tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-142293122024-03-13T10:04:52.434-06:00FollowingFrodoThe musings of a traveler on Life's QuestGordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.comBlogger1568125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-86344564208442442102024-02-29T20:29:00.004-07:002024-02-29T20:29:38.756-07:00Book 3 of 2024 -- When Church Stops Working<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42XtbEr85BL30TeJXZbzxORUHS3YsnjuQqjaOEhrMXlOid-QEYIe0Ldr7TMdtyA2Jlef5o-gozjqpeeju5cz2O6DfnGik0NX3vLrQJCQuUBfzgDl6GjGAoKXfJzZtVmWzW8CvV1EKjWsaxzV2YppP7KJGFT-HZ5vdrVLel7ppx_mOW_1GRFNw/s546/when-church-stops-working-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42XtbEr85BL30TeJXZbzxORUHS3YsnjuQqjaOEhrMXlOid-QEYIe0Ldr7TMdtyA2Jlef5o-gozjqpeeju5cz2O6DfnGik0NX3vLrQJCQuUBfzgDl6GjGAoKXfJzZtVmWzW8CvV1EKjWsaxzV2YppP7KJGFT-HZ5vdrVLel7ppx_mOW_1GRFNw/w129-h200/when-church-stops-working-1.jpg" width="129" /></a></div><br /> In a clergy discussion last month one of my colleagues mentioned that she had just read <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/when-church-stops-working-1" target="_blank">this book</a> and recommended it as a good read. While the Zoom meeting was still going on I had purchased it.<p></p><p>IT was a good recommendation. In a world where many of our churches are struggling with decline and trying to figure out a way forward this book offers a different answer. Too often the answer we jump to is "maybe if we tried..." or "this new program will...." or "if we worked harder at...". Instead this book suggests we pause and wait and listen so we can encounter the God who is acting in the world.</p><p>It is hard advice in a world where we feel like we have to do <i>something</i> to stave off decline and death. Then again, the way we have been responding have not really worked out the way we hoped so maybe trying a different tack has some merit.</p><p>There were suggestions in this book that resonated with things I already thought needed to happen, things I was trying to bring in. I do still struggle with how to convince churches who want to "do" to get out of decline to pause to "be" and wait and listen. In some ways it goes against all common sense. In many ways it is the reverse of what seems needed, sometimes doing somethings out of our anxiety is the only way we can cope. Then I am drawn to the example the authors use of the Acts 1 church who are told to wait for God to act but end up trying to act themselves while they wait -- only for God to go God's own way as the book continues.</p><p>As with most books on this topic it is useless if only the clergy reads it. I encourage all church leaders, clergy and lay, to read and discuss it. With that in mind, I will be suggesting it to our local council.</p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-7321510393188300762024-01-22T20:38:00.000-07:002024-01-22T20:38:09.423-07:00Book 2 of 2024 --The Dead Sociologists Society<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdE00KCthHgFdlOuKe8w8gCXXx4tHur6I52A_Yjqj9QNi4HBrj1xt6VYnit7MXbfL-FtAexb0EC0XIE-CJjEm13HYPTzETwWneN7dWXAPdlb9bwJOE7drrImRDgPnTRgMnPbBSu3u6ghGIE_cweGN0wO-jBTbwWtuMn88LIo_CH794idi1d_3s/s600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="388" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdE00KCthHgFdlOuKe8w8gCXXx4tHur6I52A_Yjqj9QNi4HBrj1xt6VYnit7MXbfL-FtAexb0EC0XIE-CJjEm13HYPTzETwWneN7dWXAPdlb9bwJOE7drrImRDgPnTRgMnPbBSu3u6ghGIE_cweGN0wO-jBTbwWtuMn88LIo_CH794idi1d_3s/w129-h200/unnamed.jpg" width="129" /></a></div><br /> On Christmas Morning as I was emptying my stocking I found<a href="https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000216299032/Mark-Stobbe-The-Dead-Sociologists-Society" target="_blank"> this little volume</a>.<p></p><p>IT is an interesting concept. A bunch of dead sociologists have a meeting, one might even call it a seminar, to present papers about the events most live people would consider the fictional account of Harry Potter's time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Because after all the events were real and the story had been fed to JK Rowling by the Ministry of Magic as part of a grand cover-up. Only the ghosts know the real truth.</p><p>What results is a unique way of presenting different sociological theories and showing how they might be applied. I like the tool. I greatly enjoyed the reading and pondering if I agreed with the interpretations being presented. </p><p>This is a great way of introducing theory and showing how the theory can be used to analyse a culture. I think I would greatly like to take an introductory Sociology course from the author.</p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-89182833401362261492024-01-17T12:31:00.003-07:002024-01-17T12:31:47.176-07:00Book 1 of 2024 -- The Undertaking of Billy Buffone<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfgLPhU4D2QUHtdzEh32cV26qicX97D8bK8PJgq81x7enF-apRrFe3TKk9AWdvdfH6TYXYaFmPIuBCUzVqp3z6pfI_NWqHaQzLtUkHgpv5k-mCLY-I9XW1nNPHzrffC4yHpLQGXBGON2I1CYacjtACBctV0YChveQvFYICKmvqO0bSqiupWkM/s551/the-undertaking-of-billy-buffone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfgLPhU4D2QUHtdzEh32cV26qicX97D8bK8PJgq81x7enF-apRrFe3TKk9AWdvdfH6TYXYaFmPIuBCUzVqp3z6pfI_NWqHaQzLtUkHgpv5k-mCLY-I9XW1nNPHzrffC4yHpLQGXBGON2I1CYacjtACBctV0YChveQvFYICKmvqO0bSqiupWkM/w128-h200/the-undertaking-of-billy-buffone.jpg" width="128" /></a></div><br /> Love, death, secrets, scandal, a ghostly narrator. Makes for an interesting book. <p></p><p><a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-undertaking-of-billy-buffone" target="_blank">This one</a> I bought simply because I knew the author. Besides a novel to read over the break of the year seemed a nice idea.</p><p>It is a story that takes place both in the mid 1970's and in the mid 1990's. On one side we have a scandalous troubling story. On the other we have the story of a blossoming romance, and a family deep in fresh grief, a minister in her first year of ministry, and an odd small-town undertaker. Then there is a surprising twist....</p><p>But in the end there is healing, or at least that seems to be where we are headed.</p><p>A very good read indeed. Touches the heart. Leads one to consider the power of buried secrets. </p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-75141868730834598822023-12-31T13:16:00.005-07:002023-12-31T13:16:59.149-07:00Book 7 of 2023 -- Value(s): Building a Better World for All<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8XTay-G-pcWMfl5U7CDv-wbO7xCdL1fcL2k1dWbS5MCnsTlRdMA34tG9yIjHfeA6EipNKHfd2GadnIZpWWRxilV3SX_nxOcf4gA5cgrqTMFYPY2z42lFhBe-bkWCOYwaaxI7UR9I-f41Z0O20MQc52sE692rlXlA837SQUjIcOeoEd89ajhY/s530/values-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8XTay-G-pcWMfl5U7CDv-wbO7xCdL1fcL2k1dWbS5MCnsTlRdMA34tG9yIjHfeA6EipNKHfd2GadnIZpWWRxilV3SX_nxOcf4gA5cgrqTMFYPY2z42lFhBe-bkWCOYwaaxI7UR9I-f41Z0O20MQc52sE692rlXlA837SQUjIcOeoEd89ajhY/w133-h200/values-3.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br />One day in late summer I was standing in a bookstore and started leafing through <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/values-3" target="_blank">this</a> one. I liked the premise so went home and ordered it. I was drawn to the idea that we need a discussion about how to build value while being intentional about the values that underpin our decisions.<p></p><p>To be honest it was a hard slog at times. I have taken exactly no economics courses and so there were a few places in the book where I was getting a bit lost in the economics of what Carney was saying. This was especially notable when he was discussing the lead up to the 2008 financial crisis.</p><p>After an introductory section of the book providing some historical economic background Carney uses three case studies of global events that both challenged (or are challenging/will continue to challenge) economics and our values as a culture. These were: a) the 2008 financial crash, b) the COVID-19 pandemic, and c) the climate crisis. I think he did a good job of laying out the realities and challenges of both. I also think that in the latter two his analysis does not actually reflect the culture where I live.</p><p>Overall in both his discussion of COVID and of the Climate Crisis I found Carney to be a bit overly positive. While his description of the initial response to the pandemic was accurate I think he missed the fact that the initial outpouring of community and "we are all in this together" faded well before the pandemic was over -- and that fading had a definite impact on how the pandemic played out, while also making a strong statement about societal values. In terms of the Climate Crisis I live in a province where 30 years ago the Premier insisted that reducing per-barrel CO2 emissions was enough and that Alberta would not try to reduce actual total emissions -- a logic largely followed by our current government insisting that Carbon Capture and Storage will solve everything and actually reducing use of fossil fuels is not needed.