This is a short e-book, a long essay really, and a passionate and forceful argument for the equality of women in all aspects of church life. Scot McKnight uses the example of Junia, a woman who the Apostle Paul refers to in Romans 16:7 as 'outstanding among the apostles', but who for many years was referred to as Junias in a number of Bibles, due to the idea that women could not be apostles. She was given a 'sex change'! Indeed, in many Bibles today you will still find Junia referred to by a male name, Junias, who in actual fact 'is a man who didn't exist with a name that didn't exist in the ancient world'.
McKnight uses this basic premise, that Junia was a woman, and an outstanding apostle, and tells stories of other outstanding women in the Bible like Deborah, Huldah and Miriam, and then three powerful stories of women in church history who did extraordinary things but have largely been overlooked because of their gender. He ends with a call for the church to seek out and tell these stories of the great women of the faith. We need some balance to the years of male domination, although as he points out 'if we want real historical balance it would mean telling nothing but women's stories for the next two millenia'.
I would definitely recommend this book. It may be short, but it's worth it. Even if you have read The Blue Parakeet, which contains some similar material in more detail, there are some fresh stories and points here. To end with McKnight's words: Junia was a ‘Christ-experiencing, Christ-representing, church-establishing, probably miracle-working, missionising woman who preached the gospel and taught the church’
Saturday 10 December 2011
Sunday 29 May 2011
Renovation of the Church by Kent Carlson and Mike Lueken
This is the story of what happened when two American megachurch pastors discovered the writings of Dallas Willard, Richard Foster and others, and began to change the whole focus of their 1700-strong church community. They realised they had fallen into the trap of creating a consumer church for a consumer world. Instead of calling people to a costly lifestyle of following Jesus no matter the cost, they were attempting (fairly successfully) to grow the greenest grass in town, and were growing rapidly as a result of their dynamic seeker-friendly services, and their talented staff members.
But they sensed something was wrong. They were not producing disciples, they were running an excellent service that met people's felt needs. And they gradually realised that this was not true Christianity. So they began to teach on the need to reject the consumer mentality in the church and the world, and to focus on spiritual formation rather than numerical growth. This is the story of what happened as a result. Most strikingly, around 1000 people left the church in a short period of time. But many who stayed found a new depth to their discipleship.
I enjoyed the book. I especially enjoy reading ideas that you hardly ever see anywhere else, that challenge your whole worldview. Here are some quotes:
(this is in the context of a conversation about why people move easily from one church to another, depending on which one has the best services) 'We simply can't build churches around attracting people through all these religious benefits we offer and then be surprised when they actually take us up on it'
'It is countercultural to consider making decisions on a basis other than how it benefits me'.
(quoting Eugene Peterson) 'The cultivation of consumer spirituality is the antithesis of a sacrificial, 'deny yourself' congregation. A consumer church is an antichrist church.'
(discussing a church who rejoiced when over a thousand people joined from a nearby church) 'how delightfully refreshing it would have been if the pastor of the "receiving church" had stood up one Sunday and preached a sermon on consumerism and invited those thousand people to humbly return to their previous church and meet God there.'
(quoting Mark Galli) 'The more strictly you adhere to the teachings of Jesus, the smaller your church will "grow"'.
All fascinating stuff, but left me with some big questions. I love the teachings of Willard, Foster and Peterson and so I was fascinated to find out what it would look like when a church really goes after spiritual formation as its primary goal. What I was concerned about was what would happen to their passion for mission, expressed through the seeker-sensitive system, and what how would it affect their worship? Helpfully, they write a chapter on each. Not so helpfully for me, these are their main areas of struggle in the new system! There is a genuineness and authenticity in the way they describe their journey, which means you get a 'warts-and-all' account. I was hoping for some clearer answers, but this is a story rather than an instruction manual designed to give easy answers and a 7 step plan.
I would recommend this to anyone looking into these issues as a good contribution to the conversation!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Renovation-Church-Kent-Carlson-Lueken/dp/0830835466/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306698410&sr=8-1
But they sensed something was wrong. They were not producing disciples, they were running an excellent service that met people's felt needs. And they gradually realised that this was not true Christianity. So they began to teach on the need to reject the consumer mentality in the church and the world, and to focus on spiritual formation rather than numerical growth. This is the story of what happened as a result. Most strikingly, around 1000 people left the church in a short period of time. But many who stayed found a new depth to their discipleship.
