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The Swans Are Not Silent #6
Seeing Beauty and Saying Beautifully: The Power of Poetic Effort in the Work of George Herbert, George Whitefield, and C. S. Lewis
Herbert - Whitefield - Lewis In the sixth volume of the Swans Are Not Silent series, John Piper celebrates the importance of poetic effort by looking at three influential Christians whose words magnificently display a commitment to truth and a love of beauty. Examining the lives of George Herbert, George Whitefield, and C. S. Lewis, Piper helps us appreciate the importance of carefully crafted words by exploring how Christians can use them to testify to God’s glory, wonder at his grace, and rejoice in his salvation. Whether exploring Herbert’s moving poetry, Whitefield’s dramatic preaching, or Lewis’s imaginative writing, this book highlights the importance of Christ-exalting eloquence in our praise of God and proclamation of his gospel.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published May 14, 2014
50 people are currently reading
952 people want to read
About the author
John Piper
609 books4,586 followersJohn Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as senior pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
He grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and studied at Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary (B.D.), and the University of Munich (D.theol.). For six years, he taught Biblical Studies at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 1980 accepted the call to serve as pastor at Bethlehem.
John is the author of more than 50 books and more than 30 years of his preaching and teaching is available free at desiringGod.org. John and his wife, Noel, have four sons, one daughter, and twelve grandchildren.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
He grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and studied at Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary (B.D.), and the University of Munich (D.theol.). For six years, he taught Biblical Studies at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 1980 accepted the call to serve as pastor at Bethlehem.
John is the author of more than 50 books and more than 30 years of his preaching and teaching is available free at desiringGod.org. John and his wife, Noel, have four sons, one daughter, and twelve grandchildren.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
August 12, 2023
My review appeared in
Modern Reformation
.
"[R]eaching for a voice that matches the truth . . . wakens the speaker as well as the hearer" (146).
Free ebook here.
"[R]eaching for a voice that matches the truth . . . wakens the speaker as well as the hearer" (146).
Free ebook here.
December 28, 2016
Beautifully written tribute to the works of Herbert, Whitefield CS Lewis. John Piper highlights their area of expertise while showing how each used their gifts to magnify the beauties of their Savior for othersn This is the 6th book in the Swans are not Silent series by Crossways. Definitely plan to read more of the series.
June 21, 2014
Very fine work. Really good, and really good on many levels.
December 25, 2021
Particularly enjoyed this one. Piper's intros don't usually grab me — I want to get to the meat of the bios — but not so here. His says that through writing, through poetic effort, we understand our subject better and help our readers understand it better. I know I've often found that to be true as I've worked on a metrical psalm and a text I've read dozens of times is suddenly a dozen times clearer and deeper and more glorious. And of course I've had the same experience from the other side—suddenly understanding (or more deeply understanding) some scriptural truth because of a well-phrased book or sermon or poem. The new words are not of the same status as the Scripture, they are not themselves the Word of God, but they are a frame that glorifies a painting you'd never noticed before by setting it apart as a special thing. They are a light shone on a sculpture from a new angle that makes a certain texture or color stand out. They are a new and well-executed recipe that makes you think you've never tasted that ingredient before. They are a well-tailored dress on a woman you'd only seen so shabbily attired that you'd no idea she was beautiful. Every Christian who writes should come to the blank page with the prayer, "Behold the handmaid of the Word," acknowledging himself to be a subcreator, a helper-creator desiring to honor the Author and serve the reader.
Herbert, Whitefield, and Lewis were exemplars of this. What little I've read of Herbert I've loved; I need to read more. I almost liked Piper's Whitefield more than Dallimore's because although Piper could not write so thoroughly about his subject, he wrote with more love for him. And Lewis is Lewis—always near and dear to my heart.
Herbert, Whitefield, and Lewis were exemplars of this. What little I've read of Herbert I've loved; I need to read more. I almost liked Piper's Whitefield more than Dallimore's because although Piper could not write so thoroughly about his subject, he wrote with more love for him. And Lewis is Lewis—always near and dear to my heart.
January 14, 2023
With poetic effort that draws out more of Christ, the examples of these three are perhaps what Peter was envisaging when he wrote that we were chosen "that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2v9). Broader than a mere study of their Christ exalting communication, this book succeeds as an exhortation for every Christian to live out this calling with the encouragement that the worth of Christ will be magnified for us and others as we seek to find a worthy way of capturing and communicating it.
Introduction is especially helpful in setting out how scripture reveals both God's intention and modelling of words to be used to this end. Piper crucially submits the value of our words to the truth of God's decisive role and sovereignty in salvation in an excellent explanation of what Paul means in 2 Cor when he says he doesn't come "with words of eloquent wisdom".
If you use words you should read this, especially if you share your words with others.
