Customer Reviews

Secrets in the Dark: A Life in Sermons

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Here is a new and noteworthy collection of sermons by one of our most celebrated Christian apologists, Frederick Buechner. Ranging from sermons delivered in the 1950s to the late 1990s, this anthology lives up to its subtitle, presenting a half-century's worth of thinking aloud about the Christian way. Buechner, who has described himself as a part-time Christian and a part-time novelist, offers the reader many windows into the oftentimes hidden world of Christian truth.

The collection begins with a sermon called "The Magnificent Defeat" concentrating upon the all-night wrestling match between Jacob and God at the ford of the Jabbok. The encounter leaves Jacob crippled and helpless but as Buechner describes it, in the end Jacob sees "something more terrible than the face of death-the face of love." (Page 7). Thanks to Buechner's vantage-point, one can sense authentic surprise, like that the original Phillips Exeter Academy student-congregation must have felt at hearing the news that out of defeat can come blessing.

Herein the reader will find one of Buechner's best-loved sermons, "A Room Called Remember" and many apt observations that will inspire further contemplation and study. In all of these sermons, the reader is invited to notice that "The Kingdom of Heaven is only twenty minutes down the road, for Christ's sake." (Page 153). One of the most poignant passages in the book is in the intensely personal "The Longing for Home". As Buechner reminisces about sense of security he found as a child, in his grandparents' house on Woodland Road in Pittsburgh, we identify with the feelings of homesickness and yearning that lead the seeking soul into God's presence.

There is a breathtaking sweep of subjects here, ranging from the existence of God and the importance of being kind, to AIDS, terrorism and nuclear war. In "Faith and Fiction", Buechner explores the truth in Biblical and other texts creatively, and offers a beautifully descriptive paragraph-long definition of faith, culminating: "Faith is homesickness. Faith is a lump in the throat. Faith is less a position on than a movement toward, less a sure thing than a hunch. Faith is waiting. Faith is journeying through space and time". He champions Charles Dickens as well as the influence of Leo Tolstoy and Anthony Trollope, about whose similarity to God's interaction with us, Buechner says, "Be still the way (they are) still, so your characters can speak for themselves and come alive in their own way". (Pages 173 & 174).

Buechner's words draw us into an alternative, need we say better, world-view, which may best be described by Buechner: "Power, success, happiness, as the world knows them, are his who will fight for them hard enough; but peace, love, joy are only from God." (page 7)

Frederick Buechner is an ordained Presbyterian minister and the acclaimed author of more than twenty-five books. A graduate of Princeton University (1947) and Union Theological Seminary (1958), Buechner served for a time with his mentor George Buttrick at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, where, as he has said, "My job...was to present the faith as appealingly, honestly, relevantly and skillfully as I could." He continues to do this, brilliantly, in Secrets in the Dark. Buechner's Nobel lectures delivered at Harvard in 1969 were published as The Alphabet of Grace, and his Lyman Beecher Lectures of Yale became Telling the Truth (1977). This new collection is sure to become a Buechner best seller.

If you find this review helpful you might want to read some of my other reviews, including those on subjects ranging from biography to architecture, as well as religion and fiction.

Frederick Buechner is an extremely honest and emotional preacher and this is a book of over thirty of his best sermons. It is easy to identify with his readable, inspiring and imaginative sermons. Buechner is optimistic and never boring--he speaks of a gospel of love that invites to confront and continue to engage our doubts; he speaks of a gospel that isn't overly literal but speaks truth in stories and emotion. He finds ways to engage his audience and certainly these ways are not lost on the page. Surely, a book for every Christain to have, a guide for the path.

I believe that this collection of sermons by Fredrerick Buechner is profoundly rich in sensitivity and wisdom, proclaiming without a hint of judgment and with authentic humility and integrity, the good and reassuring news of God's mysterious and redeeming presence in this world, including to believers, non-believers, non-believers-who-wish-they-could believe, and the indifferent.

Frederick Buechner is a warm, loving, witty, intellectual whom I greatly admire. After reading this book I have grown even fonder of him and I like to think grown in my faith a great deal too. It was my church service every morning. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I loved it.

I am an unabashed fan of Frederick Buechner. His use of stories enforces my personal conviction that doctine preached is less effective than Christ lived...inside or outside the church. I love his style and he is one of "those" three or four that I wish I could share a meal with and literally watch him tell his stories.

Frederick Buechner has great style, excellent writing and super content. I opened it and immediately became became engrossed.

Buechner gives us other ways to explore our faith. He encourages us to think and go deeper which results in better understanding of our own Christian walk. Some of these sermons or talks were delivered to students, some to congregations. I chose this book to see how he gets the attention of both of these groups after first being introduced to Buechner's Telling the Truth, the Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale. Each entry is worthy of hearing.

This book is a great find. It appeared one day on my Amazon recommendation list and I impulsively bought it. I am glad I did because Buechner has quickly become my new favorite Christian writer.

The sermons are beautifully written and as relevant today as they were when he preached them decades ago. His reflections are thoughtful and his thoughts original. I have given this book to several friends who would characterize themselves as unbelieving intellectuals and they have appreciated his wisdom and insight. This book is both food for the intellect and the soul.

I have heard in passing of Frederick Buechner for many years,but it is not till now,persuaded by the gifted Brian Mclaren,have I read one of his books.And what a feast I have been missing! This collection of semons,taken from across his long lifetime of ministry and covering a broad range of subjects has consistently moved me like no other Christian or secular writing has ever done.His writing is that of a geat craftsman,so often allusive rather than direct,yet it has penetrated within me depths I barely knew existed and illuminated them with the presence of Christ.His are the words of a halting,personal,authentic humanity in search of its Creator. You always sense his integrity and feel safe in his presence,yet little by little and word by word you are drawn into places where the deepest longings of your own humanity are brought to the surface to receive the Bread of Life. Truly "Secrets in the Dark." If ever the Holy Spirit filled the very fabric of writing,this is truly one of the places. Come to the table and eat.

For me, the chapter "Mesage in the Stars" is worth the price of the book, but of course, there is much more here that makes it all worth much more than the price of the book. I find that each time a reread this book, the deeper I am moved and challenged, and the more there is to ponder and meditate on. No trite pat answers here, only profound thoughts to ponder, and ponder you will.