Monday, December 3, 2012

Review of A Heart on Fire: Catholic Witness and the Next America by Charles J. Chaput

What can this Baptist gain from a book written by a Catholic?  Plenty!  Like my Catholic brothers and sisters, I have concerns about freedom of religion and about the negative portrayals of faith by popular media.  George Orwell shared some of our common concerns over a half century ago when he wrote about "prevailing orthodoxy" silencing unpopular opinions in society.

Charles Chaput makes the case for religious freedom as the highest of all freedoms, backing up his case with Scripture and with quotes from America's founders.  Our founders assumed people's faith made a difference in how they lived their lives and related to one another as citizens.

In a world where faith seems under assault and our best efforts often seem to hit a brick wall, we need Chaput's encouraging words to remind us "Nothing in this world is inevitable except the victory of Jesus Christ".  He urges us to never give up proclaiming the Gospel message.  All I can say to that is, "Amen!"

I received a free copy of this e-book from Waterbrook Multonomah for my honest review.