This isn’t the book I would normally buy, in fact I probably wouldn’t have known of its existence unless somebody had recommended it to me. Alister McGrath is an Oxford Professor and apparently “Britain’s most prolific evangelical theologian” but please don’t let that put you off.
Many people, including myself, call themselves Christians, but how many people actually spend time knowing Christ, not just knowing about him but actually knowing Christ himself in a personal, deep and meaningful way.
While this book is quite intense, it requires no knowledge of Christianity and you can also read it if you think you know everything about Christianity, it works because his approach will be as new to both. McGrath not only looks at Jesus but also people throughout history who have known Jesus in a personal way.
Although it took the first chapter for me to relate to the style, I soon felt drawn in and often had to throw down the book to pray or to look at my own relationship with Christ – how far do I really know you Jesus? The book uses our imaginations to recreate scenes from the life of Jesus, it demands to know how we would react in those situations.
This isn’t a book that can be rushed, when you read it you need to be on your own for two hours so you have time to reflect, to pray, to cry out. If you want to explore knowing Christ and not just knowing about Christ then do try this book.