Os Guinness

A Logos Book of the Year "If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide." Abraham Lincoln Nothing is more daring in the American experiment than the founders' belief that the American republic could remain free forever. But how was this to be done, and are Americans doing it today? It is not enough for freedom to be won. It must also be sustained. Cultural observer Os Guinness argues that the American experiment in freedom is at risk. Summoning historical evidence on how democracies evolve, Guinness shows that contemporary views of freedom--most typically, a negative freedom from constraint-- are unsustainable because they undermine the conditions necessary for freedom to thrive. He calls us to reconsider the audacity of sustainable freedom and what it would take to restore it. "In the end," Guinness writes, "the ultimate threat to the American republic will be Americans. The problem is not wolves at the door but termites in the floor." The future of the republic depends on whether Americans will rise to the challenge of living up to America's unfulfilled potential for freedom, both for itself and for the world.

In one of the world's great ironies, the Christian faith contributed decisively to the rise of the modern world, but has been undermined decisively by the modern world it helped to create. The Christian faith has become its own gravedigger. In the 25 years since philosopher and social critic Os Guinness first published The Gravedigger Files, much has happened: the fall of the Soviet Union, the rise of the computer age, the reemergence of China and India, the rise of Islamic terrorism, and the worldwide revitalization and politicization of religion. The central mystery of Dr. Guinness's spy novel inspired by his affection for John le Carré thrillers remains unsolved: Can Christians regain the full integrity of faith in Christ while fully and properly engaged in the advanced modern world? This new edition of The Last Christian on Earth, which includes previously unpublished top-secret memos, is Dr. Guinness's parable about the future of the Christian church in the West. Written in the grand tradition of le Carré, Fleming, and Clancy, this thriller pays homage to the genre while transcending it--because the real-life ending has yet to be written!

In postmodern society, truth no longer exists in any objective or absolute sense. At best, truth is considered relative. At worst, it's a matter of human convention. But, as Os Guinness points out in this book, truth is a vital requirement for freedom and a good life. Time for Truth urges readers to seek the truth, speak the truth, and live the truth. Guinness shows that becoming free and truthful people is the deepest secret of integrity and the highest form of taking responsibility for ourselves and our lives. Now in paperback, this engaging book will interest Os Guinness fans, thoughtful readers, and those concerned with moral, political, and cultural issues.

At the end of the twentieth century, as moral standards decline (especially among public figures), our nation is in need of men and women of character. In Character Counts, renowned thinker and cultural critic Os Guinness has gathered together short biographical and reflective chapters about four remarkable world figures who not only withstood the extreme adversities of their offices and situations but flourished and grew under pressure. How did they do it? * When did George Washington acquire the courage and tolerance to become the president of a fledgling new democracy? * What enabled William Wilberforce to forge the way for the abolition of slavery and reformation of morals in England? * How did Abraham Lincoln change from an awkward, undereducated country boy into the eloquent and determined leader of a war-torn America? * What inner strength sustained Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn during long years of imprisonment and exile in the Gulag Archipelago? Concerned citizens and all who are eager to raise the level of character in this generation and the next will draw inspiration from these brief, readable biographies. The four insightful chapters reveal that adversity, apart from its power to overwhelm, has the potential to spotlight true moral character and produce life-changing leaders."

Do you have significant doubts about God? Are you afraid to doubt, much less admit to anyone that you aren't fully convinced of God's faithfulness? Are you so torn by your questions that life is losing its meaning? This forthright but compassionate book works to tear away the layers of misunderstanding about doubt to reveal not only its dangers but its great value. As author Os Guinness explains: "If ours is an examined faith, we should be unafraid to doubt... There is no believing without some doubting, and believing is all the stronger for understanding and resolving doubt." For those who are unsure of God's trustworthiness—and for those who are in a dark place, wanting to know "Why?" or "How long, O Lord?"—God in the Dark is a must. It puts a human face on the problem of doubt and examines it thoroughly. In a way that will respond to your questions, settle your fears, and strengthen your faith.

An internationally known writer and speaker on religion and public life brilliantly analyzes the causes of our current moral malaise. Os Guinness examines how perilously close we have come to losing the shared beliefs, traditions, and ideals that have helped shape America and sets forth a compelling view of a new role for religion and faith.