July 2004 Bookshelf
July is a broad combination of books covering everything from eschatology to theonomy to a reading from Christianity’s Apostolic Fathers. Two wonderful books - Beginning to Pray and God First Loved Us are must reads. Two excellent books by Noam Chomsky also for July.
The Francis Schaeffer Trilogy: The God Who Is There, Escape from Reason, and He Is There and He Is Not Silent by Francis Schaeffer
Schaeffer brings the mind of a scholar and the priorities of a Christian together in each of these three books. While certain portions, especially in The God Who Is There, may seem obtuse to those unfamiliar with classical philosophy, his analysis from a decidedly Christian perspective is much appreciated. In the first book within this trilogy, Schaeffer spends a good bit of time discussing what he calls the “Line of Despair” between Christian and modern, non-Christian thinking, art and music. I found this a bit arbitrary and inaccurate. Christians of today are very guilty of sweeping generalizations about what is Christian and what is not - often times doing so on the basis of a very poor and very ambiguous understanding of the reality of the supposedly Christian past we should go back to. That having been said, I also found much to resonate with in Schaeffer’s writing - in particular his discussion on the role and technique behind apologetics. He makes a powerful point about Christian apologetics that needs to be reinforced in the mind of many - mine included: that ultimately it is not our ability to rationalize or argue our faith but our ability to exhibit our own changed life, changed spirit and changed perspective. That is the point of apologetics, not winning an argument.
The Bible and the Future by Anthony Hoekema
Considered a classic within the reformed theology movement, this is Hoekema’s contribution to developing a systemized eschatology (end times prophecy). Hoekema’s treatment of the topic is thorough, but still suffers from an overly literalistic approach to a text I would suggest should be viewed through an allegorical and spiritual lens. The writing style is a bit dry, but the text itself is very approachable.
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson
One of the newer biographies on one of our Founding Fathers. I would love to say he was the biggest character of the lot, but I do not believe even Franklin can carry such a distinction within the community of leaders of those great days. I encourage my Christian brothers to pick up these types of books as they deal with issues like the role religion played in their political thinking and personal lives. In addition, thorough books such as this portray the complexity of the day in a light that is not always seen when a biographer has an agenda looking to be developed.
Equall Light by John Donne
A beautiful collection of poetry and sermons from John Donne. My favorite: “Any man’s death diminishes me, for we are all a part of mankind. Therefore send not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”
Communion With God by John Owen
A wonderful book on the question of what it means to have a real relationship with God. I was challenged by Owen’s view of the commitment a life dedicated to a real relationship with God means and by Owen’s profound view of the love of God.
Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media by Noam Chomsky and Douglas Herman
Chomsky and Herman develop a very basic idea which needs to be updated and reviewed in our over-sexed, media-hyped culture of today: the realization that today’s journalism exists to sell advertisement, which means it caters to the business community and power brokers within our society. The implications to a media system that can not encourage the development of a story that would challenge a corporation or the status-quo is damning to our democracy. We would do well to ask how it is we establish and participate in a journalistic system not so beholden to ad revenue!
New Hope for People with Borderline Personality Disorder by Neil R. Bockian, Ph.D., with Valier Poorr, M.A., and Nora Elizabeth Villagran, M.A.
A good book on BPD. Not one I would recommend starting with if you or a loved one is struggling with BPD as a condition or a diagnosis. Check out I Hate You, Don’t Leave Me, Stop Walking on Eggshells, The Angry Heart, or Attachments: Why You Love, Feel and Act the Way You Do before you read this book. While well written, it is more of a “how-to” book; the wrong tool for the job if you are just learning about BPD and struggling with its implications.
Orwell: The Life by D.J. Taylor
Orwell was a tormented and terribly complex man. He gave us some of the most bleeding and damning insights into totalitarian systems and yet struggled to envision what a society, a pluralistic government should look like. His classics 1984 and Animal Farm should be required reading of us all. I think were Orwell to see how his work is handled today he would be frustrated at how his points have not sunk in; perhaps such a realization would have led him to portray his thoughts more clearly on what a society should be, not only what we should be on guard against. And then again, perhaps this was not his gift to humanity. Sometimes those we want as guardians are not those we want as warriors.
