Not To Be Confused With Jesus

Every time I say I won't do any more John Eldredge posts, something comes up and I break my promise. But Eldredge is a wild kind of guy, not a Promise Keeper, so maybe it's OK?

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What came up this time is yet another blog. I already mentioned Nate Claiborne's incisive analysis of Eldredge. But since then, I've come across Kent Leslie, who's writing his own indispensable series on Eldredge's Wild at Heart. He's as critical as I am, but a fair bit more humorous. And he's Pentecostal, which is not a branch of Christianity that I'd expect to be critical of books such as this.

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So if you need additional and even better reasons to hate Wild at Heart (while still loving the sinner, of course!), then check out some of the posts on Mr. Leslie's blog.

More on Eldredge (Sorry)

This is one sleeping dog I was planning to let lie [how many puns can be in one short phrase?], but then I came across Nate Claiborne's blog. He's a student at Dallas Theological Seminary and just posted a series on John Eldredge's book, Waking the Dead. Nate's blog posts are long and theological and analytical, and they are also very good. He has a way of taking apart bad theology without resorting to ad hominem attacks, and he adds valuable thoughts to the discussion of John Eldredge books and their defective theology.

I suppose another sign of his perspicacity is his referring to my own Wild at Heart critique twice in his series, when he refers to Eldredge's romanticism and gnosticism. But even without that, I would have recommended him. Really.

Check out Nate's blog. I think you'll like what you see, not just on Eldredge but on other topics, as well.

(Image by Rene Magritte. It seemed appropriate, because no matter how many times Eldredge insists we have "good" hearts, the hearts we actually have - and Scripture - keep testifying that the reality isn't quite so simple.)

Jesus is Not Your Cute Boyfriend

I really should save that title for a diatribe against today's inane "worship" music in churches. But it is a quote from the article you're about to read, so I'll use it now.

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Anthony Esolen is a professor of English at Providence College in Rhode Island. He was interviewed on the subject of true masculinity (manhood), and I find his thoughts to be not only provocative, but also much healthier than those of John Eldredge (whose Wild at Heart book I despise, as you no doubt already know). Instead of self-indulgent narcissism and the pursuit of vapid "dreams," Esolen speaks of self-sacrifice, the refusal to let feelings turn one from duty, and serving others by leading them or by following loyally. He also encourages us to take another look at the maleness and the leadership qualities of Jesus. And more. You can read the article here. Enjoy.

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.