Customer Reviews

Thirsting For God in a Land of Shallow Wells

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although I've read a handful of books more than once, "Thirsting for God in a Land of Shallow Wells" is the first book that finished and started right over again!

I am a former Evangelical who had raised many questions about the Protestant church, but continued to hang on for lack of an alternative. It wasn't until I heard about the Eastern Orthodox Church at a lecture given by Frank Schaeffer in 1997, that I began investigating this pearl of great price.

Gallatin's book appeals to me in that he asked many of the same questions I did, but with his philosophical background, he approached them in greater depth. One friend of mine says that he attacks the rationalism of Protestantism using a rationalistic argument. This may be true, but some of us coming out of this background need to have head questions answered before we can commit our heart. (Once you become Orthodox, you realize this is all backwards.)

In the final chapter of this book, Gallatin writes, "I pray that Protestant readers have been challenged to come to grips with the inescapable inconsistencies of their theological heritage. I hope many of their misconceptions regarding the ancient Orthodox Faith have been dispelled. Most of all, I hope I have helped them to see Christianity in the light of its historical truth and its sacramental spirit."

He continues in the next paragraph with, "When it comes to Orthodox readers, my prayer is that this book has nurtured within them a deeper appreciation of their faith. Perhaps they have come to understand it better. Most of all, I hope that they will be able to use the perspectives presented here to help them as they share the truth of their faith in a predominantly Protestant society."

I would agree that he's on target on both counts. I'd recommend this title to both Protestant inquirers and Orthodox "evangelists."

As a recent convert to Orthodox Christianity from Protestantism, I'm always looking for things pertaining to the Orthodox Church as it is in America, and without the overtones of being "Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, etc." This book does that.

The first part of the book is that of the author's personal journey to Orthodoxy. After decades of trying to find the "True Way" among various Protestant denominations, he still felt that something was *missing* in the Protestant view of the Church and of the world. He also goes on to elaborate just what it was that seemed to be missing or contradictory in Protestant doctrine, both specifically, and in general.

The second part of the book is almost a handbook as to what the Orthodox church may look like to those coming from a Protestant viewpoint. Things such as veneration of icons, formal prayers, and church tradition are discussed here in a way for those who probably have had very little experience with these things.

I, myself, am tickled to read about others' journeys to (and within) Orthodoxy, particularly in America. I just sent this book in a package to my mom. I don't know if she will read it, but if she does, I hope that she will at least come away knowing that me becoming Orthodox has everything to do with the church, and very little to do with me being fascinated with Russia or whatnot.

The question in Agrippa's (Acts 26:28) lips seems fitting now for mine. As a long-time and committed Reformed Protestant, I must say I have never been so challenged by such a work as this. I am amazed by how quickly Mr. Gallatin went through all my objections one by one and led me to seek out more about the Orthodox church. It is a well done and well written apologetic that left me hungry for more like it.

Thirsting for God is an excellent book for those who have come to see the problems in evangelical Christianity but cannot quite figure out what to do about it. The author spent many years searching, starting out as a 7th day Adventist, next a Fundamentalist, then a Charismatic (being a Pastor) and finally coming into Orthodoxy. The interesting parts of this book for me focused on the downfall of the Fundamentalist and the Charismatic doctrines, and their inability to explain why those who believe have huge questions that do not get answered such as "why is there no genuine transformation in my life" and "when is the Holy Spirit going to bear witness with my spirit that I am a child of God"? Gallatin has an interesting point of view, having been a pastor; he plainly describes the lack of insight he had. As a result, he gave the typical responses such as "pray about it", "read your bible" even describes the powerlessness he had to help those who sought his council.
The work is not scholarly; rather, it is a lay testimony. Read as such, it is very good.

THIRSTING FOR GOD (in a Land of Shallow Wells) is a series of reflections written by Matthew Gallatin, a convert from evangelical Protestantism to the Orthodox Church. Gallatin's book seeks to show the reader that, in spite of the stereotypes that Protestantism is free and open and Orthodoxy rigid and formal, the Christian seeking a true personal relationship with Jesus Christ should come home to Orthodoxy.

The first part of the book is the chronicle of Gallatin's conversion. While a boy in a poor Appalachian community, Gallatin came to have a deep love for Christ and desire to serve the Lord. Due to family circumstances, he came into the Seventh Day Adventist church and, after college, eventually settled for a few decades in a generic evangelical Protestant movement. Over this time, Gallatin occasionally felt that he was losing contact with the personal saviour that he longed for. Eventually by reading the Church Fathers he came to see Orthodoxy as the true continuation of the apostolic faith, but his interest wasn't merely academic. When participating for the first time in the divine liturgy of the Orthodox Church, he found a place of true spiritual fulfillment and peace.

The second part is an examination of how exactly Orthodoxy serves to join the Christian in love to God. Protestantism, says Gallatin, is tainted when rationalism, where mystery and deep feeling is erased by over-analysis of everything. Orthodoxy, on the other, preserves a sense of awe with its emphasis on sacraments and ritual. Finally, the third part of the book treats specific portions of Orthodoxy that will seem especially difficult to Protestants, including the Eucharist as the true Body and Blood, formal prayer, and the role of Mary the Theotokos (Birth-giver of God) and the saints.

