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Unspoken Sermons: Series I, II, III
Of this passage in the life of our Lord, the account given by St Mark is the more complete. But it may be enriched and its lesson rendered yet more evident from the record of St Matthew.
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1866
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About the author
George MacDonald
1,677 books2,484 followersGeorge MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister. He became a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow-writer Lewis Carroll. In addition to his fairy tales, MacDonald wrote several works of Christian theology, including several collections of sermons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
December 14, 2024
I have been meaning to write an updated review of this beautiful and powerful book by the great Scottish writer I so greatly admire, so here goes! I find George MacDonald's theology absolutely fascinating, challenging, and spiritually nourishing. My favorite sermon from this book is the one titled Justice. It is worth reading.
In his Unspoken Sermons, MacDonald critiques systematic theology, the false either/ or of Calvinism and Arminianism, different atonement theories , and the view that Christ came to satisfy a wrathful deity that needed to be appeased.
MacDonald rejected that view of penal substitutionary atonement, hell as a state of endless conscious torment, took issue with theologians like Jonathan Edwards, John Calvin, and others, and instead, believed, that through the Incarnation, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth in the first century, we have redemption from sin, and hope in the here and now, and what is to come in the New Jerusalem- Christ came for the rescue of all humanity, and not just an elect.
There is a form of Christian universalism that goes back to Gregory of Nyssa, Origen, and others that MacDonald believed. A modern theologian that holds to this same view is David Bentley Hart. I actually want to read his book That All Shall Be Saved at some point. The belief of a purgatorial cleansing state for everyone to be saved in the end, is quite a hopeful view, and I find it very interesting. I have been thinking about it quite a lot lately, and could possibly be coming close to becoming a hopeful Christian universalist- I haven't fully come to a conclusive view yet though.
My favorite writer, C.S. Lewis, did not fully agree with MacDonald's universalism, as much as he admired the great Scotsman. Interestingly enough though, Lewis rejected the view of endless conscious torment, held to a form of annihilationist, which is portrayed in his fantasy novel The Great Divorce, the last Narnia book, The Last Battle, and his theological work, The Problem of Pain.
MacDonald's books have helped many people deeply wounded by toxic theology and fundamentalism, and allowed them to embrace faith in Christ, and truly experience the agape love of The Father's heart. He was an amazing Scottish writer for whom I will always have the greatest respect for.
In his Unspoken Sermons, MacDonald critiques systematic theology, the false either/ or of Calvinism and Arminianism, different atonement theories , and the view that Christ came to satisfy a wrathful deity that needed to be appeased.
MacDonald rejected that view of penal substitutionary atonement, hell as a state of endless conscious torment, took issue with theologians like Jonathan Edwards, John Calvin, and others, and instead, believed, that through the Incarnation, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth in the first century, we have redemption from sin, and hope in the here and now, and what is to come in the New Jerusalem- Christ came for the rescue of all humanity, and not just an elect.
There is a form of Christian universalism that goes back to Gregory of Nyssa, Origen, and others that MacDonald believed. A modern theologian that holds to this same view is David Bentley Hart. I actually want to read his book That All Shall Be Saved at some point. The belief of a purgatorial cleansing state for everyone to be saved in the end, is quite a hopeful view, and I find it very interesting. I have been thinking about it quite a lot lately, and could possibly be coming close to becoming a hopeful Christian universalist- I haven't fully come to a conclusive view yet though.
My favorite writer, C.S. Lewis, did not fully agree with MacDonald's universalism, as much as he admired the great Scotsman. Interestingly enough though, Lewis rejected the view of endless conscious torment, held to a form of annihilationist, which is portrayed in his fantasy novel The Great Divorce, the last Narnia book, The Last Battle, and his theological work, The Problem of Pain.
MacDonald's books have helped many people deeply wounded by toxic theology and fundamentalism, and allowed them to embrace faith in Christ, and truly experience the agape love of The Father's heart. He was an amazing Scottish writer for whom I will always have the greatest respect for.
May 20, 2014
I am a pastor's daughter, so I have heard my share of sermons. This collection of sermons was truly life-changing for me. Like no one else (other than perhaps Dallas Willard), MacDonald is able to present God in a way that corresponds with reality. His teaching is dense, but full of nourishment. My life truly took on a better quality because of the guidance in this book, becoming a life more in step with our Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Some favorites are the following: "The Fear of God," "Life," "Self-Denial," "The Truth in Jesus," "Inheritance," "The Eloi," and "The Displeasure of Jesus." Really, just read them all. You will not regret it. Even the sermons that do not "hit it out of the park" are very, very good--still full of wisdom, insight, and understanding of life in reality.
Some favorites are the following: "The Fear of God," "Life," "Self-Denial," "The Truth in Jesus," "Inheritance," "The Eloi," and "The Displeasure of Jesus." Really, just read them all. You will not regret it. Even the sermons that do not "hit it out of the park" are very, very good--still full of wisdom, insight, and understanding of life in reality.
May 27, 2023
George MacDonald is a fascinating writer whose works cover a wide range from imaginative fantasy stories to deep reflections on the Christian gospel. This series of sermons is the latter and are beneficial for any Christian to work through. MacDonald's unspoken sermons cover a wide range of topics from the nature of judgment and punishment to the Trinity to our reward from God. I assume MacDonald was a controversial writer in his day, he certainly would be today for he takes pleasure in poking a stick at cherished traditional beliefs. He scoffs at imputation, arguing that it makes no sense, is even unjust, for God to punish Jesus for our crimes. His reflections on adoption gave me a whole different way to think, for he argues that it is wrong to see God as adopting children who are cut off from him, instead we are always God's children, though estranged through sin. On top of all this, MacDonald was a universalist who saw all coming to God through Jesus eventually.
(November 2017) - I've been rereading this as a sort of devotional, about a chapter (i.e. sermon) a day or so. MacDonald is one of my favorites, especially because his influence on the likes of CS Lewis, another of my favorites, is clear. Upon rereading, I most appreciated a few themes that came up over and over. One, MacDonald is less interested in theological debate then in discipleship. For example, he is not impressed with precise theories of the atonement, especially when they take away from actually living as Jesus commanded. Two, MacDonald is not impressed with traditional theology when it does not fit with common sense or scripture. The idea of punishing an innocent person in order to save guilty people (traditional view of atonement) makes no sense to him. Three, MacDonald wants nothing to do with any balance of love and justice, for him, God's love wins. Any sort of punishment or justice must serve love in the end. Maybe because I am reading Greg Boyd's Crucifixion of the Warrior God right now, I see lots of parallels. Fourth, the traditional view of hell is sinister for MacDonald. I think that people like MacDonald and Lewis, who are often honored by evangelicals today, would be more akin to Rob Bell and seen as dangerous, if they were actually alive and writing today.
