5 comments about Here I Stand: My Struggle for a Christianity of Integrity, Love, and Equality.

1. One of the leading men who is well into the apostasy of falsifying and corrupting the truth of Christianity is a man named John Shelby Spong. Christians who will stand faithful to the Lord through His Son Jesus Christ need to know about him and people like him because even if you do not ever read one of his books, you will come across people who have been blinded by his corrupted and degraded Christian beliefs. John Shelby Spong has several books out there today. Some of the titles are as follow: Here I Stand: My Struggle for a Christianity Integrity, Love, and Equality; A New Christianity for a New World; Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism. These are just a few, there are many more. What is ironic is that while he has tried, in his own words, to bring integrity, love, and equality back to Christianity, he really has destroyed the foundations and fundamental truths that are found within the holy Scriptures. Even more so, by destroying the very skeleton of the Bible and Christian reality, he has distorted so many Christians who now follow him that they truly are in a limbo of his leading and making. I will discuss several of what he calls his Twelve Theses now with the truth of the Bible and information outside of the Bible.
   
   From his Twelve Theses, here are explanations for you so that you will know how in turn to be able to get through the muck that has brought down the integrity of Christianity and has placed it into the view of just another "feel good without truly thinking" point of views. To be able to fulfill what is called the Great Commission, you will need and be able to meet in mental and spiritual combat those like Spong who wish to distort anything and everything that is Holy and True about our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ. The Twelve Theses is Spongs attempt to be like a New Age Episcopal (no big surprise that he was a bishop within this denomination) Martin Luther. You can find a full copy of this distortion in his biography, Here I Stand.
   
   Creation/Evolution: Spong has the following to say (453): "The biblical story of the perfect and finished creation from which human beings fell into sin is pre-Darwinian mythology and post-Darwinian nonsense." The truth of God however is far above Darwin and in fact, the truth of evolution is probably one of the greatest fairy tales of the 19th through 21st century. There are many holes and straying strands that exist within what is grouped together as evolution. Not even scientists who believe, or people like Spong, can't get the right idea of what evolution is. On the other hand, the Bible's view of the truth of creationism contains a lot of evidence to support this view. There are a multitude of books that are out there published by intelligent and thought provoking creationist scientists. DNA, biology, and physiology again and again when brought together support the Biblical ideas. What is so dangerous is that many people, even those who may be reading this book on apologetics, cannot know the truth because the evolutionsists like Spong within the church and people like the fairly popular Stephen Jay Gould outside Christianity seems to be the popular view that is taught as religion in our school systems and now in our churches. Instead I would suggest to you to read books like How Now Shall I Live? by Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey, The Long War Against God by Dr. Henry Morris, and The Face by Hank Hanegraaff. I would have to go into a book in and of itself about the truth of creationism but I think I have made my point countering Spong. Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey have this to say about the debate and how it affects who you are in your Christian walk with God (55): The Christian worldview begins with the Creation, with a deliberate act by a personal Being who existed from all eternity. This personal dimension is crucial for understanding Creation. Before bringing the world into existence, the Creator made a choice, a decision: He set out a plan, an intelligent design.
   
   Virgin Birth: Spong has the following to say (453): "The virgin birth, understood as literal biology, makes the divinity of Christ, as traditionally understood impossible." Biblical foundations of the virgin birth came from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah within two main segments of the book of Isaiah. These points are found in Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9:6a. What Spong has to say is another fallacy that has corrupted so many people who have come to the church to find the truth of God. Christianity is founded on the proofs of the Bible. Spong says that it is biologically impossible yet how can that be for with the God who created the univesre, is something as simple as this so difficult? For Spong, in his narrow view of God's truth, the answer is a sad yes. While you and I can't have a physiological evidence placed in our hand, we can respect the reality of how Christ Jesus, to be who He said He is and how prophecy has spoken true about Him, then we must accept the virgin birth. We cannot pick and choose what we can and cannot believe in the Bible. The Bible is true, it is supported by much information. Even more so, we must accept how the prophecies of the virgin birth have brought about the truth of Christ Jesus. We cannot say the prophets are liars because in the Jewish sense, if a prophet is wrong about one point, then not only is he a false prophet, then he also will die because Jewish laws show that prophets must be 100% true. The following is found within the wonderful work by Josh McDowell called The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict, he has this to say (295): The evidence strongly suggests that the birth narratives in Matthew and Luke are built on the firsthand testimony of Jesus' own family members, which further support the conclusion that Jesus' conception and birth were indeed the fulfillment of Isaiah's ancient prophecy. As Matthew wrote: "Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet , saying: `Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated `God with us.'" (Matthew 1:22, 23).
   
   Cross: Spong has the following to say (453): "The view of the cross as the sacrifice for the sins of the world is a barbarian idea based on primitive concepts of God that must be dismissed." Such a heresy is horrific to believe but there are many, many people out there who not only disbelieve in the crucifixion but not understanding the reasons why there was the crucifixion. The cross is the foundation of the Bible, yes, and even more, the cross and the crucifixion is the primary truth of God's love and want for our human race to be saved. Spong does not, along with the others who believe with Spong, understand the truth that is our Lord and Savior's reason for the Cross. Jesus could have called a thousand, thousand angels to come down to protect Him from the cross but God knew that His Son had to go through the cross in order for you and I to be truly saved from our sins. We are a sinful race, we are not able to save ourselves, and thus God was the only one who could save us. The only way to save us was to face what we faced, thus He had to come into this world, into our human history, as Jesus Christ, as the Son, and bear upon His own shoulders not just the salvation of the world but also the judgment the final judgment upon the affront that sin is toward Him. J. Vernon McGee has this to say about the truth of the cross (144): "It was a transaction between the Father in heaven and the Son on the cross. The cross became an altar upon which the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, was offered." Without the cross and the honest reasons behind the cross, that is to save us from our sins, again we cannot truly know and have faith and be in relationship with our Lord God. It is a shame that yes again, Spong creates a false reality that has subjugated so many who come to Christianity for salvation and safety.
   
   Resurrection: Spong has the following to say (454): "Resurrection is an action of God, who raised Jesus into the meaning of God. It therefore cannot be a physical resurrection occurring, inside human history." Yet again truth that is founded on the reliability of Scripture has escaped Mr. Spong simply because he, yet again, wishes to nitpick what he wants to believe and what he doesn't want to believe based upon a faulty ground of his "reasoning" powers. We must accept the truth within scripture and outside of scripture toward the reliability of the resurrection. There are several reasons for this. Archeologists and historians have come together over the ages to show that the Bible's scriptures hold truth in what they say, that they can be honored and they can be relied upon with all intent and purpose in one's walk with Christ.
   
   There were hundreds upon hundreds of eye witnesses that saw and had specific contact with the risen Lord and Savior. If this was not true, then evidence would have outweighed even the most arrogant supporter for Jesus being back alive. Yet many a times Jesus was seen, encountered, and talked with by not just the disciples such as Matthew and Mark and John and Peter, but also many others who were firm believers in the Lord yet had no real speaking or political power. Even after His resurrection, there is ample and true historical evidence that there were those who indeed saw Him and witnessed Him in His resurrected body. Right after the resurrection the disciples saw him, then others outside the circle of main believers. Remember the Bible read the following from the Book of Acts 1:2-3:
   ...until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
   
   Then in 1st Corinthians 15:5-8, Paul says the following quote:
   ...and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
   
   As these quotes show, you must understand that the writers of the Gospels specifically speak of instances where they themselves as the disciples had a personal contact with the Lord and Savior who rose back to life. There was of course the instance where Thomas, later Doubting Thomas, touched Jesus before the eyes of other. Then there was also the time where in the early morning Jesus ate and broke bread with Peter and John and the others on the beach. The first Letter to Corinthians, furthermore, shows that several hundred people had witnessed Jesus after the resurrection. If any of these instances were not true, then there would have been mounting evidence that would have wiped out even the flicker of believers at this time in history. As the letter of Paul was written in probably a decade or two after the resurrection, if there was no truth behind Jesus' resurrection, Christianity would have been snuffed out like what someone would do to a candle. Such evidence seems to elapse from Spong and his followers. History not only supports the fact that Jesus rose from the grave, it even bows down to its truth.
   
   This is just some of the truths that counter weigh the false beliefs of Spong and others like him. To be a Christian, to fully be raptured by the truth and wonder and hope and joy that is our Lord God and Savior, you must realize that the Bible speaks the truth, that its wisdom is not man made wisdom but God made and that its reliability is found on the solid ground that is where our Lord God stands upon. As Christians, as believers, I hope and pray that this confrontation to Spong's ideas helps you realize what kind of cancer is biting at the heels of our Church. If you are an unbeliever, I hope and pray that my evidence has helped at least spark a fire of thought and desire to know more within your heart and soul. I pray as I write this that God opens your eyes and opens your heart to His eternal truth and love and holiness.



