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A Vale of SoulMaking

by Maurice W. Lusk III, ONdO Entertainment, © 2013
197 pages, $16.00 (paperback), ISBN-13: 978-1479205998

Picture of Book We have had a number of books which deal with the problem of human suffering and with why bad things happen to good people. Much of our material deals with personal experience and is rooted in what we, from an apologetics standpoint, view as the nature of God. Maurice Lusk is a biblical scholar. While his approach is theological in nature, his material complements our efforts in a very positive way.

There is a one-sentence summary of the thesis of this book which explains Lusk's unique approach: “God has not forsaken man; the world has become for man a vale of soul making wherein he can use the evil, the pain, and the suffering to become what God created him to be —'a being created in the image of God” (page 170). On the back cover, Lusk continues this summary: “God knows our experiences in this life, whether joyful or sorrowful, will mold us into how He wants us to be for all eternity.”

Lusk points out that the old song “This Is My Father's World” is basically not true. Man has corrupted what God created, and it is through life's experiences in this flawed world that our soul's characteristics are developed and produced. Lusk develops this concept logically and biblically, with in-depth discussions of the Greek and practical advice on dealing with struggles in life. Lusk uses modern science with brief discussions of quantum mechanics, parallel universes, and a good discussion of dimensions. Those of you familiar with our discussion of Flatland in our presentations will find Lusk presenting and using the Flatland analogy to help understand heaven and our soul's salvation.

This book is well written, scholarly, current, and offers a new approach to the question of why a loving, all-powerful God does not put a stop to the horrible things that happen on this earth. We recommend this book highly.