In Gum, Geckos, and God, Spiegel takes on the greater challenge of sharing God and the concepts of the Christian faith with his own children. In a book that is witty, warm, and profound, he explains complex issues of the Christian faith in terms that his children can understand and accept.

Can we hug God? Will geckos go to heaven? Was Jesus fun to be around? Does God know how many spiders there are in all the basements in the world? These are just a few of the questions that Spiegel has fielded in conversations with his sons Bailey and Sam.

Every devout Christian wants to understand God and his ways more fully. But even the fundamentals of faith are layered with profound mysteries. In his teaching and writing, Spiegel deals with these complexities every day. But nothing quite prepared him for the honesty, hilarity, and depth of revelation that he has found in conversations about God with his boys.

Gum, Geckos, and God is fascinating and fun. As you read, you’ll step into a new depth of Christian doctrine as you come to know and enjoy the Spiegel family and follow their journey of spiritual growth. Here is a uniquely incisive look into the most complex issues of faith in a way that’s absorbing, engaging, and highly personal.

Page Count: 256
Available: May, 2008
Publisher: Zondervan

Publisher’s Weekly - Nonfiction Reviews, Week of 3-24-2008

Spiegel, philosophy professor at Indiana’s Taylor University, takes deep issues of the Christian faith and dumps them smack into real life with a little help from his children. Their questions—“Dad, where does God live?” “Dad, does God speak English?” and “What does God know?”—open the door to discussions about God that solicit satisfying answers from Dad. Spiegel’s responses and ensuing comments will satisfy adults as well, especially those looking for beginning and intermediate study on topics such as God’s omniscience, the Golden Rule, God’s presence and human origin and destiny. Spiegel ponders the great issues of the faith with a light touch, thanks to the innate comedy of kids, but also to his own brand of humor. No doubt some readers will wish for more depth when it comes to doctrinal fundamentals, but rather than exhaustive study, the point is that God touches human hearts through geckos, hide-and-seek tag and the occasional possum. Spiegel shares his own wonder as he fields FAQs from the fertile, imaginative, earthy minds of his children.

Preview Sample Content from
Gum, Geckos, and God…

Spiegel has authored numerous books and articles on issues in ethics, aesthetics, philosophy of religion, and popular culture, including the award-winning How to Be Good in a World Gone Bad. Watch for the forthcoming Zondervan title, Gum, Geckos, and God, as it arrives in bookstores in May 2008. In addition to teaching and writing, Spiegel speaks at colleges, professional conferences, and churches and is frequently interviewed for radio programs.

Spiegel is an active member of several professional societies, including the American Philosophical Association, the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics, the Society of Christian Philosophers, and the Evangelical Philosophical Association. He has refereed for numerous philosophical journals and served as editor of the Berkeley Briefs, the newsletter of the International Berkeley Society.

In addition to his scholarly work, Spiegel is a music enthusiast. He runs a recording studio out of his basement and has produced and engineered album projects for dozens of artists. He also records his own original music. Spiegel lives in Fairmount, Indiana with his wife, Amy, and his four children, Bailey, Samuel, Magdalene, and Andrew.

In Gum, Geckos, and God, Spiegel takes on the greater challenge of sharing God and the concepts of the Christian faith with his own children. In a book that is witty, warm, and profound, he explains complex issues of the Christian faith in terms that his children can understand and accept.

Can we hug God? Will geckos go to heaven? Was Jesus fun to be around? Does God know how many spiders there are in all the basements in the world? These are just a few of the questions that Spiegel has fielded in conversations with his sons Bailey and Sam.

Every devout Christian wants to understand God and his ways more fully. But even the fundamentals of faith are layered with profound mysteries. In his teaching and writing, Spiegel deals with these complexities every day. But nothing quite prepared him for the honesty, hilarity, and depth of revelation that he has found in conversations about God with his boys.

Gum, Geckos, and God is fascinating and fun. As you read, you’ll step into a new depth of Christian doctrine as you come to know and enjoy the Spiegel family and follow their journey of spiritual growth. Here is a uniquely incisive look into the most complex issues of faith in a way that’s absorbing, engaging, and highly personal.

Page Count: 256
Available: May, 2008
Publisher: Zondervan

Publisher’s Weekly - Nonfiction Reviews, Week of 3-24-2008

Spiegel, philosophy professor at Indiana’s Taylor University, takes deep issues of the Christian faith and dumps them smack into real life with a little help from his children. Their questions—“Dad, where does God live?” “Dad, does God speak English?” and “What does God know?”—open the door to discussions about God that solicit satisfying answers from Dad. Spiegel’s responses and ensuing comments will satisfy adults as well, especially those looking for beginning and intermediate study on topics such as God’s omniscience, the Golden Rule, God’s presence and human origin and destiny. Spiegel ponders the great issues of the faith with a light touch, thanks to the innate comedy of kids, but also to his own brand of humor. No doubt some readers will wish for more depth when it comes to doctrinal fundamentals, but rather than exhaustive study, the point is that God touches human hearts through geckos, hide-and-seek tag and the occasional possum. Spiegel shares his own wonder as he fields FAQs from the fertile, imaginative, earthy minds of his children.

Preview Sample Content from
Gum, Geckos, and God…