Book Review | Remember Death: The Surprising Path to Living Hope

A couple of months ago, my sister called me to inform me that her dog had passed away. During the conversation, she shared the difficulty she was having trying to explain to her children that they would not see the dog again without telling them that he was dead. I sympathized with her struggle, but I thought to myself that it would actually be beneficial for these children to learn about the death of a pet before they face the death of a human loved one. I love these kids and don't want to see them crushed by the loss of their dog, but it is because I love them that I want them to be well-equipped when they inevitably face the reality and the finality of death. Well, Matthew McCullough's book, "Remember Death," takes that love one step further.

It's not just children that are often shielded from the reality of death. The truth is that our health care system, our culture, our entertainment, and even our funerals shield us from the reality of death in a way that previous generations have never experienced. "Remember Death" shows that we cannot continue to ignore death because death is a Gospel issue. Death is the very problem that the Gospel addresses. So, if we do not face the reality of death, then we will be kept from the growth that the Gospel is meant to bring about in us. If we are serious about sharing Christ with the children of our church, we need to be honest with them about death. And if we're serious about growing in Christ ourselves, then we need to think through how death transforms our understanding of the Gospel. This book is an indispensable resource for both tasks. Purchase a copy here.