2. Former Bishop Spong doesn't believe in the Bible as the inspired word of God. He doesn't believe Jesus was born of a virgin, died in atonement for sin, or was physically resurrected from the dead. He doesn't believe in salvation, the power of prayer, the second coming, Hell or any sort of afterlife, and sees God more as an internal presence than an external supernatural force.
   
   I am interested in the history and structure of religion...this is my third Spong book. I thought perhaps this time I would find out just what it is Spong does believe - no such luck. What I did get was a detailed view of what shaped his life and theology, how he came to write so many books (average of one every 2 years since 1973) and a readable story about an energetic, caring and principled man.
   
   Spong's father was an alcoholic who died when the boy was 12. Spong wasn't ready for the "man of the house" role his dependent mother would have liked for him to fill. His marginally successful early teen years took a positive turn when he joined the boy's choir at the Episcopal Church. A charismatic priest took an interest, and young Spong began taking leadership roles in every church activity. By the time he finished the 11th grade, he had decided to become a priest. Since being a priest required college, Spong buckled down and got all A's in school his senior year - a necessity for college admission since his previous grades were so poor.
   
   From that time on (working within the limitations of objectivity inherent in an autobiography) Spong was a leader in everthing he attempted. In college, seminary and throughout his early church positions, he provided enthusiastic administrative skills. Outstanding qualities - a way of creating excitement for projects, organizational skills, people skills, diplomacy, unlimited energy, a developing talent in handling the press, and a willingness to stand up against injustice, even if he might end up standing alone. He wielded these qualities into explosive growth for each church under his guidance, and through the difficult time of racial de-segregation. Repeatedly when racial issues were lacking local leadership, Spong stepped forward. During the occasional loss of a battle, he laid ground to win the war.
   
   Adult Bible study groups were an integral part of each of Spong's churches. His enthusiastic and always crowded classes repeatedly asked him to publish his classwork, and his second career as a writer began. He helped the high school football announcer with statistics, soon taking over play by play announcing. He created a debate over radio with a local rabbi. He received more and more speaking engagements, sparking a third career. These days, he has about 200 speaking engagements per year.
   
   The drama of conflict is one of the charms of this autobiography, but it is strictly a memoir of his professional life. We don't get past a superficial knowledge of either wife or his kids. The conflicts at the end of the book can get a little too detailed at times, but the inner workings of church hierarchy I found fascinating.
   
   Back to Bishop Spong's theology, I still wonder - given his beliefs - why he doesn't take up watercoloring or golf instead of going to church. I would like to read his views on what role IS appropriate in his view of the church and how this church would conduct its services. It is clear that whatever he believes, a significant part of his theology will be based on tolerance and love. A very good book.



3. This is an excellent book. I have read several of Spong's books and this book is very helpful in giving the evolotion in his spiritual ideas. The Unity church I attend, has had two sets of Sunday School classes on his books. This book helps one to understand his writing.



4. As a young Episcopalian, future priest, and sometimes follower of Bishop Spong I was excited to get my hands on his autobiography to see where he was coming from. He has lived such an intriguing life and he has done many, many good things for the Church, and for the world.
   
   In spite of what some may think about his theology (I, for one, happen to agree with a lot of what he says), I think that this book just shows that he is a man devoted to God, to the Church, and to his family.



5. This was the first book by Bishop Spong that I read, but it led me to read all the others that I could find in print. To date, that must be about 10 other books. He stimulates the mind and encourages one to think "out of the box" - a healthy exercise when all around us is a swirling miasma of misinformation and cant that is unbelievable. The Bishop is a renaissance man of our time.

2 comments about A Sorrowful Joy (The Harold M. Wit Lectures).

1. The short version:
   Mississippi African-American Catholic (and all the suffering that would entail) turns liberal revolutionary (and all the disillusionment that would entail) turns Orthodox seeker (That means satisfied fulfilled servant of the Lord). got this as a present 12-25-02, sat down and read it in it's entirety on 12-28-02. Recommend it highly for us 'children of the 60s' and spiritual seekers, touches the reader on so many different levels it is amazing. A short, quick, engaging read that packs a mighty wallop. For a WASP from the South coming to terms with many of the issues Raboteau went through, this was a marvelous book. Thanks! Raboteau's other works are superb as well.



2. Albert J. Raboteau is the foremost writer on the history of African American Christianity. In "A Sorrowful Joy" he writes his own history as an African American Christian. First delivered as two lectures in the Harold M. Wit Lectures at Harvard University Divinity School, Raboteau communicates his personal spiritual autobiography with power and poetry.
   
