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I was originally not impressed with the first several chapters, because while it was insightful as always, it was missing the emotional connection of his previous works, and I felt as though I had "heard this all before". The premise is his delve into the dichotomy of the two worlds Christians live in: one the physical world, a world full of desires, and fleeting and ultimately unimportant wants, and the other a spiritual world where we place our sights on things of immeasurable value from an eternal perspective. Obviously, this is not a new topic, but he looks closely in his usual unique perspective, at the various ways the things we encounter everyday reflect this dichotomy. While interesting, it didn't hit on any emotional cylinders for me, and so I put the book down and moved on without finishing.
Months later, after unpacking from a move, I found the book, and threw it my suitcase to finish on a plane. I picked it up in Chapter 12, where he looks into the life of the famous "Elephant Man". So powerful is the imagery and the contrast between the grotesque outward appearance and horrific treatment he endured and the rich, simple, and deeply loving personality of this man, that the message hit home. How do we "see" that which is real, behind or between the exterior illusions? From then on the book hit wonderful chords and sparked yet again the wonder and soul inspiring visionary impact Yancey is known for.
I quickly read the book again, and the pieces came together. Like all of his work, Yancey creates emotional imagery by juxtaposing a variety of source material and overlaying it on a theme. One powerful illustration was how he feels when returning to "home" after a trip out in the wilderness or to a foreign exotic location: "The first day back, modern culture betrays itself as a self-evident lie, a grotesque parody of the day to day life I know. The next day my reactions moderate. A few days later I am breathing the air of lust, consumerism, selfishness and ambition, and it seems normal". This is a wonderful glimpse at the way the current world obscures the spiritual.
Yancey delivers yet again. Highly recommended, even if you have to start with chapter 12 as I did to get to the heart of the issue. Keep writing Phillip, but perhaps look closer at editing, your work is too good to be discarded by too casual an entrance to such an important subject.
Yancey refuses to back away from life's tough issues. Tackling them from an intellectual perspective, he doesn't offer easy answers. Yancey writes clearly and with well-managed words. He pulls back the curtain to reveal his own weaknesses and struggles. Along the way, he tunes our ears to the hints and rumors of a world to come. He puts thing in perspective. Pointing to the very restlessness of man's soul, Yancey offers hope in the belief of a second reality, a spiritual reality. He suggests that we are caught in a tension between two worlds--the temporal and eternal.
I'm impressed by Yancey's usage of historical snippets and recent research to turn up the volume of these spiritual rumors. Like C.S. Lewis before him, Yancey helps us face the evidence of a God who has created us with a purpose and a destination. Mere Christianity is all about learning to see how this life coincides with the one to come. After reading Yancey, I'm inclined to believe the rumors.