</p><p>In the end I found this to be a good book. The length of time it took me to read did make it challenging to recall exactly what had been said in earlier chapters so it is a book I wonder would have been better in hard copy so I could more easily flip back and compare. The other thing I would have found helpful was a list of acronyms. Carney is very good about spelling out an acronym the first time it is used but several hundred pages later it can be difficult to remember what those letters meant.</p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-36435188477997845742023-08-19T16:19:00.001-06:002023-08-19T16:19:08.252-06:00Book 6 of 2023 -- Pure Colour<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-sAryAIsWaQfecTlvc8MM1Kehnaco6vEnNRM1BeQFHDwWXhLhUqGmBgwq1Tg-aSAfffmHgUfQfsTT_8OhmlLy0yBrydeCnSb6LwkXaZHLCdUTUWpXHii-1myYfxp1KBA2PQbnnrb3Am-tmqLesr56ORwDzf_IGIG7pYBR0KccfK1bT9g2kjS/s544/pure-colour-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-sAryAIsWaQfecTlvc8MM1Kehnaco6vEnNRM1BeQFHDwWXhLhUqGmBgwq1Tg-aSAfffmHgUfQfsTT_8OhmlLy0yBrydeCnSb6LwkXaZHLCdUTUWpXHii-1myYfxp1KBA2PQbnnrb3Am-tmqLesr56ORwDzf_IGIG7pYBR0KccfK1bT9g2kjS/w130-h200/pure-colour-2.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br /> At the beginning of the summer I heard a radio interview with the author of <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/pure-colour-2" target="_blank">this book</a>. I was intrigued by the concept that the world as we know it is God's first draft and is being assessed to see what would be changed in the next draft. So I bought it for summer reading.<p></p><p>Frankly, I was disappointed. While the book is a novel it does not have a really clear narrative structure. It often seemed more like a stream of consciousness exploration of some intriguing philosophical questions than a narrative. I prefer a novel to be a narrative piece.</p><p>That being said, the philosophical questions raised about the nature of life and the nature of grieving and the nature of relationships were certainly intriguing. IT was worth reading for that piece, it just wasn't what I was expecting or the sort of book I was looking for at the time.<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-79161720664986198692023-08-18T14:44:00.004-06:002023-08-18T14:44:54.965-06:00Book 5 of 2023 -- Leisure Resurrected<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJX4oOQ5zdDPNBEsbMDC0Ea__Xj1P9aRdrElVbt2mAf6yU6FpeMyYVC6gXBDoQBiESJS8ng0dn2CEP0g1y9CuI7JqwCPpXkGIDb2xYXwAb12E8P87vr33bYlrUrJGArO9yNsnPni2yeuAqsrdcT4-4pyXljx0M7F-jgdoRmVW0sN8uPWWq9RY5/s565/leisure-resurrected.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJX4oOQ5zdDPNBEsbMDC0Ea__Xj1P9aRdrElVbt2mAf6yU6FpeMyYVC6gXBDoQBiESJS8ng0dn2CEP0g1y9CuI7JqwCPpXkGIDb2xYXwAb12E8P87vr33bYlrUrJGArO9yNsnPni2yeuAqsrdcT4-4pyXljx0M7F-jgdoRmVW0sN8uPWWq9RY5/w125-h200/leisure-resurrected.jpg" width="125" /></a></div><br />What does leisure mean to you? How do you use your leisure time? Social Media? Reading? Watching TV? What is the role of leisure in our world today? <br /><p></p><p>I found out about<a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/leisure-resurrected" target="_blank"> this book</a> while cruising through Facebook one day. It is written by a colleague of mine in Ontario.</p><p>Crittenden seeks to explore questions like the ones I listed above. He does so by looking at the roots of our traditions: Greek and Roman understandings, Jewish Sabbath, early Christian understandings. Then he muses about what these might mean for us today.</p><p>I appreciated that Crittenden took us deeper into what leisure could mean. I think that for many of us it is more of an entertainment category, or "wasted time" or even moving into the modern equivalent of "bread and circuses" rather than something intentionally life-enhancing. I found it challenging to re-think what leisure could mean. I wonder also how we can push the discussion into our wider circles.<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-59169450963010429852023-08-18T14:32:00.002-06:002023-08-18T14:32:20.555-06:00Book 4 of 2023 -- Leadership On the Line<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6AhXRO0C-r2f8pNUycnxAlyFduBeZRYpH_h7uU7fzKrvH2cg5ofoGELjP2ymtU9tb4HZ1yEKFZyT0jOQNrm7Mx15TML73t5IEPeRCfKAX_741kPhRkvwrxXDHSUMcNTN_8Bw6dMJMmjnmO2fb50Iv2gGrT_aI98VTSPlYUOIrN8hFOzPqk4s/s531/leadership-on-the-line-with-a-new-preface.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6AhXRO0C-r2f8pNUycnxAlyFduBeZRYpH_h7uU7fzKrvH2cg5ofoGELjP2ymtU9tb4HZ1yEKFZyT0jOQNrm7Mx15TML73t5IEPeRCfKAX_741kPhRkvwrxXDHSUMcNTN_8Bw6dMJMmjnmO2fb50Iv2gGrT_aI98VTSPlYUOIrN8hFOzPqk4s/w133-h200/leadership-on-the-line-with-a-new-preface.jpg" width="133" /></a></div> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/leadership-on-the-line-with-a-new-preface" target="_blank">This </a>was a book recommended in a course I took earlier this year so I started working my way through it. Leadership is sometimes a challenging task within the church, where one is called to lead but also called to empower/allow congregants to do the leading. Part of leadership is vision-casting, part of it is vision-keeping, and I have long pondered whether the casting or the keeping should get the higher priority,<br /><p></p><p>As many people have learned over the years leading in a time of change/transition/upheaval is probably the most challenging leadership. It is unquestioned that the church right now, at the local regional and denominational levels, is in a time of change/transitional/upheaval. How do we lead in a time when we are not entirely sure which direction we are going? That is why I read the book.</p><p>It was a slow read. I found I often needed to stop and think through a passage. Heifetz and Linsky draw on many years of experience and share multiple stories to explicate what they are tying to describe. There were certainly things I will need to remember (and probably go back to re-read) as time carries forward. I did like that they were open about the fact that leading through change is a risky, even dangerous, task and that the book is designed to help manage the danger to lead to a more positive experience.</p><p>THis is one I probably should have in hard copy rather than as an e-book so it would be easier to use as a reference volume.<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-51978364254080159232023-04-04T20:44:00.004-06:002023-04-04T20:55:42.920-06:00Book 3 of 2023 -- God Doesn't Live Here Anymore<p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvO60abTdoRy0UIeI2Lp--5RnCW-V0UgcMA8dPW-phwcbnBiXLGo4-CtqVwxRGnWqKUOUbOv4Z0D64-5_Rn5lbfF3yyUWHDOlxEcP8qVky81-rCTblNgv5kPUH9HO2UHWII7iDb-8i_hdQnrDi8ShXvHYa0CR5OxyQG-Oa5aKlkf7oU2pgw/s565/god-doesn-t-live-here-anymore.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvO60abTdoRy0UIeI2Lp--5RnCW-V0UgcMA8dPW-phwcbnBiXLGo4-CtqVwxRGnWqKUOUbOv4Z0D64-5_Rn5lbfF3yyUWHDOlxEcP8qVky81-rCTblNgv5kPUH9HO2UHWII7iDb-8i_hdQnrDi8ShXvHYa0CR5OxyQG-Oa5aKlkf7oU2pgw/w125-h200/god-doesn-t-live-here-anymore.jpg" width="125" /></a></div><br />With a title like <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/god-doesn-t-live-here-anymore" target="_blank">this</a> how could I resist?<p></p><p>Like many other leaders within the church I have spent much time over the years pondering the decline and struggles the church has been facing for several decades (statistically the decline actually seems to have started, or at least been seeded, as far back as the 1950's, even if it took time to become more noticeable in many local settings). So when I saw this one I knew I had to give it a read,</p><p>Over half of this book is history. History as in back to the beginning of the Christian movement. Now given that I have been a bit of a history dweeb since I was a pre-teen I certainly enjoyed the historical summary. But I would have been just as happy or happier if more of the book ws looking at the present/recent past and exploring how we might respond to a God who may not live in the institutional church anymore.</p><p>When we did get to that analysis I found it very thought provoking. Now that might be because Daly follows along the same track that my thoughts tend to go. He does have the courage to name openly that the church as we know it is dying (some might say dead but has yet to fall down). He encourages us to seriously consider if God has gone elsewhere and we need to leave this thing we call church behind to catch up to where God has led.