something that can only be found through the help of wilderness. On page 3 he writes, “I am searching for an even more elusive prey. What men need, in Eldredge’s estimation, is to find their hearts. Chapter one opens with the following quotation from Proverbs 20 verse 5: “The heart of a man is like deep water. Within the first few pages it became abundantly clear. “They ignore what is deep and true to a man’s heart, his real passions, and simply try to shape him up through various forms of pressure.” Needless to say, I wondered what new message he was offering men. In his introduction Eldredge writes, “Most messages for men ultimately fail.” “The reason is simple,” he says. Problem #1: Recklessly Dividing the Word of Truth If I can demonstrate that these three problems characterize Wild at Heart, I will have done all I intended to do, and you will have something to think about. Third, the book conveys a degrading, humanistic, and even heretical view of God. Second, the central theme of the book is not consistent with the teaching of the Bible. Simply stated, the problems are as follows: First, John Eldredge mishandles Scripture badly. They not only appear throughout the book, they characterize the book.

My purpose here is to address three major problems-ones for which no microscope was needed. Many popular books could be painted in a negative light under close scrutiny.

My purpose is not to examine Wild at Heart under a microscope. From the one page introduction all the way through chapter 12, I found little to commend. But once these few footholds of common ground are established, we part company almost completely.

I do not even disagree theologically with everything he says (for example, see section 2 where my own understanding of Scripture has changed since I wrote the original review). I commend his efforts to convince fathers to steer their boys in a more masculine direction. I believe, as he does, that men in America have become passive, passionless, and even feminized in some regards. But still, I want to begin by saying that I do not disagree with everything John Eldredge has to say. There would be no point in tempting you to read this entire review by leading you to believe otherwise. Swindoll endorsed as, “the best, most insightful book I have read in at least the last five years.”įrom the outset, you will undoubtedly notice that my review of Wild at Heart is overwhelmingly unfavorable. Partly out of respect for them, and partly out of my pastoral sense of obligation to “Test all things hold fast what is good,” I made the time to review what Charles R. John Eldredge’s book Wild at Heart was recommended to me by several different Christians. (Spirituality/Christian living 222 pages hardcover suggested retail price, $19.99) Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001. (This book review was revised on 03 -30-10)Įldredge, John.

Wild at heart and captivating book