Soul Cravings: An Exploration of the Human Spirit

by Erwin Raphael McManus

Reveals how our need for community, meaning, and destiny leads to the existence of God and our desire to connect with Him, and inspires readers to connect with their own soul's deepest longings.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Christianity, Christian Living, Faith, Religion

256 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2006

About the author

Erwin Raphael McManus is an iconoclast known as a cultural pioneer for his integration of creativity and spirituality. He is an artist, entrepreneur, and cultural thought leader who is also the founder of MOSAIC, a community of faith in Los Angeles California. Known for their innovation, creativity, and artistry, MOSAIC has been named one of the most influential and innovative churches in America.

Engaging such issues as culture, creativity, change, and leadership, Erwin is widely known as a thought-provoking communicator, poet, and wordsmith. His travels have taken him to over 50 countries and he has spoken to over a million people from a wide variety of audiences, from professional sports, Wall Street investors, universities, film studios, and conferences across the world.

McManus is the author of Soul Cravings, Chasing Daylight, and other leading books on spirituality and creativity. His newest book is The Artisan Soul: Crafting your Life into a Work of Art.

Erwin Raphael McManus sees the imagination as the principle vehicle through which we create a better self, a better world, and a better future. He argues that creativity is both uniquely human and the essence of human uniqueness. Creativity, McManus contends, is a natural expression of our spirituality. When we are most fully alive we create out of love all that is good and beautiful and true.

Erwin has a BA in psychology from UNC Chapel Hill, a Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Southeastern University.

Reviews

[Oceana Reads Co. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soul Cravings is an exceptional book that talks about life, love, purpose, and the search for truth.
I love how he explains a piece of the mystery that is the human soul. It makes so much sense! Why our souls, our spirits, seem to crave this unknown thing that we must find in order to satisfy the need. It explains our desire for truth and meaning in life. There was something to underline on almost every page. Take your time, and let God speak to your soul while you read.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Your soul craves truth, beauty, wonder, love. Your soul craves to dream, imagine, and simply to understand. Your soul craves to connect, to commune, to create." "We spend our lives trying to satisfy our souls." "...and only in God will we ever find the meaning our souls long for."

We are all searching for meaning, McManus explores this concept in want he dubs Soul Cravings. The book is broken up into 4 main themes: Intimacy, Destiny, Meaning & Seek. It is an easy read and too tempting to just skim. I spent time with this book to reflect on McManus' words. Most just reinforced my own belief system, but it is always good to look inside oneself to assess where we are in this journey of life and are we walking with Christ (which is always a struggle for most of us humans!) I made many notes as I am not as proficient with expressing myself. I think this book would be especially good for those who are just starting their spiritual journey or are seeking but haven't found the right key to unlock the door.

What I didn't like about the book was his too broad and negative strokes against traditional institutional religions. Fortunately that is only a small part of the book for those of us that like our faith communities and find opportunities to connect, learn, and nurture our souls. I assume the church he is the senior pastor of is unconventional. It is also disjointed at times in its flow and becomes very repetitive as he pounds the point home.

Overall, a worthwhile read for those looking for an inspirational and instructive read.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't give this book any more than 3, maybe 4, stars. Though I was impressed with a plethora of poignancy concerning human brokenness, the need for redemption, and some depths of depravity, I found a lot of the work simply entertaining, not engaging. From what I recall (I read this at least a year and a half ago, I think), there were indeed some practical, spiritual helps out of the brokenness and misery, i.e., our "cravings" are uniquely satisfied by the creativity offered to us by our Creator, that is the human condition.

In hindsight, I would have read the book in a more "literary way" -- in less of a "devotional way" -- appreciating topical, "exploratory" journal-entry form: a prose style that seems all too rare amongst Christian books. I liked "Soul Cravings" less than "Blue Like Jazz", a Christian book whose nature is also auto-biographical, "spiritual"-not-"religious", and vibes the authenticities of humanity.

I did really leave McManus's book feeling somewhat inspired, and for this reason, my rating sits somewhere between the numbers...maybe closer to 4 stars.

[Janie · Rating 4 out of 5]

i read this book twice already. once, because i wanted to and the second time around for a book club. i have to say, out of all the erwin mcmanus books, i like this one the best. but mcmanus' gift is on the podium, he's a wonderful speaker. a consistent feeling i get after listening to him is a profound sense of validation. it's a nice feeling to walk out of a church like that.

might i add, the soul craving series on podcast is a good companion to the book.

[Mike Weston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think McManus is one of the most inspirational and insightful leaders of our time. The first 2/3 of this book is one of the most significant books on humanity I’ve read. The final 1/3 limps to finish line though still fantastic at points. Thankful for the prof who recommended this book to me in seminary a decade ago.

