The Mind on Fire: An Anthology of the Writings of Blaise PASCAL

"The Mind on Fire" is predominantly a modern translation and editing of Blaise Pascal's "Pensees" along with a few other short works and a sampling of his letters. It is quite user-friendly and a good place to start when reading Pascal. Before actually reading "Pensees," I knew Blaise Pascal and his "Pensees" only from snippets of quotes such as, "The heart has its reason of which reason knows nothing" and from "Pascal's Wager": better to risk believing in God and living with Him for all eternity and being wrong, then risk not believing in God and living apart from Him in all eternity and because you were wrong. Having read him, I know now that the quote and wager just mentoned, though only snippets, do summarize his brilliance and his beauty. Like few others, Pascal fuses head and heart in his defense of Christianity. His ability is likely due to his brilliant mind that on November 23, 1654, from 10:30 PM to 12:30 AM encountered God in a mysterious, mystical experience that he could only describe with the one-word epitaph: "Fire." For the rest of his brief life (he died at age 39), the fire in his soul and the genius of his mind merged in the "writing" of "Pensees." I place "writing" in quotation marks because Pascal's early death never allowed him to finish "Pensees." What we have is akin to his outline (though 325 pages in length!). Imagine if he had actually finished it. Pascal, ever the absent-minded professor, would have a thought run through his mind, write it down, cut it in a strip, and splice it in with other similar subject headings. It's helpful to understand this before reading "Pensee" for what you find is brilliant disorder--an incomplete sentence here, half a thought there, then long and insightful paragraphs here. In other words, you do need to wade through the unusual design of the book, but in the wading you will find oceans of depth that flood both your heart and your head with passion and reason to love and know God. Pascal's "real world" arguments for God are the most rationally and personally compelling ones that I have ever read. Pascal honestly faces the reality that we see God only in part and that by evidence alone, whether of reason or nature or both, we might just as well conclude that there is no God (the atheists), or that He is not loving, or not powerful, or that He is disinterested (Deism), or dispassionate (the Greek philosophers). He then explains that God reveals enough in nature to cause us to perceive His existence and to perceive that we are finite and fallen. Nature, according to Pascal, points more to the Mediator--Christ--the One who reveals the hidden God as a God of holiness and love, and the One who reveals us as God's prodigal children who need to come home. Reviewer: Dr. Robert W. Kellemen is the author of "Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction," "Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction," and the forthcoming "Sacred Companions: A Hist

I give it 5 stars and I don't necessarily agree with all of his theology. His points are made from such a unique stand point. His ways of reasoning are very unique to me, yet he doesn't lead you to rely on his type of reasoning, but on the power of the Holy Spirit.He makes many good points for any atheist to consider. His work on the subject of the Jews is interesting. I disagree with his stance on proofs of nature and some of His views God's restorative plans for Isreal, but who had views for God to restore Isreal 300 years ago?If you like reading books, this one is diffrent and well thought out!

This is the finest introduction to Blaise Pascal that I have ever seen! Within the pages of this book lie some of the greatest thoughts the human mind could ever aspire to perceive. 'Mind on Fire' is an easy to read, well-arranged anthology of Pascal's thought. In this book you will begin to see the role of logic and reason in the life of faith. If you are looking for an in-depth book, a book that penetrates the deep well of skeptical thought, 'Mind on Fire' will not waste your time or your money. Simply put, Pascal is a genius with a knack for apologetical thought.

In case you're wondering, this IS the Pensees. The only difference is that these thoughts are arranged topically under a new title plus five letters from Pascal are included in the rear of the book. This is not an abridged edition of the Pensees. That being said, this book will stimulate your thinking about human nature, divine sovereignty, faith, logic and apologetics in a way that few other works will. Being deeply influenced by Augustine, Pascal had an uncanny way for accurately portraying the human condition. His grasp of the sinful nature of mankind and the limits of reason was acute. Many believe that Pascal was a fideist (faith is not supported by reason) due to a cursory reading of the Pensees yet a more exhaustive reading will prove otherwise. Many of the Pensees, while not rationally proving Christianity, certainly state that he believed in a reasonable faith and not a leap of faith beyond logic. I would recommend this edition as opposed to the Pensees because of its logical arrangement in addition to the thought-provoking letters that are placed in the back. Definitely a great read.

It is difficult to conceptualize exactly how much Pascal's faith meant to him. Reading his thoughts is like peaking into the journal of a reflective, passionate man, with no other ambition in life but to glorify God. Pascal's passion went beyond the intellectual borders of academia and into the personal realtionship he had with Jesus Christ. Pascal didn't want the God of the philosophers; he preferred the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. If you desire to glorify God with your mind, soul, and body, or if you are curious as to how such a person thinks, then I highly recommend this book as it will be an encouragment and a challenge to your intellect as well as your soul. I pray God gives me the grace to think as this man did.