If the maxim is true that good things come in small packages, then it will be reinforced by this latest in Clifford Goldstein’s series of publications. Multiplied thousands have appreciated Goldstein’s writings, and here he leads us into what will be new territory, even uncharted waters for some.

With this book he exposes us for the first time to the extraordinary depth that underlies his understanding and his special gift for expression. Tapping levels of thought rarely explored in Adventist publications, and with chapters averaging only about 10 pages’ length, he challenges a jaded generation to face up to the real core questions of existence that underlie all that we are in everyday life. What should we think about God, life, death, and eternity? Here he uncovers the germinal level of how we think that gives form to all knowledge, whether gained from our environment or from the Scriptures themselves.

This book is not designed for the superficial skimmer, for virtually every sentence carries a gem of understanding worthy of attention. It is rich in insights and well worth the time invested in reading carefully. With allusions and illustrations drawn from literary, philosophical, and scientific figures he leads us through the chief questions in the search for meaning. He wrestles with the world that shapes what we see constantly in print, our educational systems, the electronic media, and entertainment.

As a guide coming from the land of faith, Goldstein leads us through a minefield of dead ends to cope with that giant generator of all doubt, the brooding presence of evil in a world made by a God who presents Himself as altogether good. Goldstein’s answer well surpasses the pallid solution offered in Rabbi Kushner’s best selling Why Bad Things Happen to Good People. This new book from Goldstein will enrich its readers, both believing Christians with a depth of thought and seekers looking for a reason to believe even in a world filled with contradictions.

Goldstein, Clifford. God, Gödel, and Grace: A Philosophy of Faith. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2003.