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The Romance of Religion: Fighting for Goodness, Truth, and Beauty
C. S. Lewis said that Christianity works on us like every other myth, except it is a myth that really happened. Dwight Longenecker grabs this idea and runs with it, showing that the Christian story is the greatest story ever told because it gathers up what is true in all the fantasy stories of the world and makes them as solid, true, and real as a tribe of dusty nomads in the desert or the death of a carpenter-king.
In The Romance of Religion Longenecker calls for the return of the romantic hero—the hero who knows his frailty and can fight the good fight with panache, humor, and courage. Conflict and romance are everywhere in the story of Christ, and our response is to dust off our armor, don our broad-brimmed hats, pick up our swords, and do battle for Christ with confidence, wonder, and joy.
Is religion no more than a fairy tale? No, it is more than a fairy tale—much more: it is all the fairy tales and fantastic stories come true here and now.
“This book is witty, whimsical, and deadly serious. With panache and aplomb, Dwight Longenecker sets out to prove that Christianity is, in every sense of the word, fabulous. And does he succeed in his quest? I encourage you to read it to find out.”
—Michael Ward, senior research fellow, Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford, and professor of apologetics, Houston Baptist University
“If you've never thought about the Christian faith as romance and story, then this book will introduce you to a whole new way of thinking.”
—Frank Viola, author of God's Favorite Place on Earth
In The Romance of Religion Longenecker calls for the return of the romantic hero—the hero who knows his frailty and can fight the good fight with panache, humor, and courage. Conflict and romance are everywhere in the story of Christ, and our response is to dust off our armor, don our broad-brimmed hats, pick up our swords, and do battle for Christ with confidence, wonder, and joy.
Is religion no more than a fairy tale? No, it is more than a fairy tale—much more: it is all the fairy tales and fantastic stories come true here and now.
“This book is witty, whimsical, and deadly serious. With panache and aplomb, Dwight Longenecker sets out to prove that Christianity is, in every sense of the word, fabulous. And does he succeed in his quest? I encourage you to read it to find out.”
—Michael Ward, senior research fellow, Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford, and professor of apologetics, Houston Baptist University
“If you've never thought about the Christian faith as romance and story, then this book will introduce you to a whole new way of thinking.”
—Frank Viola, author of God's Favorite Place on Earth
240 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2014
11 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
About the author
Dwight Longenecker
45 books80 followersDwight Longenecker was brought up an Evangelical, studied at the fundamentalist Bob Jones University, and later was ordained an Anglican priest in England. After ten years in the Anglican ministry as a curate, a chaplain at Cambridge, and a country parson, in 1995 Dwight was received into full communion with the Catholic Church. He has published in numerous religious magazines and papers in the UK, Ireland, and the USA, writing on film and theology, apologetics, Biblical commentary and Catholic culture.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 5, 2013
Do you know what reading this book reminded me of? It was G.K Chesterton. I'm not kidding. But since the author is also a Catholic, perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised.
While I don't agree with Catholic theology, this book is thankfully devoid of that. Instead, it's a book on the need for romance (specifically, the romance that religion brings) in this world.
The book wanders through the reason why we need romance (and why it is real), the heroics and fights (the fight for Life, Beauty and Love), stories and romance, and finally, the nature of this romance and how it relates to Christianity.
I'll be honest, I love this book because of the language. In fact, I marked out a lot of stuff. Take a look at a few of these quotes:
Talking about ideas:
"Like Achilles, the hero who forgot his heel, or like Icarus who, flying close to the sun, forgot that his wings were made of wax, we should be wary when triumphant ideas seem unassailable, for then there is all the more reason to predict their downfall."
On Madness:
"Because we are limited in our knowledge, even the sanest of us are slightly insane. Our limitations are a kind of madness, and we can only choose to deny we are mad, and so descend into a dark spiral of total insanity, or accept we are mad and embark on a quest to regain our true and wholesome sanity"
On Ideologies:
"Idealogues attempt to create heaven here on earth, and their ideologies, like all false gods, demand far more than they deliver, and what they demand is life itself. ... ... This is because ideologies live for an idea - they do not live for life - and any ideology that does not put put life first will invariable put it last"
If these quotes all seem so disparate, well, just know that they're tied up with the idea of romance and the romantic hero.
