David C Cook
ISBN 978 0 6307 8439 4
Price 12.99
223 pages
This is a wise and compassionate book that explores how our experience of human family has an impact on how we view God, and how our view of God can have an impact on the way we relate to our families.
The author suggests that it is because fatherhood is such a foundation theme in Scripture it is so often under attack from Satan.
At times the book does have an America, Mom and apple pie feel to it. There are also aspects of the book that have a more conservative view of family hierarchy than some readers might be comfortable with. This said the book does help the reader to take an intentional look at how our family networks might work better.
In nine chapters the author leads the reader through a variety of reflections on how we relate to others and how fatherhood rightly understood can promote the health of families and societies. Each chapter concludes with searching questions and the invitation to engage in the process of journal entries.
The title itself is worth the price of the book. It is a helpful reminder that our negative experience of family life, particularly of fatherhood should not put us off God because God’s not like that!
John Woods is a writer and Bible teacher based in West Sussex. He is Director of Training at the School of Preachers in Riga, Latvia.
