May 08 Book Reviews

I had always thought of Christianity as a “Western” religion.  I know of Christians from traditional Chinese families who have been made to feel guilty for betraying their roots by converting to Christianity.

As such, I found this book exciting and thought-provoking.  Chan Kei Thong suggests that the ancient Chinese worshipped a god (Shang Di) who was sovereign, all-powerful, all-knowing, holy, faithful, compassionate and loving; in short, Shang Di had the attributes of the God of the Bible!

The rituals in the sacrifice ceremonies which the ancient Chinese carried out to worship Shang Di included selecting an unblemished sacrifice, fasting, burnt offerings and songs of praise, again much like those practised by the Hebrews.  Some Chinese words, being pictographs, draw from or illustrate important Christian concepts.  Chinese classical and astrological records not only corroborate key events like the birth of Jesus and the crucifixion but seem to recognize their significance.

Chan does not purport to suggest that the ancient Chinese knew the God of the Bible or that they were a chosen people as the Hebrews were, but the book aims to show that our God could also be found in ancient China, in the faith of our forefathers.

Faded Denim: Color Me Trapped
by Melody Carson

T PZ7 CAR.TC9

Reviewed by: Gan Kum Yuin

Melody Carlson writes Christian fiction targeted at teenagers, especially girls.  Each of the books in her latest series of books, the True Colors series, features a different main character who struggles with contemporary issues that would resonate with many teenagers.

In “Faded Denim”, Leah wants to be a model and resorts to plastic surgery to realize her dream.  Emily, her best friend, feels inferior as Leah (and many of their other friends) seems to be skinny, pretty.and basically, perfect.  Emily resorts to bulimia and becomes anorexic in a bid to achieve the perfect body.

Both girls are Christians and eventually their faith leads them to understand that they had been focusing too much on external appearances. Emily begins the struggle to overcome the anorexia while Leah comes to terms with the results of the plastic surgery.

The other books in the series deal with issues like pre-marital sex, divorce, drinking, self-abuse and suicide.  The books are very readable and may be useful as a less heavy-handed way of reinforcing Christian values relevant to such issues.

the 2 degree difference

by John Trent

BV 4501.3 TRE

Reviewed by: Gan Kum Yuin

In Part 1 of this book, we meet Brian.  Brian is a Christian, an ordinary guy facing ordinary struggles, some of which may be familiar to you.  His relationship with his wife is a bit strained.  He can’t communicate with his teenage daughter.  He leads an unhealthy lifestyle.  He is facing pressure at work to perform.  He has tried over and over again to make drastic improvements in all these areas of his life but each attempt, launched with much enthusiasm and good intentions, has failed.

Brian’s cell group leader introduces him to the theory of the 2-degree difference. This means making small, incremental, changes in your life.  Brian finds the small changes more manageable than drastic overhauls and therefore easier to keep up with and build upon.  The small changes are also surprisingly impactful and lead to improvements in all areas of his life.  For instance, instead of embarking on an ambitious diet plan, he starts by eating a salad a day.  To improve his relationship with his wife, he starts by doing one small thing at home every day.

Part 2 of the book contains questions and discussion topics intended to guide you through a deeper reflection on the story in part 1 and to help you to identify the areas in your life where 2 degree changes may be helpful.

Part 3 is a 2 degree change commitment sheet which you can use as your own accountability prayer and sharing worksheet.

I found the 2 degree difference to be one of those surprisingly simple ideas which, once you understand it, has you wondering why you never thought of it yourself. Part 1 is an easy read, convincingly written and encouraging; part 2 and part 3 are more challenging but well worth the effort.