Anyway, read MacDonald. He's great.
Agree or not, reading MacDonald is rewarding. He greatly influenced Chesterton and Lewis, which makes me ask a question: who are the Christian writers today who write good fiction stories AND also deep theological reflection akin to MacDonald or Lewis? The only one I can think of is Marilynne Robinson. It almost seems like there are two types of people. First are those who gravitate to a more scientific mindset and thus desire a detailed systematic theology that answers nearly all questions. Then there are those who are more mystical, who enjoy and are moved by myth and who gravitate more to fantasy stories and meandering reflections on faith. That is probably a false dichotomy, but it is intriguing to me that people like Lewis, MacDonald and Chesterton never attempted to write a systematic theology.
I think we need both - systematics and imagination. Better yet, in a world obsessed with fantasy and superheroes (see Star Wars, Avengers, etc.) we need a systematic theology informed by deep imagination and mysticism.
At any rate, I highly recommend MacDonald. If you're not a fiction person, read the Unspoken Sermons. But really, give his fiction a try too.
(November 2017) - I've been rereading this as a sort of devotional, about a chapter (i.e. sermon) a day or so. MacDonald is one of my favorites, especially because his influence on the likes of CS Lewis, another of my favorites, is clear. Upon rereading, I most appreciated a few themes that came up over and over. One, MacDonald is less interested in theological debate then in discipleship. For example, he is not impressed with precise theories of the atonement, especially when they take away from actually living as Jesus commanded. Two, MacDonald is not impressed with traditional theology when it does not fit with common sense or scripture. The idea of punishing an innocent person in order to save guilty people (traditional view of atonement) makes no sense to him. Three, MacDonald wants nothing to do with any balance of love and justice, for him, God's love wins. Any sort of punishment or justice must serve love in the end. Maybe because I am reading Greg Boyd's Crucifixion of the Warrior God right now, I see lots of parallels. Fourth, the traditional view of hell is sinister for MacDonald. I think that people like MacDonald and Lewis, who are often honored by evangelicals today, would be more akin to Rob Bell and seen as dangerous, if they were actually alive and writing today.
Anyway, read MacDonald. He's great.
Agree or not, reading MacDonald is rewarding. He greatly influenced Chesterton and Lewis, which makes me ask a question: who are the Christian writers today who write good fiction stories AND also deep theological reflection akin to MacDonald or Lewis? The only one I can think of is Marilynne Robinson. It almost seems like there are two types of people. First are those who gravitate to a more scientific mindset and thus desire a detailed systematic theology that answers nearly all questions. Then there are those who are more mystical, who enjoy and are moved by myth and who gravitate more to fantasy stories and meandering reflections on faith. That is probably a false dichotomy, but it is intriguing to me that people like Lewis, MacDonald and Chesterton never attempted to write a systematic theology.
I think we need both - systematics and imagination. Better yet, in a world obsessed with fantasy and superheroes (see Star Wars, Avengers, etc.) we need a systematic theology informed by deep imagination and mysticism.
At any rate, I highly recommend MacDonald. If you're not a fiction person, read the Unspoken Sermons. But really, give his fiction a try too.
March 3, 2013
I cannot possibly do justice in just a few words to describe how these three volumes have impacted me! For the past 30 years of my life, I have developed a keen fondness for the stories of George MacDonald . . . and have fallen in love with this man who seemed to know the heart of God in such an intimate manner. Since purchasing the complete works of George MacDonald for my Kindle, I have been rediscovering my love for his stories . . . yet also drawn more than ever before by his theology . . . leading me to this three volume set of his Unspoken Sermons.
Reading these volumes has represented the most delightful journey into Christian theology that I have ever experienced. He was harshly judged by his church for his theology, a rejected prophet in his day. But if his teaching were to become less obscure in our day, no doubt he would be equally and harshly condemned by many of our contemporary theologians, indignant at his challenge to the atonement theories that prevail in the 21st century evangelical church. We need only look so far as the recent condemnation faced by Rob Bell when he offered an alternative view of God’s loving judgement. Perhaps it is only in the relative obscurity of MacDonald’s theological works that permit his novels (where his theology is also accessible) to continue to grace the shelves of church libraries everywhere.
It is a pity that MacDonald is not more known for his theological teaching. It would no doubt serve as the same valuable corrective and soothing balm for the judgemental theological correctness of our day as it did for his day. But no doubt the vast majority of us will need to depend on other more familiar names to bring us the spirit of the teaching of this dear man whose deep love for God oozes out everywhere in his teaching.
Christian author Oswald Chambers (1874–1917) wrote that "it is a striking indication of the trend and shallowness of the modern reading public that George MacDonald's books have been so neglected." Thanks to contemporary authors like Michael Phillips, and perhaps also to e-book technology, this is fortunately less the case in the past 30 years than it has been previously.
Here is what C.S. Lewis says about MacDonald's Unspoken Sermons: "This collection, as I have said, was designed not to revive MacDonald's literary reputation but to spread his religious teaching. Hence most of my extracts are taken from the three volumes of Unspoken Sermons. My own debt to this book is almost as great as one man can owe to another: and nearly all serious inquirers to whom I have introduced it acknowledge that it has given them great help—sometimes indispensable help toward the very acceptance of the Christian faith. I know hardly any other writer who seems to be closer, or more continually close, to the Spirit of Christ Himself. Hence his Christ-like union of tenderness and severity. Nowhere else outside the New Testament have I found terror and comfort so intertwined . . . I have never concealed the fact that I regarded him as my master; indeed I fancy I have never written a book in which I did not quote from him. But it has not seemed to me that those who have received my books kindly take even now sufficient notice of the affiliation. Honesty drives me to emphasize it."