   A phrase from the foreword by Kimberly Patton brilliantly summarizes Raboteau's life story: "None of us is only the sum of our wounds." Raboteau shares forthrightly about several wounding experiences in his life, both those he endured and those he inflicted. Providing hope, he also humbly recounts how God brought healing and forgiveness to these broken relationships.
   
   Throughout the narrative of his journey of suffering, seeking, and spirituality, Raboteau beautifully weaves the twin narratives of African American slave religion and Orthodox Christianity. He details his surprised at the slowly evolving realization that they both emphasize the theology of the Cross. That is, African American Christianity and Orthodox Christianity both face the reality that suffering can't be avoided, while also believing the higher reality that suffering can be converted. In this one summation, Raboteau accurately captures the essence of two grand religious traditions. In one brief book, he poignantly captures the essence of an authentic spiritual journey.
   
   Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction," "Soul Physicians," and "Spiritual Friends."

5 comments about The Wisdom of Solitude: A Zen Retreat in the Woods.

1. Sorry, but I did not like the book. Once you remove the numerous quotes, the explications of their meanings and the daily life routine, there is very little else left of value. It does get very funny though when she completely misses the teachings of some stories and quotes, like the Nasrudin one or "the utmost master" one! The quest for oneself comes from within and the fact that she needs to rely on other sources to convey her experience is suspiscious.
   She also does not see that when she decides to fast, it is a trick of her mind that distracts her for 3 weeks and keeps her away from herself.
   My favorite bedside books are Rumi's, Idries Shah's, Anthony De Mello's, talks with Sri Nisargadata Maharaj (I am THAT), "Zen mind beginner's mind", "The Way to Life" by Benjamin Hoff, "Great Fool" by Zen Master Ryokan, "Teachings of the buddha", "The Buddha speaks" and the "Bhagavad Gita". "The wisdom of solitude" pales in comparison just because it is not the real thing. It is mostly mind oriented and has some hidden motives.



2. In this world of materialism and the quick fix, it is refreshing to read of a young woman who has the courage to seek what matters in life, at some great cost of time and hardship. That she could accomplish this retreat is the most remarkable thing, still to relate it to others in a way that is enjoyable and provides good food for thought for any thinking person is also wonderful. I read many types of books, and can recommend this book as well worth buying and reading, very enjoyable and enlightening at the same time. Well done.



3. Every day is a good day. That's the feeling I came away with after reading this book. Dobisz weaves together her own experiences in the woods with the teachings that brought her there for a solo hundred day retreat. Her language is simple and clear and is as refreshing as a swim in a pond on a very hot day. This is a book to dip into again and again. The best "Zen" I've read in a long, long time.



4. The sounds of the woods are varied and natural. The buzz in my head gives way over time to the cold creaking of branches, the soft slumping of snow melting off the roof, the chickadee's song. A silver pail as it hits the water in the well with a metallic splash. The rope on its rusty pulley as I pull it back up. The crunching of snow under my boots as I haul it back to the cabin. ~Jane Dobisz
   
   The thought of escaping to a cabin in the woods has a great deal of appeal, especially if there is a well-stocked refrigerator, plenty of chocolate cupcakes, hot chocolate and of course a hot lover and a hot tub. Let us not even mention the bliss of skiing.
   
   Now, when Jane Dobisz decides to escape to a Zen retreat, chocolate, love and skiing are the last things on her mind. In fact, the only eye contact she makes during this trip is with a mouse, which is quite humorous. Not only does Jane Dobisz decide to leave society for 100 Days, she also decides to follow a traditional monastic schedule of sitting, walking, chanting, bowing and cutting wood. She decides to practice Zen for 18 hours a day.
   
   In the first few pages I laughed more times than I can count. Jane Dobisz alternates between a conversational style, vibrant descriptions, lyrical prose and splashes of humor that catch you unawares. The first few lines of the first chapter captured my interest. Why would a woman want to strand herself in a cabin in New England? Here she has no electricity, phone or car. She must learn to tame the tigers in her mind and deal with her fears (there is no lock on the door), and learn basic survival skills. She throws herself into her own experiment like a true mystery seeker.
   
   Through isolation, the author learns to not only deal with her loneliness, she finds her inner Henry David Thoreau. The part of herself that longs for simplicity and a clarity obtained from wandering in nature. She shows courage in trying again when things don't work out the first time, she finds beauty in the smallest of pleasures and indulges in rituals like bathing and meditation. This is really a book about experience and is not so much a book of "how-to instructions for a retreat" as it is an explanation and poetic description of Jane Dobisz's experiences.
   
   At times the author struggles with the dicipline of mantras as her mind drifts off to visions of pumpkin pie. She at times desires nothing else than to escape back to her home and familiar environment.
   
   Questions not answered by this book include:
   
   How did her family cope with her 100 Day retreat?
   How did she find time to cook on such a rigorous schedule?
   The exact way to "bow" and "sit." Details are not given for the monastic schedule and
   I think a class in meditation and yoga is probably in order if you are considering your own retreat.
   
   Jane Dobisz is the guiding teacher of the Cambridge Zen Center in Massachusetts and is also the editor of The Whole World is a Single Flower by Seung Sahn.
   
   For some reason, I thought this while reading this book: One of the greatest ways to love a person may be to encourage their highest good. Jane Dobisz's friends and family seem to encourage her higher good by encouraging her to develop her spiritual side and they give her the gift of an adventure by dropping her off in the woods and then returning to find out if she is still alive. She does not communicate with anyone during this time, although she could have walked to a nearby phone.
   
   I read this book early in the morning and felt a deep connection with the author when suddenly, my husband opened the front door when I was reading: "As I open the door to the porch, my heart stops." A fresh burst of cold morning air rushed down the hallways and I suddenly understood why she said: "Why not let that kind of joy into all the little things, like smelling the air...washing the dishes....Isn't that what our whole life is? Joy comes from appreciation."
   
   You may find yourself writing poems while reading this book, planning for a winter vacation or simply have the desire to read a number of the books mentioned throughout this heart-warming read. Perfect for reading in the morning, especially in the Fall with a window open.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review



5. Maybe you've been in a similar situation:
   
   I was talking with a Zen monk, lamenting how I don't think I'll have enough vacation time from work to participate in an upcoming 7-day retreat. I also said I wasn't sure if I could deal with day after day of formal practices, especially the long sitting meditation. I didn't even know what I'm supposed to get out of such a long period of formal practice. The monk told me there's a Zen Master in our school who recently wrote a good book about her experience with a solo retreat that would probably answer my questions and also alleviate some of my concerns.
   
   I picked up this book and I was immediately relieved that it's not very long - I'm not a fast reader, yet I still finished it in a couple hours. Her style is easy to read and digest, and it's broken into small chapters only a couple pages long. It reads like a journal, and as such, it's all about her thoughts and feelings while experiencing her solo retreat. And while Jane Dobisz is a Zen Master (her Zen name is Bon Yeon), it was incredibly heartening to read that she experiences many of the same seemingly low-class problems (in Zen-speak) that novice practicioners like me have. She comes across as a very "real" person, and her insights are easy to understand and appreciate.
   
   I wouldn't recommend this book to someone who is new to Zen and wants to learn about it - it contains many Zen references and there are other books written specifically for beginners. And I wouldn't recommend this book to someone looking for a "how to" guide for planning a solo retreat - she doesn't discuss all the logistics, options for different ways of doing it, etc. And I don't consider those to be faults - it simply isn't want this book is about.
   
   After I finished reading this, I felt relieved, elated, and best of all - I felt even more motivated to practice! And that's the greatest thing about this book. I sometimes fall into the Zen-sickness of reading a lot about Zen instead of practicing Zen. And by it's nature, Zen cannot be attained by studying alone - there are countless stories of scholarly sutra masters who were humbled by wise practicioners. Usually, reading a book about Zen just makes my mind "sicker", leaving me with even more questions and leading me to check myself and my practice even more than before. But this book - this book made me feel more confident about my practice than ever before.
   
   That's all I can say, and I've probably said too much already. I hope this helps.

5 comments about I Give You My Life.

1. Easy to read and clearly written autobiography of a woman, who's life led here from nazi prosecution during the second world war through many intermediate states to finally becoming a buddhist nun of theravada buddhism. The english translation of the german original does not seem (to me) to be as good as it could be, but this should not be a reason not to read it. One might like to know, that half of the book describes Khema's regular life and that spiritual features are only showing up rather late. After she described so many details of her regular life, I was missing more information about her spiritual struggles after she became buddhist up to the point when she gained deeper meditative insights. The entire story is written from a very detached point of view. Maybe a buddhist ideal, but rather caused by Khema's experiences during the war. Nevertheless, the book is a great reading and one learns a lot about her times, herself and how a spiritual life can turn regular life upside down.



