Bethany House April 2006
Endorsements
Rick Mattson, InterVarsity Regional Director, North Central Region (St. Paul, MN)
I am always a little skeptical that worldview books will be too simplistic and tidy, but I think [Blah does] a good job of popularizing while still capturing the nuances of what I think of as difficult subject matter.
Mike Amiot, Chi Alpha Minnesota Director
Worldview stuff can get so heady that young people don't want to even attempt to understand it. Great job making it much more simple for them to comprehend. . . I am recommending it as a resource on our transitions website for the worldview session.
Stephan W. Vosloo, President of Vineyard International Publishing (Ladysmith, South Africa)
Blah, Blah, Blah makes for fascinating reading in a way that can be understood by everyone. The topic is relevant and essential background information and the way it is done is both interesting and simple enough to make it accessible to my teenagers. Well done!
Rev. Prof. Peter H. Davids, Professor of Biblical Theology, St. Stephen's University (New Brunswick, Canada)
I received that Blah book two days ago and have managed to read about half of it. Obviously it is a popularization and not a philosophical treatise (if it were, I would not be half way through it), but that is where I find the genius of the book. Here is a book that I could put into the hands of any believer who was aware of popular culture and expect them to come to understand worldview issues, whether or not they had ever heard of the concept before the read the book. So the book is great in its ability to communicate the complex in understandable terms. I look forward to reading the rest of it.
Frank DeCenso, itinerant Teacher and Author of Presence Powered Living: Building a Life of Intimacy and Partnership with God (see http://www.presencepowered.com/)
The best book on worldviews I've ever read. This book is full of incredible information regarding most of the worldviews common today, and it is written in such a fresh way, I felt like I was eating warmly baked Italian bread as I read it. It's amazing. What makes it so unique and rare is the way Blah combines in-depth scholarly insight on competing worldviews and Christianity, and yet somehow manages to woo you in to want to read more, page by page. It is by no means dull or dry, and a subject like worldviews can be if not handled properly.
Kevin W. Mannoia, former Dean of The Haggard School of Theology, currently the Graduate and Faculty Chaplain at Azusa Pacific University and the Chair of the Wesleyan Holiness Consortium (Azusa, California)
Whoever said the idea of worldview was boring? It's neither boring nor just a bunch of words. Bayard Taylor has enlivened the priority of understanding the power of a worldview -- your own and others' -- in BLAH! With BLAH as your field guide to the worldviews, you'll be able to sort through all the spiritual noise, engage the culture responsibly and find a thoughtful path to living a coherent life. BLAH! is a great resource.
Marvin Olasky, professor of journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, a leading columnist with Creators syndicate, and Editor-in-chief of World magazine (Asheville, North Carolina)
Bayard Taylor's Blah, Blah, Blah: Making Sense of the World's Spiritual Chatter (Bethany House, 2006) is deliberately lightweight, an easy-to-read apologetic that might break through to high-school and college students resistant to theological terminology. I hope a lot of kids read Blah.
Charlie Lowell, keyboardist for Jars of Clay (Franklin, Tennessee)
Many struggles of the church, and of Christians in culture, could be [helped] by this book. Worldview and discernment are two big issues that I wish we were all a little more familiar with, and would help us be more effective followers of Jesus...
Don Richardson, missionary, author of Peace Child and Eternity in Their Hearts (Orlando, Florida)
Oftentimes Christians feel at a decided disadvantage in academic cultures that elevate pluralism and tolerance but have precious little tolerance for Christian faith. Bayard Taylor's spirited treatment of worldviews levels the playing field so Christians can confidently engage this marketplace of ideas. I urge every college student to absorb Bayard's timely counsel ASAP.
Roger Cross, President Emeritus, Youth For Christ/USA (Highlands Ranch, Colorado)
When I read Bayard Taylor's book words like relevant, scholarly, well-researched, timely and practical come to mind. But one word exceeds all the others for me: the word "needed." Every Christian teenager needs this book. Every youth workers needs to study Blah, Blah, Blah if they are truly interested in their youth group participants becoming life-long disciples of Jesus.
Ted Baehr, president of MOVIEGUIDE(R) (Camarillo, California)
Blah, Blah, Blah. . . is extremely timely and pertinent. It gives the younger generation a very good understanding of the conflicting worldivews competing for their attention. I urge everyone to read Blah, Blah, Blah. It is a wonderful, readable, important, useful, entertaining book.
Ryan Bouton, a staff worker with College Hill for Christ at Brown University, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ (Providence, Rhode Island)
(Background: Ryan invited me to come speak there Oct 26-29 to kick off a five-series on worldview and worldviews, using Blah, Blah, Blah as the text.)
Bringing the Gospel to students in the Northeast, and particularly to Ivy League campuses, is extraordinarily difficult. Here the most daunting obstacle is the culture of "tolerance" and "diversity." Understanding the concept of worldview (and having a vocabulary for talking about other worldviews) is at the very beginning of that task, and I fear we will not be able to be faithful and effective if we are unable to respond to that worldview. While it may seem more difficult in some regions, everyone who seeks to share the Gospel will need to know how to confront and relativize this worldview of relativism.
I have been trying to address worldview issues and their connection to the Gospel since I began to work on the Brown University campus three years ago. This fall I came across Bayard Taylor's Blah, Blah, Blah: Making Sense of the World's Spiritual Chatter and have found it both useful and accessible. Taylor has given us tools to begin to address this worldview concern in a way that's not just academic, but intensely practical for winning, building and sending into the marketplace of ideas. My colleagues and I are aiming to integrate the principles in Blah into both our large and small group meetings as a basis for our training for the rest of the year.
Tim Sigman, International Students Inc. New York City Team Leader, was the first to purchase a case of Blah for his staff and students
Blah, Blah, Blah is a gem for all those who want to understand the maze of today's worldviews. Taylor has made learning about worldviews fun and easy to understand. I found myself chuckling and even laughing out loud at his great one-liners and creative descriptions of worldviews...
Any one involved in cross cultural communication will find Blah Blah Blah a great help in understanding those who come from different worldviews. This book will give you great ideas for sharing the good news in a pluralistic world.
