Rating: - Right Wing Protestantism Disgused as Christianity
This is a lame attempt by a man with no real qualifications to right about how religious he is. Barnes is a programer for Microsoft who found Jesus in the Orthodox Church. This would normally be a wonderful thing, but he wants to tell everyone else who found God outside of the church how stupid and misguided they are.
Why was this book even written? Because, Patrick Barnes is friends with Franky Schaffer, another right wing bozo who started going to an Orthodox Church and now wants to tell everyone else how stupid they are for not doing the same.
If you are non-Orthodox and you read this book, it will probably offend you so much that you will shut it in disgust. If you are Orthodox and read this book, you will be amazed at how someone with so little tact was given the opportunity to write this book.
Of course, he is a computer programer, so this makes his opinions as valid as His Grace Bishop Kallistos or other bishops of our church that he makes attacks on.
Avoid this book and read Bishop Kallistos's classic on the Orthodox Church instead, or even Dr. Clark Carlton's "The Faith" - which has its faults but is written by in true humility and faith, not dogmatically as nearly everything Patrick Barnes touches is.
Just avoid this book, don't bother, there are much better ways to learn about the true ancient Christian faith, ways that it is presented that you won't be tempted to set the book on fire at the end, as I was when I read Barnes's sad attempt at anti-ecumenicalism.
Rating: - Frank Study
An excellent study by one who has done his homework. Straightforward, not avoiding the issues, Patrick Barnes' book must be read by those who believe that ecumenism is the only way to go.
|