I admire Gallatin's zeal for communion with God and his Son. My only complaint about the book is that the writing is often a little too focused and repetitive. The theme of love, love, love is so intensely presented that this reader felt bludgeoned. If his writing had been a little more expansive from time to time, I would have been more comfortable.

I doubt this book would do much for those who are dedicated to evangelical Protestantism. Instead, the reader who might profit most from reading THIRSTING FOR GOD is the Christian who has already decided to move from Protestantism to Orthodoxy, and needs a foretaste of the glory of the Church to serve as waybread during the journey.

To those raised as Protestants and especially those who are Evangelical Protestants, this book will open your eyes to why one would convert to Orthodox Christianity. The author talks about his spiritual journey through the Protestant religious movement and how he step along the way he never could find that true spiritual connection with God.

Gallatin in a very easy to read yet well written style tackles why there are so many Protestants who are disenchanted with their religious lives. No amount of praise music, no megachurch, nothing in what has become an endless journey could satisfy that longing and true thrist in his soul to be a peace with God.

When reading his journey, I could see those in my own family and myself looking but never connecting with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

This book greatly helped me in my search and decision to convert to Orthodox Christianity. I cannot recommend this book enough to those who are disenchanced with their Christian religious life. Today, much of Western Christianity both in Europe and the United States is floundering, trying to rewrite what cannot be rewritten. Gallatin's work helps one to clearly see that we must return to the true faith which has stood the test of time.

Ex-Seventh-Day Adventists, Ex-Evangelical, ex-Charismatic preacher Matthew Gallatin's book is both a personal journey to the Orthodox faith and an apologetic for the Orthodox faith. Matthew traces his humble begginings as a child who feels God's presence, to his conversion as a child to Seventh Day Adventism. Interesting enough, one of my reasons for leaving Adventism is similar to Gallatin's in that it involved the issue of "clean and unclean" foods as well. He then converts to the "Sunday" Protesttant lifestyle (yes, Adventists are Protestants like Charismatics, Baptists, etc).

This becomes a central point to Matthew, in that church's of the Protetstant tradition rely on "sola scriptura" which ultimately means "I." It involves how "I" interpret the Bible. This method fails to produce comprehensive truth for it makes man's interpretation of scripture more important than what God is actually saying. He devotes a lot of pages to the self-centerdness of modern Protestant Christianity (although it may be unintentioned by the Christian).

He gives a great apologetic for Eucharist, the Liturgy, and prayer. His chapters on Mary and the Saints are a little too small; Because so many Protetstants are mis-informed or just don't undertsand the issues here, that stronger chapters should have been developed here. Overall, this book is much better than most in mixing "biographical" infomration and "apologetic" material together.

I remember the first time I read this book. I felt deeply convicted and encouraged at the same time. The author divides very difficult matters for protestant to understand in a very easy and digestible manner. In fact this is the book I give to my family when they have questions about the Orthodox faith and how it relates to their beliefs. I have not talked to anyone whom I have given the book to read whoes view of Orthodoxy were not changed. They may not have agreed with the Church but they understood it so much better that it allowed a much better dialog to discuss the Orthodox faith. I whole heartedly recommend this book.

Matthew Gallatin reports on his journey to the Ancient Christian Church. He began by asking himself "Do you know what you believe?", "Yes, you know what you believe. But is it the truth?"
Peter Gilquist in his book Becoming Orthodox, Clark Carlton in The Way: What Every Protestant Should Know about the Orthodox Church and Charles Bell in Discovering the Rich Heritage of Orthodoxy describe very similar journeys and struggles. They sorted through the false man-made doctrines of false teachers and prophets throughout history. And found their way back to the Church that the Lord himself founded in Matthew 16:18-19 and Ephesians 4:4-6. (Common Ground: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity by Jordan Bajis) is also highly recommended.

When I first read this book, I could not believe it. It was almost as if the author were speaking directly to me. As a Protestant who for 20 years had been part of the nondenominational church Gallatin was associated with, this came at a time when I was just starting to acknowledge my deep dissatisfaction. I had done everything I was told I should do to experience God; endless Bible study, street evangelization, prayer meetings, home groups, personal prayer, church service. but It all added up to a big nothing as far as my personal peace and contentment, and I was becoming deeply discouraged. I was starting to give up, resigning myself to a second-class relationship with God, also thinking that true eternal life will manifest only when I die. I ended up going to a Divine Liturgy service as a fluke and someone gave me this book. It was hard to read in places and I literally gasped at some chapters, amazed that I did see the problems with Protestantism before. To make a long story short, I have hope! I feel like when I was first converted to Christianity! I am in the process of converting and know Orthodoxy is my home. I am going to send this to all my Protestant friends who feel like I do--and believe me there, there are a lot of them.