Dan Panetti, attorney and Worldview Director at Prestonwood Christian Academy (Plano, Texas)
An excellent resource to prepare young people for evangelism and engaging the culture around them. . . Students who read this book will see almost daily in the movies and television they watch or the music they listen to a variety of worldviews. . . The book challenges young Christian students to "take every thought captive to Christ" and begin to think critically and Christianly about the world around them.
Elmer Towns, Vice President of Liberty University and Dean of the School of Religion (Lynchburg, Virginia)
There are three things I would like to say about Blah, Blah, Blah. It's particularly good for parents and grandparents to read and then give to their teen- and college-age children and grandchildren. It's far simpler -- and more fun -- that ll the other apologetics books out there. And it'll get you more excited about Jesus and more confident in being able to talk to anybody about the gospel.
Michael J. McClymond, Clarence Louis and Helen Irene Steber Professor, Department of Theological Studies, Saint Louis University (St. Louis, Missouri) and founder of the Institute for World Christianity (worldchristianity.org)
Encountering an unfamiliar worldview is like walking into a foreign movie without subtitles. One needs an interpreter. In Blah, Blah, Blah, Bayard Taylor offers a readable, humorous, and entertaining interpretation of the current global debate over religion. With so many North Americans today embracing post-Christian and non-Christian worldviews, this book is timely. It clearly distinguishes Christian from non-Christian presuppositions about God, humankind, science, and culture, and it shows why Christian belief is rational conviction rather than blind faith. Parents with high school or twenty-something children should buy it, read it, give it to their children, borrow it back, read it again, and discuss it.
Alex McFarland, President of Southern Evangelical Seminary and the Veritas Graduate School of Apologetics (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Many voices are speaking out these days about "world view" related issues. Author Bayard Taylor -- an extremely effective communicator -- has written one of the best resources available on the subject. With consistent relevance and readability, Blah, Blah, Blah explains key terms and concepts and uses interesting cultural references that truly keep the reader engaged. The chapters "101 Ways to Kill God," and "Rules of Engagement" are "must-reads" for Christians who want to be equipped to better understand our world. For individual or group study, I highly recommend this timely and useful resource.
David Barrett, Director of the Biblical Worldview Learning Center (Boise, Idaho) has an extensive review of Blah at his Biblical Worldview Learning Center website.
This is a book I would recommend to a variety of readers. It is definitely written for the high school or college student who will be facing a great variety of challenges to their Christian faith in the academic settings they encounter. However, the work is not limited in its audience interest. Christian high school and college instructors can definitely draw upon this work for their religion, philosophy, or worldview classes. It summarizes very well the many different worldview perspectives that exist in the American culture and provides a contrast with the Biblical worldview. Pastors and Church leaders could also benefit from this work and it would be a useful text for Sunday School instruction or adult and youth study groups. Finally, parents can greatly benefit from the work to equip them as they assess the various influences that can and do come upon their children's lives.
Jack Abbott, High School Pastor at First Baptist Church (Hendersonville, North Carolina)
I too went through college not knowing an idealist from a pragmatist from a realist. This book would have helped me so much in college to engage in conversations with people having a different worldview. I plan on giving this book to my high school graduates next year. It should be required reading for all freshman entering college.
Scott Oppliger ("Doctor O"), Montgomery Community Church (Cincinnati, OH)
I have been in ministry for over thirty years -- on college campuses, with professional athletes and as a pastor in a local church with a doctor of ministry in spiritual formation. I have to say that this book (and the accompanying website) is the best resource I know of to help anyone think accurately and biblically about the Christian faith. At the core of discipleship is the need to understand reality and truth from a biblical view point, and this book is better than any I have seen to blend humor, insight and relevant cultural examples to that end. We are developing a spiritual growth path at our church, and understanding worldviews will be a core component of what a maturing follower of Christ will be growing in. We plan on using this book in our high school ministry and in our adult ministry as part of this plan.
Troy Welch, president of Channel Islands Bible College & Seminary (Oxnard, California)
I think it would be a great introduction to world-views in the curriculum here at Channel Islands Bible College & Seminary. Do you think we can put a class together for the Fall Semester (August 21 - December 21, 2006)? It appears to me it could easily be adapted to a 17 week schedule. [Author's note: The answer was yes, and I am teaching at CIBCS this fall.]
Radio hosts Mark and Carrie Burns of "Mark & Carrie in the Morning" at Great News Radio (WCNJ 89.3FM, WGNN 102.5 & 103.9FM - Chicago)
Mark names Blah as one of the "top 10 best books to read." The show's been posted as a streaming audio in Windows Player, MP3 and podcasting at the Great News Radio website. When you get to the website, click on the "Streaming Audio" button (the top one). When the page of interviews appears, scroll down past the graphics (one of which is a cover of Blah, Blah, Blah) to the chart with dates and names of the various shows until you get to August 10 & 11.
Hans Christoffersen, Editorial Director of Liguori Publications (Liguori, Missouri)
Catholics (and the orthodox churches) approximate a biblical worldview differently than evangelical churches do: Tradition "weighs in" more heavily for us, and just as Scripture interprets human tradition/ history so sacred Tradition interprets the Scriptures. You go a long way (more than I have seen from any other evangelical theologian) to meet and explain this concept.
Tim I. Pettingale, Director of Publishing, New Wine Publishing (London, England)
Best book I have read in ages. . . As a Brit, I was a little unsure how this book would come over in our cultural/educational context. No worries there! Bayard Taylor expertly navigates the Atlantic cultural divide. This is an excellent book to give to young adults about to go to College/University to alert them to the diverse worldviews that abound. What I really like about the book is the way in which it distills the complex and sometimes unfathomable array of worldviews into simple-to-understand categories that you can then build on. I found it very helpful myself, but it is absolutely the book I will be giving to my son before he goes to University in a couple of year's time. It is written in such a way as to keep the young-adult audience on board and was fun to read as well as informative. Fabulous job!
Tom Gilson, Director of Strategic Processes, Operational Advisory Services, Campus Crusade for Christ (Wilmington, Virginia) at his website Thinking Christian:
You get an instant sense that Taylor is breaking accepted practices in this book, a sense that is upheld in Taylor's approach on every page. He set out to write a kind of road map to the major worldviews, for high school grads and college students, especially those coming out of a Christian background. The topic can be daunting, and Taylor has tried to soften the challenges through entertaining language. . .
It's the kind of book that has needed to be written. . .
Marcus Brotherton, author, journalist at The Reflector newspaper and former youth pastor (Battle Ground, Washington)
I love this book. Kids need to know and chew on this stuff. In my youth pastor days I would have bought 45 copies of this and designed some sort of small group program around this book. There is a huge need for what you're presenting here! This book needs to be published.
I love the underlying position of the book -- to make readers more confident, effective public representations of their faith. . . You teach kids to be respectful, but you're also delivering real meaty content -- you're teaching them to have guts and facts on their side.
I like the creative names you give to the worldviews.
I like the concept behind the Quack Like A Duck chapter, which in many ways permeates the whole book -- to recognize and be able to navigate worldviews rather than to memorize every point of every other religion/belief.
Your content throughout is exemplary. Just solid down to the core.
Sheri Blackmon, teacher of a worldview class for high school seniors at The Oaks Christian High School (Thousand Oaks, California)
Your book was very readable, creative and interesting. . . Overall, it is a very strong book, which I would even consider using in my class instead of the Sire world view book. . . I think it is superior to the Budziszewski book.
Greg Johnson, former Mormon and president of Standing Together, a ministry that advances biblical unity among the evangelical community of Utah and one that promotes dialogue with Mormon Church leaders (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Bayard Taylor, way to go!!! Thanks for taking a huge topic, World Views, and helping young and old alike gain a new, fresh perspective on the subject. Everyone has a World View, you help your reader understand this and you help them evaluate their perspective. You do a fine job helping us see that a Christian World View has so much to offer the world, and that such a world view really does make the most sense compared to others.
Josh Unseth, a student at Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island)
Right on! . . . about [the danger of] backing Christians into an intellectual corner and this backlash of anti-intellectualism within the church. . .
Tom Gengler, currently with Caleb Project and adjunct professor of philosophy at Colorado Christian University
I'm in agreement that a solid grasp of your worldview scheme is critically important for EVERY Christian, particularly college students. I think that campus ministries should use it in an orientation package for life on a college campus.
Richard Kew, vicar of Church of the Apostles (Thompson Station, Tennessee), former executive director of the Society for the Promoting of Christian Knowledge (Anglican Church, U.K.)
I think that your early chapter describing the nature of worldviews is brilliant.
Tom Stephen, senior pastor of Monte Vista Presbyterian Church and former youth pastor (Newbury Park, California)
Thanks for asking me to read your book. I've learned a lot and have enjoyed thinking through how you have presented the material. . . I think [your book] will be an important tool for college bound students. Thanks for writing it.
A. Randy Bozarth, homeschooling father, past president and current board member of Association of Christian Home Educators of Ventura County (ACHEV)
The plan is simple: hand out copies of the book to my high school and college-age children, their friends and their parents. When we gather to discuss the chapters, stand back and watch the fireworks! What a great way to teach this vital subject to our children.
Leonard DeWitt, 45 years in pastoral ministry, including 25 years as the senior pastor of Ventura Missionary Church and 6 years as president of the Missionary Church -- currenly serving as pastor to 50+ somethings at Ventura Baptist Church
I really like what I've read . . . [It's] a book for all ages except the very young. It has a very readable style and is very informative. What you share I think most people will find very helpful in understanding themselves and others.
Ken Poure, Director Emeritus of Hume Lake Christian Camps (California)
The "subject matter" is a major need among the high school and college age .... I think the major group will be the christian crowd ... It seems to be a great tool to get a converation going ... NOW back to the book ... My prayers are with you and the future mission of the book.
Steve Addison, an Australian blogger whose "World Changers" blog is one of the (if not "the") most-visited sites in the world on renewal and expansion of the church.
When I was at university authors like Francis Schaeffer, Os Guiness, Colin Chapman and James Sire were constant companions as I wrestled with what I believed as an evangelical Christian in the midst of the confusion of competing worldviews.
Today some of the alternatives have changed, but the challenge remains. Now a new generation has to understand the competing systems of belief; work out what they believe and why; and communicate the unchanging gospel in a relevant way to their culture.
Bayard Taylor has written a user-friendly guide for anyone facing the challenge of responding to the worldviews on offer today. The book is both comprehensive and readable. Ideal for college students or anyone asking the ultimate questions in life.
Here's the url to the website: http://www.blahblahbook.com. You can download sample chapters and listen to some audio. Even better, buy the whole book. Even better, buy a few and hand them around.
Doug Smith, pastor, Ventura Faith Center (Ventura, California)
This is a great resource for anyone graduating from high school and going out into "the world". Postmoderns will eat this up.
Apostolos Campus Ministry -- Malaysia gave a notice for Blah on their website http://my.apostolos.org/temlates/news_view?new.htm?code=acm&id=1875.
On Mission magazine, the monthly publication of the North American Mission Board (Southern Baptist Cconvention) made Blah their #2 "Top Pick" in their Fall 2006 issue.
Shirley Updyke, radio host of "What's New on the Bookshelf" with the WRGN Radio Network (Pennsylvania) noted Blah in her June 26, 2006 comments.
David Ely, Navigators headquarters (Colorado Springs, CO)
"Blah!" is one of the most thought-provoking books I have read in a long time. Bayard approaches the subject without fear, and he gives an explanation of the six worldviews that doesn't leave me scratching my head, either. I am very much a Generation Y'er (fresh out of college), and a lot of times I find literature "geared" to us that ultimately leaves me wanting more. This book has a good balance: thought-provoking and deep, while also being easy to understand and digest. I have the privilege of working for a large ministry organization, and I am challenged to think about my faith everyday, mostly from being around some incredible people. In a similar vein, this book makes me want to live a more purposeful life, one where I am more conscious of the decisions I make and the people that I am impacting and being impacted by. When I put the book down, I wanted to see things in a different light than I had seen before. That's why I think that "Blah!" is for anyone who is thirsty for knowledge, who wants to think more critically about their world, who is searching for answers, and who is desiring to know more about what others believe. Reading "Blah!" is a worthwhile investment.
Kate E. Schmelzer, Campus Life and Ignite Your Faith magazines
If you're like most Christians, you've often wondered how Christianity compares to other ways of understanding both the spiritual and physical world. Now you can find out in Blah, Blah, Blah: Making Sense of the World's Spiritual Chatter. With a style that's clear and understandable, author Bayard Taylor shows how biblical Christianity is uniquely different from Animism, Naturalism, Cosmic Dualism, Pantheism, and Relativism. Along with discovering how Christianity compares to other worldviews, you'll also learn how your own religious worldview is affected by television, movies, music, and what you're taught in school.
Tim Logerquist, Ventura County Director of Love Wins, a network of house churches (Camarillo, CA). See http://www.lovewins.com/events/special-events.html.
Blah helps you grab onto the concept of worldview; get handles on it, and use it. Bottom line: You don't have to sound like an egghead when sharing the gospel.
Luke Oppliger, writer, producer, filmmaker for "Oscar Wilde Can Keep His Quotes" (Long Beach, CA & Cincinnati, OH)
Very cool, useful, and digestible.
Cory Bennett, Founder and President of the Smoky Mountain Home Education Association (Knoxville, TN) and the Foundation for Educational Leadership (see ffel.org)
I am convinced that the Lord has used you to produce a very valuable tool for evangelism and discipleship. I remember how valuable books like Evidence that Demands a Verdict and Know What you Believe were to me as a student. I think you have written the equivalent work for today's generation of students. . . I have made Blah required reading for my worldview class and plan to use it next semester when we tackle non-Biblical worldviews. (See http://ffel.org/Articles.aspx and click on Blah, Blah, Blah, for a pdf file of Cory's review of the book.)
Dr. Peter Fitch, Dean of Ministry Studies at St. Stephen's University (New Brunswick, Canada)
We used Blah in my Introduction to Critical Thinking course last fall, an introductory philosophy class that deals with worldview, the history of philosophy in the west, and the differences between religious and scientific views in our culture. I had a grad student teach the main concepts in a lecture or two while I was out of town. It was amazing to me how many students chose to include ideas from Blah in their final (take-home) exam as they described the nature of worldviews (since there were many other materials in this area). I think the lectures from Blah really helped them understand the importance of this topic and also stayed with them in a way that made sense to them and that they could easily turn around and communicate to others.
Robert Seelye, former insurance agent, former tennis enthusiast, present grandfather to 12 and great-grandfather to 18, spiritual father to hundreds, and encourager to many more -- also, a missions promoter, Bible teacher and evangelist to Malta and other little known corners of the globe (La Habra, CA)
I have been a strong believer that we need to know what a world view is and how to articulate it. Being involved, along with wife Barbara, in running youth groups for 40 years, we saw the need for a way to communicate a worldview concept to our groups. Alas, we did not have Blah, Blah, Blah during those days. Nor did we know that Bayard Taylor, who had been in our college group when at Whittier College, had written such a book. I think this book should be in the hands of every youth worker, both for his own good and to distribute to his charges. Get this book!!
Bill Perry, author, trainer, conference speaker and Chief of Staff and Director Training Materials of InterFACE Ministries (Ft. Lauderdale, FL): "Blah Blah Blah is a great resource and excellent training material for today's confused, multicultural world. It's especially helpful for college students and those headed for college."
Greg Cantelmo of "A Look At Books" at KPXQ-Phoenix made Blah one of his Top Ten pics for 2006! See this link also.
Mark Ross of Sugarcreek Baptist Church (Sugar Land, TX): "Just wanted to let you know that I bought your book (and have ordered a couple dozen) and have been using it as a guide for teaching Worldview in our Adult Bible Fellowship (Sunday School- Southern Baptist). We have a group of about 60. The age range is 50ish. They seem to be interested and keep wanting more. Since discovering your website, I am also using it as a teaching resource. Thanks so much for your ministry."
Andrea Jewell, Managing Editor of Focus on the Family magazine, on my article about worldviews, "Big Story, Little," to be published in June of 2007: "You creatively addressed the topic in a compelling way."
Tim Wildemon and Marvin Sanders of American Family Radio, broadcast over 186 stations. Marvin says, "We thoroughly enjoyed having you on. Your book is a refreshing entrance into the world of apologetics. Keep up the good work!" Show archived at http://www.afr.net/newafr/tiarchive_last10.asp.
Martin West, a political science professor in the interdisciplinary Education department at Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island) and former Brookings Institution fellow (Washington, D.C.):
Thanks for your presentations this week at Brown. I know that the students really benefited from hearing your perspective. . . I hope the rest of your book tour is a success! Are you taking this to other universities?
Girls' Life magazine (Dec/Jan 2007), vol. 13 issue 3, p. 40. Circulation 400,000.
Deciding what really matters to you is tough. Helping you sort out your convictions, form them and then share what you've learned, this truly great book guides you through some of the toughest but most important questions you could ever ask.
Catherine Savard, redacteur en chef of Campus Internet Ministry (Quebec, Canada), posted the following at the Canadian amazon bookstore (amazon.ca):
Bayard Taylor's book on worldviews is invaluable for both postsecondary students and those who work with this age group. A wider audience would not be hurt by taking a look at this very accessible volume. A main virtue of this book is that it is very approachable and fun to read while bringing much needed intellectual clarity to the subject of understanding worldviews. Many Christians will find their understanding of how to interact with those outside the faith improved by grasping the contents of "Blah", whether their task at the time is evangelism, submitting a paper for school or just generally getting along in life with people who think differently than they do. It's definitely worth the investment!
Dr. Rick Hesse, professor of Decision Sciences at the Graziadio School of Business & Management at Pepperdine University (Westlake Village, California)
You've done a great job! I don't think of it as "dumbing down" but just using phrases that regular people could identify with. . . obviously with your experience with youth, you are using some more "in" terminology, but that's just great. I certainly think that adults need this book as well. . . it certainly is relevant in today's world where the world Christian view is either lost, overwhelmed, or (worse yet) co-mingled with everything else until we lose the distinctives.
I am always a little skeptical that worldview books will be too simplistic and tidy, but I think [Blah does] a good job of popularizing while still capturing the nuances of what I think of as difficult subject matter.
Mike Amiot, Chi Alpha Minnesota Director
Worldview stuff can get so heady that young people don't want to even attempt to understand it. Great job making it much more simple for them to comprehend. . . I am recommending it as a resource on our transitions website for the worldview session.
Stephan W. Vosloo, President of Vineyard International Publishing (Ladysmith, South Africa)
Blah, Blah, Blah makes for fascinating reading in a way that can be understood by everyone. The topic is relevant and essential background information and the way it is done is both interesting and simple enough to make it accessible to my teenagers. Well done!
Rev. Prof. Peter H. Davids, Professor of Biblical Theology, St. Stephen's University (New Brunswick, Canada)
I received that Blah book two days ago and have managed to read about half of it. Obviously it is a popularization and not a philosophical treatise (if it were, I would not be half way through it), but that is where I find the genius of the book. Here is a book that I could put into the hands of any believer who was aware of popular culture and expect them to come to understand worldview issues, whether or not they had ever heard of the concept before the read the book. So the book is great in its ability to communicate the complex in understandable terms. I look forward to reading the rest of it.
Frank DeCenso, itinerant Teacher and Author of Presence Powered Living: Building a Life of Intimacy and Partnership with God (see http://www.presencepowered.com/)
The best book on worldviews I've ever read. This book is full of incredible information regarding most of the worldviews common today, and it is written in such a fresh way, I felt like I was eating warmly baked Italian bread as I read it. It's amazing. What makes it so unique and rare is the way Blah combines in-depth scholarly insight on competing worldviews and Christianity, and yet somehow manages to woo you in to want to read more, page by page. It is by no means dull or dry, and a subject like worldviews can be if not handled properly.
Kevin W. Mannoia, former Dean of The Haggard School of Theology, currently the Graduate and Faculty Chaplain at Azusa Pacific University and the Chair of the Wesleyan Holiness Consortium (Azusa, California)
Whoever said the idea of worldview was boring? It's neither boring nor just a bunch of words. Bayard Taylor has enlivened the priority of understanding the power of a worldview -- your own and others' -- in BLAH! With BLAH as your field guide to the worldviews, you'll be able to sort through all the spiritual noise, engage the culture responsibly and find a thoughtful path to living a coherent life. BLAH! is a great resource.
Marvin Olasky, professor of journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, a leading columnist with Creators syndicate, and Editor-in-chief of World magazine (Asheville, North Carolina)
Bayard Taylor's Blah, Blah, Blah: Making Sense of the World's Spiritual Chatter (Bethany House, 2006) is deliberately lightweight, an easy-to-read apologetic that might break through to high-school and college students resistant to theological terminology. I hope a lot of kids read Blah.
Charlie Lowell, keyboardist for Jars of Clay (Franklin, Tennessee)
Many struggles of the church, and of Christians in culture, could be [helped] by this book. Worldview and discernment are two big issues that I wish we were all a little more familiar with, and would help us be more effective followers of Jesus...
Don Richardson, missionary, author of Peace Child and Eternity in Their Hearts (Orlando, Florida)
Oftentimes Christians feel at a decided disadvantage in academic cultures that elevate pluralism and tolerance but have precious little tolerance for Christian faith. Bayard Taylor's spirited treatment of worldviews levels the playing field so Christians can confidently engage this marketplace of ideas. I urge every college student to absorb Bayard's timely counsel ASAP.
Roger Cross, President Emeritus, Youth For Christ/USA (Highlands Ranch, Colorado)
When I read Bayard Taylor's book words like relevant, scholarly, well-researched, timely and practical come to mind. But one word exceeds all the others for me: the word "needed." Every Christian teenager needs this book. Every youth workers needs to study Blah, Blah, Blah if they are truly interested in their youth group participants becoming life-long disciples of Jesus.
Ted Baehr, president of MOVIEGUIDE(R) (Camarillo, California)
Blah, Blah, Blah. . . is extremely timely and pertinent. It gives the younger generation a very good understanding of the conflicting worldivews competing for their attention. I urge everyone to read Blah, Blah, Blah. It is a wonderful, readable, important, useful, entertaining book.
Ryan Bouton, a staff worker with College Hill for Christ at Brown University, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ (Providence, Rhode Island)
(Background: Ryan invited me to come speak there Oct 26-29 to kick off a five-series on worldview and worldviews, using Blah, Blah, Blah as the text.)
Bringing the Gospel to students in the Northeast, and particularly to Ivy League campuses, is extraordinarily difficult. Here the most daunting obstacle is the culture of "tolerance" and "diversity." Understanding the concept of worldview (and having a vocabulary for talking about other worldviews) is at the very beginning of that task, and I fear we will not be able to be faithful and effective if we are unable to respond to that worldview. While it may seem more difficult in some regions, everyone who seeks to share the Gospel will need to know how to confront and relativize this worldview of relativism.
I have been trying to address worldview issues and their connection to the Gospel since I began to work on the Brown University campus three years ago. This fall I came across Bayard Taylor's Blah, Blah, Blah: Making Sense of the World's Spiritual Chatter and have found it both useful and accessible. Taylor has given us tools to begin to address this worldview concern in a way that's not just academic, but intensely practical for winning, building and sending into the marketplace of ideas. My colleagues and I are aiming to integrate the principles in Blah into both our large and small group meetings as a basis for our training for the rest of the year.
Tim Sigman, International Students Inc. New York City Team Leader, was the first to purchase a case of Blah for his staff and students
Blah, Blah, Blah is a gem for all those who want to understand the maze of today's worldviews. Taylor has made learning about worldviews fun and easy to understand. I found myself chuckling and even laughing out loud at his great one-liners and creative descriptions of worldviews...
Any one involved in cross cultural communication will find Blah Blah Blah a great help in understanding those who come from different worldviews. This book will give you great ideas for sharing the good news in a pluralistic world.
