Brotherhood of Betrayal

A wonderful book meant to stir thoughts about how Christians should treat their "brothers" in the Lord. How they should treat people...PERIOD! Jason Faircloth is at it again- bringing in the lost sheep!

Arthur said that he wrote these books as a response to his pain. It is evident throughout. I have lived some of these very experiences and I could not believe how accurately he described what it was like, for instance, to find out that your spouse was unfaithful. He described how the wife felt, the physical sickening reactions to what changes your life forever, and to what you never wanted to or expected to face. He unashamedly portrays the complete inability of many whose lives remain "untainted" to have any understanding as to how to relate to those who are damaged by the sin of others. I have also been excommunicated from a church, and this part of the story, though to the "untainted" would seem unbelievable, I know it is believable, and was thankful to have it put into print. Indeed, such an "untainted" woman once told me that I was defiling others by talking about the excommunication, (spiritual abuse), and that she didn't need (want) to know what was wrong in my marriage, (abuse). My 15-year-old read this book while I went through a divorce from his dad. It facilitated his needed grieving, though his words weren't all there at age 15, his weeping and grief were very real as he identified with a main character in an incredible scene near the end. I know that my son's writing was improved as a result of reading Arthur. I meet people who have been through similar experiences as are found in this book and I pass the book on. It is such a gift. Thank you, Mr. Arthur.

Randall Arthur is a gifted writer, exposing some of the ways Christians let each other down, or "shoot their wounded", as someone has said. This book is gripping. I couldn't put it down.

I have read few authors that gripped me the way Randall Arthur has in his three stories (Brotherhood of Betrayal, Jordan's Crossing, and Wisdom Hunter). I could not put any of them down and lost a lot of sleep the week I read them. I cried and laughed and prayed my way through each of them. Randall, if you're reading this, thank you for letting God write through you. Though it has a been a good six months since I read them I am tearing up as I remember then now and how God used them in my life. Thank you for being honest about the good and the bad in the "church" and our lives, and about God's grace and His presence through both. I truly thank God for you, brother, I really do.

I too, like the other reviewer, am a fan of Randall Arthur's books. One of the first "Christian" fiction books I read was his first book, Wisdom Hunter. If you like 'prairie fiction' that always ends neatly and comfortably, then you'd best not read Randall Arthur. If you enjoy impactful books that tell it like it is, then you've found your author!Brotherhood of Betrayal is a re-release of Betrayal and is the best book yet by Arthur to date. It deals with the extreme legalism found in some churches in America and the even more widespread issue I could identify with: how do I treat 'fallen' brothers/sisters in Christ who've made serious mistakes? Am I willing to forgive a repentant brother? Do I continue to withhold forgiveness even after the God has forgiven that person? Why? If you've wrestled with these issues in some form, you'll find an excellent, Godly model for forgiveness and grace in this book. I was moved!