20 August 2014

Book Review: Beautiful Outlaw

Beautiful Outlaw (2011) by John Eldridge is an excellent treatment of the humanity of Christ. Eldridge points his reader to the humanity of Christ, the ruddiness of him. I tend toward the tradition that bristles at books like this one. The risen Christ is majestic (he is) and unapproachable (he is not). Unfortunately, in focusing so much upon the divinity of Christ, it is easy to miss his humanity.  This book may be one of the better explorations of the humanity, the personhood of Jesus. Reflecting on biblical story after biblical story, Eldridge shows the reader that Jesus was not some aloof, distant sage, but a man who felt things, a man who engaged with the people around him.  There were some things in the book that seem a little goofy to me (e.g., his son seeing Jesus in a pirate hat), but I wonder if that was not a little bit of Eldridge's point, to see the playfulness and approachability of Jesus. 

More than anything, I found myself challenged to begin asking people "Who is Jesus?" and "What does Jesus think of you?" I would recommend this book if you are interested in exploring the humanity of Christ in more depth.

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