Reviews

Popular writer and speaker Yancey, who wrote the bestselling The Jesus I Never Knew, has never shied away from tackling tough issues. Here he takes on the idea of grace, which, according to C.S. Lewis, is the mark that distinguishes Christianity from other religions. According to Yancey, grace is amazing because it need not be earned: it is bestowed unconditionally by God. Contemporary society, on the other hand, requires people to gain approval for their actions by following certain moral precepts and rules. Yancey combines personal anecdotes, historical events and biblical stories to illustrate the power of grace in what he calls a "world of ungrace." For example, a chapter titled "The Lovesick Father" recounts the story of a young girl who runs away from home and, through a variety of circumstances, goes from living a life of luxury to a life in the streets not knowing when she might eat next or where she might sleep for the night. When she decides to return home, she is fearful that her father will scold her, but the "lovesick father" meets her at the bus station with open and forgiving arms to take her home. This is one of the many stories Yancey tells to illustrate the amazing and powerful quality of divine grace. The book's anecdotal style is often frustrating, but Yancey's measured prose and his insights into the stories make the book worth reading. (Sept.)