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Title: The Divine Conspiracy
Author: Dallas Willard
Genre: Christian Spirituality | |
〰First Line〰
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Recently a pilot was practicing high-speed maneuvers in a jet fighter. She turned the controls for what she thought thought was a steep ascent--and flew straight into the ground. She was unaware that she had been flying upside down.
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Synopsis: (From Amazon)
The Divine Conspiracy has
revolutionized how we think about the true meaning of discipleship. In
this classic, one of the most brilliant Christian thinkers of our times
and author of the acclaimed The Spirit of Disciplines,
Dallas Willard, skillfully weaves together biblical teaching, popular
culture, science, scholarship, and spiritual practice, revealing what it
means to "apprentice" ourselves to Jesus. Using Jesus’s Sermon of the
Mount as his foundation, Willard masterfully explores life-changing ways
to experience and be guided by God on a daily basis, resulting in a
more authentic and dynamic faith.
〰First Thoughts〰
Like C. S. Lewis and Richard J. Foster, Dallas Willard is one of those writers whose total body of works I hope to finish. I thoroughly enjoy his unique way of presenting theological concepts. From the description of this book it seems as though Willard is teaching the believer how to initiate the discipleship phase of belief, rather than depending on someone else to initiate. I don't believe he's advocating a do-it-yourself Christianity, but more of an exercise in maturity. This one will prove to be an interesting read.
Book completed 9/3/25
Rating: ✮✮✮✮ stars
Conclusion: For some reason, I had a hard time getting through the first couple of chapters. However, after I caught the rhythm of the tome I couldn't not read this volume. The synopsis from Amazon (above) didn't do the book justice. Willard's text is a multi-layered exposition of the Sermon on the Mount (or as he calls it, the "Discourse on the Hill"). He expounds both on what Jesus did and did NOT say in His sermon.
While it is true that the book does cover what true discipleship/apprenticeship looks like, Willard first took the time to weed through some incorrect--albeit popular--teaching about the connection between a true relationship with Christ and behavioral change. First, the author had to establish that once a person has made a decision for Christ (being born again), he or she must take steps to grow in faith to "produce fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matthew 3:8 NIV). I was shocked to hear Willard say that many churches do not teach this when there is a stack of Scriptures that prove such active growth necessary.
The bulk of the book was the author's correction of the church's propensity to put the cart in front of the horse, so to speak. Jesus' words in Matthew chapters five through seven are not a teaching on 'getting yourself together" before coming to Him--the converse of the previously mentioned bad teaching. The instructions in the sermon are not what one must do to enter the kingdom of God; they are the behaviors that having a "kingdom heart," as he calls it, produces.
This volume will certainly be listed amongst my rereads. I'd like to take this one again nice and slow; what I've dubbed a "crock pot" read.
So, what's the first line of the book you're currently reading?
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