I’m reading The Great Catholic Reformers: From Gregory the Great to Dorothy Day, by C. Colt Anderson. I highly recommend it, especially for anyone riding the Great Anglican Rollercoaster atm.
[i]Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary[/i] by Marcus Borg. He claims to go “beyond” a “literal-factual” interpretation of the Gospels. A good representation of many within Christianity who deny the historical reliability of the Gospels.
I’ve got Mark Levin’s “Men in Black” going at the moment. I can’t help but think it is very relevant at this time, and am looking for clues for how all these TEC lawsuits may be handled when they get to the Supreme Court level. Of course, by that time, a new President will have probably changed the make-up of the Court. I can only pray, he/she (ooo, I don’t know if I like the sound of THAT) makes conservative nominations. Ya’ think? But I may take a break for Christmas, get into some Advent devotions, and read Mark’s “Rescuing Sprite”. The best dogs I have ever had the privilege to share my home with were pound puppies, or just plain strays.
H. E. W. Turner, [i]The Pattern of Christian Truth[/i] (the 1954 Bampton lectures)
Hanns Lilje, [i]Valley of the Shadow[/i]
Stephen Mitchell, [i]A History of the Later Roman Empire[/i] (my textbook for next semester–gotta stay a chapter ahead of the students!)
Dinzelbacher and Heinz, Europa in der Spätantike 300-600 (I’m supposed to review it, Gott hilfe mir!)
Still trying to find time for Umberto Eco, [i]The Island of the Day Before[/i]
1. I just yesterday finished a great mystery novel I started on the plane on my way back to the U.S. over a week ago: Debra Crombie’s “Water Like a Stone.” I really enjoyed it. Very atmospheric and interesting history about the canals and narrowboats in England. Very much in the tradition of PD James.
2. Am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the brand new book by Jan Karon, the first in her new series of “Fr. Tim” novels, presumably his life before Mitford. I can’t wait! I am a HUGE Jan Karon fan. I’ve re-read all the Mitford novels almost as many times as I’ve read and reread the Narnia Chronicles.
As for more heavy duty theological stuff, I’ve been rereading parts of Christ and Culture by H. Richard Niebuhr and Bonhoeffer’s the Cost of Discipleship in the past few months in thinking about my work discipling new Christian believers from a Muslim background and reflecting on how the Gospel and culture interact. But since I’m here in the U.S. on a short 5 week R&R;, I left both of those books back in Africa, and anticipate only pretty light reading over the next few weeks.
I have two on the go at the moment. “The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis volume III” let’s you get into the great man’s head. I’m also reading Stuart Murray’s “Church Planting: Laying Foundations” which some of you may find handy given the current state of affairs in the Anglican Communion.
Has anyone read R Bauckham “Jesus and the Eyewitnesses”. I have not yet tracked down a copy to borrow (buying is beyond the budget) and I am wondering if I should try harder — or not worry.
[i][url=http://www.amazon.com/Why-Am-Baptist-Tom-Nettles/dp/0805424261/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197159549&sr=8-1]Why I Am a Baptist[/url][/i]
Spe Salvi and Jesus of Nazareth, both by Benedict XVI.
The Minister and the Choir Singer by William Kunstler (yes, that William Kunstler)
And the Word Dwelt Among Us by Romano Guardini
Christian Faith and Same-Sex Attraction by Thomas Hopko
The Cloud of Unknowing by Thomas H. Cook
Aquinas, Summa Theologica and Summa Contra Gentiles
Catechism of the Catholic Church
McIntyre, After Virtue
last novels: Donna Tartt, The Secret History; Graham Greene, The Ministry of Fear (not one of his theologically-loaded novels, but something of a mystery novel set in London during the Blitz)
I just finished “Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett, relating the struggles to build a Cathedral in England from 1123 to 1175. Although an athiest, he handles matters of faith pretty respectfully.
There are two main characters who represent the Church in the novel:
The bishop and the head of the monastry, Prior Philip.