MacDonald was able to avoid the dualistic error made by so many of us who have viewed the anger and the love of God as separate and distinct qualities of his nature. MacDonald viewed them as one and the same: “I believe that justice and mercy are simply one and the same thing; without justice to the full there can be no mercy, and without mercy to the full there can be no justice; that such is the mercy of God that he will hold his children in the consuming fire of his distance until they pay the uttermost farthing, until they drop the purse of selfishness with all the dross that is in it, and rush home to the Father and the Son, and the many brethren--rush inside the centre of the life-giving fire whose outer circles burn. I believe that no hell will be lacking which would help the just mercy of God to redeem his children”.
Another favourite author of mine (Dallas Willard) always struck me for his gracious holding of truth. Yet he could be severe when needed. He had no hesitancy in confronting, in his book The Divine Conspiracy, the fundamentalist teaching of a popular theologian of our day – John MacArthur. With similar boldness, MacDonald harshly confronted what he saw as the error of the teaching of one of his most infamous predecessors: “From all copies of Jonathan Edwards's portrait of God, however faded by time, however softened by the use of less glaring pigments, I turn with loathing. Not such a God is he concerning whom was the message John heard from Jesus, that he is light, and in him is no darkness at all (from MacDonald’s sermon Justice)”. The title of Edwards’ infamous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is still frequently quoted today, treated as on a level with inspired scripture, and still influencing 300 years later the minds of believers and unbelievers alike on the character of a harsh and condemning God.
Although I need some time to continue to sift through some of MacDonald’s more controversial doctrines (on atonement and his view that not even the most evil person born may yet be allowed the opportunity for repentance, while requiring perhaps aeons of punishment before he may be willing to come to such repentance), MacDonald is not only one of the most brilliant theologians I have ever read but also one whose writing continues to exude a deep love for his Master. In aspiring to the same love that he had for his God and his diligent hunger for the truth of his God, I continue to regard MacDonald as one of my most important mentors on the Christian journey. I view him as I would a father.
Reading these volumes has represented the most delightful journey into Christian theology that I have ever experienced. He was harshly judged by his church for his theology, a rejected prophet in his day. But if his teaching were to become less obscure in our day, no doubt he would be equally and harshly condemned by many of our contemporary theologians, indignant at his challenge to the atonement theories that prevail in the 21st century evangelical church. We need only look so far as the recent condemnation faced by Rob Bell when he offered an alternative view of God’s loving judgement. Perhaps it is only in the relative obscurity of MacDonald’s theological works that permit his novels (where his theology is also accessible) to continue to grace the shelves of church libraries everywhere.
It is a pity that MacDonald is not more known for his theological teaching. It would no doubt serve as the same valuable corrective and soothing balm for the judgemental theological correctness of our day as it did for his day. But no doubt the vast majority of us will need to depend on other more familiar names to bring us the spirit of the teaching of this dear man whose deep love for God oozes out everywhere in his teaching.
Christian author Oswald Chambers (1874–1917) wrote that "it is a striking indication of the trend and shallowness of the modern reading public that George MacDonald's books have been so neglected." Thanks to contemporary authors like Michael Phillips, and perhaps also to e-book technology, this is fortunately less the case in the past 30 years than it has been previously.
Here is what C.S. Lewis says about MacDonald's Unspoken Sermons: "This collection, as I have said, was designed not to revive MacDonald's literary reputation but to spread his religious teaching. Hence most of my extracts are taken from the three volumes of Unspoken Sermons. My own debt to this book is almost as great as one man can owe to another: and nearly all serious inquirers to whom I have introduced it acknowledge that it has given them great help—sometimes indispensable help toward the very acceptance of the Christian faith. I know hardly any other writer who seems to be closer, or more continually close, to the Spirit of Christ Himself. Hence his Christ-like union of tenderness and severity. Nowhere else outside the New Testament have I found terror and comfort so intertwined . . . I have never concealed the fact that I regarded him as my master; indeed I fancy I have never written a book in which I did not quote from him. But it has not seemed to me that those who have received my books kindly take even now sufficient notice of the affiliation. Honesty drives me to emphasize it."
MacDonald was able to avoid the dualistic error made by so many of us who have viewed the anger and the love of God as separate and distinct qualities of his nature. MacDonald viewed them as one and the same: “I believe that justice and mercy are simply one and the same thing; without justice to the full there can be no mercy, and without mercy to the full there can be no justice; that such is the mercy of God that he will hold his children in the consuming fire of his distance until they pay the uttermost farthing, until they drop the purse of selfishness with all the dross that is in it, and rush home to the Father and the Son, and the many brethren--rush inside the centre of the life-giving fire whose outer circles burn. I believe that no hell will be lacking which would help the just mercy of God to redeem his children”.
Another favourite author of mine (Dallas Willard) always struck me for his gracious holding of truth. Yet he could be severe when needed. He had no hesitancy in confronting, in his book The Divine Conspiracy, the fundamentalist teaching of a popular theologian of our day – John MacArthur. With similar boldness, MacDonald harshly confronted what he saw as the error of the teaching of one of his most infamous predecessors: “From all copies of Jonathan Edwards's portrait of God, however faded by time, however softened by the use of less glaring pigments, I turn with loathing. Not such a God is he concerning whom was the message John heard from Jesus, that he is light, and in him is no darkness at all (from MacDonald’s sermon Justice)”. The title of Edwards’ infamous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is still frequently quoted today, treated as on a level with inspired scripture, and still influencing 300 years later the minds of believers and unbelievers alike on the character of a harsh and condemning God.
Although I need some time to continue to sift through some of MacDonald’s more controversial doctrines (on atonement and his view that not even the most evil person born may yet be allowed the opportunity for repentance, while requiring perhaps aeons of punishment before he may be willing to come to such repentance), MacDonald is not only one of the most brilliant theologians I have ever read but also one whose writing continues to exude a deep love for his Master. In aspiring to the same love that he had for his God and his diligent hunger for the truth of his God, I continue to regard MacDonald as one of my most important mentors on the Christian journey. I view him as I would a father.
April 20, 2015
Without qualification, this is the best work of theological and devotional literature I have ever read. I find it wholly Christian and Spiritual in the best and truest senses of those terms. Whenever I want encouragement, chastisement, spiritual food, or something theologically and antiphilosophically substantial -- I cannot recall ever failing to find all this here on each occasion. I waiver just a moment to speak so highly of any book. But, God help me, this has been the truth of my experience.
June 25, 2021
This book by far is the most brilliant piece of literature I have ever read. Mcdonald’s theoloy intermingled with his love of fiction and poetry produced something truly breathtaking. It surprises me actually, that he has not had as much recognition as he should and it makes me wonder if it is only a matter of time before he is truly discovered. Some already have; Lewis, Tolkien and even Mark Twain to make a start.
