Book Review – The Jesus Prescription for a Healthy Life
Image: The Jesus Prescription for a Healthy Life by Len Lantz (CC BY-NC-ND)
Synopsis: Len's Star Rating: 4 out of 10. A self-help book on healthy living, written in 1996 from a Christian perspective.
BY LEN LANTZ, MD / 2.3.2023; No. 108
Disclaimer: Yes, I am a physician, but I’m not your doctor and this article does not create a doctor-patient relationship. This article is for educational purposes and should not be seen as medical advice. You should consult with your physician before you rely on this information. This post also contains affiliate links. Please click this LINK for the full disclaimer.
Star Rating – 4 out of 10
Rating guide: 1 = horrible, 5 = average and 10 = wow
Author
Leonard Sweet
About the author
Leonard Sweet is a Christian scholar, ordained United Methodist clergyman, and author of over 200 articles, 1500 published sermons, and 70 books. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Colgate Rochester Divinity School and his PhD from the University of Rochester. Dr. Sweet has served in numerous academic and leadership roles in his career and currently is the Charles Wesley Senior Professor of Doctoral Studies at Evangelical Seminary (Kairos), the E. Stanley Jones Professor Emeritus at Drew University (New Jersey), and a Visiting Distinguished Professor at George Fox University (Oregon).
General description
The Jesus Prescription for a Healthy Life is a book filled with humor, observations, and advice for leading a happy and healthy life. Leonard Sweet shares Bible verses that support his 10 recommendations on well-being based on stories by and about Jesus. The author also includes popular quotations, news stories, and medical research in his wide-ranging book which includes a 25-page bibliography of his sources.
Unique and most important aspects
The Jesus Prescription for a Healthy Life was written 27 years ago and incorporated aspects of popular culture to engage the reader. Leonard Sweet certainly offers interesting perspectives and observations that are still relevant (and likely lead to greater health), but the book is likely to seem dated to today’s reader. While some of the humor is still somewhat funny, the writing style of the author could be viewed as flippant by some readers. I found the use of the sidebar quotations to be distracting as they were not incorporated into the main text and felt only loosely associated with the main topic of each chapter. I also disagreed with some of the author’s quotes and statements on psychiatry and mental health, which expressed views I found inaccurate and stigmatizing.
Best quotes
“This book is a ten-step biblical guide on how to crack the code of healthy living.”
“I engage in PrayerWalking before every speaking engagement. Early in the morning, I walk up and down the streets of my new town, claiming this street, that building, this home, that school for Christ.”
“Prayer is the most powerful force in the universe. Indeed, I have come to a place in my spiritual journey where I now think of prayer as a physical force that affects our universe in both seen and unseen ways.”
Who would enjoy this book?
Readers who have enjoyed previous books written by author Leonard Sweet are likely to enjoy The Jesus Prescription for a Healthy Life.
Who would not enjoy this book?
Readers looking for a book that is up-to-date or who would be offended by inaccurate, stigmatizing statements on mental health are unlikely to enjoy The Jesus Prescription for a Healthy Life.
Conclusion
The Jesus Prescription for a Healthy Life is a self-help book on healthy living, written in 1996 from a Christian perspective.
