Thoughts on Religious Experience

Human nature and God's dynamic truth have not changed over time, so Archibald Alexander's pastoral insights from over 150 years ago are still relevant. The author recorded what he had observed in Christians, and his careful analysis of their experiences provides wise counsel for all those giving pastoral care today. I was afraid that the writing style would make the book drag, but that fear was not realized. The chapters that record others' deathbed comments did prove to be long, but they constitute a relatively small part of the book. I heartily recommend this book to all those going into or already involved in pastoral ministry. I wish that I had read it years ago.

When another pulpit-less pastor walking in and out of a month of Sundays, in blue jeans and a well-pressed tee, just doesn't answer the longings of the suburban youth, how does the Church respond? The abandoned children of Evangelical and Reformed traditions have cried out: Where is the worship that informs the emotional intelligence of human existence? The Emerging Church has answered; nor ought we to be surprised that such a movement--often marked by being centered on the Spirit and the spiritual and the spirit, with its propensity toward anti-intellectualism--is finding such prominence. Yet, despite offers of emotional openness, many Christians remain spiritually ignorant on matters of conversion: What is spiritual rebirth and wherein lies the perpetual struggle with habitual sin? What--if anything--is "spiritually normative"? Can I understand spiritual depression? Moreover, can I be spiritually depressed and still be a believer? What does it mean to confess my sins openly, to be accepted, absent from the kindly discipline of Word, prayer, and brotherly accountability? These questions aren't rhetorical, as we each--by the Spirit of God--are led through both veils of greater understanding and valleys of the shadow of Death. Such a wide berth of spiritual practicalities lies at the heart of Archibald Alexander's Thoughts on Religious Experience. "Faith," Alexander states, "is simply a belief of the truth, when viewed as distinct, and discriminated from all other mental acts" (83), and that though "[b]efore conversion, the soul is sordidly selfish...no sooner does this change take place, than the heart begins to be enlarged with a an expansive benevolence. The whole world is embraced in its charity..." (100). Unfolding by example and principle the primary faces of spiritual renewal, Alexander offers sweet encouragement to the believer and tender propositions for reflection for those uncertain people. The dangers of the Evangelical and Reformed tradition is to become a deep well--unsearchable to its deepest mark--from which only one barrel of water is drawn at a time. The dangers of the Emerging Church are to become the wide, fast-flowing river whose depth is less than a foot. Searching both depth and breadth--ill embracing the particulars of form, style, or structure (worship or architecture)--Alexander reminds that "no phenomena now taking place in our world is half so important and worthy of consideration, as the repentance of a habitual sinner; so that he utterly forsakes his wicked courses, and takes delight in the worship of God and obedience to his will. Let it be remembered, that these are effects observed only where the gospel is preached... No series of miracles"--nor, might we add, any amount of emotional sincerity or theological knowledge--"could give stronger evidence of the divine origin and power of the gospel, than the actual and permanent reformation of wicked men" (74-75). Alexander addresses youth and the elderly. He addres

I found Alexander's book extremely helpful in areas of subjective Christian experience. He addresses problems that many Christians go thourgh but are afraid to discuss. Things like blasphemous or apostate thougts, fear, depression, and other matters of the heart. His thoughts on conversion and childhood are helpful too. I consider it a must for a Christian worker.