I believe Macdonald to be a part of a rare and golden theological thread stretching throughout history. Most theologians seem to offer traits of this thread but only a few seem to really grasp the big picture. Macdonald and this golden thread, understand what it means for God to truly reconcile all things and they are able to behold the infinite reach of the love of God for his creation - beyond even the darkest depths of hell itself. Their theology synthesises the biblical narrative without violating the paradoxical mystery of the divine.
If you’ve been frustrated with the theological half-explanations of things and feel like there are bigger questions to ask, read this book.
I believe Macdonald to be a part of a rare and golden theological thread stretching throughout history. Most theologians seem to offer traits of this thread but only a few seem to really grasp the big picture. Macdonald and this golden thread, understand what it means for God to truly reconcile all things and they are able to behold the infinite reach of the love of God for his creation - beyond even the darkest depths of hell itself. Their theology synthesises the biblical narrative without violating the paradoxical mystery of the divine.
If you’ve been frustrated with the theological half-explanations of things and feel like there are bigger questions to ask, read this book.
April 29, 2009
I've been reading this for ages, and for good reason. I get through a few pages at a time, stumbling backwards afterward with hunger, tears, and remembrance of simpler, more trusting times within my heart. George MacDonald was C.S. Lewis' most profound spiritual mentor, and if you in any way enjoy Lewis' work, I must recommend this book to you.
It's hefty, meaty, and worth the time it takes to spend with it. MacDonald's reflections upon the Presence and love of God, Christ, Man as and for what God has made Him, Nature, and the Holy Spirit show a wisdom and depth that has been ridiculously underappreciated by the general populace. However, I can't say that I don't misunderstand that underappreciation - MacDonald's not necessarily an easy read, and he writes in an older style within which the English language shows flourish, style, and promise it seems to have lost in recent years.
If you have interest in the many ways the Kingdom of God weaves its way through this world, read this book.
It's hefty, meaty, and worth the time it takes to spend with it. MacDonald's reflections upon the Presence and love of God, Christ, Man as and for what God has made Him, Nature, and the Holy Spirit show a wisdom and depth that has been ridiculously underappreciated by the general populace. However, I can't say that I don't misunderstand that underappreciation - MacDonald's not necessarily an easy read, and he writes in an older style within which the English language shows flourish, style, and promise it seems to have lost in recent years.
If you have interest in the many ways the Kingdom of God weaves its way through this world, read this book.
June 2, 2014
These sermons are the deepest writing I have ever read, and probably my favorite book. My wife and I were reading one out loud on a day off in a public park, and we both burst into tears and prayers and had to close the book. "Life" is my favorite sermon, but they are all powerful. I have not read them all, but I have read many of them 2 or 3 times in the past few years.
I qualify this 5-star review by saying that I find MacDonald weird for the open-ended way that he discusses the afterlife—a fault, which, if it is a fault, is shared by C. S. Lewis in The Great Divorce, in which MacDonald is actually a character. Another problem I had was the occasional philosophizing—probably because MacDonald had to explain his views of God's character which were not ordinary in the 1800s! But the unfathomably profound thoughts about God make it entirely worth continuing! MacDonald was obsessed with the heart of God, and if you follow his heart and attitude towards the Father, you cannot go wrong.
As an aside, if you have read Mere Christianity, you will find many statements scattered in these sermons which are repackaged or restated by Lewis, just as The Chronicles of Narnia draws from MacDonald's fantasy novels.
I tell my friends that I would sell everything in my library published after 1950 if I can keep these sermons. Reading each one is like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time.
I qualify this 5-star review by saying that I find MacDonald weird for the open-ended way that he discusses the afterlife—a fault, which, if it is a fault, is shared by C. S. Lewis in The Great Divorce, in which MacDonald is actually a character. Another problem I had was the occasional philosophizing—probably because MacDonald had to explain his views of God's character which were not ordinary in the 1800s! But the unfathomably profound thoughts about God make it entirely worth continuing! MacDonald was obsessed with the heart of God, and if you follow his heart and attitude towards the Father, you cannot go wrong.
As an aside, if you have read Mere Christianity, you will find many statements scattered in these sermons which are repackaged or restated by Lewis, just as The Chronicles of Narnia draws from MacDonald's fantasy novels.
I tell my friends that I would sell everything in my library published after 1950 if I can keep these sermons. Reading each one is like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time.
December 12, 2020
Tomorrow I think I’ll start this book over. There’s no way to put Unspoken Sermons behind you because its truth, beauty, and inspiration will cling to you. The invitation given in this book is to abandon theory, and to instead simply obey God and find Christ. I don’t believe I’ll ever live another day of my life untouched by these sermons. Read them!
May 4, 2022
This is a book I keep going back to. Often dense and difficult to understand - MacDonald's writing style leaves something to be desired - it's still full of gems and wisdom and spiritual insight. MacDonald verges on being a universalist (that is, the doctrine that everyone will eventually be saved, not just those who have their faith in Christ here on earth) and he argues a good case for it without even completely coming out and saying that's what he is. It was plainly something he struggled with throughout his life.
But universalism is just one of his many themes here, and there is a great deal more about living the Christian life than there is about universalism.
But universalism is just one of his many themes here, and there is a great deal more about living the Christian life than there is about universalism.
August 28, 2018
This isn’t the easiest book to read. The language feels overly complicated. But there are incredible nuggets of truth throughout.
“What I want to say and show is that a man will please God better by believing some things that are not told him, than by confining his faith to those things that are expressly said...but is not this dangerous doctrine? Will not a man be taught to believe the things he likes best, even to pray for that which he likes best?.... The danger lies, not in asking from God what is not good, nor even in hoping to receive it from him, but it from him, but in not asking him, in not having him council.”
“What I want to say and show is that a man will please God better by believing some things that are not told him, than by confining his faith to those things that are expressly said...but is not this dangerous doctrine? Will not a man be taught to believe the things he likes best, even to pray for that which he likes best?.... The danger lies, not in asking from God what is not good, nor even in hoping to receive it from him, but it from him, but in not asking him, in not having him council.”