[Hannah Sears · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soil cravings is a thought provoking book. Honestly took me a while to read it because it requires a lot of thought but I loved Erwin’s take on everything. Definitely required me to think about what my soul is truly craving, who that comes from, and why. A good (last minute) end to 2023 as I start thinking about what God has in store for this next year

[Orville Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

McManus has a dynamic focus on life, and an exciting multi-ethnic background. He was born in El Salvador, emigrated to the US, majored in philosophy, and now serves a Pastor of the creative Mosaic church in Los Angeles, and a national consultant on change, culture, leadership and creativity.

His foundations as a philosophy major inform his theological reflections on life and faith, and he has plunged into the mystery and excitement of actually exploring the Gospels and the meaning of Faith outside the confines of organized religion.

McManus experiences the liberation of Faith in Christ, and is able to approach others who have not had the same experience, or who understand it differently, in a non-judgmental manner but with a warm and sympathetic evangelical concern for others. Following the example of Jesus in the Gospels, he meets people where they are and tries to make meaningful communication.

His refreshing insights and challenges here will be encouraging to people at all stages of faith and non-faith. His thoughtful reflections sound like Jesus cutting through the cultural fluff of tradition to perceive where God is working and what the priorities of the Rule of God are.

McManus expresses the joy and wonder of grace that he experiences daily in his life in the Spirit and tries to convey to all who are also seeking God's grace in integrity.

[pianogal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw McManus on Joyce Meyer's program and really liked him. He is one sharp fella. His book - this one at least, I haven't read others yet - had the same flashes of brilliance and insight. However, that's where it stopped. The whole thing felt like a surface dweller. And it seemed like he was a little hesitant to overly mention God or offend someone. I don't think he really was, but the book seemed like it was trying to reach the broadest audience possible - but sometimes there are hard truths that need to be said. And he didn't.

As I mentioned earlier, great insights and connections (with modern pop culture examples), but not a lot of actionable points. That is really what my soul was craving...

I'm gonna have to see what else he wrote to see if it's any different.

[Jordan Michaels · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book began with a lot of things I agreed with, like how religions make God sound self-absorbed and stingy with his love. I was feeling good reading it. Then it took a darker, more arrogant tone. The guy went on and on about how religions are wrong, how they take you away from God, and how i's bad. Then in this same off tone he preaches about how God is love and we need love blah blah blah. My head hurt so bad after I read this book that I had the urge to burn all religious books I owned. Then I took a nap. I got up and told myself, just because he has issues doesn't mean I can't find comfort in my other books. Quite frankly I think the guy is a loon and I hope I never come across any of his other books if he has any.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read in a really long time. I don't usually read books like this, but I'd heard a lot of good things about Soul Cravings and decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did. Soul Cravings was one of the most thought-provoking books I've ever read. I had to stop reading, put the book down, and think about what I'd just read on more than one occasion.

Mcmanus puts into words what many of us refuse to acknowledge, even to ourselves. He claims that we are all searching for something (intimacy, destiny, and meaning) and explores what this means to our human spirit. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone!

[Mar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I disliked the rambling, disjointed writing style, but I'm giving it 4 stars because it helped give me a better perspective on some concerns I've had lately. It's not the kind of book for everyone, and though it's a Christian book, I don't think all Christians will appreciate it. It would appeal to the "overchurched" (i.e., those who have been doing the church thing since their younger years and have grown sick of the whole over-spiritual paradigm) who desire to seek God beyond all the "churchiness". It's for those who refuse to accept that this is all there is.

[Lindsay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uhhhh, I totally judged this book by the cover, I thought it was going to be scary, the bloody fingerprint fooled me, turns out it's about religion. I'm not going to join your church, but I will finish it because I started it and that's what I do.


BBOORRIINNGG.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Previous books of his have been great but lots of randomness here, ranting. Loosely tied together. Donating to a Christian thrift store for someone else to appreciate his perspective.

[Jonathan Bullington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Help me realize the importance of listening to deep parts of my soul, and the work accomplished in these areas last for eternity.

