Bookaid

I have been on placement this week, and having completed my Common Purpose course (more on that another time), I thought I would take a look at some local charities and see where the church, public, private and not for profit organisations work together.

You can never have too many books just look at my house:

On Monday I spent time with BOOKAID in Ranskill, I bought some books too:

• Vol 1 & 2 of Simon Shama's History of Britain
• Can't Swim, Ride, Run- Andy Holgate (Brilliant book, review coming soon)
• Trianing Techniques for Cyclists- Bicycling Magazine  
• Eden Project- Matt Wilson
• The Bible Jesus Read- Philip Yancey
• Hello I love you: Adventures in Adoptive Fatherhood- Ted Kluck
• James: Mercy Triumphs (DVD)- Beth Moore

Thought I would list them to let you know some of the range of books available (I almost bought Calvin's Institutes's but I have a better copy of Vol.1 and want a set).

BOOKAID is a very simple charity established in 1987, they want to provide Christian books to serve the church in the UK and abroad. People travel from miles around to buy books and drop books off, yet it is not very well known in the area, I find it a brilliant resource.

Book Aid- Ranskill

It is however a difficult charity for those who have no faith to get behind on first glance, but this is where management of a shop (even by Volunteer's) makes a difference. I spoke with Russell and Stuart and they have begun to transform the shop, it now has a children's area, Complimentary tea and coffee (it doesn't give you nice comments, but is nice), with comfy chairs to sit on. They have opened up one of the back rooms and have a packing area to show what they do with books which come in and go out.

They want to make the venue a haven for people to come in, where they might be able to have prayer and relax. It's great, maybe a book club, or reading group. The venue could have many uses and it's rare to have parking for a project like this. You could easily have a computer club or conversation group, but it will need to work with the church opposite and others in the community to achieve this, always work with your neighbours! I know St John's in Bramcote where I trained support it and many other churches and Christians. It now has a good fiction and non fiction section too, though not sure where the Lance Armstrong Biography should go...

If you think this is a good idea one simple change could make a difference. It is likely that many popular Christian titles are in stock here, and more than likely some which are rarer, before you go to Amazon or the like you could come here instead...if you were in the building trade could you give time, could you volunteer? All you need to do is like books and be friendly (the second of which is the harder skill in my experience).

I like to buy a book, sit down with a cup of tea, maybe a cookie (OK, yes always with a cookie), and enjoy 30 minutes of peace and quite, so maybe it is already a haven...

Your 100 day Prayer

As you may know from a couple of previous posts, I occassionally do book reviews. And I choose to do this one.

The idea of 100 days of prayer appealed to me. Like essential 100 or other 100 sets of things to do it is a significant commitment. So praying and combining this with journalling something else I have done since I was 17, seemed a great idea.


Praying for something important to you continually for 100 days will make a difference to you, not because it is a formula to follow and then cash in at the end but because prayer is powerful and will change us (read C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity on prayer). Reading scripture daily is a good practice, I pretty much do the daily office all through the working week (I am not ordained till July when that concept of a working week will go out the window). I think it is great to combine the journal space, scripture, a few thoughts and disciplining yourself to pray for something which you want to see change.

I am pleased to see John Synder doesn't explain suffering away, he engages with the psalms "the prayer book of the Bible (Bonhoeffer)" and the book is well written. Which you would expect  from someone who knows their way around academic writing alongside a journalists eye for the everyday connection of life and faith. It is almost blog like in its format. Here is a quick extract to wet your whistle:

"Thats the good news! Jesus outfits us for the journey. He finds us where we are (in our distrust, confusion, and wandering), equips us to get through this life (through our pain, losses, grief), then ushers us into Gods kingdom at the end, fully prepared to meet our Creator. That is the gospel. There is nothing in the world better than that" (Synder, 2012, day 37).

I think that it maybe a helpful resource for someone who wants to move beyond a word for the day, especially if you have never journalled before, use the scripture and the thoughts with them even if you disagree with them to reflect and grow in your journey with God.

On the downside the first is simply a recommendation don't buy the kindle version because it will frustrate you, adding notes is a faff and you cannot see them without clicking on your bookmark, it would work on a touch screen version better. Get the book version instead.

My only other concern is that occasionally he slips into hero language (it may be a cultural thing me being a Brit) but I think saint is so much fuller a term than hero. Hero continues to remind us of our effort and discipline bringing about the changes in our life and has less emphasis on the work of God though he does also emphasise this aspect too so it is not a major criticism.