Even though I have a lot of other books to read and review, I have a feeling that I'll be re-reading this book soon - It's worth another read.
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review.
This review first appeared at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
While I don't agree with Catholic theology, this book is thankfully devoid of that. Instead, it's a book on the need for romance (specifically, the romance that religion brings) in this world.
The book wanders through the reason why we need romance (and why it is real), the heroics and fights (the fight for Life, Beauty and Love), stories and romance, and finally, the nature of this romance and how it relates to Christianity.
I'll be honest, I love this book because of the language. In fact, I marked out a lot of stuff. Take a look at a few of these quotes:
Talking about ideas:
"Like Achilles, the hero who forgot his heel, or like Icarus who, flying close to the sun, forgot that his wings were made of wax, we should be wary when triumphant ideas seem unassailable, for then there is all the more reason to predict their downfall."
On Madness:
"Because we are limited in our knowledge, even the sanest of us are slightly insane. Our limitations are a kind of madness, and we can only choose to deny we are mad, and so descend into a dark spiral of total insanity, or accept we are mad and embark on a quest to regain our true and wholesome sanity"
On Ideologies:
"Idealogues attempt to create heaven here on earth, and their ideologies, like all false gods, demand far more than they deliver, and what they demand is life itself. ... ... This is because ideologies live for an idea - they do not live for life - and any ideology that does not put put life first will invariable put it last"
If these quotes all seem so disparate, well, just know that they're tied up with the idea of romance and the romantic hero.
Even though I have a lot of other books to read and review, I have a feeling that I'll be re-reading this book soon - It's worth another read.
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review.
This review first appeared at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
June 17, 2014
This is a brief essay on my serendipitous encounter with Dwight Longenecker’s book “The Romance of Religion.” Dwight sets the stage for his book by stating that “religion had become not real, but respectable” and nothing more than a dull “set of table manners.” He then does a remarkable job of taking us on an adventure through the magical and mystical world of religion encouraging us not to be a sideline spectator but rather the hero and pioneer of our faith.
The romantic has something to die for because he has something to live for. His quest may be dangerous but this is where he finds life abundant. He is a warrior of justice and vigilant adversary against evil. He experiences and spreads true love around wherever his travels lead him and he is not alone for he is part of a “rag tag band of freedom fighters.”
Longenecker lures us into the story of the romantic hero by using an abundance of great storylines and quotes from beloved movies, fanciful tales, and valiant storybook characters. He helps us find purpose and open our eyes to the hero within us while not disguising the stumbling, the weaknesses, and “dark corners” that inevitably make us strong. We encounter the truth that our story heightens when the natural meets with the supernatural and the ordinary becomes the extraordinary.
This might just be the best book I’ve read about the spiritual journey and highly recommend it to those who are looking to leave behind an eternal impact rather than a tedious and dim existence. Thomas Nelson provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for this review which I freely give.
The romantic has something to die for because he has something to live for. His quest may be dangerous but this is where he finds life abundant. He is a warrior of justice and vigilant adversary against evil. He experiences and spreads true love around wherever his travels lead him and he is not alone for he is part of a “rag tag band of freedom fighters.”
Longenecker lures us into the story of the romantic hero by using an abundance of great storylines and quotes from beloved movies, fanciful tales, and valiant storybook characters. He helps us find purpose and open our eyes to the hero within us while not disguising the stumbling, the weaknesses, and “dark corners” that inevitably make us strong. We encounter the truth that our story heightens when the natural meets with the supernatural and the ordinary becomes the extraordinary.
This might just be the best book I’ve read about the spiritual journey and highly recommend it to those who are looking to leave behind an eternal impact rather than a tedious and dim existence. Thomas Nelson provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for this review which I freely give.