[Alex of Yoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was disappointing. It had some good points and reflections that I thought everyone could benefit from, but as a whole it was almost depressing and came off as terribly self-righteous. The author takes one on a journey but it's a confusing, disjointed journey about how all soul cravings lead to God but organized religion is not were God is, but somehow Jesus leads to God. He leaves the reader a little lost as to how to proceed in his soul search and how Jesus relates to anything. Honestly, it reads like a post-modern, choose-your-own-Christianity type of book. Reflective but shallow. I expected much more from it, and was relieved to finish it so that I could move on to something else.
On just a practical note, it was filled with grammatical errors and has no page numbers for easy referencing. I found that extremely annoying. The writing style is ok, but it's filled with pop culture references that the reader may or may not understand, and many of the points could have been stated more succinctly.
Overall, it's a interesting and potentially useful book for someone with big questions about God and existence in general, but it's not very practical nor will it satisfy the reader. It's probably most useful if read together with a spiritual guide or leader who can help the reader in a more practical way and lead them more fully on their spiritual journey.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is broken up into three main parts with an introduction. Each section has really small chapters which are more like journal entries. Each section tends to build within itself. Erwin write in the introduction to read the three sections in any order and I did so by reading the middle section, Destiny, first. it was by far my favorite section but I believe that has something to do just with where I am in life. The third section which I read next was about meaning. I found the section to be engaging as well. The first section was about intimacy. At first it was seeming to be less relevant because I have a really good marriage and I feel very loved by my husband. But the section talks about how we all are looking and seeking love. He points out that human love is insufficient and we really need God‘s love to meet need.

[hannah cottrill · Rating 2 out of 5]

|| 2 ⭐️ ||

In a round-about way this book sort of demonstrates that our hearts and quest for truth/meaning have a God-shaped hole that only He can fill. The author communicates a lot of interesting thoughts from different angles when it comes to this topic. However, I found most of this to be much more literary, poetic philosophy than actual biblically-grounded truth. It’s fairly vague and could probably be interpreted in a whole host of ways that stray from the character of God as revealed in His word. I also don’t recall the actual gospel being clearly communicated anywhere in this book, which is kind of problematic given the subject, and even worse, sin isn’t really brought up as something we need to repent of.

[Matt Maples · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have the hardcover for this book, and it is a very elegant book. And true to Erwin McManus' character this book is extremely creative, insightful, and thought-provoking. Overall I feel like it is a good book, but it's very random. There are some loosely followed themes, but in general this book is all over the place and was difficult to really follow. Therefore, I am able to walk away with some great quotes and thoughts from the book, but not really a strong overall argument. This is why I give it 3 stars instead of 4 or 5. I do really like Pastor Erwin and his work, but this particular book wasn't my favorite.

[Kerr Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the writing of Mr. Erwin! This book has resonated with me in so many ways. I wish I could have read this book earlier, because for about two years now I have been in a hard place emotionally and mentally. There were entries that we reading me and help me see some things I have been surpressing for many, many years. All of the cravings written about and so true to the human spirit. This book could help in ways, and I thank God for this book.

[Hyla Nayeri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I bought this booked because of the title, thinking is was about sexual desire, intimacy, or polarity in relationships (I’m not quite sure, it was a while ago). It was pretty funny starting to read it and realize it’s about our connection to God. Took me by surprise for sure. Beautifully written book however it wasn’t for me. I just don’t think the writing style is for me, but I don’t think that means it isn’t a good book. Just not for me ❤️

[Nolan Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erwin does a great job outlining and presenting the themes of meaning, love, and destiny. God is the source of all these, and he does a great job of pointing to Jesus without being preachy. It's a book for everyone, regardless of where they are on their faith journey- or whether they (appear) to be on one at all. Great read.

[James Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soul Cravings reinforced many of my spiritual beliefs and philosophical perspectives. It is a great guide for individuals to journey much deeper into their walk with God. It does a great job of incorporating scripture and personal anecdotes to support the author's position and reasoning for a delve into the human spirit.

Dr. James Arthur Williams
www.unmaskytp.com

[Michael Heidle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another helpful and inspiring McManus book

His book stirs the heart and causes a deep look into the soul to find our yearning for God!!! He really gets what's happening on our most basic level and addresses it with logical and inspirational direction! Very worthwhile read and highly recommended!!

[chelsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

disclaimer: I had to read this for a book club. I can't say I'm really one for religious books but this was a lot better than others I've read, heh. there were some things I disagreed with but some things I did agree with and related to... idk. can't come up with much to say other than that LOL.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it! Easy to understand short and sweet book that gives the gospel in an exciting way!

[Kristin Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought and soul provoking. Loved it!

[Fred Middel · Rating 4 out of 5]

What does Christian apologetics look like in a post-modern, somewhat post-Christian world? I think it looks something like Soul Cravings...

[Amaris Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my very favorite writings by Erwin Raphael McManus. He captures the human essence so beautifully!

[Brad Blacquiere · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book that helped me better understand my journey to awareness of the presence of God all around me. Thank you, Erwin!

[Kathryn Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow