Website of Dr. John K. LaShell
by Sam
Storms (Christian Focus, 2004)
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This
is a beautifully written book. Sam Storms has adopted John Piper’s phrase
to describe himself as a Christian Hedonist. Like Piper (and like me), Storms
has been captivated by Jonathan Edwards’ description of God’s glory
and beauty. After introducing the importance of beauty as a category for
understanding and enjoying God (3 chapters), Storms illustrates the beauty and
majesty of God with chapters on Handel’s Messiah, Galactic Grandeur, and
Microscopic Majesty. He concludes with three chapters on the vital importance
of beauty for a healthy, happy Christian life.
“The essence of loving living as a follower
of Jesus isn’t in trying harder but in enjoying more. I’m not
saying you can change without trying. I’m saying that enjoyment empowers
effort. Pleasure in God is the power for purity” (p. 128).
While
Sam Storms has the same understanding of God’s beauty as I do, our books
are nevertheless quite different. One
Thing is more devotional, my Beauty of God for a Broken World is more theological.
Storms does an excellent job of illustrating God’s beauty. I have
attempted to defend it.
Link
to Sam Storm’s website