Rick Warren; The Purpose Driven Life

[SFG75]

This book has been out for a long time. The Purpose Driven Life has been a wildly successful book in the U.S. Criticism of it occurs on two levels. Some like Bill Maher treat it like smarmy, feel good generalizations, while some devout Christians argue that it teaches a false promise of deeds over creeds. Has anyone read it and what do you think?

 

[Peder]

To answer your question, Scott: No, I am not familiar with that particular book.

But I do think that every person owes it to themself to consider just what they are hoping to accomplish with the life that they are living. Life is not very long, even though it might seem that there is all the time in the world. And life can end much sooner than one might imagine, even though one cannot imagine it.

Finally, no matter what others might say, it is not their thoughts that ultimately count, in my opinion. It is one's self that one has to be comfortable with.

Google tells me that Scorates said: "The unexamined life is not woirth living."
To me that has the ring of truth.

 

[litera9]

I read this book when I was younger.It certainly sparked a deeper faith, especially in understanding the different elements. But as I have matured in age and faith, I found it to be shallower, and full of inconsistencies I do think that there are some problems in his theology.
Despite my disagreements with that, I do respect Warren because of his drive and the work he's done for both the church and the world.

 

[SFG75]

Most books like this are written along a them of "believe this or else...." or "we are right , here is why...." I guess that I find it intriguing in that it is written completely along a different set of lines. Warren approaches his argument with how belief is a benefit to you and what the ultimate purpose is for you in the larger scheme of things. It can be a bit of a nuanced view I suppose, but it is quite different and perhaps that is why the book is such a huge top seller. He has attracted criticism in that this style makes his book very catchy to read, but doctrinally "light" when it comes to specific beliefs. I'm half way through the book now. I ran across a passage about baptism being an outward sign of fath, but that you are actually saved upon taking God into your life personally(i.e.-"Being saved") is more important. I think there are some people who would argue with that. And yes, it is hard to take one entire world view and say that it is entirely compatible for everyone(one size fits all?) With that being said, he is definitely showing a kinder, gentler, side of apologetics and arguing for the faith.

 

[753C]

Rick Warren has been heavily criticized by a lot of evangelicals for presenting a watered down "people pleasing" Gospel. People forget that newcomers to the Christian faith are not likely to be able to digest a complex systematic theology text. They need basics and fundamental principles. Even in the first Gentile church the apostles provided a similar "Starter" system at the Jerusalem council, with the knowledge that the new converts would eventually hear all of Moses preached.

I think books like the purpose driven life serve an important purpose. Like Litera said it helped set the stage for his exploration of weightier matters of faith.