Introduction is especially helpful in setting out how scripture reveals both God's intention and modelling of words to be used to this end. Piper crucially submits the value of our words to the truth of God's decisive role and sovereignty in salvation in an excellent explanation of what Paul means in 2 Cor when he says he doesn't come "with words of eloquent wisdom".
If you use words you should read this, especially if you share your words with others.
December 31, 2016
A wonderful book examining the way in which the use of intentional and beautiful language to describe God and his mercies - poetry, prose, or spoken; published or personal - serves to help us to see him more clearly and more wonderfully. Piper examines the lives of 3 men who epitomized this in different ways: George Herbert, a country pastor and poet; George Whitefield, a prolific speaker; and C.S. Lewis, a novelist, essayist, and speaker. The stories of these men's lives and Piper's observations on how they can teach us were quite helpful to me. My one complaint is that at times the same idea seems to be repeated over several pages. However, that is a minor quip when those ideas are so helpful and beneficial. Overall, highly recommend!
August 20, 2020
This is a great book from a great series. I am going to read # 7 next. Sometimes biographies are long and many people don't have the time to read them all. I recommend reading some of them. I love biographies. This series has three short biographies in each volume. It is a great way to get to know some of the great people in church history. In a couple of cases, these books have motivated to read longer biographies. This one is great; I highly recommend it.
July 9, 2023
The three Anglicans surveyed are wonders in their own right, and Piper hones in on elements of their power often overlooked by academics. God endowed these men exceptionally so that we might be led to live faithful and driven lives in the everyday. Encouraging, if a little repetitive.
August 8, 2024
An interesting and inspiring read on the lives of Herbert, Whitefield and Lewis, and how much they devoted their lives to portraying the beauty and truth of God to others, and the value of the words they chose to do this.
I found it a little repetitive at times as Piper constantly comes back to emphasising the main point of the book; that making the effort to speak of something in a new and beautiful and poignant way is also a means to see and know the worth of it more yourself. In my own small experience I have found this to be true, so perhaps that’s why I found hearing it so many times slightly repetitive. But I did appreciate the reminder that whilst it’s always God who does the decisive work in others that enables them to see Him clearly, and not our eloquence or words, there is still much value and merit in carefully choosing words that magnify the beauty of His truth and awaken a deeper love in us for it.
I found it a little repetitive at times as Piper constantly comes back to emphasising the main point of the book; that making the effort to speak of something in a new and beautiful and poignant way is also a means to see and know the worth of it more yourself. In my own small experience I have found this to be true, so perhaps that’s why I found hearing it so many times slightly repetitive. But I did appreciate the reminder that whilst it’s always God who does the decisive work in others that enables them to see Him clearly, and not our eloquence or words, there is still much value and merit in carefully choosing words that magnify the beauty of His truth and awaken a deeper love in us for it.
May 24, 2022
Loved the book, especially the chapter on George Whitefield. The George Herbet and the CS Lewis chapter were good as well. The main point was to show the way we speak of God behind closed doors, the pulpit, in public all affect the way we savor & see God. If we use words/fight to know words to describe God or sentences/phrases that describe God beautifully, we will believe more deeply in the beauty of God in the face of Christ. I agree with this to a certain extent. I believe it can cause us to see His beauty, but it can also be developed into a form of pride, which he also hits on. Piper hit on each of their pitfalls whether that is theology, wrong belief about God’s design for family/marriage, being a slaveholder (though George Whitefield was one of the only southerners in mid-1700’s to have a ministry for slaves, and he loved them dearly—but this does not excuse this sin), etc.
September 28, 2015
I have now read four John Piper books in my lifetime. If some country doesn't make me their king soon I will have lost all faith in civilization. Perhaps you are wondering initially why the generous rating of 2 entire stars instead of the usual 1, or perhaps you are wondering why I even bothered to read yet another John Piper book when so many alternative life choices are available. Well, I'm an incredibly generous person, let's get that straight, plus it was a gift more for the subject matter than the author, I'm sure. So I read it. I read it quickly and relatively effortlessly, but that's to be expected from most of Mr. Piper's oeuvre, I have come to believe. The second star: because he quotes so many outstanding poems by George Herbert, the book gets a second star.
It's not a very good book, at least the parts generated by Mr. Piper. The quotations from Herbert, Whitefield, and Lewis are certainly top-notch, and the worthwhile portions of the book, but that's about it. Once again Mr. Piper confuses "sheer repetition" with "proving and supporting one's point." Though this is a comparatively short book, most of it is redundant. Piper quotes an author toward the beginning of the chapter, then a few pages later he quotes the same passage, acting as if it is new material we have never seen before. At times in the following chapters, the same earlier citations will briefly reappear often without warrant. Later, in the wholly unnecessary conclusion, the same passages are referenced yet again and the same observations about them rehashed. The conclusion of the book is of the same caliber as junior high book reports whose conclusions are copied-and-pasted from their introductions, yet lacking the trenchant insights often found in such material.