The bishop in the novel is power hungry and wants to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury, in order to have influence over the King of England. Unfortunately, one man stands in his way:
Prior Philip has only one goal in life — to serve God the best way he can. And to him, that involves building a magnificent cathedral to God’s glory. But the Bishop doesn’t seem to want the Cathedral in such an insignificant town.
The characters are developed very well, and it gives a pretty accurate (at least as far as I know) picture of life in the turbulent times of Henry I though Henry II.
warning: there are very detailed scenes of rape and sexual assault, as well as some intense battle scenes.
Following up on LibraryJim’s comment, we are just finishing World Without End by Follet which picks up a century or so later on the same cathedral and families. It is well done. Also in the middle of Richard John Neuhaus’ CATHOLIC MATTERS pertaining to those seeking full communion with Rome. Benedict XVI’s JESUS OF NAZARETH .
Well, my current book is a mystery that I am slogging through, but it hasn’t captured my interest. However, I just ordered [b]The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to the Teaching and Spirituality of the Orthodox Church[/b] by Abp. Hilarion Alfeyev.
….with all these interesting titles…I’m almost ashamed to say I’m rereading old Treasury of Children’s Stories (written in the 50’s). The books belong to my mother but she’s lending them to me to read to my son after he’s born. Gotta love non-Disneyfied versions of fairy tales…
I’ve got three going:
Spe Salvi (on my 2nd pass, such good stuff!)
The Patriot’s Library (great speeches of American History, best read in reverse, actually)
Milton’s Aeropagitica.
A History Of The Evangelical Party In The Church Of England, by G. R. Balleine
The True Churchmen Ascertained, by John Overton
Church Association Tracts, Vol. I, 1-60.
[i]Elders in Every City: The Origin and Role of the Ordained Ministry[/i]
Sorry I don’t have the author’s name at hand; I’ve already loaned the book to an elder.
A slim volume, quick read, $10 on Amazon. Covers the history of the ordained ministry during its formative first three centuries of the Christian era.
Ratzinger, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Stephen O’Shea, “Sea of Faith,” history of Muslim-Christian conflict in the Mediterranean, focused on six great battles in 1,000 years. Lastly, a book by the rector of the American parish here in Cairo, “Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road,” by Paul-Gordon Chandler. I’m not far enough into this to be able to say if I’m going to agree or disagree. Like Karen B., the author has years of experience living in Muslim areas.
I’ve just finished “The Rapture Exposed: The Message of Hope in the Book of Revelation,” by Barbara Rossing. This book does an excellent job of summarizing dispensationalist thinking and the “Left Behind” interpretation of Revelation and then exposing its profoundly mistaken understanding of biblical prophecy and Revelation. One of the best interpretations of the meaning of Revelation I’ve yet read.
Tomorrow I’ll read “Spe salvi” (in English). Skimming it the other day I found it interesting enough to read further (and my rector preached on Hope this morning!). I also intend to go back and read Benedict’s first encyclical “Deus Charitas Est” (in English also; my Latin is good but I’m running out of time at the end of the semester).
I’m currently reading “World Without End”. I have only barely begun this, but it is well written. I read Pillars of the Earth when it came out years ago, and really liked it. Follett probably really researched what was available in church history……….I have bought Pillars and will reread after I finish this.
Most recently, I finished “Because They Hate” by Brigette Gabriel, a real eye-opener by a Christian who grew up in Lebanon, and spent much of her early life hiding from the Muslims………
Scripture: 1 Kings in various commentaries.
Novel: THE STAND by Stephen King. This is the first King novel I’ve read and after seeing THE GREEN MILE, I thought he deserved a read. The Librarian recommended this one.
Old stand-by: AFTER MANY A SUMMER DIES THE SWAN by Aldous Huxley. Huxley in his Buddhist phase.
Well, right now I’m reading [i]Equitable Remedies, Restitution, & Damages[/i], but once law school finals are over for the semester…
I’m intending to go through Philip Pullman’s [i]His Dark Materials[/i] trilogy, with Pullman’s motives and Alan Jacobs’s resulting [url=http://www.mhadigital.org/index.php?post_id=274993]caution[/url] always in mind. I’ll probably be taking in “The Golden Compass” over break, so I want to be prepared.
Also on the list, Oscar Hijuelos’s [i]Mr. Ives’ Christmas[/i], George MacDonald’s [i]The Complete Fairy Tales[/i], and J.C. Ryle’s [i]Knots Untied[/i].
Scripture, NASB version, dueling yesterday with Mormons.
[i]The Bishop of Rwanda[/i] by Bp. John Ruchyahana. We are blessed to live by neighbors who have a very close relationship with Bp Ruchyahana who stays with them often and got the book from them. Wonderful!!!
[i]The Parish Nurse[/i] by Granger Westberg
[i]Nursing as a Spiritual Practice[/i] by Janet Macrae
Compared to Pillars of the Earth, this one felt like softcore porn written for teenage girls. Not that I’ve ever read Judy Blume, but the first 700 pages felt just plain smutty. In fact, if the sequel had only the same amount of gratuitous sex as the original, it would only have been 600 pages long, not 1000. Call me highly disappointed.
Very late to this thread, but thought I’d add mine. Just finished “Look Me in the Eye” by John Elder Robison, a book about Asperger’s. Robison is the Aspergian (his term) brother of Augusten Burroughs, who wrote about his family in “Running with Scissors” (which I neither read nor saw on film). Robison had quite a transformation as a result of finally getting a diagnosis of Asperger’s at age 40. This issue is dear to me as it affects one close friend and the son of another.
I’m reading The Great Catholic Reformers: From Gregory the Great to Dorothy Day, by C. Colt Anderson. I highly recommend it, especially for anyone riding the Great Anglican Rollercoaster atm.
[i]Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary[/i] by Marcus Borg. He claims to go “beyond” a “literal-factual” interpretation of the Gospels. A good representation of many within Christianity who deny the historical reliability of the Gospels.
I’ve got Mark Levin’s “Men in Black” going at the moment. I can’t help but think it is very relevant at this time, and am looking for clues for how all these TEC lawsuits may be handled when they get to the Supreme Court level. Of course, by that time, a new President will have probably changed the make-up of the Court. I can only pray, he/she (ooo, I don’t know if I like the sound of THAT) makes conservative nominations. Ya’ think? But I may take a break for Christmas, get into some Advent devotions, and read Mark’s “Rescuing Sprite”. The best dogs I have ever had the privilege to share my home with were pound puppies, or just plain strays.
Just finished Leonard Sweet’s [i]The Gospel According to Starbucks[/i], with my [url=http://www.vulcanhammer.org/?p=410]review here.[/url]
Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People
Francis Fernandez, In Conversation with God; Daily Meditations Volume One: Advent and Christmastide
H. E. W. Turner, [i]The Pattern of Christian Truth[/i] (the 1954 Bampton lectures)
Hanns Lilje, [i]Valley of the Shadow[/i]
Stephen Mitchell, [i]A History of the Later Roman Empire[/i] (my textbook for next semester–gotta stay a chapter ahead of the students!)
Dinzelbacher and Heinz, Europa in der Spätantike 300-600 (I’m supposed to review it, Gott hilfe mir!)
Still trying to find time for Umberto Eco, [i]The Island of the Day Before[/i]
1. I just yesterday finished a great mystery novel I started on the plane on my way back to the U.S. over a week ago: Debra Crombie’s “Water Like a Stone.” I really enjoyed it. Very atmospheric and interesting history about the canals and narrowboats in England. Very much in the tradition of PD James.
2. Am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the brand new book by Jan Karon, the first in her new series of “Fr. Tim” novels, presumably his life before Mitford. I can’t wait! I am a HUGE Jan Karon fan. I’ve re-read all the Mitford novels almost as many times as I’ve read and reread the Narnia Chronicles.
As for more heavy duty theological stuff, I’ve been rereading parts of Christ and Culture by H. Richard Niebuhr and Bonhoeffer’s the Cost of Discipleship in the past few months in thinking about my work discipling new Christian believers from a Muslim background and reflecting on how the Gospel and culture interact. But since I’m here in the U.S. on a short 5 week R&R;, I left both of those books back in Africa, and anticipate only pretty light reading over the next few weeks.
Mary Roberts Rinehart’s “The Circular Staircase”!
I have two on the go at the moment. “The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis volume III” let’s you get into the great man’s head. I’m also reading Stuart Murray’s “Church Planting: Laying Foundations” which some of you may find handy given the current state of affairs in the Anglican Communion.
Has anyone read R Bauckham “Jesus and the Eyewitnesses”. I have not yet tracked down a copy to borrow (buying is beyond the budget) and I am wondering if I should try harder — or not worry.
[i][url=http://www.amazon.com/Why-Am-Baptist-Tom-Nettles/dp/0805424261/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197159549&sr=8-1]Why I Am a Baptist[/url][/i]
Spe Salvi and Jesus of Nazareth, both by Benedict XVI.
The Minister and the Choir Singer by William Kunstler (yes, that William Kunstler)
And the Word Dwelt Among Us by Romano Guardini
Christian Faith and Same-Sex Attraction by Thomas Hopko
The Cloud of Unknowing by Thomas H. Cook
Aquinas, Summa Theologica and Summa Contra Gentiles
Catechism of the Catholic Church
McIntyre, After Virtue
last novels: Donna Tartt, The Secret History; Graham Greene, The Ministry of Fear (not one of his theologically-loaded novels, but something of a mystery novel set in London during the Blitz)
I just finished “Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett, relating the struggles to build a Cathedral in England from 1123 to 1175. Although an athiest, he handles matters of faith pretty respectfully.
There are two main characters who represent the Church in the novel:
The bishop and the head of the monastry, Prior Philip.
The bishop in the novel is power hungry and wants to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury, in order to have influence over the King of England. Unfortunately, one man stands in his way:
Prior Philip has only one goal in life — to serve God the best way he can. And to him, that involves building a magnificent cathedral to God’s glory. But the Bishop doesn’t seem to want the Cathedral in such an insignificant town.
The characters are developed very well, and it gives a pretty accurate (at least as far as I know) picture of life in the turbulent times of Henry I though Henry II.
warning: there are very detailed scenes of rape and sexual assault, as well as some intense battle scenes.
Following up on LibraryJim’s comment, we are just finishing World Without End by Follet which picks up a century or so later on the same cathedral and families. It is well done. Also in the middle of Richard John Neuhaus’ CATHOLIC MATTERS pertaining to those seeking full communion with Rome. Benedict XVI’s JESUS OF NAZARETH .
Well, my current book is a mystery that I am slogging through, but it hasn’t captured my interest. However, I just ordered [b]The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to the Teaching and Spirituality of the Orthodox Church[/b] by Abp. Hilarion Alfeyev.
….with all these interesting titles…I’m almost ashamed to say I’m rereading old Treasury of Children’s Stories (written in the 50’s). The books belong to my mother but she’s lending them to me to read to my son after he’s born. Gotta love non-Disneyfied versions of fairy tales…
I’ve got three going:
Spe Salvi (on my 2nd pass, such good stuff!)
The Patriot’s Library (great speeches of American History, best read in reverse, actually)
Milton’s Aeropagitica.
I’m pretty spread out….as you can see…
KTF!…mrb
A History Of The Evangelical Party In The Church Of England, by G. R. Balleine
The True Churchmen Ascertained, by John Overton
Church Association Tracts, Vol. I, 1-60.
[i]Elders in Every City: The Origin and Role of the Ordained Ministry[/i]
Sorry I don’t have the author’s name at hand; I’ve already loaned the book to an elder.
A slim volume, quick read, $10 on Amazon. Covers the history of the ordained ministry during its formative first three centuries of the Christian era.
Ratzinger, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Stephen O’Shea, “Sea of Faith,” history of Muslim-Christian conflict in the Mediterranean, focused on six great battles in 1,000 years. Lastly, a book by the rector of the American parish here in Cairo, “Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road,” by Paul-Gordon Chandler. I’m not far enough into this to be able to say if I’m going to agree or disagree. Like Karen B., the author has years of experience living in Muslim areas.
I’ve just finished “The Rapture Exposed: The Message of Hope in the Book of Revelation,” by Barbara Rossing. This book does an excellent job of summarizing dispensationalist thinking and the “Left Behind” interpretation of Revelation and then exposing its profoundly mistaken understanding of biblical prophecy and Revelation. One of the best interpretations of the meaning of Revelation I’ve yet read.
Tomorrow I’ll read “Spe salvi” (in English). Skimming it the other day I found it interesting enough to read further (and my rector preached on Hope this morning!). I also intend to go back and read Benedict’s first encyclical “Deus Charitas Est” (in English also; my Latin is good but I’m running out of time at the end of the semester).
My Latin is good, despite my error in spelling Caritas.
I’m currently reading “World Without End”. I have only barely begun this, but it is well written. I read Pillars of the Earth when it came out years ago, and really liked it. Follett probably really researched what was available in church history……….I have bought Pillars and will reread after I finish this.
Most recently, I finished “Because They Hate” by Brigette Gabriel, a real eye-opener by a Christian who grew up in Lebanon, and spent much of her early life hiding from the Muslims………
Scripture: 1 Kings in various commentaries.
Novel: THE STAND by Stephen King. This is the first King novel I’ve read and after seeing THE GREEN MILE, I thought he deserved a read. The Librarian recommended this one.
Old stand-by: AFTER MANY A SUMMER DIES THE SWAN by Aldous Huxley. Huxley in his Buddhist phase.
Well, right now I’m reading [i]Equitable Remedies, Restitution, & Damages[/i], but once law school finals are over for the semester…
I’m intending to go through Philip Pullman’s [i]His Dark Materials[/i] trilogy, with Pullman’s motives and Alan Jacobs’s resulting [url=http://www.mhadigital.org/index.php?post_id=274993]caution[/url] always in mind. I’ll probably be taking in “The Golden Compass” over break, so I want to be prepared.
Also on the list, Oscar Hijuelos’s [i]Mr. Ives’ Christmas[/i], George MacDonald’s [i]The Complete Fairy Tales[/i], and J.C. Ryle’s [i]Knots Untied[/i].
Scripture, NASB version, dueling yesterday with Mormons.
[i]The Bishop of Rwanda[/i] by Bp. John Ruchyahana. We are blessed to live by neighbors who have a very close relationship with Bp Ruchyahana who stays with them often and got the book from them. Wonderful!!!
[i]The Parish Nurse[/i] by Granger Westberg
[i]Nursing as a Spiritual Practice[/i] by Janet Macrae
I just finished World Without End.
Compared to Pillars of the Earth, this one felt like softcore porn written for teenage girls. Not that I’ve ever read Judy Blume, but the first 700 pages felt just plain smutty. In fact, if the sequel had only the same amount of gratuitous sex as the original, it would only have been 600 pages long, not 1000. Call me highly disappointed.
Also reading “Wizard: the life of Nikloa Tesla”.
Very late to this thread, but thought I’d add mine. Just finished “Look Me in the Eye” by John Elder Robison, a book about Asperger’s. Robison is the Aspergian (his term) brother of Augusten Burroughs, who wrote about his family in “Running with Scissors” (which I neither read nor saw on film). Robison had quite a transformation as a result of finally getting a diagnosis of Asperger’s at age 40. This issue is dear to me as it affects one close friend and the son of another.
Currently:
Orthodoxy
Anna Karenina (sp?)
& Intercessory Prayer (not sure of some things about this one)
Kendall – how about you?