In Pursuit of the Almighty's Dollar: A History of Money and American Protestantism, by James Hudnut-Beumler. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0807830798. Hb., 288 pp. $29.95.
Early in the American Protestant experience a decisive shift took place. The forms of Christianity that had been conceived of and supported as public goods in the European context came to be regarded as private goods in this new setting. James Hudnut-Beumler's account of that historical turn and the ensuing story is an important volume for any concerned about issues of money in the life of American churches.
Does your church library seem musty? Do you need to update your children's section? Here are a few fresh new titles children (and their parents and grandparents who bring them) will welcome into your church library.
In a war-whipped, politically polarized, and consumer-confounded world, Walter Brueggemann in his new book shares his conviction that the Church "must recover and re-embrace its own mission" and live in tension with a world that suggests the answers are found in technology, empire politics, militarism, and acquiring more "stuff". He invites the Church to consider that it is listening to a script that is shouting the gospel of fear and anxiety instead of the word of God. There is an alternative script found in God's word, a script that speaks to the discontent and disconnect of those of us who are in the contemporary Church of Jesus Christ.
Brueggemann cites Old Testament prophets who called for restoration and newness, prophets who called for an alternative way of life in covenant with God, and of course, he points to Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, the One who feeds the hungry, touches lepers, and welcomes children.
Anybody who's ever had a 'coming of age' summer will identify with this one. There's an inherent sadness here, though, that assaults the viewer from the very first scene, as the Australian orphan boys are lined up, from oldest to youngest, looking so hopeful, and the prospective adoptive parents proceed slowly down the line, until they arrive at....a cute young one. The rest of the boys, like losers in a beauty contest, are forced to feign gladness for the one who was chosen over the rest of them. He is whisked off to his happily ever after, and they are left...with the nuns in the desolate Outback.
What makes it a compelling mystery is that almost no way you add it up makes total sense, either if you assume she's a prodigy or the whole thing is a scam. What's been interesting to me is that in the screenings, and the Q and A after wards, the audience has been divided about it, which makes for an interesting Q and A...I was attracted to this story because of the lack of standards in Modern Art. Some 4-year-old is a prodigy? According to who (m)? But just because there are no objective standards doesn't mean you can't develop your own opinion. So you have to engage in these paintings either way, which gives people an opportunity.
An educator colleague of mine once related her frustration at her congregation's resistance to welcoming children into worship. One Sunday, as the children were leaving after the children's sermon, an usher remarked, only slightly under his breath, "NOW we can worship!" It's enough to make one weep. This compelling book represents Joyce Mercer's search, as she puts it, for a child-affirming theology and for a church that truly welcomes, cares for, and advocates for children.
In our consumerist economy nearly every aspect of life has been commodified. A faith community can find it difficult to resist the "market construction of childhood," one that emphasizes forming children to be responsible consumers of what society has to offer. Mercer suggests that even religious discourse gets caught up in the language of the market. Think of the prevalence of the phrase "target demographics" in our discussion about church transformation and outreach. Our understanding of the needs of childhood, the purpose of the church, the role of a community of faith are all threatened by a market-driven culture that often includes, Mercer argues, an insensitivity to the poor, to those who cannot effectively be consumers.
A brief note to preachers: Read this book. And an accompanying note to elders and other church leaders: Give this book to your preacher(s), and encourage them to read it.
Mike Graves has written a dynamic book about preaching, but not the sort you might expect. This is not an introductory text for beginning students, nor an offering in the latest in homiletical theory.
Instead, it's a text that suggests that lively, faithful preaching is born out of a dynamic encounter between the biblical text and a "fully alive preacher." To renew preaching in the life of the church, Graves proposes that we need to renew the life of the preacher. What he poses is a resource for those pastors whose lives have been full to overflowing for some time with meetings to attend, phone calls to make, bulletins to produce, hospitals to visit, letters to write, unhappy parishioners to counsel -- and who suffer from what some have called the "relentless return of the Sabbath."
This one will break your heart. Over and over. Cesar Ramos is Jorge, a thug-in-training in Juarez, Mexico. He's learned just enough English to be able to approach American tourists. He's looking for the men who are by themselves, so he can show them pictures of naked young girls, and promises that one of them is available just around the corner. If his 'mark' falls for it, he follows Jorge into a back alley, where he is threatened, robbed, ridiculed, and, if necessary for cooperation, beaten. The victims won't dare tell the police, because then they'd have to admit why they were in that back alley. And besides, chances are, they couldn't identify anybody, anyway, and don't even speak the language. Stupid gringos.
Who would have guessed that a children's book that's fundamentally about death would have one of the largest publishing runs of any book in history -- garnering 3.7 million pre-orders (that's pre-orders, before the actual sales began) from Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com? I am talking, of course, about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Those sorts of sales would be amazing enough in a single volume, but this is number seven -- of seven -- Harry Potter books. Each one of the previous volumes has been a blockbuster best-seller, as well.
by D. Mark Davis. Holy Conversations. The Pilgrim Press, 2007. ISBN 0829817395. Pb., 111 pp. $12.
Mark Davis in his book, Talking about Evangelism, addresses a vital issue in a creative way. As Presbyterians, we have never been very good at evangelism, especially in recent years. Mark uses personal experience and theological insight to offer concrete suggestions that speak well to our day.
Mark and I have followed similar paths in our faith journeys. Both of us came out of very fundamentalistic traditions that carried with them a clear cut way to do evangelism. He used it in talking to his favorite high school teacher: Mark had taken Evangelism 101 at the Christian college he attended and wanted to be sure Sam, his teacher, was saved. Sam responded, "Take your prayers, and your holier-than-thou attitude and get the hell out of my office. And don't bother coming back until you leave that crap at home."
by Christopher J.H. Wright. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2006. ISBN 10-8308-2571-1. Hb., 581 pp. with outline, index, Bible index, and bibliography. $38.
All holy books are not alike. One reads various Buddhist Sacred texts in different ways: some are proverbial sayings, others are mythical stories of the former lives of the Buddha. Their coherence is elusive, their history enigmatic. Is the same true of the Bible, or is there a "Grand Narrative" that runs through the Bible?
This book is a fascinating combination of introduction on biblical hermeneutics, biblical theology, and, at the same time, it is a missiology textbook. I spoke to Chris Wright in New York in December 2006 and he told me that his new book was trying to correct what we agreed was the lacuna in Bosch's Transforming Mission -- the Old Testament is missing. So, I expected his book to be a small paperback on Christian mission and the Old Testament. This however is a product of a life of careful biblical scholarship done, as his life has been lived, in a global context. Christopher Wright, of Belfast, Northern Ireland, was principal of All Nations College in Ware, England, and before that he taught in Puna, India. His position now with the Langham Trust involves working with church theologians and other leaders around the world
'For God knows the secrets of the heart.' (Psalm 44:21) Each of these four films tries to maintain a certain bonhomie, a spirit of levity and jocularity and camaraderie, but some succeed more than others.
'Daddy Day Camp': Rookie Director Fred Savage draws upon his Disney background to try to make a film thoroughly kid-friendly, meaning the adults are inept buffoons and there will be jokes about passing gas. There's a tender underpinning to this movie, about fathers and sons reconciling, and we think we want to see the cruel, arrogant, greedy bully get his comeuppance, but somehow our heroes forget their innocence along the way. In the end, it's all about winning, and humiliating as well as defeating your opponent---not really the primary focus of Christian Education.
'In Search Of Mozart': Undoubtedly this film will be approached with much skepticism ('Haven't we already done 'Amadeus'?), and not a few yawns ('Can't we see this kind of documentary on the History Channel?'). And admittedly, the rewards for viewing this film are sublime, by Hollywood standards: no doomsday plot, no explosions, no chase scenes, no sex, no nudity, no foul language, no crude humor, no cute little animated figures, no computer-generated graphics, no battle panoramas, no sci-fi bedazzlement.
