religion and spirituality

John Eldredge's WILD AT HEART is one of the most refreshing and radical books that I have read. Why are so many men unhappy, un-fulfilled, in jobs they hate, and in marriages that are dead? WILD AT HEART seeks to answer those questions and restore the passion and God-given masculinity that so many men in today's world, and church, are missing.

Some wrongly criticize WILD AT HEART, believing Eldredge is offering up macho, dim-witted masculine bravado, or they believe that this work will be a free pass for men to leave marriages in the dust on a search for lost dreams. Eldredge will have none of that, and says himself in the book that such men are "deceived about what it is they really want, what they are made for." Don't be fooled by the various criticisms that ignore Eldredge's real meaning. A real man's desires are shaped by the Lord.

Instead, WILD AT HEART is about restoring a Godly dream in the soul of a man. A desire to truly be a man, rather than a softened-neutered-nice-but-restrained-guy that the world has somehow dictated that Christian males should be. Nice men may be socially acceptable but in creating them we have snuffed out the very fire that God would have us fan in our pursuit of Him.

This is an attempt to re-kindle that flame. To restore the three longings that are at the core of each man: a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue. Eldredge's arguments are firmly planted in Biblical principles, as well as his past personal experience. His writing style is very easy going, and he uses a lot of illustrations from popular culture, which makes the reading fun. I believe this book is an awesome wake up call to the church. For too long men have weakened themselves by ignoring our God-created passions. WILD AT HEART shows us how to restore them, and challenges us to take the right risks and live the adventure. It may be a bit scary (after all, did God give Abraham a risk-free offer on his call to leave Ur?), but there's no other way to reach the real fulfillment that God would have us find. I'm not a big fan of "men's books," but this is one that I am so glad that I did not miss. You shouldn't either. FIVE STARS.

The roles of men and women, in both society and the church, have been misinterpreted and dicombobulated as of late. Eldridge doesn't write to clear up this whole mess. Rather, he has written a book that illuminates the essential God-given characteristics men embody. This book is in no way sexist, and he doesn't forget his female readership. He isn't even advocating overpowering women. Honest confession permeates throughout, including testimony from other men struggling to find their real identity. I believe Eldridge has done a fine work of pointing out strengths and weaknesses in men's make-up and gives them an apparatus with which to identify and soul search. I could see how any man would walk away from this book with a renewed sense of purpose and identity in Christ. I would highly recommend any woman read this book for an insightful view to the inner-workings of men's struggle for real manhood as God ordained. I found it helpful in better understanding the males in my life, and who doesn't need that every now and again.

I read this book for a Men's Retreat based upon the concept presented in "Wild at Heart": rediscovering our masculinity and finding healing for our "father-wound." What I found instead was a jumble of pop-psychology and shallow theology. The greater portion of the theological content of the book came from a single verse: "The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name" (Exodus 15:3).

The better part of the book is based upon the assumption that each man recieved some deep injury in adolescence from a male role-model (usually the father). This "wound" injured the masculine ("wild") spirit of us all and resulted in a life entirely focused on trying to gain the approval of the father (that is, to heal the "wound" by accomplishing what the wound made him feel could not be accomplished). Having thus established this psychological foundation, John Eldredge attempts to draw God into the picture by proposing that God (as the perfect Father) is the one who can heal the father-wound once and for all.

This paternal psychology is all very lovely and noble, but it really has no place posing as theology. I, for one, found no point of identification with the idea of the father-wound because my father was a supportive, loving, humble and godly man. Many at the retreat felt this way also. While this book may have its benefits for those with strained father-son relationships, I would not recommend it to anyone else. For those seeking a closer relationship with God I would recommend The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer (quoted by Eldredge in this very book).