Be Not Afraid: Facing Fear with Faith - Paperback

by Samuel Wells (Author)

Does God heal? Where do I turn when my faith is fragile? How can I face my own death? Is there a gospel for the rich? In brief, to-the-point chapters, respected preacher and ethicist Samuel Wells lucidly and compassionately explores topics Christians are often reluctant to face--death, weakness, power, difference, faith, and living life to the full--and offers down-to-earth help in overcoming common fears in the life of faith. "The heart of the gospel speaks into the most numbing and terrifying moments of our lives with words of hope and joy amid fear and bewilderment," writes Wells. This book provides an intellectually rigorous but scripturally rooted and theologically accessible engagement with questions of faith.

Back Jacket

Look deep into the questions of your life and deep into the heart of God: there is no need to be afraid.

"Sam Wells has given us good medicine in this book that both diagnoses the fears of our times and offers the remedy of the gospel. In these engaging and wise essays, Wells addresses not only our fear of death but also our fear of life in all its messy complexity. With a deft mix of storytelling, biblical interpretation, and theological reflection, Wells assiduously tells us the truth about the world--a truth we can face because the way beyond fear is not through denial but through patience, hope, and courage. This is a timely and much-needed book for a church tempted to make self-protection more important than discipleship."
--Scott Bader-Saye, Seminary of the Southwest

"A modern-day C. S. Lewis, Sam Wells draws us closer to God's story of eternal love in Be Not Afraid. At times bracing, at other times funny, his words plumb the dark depths of despair and offer hope without triviality, correction without cruelty. This book is a witty, vulnerable, challenging delight, a perfect bedtime companion in dark nights of the soul and a worthy friend when the lights come back on."
--Lillian Daniel, coauthor of This Odd and Wondrous Calling: The Public and Private Lives of Two Ministers; contributing editor at Leadership

"In this book of reflections, Samuel Wells makes profound theological insight and artful language seem effortless. Each essay is a gem, the product of deep thought and the wordsmith's craft. This book is so directly addressed to the reader's heart and mind, so precisely on target about the fears that ensnare us, that Wells comes across not as a distant thinker but as a wise, understanding, and compassionate friend."
--Thomas G. Long, Candler School of Theology, Emory University

"Be Not Afraid is a word for our time, delivered with the thoughtfulness of C. S. Lewis and the authenticity of Billy Graham. Sam Wells is a great gift to the church today. Listen to him."
--Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, author of New Monasticism

Author Biography

Samuel Wells (PhD, University of Durham) is vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Anglican Church at Trafalgar Square in London. He previously served as dean of the chapel and research professor of Christian ethics at Duke University. He is the author of several books, including Power and Passion and Improvisation: The Drama of Christian Ethics.