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163rd out of 1,897 books
—
1,836 voters
Disappointment with God: Three Questions No One Asks Aloud
by
Philip Yancey (Goodreads Author)
"Is God listening? and Can He be trusted?" In this book, Yancey tackles the questions caused by a God who doesn't always do what we think he's supposed to do.
Philip Yancey has a gift for articulating the knotty issues of faith. In Disappointment with God, he poses three questions that Christians wonder but seldom ask aloud: Is God unfair? Is he silent? Is he hidden? This i...more
Philip Yancey has a gift for articulating the knotty issues of faith. In Disappointment with God, he poses three questions that Christians wonder but seldom ask aloud: Is God unfair? Is he silent? Is he hidden? This i...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
March 31st 1992
by Zondervan
(first published 1988)
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Well, what is there to say other than while dealing with deeply theological issues, Yancey's pertinent style refuses to allow this to be a purely intellectual matter. He states the problem, runs through an understanding of it, only to bring against it the same criticisms we all face when stuck in the middle of a painful situation. He deals with emotions on an emotional realistic level rather than trying to explain them away and always answer why.
Even i as a person who always wants to know "why"...more
Even i as a person who always wants to know "why"...more
Rated: A-
I love Philip Yancy and his theology and journalism. In this book, he answers three questions: Is God unfair? (no, life's unfair, not God). Is God silent? Is God hidden? He provides a practical perspective for believers and doubters. Plus, the book is offers a unique commentary on the Book of Job.
"They had doubted him once, but after the Resurrection they would not doubt him again."
"In his book 'Wishful Thinking', Fredrick Buechner sums up God's speech. 'God doesn't explain. He explodes...more
I love Philip Yancy and his theology and journalism. In this book, he answers three questions: Is God unfair? (no, life's unfair, not God). Is God silent? Is God hidden? He provides a practical perspective for believers and doubters. Plus, the book is offers a unique commentary on the Book of Job.
"They had doubted him once, but after the Resurrection they would not doubt him again."
"In his book 'Wishful Thinking', Fredrick Buechner sums up God's speech. 'God doesn't explain. He explodes...more
This is a difficult subject, and you can tell that it was difficult for Yancey as well. The entire first half of the book pursues one track (trying to understand God’s point of view via the Old Testament), before switching to a different track in the second half (trying to understand how us humans can understand and react to the world and God as they are), and even though it was intentional it still feels abrupt. Though I do not myself have the issues with being disappointed by God that Yancey’s...more
Yancey takes on three basic questions in this book: Is God unfair? Is God silent? Is God hidden? His aim is to explore the sense of disappointment experienced by people of faith (primarily Christian) when they believe the answers to one or more of the above questions is yes.
The first part of the book is a retelling of the Bible in terms of God's perspective, and to be truthful, I found it somewhat facile. Yancey focuses on the person of God, drawing on metaphors such as parent and lover to expla...more
The first part of the book is a retelling of the Bible in terms of God's perspective, and to be truthful, I found it somewhat facile. Yancey focuses on the person of God, drawing on metaphors such as parent and lover to expla...more
This book really wrestles with the unanswered, wrenching questions of faith, and while it doesn't provide pat answers (thankfully), it validates our struggle and really ends on a message of hope. Beginning with Genesis, the first part of the book reviews all of the Bible from God's point of view instead of our own. It then, in light of this shift in perspective, re-asks the central questions of "Is God unfair?" "Is God silent?" and "Is God hidden?"
One of my favorite parts (page 245): "The Bible...more
One of my favorite parts (page 245): "The Bible...more
كتاب جميل عبارة عن قسمين القسم الاول منه لا يستحق اكثر من 3 نجوم او اقل فهو مجرد سرد عادى لاحداث وتهيئة للقسم الثانى ولكن القسم الثانى جميل جدا رغم ان الكاتب لم يقدم تبصراته الشخصية ولكن اعتمد على كتابات سى اس لويس وبدونها لم يكم الكتاب ليقدم جديدا
ورغم ذلك يبقى اجابة جيدة جدا على الثلاثة اسئلة الاصعب والذى اعتقد انهم سؤال واحد فى النهاية وهو اين الله فى الضيقة
لماذا يختفى الله فى وسط الضيقات و
يقدم الكاتب الثلاة اسئلة فى اطار حياة شخص اسمه رشيد ويقدم امثلة من اشخاص اخرين لهم نفس الاختبار
الكتاب...more
ورغم ذلك يبقى اجابة جيدة جدا على الثلاثة اسئلة الاصعب والذى اعتقد انهم سؤال واحد فى النهاية وهو اين الله فى الضيقة
لماذا يختفى الله فى وسط الضيقات و
يقدم الكاتب الثلاة اسئلة فى اطار حياة شخص اسمه رشيد ويقدم امثلة من اشخاص اخرين لهم نفس الاختبار
الكتاب...more
I guess I just to want to echo what many people have found... that Philip Yancey is a great writer.
The primary focus of this book is the issue of how we deal with dissapointment. Is god there? is he unfair? does he care? Issues which we often deal with as we go about our daily grime. Yancey provides a good perspective to understand these issues.
