreciated, so I thought he would have some valuable insights on the topic of virtue.

This book is inspiring in its explanation of virtues (universally desirable character traits such as love, creativity, humility, patience, and even wit to name a few) and the serious thought it gives to how one can come to possess and display these virtues in their own life. In that regard, it is a book that easily makes the leap from simply being something you are reading into a work that influences how you live your life.

I read through this book with several friends in a Bible study. It was conducive to this format and it really stimulated some great conversations between friends. Just a thought in case you are looking for a good book that is adaptable for use in that kind of setting or to read and discuss with a good friend.

This book engages the mind, heart, and soul and I would highly recommend it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Insights, March 19, 2005

By 

Kristin Zhivago "Author, Roadmap to Revenue: ... (Jamestown, Rhode Island) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How to Be Good in a World Gone Bad: Living a Life of Christian Virtue (Paperback)

I'm only on Chapter 3 and already I know I'm going to be reading this book again. There were a number of times when something Mr. Spiegel said made me stop reading, put the book down for a few minutes, and reflect on his words.

The author has already helped me understand why I do things I don't want to do, and how to start doing things I want to do.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants new insights on how God works and how we can more closely work with Him.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humble Direction for an Age of Confusion, October 24, 2006

By 

Allan T. Georgia "Eternal Student" (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How to Be Good in a World Gone Bad: Living a Life of Christian Virtue (Paperback)

I don't know if the best thing about this book is Professor Spiegel's attention to a subject vastly understudied within the field of Christian ethics (especially in the Conservative Protestant wordld), or if it is the way in which an account so locquaciously written can still be so philosophically informed and carefully reasoned - acknowledging other ethical traditions as sources of ethical reasoning, or if it is the fact that such a book has been written which, while addressing an academic question, still reads relevantly in the eyes of individuals concerned with the practical question of living life for the good. In any case, Professor Spiegel writes his vocation, as one trained not only to think about these issues, but also to live them, into a text which is available to the scholar and non-scholar alike. For someone trying to think about the difference between the ethical reasoning of Kant, say, and the ethical reasoning of Aristotle, Spiegel's work reads like an informed description of the virtues imbibed with deontological concerns. For someone trying to discover moral guidence - nearly absent in every way from the pattern of this world - this book reads like a guidebook to goodness, entreating to reader to a life which is lived truly, and well.

It may be a great compliment to an author to name him a philosopher of the highest sort, as a lauding of his erudition and scholasticism. I think that the more appropriate appelation, in light of this book, is to call Dr. Spiegel a true pastor, one who has guided many into calmer pastures of the mind where the pursuit of goodness is suddenly possible in a world that has speculated as to whether there is goodness at all to speak of.