So I would say worth a look at especially if you want to try journalling, or want to try a different approach to prayer.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Feel free to contact them and get reviewing too.

10 Indispensible books on Ethics?

I have copied a link to andy goodliff's blog 10 indispensable books on ethics. It is something I am looking at myself for next years dissertation. My first book is Bonhoeffer's ethics, and his suggestion off Hauerwas, Wells, O'Donovan and Barth are no surprise but I was interested in Wannenwetsch having met him at the Bonhoeffer conference so I think I will take that up too.



But do you have any other suggestions?

I have added Chris Wright's Old Testament Ethics for the people of God and borrowed Herando De Solto's The Other Path. As I am looking at human rights this is my focus rather than sexuality etc.

Drops Like Stars & Nooma Rain.

As sleep is hard to come by tonight[I pulled the post as it made no sense this is the edited and slightly more sensical version], I might as well do this review that I have been meaning to do since Lent...

...while I was on my chaplaincy placement I read a few books on suffering one of them was the grove booklet below:

which was a good introduction as well as Trystan's book which I have already reviewed which I think is great (see finding hope and meaning in suffering).

Then I turned to Rob Bell (I still intend to read some CS Lewis but this is when I can find time between assignments, placements and Dissertation research)
Rob Bell's book is a great discussion starter (I bet you never thought I'd say that). If you grew up in a christian home like me then you probably will have read plenty of apologetic(trying to make sense of faith) material, explaining that suffering is either a result of the fallen nature of the world, or disobedience and human selfishness, Jesus said that while we were in the world we would suffer, and that in the end it will be different... but when you are in the midst of suffering don't you just want to know that someone cares?

Bell doesn't try and justify why suffering occurs, or give pat answers to someone who is suffering instead he asks the question "What now?"


***I don't think this is a spoiler alert for CSI series 11 but just in case*********



In the current series of CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) two individuals with the same gene have taken two separate paths one a mass murderer the other a CSI. Two people with the same gene take two totally different paths and so too with suffering two people can both suffer but one finds creativity the other a pit of despair (probably an oversimplification).

For Bell suffering doesn't fit into our neat packaged boxes, but this presents an opportunity creativity can come out of suffering (reminds me a little of honey from the lion). I desperately want to take sometime to blog the keynote from the Bonhoeffer conference on disability..

he affirms that God is not some voyeur looking down on our suffering, additionally that we may never understand here on earth why it has happened...that some things are just left hanging (the story of the prodigal) but he suggests that it is the moments when we are suffering which can be creative.

Couple this with the Nooma resource Rain and they are an alternate look at suffering, not as something which is the instrument of a wrathful and vengeful God, instead suffering is part of living in this broken and fallen world...
by watching the nooma video rain you get some further understanding that God is a loving father who doesn't want us to suffer that he is right there with us in the midst of suffering.

The book is short, you can read it in half an hour, some of the illustrations work really well, others are lost in translation (I am English after all). I would recommend this book to explore and ask questions, use it as a discussion starter in church... I know it is more risky starting with questions but that is where most people are, as a Christian I believe we have something vital to share with others that God is not some far and distant God, irrelevant and fictitious, but is present right here right now:

Saviour of the world-

Jesus, Saviour of the world,
come to us in your mercy: •
we look to you to save and help us.

By your cross and your life laid down,
you set your people free: •
we look to you to save and help us.

When they were ready to perish, you saved your disciples: •
we look to you to come to our help.

In the greatness of your mercy, loose us from our chains, •
forgive the sins of all your people.

Make yourself known as our Saviour and mighty deliverer; •
save and help us that we may praise you.

Come now and dwell with us, Lord Christ Jesus: •
hear our prayer and be with us always.

And when you come in your glory: •
make us to be one with you
and to share the life of your kingdom.

(Canticle from: Common Worship, p.801)

May God richly bless you in whatever circumstances you find yourself today...

Paul

Preaching

In Finding the Plot the author suggests 4 parts to the process of preparing a sermon:

*Studying the Scriptures
*Discovering what others have said or written about a given passage
*Understanding who will be listening to the sermon and what makes them who they are
*Prayer that immerses the whole process of preperation with the questions, 'is this what you want me to sayand how you want me to say it?'
(Standing, 2004, 15)


R. Standing. (2004). Finding the Plot. Milton Keynes: Paternoster Press

After the most recent module at college it is intersting to think again about constructing sermons. The problem I have is that I pretty much always do these 4 points, but this doesn't mean it is a good sermon. Though I am aware that God's word can still be spoken through a donkey and that St Paul sent people to sleep when he preached...

