Customer Reviews

Wild at Heart

5 star:		(490)
4 star:		(132)
3 star:		(74)
2 star:		(41)
1 star:		(152)

 

 

As I looked over the reviews of this book, I noted a real polarization: guys either loved or hated this book. Any book this polarizing, I thought, must at bare minimum be bold. And this is a bold book.

On the positive side, the basic premise, that men need to embrace masculinity instead of apologizing for it, is great. It is true that many (unfortunately Eldredge says, "the church," which is tough to prove since he has not been in every church) churches do embrace a feminized Jesus and seem to push an agenda that feminizes men. As a pastor of 25 years, I have noted this tendency in many (perhaps most?) congregations (but I can honestly say that this has not been the case in the two churches I have pastored). Though common, this problem is not always present.

Eldredge argues that men should feel free to be "wild at heart," and that a deep relationship with God and the security that comes from realizing one is truly a man is a key to a satisfying and meaningful life for a man.

He recognizes the "wound" that men have, the importance of having a battle to fight and a beauty to rescue, themes dealt with about ten or (or more) years ago (by the likes of Gordon Dalbey, Robert Hicks, etc.); but his work is a current volume, and this material needs to re-circulate for the upcoming generations.

On the negative side, however, this book is reactionary. It addresses all men as though they were of the same temperament, namely that of the author. Besides watching way too many movies, the author enjoys the great outdoors. But he has forgotten that God does not only bless the Esaus, but also the Jacobs. And some of us guys don't even like movies (sorry, but there is nothing masculine about having to be entertained visually). Many men have died for their country, saved lives, reared masculine sons and feminine daughters and been bold warriors for the kingdom on God and yet did not enjoy repelling or hunting. I fear we learn a lot about John Elderedge and about men LIKE him (and there are many,perhaps even a narrow majority, although I wonder) than men in general; those of us who love the great "indoors" are virtually ignored or relegated to a category (by default) as less than masculine (although I do love the outdoors, just not hunting or repelling; I am a hiker).

The author is unusually weak in Bible interpretation, but he is no heretic. He does, however, point out that Adam stood silently alongside Eve while she ate of the fruit (he gives credit to, "The Silence of Adam," by Larry Crabb); on that interpretation, he is right on. And that is a key and crucial thought. He is weak in the interpretation department elsewhere throughout the book. Unfortunately, many of his points come from popular movies, great illustrations for the men who probably need the book most (those who live life vicariously through movies and TV). But again, a segment of us (who would rather play cards or take our wives dancing rather than tube out) were left out.

The first half of the book disenchanted me; the second half was much better and worth the reading. His comments about spiritual warfare need contemplation.

For men who have temperaments like Elderedge (the restless, deep feeling, and aggressive kind) or who have been stifled and intimidated by a feminized version of Christianity, this book is bold and radical enough to wake you out of your stupor. But it is not an "on the mark," response, but a reactionary (and overly emotional) one. If that's what floats your boat, you'll love it. If you are a bit more laid back (like myself and many other guys), you will not enjoy this book as much. Of course, if you are a passive wimp, you NEED this book, whether you will like it or not!

Some other books I would recommend (as better) in this genre include Gordon Dalbey's, "Father and Son," Robert Hicks, "The Masculine Journey" (if you can find it; this is an excellent book), and Robert Lewis', "Raising A Modern Day Night" (on bringing up boys). To my way of thinking, these are less reactionary and right on the mark.

So is this a good book or a bad one? It is certainly not a bad book. And though it is not truly Scripturally based, it is not heretical (just extra-scriptural). If you share common frustrations and experiences with John Elderege, you may find really enjoy it. For many guys, this would be good medicine; for others of us, it is at least thought provoking.

John Eldredge's WILD AT HEART is one of the most refreshing and radical books that I have read. Why are so many men unhappy, un-fulfilled, in jobs they hate, and in marriages that are dead? WILD AT HEART seeks to answer those questions and restore the passion and God-given masculinity that so many men in today's world, and church, are missing.

Some wrongly criticize WILD AT HEART, believing Eldredge is offering up macho, dim-witted masculine bravado, or they believe that this work will be a free pass for men to leave marriages in the dust on a search for lost dreams. Eldredge will have none of that, and says himself in the book that such men are "deceived about what it is they really want, what they are made for." Don't be fooled by the various criticisms that ignore Eldredge's real meaning. A real man's desires are shaped by the Lord.

Instead, WILD AT HEART is about restoring a Godly dream in the soul of a man. A desire to truly be a man, rather than a softened-neutered-nice-but-restrained-guy that the world has somehow dictated that Christian males should be. Nice men may be socially acceptable but in creating them we have snuffed out the very fire that God would have us fan in our pursuit of Him.

This is an attempt to re-kindle that flame. To restore the three longings that are at the core of each man: a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue. Eldredge's arguments are firmly planted in Biblical principles, as well as his past personal experience. His writing style is very easy going, and he uses a lot of illustrations from popular culture, which makes the reading fun. I believe this book is an awesome wake up call to the church. For too long men have weakened themselves by ignoring our God-created passions. WILD AT HEART shows us how to restore them, and challenges us to take the right risks and live the adventure. It may be a bit scary (after all, did God give Abraham a risk-free offer on his call to leave Ur?), but there's no other way to reach the real fulfillment that God would have us find. I'm not a big fan of "men's books," but this is one that I am so glad that I did not miss. You shouldn't either. FIVE STARS.

I can understand and agree with all the negative criticisms that people are writing about this author's books, but there's a catch: Their anger is misdirected. Like any advice/teaching/ whatever you want to call it, you are going to have certain people completely misunderstand or misinterpret said teachings and do what they want with it.

I find the author makes some very good points for which I feel vindicated personally on several levels.

I am 27 years old, a single Christian male, and have felt a lot of the ways this author talks about. And it's not wrong. I want to be loved and to love an amazing Christian woman. I want my life to be so much more than being stuck in a gray box with floursecent lights all day and then come home to another box at night and repeat ad infinitum. Is that all life is? I'd honestly rather be dead if that's all there is....and that's what this author is trying to dig at.

The author is not advocating contradictions to Jesus's teaching, but is presenting an idea that, if you are trying to walk in the Lord's path, there are certain innate desires that every man and woman has. Excitement, variety, challenge, love...these are the kinds of things that men and women naturally desire, and these desires are not wrong and should not be choked down.

In several of his books, the author tries to dissect how and why men (and even women to a limited degree although his focus is on men) feel certain ways about certain things.

I was so depressed after graduating college and now I finally know why. I don't want to be just some "nice guy" that everyone looks over and forgets. I am a nice guy, but I am so much more than a cog in some machine. That's what this is about! This is really about how the Christian life isn't supposed to be endless rote and repetitive duty until we drop dead. It's supposed to be joyous service to the Lord, and by extension, each other.

The author is rightly asking: How many of you actually feel joy, or do you certain things "just because it's the right thing to do." Life's got to be about more than that!

Following closely on the heels of his magnificent *Journey of Desire*, John Eldredge has written the "men's book" of the ages. In addition, female readers will not only gain insight into masculinity but will discover much about themselves and how God - and their men - play a role in their own personal dramas.

Much will be said and written about this book, but one aspect that merits particular emphasis is Eldredge's uncanny ability to discern from the play of children the immense "Story" that God has placed humanity in - a story filled with heroes and villains, damsels in distress, sacrifice, and a happily everafter. The author demonstrates to the reader how little boys and girls innately understand the power of (and need for) a "battle to be fought, an adventure to be experienced, and a Beauty to be won." Such is the life at the heart of the Christian gospel. After all, Jesus himself said regarding children, "of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Another key tenant of the book is that men and women must go to God individually, and not to each other, to gain validation. Eldredge stresses that true masculinity is "bestowed" from father to son. He poignantly explains, too, how Christ can take up the "initiation" of a wounded man into the fulness of masculinity (a special highlight is his inclusion of Ezra Pound's forgotten poem "The Goodly Frere", which offers an engagingly different picture of Jesus).

Along the way Eldredge summarily debunks the "precept and principle" philosophies (which includes Promise Keepers) that have unwittingly robbed the Christian faith of its vitality. No "twelve steps" here - the focus is on life, not formulas. Filled with humor and remarkable frankess, this is a heart-warming challenge to join God in a wild, gut-wrenching, but ultimately triumphant battle.

Wild at Heart is, in a world of fruit drinks, a double gin and tonic! Powerful, warm, bracing, and permission-granting. This book takes a crowbar to the lid that religion and other domesticating forces have clamped on men (and women). At first impression, Eldredge seemed to be issuing a fine and compelling call to manhood, ala Braveheart (and, yes, even at that level, its a rollicking great book). Then I realized he is really confronting that androgyny which is inevitably produced by the forces of conformity. Here, he is operating on new ground: the contemporary church world has unwittingly pressured men and women to trade their sexuality for a third gender called "Christian." But, then, he surprises again by throwing back the curtain even further and revealing the throbbing vitality of a connection with the God. He designed men and women, therefore, only He can define and empower their roles. Men must take their strength to, not from, women! Its time for men to unhook their little tubes from their mothers and wives and get reconnected to the Fatherhood of God. Readers of Wild at Heart are in for some delicious and even stunning passages. His view of Ruth and Boazs courtship is a vivid revelation of the essence of a woman; it is also thigh-slapping funny. The parable of intercourse(page 185!) is another revelation; it genuinely stirred me (it would make Aunt Bee reach for a fan)! Eldredges portrait of Joseph (Jesus earthly father, not the patriarch) is moving and insightful. And, his explanation for pornographys pull on men is crystal clear. Please understand: this is not a trendy nor iconoclastic nor macho manifesto for men. Eldredges heart is humble, his theology is surprisingly mature, and his mission is serious as a shotgun. Perhaps the most valuable cargo of the book is the way he challenges men to care and fight for their wives and children. Wild at Heart says much about the sad abandonment of women by their men, especially in those long marriages, where the initial glow has faded and couples find themselves in a malaise. Eldredge challenges men with Shes still in there, but shes captive. Are you willing to go in after her? Men who have mounted their stallions and charged, dashingly, into a career need to turn around and ride back into the land where she fell, and sweep her up from the ground. Yes, shes still there and waiting to be rescued!

Wild at Heart is the train wreck that occurs when Psychology drives Theology instead of it being the other way around. What appears to be a sincere attempt to answer some basic questions about why things are the way they are in our culture, specifically why men are the way they are, careens way off course and time after time confuses and confounds things errantly. Extant desires are confounded with created ones; the author's own longings (however legitimate or illegitimate) with every other man's; liveliness with life; lack of aggression with demasculinity; lastly, and most dangerously, sinful tendencies as expressed by fallen males, as masculinity itself.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Lets back up.

Wild at Heart is neither John Eldredge's first nor only book. Thomas Nelson also publishes his Waking the Dead, The Sacred Romance (which Eldredge co-authored with the late Brent Curtis), The Journey of Desire and Dare to Desire, along with some other assorted publications. He spent a dozen years speaking and writing for The Focus on the Family Institute and is currently Director of Ransomed Heart Ministries in Colorado Springs, CO. Ransomed Heart is a ministry Eldredge founded as a "teaching, counseling, and discipling fellowship devoted to helping people recover and live from their deep heart." His autobiographical sections let you know that he has been a practicing counselor as well.

I confess that I struggled a lot with this book. Knowing its intense popularity I wanted to find much redeeming about it. Fortunately, I can say that his sections on "Healing the Wound" were immensely insightful and could be of great help to some. What makes this somewhat frustrating however, is that those sections alone do not and cannot justify the balance of the book. I wish he had covered that material under a separate cover which I then could recommend. He has some very important things to say. Sadly, in this book, they are buried deep inside some very convoluted notions of truth and reality.

I am tempted at this point to just give a listing of citations which are disturbing. They are many in my estimation. But I have decided that the better route is simply to state at the outset, what is (I believe), the underlying false presupposition which drives virtually all of the errors from cover to cover. The root problem is this: Eldredge has absolutely no concept of what man was before the Fall, nor what he is to be after glorification. As such, he views man through the distorted lens of the Fall, while trying to identify normalcy in the distortion. Like an astronomer with a speck on his lens which he confuses with an actual celestial object in the quadrant of space he is observing. He mistakes many of the fallen tendencies of man to be what God designed. They are the norm, simply misdirected or misinformed or misfiring. This is best exemplified in his repeated appeals to aggression in men. Something he thinks we need to stimulate more. Aggression coupled with a list of stereotypical macho expressions of masculinity that are informed more by his observations of men (fallen men), than the Bible. But more about this later.

Page after page echoes with his own exploits hunting, fishing, rock climbing, whitewater rafting etc. etc.. One comes away with the message, that any man not engaged in such activities - is not a "man". A charge easily corroborated by the "Wild at Heart: A Band of Brothers" multi-media package advertised at the rear of the book. I quote: "Five friends. Eight days. No scripts. Here's what it looks like to live in the message of Wild at Heart in a band of real brothers. John and his band of brothers spent eight days shooting this series on a ranch in Colorado. Horses. Rappelling, Whitewater rafting. Fly-fishing. And some of the most honest conversation you will ever hear from men." For Eldredge it seems - masculinity is bound up with these things. His world requires them. The Statesman lives of a Joseph or Daniel for instance would not be an environment where real men could thrive and live for him. In fact, quoting Howard Macey, he comments that "The spiritual life cannot be made suburban." Sorry you stock brokers, insurance salesmen, scientists, academics and pastors out there, I guess you can't be Christian men unless you hunt and fish on the weekend.

For Eldredge, "The whole crisis in masculinity today has come because we no longer live in a warrior culture, a place for men to learn to fight like men." Huh, I could have sworn that the scripturally diagnosed problem with men is that they aren't Christ-like. But then, for Eldredge, things like retaliation (his word, not mine - I would have chosen self-defense or self-protection) and being "dangerous" IS Christ-like. Counseling his son Blaine in the aftermath of being pushed down on the playground by a bully at school, he tells him: "The next time that bully pushes you down, here is what I want you to do...I want you to get up...and I want you to hit him...as hard as you possibly can." His rationale? "Yes, I know that Jesus told us to turn the other cheek. But we have really misused that verse. You cannot teach a boy to use his strength by stripping him of it. Jesus was able to retaliate, believe me. But he chose not to. And yet we suggest that a boy who is mocked, shamed before his fellows, stripped of all power and dignity should stay in that beaten place because Jesus wants him there? You will emasculate him for life." Isn't it interesting that the idea of teaching his son to choose not to retaliate doesn't even enter the picture? The logic is confused at best. Anti-Scriptural at worst. Thus he continues "At that moment, Blaine's soul was hanging in the balance. Then the fire came back into his eyes and the shame disappeared. But for many, many men their souls still hang in the balance because no one, no one has ever invited them to be dangerous, to know their own strength, to discover that they have what it takes." This is deeply disturbing. For to be a man, to "have what it takes" means I cannot choose to turn the other cheek. I cannot pray for my enemy. I cannot choose as Christ did. No, I have to be ready to swat him down in retaliation.

Equally disturbing if not more so are his numerous referrals to what God says to him. In one section where after a particularly draining and difficult trip in England, he tells how he poured out his heart to God in his journal. His prayer is not disturbing, the "This is what I heard" in response part is. Ostensibly God replies to him "You are Henry V after Agincourt...the man in the arena, whose face is covered with blood and sweat and dust, who strove valiantly...a great warrior...yes, even Maximus." And then "You are my friend." But as seems true throughout the book, Eldredge himself is striving so much after the affirmation of his own masculinity, that these - not the words of God IN the Word of God are the things which mean the most to him. And of course the question must be asked - what if it wasn't God speaking at all? What if it was just self, or the enemy
building self-confidence over trust in Christ alone? What then? He never even approaches
the subject.

Another exceedingly troubling section is where he seeks to buttress his presuppositions about men desperately needing adventure, by locating the origin in God. Here, he asserts that "God loves wildness", "God is a person who takes immense risks", "God seems to fly in the face of all caution", and that "God's relationship with us and with our world is just that: a relationship. As with every relationship, there's a certain amount of unpredictability, and the ever-present likelihood that you'll get hurt." Then, whether or not he caught himself, or someone else pointed out to him the inevitable conclusion of such statements - he tacks on (in what appears to be an awkward afterthought) "I am not advocating open theism." Call it (or don't call it) what you will, it makes the same base assertions as open theism. And that is troubling indeed.

I will pass over some other strange ideas without much comment. Ideas like: Satan being afraid of men recovering their masculinity (apparently instead of his fearing our growth in godliness); preoccupation with every man needing to fight some battle; his contention that when Jesus confronted the Gerasene demoniac "the first rebuke by Jesus doesn't work. He had to get more information , to really taken them on"; that (quoting a friend) "a woman who is living out her true design will be valiant, vulnerable, and scandalous" - scandalous?; or after viewing nature (in its current fallen state mind you) he concludes "God made all this, pronounced it good, for heaven's sake. Its his way of letting us know he rather prefers adventure, danger, risk, the element of surprise. This whole creation is unapologetically wild". I leave those to others to sort out because I realize that this review must come to an end. So let me return once more to what I believe is the real problem with Eldredge's entire premise.