Early in the book Mr. Piper wants us to believe his main purpose is about "seeing and saying and savoring," but he never explains what those mean in the book in any meaningful way, which is his wont. He says that slogan again and again, never supporting it, never cogently defining it, always effectively assuming we know what he means. Of course, we do, making the entire book unnecessary. Mr. Piper spends an inordinate amount of time talking about what he is not talking about, as if there is a single Christian alive today who could possibly be under the impression "Saint Paul is not a fan of eloquent words, and the Bible hates poetry." Where he gets the notion those need refuting is beyond me, but then again so is the reputation of Mr. Piper as a quality communicator of needed ideas. I don't mean that as negatively as it likely sounds, but it's been a strange day and I am rather perplexed by the people who think this is a good book. It isn't.
Most of the chapters dedicated to the three not-silent Swans are biographical sketches. Mr. Piper spends comparatively little time drawing conclusions from the lives and works of these people. He does it a bit, to be fair, but most of the book is information that doesn't really help whatever point he is purportedly making coupled with irritatingly-recycled snippets and quotations without apparent purpose. Not terribly surprisingly, Mr. Piper defeats some of his own purpose by claiming the main thesis is "poetic effort," but then he has to modify it with "well, George Whitefield wasn't a poet, so his 'poetic effort' was more like 'skilled sermonizing'" (or something to that effect). He can't even generate a unifying device that binds the three subjects together without apologizing for it and transmogrifying it multiple times. I don't get it.
Read the poems of George Herbert. They truly are some of the best the world has ever been given. Read the sermons of George Whitefield, even if they are theatrical and emotionally-driven. Read the works of C.S. Lewis (your suspicions of Mr. Piper in choosing Lewis so he could rehash stuff he's already said multiple times over the last forty-some years instead of drawing our attention to someone "new" we should know about are likely well-founded) - we all know we should do that. This book, however, will not tell you anything you need to know or can't get from some other more coherent, enjoyable source.
It's not a very good book, at least the parts generated by Mr. Piper. The quotations from Herbert, Whitefield, and Lewis are certainly top-notch, and the worthwhile portions of the book, but that's about it. Once again Mr. Piper confuses "sheer repetition" with "proving and supporting one's point." Though this is a comparatively short book, most of it is redundant. Piper quotes an author toward the beginning of the chapter, then a few pages later he quotes the same passage, acting as if it is new material we have never seen before. At times in the following chapters, the same earlier citations will briefly reappear often without warrant. Later, in the wholly unnecessary conclusion, the same passages are referenced yet again and the same observations about them rehashed. The conclusion of the book is of the same caliber as junior high book reports whose conclusions are copied-and-pasted from their introductions, yet lacking the trenchant insights often found in such material.
Early in the book Mr. Piper wants us to believe his main purpose is about "seeing and saying and savoring," but he never explains what those mean in the book in any meaningful way, which is his wont. He says that slogan again and again, never supporting it, never cogently defining it, always effectively assuming we know what he means. Of course, we do, making the entire book unnecessary. Mr. Piper spends an inordinate amount of time talking about what he is not talking about, as if there is a single Christian alive today who could possibly be under the impression "Saint Paul is not a fan of eloquent words, and the Bible hates poetry." Where he gets the notion those need refuting is beyond me, but then again so is the reputation of Mr. Piper as a quality communicator of needed ideas. I don't mean that as negatively as it likely sounds, but it's been a strange day and I am rather perplexed by the people who think this is a good book. It isn't.
Most of the chapters dedicated to the three not-silent Swans are biographical sketches. Mr. Piper spends comparatively little time drawing conclusions from the lives and works of these people. He does it a bit, to be fair, but most of the book is information that doesn't really help whatever point he is purportedly making coupled with irritatingly-recycled snippets and quotations without apparent purpose. Not terribly surprisingly, Mr. Piper defeats some of his own purpose by claiming the main thesis is "poetic effort," but then he has to modify it with "well, George Whitefield wasn't a poet, so his 'poetic effort' was more like 'skilled sermonizing'" (or something to that effect). He can't even generate a unifying device that binds the three subjects together without apologizing for it and transmogrifying it multiple times. I don't get it.
Read the poems of George Herbert. They truly are some of the best the world has ever been given. Read the sermons of George Whitefield, even if they are theatrical and emotionally-driven. Read the works of C.S. Lewis (your suspicions of Mr. Piper in choosing Lewis so he could rehash stuff he's already said multiple times over the last forty-some years instead of drawing our attention to someone "new" we should know about are likely well-founded) - we all know we should do that. This book, however, will not tell you anything you need to know or can't get from some other more coherent, enjoyable source.
