BOWEN, John, Dare Booklets, IVCF Canada. Hamilton, Ontario, 1997-2000. Each of these only costs $5 Canadian, and can be ordered from a bookshop or online (Bowen's Books). These nine introductions to Christian faith are in readable language suited for a younger generation of inquirers. The reprints of the earlier booklets will indicate their popularity.

1 Becoming a Christian: A Practical Guide to the Why and the How, 1997, 1998, 2001. Bowen offers seven different starting points into faith : wanting to know, a sense of emptiness, the pursuit of truth, a longing for reality in religion, fear of death, a sense of guilt, pain and being hurt.

2 The School of Jesus: A Beginners' Guide to Living as a Christian, 1997, 1999, 2000. Here the approach is through becoming a disciple or learner in a community or school of the Holy Spirit.

3 Jesus the Only Way? Why Christians Seem Arrogant?1997, 1998. The study of comparative religion raises three objections to claims for Jesus' exclusiveness (arrogance, it cannot be true, it leads to oppression).

4 Does God Care? A Christian Perspective on Evil and Suffering, 1997, 1998, 1999. There are some answers in terms of freedom, pain, evil, anger, and what we can do. But we have to admit that the problem of suffering is still beyond us.

5 Love: Is it Worth the Hassle? 1997, 1998, 1999. Faced with the experience of falling in love, Robert Sternberg, C.Lewis, and Scott Peck, offer some helpful definitions.

6 Jesus is Alive: Elvis is Alive: What's the Difference?1997, 1998. For those smitten with Elvis Presley, here are some good questions and contrasts to ponder.

7 The Spirituality of Jesus: And the Dangers of Religion, 1998, 1999. What do we do about the current "anti-religion, pro-spirituality movement"? And what is genuine Christian spirituality?

8 The Gospel According to Robin Williams: Jesus Answers to Robin' Questions, 1999. John Bowen says that "One of the ways God communicates with us today is through movies." I can't think of a better booklet to give to a movie goer.

9 Finding the Story to Live By: Christianity Rediscovered, 2000. For people who love a story (and can't stand heavy theology) here is another way in to Christian faith.



A good archer will have arrows ready pointed and feathered for the occasion. Every church library could do with a set of Bowen's arrows for each kind of questioner. Perhaps I could ask for a tenth arrow for the quiver.

Many people who never attend church have experiences of thankfulness for the Father's love. Others have had awesome "I and Thou" (Martin Buber) encounters with the Son of God. And not only the Greeks but the aboriginal tribes of North America, and those saved from alcoholism through the Higher Power of AA have known inspiration and inner strengthen from what we call the Holy Spirit. A booklet that could interpret those experiences, and relate them to the Trinitarian faith of the Bible would be very useful. But it might not be welcome in some evangelical circles.


model theology home | essays and articles | books | sermons | letters to surfers | comments