reviews

We're excited to hear what others are saying about the book. Please share your comments and feedback with us!

The chapters would be valuable for Christians of most denominations and would be useful for both ordained and lay Christians. In general, in fact, Un-American Activities is accessible, entertaining, and enlightening, especially for those trying to minister more effectively to the wandering, skeptical, and searching young adult."
Read the complete review - Lutheran Partners Magazine • March / April 2010 • Volume 26 • Number 2
David von Schlichten, pastor of St. James Lutheran Church, Youngstown, Pennsylvania, and the book review editor of Lutheran Partners magazine

love the book kim! thanks for the copy–and the shout outs! congratulations and well done!
Kelly Fryer, author of No Experience Necessary, Reclaiming the "C" Word: Daring to the Church Again, and many others

I have thoroughly enjoyed every chapter of this book. What surprised me the most was how I arrived at almost identical conclusions from such a different background. I did not grow up in a middle class family, nor was I Lutheran. My family was very poor; we did not have electricity until I was 11 yrs old. I grew up at a time where there was no difference in Spain between the government and the Church. My journey has gone through different stages. As I was growing up, my main struggle was to understand, and to oppose, the marriage of the Catholic Church to money and power. I still have serious reservations about today's practices in the Catholic Church. The Church, as a whole, is not committed to the "preferential treatment of the poor," nor to the theologies of "liberación or acompañamiento." The poor remain at the periphery of the Church. We still fail to see Christ in the poor and the suffering (or we fail to act on our beliefs). A great feature of this book is that applies equally to Lutherans and to other Christian denominations. Read the rest of the review.
Julien Bueno, retired professor of Spanish, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

If to be educated is to be led from one position and perspective to another, Dr. Tom Wilkens and Kim Wilkens, together with other members of their family and in interaction with their culture, eloquently demonstrate what it means to be educated. Their book, in a most profound sense, is also our book. Read the rest of the review.
Norm Beck, Poehlmann Professor of Theology and Classical Languages, Texas Lutheran University

What is the Spirit saying to the churches? Christians who wonder where God is leading us will want to check out this collection of lively exchanges between professor Thomas Wilkens and his witty daughter Kim. Amusing and provocative, their reflections allow us to share the surprises that accompany learning beyond the classroom and living outside one’s comfort zone. Reading this book is like sifting through a box of souvenirs: stories, letters, papers, and sermons laced with personal vulnerability, theological depth, and a profound sense of social responsibility. It is a book that "goes the distance," traversing hemispheres, cultures, and generations.
Mark Allan Powell, Professor of New Testament, Trinity Lutheran Seminary

Like standing on a peak viewing an intriguing horizon, and then traveling toward and into the horizon, father and daughter invite the reader on a journey of exploration and discovery of distinct but meshing worlds. Part memoir; part transformational; part world-view changing; part personal intrigue and renewal intertwined – leading to a wholeness of deeper health and shalom for both authors and readers. I plan to use material from this book as I consult with congregations in transition.
Paul J. Blom, Bishop Emeritus, Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Subversion, liberation, solidarity with the poor, social justice – ingredients that develop into a feast of thoughtful dialogue between father and daughter, and we are invited to the table. The conversation questions the comfortable, unreflective, triumphalist theologies that are so pervasive among Christians and the churches they attend. Be prepared for a Christology in the dirt where most of the world really lives. This is no tame book that one can play with and not get messy. Be careful. Christians will have to re-evaluate what it means to be like Jesus.
Pastor Jim Taylor, Mosaic Community Church, Seguin, TX

I just finished reading the three chapters of your book. Excellent, provocative stuff--it would make a good adult book study.
Pastor John Herman, Peace Lutheran Church, Charlottesville, VA

I'm very impressed! I expected good writing from you, but Kim really surprised me. The subject matter was so interesting, and I found myself anxious to read what she would say about your homilies. She never disappointed! And you, of course, are your usual provocative, challenging self. All of the sermons hit hard, where we soft Americans have our guards up; it's all the more important that we consider what you have to say!
Pat G.