Dan Panetti, attorney and Worldview Director at Prestonwood Christian Academy (Plano, Texas)
An excellent resource to prepare young people for evangelism and engaging the culture around them. . . Students who read this book will see almost daily in the movies and television they watch or the music they listen to a variety of worldviews. . . The book challenges young Christian students to "take every thought captive to Christ" and begin to think critically and Christianly about the world around them.
Elmer Towns, Vice President of Liberty University and Dean of the School of Religion (Lynchburg, Virginia)
There are three things I would like to say about Blah, Blah, Blah. It's particularly good for parents and grandparents to read and then give to their teen- and college-age children and grandchildren. It's far simpler -- and more fun -- that ll the other apologetics books out there. And it'll get you more excited about Jesus and more confident in being able to talk to anybody about the gospel.
Michael J. McClymond, Clarence Louis and Helen Irene Steber Professor, Department of Theological Studies, Saint Louis University (St. Louis, Missouri) and founder of the Institute for World Christianity (worldchristianity.org)
Encountering an unfamiliar worldview is like walking into a foreign movie without subtitles. One needs an interpreter. In Blah, Blah, Blah, Bayard Taylor offers a readable, humorous, and entertaining interpretation of the current global debate over religion. With so many North Americans today embracing post-Christian and non-Christian worldviews, this book is timely. It clearly distinguishes Christian from non-Christian presuppositions about God, humankind, science, and culture, and it shows why Christian belief is rational conviction rather than blind faith. Parents with high school or twenty-something children should buy it, read it, give it to their children, borrow it back, read it again, and discuss it.
Alex McFarland, President of Southern Evangelical Seminary and the Veritas Graduate School of Apologetics (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Many voices are speaking out these days about "world view" related issues. Author Bayard Taylor -- an extremely effective communicator -- has written one of the best resources available on the subject. With consistent relevance and readability, Blah, Blah, Blah explains key terms and concepts and uses interesting cultural references that truly keep the reader engaged. The chapters "101 Ways to Kill God," and "Rules of Engagement" are "must-reads" for Christians who want to be equipped to better understand our world. For individual or group study, I highly recommend this timely and useful resource.
David Barrett, Director of the Biblical Worldview Learning Center (Boise, Idaho) has an extensive review of Blah at his Biblical Worldview Learning Center website.
This is a book I would recommend to a variety of readers. It is definitely written for the high school or college student who will be facing a great variety of challenges to their Christian faith in the academic settings they encounter. However, the work is not limited in its audience interest. Christian high school and college instructors can definitely draw upon this work for their religion, philosophy, or worldview classes. It summarizes very well the many different worldview perspectives that exist in the American culture and provides a contrast with the Biblical worldview. Pastors and Church leaders could also benefit from this work and it would be a useful text for Sunday School instruction or adult and youth study groups. Finally, parents can greatly benefit from the work to equip them as they assess the various influences that can and do come upon their children's lives.
Jack Abbott, High School Pastor at First Baptist Church (Hendersonville, North Carolina)
I too went through college not knowing an idealist from a pragmatist from a realist. This book would have helped me so much in college to engage in conversations with people having a different worldview. I plan on giving this book to my high school graduates next year. It should be required reading for all freshman entering college.
Scott Oppliger ("Doctor O"), Montgomery Community Church (Cincinnati, OH)
I have been in ministry for over thirty years -- on college campuses, with professional athletes and as a pastor in a local church with a doctor of ministry in spiritual formation. I have to say that this book (and the accompanying website) is the best resource I know of to help anyone think accurately and biblically about the Christian faith. At the core of discipleship is the need to understand reality and truth from a biblical view point, and this book is better than any I have seen to blend humor, insight and relevant cultural examples to that end. We are developing a spiritual growth path at our church, and understanding worldviews will be a core component of what a maturing follower of Christ will be growing in. We plan on using this book in our high school ministry and in our adult ministry as part of this plan.
Troy Welch, president of Channel Islands Bible College & Seminary (Oxnard, California)
I think it would be a great introduction to world-views in the curriculum here at Channel Islands Bible College & Seminary. Do you think we can put a class together for the Fall Semester (August 21 - December 21, 2006)? It appears to me it could easily be adapted to a 17 week schedule. [Author's note: The answer was yes, and I am teaching at CIBCS this fall.]
Radio hosts Mark and Carrie Burns of "Mark & Carrie in the Morning" at Great News Radio (WCNJ 89.3FM, WGNN 102.5 & 103.9FM - Chicago)
Mark names Blah as one of the "top 10 best books to read." The show's been posted as a streaming audio in Windows Player, MP3 and podcasting at the Great News Radio website. When you get to the website, click on the "Streaming Audio" button (the top one). When the page of interviews appears, scroll down past the graphics (one of which is a cover of Blah, Blah, Blah) to the chart with dates and names of the various shows until you get to August 10 & 11.
Hans Christoffersen, Editorial Director of Liguori Publications (Liguori, Missouri)
Catholics (and the orthodox churches) approximate a biblical worldview differently than evangelical churches do: Tradition "weighs in" more heavily for us, and just as Scripture interprets human tradition/ history so sacred Tradition interprets the Scriptures. You go a long way (more than I have seen from any other evangelical theologian) to meet and explain this concept.
Tim I. Pettingale, Director of Publishing, New Wine Publishing (London, England)
Best book I have read in ages. . . As a Brit, I was a little unsure how this book would come over in our cultural/educational context. No worries there! Bayard Taylor expertly navigates the Atlantic cultural divide. This is an excellent book to give to young adults about to go to College/University to alert them to the diverse worldviews that abound. What I really like about the book is the way in which it distills the complex and sometimes unfathomable array of worldviews into simple-to-understand categories that you can then build on. I found it very helpful myself, but it is absolutely the book I will be giving to my son before he goes to University in a couple of year's time. It is written in such a way as to keep the young-adult audience on board and was fun to read as well as informative. Fabulous job!
Tom Gilson, Director of Strategic Processes, Operational Advisory Services, Campus Crusade for Christ (Wilmington, Virginia) at his website Thinking Christian:
You get an instant sense that Taylor is breaking accepted practices in this book, a sense that is upheld in Taylor's approach on every page. He set out to write a kind of road map to the major worldviews, for high school grads and college students, especially those coming out of a Christian background. The topic can be daunting, and Taylor has tried to soften the challenges through entertaining language. . .
