TheGospelCoalitionBookAwardsHonorableMention“Youareyourown,andyoubelongtoyourself.“Thisisthefundamentalassumptionofmodernlife.Andifweareourown,thenit’suptoustoforgeourownidentitiesandtomakeourlivessignificant.Butwhilethatmaysoundempowering,itturnsouttobeacrushingresponsibility--onethatneveractuallydeliversonitspromiseofafreeandfulfilledlife,butinsteadleavesusburnedout,depressed,anxious,andalone.Thisphenomenonismappedoutontotheverystructuresofoursociety,andhelpsexplainoursociety’sunderlyingdisorder.ButtheChristiangospeloffersastrikinglydifferentvision.AstheHeidelbergCatechismputsit,“Iamnotmyown,butbelongwithbodyandsoul,bothinlifeandindeath,tomyfaithfulSaviorJesusChrist.“InYouAreNotYourOwn,AlanNobleexploreshowthissimpletruthreframesthewayweunderstandourselves,ourfamilies,oursociety,andGod.Contrastingthesetwovisionsoflife,heinvitesuspastthesicknessofcontemporarylifeintoabetterunderstandingofwhoweareandtowhomwebelong.
