In His Mind
A Study of the Heart of Jesus as Revealed in the Beatitudes
A perspective-driven book written by a passionate Christian, In His Mind models putting the principles of the beatitudes into action in one’s life.
Tony Hopper’s introspective memoir–cum–spiritual guidebook In His Mind reflects on a lifetime of teaching the beatitudes.
Based on fifty years of studying and teaching the beatitudes found in the Sermon on the Mount, this compilation includes “stories, poems, scriptures, statements, and other things that relate.” The teachings are also considered in biblical, historical, and cultural context, with the book positing that they are “a foundational way of thinking to be able to make good decisions daily.” Their historical era is fleshed out with interesting trivia, as about why Greek was one of the primary languages of the New Testament and about the specificity of Greek diction as compared to English. Each of the eight beatitudes is considered in turn, both in terms of diction and historical context and through Hopper’s perspective as a passionate Christian and volunteer missionary.
The book is also embellished by features including outside poems and quotations from newspapers and articles, but these detract from the personal nature of the collection. Further, frequent illustrations in which hypothetical teachers and authority figures correct children are used to reinforce the beatitudes, but this repeating device is less impactful than the book’s more intimate elements, as when Hopper reflects on his decades-long study of the blessings and his time spent in Africa as a missionary. The latter stories are resonant, in particular as Hopper recalls introducing the beatitudes to people without great biblical familiarity, whereupon he and they discussed the lessons in depth. Hopper’s inclusion of his students’ perspectives is invigorating. Tales about how Hopper corrected his own behaviors to align with the biblical teachings, focusing on empathy and not allowing his initial emotional responses to force him to act, have a didactic quality too.
While the book does an able job of contextualizing its various historical and foreign language terms in the moment, instances of self-deprecation, as when Hopper points to his lack of formal theological training early on, undercut its delivery. Throughout, sources said to provide a more balanced examination and analysis of the beatitudes are recommended, too, further undermining the book’s presentation. In addition, lengthy social media posts and interviews with celebrities are included without being made to relate to the blessings in a clear manner. Ultimately, the volume of secondary material overwhelms the book’s original content, weakening it.
In His Mind is an empathetic memoir and biblical study guide that focuses on cornerstone Christian teachings.
Reviewed by
John M. Murray
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
