From the Pastor’s Desk
From time to time, you’ve heard me whine about the triteness of some Christian resources that generously call themselves “inspirational,” as well as the mucky pseudo-theology sometimes found in e-mails with too many “Fwd’s” in the subject line. Perhaps it’s time for me to back it up. Below are some of the resources that have been perused or consulted in the pastor’s study at CBPC.
For Reformed theology…
Calvin for Armchair Theologians by Christopher Elwood (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002) is exactly what its title says, and is the clearest such resource I’ve ever seen. (In March, 2005, WJK published The Reformation for Armchair Theologians, which promises similar rewards.) More academic but still accessible is Two Hundred Years of Theology by Hendrikus Berkhof (Eerdman’s, 1989); I mention it because I got it from a used bookstore and wished I’d had it in seminary (along with Berkhof’s standard text, Christian Faith). The late, great Shirley Guthrie’s supremely engaging Christian Doctrine (Revised Edition; WJK, 1994) is still unbeatable, asking all the right questions. Also, don’t overlook the DVD, just out, of 2003's big-budget movie Luther with Joseph Fiennes in the title role—it’s worthwhile.
Walter Brueggemann’s The Bible Makes Sense (Revised; WJK, 2001) is not as full as Robert McAfee Brown’s timeless The Bible Speaks to You (reissued by WJK, 1985). James O. Chatham’s Is It I, Lord? (WJK, 2002) is aimed at those thinking about ministry as a vocation, but is a fine, short read for anyone interested in the subject of ministry. Retired Methodist minister J. Philip Wogaman reflects on the other end of the pastoral career with his memoirs of An Unexpected Journey (WJK, 2004).
William Sloane Coffin’s thoughts assembled in Credo (WJK, 2004) may hardly be in a league with Pascal’s Pensées, but they are illuminating and inspiring—well worth reading. On the other end of the church’s political spectrum, the late John Leith’s Crisis in the Church (WJK, 1997), while not exactly Kierkegaard, presents an argument worthy of consideration.
For prayers, poetry, and substantive inspiration…
I notice that my Frederick Buechner books Wishful Thinking, Whistling in the Dark, and Peculiar Treasures are getting a bit yellowed; whether that’s also a reflection of their content I’ll leave for you to judge. (Same with the fine, but dated, Your God Is Too Small by J.B. Phillips and all those wonderful C.S. Lewis classics such as Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters.) Henri Nouwen’s vast catalogue holds up well, ten years after his too-early passing. More recently, Anne Lamott made an appropriately huge splash with her autobiographical Traveling Mercies (Anchor, 2000); she returned to that form with Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith (Riverhead Hardcover, 2005). Enthusiasts for the current presidential administration may be a bit put off by this one, and both books should come with a warning about language. Her latest is the brand-new Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith.
I went on a Jane Kenyon kick recently, after being introduced to her poetry collection Otherwise (Graywolf, 1997). Ted Loder’s poetic prayers in Guerillas of Grace (LuraMedia, 1984) still get welcome responses in worship. Ann Weems’ poetry collections Kneeling in Bethlehem (WJK, 1987) and Kneeling in Jerusalem (WJK, 1992) are regularly brought out at Christmas and Easter time, respectively. Rice & Williamson’s A Book of Reformed Prayers (WJK, 1998) is both inspirational and a nice historical sampling, from women and men of faith from the 16th century through the 1990s. Timeless wisdom is found in the readings of Julian of Norwich; I treasure a small booklet published by The Julian Shrine in Norwich, England called Enfolded in Love (London: Darton, Longman & Todd, 1980).
Other Reading
Recent worthwhile works on topics deserving of attention and presented without any particular bias of opinion:
War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges
Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture by Ariel Levy
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
An Inconvenient Truth (DVD)
A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide by Samantha Power
Here are some of the resources that were used in the sermon series "Faithful Lives" back in July 2005. The diary of Parson James Woodforde (1740-1803) is always a fun read and leaves one with a deep appreciation of an otherwise unknown man. The church library has an edition from the 1930s, edited by John Beresford. Mine is a 1978 Oxford University Press paperback of the Beresford edition. While many authorities believe the 1992 Folio Society edition to be superior, I love Beresford's introduction and commentary. The diary is out of print at the moment; if you're looking for a copy of your own, search for Woodforde, James,
The Diary of a Country Parson. (I recommend
www.abebooks.com for rare and/or used books).
Sheila Upjohn's In Search of Julian of Norwich (Darton, Longman & Todd, 1989; 94 pp.) provides some interesting information about the 14th-century mystic and her writings.
There are several biographies of Christopher Wren, including two recent releases. I should mention that Wren's bio is not necessarily gripping stuff--by all accounts he was a person of intellect more than passion--and I have yet to see the short, entertaining book of nifty factoids about the man and his works that I was really hoping to find. The best biography of Wren the architect (he was so many other things as well) is to tour London and see some of his more than 90 creations. Since few of us are in a position to do that, here's what I used in my limited research:
I tried for a week to make it through Lisa Jardine's On a Grander Scale: The Outstanding Life of Sir Christopher Wren (HarperCollins, 2003; 624 pp.) but barely made it past page 100 before giving up for other pursuits. It's a treat for research academicians, but for casual reading, I found it mighty cumbersome and slow going. Still scholarly but perhaps a little more inviting for the non-specialist is Adrian Tinniswood's His Invention So Fertile: A Life of Christopher Wren (Oxford University Press, 2001; 381 pp.). In my research I also used a book from half a century ago, Wren the Incomparable by Martin S. Briggs (London: Allen & Unwin, 1953; 283 pp.), which is at least the equal of the newer two in terms of both scholastic weight and readability. For a more intimate view of the period, the 1660-1669 Diary of Samuel Pepys is indispensable, though occasionally R-rated. Pepys himself (pronounced "peeps") is worthy of the biography Samuel Pepys: A Life, by Stephen Coote (Palgrave, 2001; 386 pp.). All of these are available through the New Hanover County Public Library.
For more book recommendations, see the Spirituality Book Club link on our Links page.
K.G.
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