October 23, 2019
I read this book slowly over almost 4 years. Each of these sermons has a lot to chew on, and are beautifully written. C. S. Lewis, in several of his letters, strongly recommends his correspondents to do everything in their power (except stealing) to get hold of a copy; in the time when he was writing, they were out of print and hard to find, but now they are available online. I will most likely start over the book soon.
May 21, 2014
Hard, heavy reading. But worth it. Lots of gems in here.
August 3, 2023
C. S. Lewis said that any sacrifice to having the Unspoken Sermons Series by MacDonald were indeed worth it, except stealing...
I do agree wholeheartedly!!!
A collection of sermons saturated with much light.
I'm very glad to have read them...
For the seeking souls, the thirsty Christians, and the weary and exhausted pilgrim...
Dean;)
PS:
Fhantastes and Lilith, by the same author.
Don't missed them, you won't regret it!
I do agree wholeheartedly!!!
A collection of sermons saturated with much light.
I'm very glad to have read them...
For the seeking souls, the thirsty Christians, and the weary and exhausted pilgrim...
Dean;)
PS:
Fhantastes and Lilith, by the same author.
Don't missed them, you won't regret it!
November 19, 2025
I wanted to start reading again immediately after finishing the last sermon. Our boy George here appears to ignore the bottleneck of language when it comes to expressing his thoughts about God’s heart. Each sermon a tastier morsel than the last, assuming nothing and walking us further down the sweetly narrow path. I would be left wanting more without knowing that God is that more that I caught glimpses of.
January 26, 2025
I can't begin to express what a life-changing, powerful, Spirit- filled book of sermons this is. Probably the most important book about the gospel that I have ever read. This will join The Imitation of Christ and Coverdale's Psalter in my daily readings.
January 29, 2024
At some point in my life I heard that C. S. Lewis had been influenced by George MacDonald. I had read MacDonald's little kid fables (The Light Princess, The Princess and the Goblin, and its sequel) which are hardly the caliber of Lewis, so picked up Phantastes thinking I'd find something wonderful there. I did not and gave up on MacDonald.
Last year I was reading This Boy and His Mother and came across an insightful passage Jenkins' quotes from this book. It looked a bit more approachable than Phantastes and so I added it to my list.
As I started it, though, I have to admit I was disappointed. It didn't really seem follow a logical path, there was a lot of supposition, he lacked a direction. But then, about 4-5 chapters in, either he or I seemed to get it and it became quite impressive and inspiring. This could have inspired Lewis.*
The chapters vary between his self-debates about Biblical translation issues and the meaning and application of various tenets of the Christianity of his day. My favorites were his exploration of forgiveness, judgement, the word "atonement," and prayer. I don't regret my time spent with this book. And that's one of the best commendations I can give.
*But may not have. I don't remember where I got my original info
Last year I was reading This Boy and His Mother and came across an insightful passage Jenkins' quotes from this book. It looked a bit more approachable than Phantastes and so I added it to my list.
As I started it, though, I have to admit I was disappointed. It didn't really seem follow a logical path, there was a lot of supposition, he lacked a direction. But then, about 4-5 chapters in, either he or I seemed to get it and it became quite impressive and inspiring. This could have inspired Lewis.*
The chapters vary between his self-debates about Biblical translation issues and the meaning and application of various tenets of the Christianity of his day. My favorites were his exploration of forgiveness, judgement, the word "atonement," and prayer. I don't regret my time spent with this book. And that's one of the best commendations I can give.
*But may not have. I don't remember where I got my original info
July 10, 2017
Oh my goodness. This far exceeded any expectations I could have had of the book.
I'd tried to read this book several times. His manner of writing is a bit round about and he often starts with some odd and seemingly unimportant detail of the text. For example, in the very first sermon, he makes the claim that the child that Jesus held in his lap was Peter's. I remember thinking... huh? How could we possibly know this and why would it possibly matter? I felt this way about many of the sermons. But by the end, I was always blown away. In fact, it was not at all uncommon for me to feel the need to stop partway through a sermon and just pray and dwell on what was being discussed. It would either be so powerful I couldn't move on or wouldn't dare for fear of forgetting what was stirring within me. This is a pretty big deal to because I am someone who really hates stopping partway through a chapter. I would rather not read than not finish. But this book wouldn't allow me to do that.
What George MacDonald does here is spill out with the heart of God. What I learned through every sermon was who God is and what God desires.
I have begun rereading immediately.
I read on my kindle, and I highlighted so many lines that the highlights are essentially worthless now. In case you are not persuaded to read this just yet, perhaps hearing from George MacDonald himself will be helpful.
"For he regards men not as they are merely, but as they shall be."
"The one use of the Bible is to make us look at jesus, that through him we might know his Father and our Father, his God and our God."
"Forgiveness can never be indifference. Forgiveness is love towards the unlovely."
"Many a man, many a woman, fair and flourishing to see, is going about with a rusty moth-eaten heart within that form of strength or beauty."
"Man's first business is, 'What does God want me to do?' not, "What will God do if I do so and so?'"
"Try not to feel good when thou art not good, but cry to Him who is good."
"Every highest human act is just a giving back to God of that which he first gave to us."
"But let a man once love, and all those difficulties which appeared apposed to love, will just be so many arguments for loving."
"The love that enlarges not its borders, that is not ever spreading and including, and deepening, will contract, shrivel, decay, die."
"But in the working of the Divine Love upon the race, my enemy is doomed to cease to be my enemy, and to become my friend."
"The refusal to look up to God as our Father is the one central wrong in the whole human affair."
"The simplest peasant loving his cow, is more divine than any monarch whose monarchy is his glory."
"God is not bound to punish sin; he is bound to destroy sin."
"God does destroy sin; he is always destroying sin. In him I trust that he is destroying sin in me."
"May we trust God with our past as heartily as with our future."
"Whatever the place [Heaven, or perhaps more broadly, the afterlife] be like, one thing is certain, that there will be endless, infinite atonement, ever-growing love."
I'd tried to read this book several times. His manner of writing is a bit round about and he often starts with some odd and seemingly unimportant detail of the text. For example, in the very first sermon, he makes the claim that the child that Jesus held in his lap was Peter's. I remember thinking... huh? How could we possibly know this and why would it possibly matter? I felt this way about many of the sermons. But by the end, I was always blown away. In fact, it was not at all uncommon for me to feel the need to stop partway through a sermon and just pray and dwell on what was being discussed. It would either be so powerful I couldn't move on or wouldn't dare for fear of forgetting what was stirring within me. This is a pretty big deal to because I am someone who really hates stopping partway through a chapter. I would rather not read than not finish. But this book wouldn't allow me to do that.
