Friday, March 21, 2014

Awakening - Book Review

Where is America heading? What is to be the fate of this great nation; the grand democratic experiment? Any concerned American wishes he had the answers to these questions. It is these questions that Ralph Reed addresses in his latest volume Awakening: How America Can Turn From Economic and Moral Destruction Back to Greatness. Just what is in the future for the US of A?

Reed is the former executive director of the Christian Coalition. He is currently the founder and chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition. It is from this background of faith and cultural involvement that Reed has written Awakening.

The bottom line (please excuse the cliche) of this book is that we are in a cultural and spiritual war fighting for the moral code upon which our country was founded. It is a moral code that has been abandoned by our leaders and our citizens.

Reed analyzes all areas of our culture – politics, marriage to include same-sex marriage, racism, poverty and religious freedom – carefully detailing each subject and then reasoning for confidence in the people of our country.

Reed’s contention is that revival (awakening) in America is cyclical. Just when it seems that America is heading down the road to ruin, God provides a spiritual awakening. He begins with a historical account of “The Spiritual Cycle” in America expressing that there is reason to believe a new awakening is coming despite the current moral decay in the United States. He continues with a chronological walk through American history with an eye to our spiritual heritage.

He continues in Chapter Five, “The Reagan Revival,” with a condensed yet pointed biography of President Ronald Reagan that helps us to understand who he was and why he became the man that he was. It is a chapter well worth reading. In the sub-chapter “An Evangelical Ally” you will find a scenario from 1978 that is reminiscent to today. The positive result from that near identical scenario is in part what gives Reed hope.

Reed also provides us with some personal information when he describes the rise of the Christian Coalition and his involvement in it. It’s an interesting and forthright journey through the history of the organization detailing the early influence of the Christian Coalition and even its defeats. Regardless of what you may have thought of the Christian Coalition, it’s an honest account.

The most chilling chapter is “The War on Christianity” in which Reed takes the Obama administration to task on a number of issues that challenge the Christian faith – “Obamacare” and the IRS Harassment in particular. Reed does not withhold criticism accusing the administration of slight-of-hand and insensitivity when dealing with Christians.

Reed concludes with a final section challenging Americans and Christian in particular to wake up and get involved. The final chapter, “A Call to Christian Citizenship,” should confront every Christian with the obligation to get involved in some way in the political process.

In the end Reed has a message of hope:
Ø Hope that history will have another positive repeat performance.
Ø  Hope for America and what it originally stood for.
Ø  Hope that the people of this country will return to the moral values upon which it was founded.


This book should be loved and appreciated by Conservatives and it should be a stern wake up call for Christians. Read it and make up your own mind as to whether or not there is hope.

**This book was provided to me for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.**

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