books

Sep 18, 2014 ∞

I'm still reading...

So, what have I been up to reading-wise? I don’t know that any of you were actually asking yourselves that, but I’m going to answer anyway.

I really enjoyed Richard Beck’s Unclean.
I read the first chapter of Vanauken’s A Severe Mercy and found it slow-going stylistically. I’ve heard so many folks say so much good about it I’ll keep at it and see if it gets better, though.
I started O’Donavan’s Resurrection and Moral Order and wow, it’s dense. That’s not necessarily bad, but wow. Of course, maybe I should’ve taken the hint when Alistair Roberts told me that you had best read it slowly.
I read a quick WEB Griffin novel and a short popular history.

Business trip again next week so maybe I’ll get some more substantive reading done.

As an aside: I mentioned a discussion this week with a couple of co-workers that I’ve logged and rated every book I’ve read over the past 8 years. They looked at me like I was nuts. I trust you, dear reader, won’t judge me near so harshly.

The book pile:

Surprised by Scripture, NT Wright
Merton: A Biography, Monica Furlong
Meditative Prayer, Thomas Merton
Resurrection and Moral Order, Oliver O’Donavan
Paul and the Faithfulness of God, NT Wright
A Severe Mercy, Shelden Vanauken
From Bible Belt to Sun Belt, Darren Dochuk
Parables of Judgment, Robert Capon
Theodore Rex, Edmund Morris
Evangelical Theology, Karl Barth
Confessions of a Guilty Bystander, Thomas Merton
The Wounded Healer, Henri J. M. Nouwen
The Monster in the Hollows, Andrew Peterson

Books I’ve started but not yet finished:

The Kingdom of Christ, Russell Moore
Jesus Manifesto, Frank Viola & Leonard Sweet
The Fiddler’s Green, A. S. Peterson

Books I wanna re-read:

The Sacredness of Questioning Everything, David Dark
When I Was a Child I Read Books, Marilynne Robinson
Between Noon and Three, Robert Capon

Unread on my Kindle:

Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture, Brandon Hatmaker
Center Church, Tim Keller
The Pastor: A Memoir, Eugene Peterson
Reimagining Church: Pursuing the Dream of Organic Christianity, Frank Viola
Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation’s Treasures from the Nazis, Robert Edsel
Unclean: Meditations on Purity, Hospitality, and Mortality, Richard Beck
Why Holiness Matters: We’ve Lost Our Way–But We Can Find it Again, Tyler Braun

Sep 8, 2014 ∞

Argument is offered to justify the felt judgment...

I’ve finally been catching up with Richard Beck’s Unclean: Meditations on Purity, Hospitality, and Mortality and I’m finding it fascinating. Beck is a professor of psychology at Abilene Christian University and his work usually sits at the intersection of faith topics and psychological study.

In Unclean he looks at the psychology of purity and disgust and how Christianity interacts with those built-in reactions (such as disgust) and how they shape our attitude toward sin and toward others. I’m only about 20% of the way in so far, but this paragraph caught my eye:

These dynamics [feelings leading to reasons, rather than vice versa] make conversations about God inherently difficult because our experience of the divine is being regulated by emotion rather than logic, affect rather than theology. I think people in churches have always known this, and felt that people in conflict within the church were generally talking past each other. One reason for this is now clear. Very often, arguments and the warrants found within them are secondary to the felt experience. Argument is offered to justify the felt judgment of the sacred or profane. And as self-justifications these arguments often fail as acts of persuasion or forms of consensus-building.

I’m looking forward to reading more.

Aug 25, 2014 ∞

A couple more knocked off the list

I had a business trip last week which gave me extra reading time, so… two more knocked off the list.

First, Merton: A Biography by Monica Furlong. This one underwhelmed me. The first part of the story (up to the point where Merton joins the Trappists) is told in a much more interesting fashion by Merton himself in The Seven Storey Mountain (which I read a couple years back). The second half of the story mostly exists to make you repeatedly ask why anyone in their right mind would join the Trappists.

Second (and much more highly recommended): The Pastor: A Memoir by Eugene Peterson. Peterson is a hero among pastors to me - a man planted a church and stayed there for 30 years, who focused not on numeric growth but on spiritual growth, who made it his goal to simply consistently pastor (an active verb) the flock that God brought him… Peterson recounts his childhood, his call to ministry, and the lessons learned from decades of pastoring in his usual winsome way. Well worth the read.

