Raised in Splendor - by Jason B Alligood (Paperback)

About the Book

Jason Alligood points to the ultimate hope in the Christian life, that though one has been justified by faith and is sanctified daily, there is a joy and hope for future glory.

Book Synopsis

When most ponder on the Christian walk, they will likely run up on terms such as justification, sanctification, and glorification. This famous trio points to the faith that justifies the believer, the life in which the believer is sanctified through the gaining of wisdom through the reading of Scripture, the testing of life in a broken world, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, but many simply view glorification as the final part of the journey, as if it does not have an important reality for the believer today.

We live in a world where the idea of being glorified is either viewed through the lens of something that will eventually come, but has little importance now, or has an overfocused importance where believers only focus on their entry into heaven. Both are wrongfooted. Pastor and Theologian Jason Alligood provides a message of hope for the thoughtful Christian today. In Raised in Splendor, Jason Alligood communicates the hope of glory that transcends the fears and frustrations of a secular age that not only points to the hope for the future glorification, but that this hope is one that can be enjoyed and appreciated today.

Review Quotes

"Raised in Splendor is a book I want everyone in my church to read and absorb. Dr. Jason Alligood masterfully invites believers to embrace the life-changing hope rooted in the doctrine of glorification. In this concise and accessible work, readers will not only grasp the profound significance of glorification but also see how this future promise impacts our present lives. Dr. Alligood revives a long-neglected doctrine, offering doctrinal clarity and precision, that strengthens both our beliefs and our practice."
--Joe Thorn, Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship in St. Charles, IL

"Many equate hope with a squeamish sentimentality represented in statements like "I hope so." While such wishes may befit lottery dreams, any such "hope" is worlds apart from the certain biblical reality of hope in Christ. Thankfully, hope in Christ (according to the Bible and according to my friend Jason Alligood), is confidence in the real, historic, and therefore credible work of Jesus for His people. Jesus lived for us, died for us, and went to heaven for us. Therefore, it is utterly and entirely impossible for the believer confiding in Jesus to experience anything shy of glory! Raised in Splendor is a welcome introduction to the magnificent reality of certain glory for all who trust in Jesus."
--Patrick Abendroth, Pastor of Omaha Bible Church, Author of Covenant Theology, and Host of the Pactum podcast

"Though many miss this fact, the hero of C.S. Lewis's fantasy novel, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, is the brave talking mouse, Reepicheep. Easily the most valiant and courageous character, Reepicheep derives his strength from his single-minded desire to enter at last into Aslan's land--the "heaven" of Lewis's imagined world of Narnia. Pastor-theologian Jason Alligood would turn us all into "Reepicheeps" in his moving new book, Raised in Splendor: The Hope of Glorification in a Secular Age, and we would all do well to let him do just that. With pastoral tenderness and theological acuity, Alligood calls our attention to an oft neglected dimension of the Christian life: the saint's hope for glorification. Alligood nobly provides a God-centered portrayal of the believer's telos--and indeed, the telos of the cosmos. I commend this book as a resource that is both instructive and inspiring to raise the mind and heart to God with confidence in his promise to make all things new."
--Samuel G. Parkison (PhD, Midwestern Seminary) is Associate Professor of Theological Studies at the Gulf Theological Seminary in the United Arab Emirates. He is the author of several books, including To Gaze Upon God: The Beatific Vision in Doctrine, Tradition, and Practice

"Raised in Splendor is the reversal of the well-meaning, but incorrect, axiom that being too heavenly minded will lead to being no Earthly good. Alligood helpfully reminds us that, on the contrary, we are called to set our minds on the things above. This book is a helpful exercise in the value of keeping the end in mind as we strive towards our true homeland. Alligood has done the church a great service by bringing a good deal of historical insight, biblical reasoning, and theological precision into an accessible book which reminds readers of the Christian's great reward and our eternal hope--God himself."
--Ronni Kurtz, assistant professor of Theology at Cedarville University, Author of Fruitful Theology: How the Life of the Mind Leads to the Life of the Soul

"In this handbook on hope, Jason B. Alligood retrieves a long-neglected and deeply misunderstood aspect of salvation in Christ: our future glorification. In a world obsessed with the here-and-now and a church that has reduced hope to an ethereal, misty afterlife, Alligood restores bodily resurrection and glorification to its proper place as the climax of God's true story of redemption. With deep insights from Scripture as well as inspiring words from the history of the church, Raised in Splendor shines light from the past on our true hope for the future: conformity to Christ--the Image of God--as we behold him in glory. I recommend Alligood's profound and practical book as a perfect travel guide for our long journey of sanctification toward our longed-for destination of glory."
--Michael J. Svigel, Chair and Professor of Theological Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary

About the Author

Jason B. Alligood (PhD Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is an assistant professor of theology at Cedarville University. Previous to his time as a full-time professor, Jason was a pastor in various capacities for twenty-seven years, the last of which was as the teaching pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Peoria, IL. Jason has been married to Amber since 1997 and they have three grown children who are all happily married and two grandchildren.