Review: Judgement: The Innocent Suffering by Ronald A. Fahrenholz

I looked forward to reading this book and was excited when I received the digital review copy. My first thought in review is that I can’t help but compare this book to The Shack by William P. Young even though I tried not to. In the Shack Mackenzie Allen Phillips finds himself in a shack that transforms into a warm homely setting chatting to a benevolent God. In contrast, in the opening scene of Judgement: The Innocent Suffering Williams dies and is transported to a gray, dank room where God is presented as a disembodied voice. The story then goes on to cover the heavenly trial and judgment of John Williams. In his defense, Williams claims that his sinful behavior was caused by the suffering he had to endure while on earth. God’s response, is to take him on a spiritual journey through history where he experiences the lives of other people who have also suffered. Amongst those he encounters are an aborted baby, a businessman, a soldier, a slave, a holocaust victim, an early Roman Christian, and Jesus Christ. Eventually, John Williams finds himself back at the Great White Throne of Judgement awaiting a decision on whether he should go to heaven or hell.
It is an interesting way to look at the judgment that awaits us all and how that judgment will be carried out. There is a lot of food for thought within these pages, most notably our mortality. The story has great potential to shock and inspire people out of a lethargic approach to death and the hereafter.
Unfortunately, this book doesn't quite do that. The writing needs to be tighter and less clichèd. The experiences John Williams goes through during his trial are predictable and the story doesn't illicit the full emotional impact I was hoping for.
Overall reading this book was interesting but underwhelming.

Thank you to Netgalley and Buzzbooks for the DRC.

I was anxious to read this book based on its promising description. Although the message is timeless, the presentation wasn’t as strong. At times it got preachy with a lot me “telling” than “showing”. The characters were two-dimensional caricatures Vital message needs a stronger story.