In particular, I liked the concept of transposition (albeit a concept borrowed from CS Lewis)... I've never heard about it before this book, and unders...more
The primary focus of this book is the issue of how we deal with dissapointment. Is god there? is he unfair? does he care? Issues which we often deal with as we go about our daily grime. Yancey provides a good perspective to understand these issues.
In particular, I liked the concept of transposition (albeit a concept borrowed from CS Lewis)... I've never heard about it before this book, and unders...more
Jul 26, 2009
James
is currently reading it
After class yesterday I walked over to Barnes and Nobles. I was in a nostalgic mood I suppose and seeing a familiar author was welcome. I read through the first hundred pages or so yesterday and was struck by how much I found the book speaks to me. It asks many of the same questions I have asked. It also speaks about our expectations vs who God actually is in the Bible. Yancey uses examples found in the Bible where many of our desires of God (a more clear presence, closeness, physical presence m...more
This, as far as I know, is my introduction to Philip Yancey! I am very impressed with this work. He takes a look at the this phenomenon (Disappointment with God) that EVERYONE -- believers and otherwise -- faces at some point in their life. No trite answers here. No "suck it up until things get better" dismissal of the issue. He examines the scriptures and personal experiences (himself & others) in light of the three big questions (Is God ... 1.Silent 2.Unfair 3.Hidden ?). What results is a...more
Phillip Yancey writes with such honesty and compassion. You get the feeling that there is nothing about the hard life of faith that could shock him or make him think poorly of you. In this book he tackles three questions he says aren't admitted or discussed enough among Christians. Is God unfair? Is he silent? Is he hidden?
Even though this isn't one of his better books, Yancey still wrestles with these questions well. He makes some points so well that although I had considered them before, it w...more
Even though this isn't one of his better books, Yancey still wrestles with these questions well. He makes some points so well that although I had considered them before, it w...more
I can't make enough compliments about Philip Yancey. I always enjoy the feeling while I'm reading that I'm right next to him on his journey struggling with the tough questions. I can't say that I feel better after having read this book or that my problems have been solved, but, from an apologetics perspective, I now have a lot more to think about and can draw on a lot of his points as I discuss trials and tribulations with my peers.
The foundation for all of his points comes from the book of Jon...more
The foundation for all of his points comes from the book of Jon...more
Philip Yancey engages the perennial puzzler of an all-good, all-powerful God that allows all manner of seemingly senseless tragedies and misfortunes to befall the world he has created. The book is essentially divided into two parts, the first taking a look at Old Testament history from God's point of view, and the second part engaging the book of Job and the problem of pain from humanity's point of view. I'd say the first part was certainly the stronger, perhaps due to the novelty of thinking ab...more
Yancy begins his book with examples of circumstances from several Christians who have suffered greatly and feel disappointed with or abandoned by God. The author chooses the situation of Richard, the person suffering the least of the examples (but a fellow author), to follow throughout the book.
Using OT scriptures, Mr. Yancy tries to explain the mind of God. His attempt actually turns eerie (downright creepy) when Yancy imagines himself as God questioning in his mind whether or not man would obe...more
Using OT scriptures, Mr. Yancy tries to explain the mind of God. His attempt actually turns eerie (downright creepy) when Yancy imagines himself as God questioning in his mind whether or not man would obe...more
Among the few books I have read more than once because of its immense value in loving and trusting God.
Poignant Quotes:
"The Wager resolved decisively that the faith of a single human being counts for very much indeed. Job affirms that our response to testing matter."
"...the remarkable truth that our choices matter, not just to us and our own destiny but, amazingly, to God himself and the universe he rules."
"Faith means believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse."
"We have little co...more
Poignant Quotes:
"The Wager resolved decisively that the faith of a single human being counts for very much indeed. Job affirms that our response to testing matter."
"...the remarkable truth that our choices matter, not just to us and our own destiny but, amazingly, to God himself and the universe he rules."
"Faith means believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse."
"We have little co...more
I read this many years ago for someone else's benefit. You know, when you saw what they're problem was and bought a book to help them. It didn't really mean anything to me then. Of course, I was only 19 years old. Now at 42, I find myself disappointed. Actually, disappointed is too gracious of a word. Jaded, cynical at times. Sad, tired mostly. Waiting for this period of my life to be done and for things to return to normal with God. This book, I hope, was a small step in that direction.
Philip Yancey is one of my favorite writers. He tackled to answer three questions in this book: Is God unfair? Is God silent? Is God hidden? There are certain moments in our lives when our faith in God is shaken as we are confronted by problems, trials, loneliness and other adverse circumstances. This is one good book to read because we all encounter disappointment. Let's face it-- they are part of life, and we must choose to trust God's providence no matter what.
