A well-researched, distinctly Christian guidebook for finding peace in an era of violence and anxiety.
A Christian author offers advice for the faithful on how to obtain peace.
In the book’s opening lines, Dickerson writes that “we live in a state of war,” as international, political, interpersonal, and even internal conflict define life in the 21st century. A devout Christian, Dickerson traces the roots of contemporary fears and anxiety to Satan, “the prince of scammers,” who has deceived people into following false avenues of obtaining inner peace. The author contends that the idolatry of pursuing money, nurturing grudges, and refusing to offer forgiveness plague modern society at all levels, from the personal to the geopolitical. True and “deep inner peace” (or “shalom” in Hebrew), the book argues, comes only from Jesus. Thus, the author is adamant this it is “not a self-help book,” as he believes “self-guided efforts” without the help of Jesus are doomed to fail. It does, though, provide practical advice to the Christian faithful on how to find peace by following in the footsteps of Jesus and his followers. Using biblical anecdotes, such as examples of Matthew the Tax Collector, Simon the Zealot, Mary, and Martha, Dickerson makes the case for radical, life-changing love. If warfare is inherently spiritual (a result of the sinfulness of humanity), we can only find victory by using the strategy of Jesus. “His weapons were the cross and selfless love,” writes the author, adding, “he tells us that we must love—even our enemies.”
While profoundly Christian in its approach, the book defies some of the prominent ideas that drive mainstream American evangelicalism. For one, Dickerson is adamant against “the illusion that we are living in a Christian nation that needs to be defended from the ungodly.” Another is his rejection of the trope that after death, “our souls then rise to heaven or sink to hell,” as he connects those notions to Anglo-Saxon paganism. Though the underlying message may not resonate with non-Christian readers, it’s generally ecumenical in referencing Christian authors and perspectives across multiple denominational lines. Its engaging, but learned, prose is rife with references to a range of Christian thinkers from Augustine to modern scholars, and it’s peppered throughout with inspirational illustrations, photographs, poetry, and lyrics to hymns, like the classical Irish song “Be Thou My Vision.” This is a rare work that would appeal to academic, ministerial, and lay Christian audiences alike, featuring both a solid research bibliography and references to pop culture. With a Ph.D. in medieval history from Cornell and an MDiv degree from Princeton, Dickerson has a solid understanding of Christian history and theology that emphasizes nuance and introspection, often calling out Christians themselves for failing to live up to Christ’s message of peace. He frequently draws upon contemporary examples; in discussing Russia’s war against Ukraine, for instance, Dickerson notes how the Russian Orthodox bishop Kirill has used his Church to justify a “holy war” that uses “secular force to impose his version of Christian morality.” Despite its well-written narrative, the book could have used a closer editorial eye; it’s sometimes repetitive, with some sentences appearing word-for-word on different pages. This critique notwithstanding, Dickerson offers Christian readers a thoughtful work that both affirms their faith while challenging them to live up to their religious ideals.
A well-researched, distinctly Christian guidebook for finding peace in an era of violence and anxiety.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2025
ISBN: 9798385249381
Page Count: 126
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: July 16, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A virtuoso performance and an ode to an undervalued medium created by two talented artists.
The veteran actor, comedian, and banjo player teams up with the acclaimed illustrator to create a unique book of cartoons that communicates their personalities.
Martin, also a prolific author, has always been intrigued by the cartoons strewn throughout the pages of the New Yorker. So when he was presented with the opportunity to work with Bliss, who has been a staff cartoonist at the magazine since 1997, he seized the moment. “The idea of a one-panel image with or without a caption mystified me,” he writes. “I felt like, yeah, sometimes I’m funny, but there are these other weird freaks who are actually funny.” Once the duo agreed to work together, they established their creative process, which consisted of working forward and backward: “Forwards was me conceiving of several cartoon images and captions, and Harry would select his favorites; backwards was Harry sending me sketched or fully drawn cartoons for dialogue or banners.” Sometimes, he writes, “the perfect joke occurs two seconds before deadline.” There are several cartoons depicting this method, including a humorous multipanel piece highlighting their first meeting called “They Meet,” in which Martin thinks to himself, “He’ll never be able to translate my delicate and finely honed droll notions.” In the next panel, Bliss thinks, “I’m sure he won’t understand that the comic art form is way more subtle than his blunt-force humor.” The team collaborated for a year and created 150 cartoons featuring an array of topics, “from dogs and cats to outer space and art museums.” A witty creation of a bovine family sitting down to a gourmet meal and one of Dumbo getting his comeuppance highlight the duo’s comedic talent. What also makes this project successful is the team’s keen understanding of human behavior as viewed through their unconventional comedic minds.
A virtuoso performance and an ode to an undervalued medium created by two talented artists.Pub Date: Nov. 17, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-26289-9
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Celadon Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
PERSPECTIVES
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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