April 28, 2014
People have asked me why I am a believer, and sometimes I struggle with how to answer that question. This book articulates the thoughts and feelings I've had that brought me to faith as if I had written it myself.
If you love goodness, truth, and beauty, if you believe in the Quest, if you yearn to do battle with evil, to rescue the maiden and slay the dragon, if you are not steeped in self-satisfied cynicism about the human condition, then I encourage you to read this book. It will affirm your idealism, and point it towards the Source.
If you love goodness, truth, and beauty, if you believe in the Quest, if you yearn to do battle with evil, to rescue the maiden and slay the dragon, if you are not steeped in self-satisfied cynicism about the human condition, then I encourage you to read this book. It will affirm your idealism, and point it towards the Source.
May 16, 2014
Have you ever heard the phrase, Christianity is a relationship, not a religion? I, for one, have heard this all too often and was intrigued by the provocative title of Dwight Longnecker’s work “The Romance of Religion: Fighting for Goodness, Truth, and Beauty.” Longnecker’s work was well worth the whimsical investment, for this is a remarkably refreshing book.
Longnecker takes the objections to religion by both the modernists and postmodernists alike, embracing their charges and flipping them on their proverbial heads. Arguing that we need to learn from the great stories that transcend cultures and centuries, acting as romantic warriors on the road for Truth. For Longnecker, these tales all possess a kernel of truth that is ultimately bound up in the one who is the source of all that is True.
“The Romance of Religion” connects the stories of culture and unashamedly claims them for the Christian faith. Much in the vein of Chesterton and Lewis, Longnecker draws on the myths and legends of humanity and aptly points them to the source of all Truth. For Longnecker, good stories incarnate truth on many levels.
I found the strengths of this book is Longnecker’s powerful command of the English language and the effective use of the Western (and at times the non-Western) cannon. He calls out the battle between good and evil in the world and the necessity for those who are romantics (those who seek after God and after this truth) to confront this evil. For Longnecker, the romantic is someone who is neither a Stoic (someone who merely muscles through the tough aspects of life, keeping a stiff upper lip) nor an Epicurean (someone who drowns out life through the pursuit of pleasure alone), but they see rescue beyond the horizon and goes out after it.
To be a romantic, they head out for adventure, knowing full well the dangers it could bring. They head out in pursuit of all this beautiful, good, and true, ultimately finding it in the source of all beauty, goodness, and truth— Jesus the Messiah.
If you are tired of the feel-good Christianity peddled by many, give this book a shot. You might soon discover how bold the Christian religion truly is.
Longnecker takes the objections to religion by both the modernists and postmodernists alike, embracing their charges and flipping them on their proverbial heads. Arguing that we need to learn from the great stories that transcend cultures and centuries, acting as romantic warriors on the road for Truth. For Longnecker, these tales all possess a kernel of truth that is ultimately bound up in the one who is the source of all that is True.
“The Romance of Religion” connects the stories of culture and unashamedly claims them for the Christian faith. Much in the vein of Chesterton and Lewis, Longnecker draws on the myths and legends of humanity and aptly points them to the source of all Truth. For Longnecker, good stories incarnate truth on many levels.
I found the strengths of this book is Longnecker’s powerful command of the English language and the effective use of the Western (and at times the non-Western) cannon. He calls out the battle between good and evil in the world and the necessity for those who are romantics (those who seek after God and after this truth) to confront this evil. For Longnecker, the romantic is someone who is neither a Stoic (someone who merely muscles through the tough aspects of life, keeping a stiff upper lip) nor an Epicurean (someone who drowns out life through the pursuit of pleasure alone), but they see rescue beyond the horizon and goes out after it.
To be a romantic, they head out for adventure, knowing full well the dangers it could bring. They head out in pursuit of all this beautiful, good, and true, ultimately finding it in the source of all beauty, goodness, and truth— Jesus the Messiah.