I’m now cheating a bit - I found a novel that looked interesting at the library and I’m reading it this week. Then I’ll be back to something off my pile.

The book pile:

Surprised by Scripture, NT Wright
Merton: A Biography, Monica Furlong
Meditative Prayer, Thomas Merton
Resurrection and Moral Order, Oliver O’Donavan
Paul and the Faithfulness of God, NT Wright
A Severe Mercy, Shelden Vanauken
From Bible Belt to Sun Belt, Darren Dochuk
Parables of Judgment, Robert Capon
Theodore Rex, Edmund Morris
Evangelical Theology, Karl Barth
Confessions of a Guilty Bystander, Thomas Merton
The Wounded Healer, Henri J. M. Nouwen
The Monster in the Hollows, Andrew Peterson

Books I’ve started but not yet finished:

The Kingdom of Christ, Russell Moore
Jesus Manifesto, Frank Viola & Leonard Sweet
The Fiddler’s Green, A. S. Peterson

Books I wanna re-read:

The Sacredness of Questioning Everything, David Dark
When I Was a Child I Read Books, Marilynne Robinson
Between Noon and Three, Robert Capon

Unread on my Kindle:

Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture, Brandon Hatmaker
Center Church, Tim Keller
The Pastor: A Memoir, Eugene Peterson
Reimagining Church: Pursuing the Dream of Organic Christianity, Frank Viola
Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation’s Treasures from the Nazis, Robert Edsel
Unclean: Meditations on Purity, Hospitality, and Mortality, Richard Beck
Why Holiness Matters: We’ve Lost Our Way–But We Can Find it Again, Tyler Braun

Aug 11, 2014 ∞

The pile keeps shrinking...

I’m slowly whittling down my bedside book pile, completing Darren Dochuk’s From Bible Belt to Sun Belt: Plain-Folk Religion, Grassroots Politics, and the Rise of Evangelical Conservatism last week. This was a fantastic book. Dochuk traces the history of evangelicalism from the early days of the Depression, as evangelicals migrated west from Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and the like, to California. As a child of evangelicalism in the 80s and 90s, it was very enlightening to read about J. Vernon McGee, Billy Graham, E. V. Hill, Bill Bright, Tim LaHaye, and others. It was a bit slow going through the 1920s and 30s, but from the 1940s onward it was a wonderful, interesting read. I owe Brian Auten bigtime for recommending it.

I’m now a few chapters in to a biography of Thomas Merton which I’m not real excited about yet, but I’ll give it some time.

The book pile:

Surprised by Scripture, NT Wright
Merton: A Biography, Monica Furlong
Meditative Prayer, Thomas Merton
Resurrection and Moral Order, Oliver O’Donavan
Paul and the Faithfulness of God, NT Wright
A Severe Mercy, Shelden Vanauken
From Bible Belt to Sun Belt, Darren Dochuk
Parables of Judgment, Robert Capon
Theodore Rex, Edmund Morris
Evangelical Theology, Karl Barth
Confessions of a Guilty Bystander, Thomas Merton
The Wounded Healer, Henri J. M. Nouwen
The Monster in the Hollows, Andrew Peterson

Books I’ve started but not yet finished:

The Kingdom of Christ, Russell Moore
Jesus Manifesto, Frank Viola & Leonard Sweet
The Fiddler’s Green, A. S. Peterson

Books I wanna re-read:

The Sacredness of Questioning Everything, David Dark
When I Was a Child I Read Books, Marilynne Robinson
Between Noon and Three, Robert Capon

Unread on my Kindle:

Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture, Brandon Hatmaker
Center Church, Tim Keller
The Pastor: A Memoir, Eugene Peterson
Reimagining Church: Pursuing the Dream of Organic Christianity, Frank Viola
Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation’s Treasures from the Nazis, Robert Edsel
Unclean: Meditations on Purity, Hospitality, and Mortality, Richard Beck
Why Holiness Matters: We’ve Lost Our Way–But We Can Find it Again, Tyler Braun

Jul 27, 2014 ∞

One down, 25 to go

I finished up NT Wright’s Surprised by Scripture the other night. A nice short form of several of his arguments, some will be very familiar to those who have read his other popular works. There were a couple chapters, though, on politics and on women leading in the church that were new to me and quite good.

For review, here’s the list of books piled next to my bed that I’ve yet to read but want to before I buy any more. I think the next one I’ll be reading is From the Bible Belt to the Sun Belt by Darren Dochuk.

