Is God Wild? Should We Be?

The main reason for starting my own web site (arnoldbarlow.com) was so that I could post longer articles. The inaugural posting is a review I wrote a couple years ago. It’s called, “Since When is “Wild” a Fruit of the Spirit? Reflections on John Eldredge’s Wild at Heart.” It’s a long title, and an even longer critique.

I wrote this book review because I was vexed at how many people were recommending this book. Eldredge makes a lot of people feel good, but his unbiblical theology and its potential applications will cause problems.

I was surprised at the response I got when I first distributed this. I heard from about 30 people, and only one or two even attempted to defend the book. Many, to the contrary, were as negative about it as I was. Some said, “I was uneasy when I read the book, but I just couldn’t put my finger on what was wrong, until now.” One told the story of how reading the book prompted him to give up his God-given call to missions, move to the West Coast, and start building a boat. After a while, God brought him back to his senses and returned him to the mission field, where he belonged.

Jesus said that we must deny ourselves if we want to be called his disciples. John Eldredge preaches instead a message of self-indulgence, self-actualization, and narcissism. But there’s no need to rehash my critique here. Instead, please go here and download the PDF.