2. i've read some of her other instructional books and have always found them to be very helpful . that sort of piqued my interest in the person itself , which is why i bought this book .

   i hadn't quite expected to read about someone with such a florid history . i half expected her to be someone with a dreary life bordering on the mundane . she's really compressed a great deal into that life of hers .

   more importantly , she speaks of herself in a matter of fact manner . it is this detached manner that i found enlightening . i recommend this book to others because i think its inspirational . which one of us doesn't need some inspiration every now and then .




3. Ayya Khema (1923-1997)played an important role in the ongoing revival of Western interest in Buddhism. Her autobiography "I give you my Life" (1997), completed just before her death, tells the story of the development of her commitment to Buddhism and spirituality and of her decision at age 55 to become a Buddhist nun. Each chapter in her brief book is introduced by a verse from the Dhammapada, a seminal Buddhist scriptural text consisting of short poems, which illuminates in a telling way the portion of her life under discussion.

   Ayya Khema ("Ayya" is an honorific title for Buddhist nuns while "Khema" was the name of a nun during the Buddha's lifetime) was born Ilse Kussel in 1923 in Berlin to a prosperous, assimilated Jewish family. The family fled Germany before the Holocaust and Ilse, as a teenager, travelled by steamer to Glasgow, Scotland before joining her family shortly thereafter in Shanghai. She married in her late teens and travelled to California with her husband where she worked in a bank, had two children, and appeared settled into an American middle-class life. As a result, she tells us, of a deepening sense of spiritual unrest, she divorced her husband and married a childhood acquaintance named Gerd, whose family had also fled the Holocaust. She and Gern lived a wandering type of life in South America and Asia, where her husband was an engineer. The couple ultimately settled in Australia, bought a farm and raised shetland ponies. This marriage too ended with Ilse's, continued search for spiritual wisdom and her growing interest in meditation. Ilse became a Buddhist nun at the age of 55, helped establish three Buddhist convents in Sri Lanka, Australia, and Germany, became a meditation master, worked ceaselessly to revive the Buddhist order of nuns, and wrote prolifically about Buddhism.

   Ayya Khema lived an inspiring and full life on many levels and she tells her story well. Apart from her decision to become a nun, I learned a great deal from her willingness to make a radical change in mid-life. It is important to see how people may change and develop throughout their lives, and I was moved to see this realized in Ayya Khema's story.

   In many ways, Ayya Khema's autobiography radiates sincerity and purpose and fulfills its goal of speaking directly to the reader. This is especially true in her introduction and in the sections of her book following her ordination where she explains what the Buddhist path has meant to her. The final pages of the book, written when Ayya Khema knew she would soon die, have a rare immediacy and poignancy.

   Most autobiographies conceal as much about their subject as they reveal, and Ayya Khema's autobiography is no exception. The book gives a good picture of the externals of Ilse Kussel's life but, I thought, too little of what was going on inside. I found myself wanting to know more about Ilse's two marriages and the reasons for their failures. There is a brief discussion of Ilse's attempt to recover her spirituality through Judaism, and I would have liked to hear more. Beyond references to the suffering of life and to the inevitability of change, I would have liked more detail of Ilse's early study of spiritual texts. And I would have liked more details on the course she pursued during her meditation retreats and on what it was she learned from the Indian and Buddhist masters she reveres as her teachers.

   This autobiography shows effectively Ilse Kussel's transformation into Ayya Khema. It shows what was important to Ayya Khema when she became a nun and how she worked to realize herself as a Buddhist nun. We see Ilse Kussel/Ayya Khema througout her life as an intelligent strong-willed and determined woman. I still do not fully understand, after reading this inspiring story, the internal process by which Isle Kussel became transformed into Ayya Khema.




4. Ilse Kussel's, life covers over half of this autobiographical book, the remainder is the life of Ayya Khema; both lives are well worth reading.
   
   The 'death' of Ilse (and the birth of Ayya Khema and the love for the children) is connected with letting go of her two children. She writes beautifully:
   
   "My love for them did not depend on their being alive; on their living the way I wanted them to; on from their side, feeling connected to me, on their being grateful to me, or on their being 'well-behaved'. All that no longer mattered."
   
   This for me is the highlight in the book; what follows in the life of Ayya with her teaching and with the establishment of various monasteries and centres was made possible by this kind of detatchment.