It's the kind of book that has needed to be written. . .
Marcus Brotherton, author, journalist at The Reflector newspaper and former youth pastor (Battle Ground, Washington)
I love this book. Kids need to know and chew on this stuff. In my youth pastor days I would have bought 45 copies of this and designed some sort of small group program around this book. There is a huge need for what you're presenting here! This book needs to be published.
I love the underlying position of the book -- to make readers more confident, effective public representations of their faith. . . You teach kids to be respectful, but you're also delivering real meaty content -- you're teaching them to have guts and facts on their side.
I like the creative names you give to the worldviews.
I like the concept behind the Quack Like A Duck chapter, which in many ways permeates the whole book -- to recognize and be able to navigate worldviews rather than to memorize every point of every other religion/belief.
Your content throughout is exemplary. Just solid down to the core.
Sheri Blackmon, teacher of a worldview class for high school seniors at The Oaks Christian High School (Thousand Oaks, California)
Your book was very readable, creative and interesting. . . Overall, it is a very strong book, which I would even consider using in my class instead of the Sire world view book. . . I think it is superior to the Budziszewski book.
Greg Johnson, former Mormon and president of Standing Together, a ministry that advances biblical unity among the evangelical community of Utah and one that promotes dialogue with Mormon Church leaders (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Bayard Taylor, way to go!!! Thanks for taking a huge topic, World Views, and helping young and old alike gain a new, fresh perspective on the subject. Everyone has a World View, you help your reader understand this and you help them evaluate their perspective. You do a fine job helping us see that a Christian World View has so much to offer the world, and that such a world view really does make the most sense compared to others.
Josh Unseth, a student at Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island)
Right on! . . . about [the danger of] backing Christians into an intellectual corner and this backlash of anti-intellectualism within the church. . .
Tom Gengler, currently with Caleb Project and adjunct professor of philosophy at Colorado Christian University
I'm in agreement that a solid grasp of your worldview scheme is critically important for EVERY Christian, particularly college students. I think that campus ministries should use it in an orientation package for life on a college campus.
Richard Kew, vicar of Church of the Apostles (Thompson Station, Tennessee), former executive director of the Society for the Promoting of Christian Knowledge (Anglican Church, U.K.)
I think that your early chapter describing the nature of worldviews is brilliant.
Tom Stephen, senior pastor of Monte Vista Presbyterian Church and former youth pastor (Newbury Park, California)
Thanks for asking me to read your book. I've learned a lot and have enjoyed thinking through how you have presented the material. . . I think [your book] will be an important tool for college bound students. Thanks for writing it.
A. Randy Bozarth, homeschooling father, past president and current board member of Association of Christian Home Educators of Ventura County (ACHEV)
The plan is simple: hand out copies of the book to my high school and college-age children, their friends and their parents. When we gather to discuss the chapters, stand back and watch the fireworks! What a great way to teach this vital subject to our children.
Leonard DeWitt, 45 years in pastoral ministry, including 25 years as the senior pastor of Ventura Missionary Church and 6 years as president of the Missionary Church -- currenly serving as pastor to 50+ somethings at Ventura Baptist Church
I really like what I've read . . . [It's] a book for all ages except the very young. It has a very readable style and is very informative. What you share I think most people will find very helpful in understanding themselves and others.
Ken Poure, Director Emeritus of Hume Lake Christian Camps (California)
The "subject matter" is a major need among the high school and college age .... I think the major group will be the christian crowd ... It seems to be a great tool to get a converation going ... NOW back to the book ... My prayers are with you and the future mission of the book.
Steve Addison, an Australian blogger whose "World Changers" blog is one of the (if not "the") most-visited sites in the world on renewal and expansion of the church.
When I was at university authors like Francis Schaeffer, Os Guiness, Colin Chapman and James Sire were constant companions as I wrestled with what I believed as an evangelical Christian in the midst of the confusion of competing worldviews.
Today some of the alternatives have changed, but the challenge remains. Now a new generation has to understand the competing systems of belief; work out what they believe and why; and communicate the unchanging gospel in a relevant way to their culture.
Bayard Taylor has written a user-friendly guide for anyone facing the challenge of responding to the worldviews on offer today. The book is both comprehensive and readable. Ideal for college students or anyone asking the ultimate questions in life.
Here's the url to the website: http://www.blahblahbook.com. You can download sample chapters and listen to some audio. Even better, buy the whole book. Even better, buy a few and hand them around.
Doug Smith, pastor, Ventura Faith Center (Ventura, California)
This is a great resource for anyone graduating from high school and going out into "the world". Postmoderns will eat this up.
Apostolos Campus Ministry -- Malaysia gave a notice for Blah on their website http://my.apostolos.org/temlates/news_view?new.htm?code=acm&id=1875.
On Mission magazine, the monthly publication of the North American Mission Board (Southern Baptist Cconvention) made Blah their #2 "Top Pick" in their Fall 2006 issue.
Shirley Updyke, radio host of "What's New on the Bookshelf" with the WRGN Radio Network (Pennsylvania) noted Blah in her June 26, 2006 comments.
David Ely, Navigators headquarters (Colorado Springs, CO)
"Blah!" is one of the most thought-provoking books I have read in a long time. Bayard approaches the subject without fear, and he gives an explanation of the six worldviews that doesn't leave me scratching my head, either. I am very much a Generation Y'er (fresh out of college), and a lot of times I find literature "geared" to us that ultimately leaves me wanting more. This book has a good balance: thought-provoking and deep, while also being easy to understand and digest. I have the privilege of working for a large ministry organization, and I am challenged to think about my faith everyday, mostly from being around some incredible people. In a similar vein, this book makes me want to live a more purposeful life, one where I am more conscious of the decisions I make and the people that I am impacting and being impacted by. When I put the book down, I wanted to see things in a different light than I had seen before. That's why I think that "Blah!" is for anyone who is thirsty for knowledge, who wants to think more critically about their world, who is searching for answers, and who is desiring to know more about what others believe. Reading "Blah!" is a worthwhile investment.
