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Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul
by John Eldredge
Thomas Nelson
Question:
I am reading this book for my small group study and I
am truly appalled at John Eldridge's theology. I have talked with my pastor
and he thinks the book is great for new believers. Leaves me thinking ....
What is your view of this book?
Answer:
Here is a quick answer -- just a few glimpses into are Eldridge’s “wild”
interpretations of God, His Word and His ways. His theology seems to be
based more on psychology and its views of self-actualization (which are contrary to God’s ways for us) and
on myths that supposedly
free men to be themselves. The Scriptures are merely twisted into
affirmations that serve his positive, popular and postmodern theology.
References to
myth:
"The truth is, we have not taken them
[myths]
seriously enough.
Myths are stories which confront us with something transcendent and
eternal."[Page 182]
False assumptions and outrageous statements.
"Adventure, with all its requisite danger and wildness, is a deeply
spiritual
longing written into the soul of man.... Look at the heroes of the biblical
text: Moses does not encounter the living God at the mall. He finds him (or is
found by him) somewhere out in the deserts of Sinai, a long way from the comforts
of Egypt. The same is true of Jacob, who has his wrestling match with God ... in wadi somewhere east of the Jabbok,
in Mesopotamia. Where did the great prophet Elijah go to recover
his strength? ...
“Whatever those explorers were after, they were also
searching for
themselves. Deep in a man's heart are some fundamental questions that simply
cannot be answered at the kitchen table. Who am I? What am I made of? What am I
destined for? It is fear that keep a man at home where things are neat and
orderly and under his control."[Page
5]
Those three men
had escaped unwanted threats on their lives by running away
from deadly danger. They had no "spiritual longing" for such
wildness or adventure! Nor were they "searching for themselves."
Eldredge is simply using the Bible and twisting its historical facts
in order to prove his point and personal philosophy.
"...there is definitely something
wild in the heart of God.... And all his
wildness and all his fierceness are inseparable from his romantic heart. That
theologians have missed this says more about theologians than it does about God.
Music, wine, poetry, sunsets.... those where his inventions, not ours."[Pages
32-33]
Sad to
say, man usually chooses to use all those gifts for his own futile purposes
rather than God's.
More references to wildness.
Notice how this image is used to remake God in man's (or rather
Eldredge's) image :
"I need wildness."
[Page 12]
"If you have any doubts as to
whether or not God loves wildness, spend a night in the woods ... alone.
Take a walk out in a thunderstorm...." [Page
29]
"Nevertheless, there is definitely
something wild in the heart
of God. And all his wildness and all his fierceness
are inseparable from his romantic heart."[Page
32]
"And he [God] invites women to discover the secret of a man's soul and to
delight in the strength and wildness men were created to offer." Back Cover of book
(published by Thomas
Nelson)
From
Ransomed Hearts -- The books:
"Wild at Heart
had been stirring in John for many, many years before it was written. There is something
fierce, passionate, and wild in the heart of every man. That is how he bears
the
image of God. And the reason most men 'live lives of quiet desperation' (Thoreau) is because men have been told that the reason God put them on earth is to be a good boy. To be nice.
But every man longs for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue."
"The Way of the Wild Heart - This is a book about how a boy - and a man -become a man. It's a guide to the
process of masculine initiation--that ancient path every boy and man must take
if they would become the man they long to be. The path whereby they come to know they are
a man and are able to live and love from a deep, centered strength."
Statistics:
The Books and Authors That Have
Most Influenced Pastors: "Not surprisingly, Rick Warren was king-of-the-hill
in this listing, as his books were mentioned by 30% of the pastors.
John Maxwell was the runner-up, with books
listed as among the most helpful by 5% of pastors. Five writers were mentioned
by 3% of the nation’s church leaders: Henry Blackaby, Jim Cymbala, Bill
Hybels, Andy Stanley, and Phil Yancey. The other influential authors were
George Barna, John Eldredge and John Piper, each of whom was mentioned by
2%."
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