Astonished by the Word: Reading Scripture for Deep Transformation

by Brian D Russell

Astonished by the Word recaptures an ancient way of engaging with Scripture that takes you beyond knowledge to whole-life transformation and a greater love of God and neighbor.
Using the Idolatherapy tool - an experiential method that combines biblical studies with spiritual direction and contemplative practice - you will learn how to move from reading the text to allowing Scripture to read you, changing you from the inside out.
Discover how reading the Bible can bring you inner healing, help you understand yourself and God better, and become a more loving person as you walk through the world.
Astonished by the Word is a blueprint  Approaching Scripture with fresh eyes and ears  Understanding who God is and how Scripture is authoritative in today's modern world  Identifying and overcoming your biases and blocks when approaching the text  Finding inner healing and transformation through your reading of Scripture  Learning how to integrate powerful ancient practices like Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina into your Bible reading  Growing in love of God and neighbor by reading the Bible

208 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2023

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was already a fan of Russell's after reading his book on Centering Prayer, and this new book did not disappoint me. Russell's writing makes me think, educates me, and also manages to make me feel like he's going through some of the thinking-through with me (instead of writing with an "I've already figured out all this" style). Some books I've read about Scripture tend to be a bit slow-going or pedantic, but Russell's writing style genuinely makes me feel like he's talking WITH me instead of AT me. I love how he uses words, too. He's particularly good with inversions, using phrases like "Rather than being suspicious of what the Bible says, I choose to be interested and suspicious of my own reactions to what the Bible says," or "History, then, prevents faith from becoming fantasty. Faith prevents history becoming mere antiquarinism." For my brain, turns of phrase like this really bring ideas into 3-D for me, and I love how Russell uses them to solid effect.

Another thing I really enjoyed about this book were the Questions for Discussion at the end of each chapter. Sometimes I find myself skimming non-fiction texts, even when I'm interested in the material, and these questions really helped me bring my focus back and apply the information in the text to myself. I especially enjoyed the ones that were a little harder to answer, a little more challenging. Thinking through some of those ended up starting to actually shift how I approach Scripture!

I lead a small group at church that used the Centering Prayer book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm already planning a future study with this book! The shorter chapters will lend themselves well to a weekly group meeting, and I'm excited to think about all the deep discussions that can develop from the questions.

As part of a launch team, I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a bit to get into this book. The first section,"How Scripture Works in our Lives," mostly went over topics I had heard/read/studied before. I still read it, as I wanted to make sure the author didn't say something new or put a new twist on things. But mostly, this section is pretty standard for those who are well-versed in studying the Bible. For those who are newer students of Bible study, it is well-worth the time.

Sections Two (Opening Ourselves Fully to God's Word) and Three (Drinking from the Well) are where this book really shines. Section Two is about our biases and brokenness that we bring to Scripture reading. Russell pulls no punches here. He makes it very clear, from both his own life and other examples, how our own sinful desires and just the effects of living in a fallen world keep us from opening ourselves up to responding as well as we ought to what God desires to do in and through us in His Word.

Section Three is a very complete explanation of Lectio Divina (more than I have seen anywhere else). The author believes true transformation occurs when we make the spiritual reading of Scripture a priority and give it the time it deserves. Not only does he give a detailed, step-by-step outline of how to do this, he includes prayer beforehand, journaling, and then also several examples of what it might look like with various types of Scripture passages to round out the book.

What Brian Russell suggests really is not for the faint of heart. If someone is a Christian and longs to know the deep transformative work of Christ in their lives, this is definitely one aspect of it. Too much of what passes for Christianity today is a mile wide and an inch deep. To quote Chesterton, "the Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried."