John Eldredge
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 614
Average rating: 4.0 of 5
Not Christian; it's a "Pop Psychology" 1 out of 5 stars.
0 of 3 people found this review helpful.
/ WILD AT HEART (WAH) by John Eldredge
John Eldredge is not a Christian, but he does like to put on the act, because when one is selling Pop Psychology by way of personal testimony, the foreshortened theological propositions must be couched in terms of personal conviction. One need only indicate that the Error of Ecclecticism is evident in WAH, because Theology and Psychology do not share a commonality of core assumptives. His greatest asset is the vast number of unthinking readers who follow populist movements for New Age delusions, such as Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret" and Gary Zukav's "Seat of the Soul" and it is indicated by the typical review which indicates an epidemic of Americans who don't actually think. They "feel" and they continually confuse FEELING with THINKING.
They will tell readers that People-either-Love-or-Hate-the-book. Obviously, not everybody "thinks". They have been educated only to "feel". Only in such an environment can an author actually deny Jesus Christ, yet still be regarded as a Christian.
Many reviewers have indicated that Eldredge seems to repeat the Robert Bly memes regarding "Iron John" and that is probably true, since New Age authors frequently perpetuate the ...er....paradigm. However, careful reading will show that Eldredge is perpetuating the Pop Psychology and THERAPY-SPEAK of Abraham Maslow, who died 20 years before Robert Bly published his "Iron John".
In this regard, it is important to understand that Maslow's Pop Psychology was an attempt to RE-INVENT religion, even if it means turning religion entirely upside down. Maslow called it "SELF-ACTUALIZATION" and careful comparison will show that Eldredge simply repeats Maslow's meme.
For example, there were Ten basic principles identified by Maslow and the critical principle to reverse the Theological doctrine of Original Sin, was Maslow's meme that "MAN IS BASICALLY GOOD, NOT EVIL". Thereafter, everything Maslow writes is a proposal that the NATURAL MAN is the equivalent of the SPIRITUAL man of the Holy Bible.
John Eldrege picks up the proverbial Pop Psychology ball, and has run it into the End Zone for a touchdown. Of course, that his Pop Psychology is irrational, inconsistent, and contrary to Christianity goes without saying.
In writing this review, I wanted a fresh approach. It isn't necessary to point out that the theology is flawed, because sufficient reviewers have identified the flawed theology and unChristian doctrine. I wanted to address more the psychological approaches of Gnosticism itself.
Many years ago, I was struck by the proposition that there are few new ideas in human history. Instead, we only see the same old ideas repeated over and over. Ideas literally do recycle.
New Age works like "Wild at Heart" have all of the hallmarks of ancient heretical gnosticism. In this perspective, fact will show that
(1) WAH claims to be Christian
(2) WAH redefines Christian terminology
(3) WAH ignores doctrinal propositions e.g. Sin or reinterprets the doctrine.
(4) WAH identifies vague goals, but the goals are most certainly earthly goals, rather than heavenly goals.
(5) WAH mocks Jesus Christ, while claiming to teach Christ
Most certainly, John Eldredge does not teach "Jesus Christ" and salvation by grace. In fact, Eldredge is not even teaching SALVATION, or rebirth "from above. This is why it is essential to identify Eldredges "gospel" as a Pop Psychology first. This is where Maslow's meme, that "MAN IS BASICALLY GOOD, NOT EVIL" becomes apparent.
Eldredge, no less than Abraham Maslow, is simply affirming the NATURAL MAN, casting aside traditional Christian doctrine.
There are reasons why this is effective and works for John Eldredge. For one thing, Eldredge is not selling a TRUTH. Eldredge is selling a convenience, which is what a "Pop Psychology" is. It doesn't last long, but while it does last, a lot of money can be made, and a lot of prestige can be acquired.
It is not unlike a popular novel by John Updike from years back, "Rabbit Run" where a character was describing the philosophy of a fast food restaurant, saying; "Spare the meat, and give'em the grease."
In this sense, "Pop Psychologies" like WAH are the Fast Food Franchises of human ideology. Obviously, they are going to be unhealthy. Moreover, that the Blind-Lead-The-Blind is a proverbialism is also apparent.
I believe however, that there are benefits derived when careful readers observe the workings of the mechanism of New Age or Gnostic enterprises. Eldredge frequently employs ridicule of Churches and of Christians generally, to prepare the image of his following as innovators of a nouveaux radical chic. The game of "insider trading" is ideologically astute of Eldredge, even if phony as hell.
The oldest game of hucksterism in the proverbial book, is to teach people that they are "sick" or that they "have a problem". That established, it isn't very difficult to sell them the "solution" or "cure".
*ANOTHER POP PSYCHOLOGY*
So Eldredge perpetuates another Self-Help POP PSYCHOLOGY, that of THOMAS A. HARRIS, MD who authored "I'M OK, YOU'RE OK" and which made the New York Times BEST SELLER list in 1972.
"I'M OK, YOU'RE OK" is a guide to what is known as TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS, which is important to know in order to understand the works of John Eldredge, because what Eldredge does is offer a TRANSACTION. One part of the transactionis to identify the blanket status of being OKAY-JUST-AS-YOU-ARE upon everybody. It is also a contractual arrangement in which he proposes to act like a "MAN," and his readers propose to learn the act of "MANLINESS" from the author.
All such Pop Psychologies intend to Re-Invent-the-Wheel of Religion.
So there really is nothing new in WAH. It's a rehash of earlier POP PSYCHOLGIES and a bit of THERAPIST-TURNED-GURU by way of Theology Patterning, or at least a presumption that it is derived in some vague sense from the Holy Bible.
Judging the tree by its fruit serves as an excellent moral. Jesus Christ taught his followers:
"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give."--Matthew 10:8, KJV
There is no FREE GIVING here, because what Eldredge sells, he hasn't acquired from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Eldredge advances a solipsist doctrine premised upon something referred to as HEART, which is suitably vague, because when all you have to market is hot air and rhetoric, nobody comes away with anything deeper than a sense of emotional intoxication.
*FAILURE TO IDENTIFY GOOD & EVIL
( or, The Common New Age omission )
One the the key distinctions of genuine Christian writing, is that without qualification, Good & Evil are identified with specificity. Not so with New Age writings however. In the New Age writings and seminars, Good & Evil are never identified. If for example, Eldredge recognized Good & Evil, his followers would have to fault themselves for their shortcomings and hold themselves accountable to God, but there's no money in that, so why bother.
Neither can Eldredge actually suggest that his followers change themselves, because that would involve an identifiable principle, and require an objective moral standard.
No, Eldredge calls for people to change not at all in terms of reality, but merely to shift their perceptions around, and thereby manipulate appearances so that the individual is made to appear a victim of history, a victim of family, a victim of relationships, a victim of modern culture, a victim of gender stereotypes, a victim of religion and church, ad infinitum.
Thereafter, all the sheep have to do is to point to the flaws outside themsvelves and proclaim they are fixed.
---In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Bruce R. Bain
Editorial Review:
God designed men to be dangerous, says John Eldredge. Simply look at the dreams and desires written in the heart of every boy: To be a hero, to be a warrior, to live a life of adventure and risk. Sadly, most men abandon those dreams and desires-aided by a Christianity that feels like nothing more than pressure to be a 'nice guy.' It is no wonder that many men avoid church, and those who go are often passive and bored to death. In this provocative book, Eldredge gives women a look inside the true heart of a man and gives men permission to be what God designed them to be-dangerous, passionate, alive, and free.