5. I have read all of Ayya Khemas other books and many of her Dhamma talks on Buddhanet.net but this book is written from the heart of Ayya Khema descibing her and her family's incredible journey from Nazi Germany to Shanghai, to US then to South America and finally her journey to the far east and back to Germany where she established Buddha Haus. This is such a well written book that I simply could not put it down and felt her genuine sense wanting to give us her life on every page. I felt connected to sister Khema from the first to last page. I highly recommend it. Floyd in Idaho

1 comments about Though Lions Roar: The Story of Helen Roseveare : Missionary Doctor to the Congo (Faith's Adventurers).

1. Helen Roseveare grew up in Northern Wales, and wanted to tell other people about Jesus, long before she had a relationship with Him herself. When she became older, she decided to become a doctor, and in college she fell in with another girl who had a Bible study. This changed Helen's life.
   
   This book looks into Helen's life and tells of her struggles against herself, the world, and with the "Lions," as mentioned in the book's title. One incident was especially encouraging to me. When she was in missionary training, she was given a task: to clean the ladies' bathroom floor. As she finished in one area, people would come in, and walk on the floor with their dirty shoes. Elizabeth, the one who had assigned the job, asked what was bothering Helen, and Helen told of her discouragement. She asked, "For whom are you scrubbing this floor, Helen?"
   "Why, for you, of course."
   "No, my dear. If you are doing it for me, you may as well go home. You'll never satisfy me. You're doing it for the Lord, and He saw you the first time you cleaned it. That is tomorrow's dirt."
   
   We also read of times when Helen was on the mission field, and Helen fell to relying on her own strength for her work. She saw it as her work, not letting go, and taking both all responsibility and credit. Finally she saw that it was the Lord's work, and she was only one of his workers. It was encouraging to me, to look at my own life, and my own endeavors.
   
   When Zaire received it's independence, one of the violent "patriotic" factions was called the Lions, who cherished a hatred for foreigners. One day the Lions came to the mission hospital to steal and plunder, and their lieutenant beat and assaulted Helen before taking her prisoner. She was a prisoner for some time with others at a convent before being released.
   
   Helen still teaches and encourages those around her to a life of surrender to Christ.

No comments about Buddhadasa: Theravada Buddhism and Modernist Reform in Thailand.

5 comments about Faith of Our Founding Father: The Spiritual Journey of George Washington.

1. Though I have always liked George Washington, this book has allowed me recognize him as America's greatest hero.The Spiritual Journey of George Washington is a luminous torch. I reread parts of this book every day. Washington's spirituality is incredibly contemporary. His wisdom is powerful. His discipline, the amazing protection he had in battle, his extraordinary humility - refusing to become the first King of the United States - all these and other explanations in this book of seminal events in George Washington's life make me appreciate what it took for the United States to become a nation.



2. This book is more a work of fiction than a proper historical treatment of Washington's religious beliefs. It was painful to read such stretches of imagination. In the environment today it's not surprising that our first President is being remade in the light that we want instead of what he was. If you are deeply christian and your not concerned about accuracy or facts, than I think you will enjoy this book. If you are looking for a non fiction treatment of the subject or a historical view, look elsewhere.



3. Many people speak of the beliefs of the founding fathers and their political views. This book allows Washington to speak for himself -- with many verbatim transcripts and documented references. Very readable, providing one with a real perspective of the values of the day and, most importantly, the actual beliefs of George Washington himself without the "spin" of current day political pundits. Very refreshing and inspiring.



4. Ms. Connell devotes the first half of this book to evangelical expository techniques. Therein, while she never formally labels Washington as a certified antecedent to today's regligious right, she attempts to leave that impression, no doubt with measurable effect on a reader who engages only the first part of the book. The tone of the book changes in the second half, almost as if written by a different author. The writing is more objective and historically accurate. I bought the book because when I selected Alf J. Mapp, Jr.'s The Faiths of our Founding Fathers for an Amazon order, I was offered Connell's book in a package deal. I know now, and I should have known when I ordered, that her publisher (Hatherleigh Press) was a give-away to the real nature of her book. Whether I should have known or not, Amazon should not have suggested to readers that Mapp, Jr.'s serious history and Connell's regligious tract would have similar appeal. Mapp, Jr., by the way, gives an excellent and accurate account of the faiths felt and practiced by Washington and other key figures of America's beginnings.



5. Quite interesting how tremendous in length someone would go to revision one of the greatest Americans to comform to the beliefs desired at the expense of the courtesy of doing him the justice of giving him a fair and objective historical analysis.

2 comments about Presence and Thought: Essay on the Religious Philosophy of Gregory of Nyssa (A Communio Book).

