Book Review: "Can I Know God?" and Other Sermons

"Can I Know God?" and Other Sermons

W.E. Sangster was, I gather, a Methodist minister in Britain with a great deal of homiletical skill, having written several volumes on the subject. There were three things I enjoyed about his book of sermons. 

First, I like reading conservative mainliners. Their liturgy and their traditions give them a sense of grandeur- I think John Piper would call it "earnestness"- that evangelicals often lack, the latter having been brought up in brass and pastels and singing Hillsong and the Newsboys since grade school. That grandeur, combined with a respect for the authority of scripture, is a powerful duo, and can result in some very summoning rhetoric.

Second, I like reading the work of seasoned pastors. D.A. Carson advises that any scholar spend at least some time on the 'front lines' of gospel ministry, and among the reasons why is this: unhelpful or overly lofty theological reasoning doesn't survive contact with a working class congregation for very long, and what remains after the dross is burnt off is good, nourishing broth. 

The English is the British English of the mid-20th century, and is mostly better than ours today, but some allusions and examples sailed right over this American's head. This isn't a book of apologetics, but simple, frank appeals are made for people to come and see what all the fuss about Christ is about for themselves, and that's a good thing. 

Third, the sermons were the perfect length for reading before bed- longer than a one-page devotional, but not so long that there's no hope of finishing before lights out.