Anger is unavoidable and perfectly natural, according to Lester, professor of pastoral theology and pastoral counseling at Brite Divinity School. As part of what God created and called good in Genesis, anger is only wrong or sinful when used in destructive rather than creative ways. In this primer on the subject, Lester explores frequently misinterpreted biblical narratives about God, Jesus and anger, and provides a six-step process for recognizing, naming, evaluating and using creatively that emotion most of us wish would go away. Anger occurs when our values, self-understanding, physical being or future hopes and dreams are threatened, says Lester. Using illustrative stories from the Bible and contemporary life, he makes a convincing case for his "threat model." As is true with any one-size-fits-all answer, however, the model gets stretched thin occasionally ("When the Jews came to arrest Jesus in the Garden, Peter felt his investment in Jesus and his mission were threatened"). Nonetheless, the book-written in clear and nontechnical language, with frank descriptions of the inappropriate ways people express anger, as well as suggestions for using it as an ally instead-will help readers from a Christian background understand, befriend and use their anger creatively. Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