The underlying false presupposition, upon which builds the framework by which he contextualizes everything, is stated in his own words: "The core of a man's heart is undomesticated and that is good." Thus, "in the heart of every man is a desperate desire for a battle to fight, and adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue." This is why normative masculinity in his estimation will "grow bored of games that have no element of danger or competition or bloodshed." Might I simply say, that based upon this, Eldredge is going to hate Heaven. Not because Heaven will not be gloriously adventuresome in the sense of unending discovery - but because there will be NO violence after sin is eradicated. No aggression. No war. No danger. Peace and joy and the glory of a sinless life were ours before the Fall, and the Father will restore these and more.

Absent from his thinking is the fact that there is no competitiveness or adversarial arrangement in the Godhead. Such things are not in Him ontologically and were not given to us as such. Yet he assumes we will still have these fallen propensities in Heaven rather than being fully conformed to Christ's image. For if he considers our spiritual maturity as tied to these claims of wildness - they must remain as proper. He doesn't seem to understand that the enemy is aberrant, and unnatural. Our present existence with its sin-wracked reality is a perversion of life as God gave it. The lion will lay down with the Lamb and the child will play on the adder's nest without fear there. Eldredge's notions of wildness will be done away with. They are the result of the Fall. But he has no category for this. Bloodshed ALWAYS implies the involvement of sin on some level. Sin will be put away. He seems to possess no awareness of what man's existence was before sin entered the picture, and what it will be like after sin is completely vanquished - and that what lies between - the present course of human history, is everywhere marred by sin's corruptions. Eldredge doesn't appear to know that God's end for us, is to be able to beat our swords into plowshares, not the other way around.

"Wild at Heart" is a good expression for what fallen men are. "A bondslave of Jesus Christ" is the right expression for what a redeemed man is. The fruit of the Spirit is self-control, not wildness. John Eldredge has gone horribly wrong here.

The book certainly is a must read as it brings up some important issues about being a true man of God. It is important for men to know that they were not charged by God to be "wimpy Christians" and that we should not fall into the world's gender bending thinking. The "Metrosexual" is not a man after God's heart! A true man of God desires to be (and most women seek a man who is): bold, brave, a hero, willing to fight for his honor and stand up for God's truth and justice. This should be a wake up call to all Christians!

HOWEVER, read w/ some caution. One point I'd first have to make is that the term "wild" is not actually a term that describes a godly man, but a fallen man (or animal) who lacks knowledge of the wisdom of God. Wild probably best describes the fallen world, after sin entered the world. But we hopefully understand the concept of "free" and "fearless" he is trying to convey never the less. The book should maybe better have been titled "A Hero's Heart" or "The Fighting Heart of a True Man". Addressing the issues of men needing to rekindle their passion to live, their masculinity and to do what is right in the world. Man's "sin nature" is something Eldredge unfortunately seems to not address. Beating up a guy on the playground probably isn't something God would look highly upon, as Christ taught us to use truth to win our arguements in life without resorting to violence. As described in many other critical reviews, there are a few possible misinterpretations of who our sovereign God really is. Though we were created in God's image, we are not exactly like God. Not all the things that make us human are in the image of God, as we are not perfect. I caution readers only that, I worry some people might mistakenly feel the green light is on to embrace all of the longings and desires of the human heart, some of which come from our sin nature. We must still use the wisdom of God's laws and commands to rule our actions. A good verse to remember is: Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not with drunkenness, nor in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Romans 13:14)

If you are a woman, Wild at Heart will give you a peek under the hood of the men in your life. If you are a man, here's your chance to think about things that you would normally probably only ever talk about with a counselor or your best friend.

How often have you stepped back and thought of what it means to simply be a man? The focus in most books is on roles: our roles as a spouse, in our career, as a parent. Most men are bored, he says. Most women are tired.

According to Eldredge, men have three basic desires: adventure, a battle to fight, a beauty to rescue. I was all set to dislike this book and assumed it would be full of generalizations and bromides. Sure, there are generalizations, but the conversation has to begin somewhere. Again and again he emphasizes that he's not promoting some He Man image and again and again he says that God is the source of true masculinity.

A large chunk of the book talks about the wounds men have. He says he has never met a man that does not have a wound. He says that most of the healing that has occurred in his own life is the result of spending time with his best friend. He talks about how his three boys often seek "snuggle time" with him.

Eldredge has counseled many men, has had more deep conversations with men than I could ever hope to have in several lifetimes, and for this reason alone his insights are worth considering. He gives many brief glimpses into the lives of some of these men. He also touches on problem areas in his own marriage but avoids sordid tell-all details in his stories. Unlike most marriage books, he doesn't make an idol of marriage and emphasizes that men must offer strength to their wives, not draw strength from them. Utimately they must draw their strength from God.

