One of the strangest paradoxes of the Christian faith is that it must fashion victory out of defeat and hope out of despair. The author brilliantly meditates on certain scripture passages which both haunt and hallow him to hear who hears. A book for every Christian who wants to grow in his faith.

Classic Buechner ( )

Buechner's work is reminiscent of C. S. Lewis. This book is worth the buy just for the first chapter under the same heading as the book, "The Magnificent Defeat". ( )

This collection of sermons originally intended for congregations of predominantly young people, this compilation of 18 essay's speaks to every Christian who would sit down and read them. The Magnificent Defeat is broken down into 3 parts. I - The Challenge to Surrender , II - The Triumph of Love, III - The Mystery and Miracle of Grace. Each essay starts with a quote from scripture and then continues on with the life of Christ, and in turn our own life as a result. While Buechner does touch on some theological points, a lot of his essays deal with the search for the Truth.
These essays are powerful, and can also serve as a good topic of discussion during particular Christian seasons (2 essays on the Birth of Christ, 2 essays on the Death of Christ). ( )