"What Martial Arts Taught Me about the Gospel of Jesus Christ" by Glyn Norman. A Review

 

It's a very simple work. Glyn Norman is a Presbyterian minister serving at Trinity United Presbyterian Church (ECO) in Santa Ana California and martial artist. He has pulled together a few of his experiences in Jiu-Jitsu and Tae Kwon Do and parabolically used them as explanations of some basic aspects of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "What Martial Arts Taught Me about the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Spiritual Lessons from the Dojo" is a 54-page soft back that "is an attempt to explain how some elements of martial arts relate very neatly to the practices of Christianity" (1). Easy-to-read, this could be helpfully digested by teens to senior citizens, especially those who have an interest in the martial arts.

The few topics covered in this manual include humility, discipline, evil, responsibility, and perseverance. These chapters weave in some of Norman's personal experiences in Jiu-Jitsu and Tae Kwon Do, with different aspects of the Christian life. There are even a couple of real-life episodes the where the author properly used his martial arts on the street (not to bully, not to pick a fight, but to help others in need). Most of the chapters are very short, and readable, and sensible. The largest chapter, on discipline, hands readers loads of helps for applying themselves to the disciplines of prayer, Scripture readings, meditating on Scripture, and applying what they've learned.

It was a delightful little handbook that can encourage Christians in martial arts to think about more than their katas (forms) or sparring. And it might be useful for others to consider Christianity. If you have teenagers in some form of martial arts, or are a martial artist yourself, I happily recommend the book to you.