I liked that this book dealt very honestly with the issue of believers facing disappointment with God (of whom I am one of the loudest). I like that Philip Yancey doesn't give the "right" answers, and in fact goes out of his way to debunk a lot of the predigested bumper-sticker rhetoric that so many Christians are content to swallow and regurgitate. I do have to say though, that like most Christian nonfic books I've read, the author says what he has to say in the first several chapters, and then...more
I've read one other book by Philip Yancey and I liked it but this one definitely spoke to me more. If you are interested in the questions most people ask about God - particularly "why would he let me suffer?" - then you will like this book. It helped me to have a new point of view about the way I see the world and assume the world works when it comes to God. Overall worth reading even if you aren't disappointed with God.
Aug 03, 2011
Weston Mccarron
added it
Yancey is brutally honest in presenting some of the problems with Christian belief. But his answer is to simply drag up pat answers from the Bible that are unlikely to be all too convincing to anyone who is really struggling with those questions head-on.
I think this book is designed to reign back in the mildly faltering or doubting Christian. And for that, it is probably effective.
I think this book is designed to reign back in the mildly faltering or doubting Christian. And for that, it is probably effective.
Still one of the best Christian books I've read. It deals with the real difficulties of life without over-simplification and trite black and white answers. Yancey wrote this before he penned "Jesus I Never Knew," and much of his ideas in this book is repeated in the latter books. The difference between this book and majority of popular Christian books: the author is actually a great thinker and writer.
Once again, another brilliant book by Phillip Yancey, on what is a rather tricky subject. And in this book, he shows exactly why it is such a tricky subject. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who is currently going through a crisis, or anything that is making them doubt God, but certainly to anyone who still lives with hurt in their lives, and is desperately trying to find answers to tough questions.
This book was the first Christian book I ever finished, reading from the first page to last my eyes searching for the same answers in the same questions I'd asked for years in my freshman year of college. I drank it all in to my soul that first night from start to finish and learned that these questions were normal and that it was necessary to accept and challenge them.
This is a wonderful book. Yancey deals with three difficult questions of faith: Is God silent? Is God hidden? Does God care? You may not agree with his conclusions but he does a great job exploring the questions. I found it strengthened my faith and would recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with doubt about God in a world so full of suffering.
This is one of my favorite books. For the first several years of my walk with God, I asked these questions many times, most notably "Is God Fair?" Philip Yancey was the first Christian author I read who had the guts to address aloud what many want to ask but do not for fear of being labelled a problem child. I highly recommend this book
Really helpful book as I was struggling with disappointment with God. Yancey is always insightful, easy to read and interesting. His use of the Bible, particularly Job, to show what God is doing when he seems silent, absent or inactive was very helpful to me and played a big part in my getting over being angry at God recently.
Yancey is one of my favorite Christian authors. He seems to have an inquisitive mind and seems willing to pay attention to other authors who do not have the same outlook as he does. I like the fact that he quotes from Luther, Buechner, Lewis and others.
I am not dealing right now with the "dark night of the soul". My relationship with G-d will always need strengthening, but my life is good at the moment. I think that that fact means this book had less meaning than it might another time. I am not...more
I am not dealing right now with the "dark night of the soul". My relationship with G-d will always need strengthening, but my life is good at the moment. I think that that fact means this book had less meaning than it might another time. I am not...more
I guess the book pale in comparison with WSABG?
But to be fair, the book tries to answer the topic of suffering and God, with a bit of "THe Dark NIght of the Soul" thrown in - which to date, no human being has succeeded in giving a satisfying explanation.
Overall YAncey's take on this topic is very simplified in this book.
But to be fair, the book tries to answer the topic of suffering and God, with a bit of "THe Dark NIght of the Soul" thrown in - which to date, no human being has succeeded in giving a satisfying explanation.
Overall YAncey's take on this topic is very simplified in this book.
Mar 17, 2009
Sherry
added it
I have re read this again at different times in my life and always find different parts of it speak to me. It's about having faith that we may not know all that is happening in a spiritual realm above and beyond us and even if we did, we may not be able to comprehend it.
I really enjoyed this book. It deals with the topic of how sometimes (or most times) we feel like God isn't near us. We go through tough times and wonder where God is in all of that, but really, another way to view it is where are we in all of this? What is our response to God when we endure heartache or disease?
Many people want to see God, to have miracles happen all the time, to have every prayer answered. Philip Yancey gives some good arguments as to why God doesn't do this. It's not because...more
Many people want to see God, to have miracles happen all the time, to have every prayer answered. Philip Yancey gives some good arguments as to why God doesn't do this. It's not because...more
This book was awesome. Yancey's style is great. He gives you SO MUCH to think about and the subject matter is really deep, yet the book is incredibly " readable." It was a challenging book and made me think about life and God in a whole new way.
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A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Philip Yancey earned graduate degrees in Communications and English from Wheaton College Graduate School and the University of Chicago. He joined the staff of Campus Life Magazine in 1971, and worked there as Editor and then Publisher. He looks on those years with gratitude, because teenagers are demanding readers, and writing for them taught him a lasting principle:...more
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“We tend to think, 'Life should be fair because God is fair.' But God is not life. And if I confuse God with the physical reality of life- by expecting constant good health for example- then I set myself up for crashing disappointment.”
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26 people liked it
“Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.”
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20 people liked it
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Nov 03, 2011 10:59pm