Tortured for Christ: 50th Anniversary Edition

by Richard Wurmbrand

Paperback, 2017

Status

Check shelf

Call number

SA WU

Publication

David C Cook (2018), Edition: Special edition, 208 pages

Description

Biography & Autobiography. Religion & Spirituality. Nonfiction. After years of imprisonment and solitary confinement, enduring inhumane torture, Richard Wurmbrand emerges with a powerful testimony of courageous faith. Even today, believers are suffering and dying for Christ, yet their faith will not falter under the most unthinkable persecutions. In this stirring account, Wurmbrand (founder of The Voice of the Martyrs) encourages us to remember those in chains and equips us to help our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.

Local notes

2206-001

User reviews

LibraryThing member sparkleandchico
This is a short biographical account of a Romanian Pastor imprisoned and tortured for his Christian faith by the Communists just after the second world war. He spent a total of 14 years in prison, was eventually ransomed and released and moved to the West to encourage others to support "The
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Underground (persecuted) Church" in many countries. He founded "Voice of the Martyrs," which continues to work in countries around the world to this day.

Although the author states that he cannot go into graphic detail about the torture he endured at the hands of evil men. He proceeds to give seriously disturbing detail which some readers may not appreciate. He was placed in solitary confinement for 3 years!

"In solitary confinement, we could not pray as before. We were unimaginably hungry; we had been drugged until we acted like idiots. We were as weak as skeletons. The Lord's prayer was much too long for us- we could not concentrate enough to say it. My only prayer repeated again and again was, "Jesus, I love You."

Personally I felt challenged when reading this and forced to ask myself questions about how far I would be willing to go for my Christian faith. The detail is not in any way included for entertainment or to assist the author in obtaining spiritual one-up-man-ship. I believe the author's main purpose in writing these things was to try and shock people into doing something to help the persecuted church. His passion, dedication and commitment to the cause resonate throughout the book and are compelling. Many Christian's have been and will continue to be seriously convicted about their own roles in this Gospel and help ministry to those that are suffering for Christ, this can only be a good thing.

I note the complaints in various reviews about the author's negative/judgemental comments about Western Christian's. His attitude is that they are unconcerned, indifferent, apathetic and lacking in prayer for their brethren in crisis in other parts of the world. One reviewer's response which I would echo is that when reading/hearing criticism of ourselves we should examine (through Scripture and prayer) whether the things that are being said are true. If they are we should seek to address them and if they are not we should disregard them. Wurmbrand's opinion about Western Christian's may or may not be accurate, (in my view it is pretty accurate and has become more so in recent decades as this book was written a long time ago.) But, we cannot disregard his experiences and fail to help the persecuted church based on our prejudice towards him as an individual and how he chose to express himself. The things he experienced are happening around the world and the underground church does need help.

To those that don't believe the content of the book (which I also read in some reviews.) I can understand the skepticism due to various Christian Biographical books being removed from sale due to the "made-up" stories. Wurmbrand has on his body the scars from the torture he endured at the hands of his persecutors as he revealed this during a public meeting. Again I believe he did this to capture the attention of people rather than for personal gain.

I tend to believe the content of this book and that the author (who has since died) was a sincere soul seeking to follow Jesus and being willing to give up everything for that call. Ultimately only God knows his heart but we can all be challenged by his story and encouraged to get more involved in helping those suffering persecution in any way that we can.

I would encourage adult Christians to read this book.
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LibraryThing member MaryAnn12
Tortured for Christ is not just a book for Christians. It is a great historical reference, written by a Jewish man R. Wurmbrand. He tells a story that never hit main stream news do to political interference. One will discover a whole chunk of history they never read in their text books in
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school.

The author does do a good job at times of refocusing us on things that are truly important. He speaks of being tortured for years and praying and loving his torturers and speaking to them about Christ in hopes that they might come to know Jesus. He says that we are to love the sinner but hate the evil.

On page 51 the author says: "The value of Bibles smuggled in by these men cannot be understood by an American or an English Christian who `swims' in Bibles." That truly is something to ponder. We live in a place that has an abundance of Bibles and many people own more than one and yet we tend to be illiterate when it comes to the Bible. So he does make good points and has given me a lot to think about.

You really will do well to read this book and perhaps make it a habit to read even once a year a book on martyred Christians to help keep in perspective what is really important.
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LibraryThing member ScottBridwell
Probably one of the most shaping books I've ever read. Years after I first read this book I am still brought to tears thinking about the sacrifices that brothers and sisters in the faith have made and continue to make.

A Must Read.
LibraryThing member judyg54
This is a story that I don't think I will ever forget. A story of courage, faith and endurance through horrible and unspeakable persecution, and a story of hope. It caused me to realize what many are going through in countries where freedom to share a Christian witness is forbidden. These
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Christians though are standing firm in their testimony for their Lord. I can understand how and why the "Voice of the Martyrs" began and it gave me pause to realize how little I knew about what other Christians are experiencing around the world. I encourage all to read and be moved beyond words to pray and help those who are a part of the "underground church" around the world.
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LibraryThing member MrsLee
A hard book to read, but if a man who has endured this much pain and sorrow can still love his fellow men, well, it inspires me to try harder to find what God sees in others and to see them that way.
LibraryThing member clgowen
finished reading 6-28-08 and has motivated me to press forward more courageosly as a witness for Christ.
LibraryThing member deusvitae
A sobering work describing the author's experiences in Communist prison for preaching Christ. A call for encouragement for those who suffer for their faith.
LibraryThing member CatherineAlexander
The author was an atheist Jew before he converted to Christianity under the Nazis and became a pastor. He writes: "The Nazi terror was great, but only a taste of what was to come under the Communists." He endured fourteen years of Communist imprisonment and torture in his homeland of Romania. This
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is his story, and it should be read by every Christian.
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LibraryThing member mdkalbach
This is one powerful book! It will move you to tears. It will make you laugh. It is an astounding account of God's Awesome Grace and Power! I would recommend this book for every Christian.
LibraryThing member aramisTdawg
Not the best book I've ever read. I felt it wasn't written in the most effective way. I found myself just skipping over huge portions because it was so dry.

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

1967

Physical description

208 p.; 8.25 inches

ISBN

9780830772605

Barcode

718
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