Book Review by Dr Ernest Frank Crocker  

2 MINUTE READ

From Luke’s Journal 2021 | Dying & Palliative Care | Vol.26 No.2

Few would have suspected in 2019 that within just a few months our world would be thrown into turmoil by the Covid pandemic. As Christians we have asked ourselves, why did God allow this to happen? Will we survive? Will our lives ever return to normal and if so, what will that ‘new normal’ look like?

To Whom Shall We Go: Faith Responses in a Time of Crisis, addresses these questions and more. The authors, most of whom form a group called the ‘Holy scribblers’, comprise a disparate band of people from diverse backgrounds including medicine, social work, the law, economics, physics, spiritual counselling and missions. Each addresses the question of how to lead a faith filled life
in times of this present crisis. 

We are encouraged to examine and to adopt the promises of the beatitudes in the context of God’s plan for these latter days by the power of His Holy Spirit The disquiet, disturbance and downcast state of our soul reveals an intrinsic yearning for the living God. When we attune our soul to Him, His Spirit comes along side responding to our deepest needs.

“Yet the contributors to this book, as diverse as they may be, have sought wisdom from the One who is able to lead us through, and provide the answers that we seek, even Jesus.”

We have looked to advice from experts in many fields to guide us through the maelstrom of this pandemic. Yet so often the advice has been conflicting, contributing to confusion, lack of understanding and the generation of a sea of sceptics. Yet the contributors to this book, as diverse as they may be, have sought wisdom from the One who is able to lead us through, and provide the answers that we seek, even Jesus. 

I found To Whom Shall We Go: Faith Responses in a Time of Crisis? an intensely practical book offering spiritual advice at a level often not encountered nowadays. The words of Jesus, the same yesterday, today and forever will lead us through and beyond this present crisis. As Peter said, ‘Where else can we go? You have the words of eternal life.’

I strongly recommend this book to all readers seeking greater insight, direction and purpose as they meet the challenges of today.

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