Tomorrow, May 3, my new book Paradox Lost: Rediscovering the Mystery of God will be published by Zondervan Press.
I’ve heard various statistics on how few proposals actually become published books through high-profile publishing houses like Zondervan: it’s anywhere from one in 100 (1%) to one in 1,000 (.1%). So, how did this book beat the odds? What is it about? Here’s a quick introduction:
How did the book happen? In 2013 while teaching theology in Ethiopia, Dr. John Walton from Wheaton College came to our school as a guest lecturer. As we became friends, I ventured to ask if he’d offer some feedback on my book proposal. Unknown to me, he took the initiative to send my proposal to both Zondervan and Intervarsity Press. Where before my contacts with major publishers had been utterly fruitless, this time I had a signed contract with Zondervan only a few months later. The odds against this are so great, I believe it only happened because God was in it!
So, what’s the big deal about paradox? In the book, I say encountering paradox in our life journey is like stopping to watch a street performer on a crowded sidewalk. He or she compels our attention: we stop and watch. Paradox in life and Scripture is intriguing in the same way: it draws us in, partly because we cannot explain it or solve it. It’s like the piece of scotch tape stuck to your finger you keep trying to shake off, but never can.
A book about paradox sounds too intellectual or too impractical to me. How do you respond? Ordinary life today is paradoxical on any number of fronts. America is politically polarized precisely because we have lost the ability to live within paradox—as the ancient Greeks knew well, truth often exists in the tension between opposite extremes. To live successfully in the 21st century, we will all need to become more comfortable living with paradox.
Biblical paradox especially helps us do this, because it shines a spotlight on all the paradoxical tensions we live within every day. Instead of treating biblical paradoxes as intellectual puzzles we must “solve,” I show how we can look through them to see what they reveal about both God and our common humanity. And they reveal a great deal!!
Who might be interested in this book? Many people today are weary of dumbing down complex issues into pat answers or simplistic formulas. My primary audience is “thinking Christians”—believers who are not afraid to ask questions and want to keep exploring their faith. My secondary audience I might call “seekers”—folks previously turned off by an anti-intellectual style of Christianity that did not take their doubts or spiritual questions seriously. I think Paradox Lost has much to offer both groups.
Now what? Please check the book out for yourself at the Amazon Paradox Lost page. “Look Inside” to get a feel for the endorsements, Table of Contents, sample chapters, etc. For $10.93, I think it’s a good investment in your spiritual growth. You can also find out more at my website.
Finally, please forward this post to your friends. Even if you have not been seeking a book like Paradox Lost, I’ll bet several of your friends have been. They will be glad you shared it with them! Thank you.
