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What We Were Made For: Christian Reflections on Love
Not a devotional or inspirational book, What We Were Made For is a wide-ranging and wise exploration of love in Christian life that offers a deeper understanding of this fundamental gift and calling. Throughout this provocative book, Sondra Wheeler poses challenging questions and offers new insights and considerations of what love means as a central part of Christian faith. Drawing on the long tradition of Christian thought and practice, Wheeler explores what love is, and how we know; why and how it so often goes awry; what its healing might require, and what it might make possible.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published April 13, 2007
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April 15, 2012
Though I do have some theological and interpretive differences with Dr. Wheeler, that really has little to do with my low rating. Based on writing style I wanted to give this book only one star. There are far too many parenthetical remarks. At first some of them were funny or helpful, but then they became too much and, in the end, they don't add anything to the thrust of any insight or story. Plus, the sheer number of parentheses throughout the book is very distracting. I eventually started skim-reading because I'd come across a long parenthetical remark and just want to skip to the end, then I'd read a bit more and almost immediately come across another parentheses. I couldn't handle it.
The purpose of the book was also disappointing. To be honest, as Wheeler is one of my professors of whom I've decided to read, I was expecting something a little more academic. The fact that this book is not some esoteric scholarly work doesn't at all bother me. What bothers me is that the book has almost no useful value for anyone slightly educated in the theology or philosophy or church history. If I hadn't picked up the book expecting something else I might have a different opinion. Alas. For people with any little education in those fields this book offers nothing new. And not in the "Mere Christianity" type of not new, where the writing and thoughts are still interesting, but the just not new type of not new. Except for the last chapter or two, there are few people who might find this book worthwhile. For those few, however, this book probably could be very useful indeed.
In the final sections on marriage and friendship, and the final paragraph of the book, Wheeler's reflections are more unique, interesting, and thought-provoking, and those sections I recommend to anyone. Other than that, though, I was happy to be done with the many parentheses.
The purpose of the book was also disappointing. To be honest, as Wheeler is one of my professors of whom I've decided to read, I was expecting something a little more academic. The fact that this book is not some esoteric scholarly work doesn't at all bother me. What bothers me is that the book has almost no useful value for anyone slightly educated in the theology or philosophy or church history. If I hadn't picked up the book expecting something else I might have a different opinion. Alas. For people with any little education in those fields this book offers nothing new. And not in the "Mere Christianity" type of not new, where the writing and thoughts are still interesting, but the just not new type of not new. Except for the last chapter or two, there are few people who might find this book worthwhile. For those few, however, this book probably could be very useful indeed.
In the final sections on marriage and friendship, and the final paragraph of the book, Wheeler's reflections are more unique, interesting, and thought-provoking, and those sections I recommend to anyone. Other than that, though, I was happy to be done with the many parentheses.
Displaying 1 of 1 review