On The Road by Jack Kerouac
In an effort to read some classical fiction I have overlooked, I picked this book up. I did not enjoy it at all. I found the characters lacking anything I could latch on to and the story line lacking any meaningful development. It was like listening to a really long winded speaker where very early on into the discussion you are asking yourself “where exactly is this going and when is it going to end?”
Visual Leadership by Rob Weber
A good book for pastors or those in teaching and leadership positions within the Church to read relative to how post-modern people view the role of preacher and teacher. Weber develops the idea of an image smith as opposed to the conventional teacher model that drives much of modern Church interactions.
God & Government Volume I by Gary Demar
Demar is one of the modern defenders of Preterism. I appreciate and recommend his books Last Days Madness and End Times Fiction. Unfortunately, he is also a reconstructionist and advocate of theonomy in similar lines as Rushdooney. This book is a simple minded reduction of much more complex events. It looks to find singular Christian advocacy in the formation of the United States, overlooking the very real tension that existed in the faiths and ideals represented by the Founding Fathers. This book is not innocent as it is presented in the guise of a workbook that walks lay people through questions, leading them into more dangerous ground; specifically, the ground of theonomists and reconstructionists.
Radical Priorities Expanded Third Edition edited by C.P. Otera
I continue to be challenged by the work of Noam Chomsky. This work is a collection of various speeches, articles and essays from Chomsky. His work is always thought provoking; especially his ideals of personal freedom and the role work should play in the formation of community life and the free market. I disagree quite strongly with Chomsky’s view of anarchy; however, his work can still be recommended for its role in pushing people to think about the positions taken by their government under the guise of “protecting” them but with the reality of projecting and acquiring power.
Beginning to Pray by Anthony Bloom
A wonderful book on prayer. A friend gave this to me saying that it was recommended by Brian McLaren as a book that changed his prayer life. A couple of quotes from the book are worth repeating: “The basic think is that I never ask myself what the result of any action will be - that is God’s concern. The only question I keep asking myself in life is: what should I do at this particular moment? What should I say? All you can do is be at every single moment as true as you can with all the power in your being - and then leave it to God to use you, even despite yourself.” (page 14) And “The realm of God is dangerous. You must enter into it and not just seek information about it.” (page 15) I am terribly guilty of wanting to intellectualize my faith - this quote cut me deeply, as it rightfully should.
God First Loved Us: The Challenge of Accepting Unconditional Love by Antony F. Campbell, S.J.
This book is a must read. What a complete joy to have this book recommended to me! I have never read more profound words of insight, written so simply and concisely about God’s unconditional love. Please get this book and spend the time such a nugget deserves to have given to it!
“Creation leads to incarnation, the core of Christian faith. God became human; the Word was made flesh. Theologians give various reasons why the Son of God should have become the son of Mary. My own answer verges on absurdity, but it is also one that in its absurdity makes sense for me. God became one of us because of unitive passion, because a loving God longed to be one with the beloved.” (page 42)
Strange Justice: The Selling of Clarence Thomas by Jane Mayer and Jill Abramson
I eagerly read The Real Anita Hill by David Brock during my days as a College Republican. I was convinced it was gospel; more evidence of the liberals onslaught against Christian values. But then I read Blinded by the Right: the Conscience of an Ex-Conservative - also by David Brock. In Blinded by the Right Brock admits to falsifying evidence against Anita Hill, engaging in character defamation and being a willing accomplice in an effort to smear her through questionable journalism. Now finding myself very much without a political home, I am going back to some of the hot button issues that defined my initial conservative bent and exposing myself to the other side’s perspective. Strange Justice is another view on the Clarence Thomas debacle. It is a very unpleasant read, and ultimately, it settles very little other than introducing the very real likelihood that Thomas was not the choir boy he was made out to, or professed to, be.
The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations Edited and Revised by Michael W. Holmes
A wonderful translation of a number of the core books, most of which have been taken as Holy Scripture during the early days of the Church. The works themselves introduce little new and reinforce what is already known about the Christian life as revealed to us by the New Testament.
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“If anyone can show me, and prove to me, that I am wrong in thought or deed, I will gladly change. I seek the truth, which never yet hurt anybody. It is only persistence in self-delusion and ignorance which does harm.”
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