©2003 W Publishing Group of Thomas Nelson, Nashville
Max Lucado has become synonymous with feel good theology. Sometimes this is a good thing, sometimes bad. At Christmas when we are looking for stories that tug at our heartstrings, this is a pretty good thing.
Originally published as The Christmas Cross, this little heart-warmer tells the story of a Chicago journalist who takes an assignment in Dallas that keeps him away from his wife—after a series of angry interchanges—on Christmas Eve. From his father’s possessions he has obtained an old photo of the Clearwater Lutheran Church in Clearwater, Texas. Since this is the place of his birth—
and the place where he was adopted from—the reporter takes a few extra days for the trip (it also helps him get out of range of the anger of Meg) to find out the mystery in Clearwater.
Upon his arrival he finds a handmade crèche on the lawn of the church with a story that brings him home, reuniting him with Meg before it’s too late.
While the story feels good for the holiday, it doesn’t drag the tears from you as some other holiday offerings do. The movie from Impact Pictures provides a lot of meat for the bare bones of the story. The movie also predicated the re-titling of the book (the new title is not nearly so cryptically attached to the story as the original) and stars William R. Moses and Megan Follows with a cameo by Christian recording artist Stephen Curtis Chapman.
My final opinion: The Christmas Child is good for four sets of reading glasses because it is a quick read with a nice message. For your money—rent the movie and enjoy a couple of hours of wholesome entertainment for the whole family.
—Benjamin Potter, December 26, 2007
Max Lucado has become synonymous with feel good theology. Sometimes this is a good thing, sometimes bad. At Christmas when we are looking for stories that tug at our heartstrings, this is a pretty good thing.
Originally published as The Christmas Cross, this little heart-warmer tells the story of a Chicago journalist who takes an assignment in Dallas that keeps him away from his wife—after a series of angry interchanges—on Christmas Eve. From his father’s possessions he has obtained an old photo of the Clearwater Lutheran Church in Clearwater, Texas. Since this is the place of his birth—
and the place where he was adopted from—the reporter takes a few extra days for the trip (it also helps him get out of range of the anger of Meg) to find out the mystery in Clearwater.Upon his arrival he finds a handmade crèche on the lawn of the church with a story that brings him home, reuniting him with Meg before it’s too late.
While the story feels good for the holiday, it doesn’t drag the tears from you as some other holiday offerings do. The movie from Impact Pictures provides a lot of meat for the bare bones of the story. The movie also predicated the re-titling of the book (the new title is not nearly so cryptically attached to the story as the original) and stars William R. Moses and Megan Follows with a cameo by Christian recording artist Stephen Curtis Chapman.
My final opinion: The Christmas Child is good for four sets of reading glasses because it is a quick read with a nice message. For your money—rent the movie and enjoy a couple of hours of wholesome entertainment for the whole family.—Benjamin Potter, December 26, 2007
No comments:
Post a Comment