John Eldredge

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John Eldredge
Born June 6, 1960 (1960-06-06) (age 49)

Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation author, activist
Website
http://www.ransomedheart.com

John Eldredge (born June 6, 1960) is an author, counselor, and lecturer of Christianity.

After being involved in the Los Angeles drug subculture and kicked out of high school, Eldredge was looking for a "worldview." After exploring other religions, Eastern mysticism, Lao-Tzu, and New Age spirituality, he discovered the writings of Francis Schaeffer, whom he calls one of the best philosophers of the 20th century. Through Schaeffer, Eldredge came to Christ and later to the church. He eventually got a master's degree in counseling and practiced in Colorado Springs before working for Focus on the Family.

John received his undergraduate degree in theater from California Polytechnic University (Pomona) and his MA in biblical counseling from Colorado Christian University under the direction of Dr. Larry Crabb and Dr. Dan Allender. Prior to joining Focus on the Family in 1988, John served for five years on the staff of Sierra Madre Congregational Church in Southern California.

In July 2000, John left Focus on the Family to launch Ransomed Heart Ministries, a ministry devoted to furthering the message of his book The Sacred Romance. A sought-after speaker, John travels extensively in the U.S. and abroad. John, his wife, Stasi, and their three sons live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Contents

[edit] Criticism

Some passages in Eldredge's books have caused leaders in other churches to question the perspective that defines Eldredge's style. As an example, Christianity Today quotes Rut Etheridge III, a seminarian in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, who describes Eldredge as having an "alarmingly unbiblical worldview."[1][2]

Eldredge uses descriptive language and gives references to popular culture in his writing more so than to substantive theories and quantitative studies. As an example, Eldredge says that "Contrary to what you may have been led to believe, the Incarnation of grace, meekness, and love is not Mister Rogers with a beard! He is more like Maximus in the movie Gladiator or William Wallace in Braveheart."[3] Eldredge's references to Gladiator and Braveheart have also been criticized as part of his portrayal of Christian masculinity being focused on warfare and violence.[4]

Although Eldredge does not promote criminality, the "pseudo-evangelical cult" and Mexican criminal cartel La Familia Michoacana, which refers to their assassinations and beheadings as '"divine justice", has made Eldredge’s book Wild at Heart required reading for La Familia members and has paid rural teachers and National Development Education members to circulate Eldredge's writings throughout the Michoacán countryside.[5][6][7]

[edit] Authored books

  • The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God (1997), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0785273425 [with Brent Curtis]
  • Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul (2001), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0785287965
  • Wild at Heart Field Manual: A Personal Guide to Discover the Secret of Your Masculine Soul (2002), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0785265740
  • The Journey of Desire: Searching for the Life We've Only Dreamed of (2001), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0785267166
  • The Journey of Desire: The Participant's Guide (2001), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0785298770
  • The Journey of Desire Journal & Guidebook: An Expedition to Discover the Deepest Longings of Your Heart (2002), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0785266402 [with Craig McConnell]
  • Waking the Dead: The Glory of a Heart Fully Alive (2003), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0785288295
  • A Guidebook to Waking the Dead: Embracing the Life God Has for You (2003), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN0785263098 [with Craig McConnell]
  • Epic: The Story God Is Telling' (2004), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0785288791
  • Epic Church Kit (2007), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 1418526142
  • Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul (2005), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0785264698
  • Captivating Study Guide: Unveiling The Mystery of a Woman's Soul (2007), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN [with Stasi Eldredge]
  • The Ransomed Heart: A Collection of Devotional Readings (2005), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0785207066
  • The Way of the Wild Heart: A Map for the Masculine Journey (2006), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0785206779
  • Desire: The Journey We Must Take to Find the Life God Offers (2007), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0785288422
  • Walking with God: Talk to Him. Hear from Him. Really. (2008), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 0785206965
  • A Personal Guide to Walking with God (2008), Nashville: Thomas Nelson ISBN 1418528218
  • Fathered by God (2009), Nashville: Thomas Nelson, ISBN 1400280273 [re-publication of a portion of The Way of the Wild Heart]

[edit] References

  1. ^ LeBlanc, Douglas (August 2004). "Too Wild at Heart?". Christianity Today. http://ctlibrary.com/ct/2004/august/15.34.html. 
  2. ^ Etheridge III, Rut. God in Man’s Image, A critique of John Eldredge’s Wild At Heart. http://www.churchofthegoodshepherd.info/WAHcritique.htm. 
  3. ^ Asimakoupoulos, Greg (May/June 2003). "The Gospel According to John (Eldredge)". Today's Christian. http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/2003/mayjun/15.10.html. 
  4. ^ Chapter 3 in Gelfer, J. Numen, Old Men: Contemporary Masculine Spiritualities and the Problem of Patriarchy, 2009: ISBN 978-1845534196
  5. ^ "Focus on the Family’ outreach: Mexican drug decapitation cartel La Familia demand and preach James Eldredge’s ‘Muscular Christianity’". June 2009. http://thumpandwhip.com/2009/06/07/focus-on-the-family-outreach-decapitating-mexican-drug-cartel-la-familia-demand-and-preach-james-eldredges-muscular-christianity/. Retrieved 2009-08-16. 
  6. ^ Grayson, George W. (August 2009). "La Familia Michoacána: A Deadly Mexican Cartel Revisited". Foreign Policy Research Institute. http://www.fpri.org/enotes/200908.grayson.lafamiliamihoacana.html. Retrieved 2009-11-10. 
  7. ^ "Feds Crack Down on 'Robin Hood' Drug Cartel". Newsweek 'Declassified'. October 22, 2009. http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/declassified/archive/2009/10/22/feds-crack-down-on-robin-hood-drug-cartel.aspx. Retrieved 2009-11-10. 

[edit] External links

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