Sarah Coakley
— University of Cambridge
"It is impossible to read this commanding book without being put on the spot and recalled to Jesus' teaching with new authenticity. Sam Wells is a rare preacher and teacher who tugs at the heart as much as he snags at the critical intelligence of the reader who seeks for truth."
Lillian Daniel
— author of When "Spiritual but Not Religious" Is Not Enough
"With self-deprecating humor, Wells disarms us just enough to get us to consider the most countercultural matters of faith — like why wisdom is unfashionable, how shame can play a useful role in our lives, and why discipline may do us more good than relentless self-expression. . . . He guides us out of our own egos and into a dazzling divine reality where learning and dreaming meet."
Cornelius Plantinga Jr.
— author of Engaging God's World: A Christian Vision of Faith, Learning, and Living
"Samuel Wells has written a book so searching, so winsome, so wise that it will find your heart and dwell there. A beautiful piece of work."
Thomas G. Long
— Emory University
"This very wise and moving book about renewal, identity, and the hopeful shape of the Christian life is a rare accomplishment. Wells helps us to think deeply about the ordinary round of life — relationships, marriage, work, leisure, politics, death — while at the same time encouraging us to lift our sights and to dream again, even the dream of God."
Michael L. Lindvall
— The Brick Presbyterian Church
"How refreshing! Sam Wells offers intelligent and literary writing on Christian faith that is deeply rooted in Scripture and in his own faith and personal experience. He carries his readers far and wide into matters ranging from the routine challenges of daily life to those as edgy and current as the 'new atheism' and the threat of terrorism."
Presbyterian Outlook
"Samuel Wells is a wise pastor and theologian. For that reason alone, one would benefit from reading this book. . . . He has found that sweet spot that many writers aim for and few attain where great wisdom is expressed in accessible language that engages the heart and mind, actually leading the reader into a new way of seeing and acting."
Spirit & Life
"Wells shares his broad experience in a wide-ranging book that is both easy to read and personally challenging. . . . This is a book to be read reflectively and savored. For those who may be discouraged and confused by the complexity of their lives today, it may offer a lifeline to common sense and encouragement to dream again."
Interpretation
"A trained ethicist, Wells has the heart of a pastor, and this collection of essays reads like a series of sermons. Grounded in well-researched and thoughtful biblical exegesis, Wells explores the human condition through personal and pastoral stories, pop-cultural and artistic references. . . . Learning to Dream Again lives up to its ambitious title, though this book is no flight of fancy."
Books at a Glance
"A captivating, yet hard to categorize work. . . . Perhaps it is best described as a Wisdom-Spirituality illustrated with personal testimony and contemporary moral reflection. . . . If you're willing to be stretched, challenged, and deepened, I strongly recommend Wells' Learning to Dream Again."