</p><p>This week I am preparing for Easter. We are a resurrection people. If this thing we call church is dying or dead, maybe we need to go for a walk in the garden. And since resurrection does not mean resuscitation we need to open our hearts to what a resurrected church might look like. AS the saying goes, you can't go home again. The future of the church is not going to be a return to what we once were. If God doesn't live here anymore, where is God? Can we join them there?</p><p>I am thinking that I should recommend this book to some of my colleagues and to members of our congregational council.<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-41204004130809583852023-03-26T19:47:00.004-06:002023-03-26T19:53:17.357-06:00Thoughts on Life and Death and Life Again<p> Two weeks from today is Easter Sunday, the day when Christians around the world will celebrate the triumph of life, hope, and love over fear, despair and death. And so I have started to ponder what the Easter message needs to be this year.(The title I have listed for that sermon is <i>What Are You Looking For?</i>)<br /></p><p>At the same time, this morning in worship we read about Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones and the raising of Lazarus. A time to talk about whether we see the finality of death or the possibility of renewed life (or more likely both). In <a href="https://youtu.be/RlD6ZZYfILw" target="_blank">that sermon</a> I talked about the need to actually face the reality of the death in order to be able to look for the possibility of life. I also talked about the reality of the church that has talked about dying, or its imminent demise for several decades and pondered if part of the issue is that in all that lamenting we have, due to our cultural discomfort with death, steadfastly refused to name the reality that a way of being the church has died. Has that left us unable to realistically look for the possibility of renewed or new life?</p><p>Also I am in the midst of reading <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/god-doesn-t-live-here-anymore" target="_blank">this book</a>. I am between half and two thirds of the way through it thus far. The chapter I finished this afternoon was looking at the rise of the "nones" and what the statistics tell us about that phenomenon. And I had a thought (which may make it into the Easter sermon yet).</p><p>Do we miss the possibility of new life because it is not what we expect or want it to be? I know this is hardly a new thought but in terms of the church I thought of a new twist. And it shaped in my head in relation to the Scriptural story of defeat and exile.</p><p>When the first temple fell the people went into exile. When in exile they mourned. When they returned from exile they wanted to rebuild what had been lost. Indeed there is a sense that there was a great deal of discomfort in how hard it was to rebuild what had been lost. And while the temple was eventually rebuilt as a grand edifice the glory days of David and Solomon never returned.</p><p>Then the second temple was destroyed and the people were sent into diaspora. This time the people responded differently. Out of this experience the Talmud was written and rabbinical Judaism grew. I suspect there may be outliers who expect/hope that some day the land will be reconquered and the temple will be rebuilt but that does not appear to be the general hope of Judaism (recognizing that the question of "reconquering" the land is a very complex one in relation to the nation of Israel and the reality of the Palestinians). New life after the Romans dispersed the people was not a return to what once had been, it was a new thing altogether.</p><p>Is that what resurrection for the church means? [Personally I think it most definitely is.]. Even when we name that there is a death and loss, even when we lament we claim to b people of resurrection. But I think we see resurrection in the wrong way. I think we are making the choice that the people of Israel made after the first temple fell, a choice that, in the end, was not actually the path to a lasting future. WE think resurrection means finding the magic bullet that will give us back what we once were. That is in fact resuscitation.</p><p>Resurrection is new life out of death. It is new hope out of despair. It comes as a surprise. It is not what is expected. And most importantly, it is not the same as what was before. There is still something lost, even as there is something gained. In the Jesus story the relationship with Jesus is different before Easter than it is after Easter. The old relationship, the ability to walk the streets of Jerusalem and ask him questions has been lost forever. There is a continuing relationship, it is just different.</p><p>So what might resurrection mean for the church? What will be the points of continuity and what things are lost forever? Will we even know until after we have started to live into the resurrection? I think we can not predict the answers to those questions. I think we have to be willing to look for something different than what we know or what we want. I have no doubt those first disciples would have rather having Jesus walking amongst them as he had been before, instead they got resurrection and a transformed life.</p><p>Do we have the courage to name that our losses are in fact lost, not to be reclaimed? Do we have the courage to let go of what we dearly want and expect to leave room for God to work resurrection in our midst? Or are we still looking to rebuild and resuscitate what was comfortable and known?</p><p>I think I know what answer we have been giving over the years. Maybe it is time to change our answer and actually live as resurrection people...<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-63599884604627945312023-03-09T16:05:00.005-07:002023-03-09T16:05:57.830-07:00Book 2 of 2023 -- Following Jesus Today<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3IUMyoQctUyUlCkFHn2tEZDzrolgXSHA8s2CkgGMer15tYKUgoL0sQe5EpRtyG9egp94fzqQg1n0EPum52nndCYaKOExp02XrxTVzH504r_oUEzqU3xrLHjI-l_OXxHdn5L_0TLD_2rA4OP9N4DnVHp1Ydey752qIplYUHUTslDE0y-ouw/s563/following-jesus-today.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3IUMyoQctUyUlCkFHn2tEZDzrolgXSHA8s2CkgGMer15tYKUgoL0sQe5EpRtyG9egp94fzqQg1n0EPum52nndCYaKOExp02XrxTVzH504r_oUEzqU3xrLHjI-l_OXxHdn5L_0TLD_2rA4OP9N4DnVHp1Ydey752qIplYUHUTslDE0y-ouw/w126-h200/following-jesus-today.jpg" width="126" /></a></div><br /> News about <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/following-jesus-today" target="_blank">this little piece</a> popped up in my Facebook feed one day and I thought I would buy it to read in Lent. As it turns out I started it before Lent and finished it just days into the season....<p></p><p>This collection of short pieces by various authors invites us to explore how we experience Jesus. Each author speaks from their experience and so each one is very different.Within the church we have a variety of different understandings of and experiences with Jesus and I think we are in fact enriched when we allow and encourage each other to share those various pictures.</p><p>As I was reading I found myself wondering what I might have written. My experience of the Divine presence has largely been more pneumo-centric (Spirit centered) than Christo-centrc (Christ centered) and my understanding of Jesus has always been shaped by a low Christology. Still, like so many others over the years, I ponder who Jesus is for me. I may yet take a stab at the question....<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-81213738885164334472023-02-13T19:33:00.000-07:002023-02-13T19:33:00.472-07:00Book 1 of 2023 -- Models of the Church<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBoywZcOthN78qxM9UVALLyjwShdP-hzej2vij0nNOXSYsIGIjF8ctfQuka8b3zFCd9EPLnOWoZ8xEf6WYL6zrE5RTSDJ9udJHTdoO6HtRIIbuQaYW0an23nkVYcM3wVatdTd3HffxgY4gGwfLPSwySyu6BCMKxxKGFd1AU2MA3T2PuKx7PQ/s529/models-of-the-church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBoywZcOthN78qxM9UVALLyjwShdP-hzej2vij0nNOXSYsIGIjF8ctfQuka8b3zFCd9EPLnOWoZ8xEf6WYL6zrE5RTSDJ9udJHTdoO6HtRIIbuQaYW0an23nkVYcM3wVatdTd3HffxgY4gGwfLPSwySyu6BCMKxxKGFd1AU2MA3T2PuKx7PQ/w134-h200/models-of-the-church.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><br /> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/models-of-the-church" target="_blank">This is a title</a> that came up in a clergy FB group when someone asked about good books on ecclesiology. So I went shopping....