Books about conversions and passages of life are fairly common. However, books that examine life-changing events and the process of transformation in a scholarly yet personal way are not common. Loder's book touched both my heart and my mind.
Loder draws from theology, psychology, and philosophy to examine changed lives. He sees conversion as a process involving the whole person, and not just an intellectual or emotional change. It does involve struggle, and we can better appreciate the reality of the spiritual conflict when it is not explained away or ignored.
The creative tension in experiencing any event, especially divine indwelling, calls for the deep and imaginative participation of the whole being. Indeed one involved in a "convictional experience" is a real living-in-the-world per son and not a disembodied spirit.
Loder, a Presbyterian minister, warns of the dangers of occult mysticism and urges an objective grounding in the Word. "This is the Christ-instituted way of placing such experience in con text."
Case studies and Loder's own personal experiences help enflesh his presentation of transforming moments. I read this book at a time when I was grieving the death of a friend, and I found the book frequently speaking to my needs.
Not a book for casual reading at the beach, The Transforming Moment demands an investment of thoughtful time. But that investment will be worthwhile. Fortunately, the author writes in an orderly and logical manner and includes a glossary of terms. Once the reader enters into the flow of the writing, he or she will find much that rings true in his or her own spiritual pilgrimage.