Fathers take a hit in this book. Fathers are the one that deliver their son's wound and fathers are usually to blame for the wound in their daughters, he says. Obviously a man's desires come with responsibility, and the potential to cause damage.

This book isn't an owner's manual. It is refreshingly free from To Do lists and formulas. By simply acknowledging that these basic desires exist, and that somewhere under the hood is a wound that needs to be healed, you can look at the men in your life and let the wheels start turning and slowly begin to fill in the blanks on your own.

This is a very entertaining book with lots of fun stories and anecdotes, but it brought up some real concerns for me as well. Here they are........

#1, Eldredge thinks Christian men should stop being just a bunch of "really nice guys". While I agree the Christian life is much more than merely being nice to other people, the NT clearly makes love the defining characteristic. Love of God and love of others should be the defining mark for any believer -- male or female. However, after reading this book a person would be more inclined to think that being wild, passionate and free should be the defining marks. They may have a role, but I suggest they are secondary.

#2, Eldredge claims that Christian men are 'bored' and that they need more adventure. However, based on my own experiences boredom is not due to a lack of entertainment and adventure, but it arrives when there's a lack of purpose. Boredom comes from exhausting my passion for myself instead of seeking after God and becoming a man after God's own heart.

#3, Eldredge claims God designed men to be 'dangerous'. I'm still trying to figure out how this fits in with the fall. What I mean is, before the fall (before Adam sinned) was Adam created by God to be 'dangerous'? If so, then who was Adam to be dangerous towards -- himself, his wife, God? If God did not design Adam to be dangerous, but danger is now a characteristic in men, then that must have come from the fall, and is a result of sin? If so, then embracing this danger cannot be glorifying to God, because it is a result of sin.

#4, Eldredge encourages men to come to grips with their "secret longings". Boy, I have some secret longings which would be disastrous for me to pursue. The only secret longing which can be pursued without qualification is God. To hunger and thirst after Him as the sole desire of our heart should be the goal of every Christian man. The purity of heart is to will one thing and for the Christian that's willing God's glory and finding my rest in Him. Eldredge hardly introduces this. It's not clearly stated and our own passion for adventure clouds the purity of a heart after God.

#5, Eldredge weaves numerous stories, movie quotes, pop music lyrics and other tidbits in with the selected Bible passages. This is something I noticed in the Sacred Romance - his other book. He mixes pop culture in with the Word, and bounces back and forth between the two. I truly don't think it's unfair to say a person ends up with the impression that both are equally valid teaching tools or lesson providers. There's no qualitative distinction between the two. He doesn't say, 'OK this is what the world thinks, now let's contrast that with what God has to say.'.....instead he lays them side by side and promotes both as sources of truth and guidance.

#6, Eldredge emphasizes freedom as an end. Freedom is a means, but is never an end. It is the means by which one chooses either to believe God or not believe God - to live a self-centered life or a God-centered life. I wish Eldridge pointed this out. Instead he exaults the morally nuetral term of 'freedom'.

#7, Unfortunately the book becomes anthropocentric or egocentric. Yes, it uses a bunch of Christian lingo, and uses some Bible verses, but for the reasons above it ends up focusing on human passion and desires, and not a godly passion. (although the latter is mentioned)

#8, Eldredge encourages men to become like 'little boys'. This reminds me of Pauls contrasting words in the NT encourageing Christians to leave childish things behind. Eldredge asks men to go backwards in order to go forwards. I'm not sure where he's getting this from.

#9, If you want good stories read this book if you want good theology read the NT.

#10, It would have been helpful if Eldredge had included a section on the dangers of following our hearts and listening to our hearts. Furthermore, it would have been great if he would have touched on Christian self-denial and how to live a life of service for others and primarily for one's family. Self-sacrifice isn't popular, but it is what leads to a truly fulfilling life, not self-gratification. It's a hard subject to write on and it's an especially hard subject to sell many books with, but it is so needed today.

The emotional and spiritual castration of men has sapped our strength and robbed society of the true image of God that we bear . John Eldredge maps the dangerous journey in search of your heart as only one who has been there and made the journey himself can do. Do not read this book if you are just interested in "information" or looking to "expand" your views.

It is a dangerous book. You will WANT your heart back. You will want to live for that which you were created to live for. You will become a person that may cause others to be uncomfortable. You will be more alive than you every imagined you could be.

I'm warning you . . .this book is dangerous. I loved every page!