This book teaches how to untangle a complex issue for many Christians, that is, how to stand up for one's rights and be forgiving at the same time. It offers simple healing processes for all those who struggle for the freedom to forgive.

This is the fourth book by the Linns I've read. I don't really love their writing style and some of their illustrations are God awful (i.e. there is an illustration here about their need to process forgiving and doing non-violent resistance with a $3.50 lunch buffet because their salad bar was sub par). They say somethings well and I can see how some of their insights can be helpful.

The problem with this book is that it tries to do too much. By saying, "Don't Forgive Too Soon," the Linn's are not saying be slow to forgive, so much as advocating that we don't short-circuit real forgiveness. They suggest that each time forgiveness is necessary, we go through Kubler-Ross's five stages of grief (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression). The Linn's offer some advice about how to handle youirself or talk to others in each stage of the forgiving/grieving process. But one gets the feeling that they are simply trying to explain their behavior in light of Kubler Ross, even if their examples do not fit particularly well. Still, I can see how looking at these five stages can be helpful for people in describing how they are processing their feelings (their main example works rather well, where the smaller ones don't).

But this is also a book advocating for creative non-violent resistance. I agree with some of their points, some of it reminding of John Howard Yoder's little volume, "What Would You Do?" but they do not develop this or really give adequate space to exploring this here. Perhaps this would work better in another book. Just saying.

All and all, I liked this book the least of what I have read from them. But I may still come back to some of this material, so it isn't all bad. ( )