1. The outstanding quality of Hans Urs von Balthasar's thought stems, I believe, from his early, pioneering work in Patristics. He wrote three seminal studies of three of the greatest and most influential of the patristic writers, Origen, Gregory of Nyssa and Maximus the Confessor, and he drew the core principles of his own systematic thinking from the writing of these giants of Christian metaphysics and spirituality. This book is the second of these studies, and it simply is one of the best and most perceptive analyses of St. Gregory in print. Everything Balthasar says about beauty as a key to theology and spirituality, for example, can be found in the writings of St. Gregory of Nyssa, the patristic apostle of beauty as a Divine attribute and gift. This book is a must for both those interested in St. Gregory and for those looking for an insight into von Balthasar.



2. St Gregory was a very subtle thinker, one unfortunately fairly poorly studied until fairly recently by scholars.
   
   Hans urs Von Balthasar's studies, as with several of his works which explore Patristic thought, illumines for the first time many aspects of this great Eastern Father's philosophical and theological thought.
   
   Gregory of Nyssa is revealed by Balthasar as both an outstanding theologian and philosopher, who applies Greek metaphysical ideas of Being and Infinity to the God of Christian belief. For Gregory what is central is God's infinitely transcendant Being, which by virtue of its metaphysical infinity is entirely incomprehensible in every way to the human mind. Nevertheless, the human mind is drawn to participate in the mystery of infinite Being, both by its beauty and by its infinite fullness and richness, but is always defied as the finite can never rest in the infinite. Somewhat contrary to Thomas Aquinas or Augustine, Gregory has a very dynamic view of God and the soul's relation to it, having the view the soul is always ever drawn further into the mystery of Being, or else ever further descending into nothingness if it falls away from Being.
   
   Gregory also offers a deeply subtle philosophical and theological idea of time and temporality and change, and weaves a rich metaphysical tapestry into which the life and existence of each being is a mysterious paradox standing on the bridge between the fullness of God's unfathomable being and the emptiness of non-being. Man is by nature a temporal creature, also ever gravitating towards death and nothingness, but at the same time called to immortality by participating in God's being.
   
   This monograph brings out many of the more subtle and interesting ideas in Gregory of Nyssa's thought, which has a depth which matches that of a Descartes, Hegel, Kant or Husserl in our own modern era. For any philosopher of religion or theologian, this book is well worth reading carefully.

No comments about Basil of Caesarea (Transformation of the Classical Heritage, 20).

1 comments about Oswald Chambers: The Man and the Message Behind My Utmost for His Highest (Men of Faith).

1. Oswald Chambers packed a lot of living in his short live span, i.e., 43 years. One contemporary described him as a "preacher, teacher, artist, humorist, philosopher, and poet." He lived out the well-examined life. This life-long student traveled extensively and read eclectically.
   
   Jim Reimann points out that since Chambers believed that God engineered our circumstances, he accomplished his designated tasks and lived until he completed his mission. The phrase "divine completion" is used to note the closure Chambers attained before departing this life.
   
   Two nuisances that did not diffuse his energy were worry and criticism. He frequently refocused and cast down those distractions by two pithy reminders to himself: "I refuse to worry." "Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come."
   
   It seems he had a premonition of what was in store for him as he recorded early in his journal, "I feel I shall be buried for a time, hidden away in obscurity; then suddenly I shall flame out, do my work, and be gone."
   Chambers gained friends from numerous countries in his international travels. Like Louis L'Amour he coupled traveling with reading and learned through both means.
   
   His love of books is captured in a letter to his sister, written from a Holiness campmeeting in the USA:
   "My box has at last arrived. My books! I cannot tell you what they are to me--silent, wealthy, loyal lovers. To look at them, to handle them, and to reread them! I do thank God for my books with every fiber of my being. Friends that are ever true and ever your own. Why, I could have almost cried for excess of joy when I got hold of them again. I see them all just at my elbow now--Plato, Wordsworth, Myers, Bradley, Halyburton, St. Augustine, Browning, Tennyson, Amid, etc. I know them; I wish you could see how they look at me, a quiet calm look of certain acquaintance." (p. 70)
   
   Chambers studied the Bible on a constant basis. He was an intercessory prayer warrior who built his intercession on his relationship with Jesus Christ. As a missionary based in Egypt during WWI he confronted tragedy daily and ministered to men faced with death every day. He lived a pracitcal faith, a faith based on reality, but with a fully engaged mind. He was well able to give an answer for the hope that resided within him.