The ones I’ve not read yet:

Surprised by Scripture, NT Wright
Merton: A Biography, Monica Furlong
Meditative Prayer, Thomas Merton
Resurrection and Moral Order, Oliver O’Donavan
Paul and the Faithfulness of God, NT Wright
A Severe Mercy, Shelden Vanauken
From the Bible Belt to the Sun Belt, Darren Dochuk
Parables of Judgment, Robert Capon
Theodore Rex, Edmund Morris
Evangelical Theology, Karl Barth
Confessions of a Guilty Bystander, Thomas Merton
The Wounded Healer, Henri J. M. Nouwen
The Monster in the Hollows, Andrew Peterson

Books I’ve started but not yet finished:

The Kingdom of Christ, Russell Moore
Jesus Manifesto, Frank Viola & Leonard Sweet
The Fiddler’s Green, A. S. Peterson

Books I wanna re-read:

The Sacredness of Questioning Everything, David Dark
When I Was a Child I Read Books, Marilynne Robinson
Between Noon and Three, Robert Capon

Unread on my Kindle:

Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture, Brandon Hatmaker
Center Church, Tim Keller
The Pastor: A Memoir, Eugene Peterson
Reimagining Church: Pursuing the Dream of Organic Christianity, Frank Viola
Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation’s Treasures from the Nazis, Robert Edsel
Unclean: Meditations on Purity, Hospitality, and Mortality, Richard Beck
Why Holiness Matters: We’ve Lost Our Way–But We Can Find it Again, Tyler Braun

Jul 21, 2014 ∞

No More Buying Until I Do Some Reading

…that’s the promise I’m making myself. The book pile next to my bed is just too high, and I keep accumulating without making much progress. So, it’s time to whittle down the pile.

In no particular order, here’s what I’ve got piled up.

First, the ones I’ve not read yet:

Surprised by Scripture, NT Wright
Merton: A Biography, Monica Furlong
Meditative Prayer, Thomas Merton
Resurrection and Moral Order, Oliver O’Donavan
Paul and the Faithfulness of God, NT Wright
A Severe Mercy, Shelden Vanauken
From the Bible Belt to the Sun Belt, Darren Dochuk
Parables of Judgment, Robert Capon
Theodore Rex, Edmund Morris
Evangelical Theology, Karl Barth
Confessions of a Guilty Bystander, Thomas Merton
The Wounded Healer, Henri J. M. Nouwen
The Monster in the Hollows, Andrew Peterson

Books I’ve started but not yet finished:

The Kingdom of Christ, Russell Moore
Jesus Manifesto, Frank Viola & Leonard Sweet
The Fiddler’s Green, A. S. Peterson

Books I wanna re-read:

The Sacredness of Questioning Everything, David Dark
When I Was a Child I Read Books, Marilynne Robinson
Between Noon and Three, Robert Capon

Unread on my Kindle:

Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture, Brandon Hatmaker
Center Church, Tim Keller
The Pastor: A Memoir, Eugene Peterson
Reimagining Church: Pursuing the Dream of Organic Christianity, Frank Viola
Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation’s Treasures from the Nazis, Robert Edsel
Unclean: Meditations on Purity, Hospitality, and Mortality, Richard Beck
Why Holiness Matters: We’ve Lost Our Way–But We Can Find it Again, Tyler Braun

By my count, that’s 26 books. At my current rate, I might finish them by the end of the year.

Unless I hit the Half Price Books or the library again and find another pile of reading material. But I’m gonna try not to.

Jul 8, 2014 ∞

Lewis, Tolkien, and True Myth

There’s a good piece today from Fr. Stephen Freeman revisiting C. S. Lewis and JRR Tolkien’s exploration of myth - not myth in the popular sense of “a story that isn’t true”, but in the sense of a “primal, shaping story” that is “profoundly and deeply true”.

Tolkien, reflecting on [fellow Inkling Owen] Barfields’s work, said, “If God is mythopoetic, then we must become mythopathic.” This is to say that if God’s primary mode of revelation is through the instrument of mythic stories and events, then we ourselves must be open to understanding such mythic expressions of realities. Strangely, myth (in their use of the term) is far better suited to expressing Realism than any possible materialist account. And this brings us to my original point: Why do the imaginative works of Lewis and Tolkien speak to the modern heart as much as they do? They do so because they are true! But the truth that they relate is a truth known primarily by the heart and it is this dynamic that gives myth both its nature and its effectiveness.

Fr. Stephen goes on to say that the Christian liturgy (Fr. Stephen is Orthodox, for whom the liturgy is significant and ornate) is a way of including that deep, primal, indescribable truth into our worship of God. And while I’m not really tempted to move to Eastern Orthodoxy, I do think it’s something that us cerebral evangelicals would do good to consider from time to time.

We’ve been shaped by the Enlightenment to systematize and study and intellectualize our faith, which is all well and good. But we should also not be afraid of the primal truths of the universe that God created, even if we can’t always find words to express it. Lewis described in Narnia a “deep magic from before the dawn of time”. Let’s revel in the God who created it, both with our intellects and with our primal souls.

Jul 5, 2014 ∞

This is a useful word.

For reference, my current pile:

Feb 24, 2014 ∞

The Lost World of Genesis One

Last week I finally got the chance to read The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate by John H. Walton. Dr. Walton is a professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College. His PhD is from the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, which is, curiously enough (per Wikipedia), the primary seminary for training rabbis in Reform Judaism. All that to say the guy has a better-than-average understanding of the Old Testament, Jewish culture, and the Hebrew language.

Walton’s premise is one that, while previously unfamiliar to me, makes the most sense of how Genesis 1 - 2 should be understood as anything else I’ve read on the topic. The Lost World of Genesis One is structured around 20 premise statements, and in summary where he lands is this: we need to read and understand Genesis 1 in the same way the original audience read it. This turns out to be significantly different than we often hear it understood. As a very high-level summary, here’s what he says:

Ancient Cosmology is Functional

What does it mean for the universe to exist?, Walton asks. He proposes that people in the ancient world “believed that something existed not by virtue of its material properties, but by virtue of its having a function in an ordered system.” In such a view, he says, something could be manufactured physically but still not “exist” if it has not become functional.

Walton compares the creation stories of several different ancient cultures and notes that in each case, the creation story suggests not the creation of physical elements, but in the god ordering and purposing those elements into a functioning world. Certainly it’s not a stretch to think that the Israelites would’ve understood their creation story similarly.

Divine Rest is in a Temple

What’s up with God resting? Day seven, says Walton, is the climax of the story. Key, he says is

the piece of information that everyone knew in the ancient world and to which most modern readers are totally oblivious: Deity rests in a temple, and only in a temple. This is what temples were built for. We might even say that this is what a temple is— a place for divine rest. Perhaps even more significant, in some texts the construction of a temple is associated with cosmic creation…

…in the ancient world rest is what results when a crisis has been resolved or when stability has been achieved , when things have “settled down.” Consequently normal routines can be established and enjoyed. For deity this means that the normal operations of the cosmos can be undertaken. This is more a matter of engagement without obstacles rather than disengagement without responsibilities.

The Seven days of Genesis 1 Do Not Concern Material Origins

Says Walton:

If the seven days refer to the seven days of cosmic temple inauguration, days that concern origins of functions not material, then the seven days and Genesis 1 as a whole have nothing to contribute to the discussion of the age of the earth. This is not a conclusion designed to accommodate science —it was drawn from an analysis and interpretation of the biblical text of Genesis in its ancient environment. The point is not that the biblical text therefore supports an old earth, but simply that there is no biblical position on the age of the earth. If it were to turn out that the earth is young, so be it. But most people who seek to defend a young -earth view do so because they believe that the Bible obligates them to such a defense. I admire the fact that believers are willing to take unpopular positions and investigate all sorts of alternatives in an attempt to defend the reputation of the biblical text. But if the biblical text does not demand a young earth there would be little impetus or evidence to offer such a suggestion.

Empirical Science Cannot Speak to Purpose

“If public education is committed to the idea that science courses should reflect only empirical science, neither design nor metaphysical naturalism is acceptable because they both import conclusions about purpose into the discussion,” says Walton.

For those concerned with the purity of science, the focus on descriptive mechanisms in an empirical discipline will be welcomed, and considering legitimate weaknesses in the reigning paradigm should pose no problem since science always accepts critiques— that is how it develops and improves. For those concerned about the Bible and the integrity of their theology, the descriptive mechanisms that compose the evolutionary model need not be any more problematic for theology than the descriptive disciplines of meteorology or embryology. [This hearkens back to a point he made earlier in the book.] … If all parties were willing to agree to similar teleological neutrality in the classrooms dedicated to instruction in empirical science, the present conflict could move more easily toward resolution.

This is a conclusion that I find very liberating. It suggests that we can simultaneously affirm that God is the creator and origin of everything, and at the same time not be afraid of following science wherever it’s currently leading. Science can’t prove or disprove purpose or fundamental origins, and theology (in this view) need not lead us to dispute the current scientific understanding of origins.

The Lost World of Genesis One is a straightforward read, and I highly recommend it for any casual student of theology who wants a different perspective on understanding the creation account. The Kindle edition is currently less than six bucks, which is a pretty good deal.

Jan 3, 2014 ∞

On Selling Books

Yesterday I did something I’ve never done before: I took a stack of books and sold them at the local used book store. This was a major step for me. I’ve accumulated books for a long time - pretty sure I still have books on my shelves that I got in elementary school - and rarely let any of them go. My rationalization has been that someday maybe my kids will want to read them, or I’ll strategically want to loan them out or give them away to friends.

But when I was looking for a book a few weeks ago I did another assessment of my burgeoning bookshelves and came to a realization: those things aren’t likely to happen.

Sure, I’ll keep some of them. I fully anticipate my girls will want to read The Lord of the Rings at some point in the next decade. But The Hunt for Red October? Probably not so much.

And then there’s the piles of theology texts. Some floating around from college. Some freebies I got and reviewed on the blog. Some were gifts. Some I agree with a lot less today than I did when I bought them. Many I’d be hard pressed to recommend or want to gift.

So I sold them.

I didn’t get much - basically garage sale prices, but where you just carry in a bag and walk out 10 minutes later with money. Beats the heck out of having to hold a garage sale and hoping the right buyer shows up.

I managed to clean out one whole shelf. That’s enough room to move my recently-read pile from the top of my dresser down to the shelves. Then I can start attacking the to-read pile that sits next to my bed.

I think this is the year I’m going to fully embrace accumulating ebooks instead of hard copies. I like the ability to read, easily highlight and share text, and archive them someplace smaller than the dozens of feet of shelf space occupying my basement.

You know, I converted from CD buying to MP3 buying a couple years ago. I guess this is the next logical progression.

Jan 2, 2014 ∞

Books I read in 2013

Here’s my one year-end post: a little summary of what I read this year. I’m not gonna list ‘em all - you can go check out the list on Goodreads if you’re really interested - but I’ll include some highlights.

I finished 57 books this year - about average for me over the past several years - and 27 of them were non-fiction, which is as close to fiction/non-fiction parity as I’ve ever gotten before. My non-fiction was mostly theology this year, which reminds me I need to pick up some more history, biographies, and the like in 2014.

Top Non-Fiction

Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power by Andy Crouch
The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection by Robert F. Capon
Prototype: What Happens When You Discover You’re More Like Jesus Than You Think? by Jonathan Martin
Gospel Wakefulness by Jared Wilson
The Bible Made Impossible: Why Biblicism Is Not a Truly Evangelical Reading of Scripture by Christian Smith

I really need to write a full review post on Playing God. It was probably my favorite of the year, and the one that I then bought two copies of to give as Christmas gifts. I’m feeling a little bit better about my theological variety, too - it isn’t just all Anglicans on my list this year!

Top Fiction

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Silence by Shusaku Endo
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

It feels like a cheat to list Robinson’s book here, since she uses the fictional narrative to drive home a bunch of theological and philosophical points, but hey, it’s good stuff.

The worst I’ve gotten better at just putting books down if they seem like clunkers, so I have just a single one-star reviewed book on my list this year: The Panther by Nelson DeMille. Here’s what I wrote on Goodreads:

Plot is thinner than thin. Hundreds of pages and nothing happens except we get a tour of Yemen and page after page of insufferable narrative. It’s as if Mr DeMille had a quota of smart-ass internal dialog per page that he had to fill. If you cut out half of it, the book would shorten by 20% and still be just as boring.

I’m ashamed I wasted as much time on this one as I did. Avoid.

Plans for 2014 I’m likely to always be a theology, politics, and sci-fi geek, but I really would like to read some more history, some classic literature, and maybe even a little poetry. Hit me up if you have recommendations!

Nov 25, 2013 ∞

Jim Belcher, "In Search of Deep Faith"

I first became acquainted with author Jim Belcher back in 2009 when I read Deep Church. It appears I didn’t review it here on the blog, but my Goodreads review gave it four stars: solid but not revolutionary. Now Belcher is back, with In Search of Deep Faith.

I feel like I’ve seen bits and pieces of this book already, having followed Belcher on Twitter for the past few years. In Search of Deep Faith reads like a travel journal crossed with Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, as Belcher recounts his family’s adventures through several months of “pilgrimage” in Europe. Belcher, his wife and four pre-teen children spent several months in Oxford, England, where he was a visiting scholar at the university there. They then spent time exploring European sites that were notable because of the saints who had lived there.

Belcher’s chapters bounce back and forth as he shares his family’s adventures in finding and exploring the locations - from Corrie Ten Boom’s house in Holland, to C. S. Lewis' home in Oxford, to a fruitless search for the location of Bonhoeffer’s hidden seminary - and then interspersing the stories of these saints, with an emphasis on how their deep faith led them to be devoted even during times of crisis and under threat of death.

Belcher’s concern in this memoir seems not primarily for his own spiritual health, but for that of his young children. He reminds us (several times) of studies telling us that children with shallow faith roots will abandon their faith in adulthood. How, Belcher wonders, can he inspire the faith and spiritual understanding that will allow his children to remain firm in their faith throughout their lives?

In Search of Deep Faith is an entertaining read. Most readers will find at least one of the historical faith stories to be new to them - the full story of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer was particularly interesting to me - and Belcher drives the reader to reflection on the health of one’s own faith.

[caption width=“640” align=“aligncenter”] Cranmer burned at the stake[/caption]

My one big gripe with the book is Belcher’s style of driving his argument via what I’m assuming must be invented dialogue. Sure, some of the conversations on his trip probably happened as they are written, but even though page after page of his book is filled with quoted dialog ("‘why do you think he did that?’, my wife asked."), either he provided a script for his family to read their questions from, or he’s putting words in their mouths later as a device to move his arguments along. And while literature has been using the forced question-and-answer format at least since Plato did it in The Republic, after too many chapters of it from Belcher it just feels contrived.

In spite of that gripe I’d still recommend reading this one if you think you’re at all interested. Style aside, it’s an encouraging and educational read.

Disclosure: InterVarsity Press provided me a free ebook copy of In Search of Deep Faith in return for posting a review here and at Amazon.com. The contents of the review are mine alone.

Nov 11, 2013 ∞

About those doubts and questions

From Marilynne Robinson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Gilead:

I’m not saying never doubt or question. The Lord gave you a mind so that you would make honest use of it. I’m saying you must be sure that the doubts and questions are your own, not, so to speak, the mustache and walking stick that happen to be the fashion of any particular moment.

Sage advice, that.

Oct 22, 2013 ∞

"To be astonishing seems to be the mark of God’s great acts..."

I’m sure I heard the name Marilynne Robinson several years ago when her novel Gilead won the Pulitzer Prize. She does live just down the road in Iowa City, after all. As I recall I even borrowed the book from the library and got bogged down in it pretty quickly. (Maybe I wasn’t ready for it a decade ago.)

Then last year on a whim I borrowed When I Was A Child I Read Books from the library; a slim volume of essays that turned into one of my favorite reads of the year. (I need to go back and read it again.)

Robinson’s writing reveals her as a delightful conundrum theologically. Raised Presbyterian, now part of the United Church of Christ, yet rather than embracing the theological ambiguity of the UCC she speaks fondly of John Calvin, clearly takes the Scriptures seriously, and reveals a deep humanism and care for people created in God’s image.

A recent interview of Robinson by The American Conservative prompted me to write this post, and it’s definitely worth a read. Robinson stakes her claim to ‘liberal Protestantism’ that she describes as being ‘grounded in Calvinism’.

When asked her thoughts about the association of Christianity with the American right-wing, she said this:

Well, what is a Christian, after all? Can we say that most of us are defined by the belief that Jesus Christ made the most gracious gift of his life and death for our redemption? Then what does he deserve from us? He said we are to love our enemies, to turn the other cheek. Granted, these are difficult teachings. But does our most gracious Lord deserve to have his name associated with concealed weapons and stand-your-ground laws, things that fly in the face of his teaching and example? Does he say anywhere that we exist primarily to drive an economy and flourish in it? He says precisely the opposite. Surely we all know this. I suspect that the association of Christianity with positions that would not survive a glance at the Gospels or the Epistles is opportunistic, and that if the actual Christians raised these questions those whose real commitments are to money and hostility and potential violence would drop the pretense and walk away.

Strong stuff. And I love the spirit of what she says when asked about her views of the Second Coming:

I expect to be very much surprised by the Second Coming. I would never have imagined the Incarnation or the Resurrection. To be astonishing seems to be the mark of God’s great acts—who could have imagined Creation? On these grounds it seems like presumption to me to treat what can only be speculation as if it were even tentative knowledge. I expect the goodness of God and the preciousness of Creation to be realized fully and eternally. I expect us all to receive a great instruction in the absolute nature of grace.

I went to the library yesterday and picked up a copy of Gilead. It’s time to give it another try. Then it’s time to go back and find Robinson’s other novels and essays. We are blessed to have a thinker and writer of Robinson’s grace and skill sharing with us.

Aug 28, 2013 ∞

On Book Reviewing and Control

My friend Geof wrote a good post yesterday about really taking time to digest and consider a book before publishing a review. He appreciates his friend Adam for taking 6 months before responding to Rachel Held Evans' book. (I’m curious whether Adam’s really been chewing on it for a while or whether he just took a while to get to the book in the first place, but that’s only tangential to Geof’s point.)

When it comes to any book review, I simply question context: who is the reviewer, and does it seem that they’ve taken the time to read it well? Often the former is easily deduced—this is the Internet—but one never really knows if a book has been carefully considered or read simply to be discarded….

…I think you need to spend time thinking about a book if you are going to lend/demand authority to your response to the reading. I think that too many high-profile theology types rush through book reviews purely knowing that their authority rests in their brand. I think that’s a dangerous mistake.

Geof has a good point here, and I wonder how my own review of Rachel’s book would change if I read it again now that I’ve had time to think and interact with others about it.

Geof omitted, though, another critical aspect of why the big-name theo-review-bloggers rush through their reads and get their reviews out early: control. These theo-review-bloggers want to direct their readers' purchases in ways that they think are “safe”. If a critical review will keep a “dangerous” book out of hundreds of hands, let’s get it published ASAP. Waiting for six months to publish a review might allow time for those folks to buy the book, read it, and *gasp* think about it for themselves.

Don’t get me wrong - I appreciate good book recommendations, and I appreciate folks telling me when a book might be a waste of my time. But Geof is right - there’s far more authority to be had when you’ve ruminated on a book over time before reviewing than when your release-day review is ***DO NOT WANT OMG HERESY STAY AWAY***.

Dec 31, 2012 ∞

My 2012 reading

Time for my annual roundup of what I read over the past year. While I’m often lousy at cataloging things, this list is easy enough thanks to Goodreads and their nice little iPhone app.

(If you just want to look at the list, go check it out over on Goodreads.)

I read 59 books this year. 36 were fiction, 23 were non-fiction. Most of that non-fiction was theology, with just a couple of biographies / histories thrown in. (I need to read some more history. I don’t read enough of it anymore.)

I rated far more things with five stars this year than I have in previous years. (15 books got 5 stars! That’s more than a quarter of everything I read!) I don’t know whether that means my rating standards are slipping or that my book selection standards are improving, but at least it means I have some good books to recommend.

There are five novels I gave five stars this year:

The Fiddler’s Gun by A. S. Peterson - a fun Revolutionary War novel focused on the adventures of a teenage girl. (I’ve got the sequel, The Fiddler’s Green, sitting in my to-read pile… should get it read in 2013 sometime.)
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - a short Young Adult novel focused on two teenagers who are dying of cancer. It’s not as painful as it sounds, but it’s challenging and insightful.
Redshirts, by John Scalzi - an odd sort of meta sci-fi romp that otherwise defies comparison
The Book of the Dun Cow by Walter Wangerin, Jr. - a fascinating fantasy story which I’m indebted to the Rabbit Room folks for recommending.
Gathering String, by Mimi Johnson - a top-notch suspense/mystery novel whose author is a lovely lade I met once at a tweetup in Cedar Rapids.

On the non-fiction side, there were more 5-star books, but a few among those that particularly stood out:

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candace Millard - a fascinating tale of the election and assassination of President James Garfield.
When I Was a Child I Read Books by Marilynne Robinson. - This book of essays by the Iowa City author and professor is dense in the very best sense of the word. Thoughtful, insightful pieces on life and theology.
An Ethic for Christians and Other Aliens in a Strange Land by William Stringfellow - powerful social critique of organizational and governmental “powers and principalities”.

I’m back at the reading for 2013, trying to finish up some Thomas Merton that I started back in December. If you’re so inclined, add me as a friend on Goodreads so we can interact about our reading throughout the year!

Aug 15, 2012 ∞

"When I Was A Child I Read Books" by Marilynne Robinson

I’ve gotten to the point where, unless I’m looking for a specific book, I don’t even visit the main stacks of the library any more. Instead, I head right for the “new books” section, and pick up a recent novel or biography.

While perusing the new book shelf during my last visit, I picked up Marilynne Robinson’s book of essays on a whim. It’s not the type of book I usually pick up, but it looked interesting enough, and short enough that I had a chance to get through it without getting majorly bogged down.

Marilynne Robinson teaches at the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the U of I. She’s probably best known for her novel Gilead, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 2005. It ends up, though, that she’s published more essays than she has novels, and, if her latest volume is any indication, her essays are really good.

When I Was A Child I Read Books is a short, dense collection of essays that perhaps have less to do with reading books, and more to do with the intersection of faith and the current American religious culture. Robinson stakes out a middle ground that on one hand rejects the liberal theology of mainstream Christian denominations, while simultaneously opposing the apparent hard, uncaring line heard too often from the far right wing.

I have felt for a long time that our idea of what a human being is has grown oppressively small and dull.

Robinson’s essays call us to accept and embrace the mystery and beauty of being human. She urges us to give others the benefit of the doubt, to live with compassion towards even (especially?) those who we don’t know or understand.

There is at present a dearth of humane imagination for the integrity and mystery of other lives.

When I Was A Child I Read Books was slow going, but only because there was such richness to savor on every page. If you have the time for some thoughtful reading, I’d recommend this book.

Jul 2, 2012 ∞

My daughter does awesome book recommendations

Forget my book recommendations, folks: my seven-year-old daughter Laura has me beat. This summer’s Barnes and Noble kids' reading program asks the kids to list the books that they read and then who they would recommend that book for.

Here’s Laura’s response (click for a larger version):

Her recommendations, as she spelled and capitalized them: (For reference, Addie (age 6) and Katie (age 3) are her younger sisters.)

Book Title / Author: Grandma, Grandpa, and me by Mercer Mayer. Recommended for: Katie. She likes Grandma, Grandpa, and pie.
Book Title / Author: Curious George: Stories to share by Margret & H. A. Rey. Recommended for: Marcus & Drew. They like train’s, firefighter’s, Aquariums and Dinosaur’s.
Book Title / Author: Down by the cool of the pool. by Tony Mitton & Guy Parker-Rees. Recommended for: Addie, its good rhymeing practice for her.
Book Title / Author: Pharaoh. Life and afterlife of a god. by David Kennett. Recommended for: Grandpa, He likes history stuff.
Book Title / Author: No carrots for Harry! by Jean Langerman & Frank Remkiewicz. Recommended for: Katie. She do’s not like carrot’s ether!.
Book Title / Author: Garfield rolls on by Jim Davis. Recommended for: Grandma. She like’s cat’s.
Book Title / Author: Wild wild wolves by Joyce Miton & Larry Schwinger. Recommended for: Someone who needs infarmashin aBout wolves.
Book Title / Author: llama llama mad at mama by Anna Dewdney. Recommended for: Addie. She is always mad at mama

Priceless.

ChrisHubbs.com

books

I'm still reading...

Argument is offered to justify the felt judgment...

A couple more knocked off the list

The pile keeps shrinking...

One down, 25 to go

No More Buying Until I Do Some Reading

First, the ones I’ve not read yet:

Books I’ve started but not yet finished:

Books I wanna re-read:

Unread on my Kindle:

Lewis, Tolkien, and True Myth

This is a useful word.

The Lost World of Genesis One

Ancient Cosmology is Functional

Divine Rest is in a Temple

The Seven days of Genesis 1 Do Not Concern Material Origins

Empirical Science Cannot Speak to Purpose

On Selling Books

Books I read in 2013

Jim Belcher, "In Search of Deep Faith"

About those doubts and questions

"To be astonishing seems to be the mark of God’s great acts..."

Recommended reading: Guilt Factories

Recommended Reading: The Journey of Ministry

On Book Reviewing and Control

My 2012 reading

"When I Was A Child I Read Books" by Marilynne Robinson

My daughter does awesome book recommendations