When God is Hiding

Whoa! Three stars for an interview with a guy sitting in a garishly-lit Dutch TV studio? Read on, for God is truly in the details. Interviewer Menno Helmus uses the events of 9/11 to initiate a discussion that begins with the question, “Where is God when we are in pain?” Bestselling author Philip Yancey should know: he was at Ground Zero helping the Salvation Army and his response to this question provokes a series of reflections pertinent to the subject at hand but also revelatory about Yancey's ongoing journey of faith. His religious beliefs managed to survive an upbringing in a segregated Southern church that preached a philosophy he rejected, and he ultimately added the influences of nature, music, and romantic love, as well as the writings of G.K. Chesterton and C.S. Lewis, to his central faith in Jesus. Today, he is a church member, but continues to use his doubts as a tool, and his quiet sincerity and spiritual conviction are a winning combination, providing a voice for the searching, contemporary Christian. It's easy to see why he has such a following for his talks and published works. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)