Jim Rohn and Other Motivators Vs. John Piper and Other Calvinists / Andrew Bushard

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Non-Fiction/Philosophy

Approximate word count: 8-9,000 words

Availability

Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: YES Smashwords: YES Paper: YES

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Author:

“Andrew Bushard is a musician, writer, runner, and motivational speaker. Additionally, he founded the organization Free Press Media, which is dedicated to advancing and celebrating freedom of expression. Andrew currently resides in Austin, TX.”

Description:

“Have you ever considered how Calvinists and other conservative Christians view motivational speaking? How about how motivational speakers view Calvinism and others forms of conservative Christianity? It's hard to find these topics discussed anywhere. This book explores the multitude of ways Calvinists (and other conservative Christians) differ from motivational speakers and to a lesser extent, how these groups are alike. If you would like to understand one of the biggest, yet almost always neglected philosophical and theological disputes of our day, read this book.”

Appraisal:

I'm still not sure why I decided to give this book a try. It obviously touches on religion, which I tend to shy away from because I have to be careful to keep my biases in check while evaluating this sort of book. The only reason I've been able to come up with is I wanted something short and this fit the bill.

The concept is simple enough. Bushard compares and contrasts the philosophies of Calvinists and those of motivational speakers. While the title name refers specifically to evangelical Baptist preacher John Piper and the late Jim Rohn, a motivational speaker, the examples used include statements and teachings from many Calvinists and motivational speakers.

I found this quick read interesting for two reasons. The first as an introduction to Calvinist belief. Other than knowing Calvinism is based on the theological teachings of John Calvin and that it’s perceived as more extremely religious than most Christian sects, I didn't know much about the philosophy. Second, by comparing the two and poking holes in the weaknesses of each (often polar opposites of each other), I was able to come to my own conclusions as to what made sense and seemed right to me. That this was often a different conclusion than the author is okay, right?

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars