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Life on the Vine: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in Christian Community
Philip D. Kenneson
Many books--many fine books--have been published on the fruits of the Spirit. But none are quite like Life on the Vine.Philip Kenneson combines in this book rich, theologically grounded reflection on Christian life and practice with stunning analysis of contemporary culture. After a probing introductory chapter on the necessity and complexity of cultural analysis, Kenneson takes up each of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. He explores what each fruit means in its biblical ... (show more)
Reviews (18)
This is a fabulous book; i highly recommend it. i read it for my Christ in Culture class in college. It can be difficult at times to sort out which affections and attitudes belong to our faith and which are influenced by our culture, and this book is very helpful in that sorting process. What does it look like, in our American society, to cultivate patience (when our culture focusses on productivity), or peace (when our culture is so fragmented), or faithfulness (in a culture of disposable everything and 50% divorce rate)? How can we think through what we mostly treat as knee-jerk reactions? Kenneson also provides practical suggestions for reforming our affections, and with them, our actions, to be more in line with Biblical faith.
I am about 3/4's of the way through this book, and can't put it down. It challenges so many of my assumptions about how I order my life with others. Too often, I take democratic ideals (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, anyone???), and organize my Christian life to fit neatly within its parameters. It should be the other way around.
I can't recommend it highly enough, and would love to use it at New Life in some capacity this year.
