7, pdf version).įirstly, this imposes a uniformity on masculinity that, frankly, isn’t present. These desires, says Eldredge, are in the heart of every man as he states multiple times “I gaze into boyhood, I search the pages of literature, I listen carefully to many, many men, and I am convinced these desires are universal, a clue into masculinity itself.” (p. Eldredge’s initial claim is that in the heart of every man and boy are three fundamental desires: a battle to fight, an adventure to love, and a beauty to rescue. However, I want to offer a critique of the major issues in Wild at Heart.Īs mentioned above, the main focus of Wild at Heart is discovering and recovering the heart of true masculinity. The issues with what Eldredge presents in Wild at Heart is treated accurately and thoroughly in Garry Gilley’s review (part one here, and part two here) which I highly recommend.

His answers to the above questions are just as damaging as the problems he addresses. Eldredge’s book is a classic case of the cure being worse than the disease. Unfortunately, however, my praise and agreement with Eldredge ends there. They are all issues and questions men must face. that men feel ‘doing good’ and ‘being nice’ is the heart of the Christian faith).

In particular, he talks about the damaging effects of pornography, the worrying trend of growing fatherlessness, confusion between the genders, and moralism in the Church (i.e. Throughout the book, Eldredge does well to highlight some issues that particularly face men. The questions he raises and the implications he draws from such questions are vital.

With this, I wholeheartedly agree with him. Though the book was written 20 years ago, the questions it raises are all the more relevant in a day and age where gender is arguably the key issue.Įldredge’s view is that recapturing the heart of true masculinity will not only help a lost, confused, and spiritually wounded generation of men but also the women with whom those men relate (whether as wives, daughters, or mothers). Very important questions, in fact, for our time.

What does it mean to be a man? What is the heart of a man, specifically, a Christian man? These are the questions that Wild at Heart seeks to answer.

Wild at heart womens book