Kate E. Schmelzer, Campus Life and Ignite Your Faith magazines
If you're like most Christians, you've often wondered how Christianity compares to other ways of understanding both the spiritual and physical world. Now you can find out in Blah, Blah, Blah: Making Sense of the World's Spiritual Chatter. With a style that's clear and understandable, author Bayard Taylor shows how biblical Christianity is uniquely different from Animism, Naturalism, Cosmic Dualism, Pantheism, and Relativism. Along with discovering how Christianity compares to other worldviews, you'll also learn how your own religious worldview is affected by television, movies, music, and what you're taught in school.
Tim Logerquist, Ventura County Director of Love Wins, a network of house churches (Camarillo, CA). See http://www.lovewins.com/events/special-events.html.
Blah helps you grab onto the concept of worldview; get handles on it, and use it. Bottom line: You don't have to sound like an egghead when sharing the gospel.
Luke Oppliger, writer, producer, filmmaker for "Oscar Wilde Can Keep His Quotes" (Long Beach, CA & Cincinnati, OH)
Very cool, useful, and digestible.
Cory Bennett, Founder and President of the Smoky Mountain Home Education Association (Knoxville, TN) and the Foundation for Educational Leadership (see ffel.org)
I am convinced that the Lord has used you to produce a very valuable tool for evangelism and discipleship. I remember how valuable books like Evidence that Demands a Verdict and Know What you Believe were to me as a student. I think you have written the equivalent work for today's generation of students. . . I have made Blah required reading for my worldview class and plan to use it next semester when we tackle non-Biblical worldviews. (See http://ffel.org/Articles.aspx and click on Blah, Blah, Blah, for a pdf file of Cory's review of the book.)
Dr. Peter Fitch, Dean of Ministry Studies at St. Stephen's University (New Brunswick, Canada)
We used Blah in my Introduction to Critical Thinking course last fall, an introductory philosophy class that deals with worldview, the history of philosophy in the west, and the differences between religious and scientific views in our culture. I had a grad student teach the main concepts in a lecture or two while I was out of town. It was amazing to me how many students chose to include ideas from Blah in their final (take-home) exam as they described the nature of worldviews (since there were many other materials in this area). I think the lectures from Blah really helped them understand the importance of this topic and also stayed with them in a way that made sense to them and that they could easily turn around and communicate to others.
Robert Seelye, former insurance agent, former tennis enthusiast, present grandfather to 12 and great-grandfather to 18, spiritual father to hundreds, and encourager to many more -- also, a missions promoter, Bible teacher and evangelist to Malta and other little known corners of the globe (La Habra, CA)
I have been a strong believer that we need to know what a world view is and how to articulate it. Being involved, along with wife Barbara, in running youth groups for 40 years, we saw the need for a way to communicate a worldview concept to our groups. Alas, we did not have Blah, Blah, Blah during those days. Nor did we know that Bayard Taylor, who had been in our college group when at Whittier College, had written such a book. I think this book should be in the hands of every youth worker, both for his own good and to distribute to his charges. Get this book!!
Bill Perry, author, trainer, conference speaker and Chief of Staff and Director Training Materials of InterFACE Ministries (Ft. Lauderdale, FL): "Blah Blah Blah is a great resource and excellent training material for today's confused, multicultural world. It's especially helpful for college students and those headed for college."
Greg Cantelmo of "A Look At Books" at KPXQ-Phoenix made Blah one of his Top Ten pics for 2006! See this link also.
Mark Ross of Sugarcreek Baptist Church (Sugar Land, TX): "Just wanted to let you know that I bought your book (and have ordered a couple dozen) and have been using it as a guide for teaching Worldview in our Adult Bible Fellowship (Sunday School- Southern Baptist). We have a group of about 60. The age range is 50ish. They seem to be interested and keep wanting more. Since discovering your website, I am also using it as a teaching resource. Thanks so much for your ministry."
Andrea Jewell, Managing Editor of Focus on the Family magazine, on my article about worldviews, "Big Story, Little," to be published in June of 2007: "You creatively addressed the topic in a compelling way."
Tim Wildemon and Marvin Sanders of American Family Radio, broadcast over 186 stations. Marvin says, "We thoroughly enjoyed having you on. Your book is a refreshing entrance into the world of apologetics. Keep up the good work!" Show archived at http://www.afr.net/newafr/tiarchive_last10.asp.
Martin West, a political science professor in the interdisciplinary Education department at Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island) and former Brookings Institution fellow (Washington, D.C.):
Thanks for your presentations this week at Brown. I know that the students really benefited from hearing your perspective. . . I hope the rest of your book tour is a success! Are you taking this to other universities?
Girls' Life magazine (Dec/Jan 2007), vol. 13 issue 3, p. 40. Circulation 400,000.
Deciding what really matters to you is tough. Helping you sort out your convictions, form them and then share what you've learned, this truly great book guides you through some of the toughest but most important questions you could ever ask.
Catherine Savard, redacteur en chef of Campus Internet Ministry (Quebec, Canada), posted the following at the Canadian amazon bookstore (amazon.ca):
Bayard Taylor's book on worldviews is invaluable for both postsecondary students and those who work with this age group. A wider audience would not be hurt by taking a look at this very accessible volume. A main virtue of this book is that it is very approachable and fun to read while bringing much needed intellectual clarity to the subject of understanding worldviews. Many Christians will find their understanding of how to interact with those outside the faith improved by grasping the contents of "Blah", whether their task at the time is evangelism, submitting a paper for school or just generally getting along in life with people who think differently than they do. It's definitely worth the investment!
Dr. Rick Hesse, professor of Decision Sciences at the Graziadio School of Business & Management at Pepperdine University (Westlake Village, California)
You've done a great job! I don't think of it as "dumbing down" but just using phrases that regular people could identify with. . . obviously with your experience with youth, you are using some more "in" terminology, but that's just great. I certainly think that adults need this book as well. . . it certainly is relevant in today's world where the world Christian view is either lost, overwhelmed, or (worse yet) co-mingled with everything else until we lose the distinctives.
