Manly Dominion - Book Review

Some number of years ago I read the book Wild At Heart by John Eldridge. I'm sure you've heard of it. It's one of those slightly annoying "stop being a sissy and be a man" type of books for Christian men. After I got over the fact that Eldridge related everything to hunting and grunting, I enjoyed the book. I will now grant that it's better than "slightly annoying." But I feel no need to recommend it to any male reader interested in Godly man-hood.

I have since discovered a different book by a thoroughly reformed author. His name is Mark Chanski. He wrote a book called Manly Dominion. Already, by the title alone, you can see that it's on a different level than "Wild At Heart". Where "Wild At Heart" related manly life to adventure and danger and fairy-tale stuff, Manly Dominion is full of actual advice that packs quite the pragmatic punch.
Anyway, the advice is so practical and relevant (even to my situation where I'm not allowed to work, the manliest of all things, due to my immigration status), that I thought I would tell a few friends about it regardless of whatever step in life they are.

My one reserve: In the beginning of the book Chanski sings the praise of George W(MD's?) Bush. That irritated me.

1. Because I dislike George Bush and his word inventing ways.
2. Because I think it's sloppy to praise such a polarizing figure. If he wanted to raise the American flag of leader worship he should have praised John Adams, who nearly always chose the higher, better, more honest way in regards to his country even when nobody liked him. If we can say anything about Bush, it's that honesty and open-ness were not his strong points.
3. Maybe modern politics should have stayed out. Then nobody could be irritated about anything. He could have just as easily praised Obama for sticking to his guns in a racially charged presidential bid. (only problem? Published August 22, 2007. So we didn't know Obama was going to go all the way. But praising Obama would have irritated me too. But maybe I'm too irritable.) Okay. Done. That's for a different blog on a different day with different themes.

ANYWAY, that's really my only negative critique.

As reformed people, we're quite familiar with the concept of ignoring the "quivers in our livers" when it comes to decision-making. Chanski pulls no scriptural punch in making sure we understand why we believe this. His chapter on providence found (even) me wanting for biblical Christian decisiveness in certain situations. Either way I was reading this and smiling at his words, and highlighting some of them, and re-thinking some things I got used to thinking.

So I began pondering about my youth all the way to my ripe adulthood. I haven't been very manly all the time. At least not by conventional (worldly) standards.

By the conventional standard, one only has to look at me and see I'm no threat. What, with my skinny-jeans and v-neck shirt and scarf around my neck it's easy to see I project the image of a soft-spoken wimpy sissy man. But manliness has nothing to do with skinny-jeans and scarves and everything to do with biblical principles.

If I read your book about manhood and you tell me life is like football or big game hunting I'm likely to throw your book across the room in protest because, "You don't know me." (The author Donald Miller gives account of doing this very thing the first time he tried to read Wild At Heart. You can read about that in Miller's own book To Own A Dragon.) But, if you use the Bible and it's own metaphors for our existence (put on your armor, slay the enemy), then, well, okay...you got me there.

Time to suit up.

I'm not interested in condensing Chanki's book into blog form so you can read this and then say "Cool...that sounds good". I want you to read it. It's challenging. It's inspiring. It caused me to want to lead my household in manner pleasing to God. It made me want to do away with Cheeto's eating, channel surfing, slothfulness when I know I could spend an extra 30 mins talking with my wife while she prepares dinner (or ¡gasp! even help her).

It made me want to be where my church was. If there is Sunday School I want to be there. Bible study? Be there. And not just myself, but to encourage my household to faithfully support the church. Nay...to order my household to support the church and pursue Godly endeavors.

Someday (Lord willing) I'll have children. And they're gonna crap on stuff. And keep me awake. They'll probably break things that I thought were very important material possessions. That's going to tick me off and teach me Godly principles at the same time. (nothing quite like learning a lesson grudgingly) But having received biblical parenting advice via Mark Chanski I've never been more excited about it.

Manly Dominion. Sounds scary? Maybe not. Kinda in-yo-face. But it's absolutely necessary for the Godly man. We've been feminized and metro-sexualized and told to follow. Told to step aside. It's time to follow Christ. Then step in front, and lead by His example.

*Please read my wife's blog. It's interesting to read about her own journey into Biblical womanhood.

**And if you're a woman interested in your own journey into Biblical Woman-hood I recommend Mark Chanski's book Womanly Dominion.

***There is nothing wrong with a man who maintains a good skin-care regimen. So if you kinda fall into the metro-sexual stereotype, then I say, boldly lead your family in a good skin-care regimen.