May 29, 2021
The most complimentary thing I can say about this book is that reading it made me want to collect my thoughts, engage in the mental exertion necessary to pound and shape and knead and knit them into a creative and useful arrangement to say something significant -- to give God His deserved glory and praise.
February 27, 2021
This is my favorite edition of the series—which I acknowledge is through heavy bias. It was encouraging to read such a respected, Christian voice praising the efforts of creativity, style, and rhetoric. This book encouraged me to continue writing and creating—because it matters.
November 26, 2015
One of my favorite Piper books. Herbert, Whitefield, and Lewis will leave you feeling wildly inadequate.
July 2, 2018
Loved the idea behind the book. Loved the section on Herbert, as I found it personally inspiring. I love John Piper, but this book seemed hastily written and/or poorly edited (e.g., this line appeared a half dozen times throughout the book: “If [Herbert's friend] can think it may turn to the advantage of any dejected poor soul, let it be made public; if not, let him burn it; for I and it are less than the least of God’s mercies.” This sort of redundancy takes away from the book, especially since 1) Piper himself is a great writer, and 2) it's a bit ironic, given the book's argument.
December 30, 2020
I really enjoyed this book from The Swans Are Not Silent series. I wasn't very familiar with George Herbert and loved learning more about him and his poetry. And I thought I couldn't love C. S. Lewis more, but the chapter on him proved that wrong.
November 6, 2018
It was difficult not to skip straight to the section on C.S. Lewis, my favorite, but it was also fascinating to learn about Herbert and Whitefield.
The book starts with two beautiful analogies:
I love how this analogy celebrates the uniqueness and distinctiveness God created each of us to have, and how it in turns magnifies his glory.
As a writer myself, this set my heart singing, because it not only affirms my love of writing, but it shows me that I can glorify God with my writing, because as I write I am seeing again and expressing beautiful things I've seen in his creation, difficult but necessary things I've learned, and wonder that he's given me the same delight in creating things that he has himself when he creates.
The introduction also includes examples of "saying beautifully" in the Bible, like Paul's 13th chapter of Corinthians. He could have made the point about love without metaphors, but oh how his metaphors made it one of the most beautiful and memorable poems every written.
George Herbert lived from 1593-1633, and did not share his poems till he knew he was about to die of tuberculosis. He sent his collection of 167 poems with this note to a friend: "if he can think it may turn to the advantage of any dejected poor soul, let it be made public; if not, let him burn it; for I and it are less than the least of God's mercies."
From the poem "Giddinesse":
Lord, mend or rather make us: one creation
Will not suffice our turn:
Except thou make us dayly, we shall spurn
our own salvation.
From the poem "Nature": (beautiful!)
Full of rebellion, I would die,
Or fight, or travail, or denie
That thou hast ought to do with me.
O tame my heart;
It is thy highest art
To captivate strong holds to thee.
From the poem "The Holdfast":
But to have naught is ours, not to confesse
That we have nought. I stood amaz'd at this,
Much troubled, till I heard a friend expresse
That all things were more ours by being his.
From the poem "Joseph's Coat":
I live to shew his power, who once did bring
My joyes to weep, and now my griefs to sing
And the entire poem, The Pulley, is just stunning:
When God at first made man,
Having a glasse of blessings standing by;
Let us (said he) poure on him all we can:
Let he worlds riches, which dispersed lie,
Contract into a span.
So strength first made a way;
Then beautie flow'd, then wisdome, honour, pleasure;
When almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving that alone of all his treasure
Rest in the bottome lay.
For if I should (said he)
Bestow this jewell also on my creature,
He would adore my gifts in stead of me,
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature;
So both should losers be.
Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restlesnesse:
Let him be rich and wearie, that at least,
If goodness leade him not, yet wearinesse
May tosse him to my breast.
I also loved what Herbert said about music: "Music points the way to heaven as it frees us, for the moment, from the limitations of our bodily being and gives us strength back to believe in final harmony."
A little about what I learned of George Whitefield. I knew he was a preacher of the Great Awakening. I didn't know he was the colonies' first hero, and by 1750, a unifying force. He often preached 60 hours a week! I also did not know that he was a slaveholder, but he was also an ardent evangelist to slaves. A seventeen year old black Boston servant girl named Phillis Wheatley wrote one of his most famous elegies. Wheatley would become on the best known poets in pre-nineteenth century America.
The section on Whitefield ends with:
And now to my old favorite, C.S. Lewis. I dearly hoped John Piper would do him justice, and oh, he did, and even more than I hoped! I learned so much more about my favorite author!
