Soul Survivor, Philip Yancey
Soul Survivor, Philip Yancey
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Soul Survivor
How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped My Faith Survive the Church

Author: Philip Yancey

Narrator: Philip Yancey

Abridged: 5 hr 2 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/18/2001


Synopsis

Philip Yancey, whose explorations of faith have made him a guide for millions of readers, feels no need to defend the church. "When someone tells me yet another horror story about the church, I respond, 'Oh, it's even worse than that. Let me tell you my story.'I have spent most of my life in recovery from the church."

Yancey acknowledges that many spiritual seekers find few answers and little solace in the institutional church. "I have met many people, and heard from many more, who have gone through a similar process of mining truth from their religious past: Roman Catholics who flinch whenever they see a nun or priest, former Seventh Day Adventists who cannot drink a cup of coffee without a stab of guilt, Mennonites who worry whether wedding rings give evidence of worldliness."

How did Yancey manage to survive spiritually despite early encounters with a racist, legalistic church that he now views as almost cultic? In this, his most soul-searching book yet, he probes that very question. He tells the story of his own struggle to reclaim belief, interwoven with inspiring portraits of notable people from all walks of life, whom he calls his spiritual directors. Soul Survivor is his tribute to thirteen remarkable individuals, mentors who transformed his life and work.

Besides recalling their effect on him, Yancey also provides fresh glimpses of the lives and faith journeys of each one. From the scatterbrained journalist G. K. Chesterton to the tortured novelists Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, to contemporaries such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Annie Dillard, Shusaku Endo, and Robert Coles, Yancey gives inspiring portraits of those who modeled for him a life-enhancing rather than a life-constricting faith.

"I became a writer, I now believe, to sort out and reclaim words used and misused by the Christians of my youth," Yancey says. "These are the people who ushered me into the Kingdom. In many ways they are why I remain a Christian today, and I want to introduce them to other spiritual seekers."

Soul Survivor offers illuminating insights that will enrich the lives of veteran believers and cautious seekers alike. Yancey's own story, unveiled here as never before, is a beacon for those who seek to rejuvenate their faith, and for those who are still longing for something to have faith in.

About The Author

Philip Yancey has written sixteen books, including the bestsellers Reaching for the Invisible God, What’s So Amazing About Grace? and The Jesus I Never Knew. His works have sold over five million copies and have garnered many prizes, including Christianity Today Book of the Year and two ECPA Book of the Year Awards. He lives in Colorado with his wife, Janet.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Roshea on June 07, 2013

The book title says it all - particularly the emphasis on unlikely mentors. Philip Yancey witnessed, like many people, the injustices, such as slavery and racism, inflicted by the church in the name of God. Instead of walking away from the church, he journeys back in time and examines the life of 13......more

Goodreads review by Kim on September 09, 2007

This is the first book I read by Philip Yancey. His style is easy and he knows his audience includes both Christians and those who are searching. I've enjoyed everything I've read by him because of this.......more

Goodreads review by Carrie on April 20, 2008

love love love this book. yes it falls in the christian category, but it's simply about people who lived their lives in a way that's bound to inspire you. the 13 mini-biographies give you a good sense of these people and yancey helps you to learn more about them through suggested readings at the end......more

Goodreads review by Melanie on July 07, 2009

This is the most moving and encouraging book I have read in a long time. What I liked best about it was how Phillip Yancey doesn't just compile a "top ten" list of inspiring people and reproduce children's story idealizations of their lives. He interweaves his own journey of faith, growth, and repen......more

Goodreads review by Donna on December 30, 2017

This book was a little different than I expected, but I ended up truly enjoying it. It is a collection of essays about different people whose writings and lives inspired Yancey to keep his faith during spiritually dark times. I personally found it inspiring and enlightening. I recommend this book to......more


Quotes

"It would seem the height of immodesty to praise a book that devotes an entire chapter to praising me. Let me therefore merely recommend it to anyone interested in a relaxed and conversational account of how an assortment of odd fish were variously caught up in and transformed by the Christian Gospel."
—Frederick Buechner, author of The Sacred Journey, The Hungering Dark and The Eyes of the Heart.

"I love, and am grateful for, every marvelous book Mr. Yancey writes."
—Anne Lamott