Customer Reviews

Life Essential: The Hope of the Gospel (Wheaton Literary Series)

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Although I agree with the previous reviewer up to a point, I recommend this little book as an introduction to MacDonald's writing. It is easy to read and contains deep truths that penetrate to the heart. He brings a fresh and unique perspective from a deep understanding of our Heavenly Father's love for us. This is a book for those who hunger after righteousness, for those who, in MacDonald's words, trust that "increasing desire is the sign that satisfaction is drawing nearer." As Corbin Scott Carnell, University of Florida, has said, "Rolland Hein's expert condensation makes these writings accessible to our time." If I personally hadn't begun with this book I may never have wanted to buy the sermons in their original, unedited form.

In the essay "Sorrow--The Pledge of Joy", George MacDonald wrote: "Out upon such miserable theologians as . . . so cut and pare the words of the Lord as to take the very life from them, quenching all their glory and colour". You won't find these words in the edited version of this essay in _Life Essential_; in my opinion, Hein has so cut and pared the words of MacDonald as to take the very life from them, quenching not all, but much, of their glory and color.

In the introduction, Hein warns us that the editing has taken place, resulting in about half of MacDonald's words being discarded. The ostensible reason is that MacDonald tended to use florid language that is awkward to the modern ear, and that he tended to repeat himself. Search the Internet for MacDonald's original texts and compare them to Hein's editions and see if you don't agree with me that the language Hein cut was often glorious. And when you examine the deletions it will be obvious that elimination of repetition can't explain all of them. On the contrary, the deleted passages often make points not made by the surviving text, points that perhaps made Hein uncomfortable (like, in "Sorrow--The Pledge of Joy", the eternal nature of human relationships: "A heaven without human love it were inhuman, and yet more undivine to desire; it ought not to be desired by any being made in the image of God.")

Do yourself a favor and buy the lovely Johannesen editions of MacDonald's original works instead.

An extremely good book for people who can read, or for those like me who are willing to read and reread, think and rethink. MacDonald presents a picture of the Gospel consistent with rational thought and devoid of theological slight of hand.