The Churchy Stuff
"So Help Me God -- The Founding Fathers and the First Great Battle Over Church and State", Forrest Church (2007). Religion as a divisive issue in presidential elections? Shocking! Well, not so much, as Church recounts (at length) how religion played into electoral contests from the very beginning of this nation, right through its first five presidents. Marred only by a penchant for appearing to want to share EVERY interesting thing he knows about these men, and so often veering off subject, together with an obvious undying love for Jefferson, this is a readable and informative account of how religion and politics were intertwined from the beginning.... (1/12)
"From the Holy Mountain, A Journey Among the Christians of the Middle East", William Dalrymple (1997). The author travels through today's troubled Middle East retracing the steps of two monks of the 6th century, and along the way encounters the slowly dying Eastern Christianity and some of those who still try to keep it alive. A tough slog, but fascinating in its examination of an ascetic monastic culture that carried on for a millenia after the early desert Fathers....
“A New Kind of Christianity – Ten Questions that are Transforming the Faith”, Brian D. McLaren
A leader of the “emergent church” movement examines ten issues facing today’s church. (I heard him speak at a conference at Andover Newton last January and he is really quite good). An Evangelical who has found that God seems to be calling the church to a wider embrace and a wider mission that the issue of individualized salvation.
"Transforming Congregational Culture", Anthony B. Robinson. An experienced Mainline pastor reflects on the cultural changes that have contributed to the decline in church attendance and participation over the past half century, together with a willingness to not settle for easy answers but instead grapple with the adaptive challange which we face.
“Power Surge – Six Marks of Discipleship for a Changing Church”, Michael W. Foss
An approach to ministry which moves from a membership model of church to a model stressing making disciples of Jesus through six specific spiritual practices. Written by a Lutheran who is surprised that he does not have to do it all himself, I find this less helpful than the Tony Robinson book, but still intriguing.
“Real Faith for Real Life”, Michael W. Foss.
More of the same.
“An Altar in the World”, Barbara Brown Taylor
How she learned to encounter God outside the four walls of the church.
“The Fully Alive Preacher – Recovering from Homilectical Burnout”, Mike Graves.
Has some good ideas to help preachers stay fresh and passionate about preaching.
Just for Fun
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, Helen Simonsen. Set in England, humorous, a love story, a story about ancient virtues and modern love and prejudice; complete with the local squire and a pair of hunting guns that really ought to be reunited and a Pakastani conveneince store clerk and the younger generation which is too wrapped up in the pursuit of the green. Fun, yes, but touching, and affirming, and hopeful.
"The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie". A murder mystery set in England in 1950, narrated by a ten-year-old girl with a passion for chemistry (mostly poisons), revenge, and sleuthing. Lots of fun!
Book Club
A Novel Bookstore, Laurence Cosse. A love letter to the novel, a story about the power of patient love, at one level a classic whodoneit, a treat for everyone who just loves to curl up with a good read, not just a Dan Brown page-turner (yes, there are times for that), but a good read, a classic that has the power to pull you in and enchant and even transform.
"Lit", Mary Karr. A mutliple best book of the year, a memoir, often humorous, usually touching, about a poet who spends much of her life getting drunk, then getting sober, over and over again. Very moving and effective when she charts her reluctant path to AA, then onto prayer and that "higher power" thing. Reminiscent of Annie Lamott, but not as funny or self-effacing. Reading this gives me an even greater appreciation for the struggles of alcoholics.
"Zeitoun", Dave Eggers. A startling non-fiction account of one family's struggle to make it through hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. The main character, "Zay-toon", a hard-woring painting contractor who emigrated from Syria, and who is a Muslim, stays behind to safeguard the home and business, and when the floods hit has to navigate the twin dangers of the hurrican and the hell of post 9/11 national security..... Sometimes you fool yourself to thinking it couldn't happen in America....
"Little Bee" , Chris Cleave. Fiction; a young girl from west Africa meets a married couple from England on vacation, lives are altered forever. Cleave writes from both women's point of view, which is interesting, and there is lot to say about relationships, faithfulness, and the impact that decisions can have. Seemed to lose focus in the second half, and the ending was less than satisfactory, and we had way too much of Batman.
"To the Lighthouse", Virginia Woolf. Stepped back in time for this gem, which does not take lightly to trying to speed-read! It takes awhile to get over the idea that there must be a plot -- there is very little -- and to understand that it is all subjective, a day in the life told from various points of view. But ultimately stunning.
Just for Fun
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, Helen Simonsen. Set in England, humorous, a love story, a story about ancient virtues and modern love and prejudice; complete with the local squire and a pair of hunting guns that really ought to be reunited and a Pakastani conveneince store clerk and the younger generation which is too wrapped up in the pursuit of the green. Fun, yes, but touching, and affirming, and hopeful.
"The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie". A murder mystery set in England in 1950, narrated by a ten-year-old girl with a passion for chemistry (mostly poisons), revenge, and sleuthing. Lots of fun!
Book Club
A Novel Bookstore, Laurence Cosse. A love letter to the novel, a story about the power of patient love, at one level a classic whodoneit, a treat for everyone who just loves to curl up with a good read, not just a Dan Brown page-turner (yes, there are times for that), but a good read, a classic that has the power to pull you in and enchant and even transform.
"Lit", Mary Karr. A mutliple best book of the year, a memoir, often humorous, usually touching, about a poet who spends much of her life getting drunk, then getting sober, over and over again. Very moving and effective when she charts her reluctant path to AA, then onto prayer and that "higher power" thing. Reminiscent of Annie Lamott, but not as funny or self-effacing. Reading this gives me an even greater appreciation for the struggles of alcoholics.
"Zeitoun", Dave Eggers. A startling non-fiction account of one family's struggle to make it through hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. The main character, "Zay-toon", a hard-woring painting contractor who emigrated from Syria, and who is a Muslim, stays behind to safeguard the home and business, and when the floods hit has to navigate the twin dangers of the hurrican and the hell of post 9/11 national security..... Sometimes you fool yourself to thinking it couldn't happen in America....
"Little Bee" , Chris Cleave. Fiction; a young girl from west Africa meets a married couple from England on vacation, lives are altered forever. Cleave writes from both women's point of view, which is interesting, and there is lot to say about relationships, faithfulness, and the impact that decisions can have. Seemed to lose focus in the second half, and the ending was less than satisfactory, and we had way too much of Batman.
"To the Lighthouse", Virginia Woolf. Stepped back in time for this gem, which does not take lightly to trying to speed-read! It takes awhile to get over the idea that there must be a plot -- there is very little -- and to understand that it is all subjective, a day in the life told from various points of view. But ultimately stunning.