Piper starts with defining some of Lewis's theology, his "Mere Christianity" - what it is, and what it is not and how radically different it was from liberalism.
Piper says no one else has Lewis's gift for expressing joy and wonder and defending objective, absolute truth.
It was wonderful revisiting many quotes from C.S. Lewis on joy and desiring, but it was also fascinating learning more about his rational side, his strong belief in logic as rules which govern thought and the world, which I had caught hints of but hadn't really become familiar with, having not yet read the Abolition of Man (it's next on my list!) I'm actually considering taking a course on logic as a result of reading this book and having heard Dallas Willard (another great Christian philosopher/practicer of logic) talk about its importance (I have wrongly supposed for many years that logic was somewhat of an enemy of faith).
Here's another great summary:
I could probably quote this entire chapter, it's just that good. I haven't even got to the section "Only Supernaturalists Can See Nature":
This is followed by a quote from Lewis's Miracles (the other major book of his I haven't read yet!)
He ends with the two most important of all Lewis quotes:
The book starts with two beautiful analogies:
God made individuals with stunning distinctiveness and as absolutely unique refractions of his glory. Nevertheless, the greatest glory is when these refractions compose a unified display of God's greatness, as a stained glass window with thousands of fragments reveals one bright picture, not in spite of the difference among the fragments, but because of them.
I love how this analogy celebrates the uniqueness and distinctiveness God created each of us to have, and how it in turns magnifies his glory.
My thesis is that this effort to say beautifully is, perhaps surprisingly, a way of seeing and savoring beauty. For example, when I hear my daughter singing worship songs in her bedroom, my heart is glad. But when I make the effort to put into suitable words what I love about her song - in a conversation, in a birthday card, in a poem - I hear more, see more, love more. This is how it is with all truth and beauty - the wonders of nature, the stunning turns of redemptive history, and the glories of Christ.
As a writer myself, this set my heart singing, because it not only affirms my love of writing, but it shows me that I can glorify God with my writing, because as I write I am seeing again and expressing beautiful things I've seen in his creation, difficult but necessary things I've learned, and wonder that he's given me the same delight in creating things that he has himself when he creates.
The introduction also includes examples of "saying beautifully" in the Bible, like Paul's 13th chapter of Corinthians. He could have made the point about love without metaphors, but oh how his metaphors made it one of the most beautiful and memorable poems every written.
George Herbert lived from 1593-1633, and did not share his poems till he knew he was about to die of tuberculosis. He sent his collection of 167 poems with this note to a friend: "if he can think it may turn to the advantage of any dejected poor soul, let it be made public; if not, let him burn it; for I and it are less than the least of God's mercies."
He is loved for his technical rigor and his spiritual depth. T.S. Eliot said, "The exquisite variations of form in the poems of The Temple show a resourcefulness of invention which seems inexhaustible, and for which I know no parallel in English poetry."
From the poem "Giddinesse":
Lord, mend or rather make us: one creation
Will not suffice our turn:
Except thou make us dayly, we shall spurn
our own salvation.
From the poem "Nature": (beautiful!)
Full of rebellion, I would die,
Or fight, or travail, or denie
That thou hast ought to do with me.
O tame my heart;
It is thy highest art
To captivate strong holds to thee.
From the poem "The Holdfast":
But to have naught is ours, not to confesse
That we have nought. I stood amaz'd at this,
Much troubled, till I heard a friend expresse
That all things were more ours by being his.
From the poem "Joseph's Coat":
I live to shew his power, who once did bring
My joyes to weep, and now my griefs to sing
And the entire poem, The Pulley, is just stunning:
When God at first made man,
Having a glasse of blessings standing by;
Let us (said he) poure on him all we can:
Let he worlds riches, which dispersed lie,
Contract into a span.
So strength first made a way;
Then beautie flow'd, then wisdome, honour, pleasure;
When almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving that alone of all his treasure
Rest in the bottome lay.
For if I should (said he)
Bestow this jewell also on my creature,
He would adore my gifts in stead of me,
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature;
So both should losers be.
Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restlesnesse:
Let him be rich and wearie, that at least,
If goodness leade him not, yet wearinesse
May tosse him to my breast.
Of the 167 poems in the Temple, 116 are written with meters that are not repeated. This is simple incredible when you think about it. He created new kinds of structures for seventy percent of his poems.
I also loved what Herbert said about music: "Music points the way to heaven as it frees us, for the moment, from the limitations of our bodily being and gives us strength back to believe in final harmony."
For George Herbert, poetry was a form of meditation on the glories of Christ mediated through the Scriptures. Conceiving and writing poems was a way of holding a glimpse of divine glory in his mind and turning it around and around until it yielded an opening into some aspect of its essence or its wonder that he had never seen before - or felt. This is meditation: Getting glimpses of glory in the Bible or in the world and turning those glimpses around and around in your mind, looking and looking.
A little about what I learned of George Whitefield. I knew he was a preacher of the Great Awakening. I didn't know he was the colonies' first hero, and by 1750, a unifying force. He often preached 60 hours a week! I also did not know that he was a slaveholder, but he was also an ardent evangelist to slaves. A seventeen year old black Boston servant girl named Phillis Wheatley wrote one of his most famous elegies. Wheatley would become on the best known poets in pre-nineteenth century America.
God has chosen him unconditionally, and God would therefore keep him invincibly. This was his rock-solid confidence and a fire in his bones and the power of his obedience. He wrote in 1739 fom Philadelphia:Oh the excellency of the doctrine of election, and of the saints' final perseverance, to those who are truly sealed by the Spirit of promise! I am persuaded, till a man comes to believe and feel these important truths, he cannot come out of himself; but when convinced of these, and assured of the application of them to his own heart, he then walks by faith indeed, not in himself but in the Son of God, who died and gave himself for him. Love, not fear, constrains him to obedience.
The section on Whitefield ends with:
No eloquence can save a soul. But the worth of salvation and the worth of souls impels preachers to speak and write with all their might in ways that say: there is more, there is so much more beauty - so much more glory - for you to see than I can say.
And now to my old favorite, C.S. Lewis. I dearly hoped John Piper would do him justice, and oh, he did, and even more than I hoped! I learned so much more about my favorite author!
Piper starts with defining some of Lewis's theology, his "Mere Christianity" - what it is, and what it is not and how radically different it was from liberalism.
He believed that when when one looks at Christianity across the centuries it has an astounding unity which has great apologetic power.. Even before he became a believer, he noticed that great Christian writers from Augustine to Bunyan represent
very different churches, climates and ages... and that brings me to yet another reason for reading them. The divisions of Christendom undeniable... but if any one is tempted to think - as one might be tempted who read only contemporaries - that Christianity is a word of so many meaning that it means nothing at all, he can learn beyond all doubt, by stepping out of his own century, that this is not so. Measured against the ages, mere Christianity turns out to be no insipid interdenominational transparency, but something positive, self consistent, and inexhaustible... so unmistakably the same; recognizable...
Piper says no one else has Lewis's gift for expressing joy and wonder and defending objective, absolute truth.
My thesis...is that Lewis's romanticism and his rationalism were the paths on which he lived his life and did his work. They shaped him into a teacher and writer with extraordinary gifts for logic and likening - and evangelism. What I mean by "likening" as we will see, is almost identical with what I have called "poetic effort" or "dramatic effort" in the previous chapters [with Herbert and Whitefield]. Lewis discovered that joy and reason, longing and logic (romanticism and rationalism) called forth a kind of language - a poetic effort, an imaginative use of likening - that illuminated the reality of what is by describing it in a way that it is not. Thus he spent his life pointing people, even in his rigorous prose, beyond the world to the meaning of the world, Jesus Christ.
It was wonderful revisiting many quotes from C.S. Lewis on joy and desiring, but it was also fascinating learning more about his rational side, his strong belief in logic as rules which govern thought and the world, which I had caught hints of but hadn't really become familiar with, having not yet read the Abolition of Man (it's next on my list!) I'm actually considering taking a course on logic as a result of reading this book and having heard Dallas Willard (another great Christian philosopher/practicer of logic) talk about its importance (I have wrongly supposed for many years that logic was somewhat of an enemy of faith).
Here is the crucial link between truth and Joy. "Joy itself, considered simply as an event in my own mind, turned out to be of no value at all. All the value lay in that of which Joy was the desiring." So we see what is at stake. The entire modern world - and even more so the postmodern world - was moving away from this conviction. Liberal theology, and postmodern cynics who score propositions, have gone with the flow of unbelief - subjectivism and relativism. Lewis stood against it with all his strength. Subjectivism and relativism means "the abolition of man."... but long before that, it means the destruction of Joy, because, as Lewis had learned when he became a Christian, an attack o the objective reality of God is an attack on Joy... without God, the event in my mind called joy is utterly trivial.
Here's another great summary:
He reasoned like this: if the key to the deepest meaning of this world lies outside this world, then the world will probably be illuminated most deeply not simply by describing the world as what it is but by likening the world to what it is not....At one level, it seems paradoxical to liken something to what it is not in order to show more deeply what it is. But that's what life had taught Lewis. And he devoted his whole life to exemplifying and defending this truth.
I could probably quote this entire chapter, it's just that good. I haven't even got to the section "Only Supernaturalists Can See Nature":
Unless we see that this world is not ultimate reality but is only like it, we will not see and savor this world for the wonder that it is.
This is followed by a quote from Lewis's Miracles (the other major book of his I haven't read yet!)
