A Scandalous Freedom

June 14, 2004
The best radio-show hosts speak not to a group of people but to individuals—listeners feel the show is just for them. Brown (Born Free
), a Presbyterian seminary professor, former pastor and host of the Key Life
radio program, uses that approach to fine effect as he encourages Christians to celebrate their absolute freedom. Conversational, lighthearted and full of funny lines (and a few urban legends presented as fact), Brown's writing nevertheless conveys deep truth: believers too often stagger beneath a burden of behavior forced on them by other Christians, a standard that God does not require. "I fear too often the church has become an organization of guilty people with a guilty preacher standing in the pulpit, telling guilty people that they should feel guiltier," he writes. The oppressed and their oppressors miss the power of authenticity, especially the freedom to fail, the joy of God's complete forgiveness and the boldness it brings. God's liberty also lets Christians embrace those with whom they disagree. Brown illustrates the point in one of his best anecdotes, recalling his relationship with Tony Campolo. Brown's honesty about his own failings drives his points home. This book has the power to help Christian believers who have been struggling to march in a straight line to leap up and dance.

August 1, 2004
Brown's message is bold and emphatic: the gospel is a message of freedom that reverberates in various facets of human life. Yet far too many Christians live under a burden of guilt, fear, and religious bondage. Brown, who is a radio broadcaster and seminary professor, focuses directly on presenting this message of freedom in its multidimensional aspects so that others might discover the liberating experience of the gospel. Examples of chapter titles, e.g., "The Freedom We Surrender...and the Heritage That Sets Us Free," give an indication of how the book proceeds. Brown writes in an appealing style that includes numerous illustrations to accentuate his points. His book covers a needed area in the literature. Recommended for academic libraries. John Jaeger, Dallas Baptist Univ.

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.