Just a calm, reasoned, brilliantly-presented biography of one extraordinary man, whom we will never meet. But we can't help but be affected by his remarkable legacy to us.
'The Bourne Ultimatum': Readers of the Robert Ludlum books will find the shaky-camera direction of Paul Greengrass to accurately reflect the confusion, chaos, sudden violence, and split-second plot twists of the popular spy thrillers. Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is a lethal CIA agent who has gone rogue.
In 'No Reservations,' Kate Armstrong (Catherine Zeta-Jones) is a world-class cook. She's the executive chef of a swanky restaurant in New York City, where the patrons expect consistently superb quality. She closely supervises every dish that leaves the kitchen. She's a demanding taskmaster to her loyal crew, who remain not because they feel appreciated, particularly, but because they know they're with the best, and they enjoy being part of a top-notch operation.
'Rescue Dawn' is another scenario where the main character's world is turned upside down, but this is based on a true story, and it's every bit as grim and gritty as 'No Reservations' is refined and genteel.
In all these movies, love is not always patient or kind (I Corinthians 13:4), but it does provide the moments of clarity.
"Charlie Bartlett" (Anton Yelchin) is a clean-cut teenaged boy whose Mom (Hope Davis) is rich but Dad's in prison for tax evasion. He genuinely loves his spacey Mom, who seems to treat him with kid gloves, because his father's gone, but he acts out his anger with enough misbehavior to get him kicked out of all the expensive private schools. So he shows up at the local public school in tie and blazer, looking like a preppie, and very out of place.
by Diana Butler Bass. HarperSanFrancisco, 2006. ISBN 0-06-083694-6. Hb., 336 pp. $23.95.
When I read Christianity for the Rest of Us by Diana Butler Bass I recommended it to all of our clergy, gave a book review, led a session retreat on its contents and bought it for a few good folks whose book budgets were stretched. The Presbytery of Mid-Kentucky then paid for eleven people to hear Diana at Columbia Theological Seminary at the end of January. Both the book and Diana made an impression not only on me but on our good people!
Over a three-year period, Bass studied 50 old Protestant churches that were renewing themselves in mission and identity while exhibiting a new spiritual vibrancy, often coming from dire circumstances of decline and crises. Ten of these congregations became the key to her research. The churches were theologically moderate to liberal and none was the largest in town, but they did range in size from 35 to 2,500. They were Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, Methodist, Lutheran, and Episcopalian.
The following reflections will give away some key elements of the plot that the reader may wish to resist reading till completing the book!
The Boy-Who-Lived, and lived, and lived, and lived again, lives! After finishing the incredibly satisfying Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows I went back and counted. At least nine times in the seven books Harry Potter survived direct personal attempts of Voldemort to capture and kill him. Four of those attempts come in the final volume. What is more, in none of those attempts does Harry ever attempt to do anything more than defend himself. Harry Potter never intentionally kills anyone... though admittedly he is sometimes tempted.
Many readers around the world have been rather stunned by the unmistakably Christian elements in the final showdown between Harry Potter and Voldemort. I must admit that I was not. Thanks to the insights provided though the various books and essays of John Granger -- no relation to Hermione -- I've been expecting this for several years. (See bibliography below.) As usual Joanne Rowling gets at least an "E" (Exceeds Expectations) on her "N.E.W.T." volume -- and I'd say she gets and "O" (Outstanding).
There are two sets of folks who will be seeing this film: the huge fans, who have read all the books and seen all the previous movies, and the casual acquaintances, who perhaps are being introduced to this series for the first time. Either group will enjoy the experience, but in different ways.
Those who are very familiar with the scriptures will always approach a bible movie with mixed feelings: the film, no matter how likeable, is never going to be completely faithful to scripture, without risking a literal woodenness, but if it takes liberties with the story, it risks the ire of those who would have preferred more authenticity. So it is with the avid Harry Potter devotees: the movie is good as far as it goes, but leaves out a significant amount of material (how could it not?), and takes a few (minor) liberties with the story.
