Clear Winter Nights: A Journey into Truth, Doubt, and What Comes After Hardcover – September 17, 2013

*****I absolutely loved and enjoyed this book. No it is not a great book (as one reviewer wrote) but it is a really, really good one. It is a book that is enjoyable, not academic. It is a book that essentially anyone could read and be entertained yet at the same time come away with loving and accurate theology about big questions they may have about Christianity. It is a book for questioners, for doubters, and especially for people who want to be Christians yet who cannot see clearly a way to do that and still be loving. That was me several months ago, and this book would have been devoured by me eagerly back then...imagine...a way to be a Christian--an evangelical--a conservative person--who DOES want to believe in Bible doctrine--YET to also live their lives in a way that would be loving! I would have been absolutely blown away!As it was, I enjoyed it so much and am going to buy more copies for people I know who are sitting on the fence as I was--Christians who no longer attend church, who can really identify with the main character Chris, a young man about to make major decisions about his life. As they read this novel, they will learn so much from his wise, tender, loving, Bible-believing retired pastor grandfather Gil, just as I did.The book is essentially a discussion--a life-changing discussion--that takes place over just a few days at Gil's house while Chris takes care of him. There is some plot that is intriguing, but the book is not action-oriented. Despite this seeming flaw, it completely held my interest as Chris took on many questions that unbelievers and believers ask today. Gil answers them in honest and forthright ways. The book keeps the reader's interest not just by how they identify with the characters but by the emotions the reader will feel for both Gil and Chris. As part of the book both Gil and Chris address some family issues of forgiveness about Gils's son, also Chris' father; this is something every parent and every child will be able to relate to. The book has a poignant and moving ending that brought me to tears.I would highly recommend this book for everyone. But especially for those people who and struggling to have integrity and be real and authentic and loving while being a Christian. Or for those who have hardened hearts already about Christians and the Bible and who think they could never identify as a Christian or belong to a church. There are other popular books that have been written like this that are short and easy reads, as this book is, but this stands alone for conservative Bible Christians--I know of no other. If anyone does, please mention it in the comments.Buy this, read this, and share it with those you love.Highly recommended.*****

Clear Winter Nights is a refreshing and quick read. Not pretentious, not overly ambitious. Just a nice, sweet story of the relationship and faith of a young man and his grandfather. Part of what makes this book so appealing is the authenticity of the relationship between these two.

Chris is a young man who appears to be on his way to a good marriage, a job in the ministry, and a promising future. He's finishing college, engaged to his girlfriend Ashley, and working with a group of other young adults in planting a new church in Knoxville.But Chris has doubts, and the doubts are growing. He's not sure how much of the Bible he can accept as true. He's feeling a lessening of the commitment to the church plant. And he doesn't share the assurance that his girlfriend has about faith. What's driving his thinking is something that happened in his past - the family abandoned by his father - and something happening in the present - the strong influence of a non-believing college professor.Chris breaks off his engagement, walks away from the church plant, and is considering continuing his religious studies program to become a professor. If that sounds contradictory, that's because it is. He is one confused guy.He spends a few days leading up to the New Year's holiday with his much-loved grandfather, a retired Baptist minister, a recent widower, and the victim of a recent stroke. The two will spend the holiday talking about faith, the Bible, belief, and what actually happened with Chris's father. It will not be an easy conversation for either Chris or his grandfather."Clear Winter Nights: A Journey into Truth, Doubt, and What Comes After" by Trevin Wax is written as a novel. But the story is more a discussion of doubt and faith, and what many young people raised in Christian homes struggle with in their personal lives and the culture at large.Wax is the Bible and Reference Publisher at Lifeway Christian Resources, general editor of The Gospel Project, a blogger at The Gospel Coalition, and a teaching pastor. He is also the author of "Holy Subversion: Allegiance to Christ in an Age of Rivals" (2010); "Counterfeit Gospel: Rediscovering the Good News in a World of False Hope" (2011); "Gospel-Centered Teaching: Showing Christ in All the Scripture" (2013); and "This is Our Time: Everyday Myths in Light of the Gospel" (2017). He and his family live in Nashville, Tennessee."Clear Winter Nights" doesn't have a nice, all-loose-ends-tired-up-and-all-doubts-resolved type of ending. That's what make it seems so real, not only in the lives of young people but in the lives of many older ones as well. Wax tells a good story, and he tells a real one.

It's a good read. I think to newer Christians, or people exploring their faith it could be very powerful. It didn't speak to me a whole lot with where I am at in my walk with Christ, but even still, I read it straight through and enjoyed it... so no complaints.

Excellent Book with lots of good theology. He does a great job of lovingly explainly the wordly view of life versus the Biblical truth of the way God intended us to live for Him. Great dialogue between a grandfather and his grandson.Very true to life scenarios and the way people respond to Biblical truth. It's a must read.. Very short book

This is a journey every person should make. We need to know what we believe and why we believe. We all need a goal in life.

This novel bridges the gap of generational questions needed to be asked. It is so clear in its heart. I think it does a great job of ironing out the struggles with sin, forgiveness, and death. I highly recommend it.

Whether you are as Chris, needing the wise mentor, or as Gil, reflecting on your past and dealing with physical limitations, or somewhere in between, you will find yourself realizing there are lots of folks around you needing your life alongside theirs to make the journey bearable.

A great way to explore Biblical truths in a natural conversation between a wise grandfather and grandson experiencing doubts. Well done!

This book falls within one of my least favourite sub-genres of literature, personal conversation-fiction (not sure if that's an official genre or not), so I didn't have very high expectations for it. However, I was pleasantly surprised by Trevin Wax's job of doing this genre well. This book is mainly a running conversation between an early twenties Christian young man and his 80ish year old former Pastor and very wise and winsome grandfather. The young man is questioning the truth and livability of the Christian faith in light of some pluralistic, relativistic, postmodern goo he received from his religion professor at college as well as some old fashioned relational issues with people he cares about but who reject some of the truth claims and moral stances of biblically faithful and orthodox Christianity or who have acted hypocritically and hurt him. Due to some (believable) life circumstances, the young man and his grandfather end up spending a New Years long weekend together and all the young man's doubts and questions come out and are lovingly, winsomely and confidently answered by his grandfather, but always within the context of a genuninely caring relationship and never in a condescending way. This book is strong on not giving typical or expected patt answers and almost never is the conversation clunky or wooden (though not quite feeling like real life at points), which was my biggest fear going in. This book is as strong in its example of how to relate to people who are genuninely questioning the Christian faith as it is faithful in the answers it provides to those questions. I recommend heartily.

Great theological novel. Really enjoyed it.

really enjoyed this book, the theology within the story is really well done,will purchase a few more copies to give out