If you are tired of the feel-good Christianity peddled by many, give this book a shot. You might soon discover how bold the Christian religion truly is.
September 30, 2017
This book follows in the footsteps of Chesterton. We are on a quest. The romantic hero leaves his comfort to go into the dark - The dark within himself and then the darkness around him. He tries but fails and then tries again.
A creative look at the beauty and truth of the faith.
A creative look at the beauty and truth of the faith.
November 7, 2019
The Romance of Religion embodies the Christian spirit of Chesterton, Lewis, and Tolkien. It demonstrates that Christian life is meant to be exciting, beautiful, and true.
I love it! Which is why my copy is marked up with notes and underlines. ❤️
I love it! Which is why my copy is marked up with notes and underlines. ❤️
September 19, 2022
Fr. Dwight Longenecker whimsically and delightfully leads his readers on a adventure looking at fantasy and myth and how Christianity is a greater Myth then all the others because it is rooted in History! It really Happened! Really good book. Highly recommend it!
March 5, 2014
Physics, Metaphysics, Philosophy, and Theology
The Romance of Religion is witty, easy to read. It exposes the reader to difficult theories of philosophy and theology, not to mention physics and metaphysics, and makes it easy to understand. The point is to show us that religion is not for the faint hearted and that pagan philosophy, the old testament and present day physics, which is closer to theology than most people realize, point to Christianity.
Christianity is not dull. It's not something for the cynic to turn up his nose at. Christianity is real. It's a call to each of us to accept Christ and strive to be all that we can be. It calls us to love, but not erotic love. It calls us to search for the beauty in truth and see love and service in everyday life.
I loved this book. It was fun to read. It's not a book that hits you over the head with religious precepts. Longenecker pulls you into his vision using examples from today: romance novels and heroic films. It's not filled with jargon. The points are clearly made in everyday language. He makes even the difficult concepts of philosophy come alive. I highly recommend this book if you want to experience a view of Christianity that is alive and part of the world we live in.
I reviewed this book for the Thomas Nelson BookLook Blogger Program.
The Romance of Religion is witty, easy to read. It exposes the reader to difficult theories of philosophy and theology, not to mention physics and metaphysics, and makes it easy to understand. The point is to show us that religion is not for the faint hearted and that pagan philosophy, the old testament and present day physics, which is closer to theology than most people realize, point to Christianity.
Christianity is not dull. It's not something for the cynic to turn up his nose at. Christianity is real. It's a call to each of us to accept Christ and strive to be all that we can be. It calls us to love, but not erotic love. It calls us to search for the beauty in truth and see love and service in everyday life.
I loved this book. It was fun to read. It's not a book that hits you over the head with religious precepts. Longenecker pulls you into his vision using examples from today: romance novels and heroic films. It's not filled with jargon. The points are clearly made in everyday language. He makes even the difficult concepts of philosophy come alive. I highly recommend this book if you want to experience a view of Christianity that is alive and part of the world we live in.
I reviewed this book for the Thomas Nelson BookLook Blogger Program.
July 23, 2016
The Bible is a guidebook, a source of wisdom, a record of history. But above all else, the Bible is a story—one that happens to be true. Not only is the Bible a story, it is a fantastic story—a romantic story. Not the boy-meets-girl definition, but the chivalric romance, a tale of battles and danger and conquering heroes. In fact, the word “fantasy” could easily replace “romance” throughout the book.
Many apologetics have been written, but very few authors have tackled the relationship between story and Christianity, with the exception of the Inklings and their predecessor Chesterton. The Romance of Religion establishes what it means to be a romantic in today’s cynical world, ranging from ethics to philosophy and faith.
Many portions of this book reminded me of Chesterton, from the chapter topics to the author’s illustrations. The first chapter was originally presented as a paper to the American Chesterton Society 2006. It also draws from elements in C.S. Lewis’s “On Three Ways of Writing for Children” and Tolkien’s “On Fairy- Stories.” While none of the book’s insights are particularly new, it is always good to be reminded of truth and the power of story.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Many apologetics have been written, but very few authors have tackled the relationship between story and Christianity, with the exception of the Inklings and their predecessor Chesterton. The Romance of Religion establishes what it means to be a romantic in today’s cynical world, ranging from ethics to philosophy and faith.
