The Added Ingredient – E.Clowney

Madison Avenue agencies have at last convinced us that man does not live by bread alone, but by the added ingredients.

Only as bold a writer as C.S.Lewis would entitle a book Mere Christianity. Leaders of the flourishing isms are all advertising what has been added. The golden tablets dropped from heaven at Palmyra, N.Y., make all the difference (A reference to Joseph Smith and the beginnings of Mormonism -cjt). More refined revisions of Christianity have a similar zeal for the insights of some leaders of neo-theological fashion.

Even stout defenders of plain Christianity are not immune to the lure of the added ingredient, as compounded perhaps by a sensational Bible teacher. Worst of all, sometimes the Gospel itself is promoted as something added, a booster shot of happiness, instead of a new life in Christ Jesus. God’s saving power operates not by addition, but by transformation (19).

Quote from the book Eutychus (and his pin) by Edmund P. Clowney (Eerdmans, 1960).

Taking his cue from the latest new ingredient added to his toothpaste, Clowney describes how this popular advertising technique also applies to what we observe taking place in the realm of Christianity. Some always want to add something more to the Christian faith.

Still today too, we might add. No doubt, more so than in 1960.

A Little Free Library loving third-grader on the power of books | Book Patrol

A Little Free Library loving third-grader on the power of books | Book Patrol.

Remember this concept of Little Free Libraries?

Well, you are going to love this little third-grade gal who speaks from the heart about the need for books – in her Cleveland, OH school and around the world! She has my vote for library spokesperson of the year!

Enjoy! And be inspired!

I also read in our local Advance newspaper that our first local Little Free Library was placed in one of Grandville’s parks. Good job!