Soul Survivor: How My Faith Survived the Church

Wow, Philip Yancey’s critique of the church in which he grew up was worth the price of the book. It makes me wonder how many churches leave a long trail of wounded souls in their wake. But, Yancey went on to review thirteen important authors and to describe how they helped him to understand his faith in spite of the wounds inflicted by that church of his youth. He not only expanded my current reading list of important must-read authors, he also strengthened my confidence in my own faith and its healing power. A profoundly unforgettable read. I wish I could give it more than just five stars!

I liked Yancey's honesty and the diversity of the people he chose for this book. I also appreciated the complex nature of each individual and how clearly he demonstrates "you can't judge a book by its cover." Each person selected had their own journey with pain, struggles, fear and doubt. Each person was just like me in some way- or I was just like them. Yancey poses questions and provides insights into the lives of these individuals as they brought Faith to life. I suspect I will be revisiting several of the chapters in the coming days and years. It is a book that neither reads nor fades quickly.

Great writer, enjoyed this book.

Yancey confesses about religion and faith with great candor what Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. once said about the mind: Once it is expanded by a new idea, it doesn't return to its old dimension. I see it as not returning to its old "dementia." The various people/authors Yancey reflects on opened his eyes, mind and heart to new ways of looking at, thinking about, and loving. It was an invitation to accept the wideness of God's love and mercy and a way to live that out in our relationships with one another. It is a most inspiring book which invites the reader to take another look at how s/he sees, thinks, hears and responds to what's "out there" and especially "who" people really are. It reminded me of another author's definition of faith: "It is not the prerogative of any religion. It is an attitude of trust in the original meaningfulness of life, even when beliefs are shattered." [ON BEING YOURSELF: Reflections on Spirituality and Originality by Adrian van Kaam]

I don't think I've ever highlighted more passages. Yancey is a poet. He presents beautiful detailed portraits of authors with whom we might all be only vaguely familiar. He provides the rich back-stories, the telling anecdotes, and then shows us the facets of Christ evident within their writings. I had me several good cries reading this book. Thank you, Yancey. If I could write a similar book, you'd be the first author I'd choose to highlight.

The people he looks at in each chapter - famous people who have made a difference in the world and in Yancey's life - He gives us a chance to know them on a more personal level. Well worth the read.

His writing is thought-provoking, beautifully constructed, and authentic. I think I have read most of his books at least twice. Soul Survivor is one of my favorites, although you can’t go wrong with any of his books. His writing has carried me through some challenging times. I purchase every book of his that I see in thrift stores and estate sales, and hand them out like candy to friends. I often felt alienated in my Christian walk because I do not share conservative political beliefs with so many other Christians I know. Philip Yancey has brought my face back to life.

Anyone who struggles with the church, especially the conservative church, needs to read this. Anyone who has been hurt by Christians, anyone who identifies as a Christian but struggles to “fit in”, anyone seeking to know what it means to be a Christian: this book is for you, just as it was for me.It’s easy to lose the focus of our faith. This book turns your focus back to the love and grace of the open-armed Father that we all yearn for, and the One we can’t help but fall in love with.

Enough information and excerpts to whet the appetite, along with suggestions for further reading.I highly recommend this book. (The Audible version omits a lot of the content if the book.)

In decent condition though obviously pre-owned

This is an incredibly challenging book. It is well written, well researched and very informative. More importantly it should initiate a real re-think on the culture that pervades so many of our modern churches.

I loved this read!I was so enriched by this book. Gods grace and wisdom working it's way through the lives of exceptionally unique and flawed people.Yancey doesn't neatly package the Stories of these individuals for the sake of presenting a neatly packaged faith. Rather he presents the raw reality of God's grace working through the messy lives of these various individuals. After reading the book I hunger to know these people more!

Beautifully written account of the lives of twelve great people who inspired Philip Yancey to faith. The author describes his upbringing in a fundamentalist church in America"s southern states and the abuse he suffered at that time. He says that he is a Christian despite the church, not because of it. In his struggle back to faith, he learnt profound truths from encounters with people such as Dr Martin Luther King and Dr Paul Brand.Some of these accounts are profoundly moving. As ever, Yancey is searingly honest and deeply sincere, and he is a very skilled writer.His books are for thinking people who are experiencing doubt's and difficulties with Christianity. For those people, I can see that he would be very helpful. For myself, the book reminded me of the many struggles of my own Christian pilgrimage. I am now stronger in faith and found, oddly, that the book weakened rather than strengthening my faith, taking me back to a time of intellectual doubts and searching. Nevertheless, this is a very subjective response . This book will help many people.