The Englishness of English is audible only to those who know some other language as well. In the same way and for the same reason, only Supernaturalists really see Nature. You must go a little way from her, and then turn around, and look back. Then at last the true landscape will become visible.
He ends with the two most important of all Lewis quotes:
The salvation of a single soul is more important that the production or preservation of all the epics and tragedies in the world.
The glory of God, and, as our only means to glorifying Him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life.
January 22, 2021
From the mouth and perspective of a faithful pastor, this is a very compelling and helpful book on the arts.
John Piper traces through the Bible and through the lives of George Herbert, George Whitfield, and C.S. Lewis the immense value of excellent artistic endeavor. These men used skillfully-crafted and beautiful words to magnify God, to enlarge their own and other’s hearts toward God’s praise, to better enjoy God’s gifts on earth, and to compel the ungodly to cherish him. The book is a treatment on why pursuing artistic endeavor for God’s glory is a most worthy endeavor, and it is very, very well done. I enjoyed it immensely! I was challenged by it, encouraged, moved, and humbled. The subject matter may feel narrow and small, and you may find that you’re not interested if you don’t personally care for any one of the three men he covers, but I found the entirety of book to be well paced and interesting throughout.
Recommended by: Audible
John Piper traces through the Bible and through the lives of George Herbert, George Whitfield, and C.S. Lewis the immense value of excellent artistic endeavor. These men used skillfully-crafted and beautiful words to magnify God, to enlarge their own and other’s hearts toward God’s praise, to better enjoy God’s gifts on earth, and to compel the ungodly to cherish him. The book is a treatment on why pursuing artistic endeavor for God’s glory is a most worthy endeavor, and it is very, very well done. I enjoyed it immensely! I was challenged by it, encouraged, moved, and humbled. The subject matter may feel narrow and small, and you may find that you’re not interested if you don’t personally care for any one of the three men he covers, but I found the entirety of book to be well paced and interesting throughout.
Recommended by: Audible
November 19, 2024
I wasn't sure what to expect when I began Piper's book, but it didn't take me long to become engrossed in it. Understanding the craftsmanship that goes into the written and spoken word opened my eyes to what great artisans Herbert, Whitefield, and Lewis were. You will be encouraged to seek out artists of like-caliber that emphasize beauty in the written word. These three men lived at different times and in varying places, but their work has stood the test of time for a reason. Every reader will be encouraged through the beauty that is found in the works of these great men.
April 27, 2023
I love this series, but of the ones so far, this to me was the most abstract and repetitive. I got the main point, but felt ready to put it down about halfway through. I’m a huge Narnia fan and love preaching, so I thought these guys would suit me well, but would rather have resorted to another book. The few quotes by each guy were the most valuable pieces of this book and would be the reason I return to this copy.
May 26, 2014
A powerful look at George Herbert, George Whitefield, and C.S. Lewis through the Reformed and refined lens of John Piper. Astounding!
June 6, 2014
The three are looked at from the point of view of beauty and rhetoric. Nicely done.
July 24, 2016
Ahh! So much love!!! ♥ I really wish all of you can read it. :)
February 1, 2018
This book’s unique genre—mini bios mixed with a thematic essay connecting saying with seeing beauty—both informed and inspired. Piper is convincing in showing the common denominator between Herbert, Whitefield, and Lewis. Though they are from different eras (and, in Lewis’ case, of a different theology) each made a poetic effort, an attempt, as Piper says, to “describe reality in creative and wondrous language [that] often takes us deeper into reality”.
The selection and analysis of Herbert’s poems was enjoyable, accurate, and, even in such a small book, felt like a fairly thorough sampling of his work. Whitefield’s selections, likewise, were well chosen, and the response to his modern critics (who claim he was a mere actor) was persuasive, supported with Whitefield’s own words. The final case of Lewis really brought the point home: whether it be myth, allegory, or romance, the masks themselves reveal.
“If the key to the deepest meaning of this world lies outside this world, then the world will probably be illuminated most deeply not simply by describing the world as what it is but by likening the world to what it is not... God [himself] created what is not God. He made not-God the means of revealing and knowing God.”
The selection and analysis of Herbert’s poems was enjoyable, accurate, and, even in such a small book, felt like a fairly thorough sampling of his work. Whitefield’s selections, likewise, were well chosen, and the response to his modern critics (who claim he was a mere actor) was persuasive, supported with Whitefield’s own words. The final case of Lewis really brought the point home: whether it be myth, allegory, or romance, the masks themselves reveal.
“If the key to the deepest meaning of this world lies outside this world, then the world will probably be illuminated most deeply not simply by describing the world as what it is but by likening the world to what it is not... God [himself] created what is not God. He made not-God the means of revealing and knowing God.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2021
I really loved the idea and thesis of this book, summed up in this by Piper: "The point is to waken us to go beyond the common awareness that using worthy word helps others feel the worth of what we have seen." Piper examines three famous writers/poets/speakers and their works and how they contributed to bringing glory to God through their words. This is an excellent reference for Christian authors especially who need encouragement for their own writing. Overall this book read more like a research essay - the majority of every chapter is excerpts and quotes from one of the three author's works. It was a collection of good quotes. After reading this book it made me realize how many C.S. Lewis books I still need to read and re-read. You don't really need to read this entire book to get the point - it would almost be better to just read the books mentioned in this book. However, I appreciated Piper's thesis and would have given him an A on the paper. I just wouldn't recommend this as the best book on writing - there are many more I would recommend first.
November 16, 2019
The sixth book in the series from John Piper covering figures from church history specifically related to the spread of Christianity and the Reformed theological system, this book is just as good as the others in the series.
What does it mean to say things well, but not using flowery speech to deny the power of the gospel. Whether it is the poetry of Herbert, the oratory of Whitefield, or the Christian fiction of Lewis, all of these made a contribution to not only seeing the glory of God, but also of contemplating His beauty. To say things or write things they way they did, they had to have spent time with the One they adored. They wanted others to know, love, and serve Him as well.
In our day of slick presentation, we would do well to follow the examples that Piper shows us through the lives of these leading Christian thinkers of the past.
What does it mean to say things well, but not using flowery speech to deny the power of the gospel. Whether it is the poetry of Herbert, the oratory of Whitefield, or the Christian fiction of Lewis, all of these made a contribution to not only seeing the glory of God, but also of contemplating His beauty. To say things or write things they way they did, they had to have spent time with the One they adored. They wanted others to know, love, and serve Him as well.
In our day of slick presentation, we would do well to follow the examples that Piper shows us through the lives of these leading Christian thinkers of the past.
March 22, 2022
Despite it's awkward title—which, knowing John Piper, he spent hour and hours formulating, notice that the title itself is poetic (if awkward)—this is a decent book exploring how Herbert, Whitefield, and Lewis, help us approach and better understand a God who not only created beauty, but is beautiful in himself.
I think the highlight for me was his discussion of George Herbert. Outwardly, a less-than-successful country parson who died of tuberculosis before the age of 40, but whose God-entranced poetry we are still reading to this day. Amazing.
The one critique I have is that Piper spends the first probably 25% of the book defending the fact that it is God-honoring to work hard at speaking about God in eloquent and beautiful ways. I don't imagine anyone who would read this book disagreeing with him on this, so it seemed more like preaching to the choir to me.
I think the highlight for me was his discussion of George Herbert. Outwardly, a less-than-successful country parson who died of tuberculosis before the age of 40, but whose God-entranced poetry we are still reading to this day. Amazing.
The one critique I have is that Piper spends the first probably 25% of the book defending the fact that it is God-honoring to work hard at speaking about God in eloquent and beautiful ways. I don't imagine anyone who would read this book disagreeing with him on this, so it seemed more like preaching to the choir to me.
February 27, 2022
This book is Piper's 6th installment in his "The Swans Are Not Silent" series. I have sincerely been enjoying going through these books. Each one is equally excellent. In this book, Piper discusses Christian men who were known for their words. George Herbert- a poet, George Whitefield-a theatrical 18th-19th century preacher and C.S. Lewis- a still famous author and theologian.
One doesn't have to read the books in order as they are each seperate biographies covering different influential men throughout history. If you are looking for added inspiration (especially if you enjoy the arts) I would recommend this book.
One doesn't have to read the books in order as they are each seperate biographies covering different influential men throughout history. If you are looking for added inspiration (especially if you enjoy the arts) I would recommend this book.
October 30, 2019
Read as part of 21 Servants of Sovereign Joy
Short biographies of Faithful, Flawed, and Fruitful Christians throughout church history. Wonderful theological and practical reflections. Highly recommend!
Reading this has convinced me to strive to always be reading a Christian biography. It has been so helpful to my worship of the Lord, and as examples worth learning from both from the good and the bad.
Short biographies of Faithful, Flawed, and Fruitful Christians throughout church history. Wonderful theological and practical reflections. Highly recommend!
Reading this has convinced me to strive to always be reading a Christian biography. It has been so helpful to my worship of the Lord, and as examples worth learning from both from the good and the bad.
June 15, 2021
A really fine look at three theologians who wrote well and wrote rightly. Lewis' prose is already well read, and Whitefield's voice was well heard, but Herbert was well overlooked in today's society. Don't expect a deep and intrusive biography on any of the three, but there is enough here to get you to know them as acquaintances and hopefully drive you to their writings where you are bound to become fast friends.
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