What George MacDonald does here is spill out with the heart of God. What I learned through every sermon was who God is and what God desires.
I have begun rereading immediately.
I read on my kindle, and I highlighted so many lines that the highlights are essentially worthless now. In case you are not persuaded to read this just yet, perhaps hearing from George MacDonald himself will be helpful.
"For he regards men not as they are merely, but as they shall be."
"The one use of the Bible is to make us look at jesus, that through him we might know his Father and our Father, his God and our God."
"Forgiveness can never be indifference. Forgiveness is love towards the unlovely."
"Many a man, many a woman, fair and flourishing to see, is going about with a rusty moth-eaten heart within that form of strength or beauty."
"Man's first business is, 'What does God want me to do?' not, "What will God do if I do so and so?'"
"Try not to feel good when thou art not good, but cry to Him who is good."
"Every highest human act is just a giving back to God of that which he first gave to us."
"But let a man once love, and all those difficulties which appeared apposed to love, will just be so many arguments for loving."
"The love that enlarges not its borders, that is not ever spreading and including, and deepening, will contract, shrivel, decay, die."
"But in the working of the Divine Love upon the race, my enemy is doomed to cease to be my enemy, and to become my friend."
"The refusal to look up to God as our Father is the one central wrong in the whole human affair."
"The simplest peasant loving his cow, is more divine than any monarch whose monarchy is his glory."
"God is not bound to punish sin; he is bound to destroy sin."
"God does destroy sin; he is always destroying sin. In him I trust that he is destroying sin in me."
"May we trust God with our past as heartily as with our future."
"Whatever the place [Heaven, or perhaps more broadly, the afterlife] be like, one thing is certain, that there will be endless, infinite atonement, ever-growing love."
August 4, 2025
MacDonald's Unspoken Sermons builds a picture of a simple, childlike faith revolving directly around the gospels. He eschews the common penal substitution model, and many have written that he here favors the Christus Victor theology. Though there are elements of this, his main message seems to be to tear down any presumptuous theology or opinions in favor of this simple childlike faith, and a commitment to obedience. MacDonald spends several chapters discussing, in his very dense and logical style (made very clear and understandable by Baldwin's excellent reading), why he believes penal substitution is a false doctrine.
This was my first MacDonald book, and finding it positive I plan to try Phantastes next.
This was my first MacDonald book, and finding it positive I plan to try Phantastes next.
October 11, 2016
Not completely finished just yet, but I'm pretty sure I'll re-reading this book for the rest of my life, so I'll go ahead and mark it as done.
George MacDonald is my personal hero and these sermons blow my mind with their beauty and wisdom every time. His incredible love for Jesus shines through every word, and his unique perspective had transformed my faith. I can't recommend these highly enough.
If I ever get married I'd like my spouse to at least appreciate MacDonald's approach. The language is archaic to some, but the truths are gloriously timeless!
George MacDonald is my personal hero and these sermons blow my mind with their beauty and wisdom every time. His incredible love for Jesus shines through every word, and his unique perspective had transformed my faith. I can't recommend these highly enough.
If I ever get married I'd like my spouse to at least appreciate MacDonald's approach. The language is archaic to some, but the truths are gloriously timeless!
December 2, 2011
Only read the first series in here, but I plan on re-reading at some point. Three stars because of how difficult his prose is to read. The theology though is excellent. Even if you disagree with his Universalism, he presents a better case than any other writer on the subject I've run across.
Also, if you're a C.S. Lewis lover, you should really read MacDonald. Lewis cribs heavily from him, although he comes up with slightly different conclusions.
Also, if you're a C.S. Lewis lover, you should really read MacDonald. Lewis cribs heavily from him, although he comes up with slightly different conclusions.
September 17, 2010
These sermons hold the theological keys to unlock all of MacDonalds fantasies, novels, and childrens stories. The only trouble is that the language takes a bit of getting used to. But once I became familar with MacDonalds style, my life has never been the same. I am helplessly addicted. I have read a number of these sermons over a dozen times.
I will never finish reading MacDonald...
I will never finish reading MacDonald...
January 7, 2011
The only way that Christianity makes any sense whatsoever :)
A beautiful man, a beautiful vision
A beautiful man, a beautiful vision
October 2, 2024
George Macdonald writes beautifully, some of these are absolutely the best I've ever seen. While acknowledging his words will always fall short of capturing the truth of Love, the way he yearns to paint Christ--orchestrating 4-5 pages on one or two verses--gave me a glimpse of what Jeremiah 33:3 is about.
I suspect the reason he isn't well known has to do with his difficult writing, some of which required reading two or three times over to grasp its meaning fully.
That being said, however, I did find some of his theology to be on the curious side, as in--based more on his intellectual wishful thinking than on plain Scripture? Let me clarify. He did get a lot of mileage out of a single verse, sometimes two, much of which seemed to me to come only from one whose insight is gained after Christ as inspiration. But for some aspects of doctrine, he seems to have confused his own internal voice for meaning that contradicts the analogy of the Bible (this includes the parable of the weeds, the fishnet, the sheep and the goats, etc) in his explanation supporting universalism. I.e., he entirely dismissed or changed the meaning of the words "eternal" and "everlasting" in order to accommodate his idea that, once the punishment of the sinner (the vision of himself) takes effect in hell, he then begins to grow into redemption...in hell, yeah...
In other places, he advocates for the rejection of any action from God that seems to us to be morally appalling. In short, if the action seems illegitimate because it violates our ineluctable moral compass, then God could not have performed it. To me, this means I have to doubt Scripture instead of submitting myself to some texts I might not be able to understand on this side of Grace (See God's response to Job). And to be fair, he does (sort of) concede to the latter:
"I acknowledge no authority calling upon me to believe a thing of God, which I could not be a man and believe right in my fellow-man. I will accept no explanation of any way of God which explanation involves what I should scorn as false and unfair in a man ... If it be said that God does a thing, and the thing seems to be unjust, then either I do not know what the thing is, or God does not do it. The saying cannot mean what it seems to mean, or the saying is not true."
I appreciate his voiced reluctance to put forth yet another doctrine in place of the ones he vehemently objected to. Though I disagree with his universalism ideas, however beautifully he wrote them without naming it a doctrine per se, I agree with the point he tried to emphasize the most throughout: that faith and obedience are indisputably tied, and those professing the Christian faith should focus more on following the steps of Jesus outside than arguing about the semantics of doctrine in their enclosed, exclusive religious temples.
Some of the reviews I read here reflect my feelings on some sermons, so I included them below:
"The part that was the most troubling to me was the section entitled 'Justice.' He writes very strongly against the idea of substitutionary atonement, but, as far as I could tell, he doen't give anything in the way of biblical justification for rejecting this doctrine. Since his position requires the reinterpretation (if not outright rejection) of large portions of Scripture you'd expect him to have more of a justification than the fact that is seems wrong to him ... He just called the idea a lie and left it at that."
"On one hand, MacDonald's command of the English language is on full display ... Unfortunately, so are some of his more heterodox positions. That said, when he's 'on' theologically, he's very much 'on.' The best example of this is, I think, the chapter on Forgiveness. One minute, he's thundering about the glory of the Gospel with such clarity and beauty that it brings tears to the eyes, and the next, he's floating a stinky bit of eisegesis or a non-sequitur about God's character. A good read, but one that requires some discernment."
"Perhaps it is just as well that these are Unspoken Sermons because I doubt that anyone would have the attention span to follow one in a church setting..."
I suspect the reason he isn't well known has to do with his difficult writing, some of which required reading two or three times over to grasp its meaning fully.
That being said, however, I did find some of his theology to be on the curious side, as in--based more on his intellectual wishful thinking than on plain Scripture? Let me clarify. He did get a lot of mileage out of a single verse, sometimes two, much of which seemed to me to come only from one whose insight is gained after Christ as inspiration. But for some aspects of doctrine, he seems to have confused his own internal voice for meaning that contradicts the analogy of the Bible (this includes the parable of the weeds, the fishnet, the sheep and the goats, etc) in his explanation supporting universalism. I.e., he entirely dismissed or changed the meaning of the words "eternal" and "everlasting" in order to accommodate his idea that, once the punishment of the sinner (the vision of himself) takes effect in hell, he then begins to grow into redemption...in hell, yeah...
In other places, he advocates for the rejection of any action from God that seems to us to be morally appalling. In short, if the action seems illegitimate because it violates our ineluctable moral compass, then God could not have performed it. To me, this means I have to doubt Scripture instead of submitting myself to some texts I might not be able to understand on this side of Grace (See God's response to Job). And to be fair, he does (sort of) concede to the latter:
"I acknowledge no authority calling upon me to believe a thing of God, which I could not be a man and believe right in my fellow-man. I will accept no explanation of any way of God which explanation involves what I should scorn as false and unfair in a man ... If it be said that God does a thing, and the thing seems to be unjust, then either I do not know what the thing is, or God does not do it. The saying cannot mean what it seems to mean, or the saying is not true."
I appreciate his voiced reluctance to put forth yet another doctrine in place of the ones he vehemently objected to. Though I disagree with his universalism ideas, however beautifully he wrote them without naming it a doctrine per se, I agree with the point he tried to emphasize the most throughout: that faith and obedience are indisputably tied, and those professing the Christian faith should focus more on following the steps of Jesus outside than arguing about the semantics of doctrine in their enclosed, exclusive religious temples.
Some of the reviews I read here reflect my feelings on some sermons, so I included them below:
"The part that was the most troubling to me was the section entitled 'Justice.' He writes very strongly against the idea of substitutionary atonement, but, as far as I could tell, he doen't give anything in the way of biblical justification for rejecting this doctrine. Since his position requires the reinterpretation (if not outright rejection) of large portions of Scripture you'd expect him to have more of a justification than the fact that is seems wrong to him ... He just called the idea a lie and left it at that."
"On one hand, MacDonald's command of the English language is on full display ... Unfortunately, so are some of his more heterodox positions. That said, when he's 'on' theologically, he's very much 'on.' The best example of this is, I think, the chapter on Forgiveness. One minute, he's thundering about the glory of the Gospel with such clarity and beauty that it brings tears to the eyes, and the next, he's floating a stinky bit of eisegesis or a non-sequitur about God's character. A good read, but one that requires some discernment."
"Perhaps it is just as well that these are Unspoken Sermons because I doubt that anyone would have the attention span to follow one in a church setting..."
November 12, 2018
This is hands down one of my favorite apologetics/theology reads ever. There were many occasions where George MacDonald has put into words truths that I have had strong inklings of for some time though hadn’t grasped fully enough to express. Kindred spirit here. I finally see why C. S. Lewis called him his master. I addition to Lewis, I saw multiple inspirational moments for Tolkien in this work - or at least strong consistencies in worldview. I will be reading this book a second time.
November 14, 2023
Beautiful and thought provoking.
In reading this book, I was most interested in reading his sermons on hell and ultimate redemption (which were fantastic) - but what I think I left with is a deeper conviction of God’s commitment to his creation, and his unwavering love for humanity.
MacDonald has a masterful way of inspiring hope in God’s will to save and ultimately redeem and restore all of creation… while also not negating the consequences of sin, the coming judgement, the need for repentance and also the necessity of the incarnation, life and death of Jesus.
Instead of cherry picking and throwing out verses that speak of judgement, hell, and being cast to outer darkness to fit his view… he includes them and holds together the idea that each of these could be use as a means of bringing men to repentance. His portrait of hell (which echoes the eastern orthodox view) as a purifying and refining fire, and of judgement as something ultimately restorative resonates with me, and is something I think we should all dare hope to be true.
Of course, this is not the only topic within the series of sermons, but it was the topic that interested me the most. The most highlighted sermons for me were probably The Consuming Fire, The Higher Faith, Love Thy Neighbour and Justice. I will definitely be revisiting these sermons for years to come.
It took me a while to settle into George’s style of writing, and I had to go through it pretty slow. Some sentences were a paragraph long, and was hard to track with at times with the old English. The large font of this edition was helpful, but still, some sermons I really had to just power through. Overall, Unspoken Sermons is sort of like an aged wine readers should slowly sip on, so as not to miss the nuances and subtleties of what is being shared.
The foreword from Jersak and introduction Cruger were good. There wasn’t much for footnotes. I could see where editions with smaller font might be tougher to read.
In reading this book, I was most interested in reading his sermons on hell and ultimate redemption (which were fantastic) - but what I think I left with is a deeper conviction of God’s commitment to his creation, and his unwavering love for humanity.