Many portions of this book reminded me of Chesterton, from the chapter topics to the author’s illustrations. The first chapter was originally presented as a paper to the American Chesterton Society 2006. It also draws from elements in C.S. Lewis’s “On Three Ways of Writing for Children” and Tolkien’s “On Fairy- Stories.” While none of the book’s insights are particularly new, it is always good to be reminded of truth and the power of story.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2015
The Romance of Religion is discussed in the progress and journey that a fictional romantic story would follow with all of its characters and scenes. Each area of a romantic story is observed from the view of a romantic and a non-romantic through looking at religion.
The Romance of Religion was nothing like what I thought it might be like. I thought it would be more like the gospel looked at through the perception of a romantic love story. This was not the case, as far as I could tell.
Each chapter and area would start off interesting, then it seemed to be speaking in circles upon the subject/topic. This is where it became uninteresting to me and hard for me to follow. Even through this I could see the connection between each romantic topic discussed related to religion.
The Romance of Religion may appeal to some readers. However, it does not appeal to me.
BookLook Bloggers has provided me with a complimentary copy/advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Romance of Religion was nothing like what I thought it might be like. I thought it would be more like the gospel looked at through the perception of a romantic love story. This was not the case, as far as I could tell.
Each chapter and area would start off interesting, then it seemed to be speaking in circles upon the subject/topic. This is where it became uninteresting to me and hard for me to follow. Even through this I could see the connection between each romantic topic discussed related to religion.
The Romance of Religion may appeal to some readers. However, it does not appeal to me.
BookLook Bloggers has provided me with a complimentary copy/advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 3, 2014
The Romance of Religion, Fighting for Goodness, Truth, and Beauty maintains that “to really see something, you have to see something more.” The cynic, Longenecker says, is the man with a short focal point who sees only glass when he looks at a window. As a writer of literary fiction, I often stand on the other side of the window waving my arms and pleading with the cynic to look through the glass and consider the landscape, its goodness, truth, and beauty. This book thrills my soul.
The author gives the best definition of faith I have ever read (see page 188). He challenges those who tend to see faith as a warranty (agree to the terms and you’ll be protected) to embrace the total transformation that true faith requires. Please don’t let the fact that the author found his spiritual home in the Catholic Church after that body invited disaffected Anglican priests who were married with children to minister in the Catholic Church stop you from reading his passionate call to a faith worth living and dying for.
The author gives the best definition of faith I have ever read (see page 188). He challenges those who tend to see faith as a warranty (agree to the terms and you’ll be protected) to embrace the total transformation that true faith requires. Please don’t let the fact that the author found his spiritual home in the Catholic Church after that body invited disaffected Anglican priests who were married with children to minister in the Catholic Church stop you from reading his passionate call to a faith worth living and dying for.
June 5, 2014
Very much in the tradition of Chesterton. I had some "Yeah, whatever" moments, but they were usually appeased with elaboration and acknowledgement of the reader's probable misgivings. Overall, this was just what I needed to read this week. I particularly recommend it for storytellers who have lost perspective of why they do what they do. ;)
April 16, 2014
Interesting insight into the Christian faith. Deals with Christianity being filled with conflict and romance. Talks about faith being an adventure. It encourages people of faith to reach their full potential as human beings. A thought provoking book.
March 29, 2016
Truly a must read for one in search of faith...I quote the brilliant author: "The Romantic's real love, therefore, is the love of truth, and he finds his truth not in philosophical or theological theories but in philosophical and theological stories."
The difference, I believe is in the heart.
The difference, I believe is in the heart.
November 3, 2014
What a boring book of rambling! What a different content than described! What a watse of money!
March 18, 2017
So good. So good. So good
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews