The Purpose-driven Life - is it okay to read?

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:hmmm: My cousin is reading The Purpose-driven Life and is highly recommending that I also read it. I tried to do a search in here to see if this book is okay for Catholics to read but nothing came up. I’m sure it was discussed in her before but I can’t find the thread. I’m afraid it’s New Age but I’m not sure.

Does anyone know if the book The Purpose-driven Life is okay for us to read?
 
shannin said:
:hmmm: My cousin is reading The Purpose-driven Life and is highly recommending that I also read it. I tried to do a search in here to see if this book is okay for Catholics to read but nothing came up. I’m sure it was discussed in her before but I can’t find the thread. I’m afraid it’s New Age but I’m not sure.

Does anyone know if the book The Purpose-driven Life is okay for us to read?
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Well, I do not know if Iam qualified to answer that. I can only tell you
that I do not read that type of material. I only read Catholic books.
You should ask an apologist.
 
I would look at it with an informed Catholic mind. It is written by Rick Warren, pastor or the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA. Saddleback Church is associated with the Southren Baptist Convention and preaches Sola Scriptura and “Once saved, always saved”.

Though the book is very popular in our country, which might tell you something, I would think there are much better books to read with sound teachings out there. Why would you want to read something that you would have to check on to see if the teachings were sound or not?
 
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Sir_Hubert:
I would look at it with an informed Catholic mind. It is written by Rick Warren, pastor or the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA. Saddleback Church is associated with the Southren Baptist Convention and preaches Sola Scriptura and “Once saved, always saved”.
Though the book is very popular in our country, which might tell you something, I would think there are much better books to read with sound teachings out there. Why would you want to read something that you would have to check on to see if the teachings were sound or not?
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Thank you for the information. I don’t want to read the book but I wanted to be able to give my cousin an informed opinion on why she shouldn’t be reading this type of book.
 
I saw one of his videos and he quietly attacked the Church.

I wouldn’t recommend this to a fellow Catholic.

Besides, what is a purpose driven life without the sacraments. “Introduction to the Devout Life” by St. Frances DeSales is an excellent book about a purpose driven life.

:blessyou:
 
**An Introduction To The Devout Life
**By: St. Francis de Sales

tanbooks.com/shop_image/product/intr1253.jpg http://www.tanbooks.com/shop_image/design/spacer.gif The person intent upon gaining Heaven should first resort to a competent guide to reach that Goal of all goals. And no better guide exists than An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Doctor of the Church. Easy to read, being laid out in short chapters, yet it is thorough, authoritative, reliable, kind and gentle–a mirror of its author. A book to be read again and again, and to make your guide for the rest of your life!
Here

Here is another classic.

**The Sinner’s Guide
**By: Ven Louis Of Grenada

tanbooks.com/shop_image/product/sinn1031.jpg http://www.tanbooks.com/shop_image/design/spacer.gif
This is probably the most famous book of the favorite writer of St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Vincent de Paul, etc. St. Teresa of Avila credited this book with having converted over a million people in her time. This is the most persuasive book we know to encourage people to abandon sin and embrace repentance and virtue. The logic is relentless and effective. For mastery of subject, command of Scripture and total impact on the reader, no book surpasses The Sinner’s Guide!

Here
 
Shortly after this book was published and on bookshelves a loving family member of mine gave it to me for my birthday…signed with a loving sentiment on the inside cover…there it sat for months on end collecting dust until I traded for a good Catholic book in a used book store.
My internal protestant radar set my alarm off and warned me not to read it.
 
In addition to my cousin, I have another Catholic friend that gave me a copy of a book called Conversations With God. Now, the title sounds great - the only problem is that it’s about as New Age as you can get and it professes throughout the book that we all are God. I ended up by burning that one.

Honestly, it’s amazing how many Catholics read this stuff and don’t even understand what they are doing to their minds :banghead:
 
Actually, reading The Purpose Driven Life changed my life. And at my request, my parish did a book discussion of it last Lent. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it (I’m talking devout Catholics here!) and the faith sharing was wonderful. I recommend it HIGHLY. However, it does have some problematic areas. Predestination, OSAS, etc. But if you have a good understanding of Catholicism and read this book, you just might get an incredible RENEWAL of faith and purpose. I did. It has many wonderful things to offer. But then, I have no problem accepting what was good about the book and ignoring what wasn’t so good. I certainly don’t see it as dangerous.
 
Do a search on this site for past issues of The Rock. I think it was from 2005 when they had a great article on this book.

Basically it said that the book presented topics contrary to the Catholic faith, and if you weren’t well-catechized you could end up with beliefs not supported by the Church (Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, baptism being only a symbol, etc.)
 
QUOTE=Lrning]Actually, reading The Purpose Driven Life changed my life. And at my request, my parish did a book discussion of it last Lent. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it (I’m talking devout Catholics here!) and the faith sharing was wonderful. I recommend it HIGHLY. However, it does have some problematic areas. Predestination, OSAS, etc. But if you have a good understanding of Catholicism and read this book, you just might get an incredible RENEWAL of faith and purpose. I did. It has many wonderful things to offer. But then, I have no problem accepting what was good about the book and ignoring what wasn’t so good. I certainly don’t see it as dangerous.

I agree with this-look at what he says- “It’s not about you-the purpose of your life is far greater then you personal fulfilment…”“Begin with God-you were born for his purpose,by his purpose.”…“This is not a selfhelp book,its about becoming what God has created you for…”“You are not an accident…” it focuses you on your goal ie to be what God wants us to be. It helped me a lot. Ofcourse it is sadly lacking in the Sacraments and our Blessed Mother. Still I would read it.
 
I don’t find it helpful reading books by Protestant pastors when there are hundreds of books written by Catholics, many of them saints, that I have yet to read.

As one poster mentioned, there is a danger if you do not realise where ther author is going off-track.

By the same token, there are several ‘Catholic’ authors, some priests, that I would not read because of possible danger to my Faith.
 
I prefer books written with a Catholic perspective, and by Catholic authors, but not everyone is Catholic. And, if that book enables someone to draw nearer to the Lord, then it’s a positive to me. I read it and thought it was a good read. I don’t think you will come away ‘harmed,’ if you read this book, as a practicing Catholic. I didn’t. LOL :angel1:
 
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