Books
Excerpt

Learning from My Father: Lessons on Life and Faith

Excerpts from recent books.

Learning from My Father: Lessons on Life and Faith

Learning from My Father: Lessons on Life and Faith

Both my parents lived relatively long and healthy lives. Each of them died a difficult death. In my father’s case, because his cancer was discovered so late, the outcome was certain long before the discovery was made. Beyond any real chance of survival, my father’s clear course of treatment (which, fortunately, he was a full participant in choosing) was hospice care, watching and waiting for the end, trying to stay as comfortable and unharried as possible …. I knew what to do at the hospice. Showing up and standing by were the principal activities required of me.

Learning from My Father: Lessons on Life and Faith

Learning from My Father: Lessons on Life and Faith

Eerdmans

159 pages

$9.32

My mother’s challenges were longer-lasting, and more complex. Suffering for many years from a bad heart and slowly progressing congestive heart failure, she eventually ended up in intensive care, battling minute by minute to find enough oxygen to draw her next breath. She was fully conscious, right up until the very end, and fiercely resistant to either decline or death. Her treatment required much of her family, involving a series of moves to various levels of care in the hospital …. I never knew what to do at the hospital. Every day when I visited my mother, it seemed there was some new, painful choice to make ….

In my experience, Christians often come in either the “hospital” or “hospice” visitor variety. Some have a desire mainly to find a belief, to settle into it, and then to hold on to it. The fact that, once inside this shelter, nothing should be at stake beyond—and because of—the “certainty” of salvation is the greatest source of comfort …. Faith is overwhelmingly therapeutic, a continuous healing process whose principal demand is showing up for care and standing firm ….

For others, Christianity comes in a far messier form. Though they frequently question whether they live up to the title, these are indeed “Christians” holding strong elements of belief. But such belief is usually commingled with doubt, and often exhibits a demonstrable lack of intellectual consistency or systematic thinking …. Faith involves not clarity but activity, giving rise to a constant barrage of assorted efforts, including Bible studies, small group sessions, and Sunday morning services. These are restless practitioners, constantly working on what they believe ….

As much as I envy the certainty of hospice Christians, I am definitely a Christian of the hospital variety. I come by this honestly. My father [a Presbyterian pastor] also approached his faith as a necessarily tumultuous affair, pointing out that tumult was inevitable because relationships are always difficult to understand, define, and manage, and faith involves nothing less than a direct, ongoing relationship with a truly personal authority—Jesus Christ.

Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2012 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

Learning from My Father is available from Christianbook.com and other retailers.

CT also has more books, film, and music reviews.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

When Are We Going to Grow Up? The Juvenilization of American Christianity

Cover Story

By Grace You Are Mature

Childlike Faith: Are Kids Born with Belief?

The Resurrection: A Bridge Between Two Worlds

Review

Holy Ground: Why This Land Is God's Land

Review

Grace Amid Genocide

My Top 5 Books On Patriotism

News

Nonprofits, the Bible, and Jesus

In on the Joke of the Bible

Timothy George on the Reformers' Postmodern Moment

Editorial

Why Catholics and Evangelicals Can Be United Against Nihilism

The Art of Loving Your Neighbor

News

Pro-Life Democrats Dwindle in Congress

Should Churches Abandon Travel-Intensive Short-Term Missions in Favor of Local Projects?

News

Should Denominations Be Organized Geographically?

When Dad Is in Prison

Ponce de León on Steroids

The Social Network Gospel

Apps to the Future: The New Social Network Engagers

The Rise of Digital Urban Tribes

News

Book Buyer Beware? It's Christian Fiction.

Charles Colson & Timothy George: Churchless Jesus

Why Denomination Matters to Church Growth

News

Fury Over Mission School Fees

Review

Kin: Songs by Mary Karr & Rodney Crowell

News

Liberia: Getting Back to the Founding Faith

Review

For Greater Glory

News

The Fight for Egypt's Future

Letters to the Editor

Evangelicalism's Youthful Romance

News

Passages

Review

The Trinity and the Cross, and Why It Matters

Review

God on the Streets of Gotham

Review

Debating Same-Sex Marriage

Wilson's Bookmarks

News

Quotation Marks

News

Christians Face Forced Exodus, Missionary Wins 'Rare' Settlement, Churches Want Fewer Cash Offerings, and More

Remembering Charles Colson, a Man Transformed

View issue

Our Latest

News

Florida’s Abortion Amendment Becomes the First to Fail Since Roe’s Reversal

On election night, pro-lifers cheered the news that a 6-week ban enacted under Gov. Ron DeSantis will get to stay.

News

Conservative Anglicans Call for Archbishop to Repent Over Same-Sex Relationships Stance

As the issue continues to divide the Church of England, Justin Welby spoke on a popular podcast about how his views have “evolved.”

Go Slow and Repair Things

We’re facing huge problems in our culture—problems an election alone can’t solve. But by God’s grace, we can do the small, daily work of repair.

In a Polarized World, but Not of It 

On Election Day and beyond, conservative and liberal Christians can better understand each other and be ministers of reconciliation. 

Gen Z Is Turning Online for Spiritual Guidance

Where Ya From?

Navigating Cultural Identity with Danielle Marck

Danielle Marck shares the experiences that pivoted the direction of her life toward her callings from God.

News

Charlie Kirk Aims to Expand Turning Point USA to Evangelical Campuses

But not all Christian campuses have embraced the conservative group.

News

Sarah Jakes Roberts Evolves T. D. Jakes’s Women’s Conference

At a record-setting event this fall, 40,000 followers listened to her preach about spiritual breakthrough and surrender.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube