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elle_est_belle's review against another edition
3.0
As someone who has been increasingly drawn from the hand-raising, contemporary music Baptist culture of her birth to the silent rhythms of Anglican liturgy, I was attracted to this book. However, if you're looking for an analysis and compilation of why people are flocking back to liturgy, this is not that book. While I appreciate Todd Hunter's honesty with his spiritual journey, the book seemed to lack depth. It felt very surface-level, as if he had written it as an essay in a day. Hunter frequently repeats phrases to try to explain his meaning, but my only reaction was "Yes, you keep saying that, but what does that mean?" It felt as though the author was skirting around what he truly meant to say.
I give this book 3 stars because I did find helpful the invitation to consider the mosaic of my own spiritual life (Hunter uses mosaic imagery throughout the book). Would I have found it less useful if I were not already attending an Anglican church? I can't say, because I believe that a bit of self-reflection and self-awareness is crucial to personal growth. So I would say go ahead and give this book a read, but know that it is not an all-inclusive answer key to the question "Why liturgy?"
I give this book 3 stars because I did find helpful the invitation to consider the mosaic of my own spiritual life (Hunter uses mosaic imagery throughout the book). Would I have found it less useful if I were not already attending an Anglican church? I can't say, because I believe that a bit of self-reflection and self-awareness is crucial to personal growth. So I would say go ahead and give this book a read, but know that it is not an all-inclusive answer key to the question "Why liturgy?"
jdintr's review against another edition
2.0
This year I became an "accidental Anglican," moving to a city where the local community was the closest group of Christians I could find to my beliefs and my language. Wanting to learn more, I picked up Hunter's book.
My biggest complaint is that the book is self-referential. I had never heard of Hunter before, and 3/4ths of the book is about his journey into Anglicanism and the influences who brought him there. The book works best when it is pointing to well-known and well-read Anglicans like NT Wright and John Stott.
I came to Anglicanism from Methodism. I didn't recognize the denominations in which Hunter has served. No doubt he is an effective leader for the churches he planted. The book, however, left me disappointed, looking for a better resource on the strengths of the demonimation.
My biggest complaint is that the book is self-referential. I had never heard of Hunter before, and 3/4ths of the book is about his journey into Anglicanism and the influences who brought him there. The book works best when it is pointing to well-known and well-read Anglicans like NT Wright and John Stott.
I came to Anglicanism from Methodism. I didn't recognize the denominations in which Hunter has served. No doubt he is an effective leader for the churches he planted. The book, however, left me disappointed, looking for a better resource on the strengths of the demonimation.
jewellspring's review against another edition
2.0
Ugh! I pressed the wrong button and just lost my review.
weswalker423's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn't a particularly challenging or ground-breaking book. I didn't learn a lot of new things about Anglicanism or theology. I don't think that Hunter's point and overall, I thought it was worth a read. It was nice to hear his heart for ministry and people. As someone who is in seminary and studies religion, it's easy to get so focused on some the nuanced theological debates that keep us divided from the other denominations of the Church. Overall, I would recommend it, especially to an Evangelical Protestant who is considering converting to Anglicanism or one of the other catholic denominations.
paterson's review against another edition
3.0
Narrative felt choppy and shallow, as if he wrote it all in an hour. At times felt more like simply an autobiography with lots of thank you's to influential Anglicans than anything else. Was hoping for more insight into Anglicanism. I bet Hunter is an awesome guy, just didn't get much from this book.
steviec's review against another edition
2.0
I'm a person who made the journey from broad evangelicalism to the Anglican faith. I was hoping to find meditations on the complex factors that draw one from consumer-Christianity to the kind of ancient-future faith that Anglicanism has to offer, but this felt less than that. Honestly, a lot of the time it just felt like I was reading the author's extended resume.
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