...whatever method is used to prepare a sermon it is still down to inspiration and perspiration.

Douglas Coupland

I have a while (thirty minutes) before my little girl wakes up to blog so I will limit my self to a quick overview of why I like Coupland's writing and what I have read and enjoyed.

Like any favorite author there is usually a favorite book and this is true for me, "girl friend in a coma" is that book (I am a little behind on my reading):

For any Smiths fans you will get the referance. I don't want to add a spoiler in here but I would say it would make an ideal book club resource for a group which wanted to explore faith and hope as well as thinking about how suffering and responsibility can affect individuals and society.

Why did I start reading Coupland? Well it was all the business of Gen X the term which he popularised (though it was a term in use before then see wiki for a short overview). I encountered the term in reading Youthwork magazine it is one of my little quirks that I am interested in phrases we pick up (hence why I am reading catch 22, why I read 1984 & Animal Farm; just read the KJV of the Bible and see how much of it is still in use 'skin of the teeth' etc) and so I read his book; it was fascinating and had me hooked, he paints vivid pictures of the mundane reality of life for most people, and the books seem grounded in reality (Microserfs another of his books came to mind after watching the social network). Sociologists may lump whole generations into one category but growing up in a Christian home as I did, seems increasingly counter cultural to both modern and post modern ideas (again I only did 6 months of sociology at GCSE so I am no expert and a degree in religious studies and half way through ordination I am still debating where Modernity finishes and PoMo begins). But with each novel he writes he manges to capture a little of the essence of life today:

A specific feature of Coupland's novels is their synthesis of postmodern religion, Web 2.0 technology, human sexuality, and pop culture. (Wikipedia).

There I have done it first quote from Wiki in my blog it was guaranteed to come! In this instance I have to agree, he is a talented social commentator, maybe in fiction you can be far more subversive in your critic of modern consumerism. I have enjoyed each of his books and now as a blogger they seem even more readable than before. Some of his books don't age as well as others but that is because of the fads and fashions which make up much of our culture but we still use McJob as an expression.

I have listed some of his publications (He has also written some non-fiction stuff too):

Fiction

• Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture (1991)
• Shampoo Planet (1992)
• Life After God (1994)
• Microserfs (1995)
• Girlfriend in a Coma (1998)
• Miss Wyoming (2000)
• All Families Are Psychotic (2001)
• God Hates Japan (2001) (Published only in Japan, in Japanese with little English. Japanese title is 神は日本を憎んでる (Kami wa Nihon wo Nikunderu))
• Hey Nostradamus! (2003)
• Eleanor Rigby (2004)
• jPod (2006) (1st Hardcover Ed. ISBN 0-679-31424-5) (longlisted for the Giller Prize)
• The Gum Thief (2007)
• Generation A (2009) (finalist for the 2009 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize)
• Player One (2010) (Novel adapted from 2010-2011 Massey Lectures, longlisted for the Giller Prize)

I think this links into my way of reading the world (far more by observation than text book). It also explains why I like Dylan, The Manics and Springsteen and it probably informs the way I do theology as the greatest story teller in the world was Jesus Christ, just look at the parables which have transformed lives and nations, spawned endless books, art and preaching. To be fair Coupland can't compete with the Son of God and neither can I (just check my assignment grades) just reflect on the resurrection, it blows your mind and the power is unlike anything else but could I suggest that he is one of the prophets of our age?

Have a think about that...

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus...

I have pretty much finished reading this book, I have a couple of chapters to go but I thought I would add a quote I have been ruminating on Spangler & Trevsberg quote a rabbinic parable:

There are four types among those who sit in the presence of the rabbis: the sponge, the funnel, the strainer and the sieve. 'The sponge', which soaks up everything. 'The funnel', which takes it in at this end and lets out at the other. 'The strainer', which lets out the wine and retains the dregs. 'The sieve', which removes the chaff and retains the fine flour.
(Spangler & Trevberg, 2009, 31)

I will  get round the book review when I get the book back (I thought it was good, so I lent it to a friend!).

Love Wins

On my facebook page I have written:

 "I want Christians to be know for who they stand for rather than what they stand against".

I think that has to be true for any thing I write on my blog. I am not going to quote extensively from Rob Bell's book, or to either hero worship or denounce him as a heretic (which is far too frequently used as a term for someone who doesn't agree with 'my' theology rather than having any foundation). Instead I hope the following may be helpful:

This is the 5th Rob Bell book I have read, I really enjoyed the first one Velvet Elvis and have found Drops like Stars an Interesting exploration of suffering (along with Trystan's book). With Rob Bell you know what you are going to get. Someone who is great at creatively looking at a subject and asking questions of the well trodden paths. This is true of this book too.

I am always interested in finding ways of exploring faith which are neither passive or of the ready meal variety. So firstly, this is not a theological work of great depth which takes a lot of time to read; I think I read it pretty much over a week. Secondly, it would aid you greatly in your reading to use a good translation of the Bible preferably a study version to aid with cross references, you do not have to agree with everything he writes (which is a good thing to bear in mind in any reading). Finally he does not really develop his questions, which can lead the reader with more questions than they started with.

He covers such a breadth of areas, heaven, hell, salvation, love etc. That no one single part has great depth but is dealt with in broad brush strokes. What the book has done for me is challenged me to read further around these subjects, especially in the places I disagree with him, it is essential in my mind that we allow ourselves to be challenged to at least think about the questions he raises. I recommend it (I enjoyed reading it as a distraction from 16th Century English Church history). Though as with anything we read think about what you are reading.

Finding Hope and Meaning In Suffering

I have finished my second lent book already, which probably means I need to crack on with assignment reading! The second book is:
Finding Hope and Meaning in Suffering- By Rev Dr Trystan O Hughes (One of my former lecturers at Bangor).

http://www.hopeandmeaning.com/#/the-book/4540592468

It is an accessible book, but what makes it interesting is the website above. Not only does he refer to some interesting reading in the book itself but this is supplemented by the websites additional resources. I find it important, when considering an issue, that there is a variety of media to look at listen to and consider and this does this really well. This takes it from a personal read to something which could work as a Lent Resource or in a small group setting.

What about the content? It is not a theological treatise on theodicy, though it is something he has clearly thought about in the background, he is seeking to help those who are suffering to be able to look beyond what they are going through. He is giving hope. The clear pastoral concern is evident throughout and I would expect nothing less from a Chaplain and someone who has and is a fellow sufferer.

It is very easy for me to put my size 11's into it with a stray word, I remember doing that at University, engaging my mouth before my memory of someone's grief. The hope for Trystan is that God is not the author of our suffering but is present with us, he is known as the suffering saviour. Instead of suffering being a curse it can lead to greater appreciation of life.

I commend this book as a great resource to explore suffering. Maybe this book will help people to find God in the midst of real life and not some utopian view that Christians should always be healthy and wealthy .

This is only my opinion so feel free to disagree if you have read it.

Post- Evangelical

In addition to the daily grind of reading for college (currently Anglicanism) I have taken Lent to embark on reading some of the books that have sat on my bookshelf for sometime. I have just read Dave Tomlinson's Post-Evangelical:

It was timely as I completed last term's module on Issues in Modern Theology (Post modernism, inter-religious dialogue, etc). It is a fairly old book now and so has lost some of the controversy that it had at it's publication, though it is still a discussion which is ongoing. 

The question of retelling the gospel is entrusted to each generation, this means not altering it to fit but asking what is distinctive about this good news so we can tell it to this generation without watering down or misrepresenting it.

Jesus's words today are still powerful and transformational, Dave Tomlinson's point is that being post-evangelical today is being true to scripture and Christ but not to mindless doctrines. Anyone who has studied any theology will realise that the authority of scripture is pivotal to this whole discussion and therefore this is touched upon though briefly. Tomlinson is saying that many have found faith through evangelical churches proclamation of the gospel but after some time they find that they are faced with issues which are not answered by black and white statements which are given from the front. There is very little ground for questioning.

All this is really just an introduction to a debate which is now raging in full and has moved on to the emergent church. It is a good point of introduction, the follow up addition of essays led by Graham Cray provides further material to think on.

Finally what is interesting about this book is looking at the "new" generation of evangelical leaders. These are now dated and I would question if they have quite as much influence as previous evangelical leaders. Due to the way evangelicals have grown in size there are many competing voices. One thing I have faced in an evangelical tradition is a suspicion of Theology, which as a graduate from a "secular" university and

as an ordinand I find quite frustrating. The questions I faced at uni and now again are the ones that most people face at some point. In my questioning it has led me back to scripture and prayer rather than away from God. 

I do not have all the answers and I certainly don't want to throw out my heritage. I guess that this is what formation is all about!