<p></p><p>THe book was originally written 40 years ago, with some expansion (the final chapter) added in 1987 and then an appendix (an essay about the ecclesiology of Pope John Paul II) added in this version. I think it would be interesting to ask Cardinal Dulles how he sees the patterns he identified in the first decade following Vatican II developing and being lived out in the 21st century.</p><p>Given that the author is a Cardinal, the book tends to skew toward a Roman Catholic perspective. however the methodology that Dulles uses was quite helpful. The 5 basic models (or perhaps schools of thought) that he lays out for understanding the church open up a number of possibilities.</p><p>In the end I tend to suggest that none of those models is what any one congregation should aim for. Each model adds something to our understanding. As is the case for much of the life of faith, any of our descriptors are only partial. The Church is more than any of them. Dulles talks about the element of Mystery, something that always fits when we try to explain how God is at work in the world,</p><p>I suspect that many people will find themselves drawn more to one of the 5 models than another. Personally I found things I really appreciated in at least 3 of them (community, sacrament, and servant) but, as I suggested above, the church will be at its best when it is an amalgam of all 5 -- probably an amalgam that itself shifts which model gets emphasized as circumstances dictate and God touches the hearts of the members.<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-53827148292005658742022-12-31T14:06:00.002-07:002022-12-31T14:06:56.240-07:00Book 13 of 2022 -- A New Kind of Church: Understanding Models of Ministry for the 21st Century <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wFrIFC-iXqIvrqhUEUDST2eszHeOKYXtRMoeEb9F2HoAP-OPEouuGYR6VlMVRhCaH9oN5PbMqccdFG-A-thTUEp_Riy6lrXnsGk2AKh6FinzahlSfeb_Vr2_z03qR8rjjj6i3XS9Q76jEBGKZshtaMPsq3F9s-kLFvXAfWxtQ1bthU0ZYg/s530/a-new-kind-of-church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wFrIFC-iXqIvrqhUEUDST2eszHeOKYXtRMoeEb9F2HoAP-OPEouuGYR6VlMVRhCaH9oN5PbMqccdFG-A-thTUEp_Riy6lrXnsGk2AKh6FinzahlSfeb_Vr2_z03qR8rjjj6i3XS9Q76jEBGKZshtaMPsq3F9s-kLFvXAfWxtQ1bthU0ZYg/w133-h200/a-new-kind-of-church.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br />For some time now I have been becoming more and more aware that the way we are doing/being church is not long term sustainable. But how is God calling us to be church differently? So I went shopping for books about ecclesiology. Actually I went looking for one that I had seen recommended and found <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/a-new-kind-of-church" target="_blank">this one</a> along the way (I also found the one I was looking for and it is next in my reading queue). It looked interesting so I gave it a try.<p></p><p>To be honest I was a bit disappointed. Malphurs is so heavily embedded in an evangelical understanding of the church that much of the time he ends up denigrating other understandings of the church (I stopped counting how many times he described the "liberal" church as not really being true churches). So I spent a lot of the book trying to translate through that rhetoric.</p><p>There were some pieces about process that I think I might be able to make use of. However there are time I questioned if the author truly understands the wide variety of church structures and understandings that are out there. Certainly he shows little understanding of the how different church sizes actually operate (and tends to see a small church as a size that many places would consider large).</p><p>Doing it again, I may not buy this book. But I think that in the end I might get enough out of it to make it work.<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-10542361198748430582022-12-31T12:54:00.000-07:002022-12-31T12:54:01.139-07:00Book 12 0f 2022 -- The Gospel According to Star Trek: The Original Crew<p><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Gospel-According-Star-Trek-Original/dp/1498287409" target="_blank"></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgO_8ZXKnaAiCufPNOmKCyL8l8ORbs-ZVGDv5No9msuREV9OQP5BKMYxLsgR7p43QFJ-EFj2ypJ9HtScAPUDUCNv6WDagC4IudMdFU91RS45o7_jGxZtNU-lugo08cJR31UksBfasibq5-q1WDjPBnYVn_OR1Xw7SkEwWK2qZI23rZP7qH3g/s346/Screenshot%202022-12-31%20123816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="239" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgO_8ZXKnaAiCufPNOmKCyL8l8ORbs-ZVGDv5No9msuREV9OQP5BKMYxLsgR7p43QFJ-EFj2ypJ9HtScAPUDUCNv6WDagC4IudMdFU91RS45o7_jGxZtNU-lugo08cJR31UksBfasibq5-q1WDjPBnYVn_OR1Xw7SkEwWK2qZI23rZP7qH3g/w138-h200/Screenshot%202022-12-31%20123816.jpg" width="138" /></a></div><br /> This was a gift to me during Clergy Appreciation Month in October. Apparently over 12 years the congregation has gotten to know a bit about my tastes....<p></p><p>As a general rule I really enjoy these "Gospel According to..." style of books. If I recall correctly I have previously read them dealing with Peanuts (which was the first of the genre I believe), Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Star Wars. I like how the authors engage simultaneously with the faith story and the contemporary text to find intersections.</p><p>Sometimes the connections are obvious. Sometimes the contemporary text is one that some/many people of faith have decried as being antagonistic to Christian faith (Harry Potter comes to mind), which often tells me that they have not really engaged those texts very well.</p><p>I have long found echoes of Christian values and questions in the world of Star Trek. At the same time I can see why some would see that world as being quite atheistic and devoid of much recognizable spirituality -- unless you look a bit deeper in some of the story lines. I think Neece has done a good job of pulling some of those threads out in this book. At the same time I think his desire to make Spock into a Christ figure, while having some merit, is a bit overdone. He stretches the metaphor a bit far for my taste.</p><p>Having never seen the Animated Series or the newer "Kelvin Timeline" movies I can not really speak to Neece's comments on those pieces of the canon. However his chapters on TOS and his explication of where he understands Roddenberry to be coming from are quite good. The chapters on the movies are uneven, as are the movies themselves. </p><p>Al in all a good read, and one that has already influenced a couple of sermons this fall.<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-60770912445715681232022-11-12T11:20:00.002-07:002022-11-12T11:20:32.628-07:00Book 11 of 2022 On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSehezlgb0TvrKIiOCeL_CHhnxc1_ckPvKSHtQ9oqTaxe0QzALuqUNwGkqGGAvqDDAeok9S-fB9X552vVA9k91MI49tGWCU_2adJWKCcGVLczsHuW5Nyd3HBS0B8X8D2FilDdhWzCXFb3BNzSBe3JX7zLaI16kJ7w0C3MdG9vSARPLBaen0A/s530/on-repentance-and-repair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSehezlgb0TvrKIiOCeL_CHhnxc1_ckPvKSHtQ9oqTaxe0QzALuqUNwGkqGGAvqDDAeok9S-fB9X552vVA9k91MI49tGWCU_2adJWKCcGVLczsHuW5Nyd3HBS0B8X8D2FilDdhWzCXFb3BNzSBe3JX7zLaI16kJ7w0C3MdG9vSARPLBaen0A/w133-h200/on-repentance-and-repair.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /> I have been following Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg on Twitter for some time now. And when I heard of<a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/on-repentance-and-repair" target="_blank"> this book</a> coming out I was intrigued enough that I pre-ordered it and started waiting.<p></p><p>Rabbi Ruttenberg talks in the book about how it started with a Twittter thread speaking of Jewish thought in the area of repentance and forgiveness and reconciliation. While I do not remember exactly what was said in that thread I do remember reading it.</p><p>In this book Ruttenberg makes extensive use of the work of medieval Jewish scholar Maimonides. SHe explores an approach to repentance that is very different than the one I grew up with. To begin with, apology is something that happens near the END of the process, not at the beginning. Since the rationale for this is that we can not offer a true, meaningful apology until we have fully named and owned what we have to apologize for this makes much more sense than many apologies that I have heard over the years.</p><p>The other big difference is that there is a clear separation between the work of repentance and making amends and forgiveness. It also states that reconciliation may or may not be the end result of the process. The goal of repentance in this model is not necessarily to be forgiven, it is to name what has happened, understand what damage has been done, offer a true apology, and make amends as best one can. Forgiveness is something that <i>may</i> (or may not) be offered by the offended person, and even then forgiveness does not have to lead to reconciliation and a return to relationship. Compared to a common Christian teaching that expects forgiveness (and probably reconciliation) after every apology this made me think a lot. I think it many ways it is a healthier approach and avoids a cheap grace view of apology and forgiveness.<br /></p><p>It is also worth naming that from a faith stance Ruttenberg makes clear that only the offended/victim can offer forgiveness to the offender. Threfore God can only forgive sin inasmuch as it is an offense to God, God can not forgive us for the ways we have hurt our neighbour -- that is up to the neighbour. This level of accountability would likely be helpful in a Christian sense (and is in accord with the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5:21-26). When we have to be held accountable by our neighbout and can not get a free pass from God it may push us to take the needs of our neighbour far more seriously.</p><p>This book addresses the topic at a personal level, at a community/organizational level, and at a national level. Each different piece carries different complications and obligations. THis discussion helped me sort out my misgivings about the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation process and why we seem to be stuck and unable to move into true reconciliation. I think we offered apology too soon in the process and there is still a reluctance to name and understand the harms done, which hampers the movement to true repentance and making of amends.</p><p>There is much in this book I could see myself using in the future. Now to see if I can remember it when the time comes....<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-76511368045142938192022-09-21T20:25:00.004-06:002022-09-21T20:25:57.564-06:00Book 10 of 2022 --Intercultural Visions: Called to Be the Church<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFqrIjcyFs1T_zLPczoEiE8ju1R0vn0OYpXPXsY9YAmLnnXUnkfIli5yphPuTUZDjjn6rbW14BYi_vyV2uVGNoHWmT5y0DlhiShYlyuDCt_Wb3TY-vjQoqIeN_wUR4mRT4OftVdpZDGlt_ITYQWp_WSPGGvrnJ5mAiLURTbzmWsQcbKdv-g/s530/intercultural-visions-called-to-be-the-church.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFqrIjcyFs1T_zLPczoEiE8ju1R0vn0OYpXPXsY9YAmLnnXUnkfIli5yphPuTUZDjjn6rbW14BYi_vyV2uVGNoHWmT5y0DlhiShYlyuDCt_Wb3TY-vjQoqIeN_wUR4mRT4OftVdpZDGlt_ITYQWp_WSPGGvrnJ5mAiLURTbzmWsQcbKdv-g/w133-h200/intercultural-visions-called-to-be-the-church.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br />Over a decade ago the United Church of Canada pledged to grow into a truly intercultural church (though I suspect many people in the church have no idea about that pledge much less have taken time to work out what it means in how we are the church).<p></p><p><a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/intercultural-visions-called-to-be-the-church" target="_blank">This book</a> offers a series of reflections on what it might mean to be an intercultural church. To structure the book each writer was given a line from the <a href="https://united-church.ca/community-faith/welcome-united-church-canada/faith-statements/new-creed-1968" target="_blank">New Creed</a> paragraph "We are called to be the church".</p><p>Each of these essays offers food for thought. I was routinely challenged as I read through them. I suspect there may be some things the authors would say differently now, 10 years later, but many of the points raise are still very relevant.</p><p>AS the United Church continues to claim a desire to be both intercultural and anti-racist (and really you can't have the former without the latter) more people need to read these essays.<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-54615787636671636692022-09-21T20:09:00.001-06:002022-09-21T20:09:57.240-06:00Book 9 of 2022 -- Shame and Grace<p><a href="https://bookoutlet.ca/products/9780060675226B/shame-grace?gclid=Cj0KCQjw7KqZBhCBARIsAI-fTKLRAN67KcqktpMI_oPXQbNA0tgyxog9Kh8-Acn--y3Qv7Bb9G6eDK8aApktEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank"></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFXBor01mC01dzctz4PsiRu5uli-l0TkI1m7daNPeGse_57F3QqiYr2S0SrNPNyZYHXg7tFacwtfoZs6rE8b10jXvzrPihXQGQ7yNtsB5zeVxkmxWtEJMxmQe9LYgFQCeFAfESmjCWISZc2Ps3EJ2FqzrEjcjmZUnWHmav_yf_IONFqQ8Sw/s351/Screenshot%202022-09-21%20193833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="229" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFXBor01mC01dzctz4PsiRu5uli-l0TkI1m7daNPeGse_57F3QqiYr2S0SrNPNyZYHXg7tFacwtfoZs6rE8b10jXvzrPihXQGQ7yNtsB5zeVxkmxWtEJMxmQe9LYgFQCeFAfESmjCWISZc2Ps3EJ2FqzrEjcjmZUnWHmav_yf_IONFqQ8Sw/w131-h200/Screenshot%202022-09-21%20193833.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br /> This book has been on a shelf in my parents' house for 25 years or so. Many times over the last 20 years I have looked at it sitting there and thought "I should read that". This year I finally did.<p></p><p>Back in my final year of seminary I went to a graduate seminar where one of the professors was sharing some of her work on shame. Charlotte differentiated between legitimate guilt over something one had done and shame, which is more of an ontological piece. Shame is about how we see who we are. As such, while guilt can be a motivator for change and repair, shame can, in the end, be incredibly debilitating (trust me, I know the effects quite well).</p><p>In this book Smedes differentiates between earned/valid shame (which I think is similar to what many of us would call guilt) and unearned shame. He talks about the sources of that shame, the various things like depression that look like or travel with shame. He talks about the ways shame shapes our lives. And he talks about the cure -- grace.</p><p>Smedes is (or at least was almost 30 years ago when this book came out) associated with Fuller Seminary. So he speaks not only using the lens of psychology but also the lens of theology.</p><p>I have known shame and grace in my life. There was a time when shame shaped my understanding of who I was. Some days that is still true. But it is getting better -- I think..We live in a world that can be really good at imparting shame. WE need to be just as good at reminding people of the reality of grace,<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-1700700763766618562022-08-23T22:10:00.000-06:002022-08-23T22:10:03.437-06:00Book 8 of 2022 -- A Short History of Canada (Seventh Edition) <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7EtBqJvkMYFUsTdTGz2eG1mmMNpyZYEtnRWSa4JhaUCCvuWiLbRWa6kVusPP25J_1MsL3GGVQ4j7ZF1C_UfO63K7BWmEGfRU7OH2rFdrDEAxMvjG5i7jDiERUdME_nZm6t5XlqcwCEexWTpoN24LQZTaOI2rVUfVnQxlWmGq6uMhlRu_QA/s530/a-short-history-of-canada-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7EtBqJvkMYFUsTdTGz2eG1mmMNpyZYEtnRWSa4JhaUCCvuWiLbRWa6kVusPP25J_1MsL3GGVQ4j7ZF1C_UfO63K7BWmEGfRU7OH2rFdrDEAxMvjG5i7jDiERUdME_nZm6t5XlqcwCEexWTpoN24LQZTaOI2rVUfVnQxlWmGq6uMhlRu_QA/w133-h200/a-short-history-of-canada-2.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/a-short-history-of-canada-2">This </a>was my light vacation reading this summer. Despite the fact that my daughter had trouble understanding how a book with over 1000 pages could be called short and many people would find any sort of history as 'light' reading that is exactly what it was for me.<p></p><p>The first edition of this book came out almost 40 years ago (1983) and so it leaves me pondering how (other than discussion of events that have taken place in the intervening years) has changed in successive editions. Has Morton changed his interpretation and description of events based on newer understandings? Has the book just gotten longer or have conclusions varied over the various editions?</p><p>As is relatively common with histories, this is essentially a political and economic history of Canada (and really a survey at that....1000 pages that cover everything from the beginning of European colonization -- with a brief discussion of pre-contact life -- to the first decade of the 21st century is certainly a short survey not a detailed history). It makes reference to how those events impacted the general public but is not a people's history by any stretch of the imagination. It is not about "how did the average population live in these various eras". However the piece I found most lacking was real discussion of the treatment of Indigenous peoples in Canada over the years. There were some references to the growing political influence of organizations such as the Assembly of First Nations however there was little if any real discussion of what the TRC termed "Cultural Genocide". AS this is one of the greatest issue facing Canadians as we decide who we are as a nation in the 21st Century I find this to be a definite lack in the book.</p><p>In the end though it met my desire for a light enjoyable vacation read. I was reminded of some things, I learned some things, I looked at some things is a different light. Good read.<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-59785139525302481342022-07-16T18:24:00.001-06:002022-07-16T18:24:17.968-06:00Book 7 of 2022 Building God's Beloved Community: Discipleship in The United Church of Canada<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjH1R7f8yplo7zKXZb-zt6k4gvNOTwBVqTBeOTs9dszytwimk-MBFt7z1RLBAeYTngGu9Z8iEjUJDzkCcJ6o3oerypahSnaQkFMi9cY3cW1yGZ5zawtDM5OBPhxGLMEvn7hFcn0L7ZJ6sN8LGY3NZcK9sw8XjU_1wWkUWBegX99gsnYIL1-g/s451/Screenshot%202022-07-16%20165946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="302" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjH1R7f8yplo7zKXZb-zt6k4gvNOTwBVqTBeOTs9dszytwimk-MBFt7z1RLBAeYTngGu9Z8iEjUJDzkCcJ6o3oerypahSnaQkFMi9cY3cW1yGZ5zawtDM5OBPhxGLMEvn7hFcn0L7ZJ6sN8LGY3NZcK9sw8XjU_1wWkUWBegX99gsnYIL1-g/w134-h200/Screenshot%202022-07-16%20165946.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><br />Over the last few years multiple voices within the United Church have named a need for a new resource to use in confirmation classes. <a href="https://ucrdstore.ca/products/building-gods-beloved-community-discipleship-in-the-united-church-of-canada?_pos=1&_sid=f494e7a39&_ss=r" target="_blank">This book</a> is one approach to meeting that need.<p></p><p>The 14 chapters (16 if you include the introduction and the conclusion) of this book are meant to provide an introduction to Christian faith and discipleship, with several chapters that focus that introduction on a specific denomination. The suggestion is to have an extended study group, looking at one chapter a session. I think there is logic in that selection, though I wonder if a couple of the chapters might be combined in one session. And I am not sure I would cover the topics in the order they are found in this volume.</p><p>The chapters are well-written and engaging. They have much in them to spark discussion. I think they would work well as an introductory tool <i>and </i>as a tool for more experienced church members to deepen/reawaken their faith. I wonder about group that would have both new and experienced church folk discussing these topics.</p><p>There are two caveats I find. One is that, as Gary Paterson names in the foreword, this sort of study is about the thinking aspect of Christian faith. It has little to engage other aspects of the life of faith, though the one chapter on spiritual practices at least opens the door a bit (personally i am tempted to start a study group with that chapter and then start each successive session with a different spiritual practice. The other shortcoming I found was that there was not a chapter, and no real discussion in any chapter, about stewardship. Stewardship in all its forms is a key part of discipleship so this lack surprises me. However, since stewardship is our response to God's activity in our lives I suppose stewardship questions can be raised in conjunction with some of the topics.</p><p>Now to figure out how to structure the study group I intend to offer over the fall/winter season next year.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-42704787057213444182022-07-07T11:33:00.004-06:002022-07-07T11:33:52.271-06:00Book 6 of 2022 --Keys to the Kindom: Money and Property for Congregational Mission in The United Church of Canada<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQgSVXYCkJHW0LHfc7SbtdvALebPw7h569ovorpoc4fAoq34uXOoj_XjoB7v3XTVgtcv4LrvQVqS_jPQypKiwUgndTHBOShnZ9KFvGq9M1A_31y3VBaTuzWFBKQ_YpEm5G7BK1ftQVu-PrCPlx9Yy-ynURe-pRp_o256PP5r7evmKr-d_Fg/s163/keys%20to%20the%20kindomx160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="160" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQgSVXYCkJHW0LHfc7SbtdvALebPw7h569ovorpoc4fAoq34uXOoj_XjoB7v3XTVgtcv4LrvQVqS_jPQypKiwUgndTHBOShnZ9KFvGq9M1A_31y3VBaTuzWFBKQ_YpEm5G7BK1ftQVu-PrCPlx9Yy-ynURe-pRp_o256PP5r7evmKr-d_Fg/s1600/keys%20to%20the%20kindomx160.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><br /> Seemingly out of nowhere,<a href="https://www.woodlakebooks.com/search/results/inventory/All-Products/Church-History/Keys-to-the-Kindom" target="_blank"> this book</a> arrived in the mail a couple months ago. The cover letter named that as we prepare for the 100th Anniversary of the United Church of Canada in 1925 a free copy was being sent to every community of faith across the country. After looking at it for several weeks I decided it should be read (a free book is almost always worth the cost after all).<p></p><p>The question of how best to use the assets of the church for ministry is always a challenging one. The question of how best to fund the ongoing work of ministry is a challenge in many congregations. The question of how to grow our mission and ministry in new ways often gets lost in the worry about funding what is already happening.</p><p>In almost every church I have worked with the biggest single asset is the property and the building. It is true that sometimes the building is a source of concern due to aging structures and/or deferred maintenance. It is also true that in many United Church congregations the building is a gift shared with the wider community. For many of us part of how we live out our faith is by offering our space to community groups. Some of those groups would have a hard time finding a space without that opportunity.</p><p>Looking forward into the future, we need to ask how we will fund, sustain, and grow our ministries, both as individual congregations and as a denomination. How can we ensure that our communities of faith are around for future generations? This book tells stories that might help us understand how it has been done in the past, is being done in the present, and could possibly be done in the future. The push for all communities of faith to create a multi-million dollar endowment seems overly optimistic to me, as do some of the hopes for events around the 100th Anniversary weekend in June of 2025. However if the book makes us think and dream and vision then it will have done its job.</p><p>Of special interest to me was the discussion of how some places are redeveloping and making new uses of their properties. I know of several congregations where this is a needed discussion, one that needs to grow out of a discussion of how they can best help meet the needs of their communities. A lot of us are in buildings that we would not build now, either because the design does not let us gather as we would prefer to, or because they are bigger than we need/space is not used as we would like to use it now. In the United Church of Canada (and many other denominations) we have a lot of value in property, how can we best use those assets to participate in the work God is doing in/around/through us?</p><p>PS: in the middle of the book we learn how it is that all congregations could get a free copy. It is part of an endowment agreement made within the authors' congregation.<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-11229225605357542722022-07-07T10:57:00.006-06:002022-07-07T10:57:50.482-06:00Book 5 of 2022 -- My Best Mistake<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGjsXRJ4JjlL1lqMYqduOiPIw96fdP-FNivr8bYwjFpPpnSyJAHBUMrNZ-TKDV7CAp3WXfPvGfCMN_DOmrhrQGDQ4lg-b2XwGZt7yugolONQzncnJNUTnsjEXGvTFhZQ0o6P1Wfy6MmL8l1zDcfgYmPIdiKwam3vxhN3vVCiIq0oRO0B35g/s533/my-best-mistake-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGjsXRJ4JjlL1lqMYqduOiPIw96fdP-FNivr8bYwjFpPpnSyJAHBUMrNZ-TKDV7CAp3WXfPvGfCMN_DOmrhrQGDQ4lg-b2XwGZt7yugolONQzncnJNUTnsjEXGvTFhZQ0o6P1Wfy6MmL8l1zDcfgYmPIdiKwam3vxhN3vVCiIq0oRO0B35g/w133-h200/my-best-mistake-3.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br />I have enjoyed Terry O'Reilly for a long time. I remember listening first to his show <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Age_of_Persuasion" target="_blank"><i>The Age of Persuasion</i></a> years ago (thought I would have sworn that was longer ago than 2006) and now I regularly listen to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_the_Influence_(radio_series)" target="_blank"><i>Under the Influence</i></a> both on Thursdays and Saturdays (sometimes you need to listen twice to catch everything). Because I have always found him to be a great storyteller I thought <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/my-best-mistake-3" target="_blank">this book </a>would be good for a light bit of reading. I was right.