God the Ingenious Alchemist: Transforming Tragedy Into Blessing

Wonderful perspective by John Claypool on living out our daily lives with hope.

John Claypool never disapoints me. He has had life experiences that back up his thoughts as well as viewing them from a Biblical perspective. He ties together the loose ends that sometimes make us wonder why we are here. He is an 'easy read' and I am always uplifted after reading one of his books.

Following distinguished pastorates in Louisville, Fort Worth, Jackson & Birmingham, John earned a reputation as "confessional preacher." He deserves to be called a preacher's preacher. His first ten poignant books of narrative sermons often resound in my memory from his struggles with diagnosis of multiple myeloma in June of 2003. After victorious stem cell transplant, he has returned for replenishment with the strongest Chemotherapy yet! In-spite of his persistent battles, John continued teaching and preaching regularly: May Commencement service of University at Wake Forrest, preaching conferences at Emory University, Church seminars, 3 in one weekend in Newnan, GA. Recently to Washington and Chicago for the Lectionary Homiletics Conference, back to a final Commencement Service of McAfee-Mercer School of Theology! In a brief intro to this simpler, more descriptive account, John re-creates from his store of unique parabolic and paradoxical stories of Jacob, Esau, Joseph & Brothers. He adds their awesome relationships to quotations from Earnest Campbell, Paul Tillich, MLK and Simone Weil: "Creation is the moment when God ceased to be everything so that humans could be something!" In his unique U-turn, John borrows from that creative spark of a spontaneous teaching style: "According to Genesis, this 'dark turn'(Freud) of what began as a joyful adventure brought utter anguish to the heart of God." In his compact Intro, he gets to the heart of his total Theme: "Let me describe what I mean by the words "God, The Ingenious Alchemist, and use those wonderful old narratives to illustrate and, hopefully, illumine for you an insight into the nature of the Holy One!" These are "the first words of an on-going conversation..." Not the "Last Word..." Surely an appropriate disclaimer, written only months before his untimely death on September 3rd of 2005. Following a dedication to his Doctors and Staffs in the Kann Center of DeKalb General Hospital, he includes, "the many dear ones who pray for and encourage me, and my devoted caregiver who never leaves my side, my beloved wife, Ann. His most fascinating, ingenious, story focuses on Gert Behanna, seldom active in publlc life as John's friend. She was not often considered to be a strong Christian until she reached that end of her rope! John's newer stories +++more familiar ones, echo as valuable gems and jewels to be mined. What a remarkable autobiograhical book of 98 total pages. Amen! Retired Chap Fred W. Hood