MacDonald has a masterful way of inspiring hope in God’s will to save and ultimately redeem and restore all of creation… while also not negating the consequences of sin, the coming judgement, the need for repentance and also the necessity of the incarnation, life and death of Jesus.
Instead of cherry picking and throwing out verses that speak of judgement, hell, and being cast to outer darkness to fit his view… he includes them and holds together the idea that each of these could be use as a means of bringing men to repentance. His portrait of hell (which echoes the eastern orthodox view) as a purifying and refining fire, and of judgement as something ultimately restorative resonates with me, and is something I think we should all dare hope to be true.
Of course, this is not the only topic within the series of sermons, but it was the topic that interested me the most. The most highlighted sermons for me were probably The Consuming Fire, The Higher Faith, Love Thy Neighbour and Justice. I will definitely be revisiting these sermons for years to come.
It took me a while to settle into George’s style of writing, and I had to go through it pretty slow. Some sentences were a paragraph long, and was hard to track with at times with the old English. The large font of this edition was helpful, but still, some sermons I really had to just power through. Overall, Unspoken Sermons is sort of like an aged wine readers should slowly sip on, so as not to miss the nuances and subtleties of what is being shared.
The foreword from Jersak and introduction Cruger were good. There wasn’t much for footnotes. I could see where editions with smaller font might be tougher to read.
December 13, 2020
I picked this up because I had heard how much C.S. Lewis respected and learned from MacDonald. I can see how many of these thoughts were passed on to Lewis' writings.
Unfortunately, this collection of sermons seemed pretty hit-or-miss to me. There are some sections here that were of tremendous encouragement such as "The New Name" where he talks about the gift of the white stone in the book of Revelation, but then there are other sections such as "The Displeasure of Jesus" where he seems to pick up a strange interpretation and run full speed with it.
The part that was the most troubling to me was the section entitled "Justice". He writes very strongly against the idea of substitutionary atonement, but, as far as I could tell, he doesn't give anything in the way of biblical justification for rejecting this doctrine. Since his position requires the reinterpretation (if not outright rejection) of large portions of Scripture you'd expect him to have more of a justification than the fact that it seems wrong to him. However, unless I'm missing something, he just called the idea a lie and left it at that.
So for me, this was a very mixed bag. Much of the book I found very troubling, but other parts were a deep encouragement.
Unfortunately, this collection of sermons seemed pretty hit-or-miss to me. There are some sections here that were of tremendous encouragement such as "The New Name" where he talks about the gift of the white stone in the book of Revelation, but then there are other sections such as "The Displeasure of Jesus" where he seems to pick up a strange interpretation and run full speed with it.
The part that was the most troubling to me was the section entitled "Justice". He writes very strongly against the idea of substitutionary atonement, but, as far as I could tell, he doesn't give anything in the way of biblical justification for rejecting this doctrine. Since his position requires the reinterpretation (if not outright rejection) of large portions of Scripture you'd expect him to have more of a justification than the fact that it seems wrong to him. However, unless I'm missing something, he just called the idea a lie and left it at that.
So for me, this was a very mixed bag. Much of the book I found very troubling, but other parts were a deep encouragement.
May 17, 2012
Perhaps it is just as well that these are Unspoken Sermons because I doubt that anyone would have the attention span to follow one in a church setting. That being said, MacDonald's theology is wonderfully liberating from the tyranny of dogma and his work always shines forth the love of God pre-eminently.
As he tackles each thought, he looks at it from every facet like a gem cutter with a precious stone and always, Christ shines through. This is not a quick or easy read so I find it best to set it aside for a while between readings and come back to it with fresh eyes (it doesn't help that the copy I have is one of the 'print on demand' books with small type face and tight margins). Perhaps it is not the best choice of reading for morning devotional reading when the coffee hasn't quite kicked in yet, but I'll definitely come back to it again and again until I've worked through it completely.
In the midst of all his ponderings there are some thoughts that are really good nuggets of truth worth holding on to - I'm wondering if those are the excerpts that C.S. Lewis included in his anthology of MacDonald's works.
As he tackles each thought, he looks at it from every facet like a gem cutter with a precious stone and always, Christ shines through. This is not a quick or easy read so I find it best to set it aside for a while between readings and come back to it with fresh eyes (it doesn't help that the copy I have is one of the 'print on demand' books with small type face and tight margins). Perhaps it is not the best choice of reading for morning devotional reading when the coffee hasn't quite kicked in yet, but I'll definitely come back to it again and again until I've worked through it completely.
In the midst of all his ponderings there are some thoughts that are really good nuggets of truth worth holding on to - I'm wondering if those are the excerpts that C.S. Lewis included in his anthology of MacDonald's works.
September 3, 2018
I became acquainted with MacDonald through his fiction, which I thoroughly enjoyed. This was my first exploration of his theology, which is simultaneously challenging and encouraging. These are not sermons to lightly skim; they necessitate time and reflection and a willingness to question the veracity of one’s own beliefs. MacDonald is fierce and bold and compassionate, all at once. One can see why he was condemned in his day (and still today by many) as a theological outlaw. His rejection of all atonement theories, along with imputed righteousness, would land him outside the camp of orthodoxy. Hate him or love him, he is a theological force to be reckoned with. If you’re up for a challenge, look no further.
December 9, 2008
A Classic by George MacDonald. If you've never read any of his non-fiction, this is the one to pick up.
He ends every chapter with a prayer. The most beautiful I found was this:
"O Father, thou art All-in-all, perfect beyond the longing of thy children, and we are altogether thine. Thou wilt make us pure and loving and free. We shall stand fearless in thy presence, becasue perfect in thy love. Then shall thy children be of good cheer, infinite in the love of each other, and thy eternal love. Lord Jesus, let the heart of a child be given to us, that so we may arise from the grave of our dead selves and die no more, but see face to face, the God of the Living."
He ends every chapter with a prayer. The most beautiful I found was this:
"O Father, thou art All-in-all, perfect beyond the longing of thy children, and we are altogether thine. Thou wilt make us pure and loving and free. We shall stand fearless in thy presence, becasue perfect in thy love. Then shall thy children be of good cheer, infinite in the love of each other, and thy eternal love. Lord Jesus, let the heart of a child be given to us, that so we may arise from the grave of our dead selves and die no more, but see face to face, the God of the Living."
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