<br /><p></p><p>However one of the reasons I so enjoy O'Reilly's work is not just because of the (well researched and well told) stories. It is the way he uses the stories to share key understandings of how the world (particularly the world of marketing) works. In the stories and the reflections I often find bits of wisdom that apply to a variety of settings.</p><p>Nobody likes to make mistakes. Naturally enough, most of us avoid it at all costs. But in this book we find people whose lives would have been very different, and arguably much less profitable, if they had avoided making a key mistake. The cover art tells the whole story. Does it say biggest mistake or best mistake? Or possibly both?</p><p>I suspect that for each person whose story is told in this book the line between biggest and best mistake is only truly discernible in hindsight. I wonder how many of us can say that in our own history? These are great stories in and of themselves. But looking deeper, should we maybe be more willing to make mistakes because we are taking risks? After a catastrophic mistake (or even a minor mistake that feels catastrophic at the time) many of us are tempted to just give up. Maybe the aftermath of the mistake can in fact lead us to a new way of being, a new resurgence?</p><p><br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-23821566613501352992022-07-07T10:27:00.002-06:002022-07-07T10:27:44.853-06:00Book 4 of 2022 -- The Art of Gathering<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zZ5I7IB4xa4AngysVrVjW6fFwdAHdhHBe11olyicqLxSUejnhmMRcmFO-bKg_r8d_ktBKNdZ5b8B29HFoWWY2Res-vI6VCaGDLhw1EGEY3iC7km7xq6407E0SMntUXdYYAITlZzLolaciW3vyjlaBJSfgIs2U9aUz6bcysMPmOrDSpekxQ/s530/the-art-of-gathering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zZ5I7IB4xa4AngysVrVjW6fFwdAHdhHBe11olyicqLxSUejnhmMRcmFO-bKg_r8d_ktBKNdZ5b8B29HFoWWY2Res-vI6VCaGDLhw1EGEY3iC7km7xq6407E0SMntUXdYYAITlZzLolaciW3vyjlaBJSfgIs2U9aUz6bcysMPmOrDSpekxQ/w133-h200/the-art-of-gathering.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br />Why do we gather? How can we make out gatherings more meaningful? What mistakes do we make that take away from our gatherings? These are important questions for the church to ask. Mind you I think we so often fall into repetition and habit and tradition that we don't stop to ask them. And more importantly ,we forget to ask if the answers maybe have changed over time.<p></p><p>To be totally honest, while I sort of knew that these were important questions they were not things I routinely considered (probably still are not). But when I saw <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-art-of-gathering" target="_blank">this book</a> I realized there was something we needed to talk about as we try to find the way forward for the church these days.</p><p>I actually think most leaders should read this book as part of their planning processes. I really do wonder how it might change our Sunday morning gatherings, or our governance meetings, or our social events. Do we really have a clear purpose for why we are there? Do we have a plan to create an alternate space/reality for a period of time? Do we transition in and out of the space clearly and well? Often I think the answer is no when it could be yes.</p><p>I may have to re-read sections of this one if I want to re-vision how Sunday morning worship could work....<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-55409272445117278522022-06-28T16:39:00.001-06:002022-06-28T16:39:50.129-06:00What Is Your Picture? (A Column for the Newspaper)<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">August 1994. I am a volunteer counsellor at Camp Maskepetoon. Two
cabin groups gather on the front lawn by the main lodge for
Devotions. The leader passes out paper and invites us to grab some
markers or crayons from the bin in the center of the circle. We are
asked to write down what the word God means to us. Some of us write a
list of words or phrases. Some of us draw a picture. Some do both.
Later, we talk about what we had put down and why. We talked about
who God was to us, what God meant to us.</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">In the
years since that day on the lawn I have returned to that program idea
a number of times. As people of faith we have to share with each
other what images we have of God. We have to listen to each other’s
understanding of who God is. We do that sharing in the midst of a
great mystery. There is no one right answer to the question “who or
what is God?”. There are a whole bunch of right answers. There are
a whole bunch of images and metaphors and all of them are partially
right.
</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Can we
have the courage to allow for images of God other than our own? Can
we have hearts open enough to allow our image of God to be enhanced
and broadened when we hear how our neighbour sees God? As I read
Scripture, which has an incredibly wide variety of ways to describe
the Divine, I think we have no choice. In fact I think that is what
God hopes for.</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">On a
shelf in my living room is a children’s book written by Rabbi Sandy
Eisenberg Sasso called <a href="http://www.jewishlights.com/page/product/978-1-879045-26-2" target="_blank"><i>In God’s Name</i></a>. The premise of the
book is that all the people are trying to determine what the one,
right, perfect name for God is. After all, everything else has a
name, surely God must have a name. So each person suggests a name for
God. Names like Mother, Father, Bringer of Peace, My Rock, and many
others are suggested. Each person argues that their name is the one,
the best, the most perfect name and “nobody listened. Least of all
God”. Then one day they all gather around a calm smooth lake. They
see each other reflected in the water and all together they each say
their name for God. When that happens, the book says, “everyone
listened. Most of all, God.” To describe God more fully we must use
a wide variety of pictures and metaphors.</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">So how
would you answer? If you had been sitting on that lawn with us what
words or pictures would have been on your paper? If you were one of
the people in that book what name would you argue was the best name
for God? I am sure that day 28 years ago there were people who named
the old man with a long white beard. As a child of the Star Wars
generation I have always found the idea of the Force to be one of my
metaphors for the Divine. One member of St. Paul’s, when asked this
question, used the image of a hen gathering her chicks under her
wings (an image drawn from Scripture). For Christians God is revealed
uniquely in Jesus of Nazareth, the Risen Christ. Many faiths see God
revealed in their sacred writings. God is revealed in all of
Creation. Who is God for you?</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">In the
first story of Creation in Genesis we are told that we, humanity, are
created in God’s image. I think that calls us to to see God’s
image walking down the street in every person we meet. That means
that God is Caucasian, African, Asian, and Indigenous American. It
means God is male and female, cis-gendered, trans, and non-binary,
straight and gay and bisexual. It means God is the centenarian and
the newborn baby. It means God is seen in the addict, or the person
resorting to theft to get money for food. It may be challenging to
see God in all these ways. But we have no choice. If we truly believe
that humanity is created in God’s image then all humanity needs to
be part of our image of God. Otherwise we risk reversing the words of
Genesis and create God in our image.</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">In one
of the<a href="https://united-church.ca/community-faith/welcome-united-church-canada/faith-statements/song-faith-2006" target="_blank"> United Church’s statements of faith </a>God is described as Holy
Mystery. God is within and beyond all our words and pictures and
metaphors. We can not claim that our understanding is the one right
understanding. We have to share the wide variety so that we can try
to capture the Mystery. What picture of God feeds your soul?</p>
Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-29581860897286467432022-03-31T18:54:00.001-06:002022-03-31T18:54:41.433-06:00Book 3 of 2022 Origin<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZI8172G7ulMpD5A3qa84I44I1rDLUjacH6lz99U-YHzQOQMEN3YxsEnDcZCI9s3Uow1q7I5XIsiqZan47NuXVd4aG_o-Gj1K3v3e5J3S2B4SIVhR-EocGn4vRErOI-8MVpr-ZrdQ7aBpBmVjWAeJOQ5mPVRoHNelj63PYW3ucRLtJIeik8Q/s533/origin-73.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZI8172G7ulMpD5A3qa84I44I1rDLUjacH6lz99U-YHzQOQMEN3YxsEnDcZCI9s3Uow1q7I5XIsiqZan47NuXVd4aG_o-Gj1K3v3e5J3S2B4SIVhR-EocGn4vRErOI-8MVpr-ZrdQ7aBpBmVjWAeJOQ5mPVRoHNelj63PYW3ucRLtJIeik8Q/w133-h200/origin-73.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /> Earlier this year I happened about an article featuring <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/origin-73" target="_blank">this book</a> (probably related to its release since it is very new). It sounded very interesting so I went shopping.<p></p><p>This look at how and when humans first arrived in and populated the Americas looks at very current research (it cites 2021 works). It starts by looking mainly at the archaeological evidence and then looks more at what has been learned from genetic research. There is also a naming of the fact that to do the work ethically one needs to build relationship with the modern Indigenous people whose ancestors are being examined. Raff is honest about some of the ways this work has been damaging. She talks about how early archaeology (and some present work in both archaeology and genetics) did a poor job at treating the Indigenous peoples (ancient and modern) with respect. She talks about ways that more current professionals are trying to build relationship and let the Indigenous people have much ore control over the process.</p><p>I was fascinated by this book. It does not claim to have a definitive answer to the questions of how humans came to be in the Americas. It does a good job of raising what some of those questions are, what we know to help answer them, and how the professionals in the field are trying to follow the various threads to will lead to a more complete picture. And because I found it I have a number of suggested books that I may need to explore....<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-8043939330629863762022-03-20T15:44:00.003-06:002022-03-22T12:11:43.943-06:00In The Face of Evil -- Newspaper Column In the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">March 11 edition of her e-newsletter “The Cottage”</a> Diana Butler Bass writes:<br />“War is a sin. War is evil. And yet it continues. War is one of the rare things in human history that doesn’t vary. It is what humans do... You might say that our inhumanity to others is a sobering characteristic of being human. That’s really depressing. And it is painfully true.” <br /><br />It is my firm belief that pacifism is the most faithful way to follow Jesus Christ. Violence of any sort is incompatible with the Jesus I meet in the Gospels. And yet when I see things like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, or the Rwandan genocide, or almost innumerable other examples of one group using violence against another there is a part of me that wants to call out for the use of violence and force to protect the vulnerable. Do we have a duty to protect, even when the only way to do that is inflict pain on another? <br /><br /> What is our best response when we see evil being lived out in the world? <br /><br />In that same e-newsletter Bass explicitly names what is happening in Ukraine as sinful and evil. She also predicts that it will get worse. Since it arrived in my mailbox the news reports out of Mariupol have proved that prediction accurate. Siege warfare has always been a brutally and punishing form of conflict. It has always meant that non-combatants are going to be killed and wounded. This was true in medieval Europe, in Aleppo a few years ago, and in Mariupol today. Deep in the evil and sinfulness of warfare is the fact that non-combatants are killed, wounded, left homeless, have their lives destroyed. <br /><br />So what is our faithful response when we see evil being lived out in the world? Do we respond with thoughts and prayers and protests? Do we volunteer to be observers and human shields? Do we resort to the use of violence ourselves to counter the violence we wish to end? <br /><br />To be honest I find myself conflicted on this one. As I said earlier, I honestly believe that the most faithful way to follow the path laid out by Christ is pacifism. Before being accepted and co-opted by the Emperor Constantine the church was a pacifist group. In the earliest church you could not be both Christian and soldier. At the same time extreme pacifism seems a little bit idealistic in the face of the evil done by empires in our world. What can we do? <br /><br />To begin with we need to be ready to tell the truth about what we see. As people of faith we need to be ready to name the evil that is being done, no matter who is doing it. Even if it is done in the name of faith. Even if it is done by the empire we support (though it could be argued that to faithfully follow Christ means we support no empire). And then we need to make a stink, shout out into the world, refuse to be silenced. We need to speak truth to power and call people to account for their actions. It is the least we can do. Maybe it is the best we can do, or maybe we need to call for more concrete responses. <br /><br />Right now we have evil happening and making the front pages. Because there is such a strong connection between Canada, especially in the prairie provinces, and Ukraine we have a heightened sense of outrage. Some call for more militant action, some prepare to support refugees either in Europe or here in Canada. As a multi-national society we are trying to determine how we will respond. Is a no-fly zone the best response? Will other nations need to put boots on the ground? Will those things contain the evil or make it worse? These are complicated questions with no really clear answers. <br /><br /> There is evil happening elsewhere in the world that does not make our front pages. Aleppo was besieged for years during the Syrian Civil War. Terrible things have been happening in Yemen for years. The same thing can be said of Gaza. The invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan earlier this century led to great evil. How did we respond then? How can we respond to the evil that continues? <br /><br />As a follower of Christ I am called to seek justice and resist evil. As a follower of Christ I am called to proclaim that there is another path to follow. Invasion and warfare, violence that destroys lives, is evil and sinful and wrong. The challenge is to figure out how Christ wants me to respond to that evil. <br /><br />May God help us all. Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14229312.post-81399790242276475932022-03-01T21:08:00.004-07:002022-03-01T21:08:52.026-07:00Book 2 of 2022 Freeing Jesus<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSU-TXATvHaH_RpIPcv_Fm2P7M5DD_ValdlqslNuO7hBbaS58PaDtoQJ3X8g9kSi5HmLSn2wLkc3h_VBL5-Dh14TspAEMNvTKWNRVrq0zwyixvYJqH-cFQjWBmNWMxWoYSjwvJNKYH-VuUfB9ZxWpVjFtElgpdjdOG234LwB_yemCbz_JPSg=s530" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSU-TXATvHaH_RpIPcv_Fm2P7M5DD_ValdlqslNuO7hBbaS58PaDtoQJ3X8g9kSi5HmLSn2wLkc3h_VBL5-Dh14TspAEMNvTKWNRVrq0zwyixvYJqH-cFQjWBmNWMxWoYSjwvJNKYH-VuUfB9ZxWpVjFtElgpdjdOG234LwB_yemCbz_JPSg=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div><br /> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/freeing-jesus" target="_blank">This</a> is a title that jumped out at me one day while browsing. And since I have always enjoyed Diana Butler Bass I had to give it a try.<p></p><p>The book is memoir theology. It is Bass describing various ways she has known Jesus through the course of her life. She describes what the image at hand has meant to her and why. She talks about how that image intersected with the event of her life. While she lists 6 basic images (all drawn from Scripture and tradition) within each image there are subsets that broaden and deepen the base image.</p><p>It is my sincere belief that every Christian is called to answer the question Jesus asks Peter "Who do you say I am?' for themself. I also believe that at various times in our lives different aspects of who Jesus is is the focus of our answer. Jesus is not, as Scripture tries to suggest, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Jesus, like any other person, has many different sides. Jesus is the way God reaches into our lives and addresses the big questions we have. My questions are not the same as your questions. They may not even be the same as the questions I had 30 years ago. </p><p>This is a good book. In reading Bass' memoir theology (and I tn to agree with her that all theology is based on our live experiences, it is all memoir to some degree) the reader is pushed to consider their own life and their own understanding of who Jesus is. I suspect that was the point all along.<br /></p>Gordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03767921257861340046noreply@blogger.com0