I enjoyed the book. I especially enjoy reading ideas that you hardly ever see anywhere else, that challenge your whole worldview. Here are some quotes:
(this is in the context of a conversation about why people move easily from one church to another, depending on which one has the best services) 'We simply can't build churches around attracting people through all these religious benefits we offer and then be surprised when they actually take us up on it'
'It is countercultural to consider making decisions on a basis other than how it benefits me'.
(quoting Eugene Peterson) 'The cultivation of consumer spirituality is the antithesis of a sacrificial, 'deny yourself' congregation. A consumer church is an antichrist church.'
(discussing a church who rejoiced when over a thousand people joined from a nearby church) 'how delightfully refreshing it would have been if the pastor of the "receiving church" had stood up one Sunday and preached a sermon on consumerism and invited those thousand people to humbly return to their previous church and meet God there.'
(quoting Mark Galli) 'The more strictly you adhere to the teachings of Jesus, the smaller your church will "grow"'.
All fascinating stuff, but left me with some big questions. I love the teachings of Willard, Foster and Peterson and so I was fascinated to find out what it would look like when a church really goes after spiritual formation as its primary goal. What I was concerned about was what would happen to their passion for mission, expressed through the seeker-sensitive system, and what how would it affect their worship? Helpfully, they write a chapter on each. Not so helpfully for me, these are their main areas of struggle in the new system! There is a genuineness and authenticity in the way they describe their journey, which means you get a 'warts-and-all' account. I was hoping for some clearer answers, but this is a story rather than an instruction manual designed to give easy answers and a 7 step plan.
I would recommend this to anyone looking into these issues as a good contribution to the conversation!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Renovation-Church-Kent-Carlson-Lueken/dp/0830835466/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306698410&sr=8-1
Monday 25 April 2011
High Street Monasteries by Ray Simpson
This is a study of the new monastic movement and how many Christians around the world are using values and practices from the monastic way of life in creative ways in their churches and communities. I found it incredibly inspiring and fascinating. I met the author on a retreat on Lindisfarne, where he lives, and had a great chat with him about this stuff.
The book outlines the current expressions of new monasticism around the world, then looks at what we can learn from the history of the monastic movement over the last 2000 years. Then there is a great chapter discussing how much of the monastic way of life is really just Christianity lived as it should be.
Then the book really comes into its own with the chapter 'Monastic Churches and Villages of God'. This is about how churches are adopting monastic values, but also contains this idea of 'Villages of God' - places where there is daily prayer led by a community of Christians committed to that area. This is the heart of the village, but around it are places to eat healthy food, places for pilgrims to stay, Eco-spaces like community allotments, education, job creation and much more. He then suggests what this might look like in different areas, such as Central London, around a Cathedral, in places of beauty, and other places.
I would love to see what this might look like in an inner-city estate in Salford! Really good stuff and definitely recommend you get a copy.
The book outlines the current expressions of new monasticism around the world, then looks at what we can learn from the history of the monastic movement over the last 2000 years. Then there is a great chapter discussing how much of the monastic way of life is really just Christianity lived as it should be.
Then the book really comes into its own with the chapter 'Monastic Churches and Villages of God'. This is about how churches are adopting monastic values, but also contains this idea of 'Villages of God' - places where there is daily prayer led by a community of Christians committed to that area. This is the heart of the village, but around it are places to eat healthy food, places for pilgrims to stay, Eco-spaces like community allotments, education, job creation and much more. He then suggests what this might look like in different areas, such as Central London, around a Cathedral, in places of beauty, and other places.
I would love to see what this might look like in an inner-city estate in Salford! Really good stuff and definitely recommend you get a copy.
Love Wins by Rob Bell
Ok so I thought seeing as I'd read this, I should put something about it, even though probably enough has been said to last several lifetimes. For some better reviews than this one, look on Scot McKnight's blog (a six-part review) and an article by Greg Downes in Christianity magazine.
Rob Bell is one of my favourite authors. I have read all his books, and occasially listen to his Mars Hill podcasts. Another reason I was looking forward to this book is because over the last few years, I have been teaching on the subject of heaven and hell at lots of conferences and churches, so was keen to hear what he had to say and how it could add to the many, probably too many books and articles I have read so far!
