Abridged "Communion with God" - Worth it?

[MichaelGao]

I hear Owen's Communion with God is a good read.
I am wondering if the abridged version by RJK Law is any good.

I know i know, probably many of you would tell me to just read the original. But please forgive me for my laziness. I would like to ask those who have read the abridged version to make a qualified judgment.

Does it do a good job of presenting everything in the original except in easier and probably more concise manner?
More than a yes or no would be much appreciated.

 

[FenderPriest]

Here's the thing. Owen's always going to be helpful. Read him where you find him accessible. Don't feel bad for wanting to read an abridged version. It's still going to be helpful. My wife is way smarter than me, and she just doesn't like reading "pure Owen". She benefits more from the modernized stuff. The stuff is edited to make it helpful for you. It's the content, not the prose, that will help you know God better. People who are "Puritan purists" can jump off a cliff as far as I'm concerned. The material is hard to understand to the modern reader, especially Owen. You're not being lazy reading good stuff in the form that's most accessible for you.

Now, if you get a taste for him, you'll probably like his unedited stuff.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

The "Puritan Paperback" versions of Owen are, I think, definitely worth the buy.

 

[Jack K]

Owen is great. But he was not, in my opinion, a masterful user of English prose. Even in his day, his writing was said to be hard to follow. He needed a good editor. So anyone who can take his writing and, without spoiling the content, turn it into something more readable is doing a great service to the church. There's nothing wrong with reading the abridged version, and much that's right.

That said, I can't give you any guidance whatsoever on this particular work. I haven't read it. Doesn't keep me from expressing an opinion, though.

 

[ChristianTrader]

I thought the whole thing had been modernized which made the abridging unnecessary?
Amazon.com: Communion with the Triune God (9781581348316): John Owen, Kelly M. Kapic, Justin Taylor, Kevin J. Vanhoozer: Books

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

I thought the whole thing had been modernized which made the abridging unnecessary?
Amazon.com: Communion with the Triune God (9781581348316): John Owen, Kelly M. Kapic, Justin Taylor, Kevin J. Vanhoozer: Books

The Law abridgment was done decades ago. It is part of the "Puritan Paperback" series.

 

[MichaelGao]

That said, I can't give you any guidance whatsoever on this particular work. I haven't read it. Doesn't keep me from expressing an opinion, though.

Yes, of course. All of your opinions are very much appreciated. Maybe I shouldn't have underlined the part where I ask those who have read to make a judgment . I was just wanting to give extra encouragement to those who have read it to have a say.

 

[jambo]

Normally speaking I do not like abridged versions as I always feel I am missing out on something. However in this case I would highly recommend Law's abridged versions. He makes Owen far more accessible to modern readers who may not be able too cope with his full version. Obviously many people here on the PB have a real love for Puritan literature and can readily bask in their many volumes. But for many others the Puritans are considered dull, tedious, heavy going and are put of by a few hundred pages of close print. Law captures Owen's basic arguments and if you really want to study further then by all means study the full version of Owen's Works. But a lot of people have been given an introduction to Owen who may otherwise never have attempted him.

It does take time to read Owen and he can be hard to follow. Three or four years ago I recall standing at the front of our church recommending Law's versions of Owen's works. Whereas I could not have recommended his original works knowing the difficulties there are in studying him. I love Owen but he is not the easiest to read.

 

[Pilgrim72]

I read the abridged version, and it's an incredible read. You will be blessed.

 

[nwink]

Good discussion! I'm about to read "Communion with God" also, so I appreciate hearing everyone's thoughts.