Book Review: What's So Amazing About Grace? By Philip Yancey

You hear the word constantly. Grace. It’s a song lyric, a sermon topic, a name printed on a coffee mug.

It is the most powerful force in the universe. It is our only hope for true forgiveness and a foretaste of eternal life.

Philip Yancey’s classic work, What’s So Amazing About Grace?, pulls this concept from the stained-glass window and places it onto the gritty pavement of real life. It asks how well you dispense this gift to a world starving for it.

What’s So Amazing About Grace

This book will challenge your core assumptions. It will force you to examine how you live out the very gift you have so freely received.

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This is a book of stories. You will meet people in the raw, messy midst of life’s stark realities and see grace’s life-changing power up close.

Yancey also confronts its opposite with unflinching honesty. He calls it “ungrace,” a force you’ve likely witnessed in a world that knows far more of strife than mercy.

His writing is a deep dive into God’s radical love for the undeserving, a theme that resonates with the heart of works like The Ragamuffin Gospel.

This book will challenge your core assumptions. It will force you to examine how you live out the very gift you have so freely received.

For over 25 years, it has transformed paradigms and brought readers to tears. Now, in this revised and updated edition, it’s your turn to discover what is so truly amazing about grace.

Who Will Benefit the Most from This Book?

For Those Disillusioned with Legalism

This book offers a powerful antidote for anyone feeling weary from the judgment and “ungrace” sometimes found in Christian culture. Yancey masterfully re-centers faith on the radical, life-changing love of God.

For Small Groups and Study Leaders

The book’s story-driven approach and the updated edition’s reflection guide make it an exceptional resource for group discussion. It provides rich content that challenges participants to apply the principles of grace personally and communally.

For Veteran Believers Seeking Renewal

Even longtime Christians will find their understanding of grace profoundly deepened. Like Brennan Manning’s The Ragamuffin Gospel, this book serves as a vital reminder of the gift we have received and are called to share.

For Curious Seekers and New Christians

Yancey explores grace at the street level, answering foundational questions with clarity and compelling real-world examples. It is a fantastic introduction to the core message of the Christian faith.

What Do Readers Think About What’s So Amazing About Grace??

Readers find Philip Yancey’s exploration of grace to be a profoundly moving and paradigm-shifting experience. The book challenges believers to reconsider their understanding and application of this core Christian tenet.

For many, the book completely reshaped their perspective.

Trans-formative. I thought I knew Grace but I did not. This book is thorough… this book is transforming my paradigm about being a Christ follower, being an effective father of 2, loving husband, and as a community leader.

The reading experience is often described as an emotional and spiritual journey.

This book challenged me, occasionally left me speechless, brought me to tears, and encouraged me. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is feeling weary with Christianity’s take on modern society.

Yancey’s honest look at the church’s own struggles with grace resonates deeply, echoing themes of radical grace found in books like The Ragamuffin Gospel.

He showed how the church has not been a very good ambassador of disgrace. He showed how the church has in many ways and the purveyor of what he terms “ungrace”.

The book serves as a powerful call to action for Christians in the world today.

This book will challenge you at your core… If we want to make disciples of all nations, we might begin by extending grace. Leave the judgement to Him!

Ultimately, many see it as an essential book to return to for inspiration and a reminder of God’s gift.

It is a keeper and needs to be read again from time to time to remind us of the great gift we have been given and to inspire us to show grace to others, no matter their faults and weaknesses.

5 Things You Will Take Away

You will grasp the true meaning of grace.

Yancey moves beyond a simple definition, exploring grace as the most powerful, and often scandalous, force in the universe. You will see it as God’s love for the completely undeserving.

You will see grace in gritty, real-world action.

This book is filled with true stories of grace transforming lives in the midst of stark realities like addiction, murder, and betrayal. It makes the concept tangible and powerful.

You will feel challenged to live differently.

Yancey doesn’t just explain grace; he challenges you to become a dispenser of it. The book will provoke you to actively extend mercy in your own relationships and community.

You will find a path toward personal forgiveness.

The book powerfully connects the grace we receive with the grace we must give. It offers a compelling vision for letting go of bitterness and embracing the freedom that forgiveness brings.

You will rediscover the heart of your faith.

By cutting through religious legalism and judgment, this book will reorient you toward the core of the Gospel. It is a refreshing and encouraging reminder of God’s relentless love for broken people.

Who is Philip Yancey?

Philip Yancey launched his writing journey at Campus Life magazine, serving as both Editor and Publisher. This experience sharpened his journalistic voice before he embarked on a prolific freelance career in 1980. His work often draws inspiration from the real-world ministry of his wife, a social worker and hospice chaplain.

A celebrated author of over thirty books, Yancey’s writing tackles the deep questions of belief. He identifies as a pilgrim recovering from a legalistic background, passionately seeking a faith rooted in grace. This personal quest for authentic Christianity fuels his gratitude for a career spent exploring life’s most profound spiritual topics.

Where Can I Buy the Book?

Don’t just wonder about grace. Experience it. Philip Yancey’s timeless work, “What’s So Amazing About Grace?”, is ready to transform your perspective. Find the revised and updated edition on Amazon. Click the link below and read more about the book.