So what did I think? Well, as he says at the start, he is not saying anything that hasn't already been said at some point over the last 2000 years. Most of the book is typical Rob Bell - provocative questions, great stories, beautiful depictions of Christian hope, and challenging application. But what surprised me was the tone of parts of the book. The first chapter in particular seems unusually aggressive, almost as if some people have really wound him up and he's out to stir things up and offend a few people (this is probably not the case, but that's how it feels to me). I always have appreciated the questions he asks, but found the way he asks them in chapter 1 quite unhelpful, and perhaps not very gracious,
There is also the use of quite extreme caricatures of views Rob Bell disagrees with. Even on the back of the book, he talks about the idea that if you respond the wrong way to the gospel, that 'God will torture you forever in hell'. I don't know anyone who believes this, even those who believe in an eternal hell. He also talks about the traditional view of God being love on the one hand, but then also being cruel on the other. No Christian would believe that God is cruel, whatever their beliefs about the afterlife. It seems that he sets up a number of 'straw men' which are then very easy to knock down, particularly in the first chapter. I think one thing this whole discussion has shown is that Christians are generally not very good at disagreeing with each other!
In chapter 2 the book really gets into its stride, with some great Tom Wright-esque theology put in persuasive terms. The big thing here is to encourage us to focus on bringing heaven to earth, rather than obsessing about getting souls into heaven. Then chapters 3 and 4 are more controversial, but less polemical than earlier in the book. It appears that what he is suggesting is this: God wants everyone to spend eternity with him, but because of free choice, it is possible that this will not happen. However, he argues that death is not the last chance for people to choose to be saved - that there may be an infinite number of chances for people to repent - as Revelation says, the gates of the Holy City are never shut.
And the rest of the book continues along these lines.
So is he a universalist? Yes, a type of universalist. In a book of this nature, it's hard to cover all the bases of such a huge issue, so don't expect a comprehensive biblical and philosophical discussion. A much more detailed, coherent, and in my opinion more gracious argument for universal salvation is made in The Evangelical Universalist by Gregory McDonald.
Would I recommend this book? I would recommend it for a big picture view of what the kingdom of God is all about. I would not recommend it as a balanced discussion of the issues around heaven and hell. For a book that deals fairly objectively with the main issues, see The Nature of Hell by the Evangelical Alliance.
My main feelings about this book are that it contains lots of great stuff, but it's I'm not sure how helpful it will be. I think for some it may help them to find a space within the Christian faith where it is ok to ask big questions and not feel guilty about it. For others, it could be unhelpful in the way he deconstructs many long-held beliefs without acknowledging other opinions or interpretations of the key verses. For anyone who is going to read the book, I would also recommend the EA book as a balance so they can get a carefully reasoned account of all the major opinions on hell, rather than one persuasive argument alongside a caricatured version of the other opinions. So yes read it, but please read more widely on this issue.
Rob Bell is still one of my favourite authors. Even though he's raving heretic bound for the lake of fire. (joke)
Rob Bell is one of my favourite authors. I have read all his books, and occasially listen to his Mars Hill podcasts. Another reason I was looking forward to this book is because over the last few years, I have been teaching on the subject of heaven and hell at lots of conferences and churches, so was keen to hear what he had to say and how it could add to the many, probably too many books and articles I have read so far!
So what did I think? Well, as he says at the start, he is not saying anything that hasn't already been said at some point over the last 2000 years. Most of the book is typical Rob Bell - provocative questions, great stories, beautiful depictions of Christian hope, and challenging application. But what surprised me was the tone of parts of the book. The first chapter in particular seems unusually aggressive, almost as if some people have really wound him up and he's out to stir things up and offend a few people (this is probably not the case, but that's how it feels to me). I always have appreciated the questions he asks, but found the way he asks them in chapter 1 quite unhelpful, and perhaps not very gracious,
There is also the use of quite extreme caricatures of views Rob Bell disagrees with. Even on the back of the book, he talks about the idea that if you respond the wrong way to the gospel, that 'God will torture you forever in hell'. I don't know anyone who believes this, even those who believe in an eternal hell. He also talks about the traditional view of God being love on the one hand, but then also being cruel on the other. No Christian would believe that God is cruel, whatever their beliefs about the afterlife. It seems that he sets up a number of 'straw men' which are then very easy to knock down, particularly in the first chapter. I think one thing this whole discussion has shown is that Christians are generally not very good at disagreeing with each other!
In chapter 2 the book really gets into its stride, with some great Tom Wright-esque theology put in persuasive terms. The big thing here is to encourage us to focus on bringing heaven to earth, rather than obsessing about getting souls into heaven. Then chapters 3 and 4 are more controversial, but less polemical than earlier in the book. It appears that what he is suggesting is this: God wants everyone to spend eternity with him, but because of free choice, it is possible that this will not happen. However, he argues that death is not the last chance for people to choose to be saved - that there may be an infinite number of chances for people to repent - as Revelation says, the gates of the Holy City are never shut.
And the rest of the book continues along these lines.
So is he a universalist? Yes, a type of universalist. In a book of this nature, it's hard to cover all the bases of such a huge issue, so don't expect a comprehensive biblical and philosophical discussion. A much more detailed, coherent, and in my opinion more gracious argument for universal salvation is made in The Evangelical Universalist by Gregory McDonald.
Would I recommend this book? I would recommend it for a big picture view of what the kingdom of God is all about. I would not recommend it as a balanced discussion of the issues around heaven and hell. For a book that deals fairly objectively with the main issues, see The Nature of Hell by the Evangelical Alliance.
My main feelings about this book are that it contains lots of great stuff, but it's I'm not sure how helpful it will be. I think for some it may help them to find a space within the Christian faith where it is ok to ask big questions and not feel guilty about it. For others, it could be unhelpful in the way he deconstructs many long-held beliefs without acknowledging other opinions or interpretations of the key verses. For anyone who is going to read the book, I would also recommend the EA book as a balance so they can get a carefully reasoned account of all the major opinions on hell, rather than one persuasive argument alongside a caricatured version of the other opinions. So yes read it, but please read more widely on this issue.
Rob Bell is still one of my favourite authors. Even though he's raving heretic bound for the lake of fire. (joke)
Delirious by Martin Smith and Meet Mrs Smith by Anna Smith
Esther and I bought these two books as some 'His and Hers' reading for our holiday last week. They're both very easy to read and entertaining. I was really interested to read Martin Smith's book, as Delirious were a huge influence on me with their songs and the way they led worship, I really felt I was a part of the 'people movement' that he talks about in the book. Phrases like 'history makers' and 'revival generation' took me back to the mid 90s, all the excitement and expectation and creativity of that time is described here.
It made me long for that time again in some ways. As Martin says 'I think we have lost some of the power of those days... we've lost the ability to push aside the songs and replace them with twenty-five minutes of crying out, opening our hearts and heads with the raw worship of God who's within us'. This is so true in my experience, and I would love to know how we can experience that again!
I loved reading about the stories behind the songs, and his description of the transition from worship band to rock band with singles in the charts, and how many of their following (including me) didn't quite understand it at the time.
Anna Smith's book is very amusing and passionate, and it's great to read the story from the point of view of those who were often left at home while the band travelled the world, and see the highs and lows of their experience.
The books took me about 3 hours each to read - ideal holiday reading - entertaining, challenging and interesting.
It made me long for that time again in some ways. As Martin says 'I think we have lost some of the power of those days... we've lost the ability to push aside the songs and replace them with twenty-five minutes of crying out, opening our hearts and heads with the raw worship of God who's within us'. This is so true in my experience, and I would love to know how we can experience that again!
I loved reading about the stories behind the songs, and his description of the transition from worship band to rock band with singles in the charts, and how many of their following (including me) didn't quite understand it at the time.
Anna Smith's book is very amusing and passionate, and it's great to read the story from the point of view of those who were often left at home while the band travelled the world, and see the highs and lows of their experience.
The books took me about 3 hours each to read - ideal holiday reading - entertaining, challenging and interesting.
The Wisdom of Stability by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
'This is a book about staying put and paying attention'. I found this book deeply challenging, and actually quite encouraging as I having thinking along these lines for a while. In the Christian culture, we hear many talks encouraging us to 'Go' - but not many that challenge us to stay. Of course, Jesus himself commanded the church to go into all the world, but this is not a book trying to disagree with Jesus. It is a powerful call to live out the ancient monastic vow of stability in our ultra-mobile world.
In a culture and generation when the big question is often 'what am I going to do next?' and this usually translates as 'where am I going to go next?', a commitment to stick around is deeply counter-cultural. But as the author says, 'we are best able to discern the call of God when we are rooted in the life-giving wisdom of stability'.
He tells the story of a friend who told him 'I've given up my spiritual journey'. By this, he meant that often we are always looking for the next stage on our 'journey': the next spiritual high, the next godly promotion, but it can all become so individualistic and self-centred. But what he had learned is that 'God can change us if we'll settle down in one place. So I've given up my spiritual journey. I'm just going to stay with God here and see how I can grow'.
I have read many books in my time, but don't ever remember reading anything like that! I love the counter-cultural, almost subversive nature of it all. It would be great to see a seminar at a Christian conference called 'why you should give up your spiritual journey'! And I can see the value of this stuff, especially for estates like ours in Salford.
Read this and be challenged - you don't have to agree, and it maybe that you'll move from where you live a few times in your life, but this is just a great call to a different type of thinking.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wisdom-Stability-Rooting-Mobile-Culture/dp/1557256233/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303757784&sr=1-1
In a culture and generation when the big question is often 'what am I going to do next?' and this usually translates as 'where am I going to go next?', a commitment to stick around is deeply counter-cultural. But as the author says, 'we are best able to discern the call of God when we are rooted in the life-giving wisdom of stability'.
He tells the story of a friend who told him 'I've given up my spiritual journey'. By this, he meant that often we are always looking for the next stage on our 'journey': the next spiritual high, the next godly promotion, but it can all become so individualistic and self-centred. But what he had learned is that 'God can change us if we'll settle down in one place. So I've given up my spiritual journey. I'm just going to stay with God here and see how I can grow'.
I have read many books in my time, but don't ever remember reading anything like that! I love the counter-cultural, almost subversive nature of it all. It would be great to see a seminar at a Christian conference called 'why you should give up your spiritual journey'! And I can see the value of this stuff, especially for estates like ours in Salford.
Read this and be challenged - you don't have to agree, and it maybe that you'll move from where you live a few times in your life, but this is just a great call to a different type of thinking.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wisdom-Stability-Rooting-Mobile-Culture/dp/1557256233/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303757784&sr=1-1
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas
This is the best biography I have read in a long time. Actually I listened to it on audiobook, which was an interesting experience, not something I normally do.
If you are interested in Second World War history, the story of the way the German Christians responded to the Nazi regime is fascinating. Bonhoeffer himself was a remarkable character, a superb theologian with an activism that would eventually lead to his own execution by the Nazis, only two weeks before Hitler commited suicide. He was one of the founders of the German 'confessing' church, which broke away from the established church when they compromised with the Nazis.
One of the great things about the book is the way Metaxas uses lots of Bonhoeffer's best quotes and weaves them into the story. It seems that he was almost a pacifist, but could see no other option than to become part of the conspiracy to assassinate Hitler. I think this is great reading for those considering the ethics of war and the Christian response to war and unjust regimes.
On a couple of occasions the story drags a little, but in general it is an enthralling read. I was left shocked that such evil could have happened in living memory, and that many in the German church did little to oppose it, and also was inspired by Bonhoeffer's faith in God, and his utter commitment to his beliefs, even to the point of his own death in his late 30s.
Highly recommended!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/BONHOEFFER-METAXAS-ERIC/dp/1595553185/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1303755516&sr=8-2
If you are interested in Second World War history, the story of the way the German Christians responded to the Nazi regime is fascinating. Bonhoeffer himself was a remarkable character, a superb theologian with an activism that would eventually lead to his own execution by the Nazis, only two weeks before Hitler commited suicide. He was one of the founders of the German 'confessing' church, which broke away from the established church when they compromised with the Nazis.
One of the great things about the book is the way Metaxas uses lots of Bonhoeffer's best quotes and weaves them into the story. It seems that he was almost a pacifist, but could see no other option than to become part of the conspiracy to assassinate Hitler. I think this is great reading for those considering the ethics of war and the Christian response to war and unjust regimes.
On a couple of occasions the story drags a little, but in general it is an enthralling read. I was left shocked that such evil could have happened in living memory, and that many in the German church did little to oppose it, and also was inspired by Bonhoeffer's faith in God, and his utter commitment to his beliefs, even to the point of his own death in his late 30s.
Highly recommended!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/BONHOEFFER-METAXAS-ERIC/dp/1595553185/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1303755516&sr=8-2
Thursday 27 January 2011
The Grace Outpouring by Roy Godwin
My dad posted this book to me, it arrived yesterday morning and I finished it last night. It's a very easy read, but highly recommended. Roy Godwin tells the remarkable story of the events of the last decade or so at the Ffald-y-Brenin retreat centre in South Wales.
I have to admit I was a little sceptical when I started reading this, having read lots of similar books about 'moves of God', which are usually followed by me longing to see the same happen in Salford, but not having a clue what to do about it, so then feeling deflated and a little jealous!
Over the last few years they have seen miraculous healings, nature miracles (including a dried up spring starting to flow again), apparent angelic visitations and on numerous occasions, random passers by being strangely compelled to come into the retreat centre and finding themselves overwhelmed by emotion and the power of God as they come onto the property, often leading to crying or laughing or deep repentance.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes to read stories of supernatural happenings. It raises in me a deep desire to see this stuff happen, and also some questions:
- is this stuff anything to do with what we do (ie intense prayer, great faith etc) or is it purely a sovereign act of God that we have nothing to do with, and just get to join in?
- could this happen in inner city Salford? (please?!)
- is this one of those things where you go there and 'catch it' or is that just Christian tourism?
Anyway, buy this or borrow it, it's a great read and will broaden your view of who God is and what he does, and perhaps give you a hunger to see more of his kingdom, as it has done for me.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grace-Outpouring-Blessing-Others-Through/dp/1842914049/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296164586&sr=8-1
I have to admit I was a little sceptical when I started reading this, having read lots of similar books about 'moves of God', which are usually followed by me longing to see the same happen in Salford, but not having a clue what to do about it, so then feeling deflated and a little jealous!
Over the last few years they have seen miraculous healings, nature miracles (including a dried up spring starting to flow again), apparent angelic visitations and on numerous occasions, random passers by being strangely compelled to come into the retreat centre and finding themselves overwhelmed by emotion and the power of God as they come onto the property, often leading to crying or laughing or deep repentance.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes to read stories of supernatural happenings. It raises in me a deep desire to see this stuff happen, and also some questions:
- is this stuff anything to do with what we do (ie intense prayer, great faith etc) or is it purely a sovereign act of God that we have nothing to do with, and just get to join in?
- could this happen in inner city Salford? (please?!)
- is this one of those things where you go there and 'catch it' or is that just Christian tourism?
Anyway, buy this or borrow it, it's a great read and will broaden your view of who God is and what he does, and perhaps give you a hunger to see more of his kingdom, as it has done for me.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grace-Outpouring-Blessing-Others-Through/dp/1842914049/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296164586&sr=8-1
Washed and Waiting by Wesley Hill
This book is a 'theological memoir' written by a gay man who believes that following Jesus and being faithful to God must involve abstinence from any sexual relationship outside of monogamous, heterosexual marriage. Some Christians will read this and think this is obvious, while others will read it and consider it to be an unnecessary or even oppressive belief.
For me, it was fascinating to read a gut-wrenchingly honest account of what it looks like for a guy to choose to live a life that is faithful to the historic teaching of the Christian church on this controversial and complex issue. Often Christians have a 'position' on the subject without thinking about how the church could and should support those who find themselves longing for an intimate same-sex relationship but choosing instead to remain celibate as a sign of their faithfulness to Christ. Wesley Hill challenges us to do just that - to anticipate 'the end of loneliness' in the way we do community today.
He is also good on how the church should be welcoming and yet be a transformative community - 'anyone who joins such a community should know that it is a place of transformation, of discipline, of learning, and not merely a place to be comforted or indulged'.
This book should challenge, inspire and disturb you. One great thing he does here is combine personal stories with extensive reading and cutting edge theology, to great effect. And his thoughts on 'the end of loneliness' alone are worth the price of the book. This is surely an issue that affects all, single or married, gay or straight, male or female. He says 'I have come to realise my need to take the New Testament seriously that groaning and grief and feeling broken are legitimate ways for me to express my cross-bearing discipleship to Jesus.' In dealing with this one subject, he gives us a theology for addressing all of our brokenness, whether sexual, relational or physical.
Also enlightening are his chapters about well known Christians with same-sex orientation like Gerard Manley Hopkins and Henri Nouwen, and how they processed their struggles in their own contexts.
It is very difficult for Christians to even begin to address this issue without being accused of being judgemental or bigoted, but Wesley Hill, in his openness and vulnerability and with theological acumen, provides a safe arena in which to discuss some of the harder truths of Christian discipleship, and specifically the struggles of many Christians who are wanting to be faithful to Jesus while coming to terms with their sexual desires.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is seeking greater understanding on this subject, whether Christian or not, it is written in a gracious and compassionate way, with great understanding but not with any sort of judgemental attitude.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Washed-Waiting-Reflections-Faithfulness-Homosexuality/dp/0310330033/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296163658&sr=8-1
For me, it was fascinating to read a gut-wrenchingly honest account of what it looks like for a guy to choose to live a life that is faithful to the historic teaching of the Christian church on this controversial and complex issue. Often Christians have a 'position' on the subject without thinking about how the church could and should support those who find themselves longing for an intimate same-sex relationship but choosing instead to remain celibate as a sign of their faithfulness to Christ. Wesley Hill challenges us to do just that - to anticipate 'the end of loneliness' in the way we do community today.
He is also good on how the church should be welcoming and yet be a transformative community - 'anyone who joins such a community should know that it is a place of transformation, of discipline, of learning, and not merely a place to be comforted or indulged'.
This book should challenge, inspire and disturb you. One great thing he does here is combine personal stories with extensive reading and cutting edge theology, to great effect. And his thoughts on 'the end of loneliness' alone are worth the price of the book. This is surely an issue that affects all, single or married, gay or straight, male or female. He says 'I have come to realise my need to take the New Testament seriously that groaning and grief and feeling broken are legitimate ways for me to express my cross-bearing discipleship to Jesus.' In dealing with this one subject, he gives us a theology for addressing all of our brokenness, whether sexual, relational or physical.
Also enlightening are his chapters about well known Christians with same-sex orientation like Gerard Manley Hopkins and Henri Nouwen, and how they processed their struggles in their own contexts.
It is very difficult for Christians to even begin to address this issue without being accused of being judgemental or bigoted, but Wesley Hill, in his openness and vulnerability and with theological acumen, provides a safe arena in which to discuss some of the harder truths of Christian discipleship, and specifically the struggles of many Christians who are wanting to be faithful to Jesus while coming to terms with their sexual desires.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is seeking greater understanding on this subject, whether Christian or not, it is written in a gracious and compassionate way, with great understanding but not with any sort of judgemental attitude.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Washed-Waiting-Reflections-Faithfulness-Homosexuality/dp/0310330033/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296163658&sr=8-1
Friday 7 January 2011
Invitation to Solitude and Silence by Ruth Haley Barton
Dallas Willard recommended this book to me. Not that I've ever met him, but it was on his suggested further reading list in his superb book The Divine Omission, so I decided I couldn't not buy it. In his foreword, Willard tells us that in the modern world 'someone needs to tell us about solitude and silence - just to let us know there are such things. Someone then needs to tell us it's okay to enter them. Someone needs to tell us how to do it, what will happen when we do, and how we go on from there. For Ruth Barton, that someone was her spiritual director. Now Ruth tells you.'
As an extroverted activist, I was a little nervous about reading this book, thinking it would make me feel really guilty about not liking spending extended time on my own. However, as I read (and listened on my new Amazon Kindle!), I found that the message of the book is summarised well in the title: this is an invitation to solitude and silence, to the rest that only comes from a deep encounter with God. Therefore there is no guilt involved, just the awakening of a deep yearning to know God better and meet him in the ways Barton outlines in the book.
She writes in an autobiographical and accessible style, describing her own experience as a tired, busy and driven working mother, feeling called to a journey of deeper intimacy with God that could only come from carving out some serious time to be with God, to do nothing but rest in his presence. At the end of each chapter she offers advice on putting this into practice in your own life, which is really helpful because as she says, 'silence is the most challenging, the most needed and the least experienced spiritual discipline among evangelical Christians today'.
The book is full of great insight, sometimes not just about silence, for example this quote which has lived with ever since reading it: 'when it comes down to it, many of us do not believe that God's intentions towards us are deeply good; instead we live in fear that if we really trusted him, he might withhold something good from us'. She applies this to our fear of silence, but it is also true in many areas of our lives for many Christians. How many people I meet who are afraid if they fully submit to God, he might make them go to a country they hate, or force them to marry someone they can't stand, or take some terrible job - and yet God is so good and loving, not at all like a cruel teacher wanting to make us learn purely by unnecessary suffering.
As Willard says, the first task when making disciples is to get them to the point in following Jesus when they 'are quite certain that there is no "catch", no limit, to the goodness of his intentions or his power to carry them out'
Great stuff. For me, this book was a bit like reading Celebration of Discipline - after every chapter I thought 'wow - I would love to try that out - but I'll just read the next chapter first'. I would suggest that this book could really affect you if you are willing to stop after each chapter and put it into practice. For me, I think I need to read it again and do exactly that. But there are so many other great books to read...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/INVITATION-SOLITUDE-SILENCE-Experiencing-Transforming/dp/0863475957/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1294432071&sr=8-1
As an extroverted activist, I was a little nervous about reading this book, thinking it would make me feel really guilty about not liking spending extended time on my own. However, as I read (and listened on my new Amazon Kindle!), I found that the message of the book is summarised well in the title: this is an invitation to solitude and silence, to the rest that only comes from a deep encounter with God. Therefore there is no guilt involved, just the awakening of a deep yearning to know God better and meet him in the ways Barton outlines in the book.
She writes in an autobiographical and accessible style, describing her own experience as a tired, busy and driven working mother, feeling called to a journey of deeper intimacy with God that could only come from carving out some serious time to be with God, to do nothing but rest in his presence. At the end of each chapter she offers advice on putting this into practice in your own life, which is really helpful because as she says, 'silence is the most challenging, the most needed and the least experienced spiritual discipline among evangelical Christians today'.
The book is full of great insight, sometimes not just about silence, for example this quote which has lived with ever since reading it: 'when it comes down to it, many of us do not believe that God's intentions towards us are deeply good; instead we live in fear that if we really trusted him, he might withhold something good from us'. She applies this to our fear of silence, but it is also true in many areas of our lives for many Christians. How many people I meet who are afraid if they fully submit to God, he might make them go to a country they hate, or force them to marry someone they can't stand, or take some terrible job - and yet God is so good and loving, not at all like a cruel teacher wanting to make us learn purely by unnecessary suffering.
As Willard says, the first task when making disciples is to get them to the point in following Jesus when they 'are quite certain that there is no "catch", no limit, to the goodness of his intentions or his power to carry them out'
Great stuff. For me, this book was a bit like reading Celebration of Discipline - after every chapter I thought 'wow - I would love to try that out - but I'll just read the next chapter first'. I would suggest that this book could really affect you if you are willing to stop after each chapter and put it into practice. For me, I think I need to read it again and do exactly that. But there are so many other great books to read...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/INVITATION-SOLITUDE-SILENCE-Experiencing-Transforming/dp/0863475957/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1294432071&sr=8-1
Tuesday 4 January 2011
Hannah's Child by Stanley Hauerwas
This is one of 6 books I have finished over the Christmas/New Year holiday, and the one I enjoyed the most. Stanley Hauerwas was described by Time magazine as 'the best theologian in America', so I thought I'd better read this to get an idea of what he's all about.
It's a fascinating, inspiring and at times disturbing autobiography. Hauerwas is brutally honest about his life, including his difficult marriage to his first wife who suffered severe mental illness, and about his relationships with his colleagues at the academic institutions he has worked in. It is also great to watch his journey into academia, and how he gradually realised that he was a Christian, and all that entailed.
I really enjoyed the challenge of reading someone from a very different church background to my own. At one point he nearly converts to Catholicism, and is very much into high churchmanship - liturgy, the Eucharist - but he sees a real beauty there that is eye-opening at times, and something I had not considered before.
The other main thing I was impacted by was the story of his friendship with John Howard Yoder, and his subsequent developing of firm pacifist views as a result of this. His thoughts on how Jesus' teaching of non-violence should affect the whole of our lives and not just our views on war are potentially life-changing.
The biggest problem I had with this book was the amount of other books he referred to, which has made my Amazon basket reach ridiculous proportions!
All in all, a highly recommended book - it's led me to buy two of his other books already!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hannahs-Child-Theologians-Stanley-Hauerwas/dp/0334043689/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294175002&sr=8-1
It's a fascinating, inspiring and at times disturbing autobiography. Hauerwas is brutally honest about his life, including his difficult marriage to his first wife who suffered severe mental illness, and about his relationships with his colleagues at the academic institutions he has worked in. It is also great to watch his journey into academia, and how he gradually realised that he was a Christian, and all that entailed.
I really enjoyed the challenge of reading someone from a very different church background to my own. At one point he nearly converts to Catholicism, and is very much into high churchmanship - liturgy, the Eucharist - but he sees a real beauty there that is eye-opening at times, and something I had not considered before.
The other main thing I was impacted by was the story of his friendship with John Howard Yoder, and his subsequent developing of firm pacifist views as a result of this. His thoughts on how Jesus' teaching of non-violence should affect the whole of our lives and not just our views on war are potentially life-changing.
The biggest problem I had with this book was the amount of other books he referred to, which has made my Amazon basket reach ridiculous proportions!
All in all, a highly recommended book - it's led me to buy two of his other books already!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hannahs-Child-Theologians-Stanley-Hauerwas/dp/0334043689/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294175002&sr=8-1
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