Book Review – “The Wood Between the Worlds

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Book Review of Brian Zahnd’s “The Wood Between The Worlds” by Ken Williams.

During a recent conversation with Ken Williams, a regular contributor here on CWR Blog, Ken mentioned how delighted he was with “The Wood Between the Worlds – A Poetic Theology of the Cross” by Brian Zahn. Here are highlights of Ken William’s book review:

              The Son of God, close to the Father’s heart, reveals God, he is love. The Holy Spirit gave us God’s incarnate self-revelation, Mary’s son, crucified. The Cross leaves us speechless. God loves us more than he loved himself!

              Brian Zahnd plunged into the mystery of the Cross in his book “The Wood Between The Worlds.” Each chapter deserves prayerful consideration. He does not write in prose, rather he expresses his personal journey with the Cross as, “A poetic theology of the Cross.”

              Zahnd reveals where we are going on his journey, the first page of chapter 1, “[The Cross] Viewed objectively it’s abhorrent … Strangely, many find solace as they look upon a depiction of this naked man nailed to a tree. Finding comfort in such death is a mystery we will explore.”

Those who appreciate how good stories and poetry touch the ineffable will appreciate Zahnd’s use of C. S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia, “the wood between the worlds is a portal.”

Some chapters like 13 “The Lynching of the Son of Man” draws us to a mirror to see we once were children of wrath, like everyone else. Zahnd kindly reminds us that we on are his journey, he’s one of us.

              In chapter 17 “The Harrowing of Hell”, Zahnd provides some humor some of us enjoy, when he compares Jesus’ descent into hell with Johah’s time in the whale’s belly. He explains that Jonah gave the whale indigestion, so he vomited him out. Death, foolishly, swallowed Jesus, could not digest him, got a belly ache, and vomited him out.

              The last chapter “The Center That Holds” assures us we are freed from the bondage of self, immersed in Jesus’ shed blood, now channels of God’s love for all others.

Ken and Nancy Williams served for some 25 years in pastoral ministry, and then almost another 20 years serving and mentoring other pastors.  With the heart of a pastor Ken continues to write and blog from upstate New York where he and Nancy live close to their grandchildren.