Morgan Freeman as God? Well, why not? He has the advancing age and regal bearing and sonorous voice to be considered dignified, and possess sufficient gravitas, but he also has a sense of humor, laughs easily, and can even dance, on occasion.
Steve Carrell as Noah? Well, why not? As recently-elected Congressman Evan Baxter, he has the name recognition, organizational skills, and the personal charisma. He's lacking somewhat in the faith category, but that can be developed, because he's the kind of man who works hard, loves his family, tells the truth, can invest himself in the grandiose, and does not give up easily.
I have been a huge fan of Jimmy Carter for a long time and believe that he has set the gold standard for being a former president. Who else in recent generations can match his stewardship of the prestige that accompanies that position? Rather than retiring into a private world where he could lick the wounds he collected during his administration or going on the lucrative speaking circuit, Carter immediately threw himself into building homes for the poor and serving as an international ambassador for causes of peace and justice. He is widely respected for the moral authority he has earned over the last twenty-five years since leaving office. Like others, I just adore this man.
Over the last fifteen years, I have accompanied numerous church groups on pilgrimages to Palestine to visit the "living stones" of the church who are struggling for their very existence. We have helped to build homes, church facilities, ministries, and most of all, hope. Along the way, the Palestinian Christians found a very tender and abiding place in my heart.
'Knocked Up': If the title makes you cringe at its crudity, then the movie itself will make you apoplectic. But behind all the crusty repartee is a character with a good heart. Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) is a classless slacker who spends all his time getting high with a little help from his friends, carefully tracking porn. He happens to meet a nice girl named Alison (Katherine Heigl), who is actually on a career path, and otherwise wouldn't have given him the time of day, but well, she was a little tipsy from celebrating a promotion, and the next thing you know, they wake up together in the morning wondering who in the world is this person next to me in the bed. That would have been the end of it, except, you guessed it, eight weeks later she turns up pregnant. And then they have to try to figure out if they even like each other, much less can raise a child together. A thoroughly modern reverse love story, told with so much off-color off-handedness as to leave hardly a hint of saccharin aftertaste.
by Katharine Rhodes Henderson. Continuum, 2006. ISBN 0826418678. Hb., 247 pp., $24.95.
In an era when more women are entering seminary and fewer are rising to senior pastor positions, Katharine Rhodes Henderson's new book is both timely and important. It may help break the glass ceiling for women while also re-framing the idea of religious leadership in the 21st century.
Dr. Henderson, executive vice president of Auburn Theological Seminary (N.Y.), introduces us to non-traditional entrepreneurs who lead not "from above" but from "behind, within and beneath." These brave women of faith have a contagious fervor for doing justice in new and creative ways. Many of them who are more "spiritual" than they are "religious" teach those of us in leadership positions how to analyze conflicted situations and move, as she says, "organically and intuitively" from the center out and the ground up instead of from the top down. They teach us how to broker new partnerships and re-think conventional ways of addressing problems.
by Anne Tyler. Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. ISBN: 0-307-26394-0. Hb., 277 pp., $24.95.
In Digging to America, Anne Tyler returns to the themes of longing and healing. The story begins in the Baltimore airport as two families wait for their adopted daughters to arrive from Korea. One family, the Donaldsons, is out in full force with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in attendance. The other family, the Yazdans, is an Iranian-American family composed of three people. The Yazdans are quiet and private, while Bitsy Donaldson habitually turns occasions into celebrations. As both families are leaving the airport, Bitsy invites the Yazdans to join their family party at her home. Thus begins the relationship between the two families, who have little in common besides their adopted daughters.
The Presbyterian Outlook invited pastors and leaders from across the church to share with us their hopes for summer reading. Here are their responses:
Betty Meadows, general presbyter, Mid-Kentucky Presbytery:
Christianity for the Rest of Us, by Diana Butler Bass
Scott Black Johnston, pastor, Trinity Church, Atlanta, Ga.:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J. K. Rowling
Portions of Calvin's Institutes (the 500th anniversary of his birth is approaching fast)
A Time to Embrace: Same-Gender Relationships in Religion, Law, and Politics by William Stacy Johnson
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