Reviews

Engaging, but flawed

Visit To A Second Favourite Planet, by Hilary McDowell. Bible Reading Fellowship £5.99

THIS book is reminiscent of The Teenage Survival Kit, by Pete Gilbert, updated for a new generation of Christians. Suited to mid-late teenagers, it falls into three sections: a survival manual for 'prospective blue planet inhabitants'; a discussion (by an earthling leaving the planet) of aspects of human life such as beauty, humour and challenge; and, most effectively, a series of letters between biblical characters and God, interspersed with meditations - all stimulating enough to send readers scurrying to their Bible to discover the rest of the story.

The book assumes basic Christian knowledge, focussing particularly on good self image (lacking in many youngsters), running the race, and relying on 'the boss' in times of difficulty. It mostly avoids Christian jargon, but tends to give Satan a tad too much credit.

There are two flaws in this otherwise engaging book. Firstly, it falls into the evangelical trap of depicting the world as somewhere we're 'just passing through'. Stylistically this works well, but the author constantly stresses this belief - which can lead to a dangerous 'us and them' attitude to non-Christians, withdrawal from the world, and apathy regarding personal investment in this lifetime. The biblical narrative points to a more positive view of the earth as our intended home - now and in the afterlife (on a recreated earth).

Secondly, the importance of social action and service - central to Jesus' message - is almost totally overlooked. When surveys show that teenagers are at a record low in terms of vision to make a difference, it's disappointing to see this missed opportunity.

* Catherine Francis is a freelance journalist, speaker and singer-songwriter based in London

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is run by CPO, supported by
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		Engaging, but flawed Visit To A Second Favourite Planet, by Hilary McDowell. Bible Reading Fellowship £5.99 THIS book is reminiscent of The Teenage Survival Kit, by Pete Gilbert, updated for a new generation of Christians. Suited to mid-late teenagers, it falls into three sections: a survival manual for 'prospective blue planet inhabitants'; a discussion (by an earthling leaving the planet) of aspects of human life such as beauty, humour and challenge; and, most effectively, a series of letters between biblical characters and God, interspersed with meditations - all stimulating enough to send readers scurrying to their Bible to discover the rest of the story. The book assumes basic Christian knowledge, focussing particularly on good self image (lacking in many youngsters), running the race, and relying on 'the boss' in times of difficulty. It mostly avoids Christian jargon, but tends to give Satan a tad too much credit. There are two flaws in this otherwise engaging book. Firstly, it falls into the evangelical trap of depicting the world as somewhere we're 'just passing through'. Stylistically this works well, but the author constantly stresses this belief - which can lead to a dangerous 'us and them' attitude to non-Christians, withdrawal from the world, and apathy regarding personal investment in this lifetime. The biblical narrative points to a more positive view of the earth as our intended home - now and in the afterlife (on a recreated earth). Secondly, the importance of social action and service - central to Jesus' message - is almost totally overlooked. When surveys show that teenagers are at a record low in terms of vision to make a difference, it's disappointing to see this missed opportunity. * Catherine Francis is a freelance journalist, speaker and singer-songwriter based in London Next Page © Christian Family Network is run by CPO, supported by Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting, Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.