No comments about A Jesuit Education Reader.

5 comments about Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience, The: Why Are Christians Living Just Like the Rest of the World?.

1. THE SCANDAL OF THE EVANGELICAL CONSCIENCE:
   Ronald J. Sider
   
   
   Ron Sider has drawn a line in the sand for the evangelical church. He argues that the church has two options, live like the culture around them or live like the church. As a pastor in one of the "evangelical" churches that Sider refers to, I strongly resonate with his statements. I agree that we can tell little difference today between those in the world and those in the church.
   Sider refers several times to George Barna and the work he has done in measuring where the church is today. It might have been good idf he had included some statitics from other pollsters as well in order to make some comparison.
   Sider issues a call to the church. He says we must rally around six very important issues.
   · Jesus is our source and center.
   · The church is holy.
   · The church is a community
   · The church is counter-cultural in lifestyle (This is the point I think the church misses, and therefore succumbs to culture.)
   · Mutual accountability and responsibility are essential.
   
   In the light of these issues Sider does go on and say that there is hope. Christ Jesus is willing to transform and re-form His church. Renewal and revival are not enough.
   This is a book that every Christian leader should read. If you disagree with Sider, or accept all that he says will make no difference. What is important is that today's church be challenged, chastised, and corrected, and this book will help in all three areas.



2. To those who have followed the Gallup and Barna polls the problem of worldliness among American Christians is old news. While worldliness among Evangelicals is statistically better than among the notional, born again or liberal Christians, the gap between their stated beliefs and their behavior is still abominable. The fundamentalists of all theological persuasions have long sounded the trumpet against embracing the culture. The problem is that they tend to be judgmental and are all too often equally hypocritical in other areas of their lives. Consequently, they are viewed as intolerant extremists rather than prophets.
   
   Ronald Sider in The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience confronts the most politically powerful religious demographic in America with its sin. However, instead of simply wagging his finger at these Christians or gleefully using their hypocrisy as a wedge issue to humiliate them for political gain, he holds up the biblical vision which to which they aspire and calls them to live up to their beliefs by strengthening the accountability structures in the local congregation, the denomination and among para-church organizations.
   
   To anyone concerned about genuine Christianity being lived out in their daily lives, The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience is a must read.



3. Ronald Sider is very concerned about a scandal that is undermining Christianity. In almost every conceivable moral category, the behavior of Christians shows no statistical difference from the rest of society. This scandal is especially shocking for evangelical Christians who have traditionally held that transformed lives are the best proof of the reality of the gospel.
   
   Sider writes, "To say there is a crisis of disobedience in the evangelical world today is to dangerously understate the problem. Born-again Christians divorce at about the same rate as everyone else. Self-centered materialism is seducing evangelicals and rapidly destroying our earlier, slightly more generous giving. Only 6 percent of born-again Christians tithe. Born-again Christians justify and engage in sexual promiscuity (both premarital sex and adultery) at astonishing rates. Racism and perhaps physical abuse of wives seem to be worse in evangelical circles than elsewhere. This is scandalous behavior for people who claim to be born-again by the Holy Spirit and to enjoy the very presence of the Risen Lord in their lives" (page 28).
   
   After laying out the depth of the scandal, Sider walks through the New Testament texts that call us to live a life of holy dedication to God. He then turns to causes of the scandal. Sider sees two basic causes of the evangelical scandal. First is a reduction of the gospel message to the forgiveness of sins. We must reclaim justification and sanctification as both central to the gospel. The second cause is cultural syncretism. Christians are being conformed to cultural individualism, materialism, and consumerism rather than living as a biblical community that subverts these "isms".
   
   With the very public scandals that have surfaced within evangelical Christianity, The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscious is a very timely book. If Christians read it and take it seriously, then Sider's hope that "this book will renew evangelical resolve to live what we preach" just might be achieved.



4. Jesus gave a stern description and warning to His disciples: "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet." (Matt. 5:13). Christ wants His followers to live in a way that honors him and proclaims the Gospel by their presence and behavior in the world. We are to be "salty" and live lives that are different from the culture around us, while still interacting with, loving and working in the culture. Ronald J. Sider's book, The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience: Why Are Christians Living Just Like the Rest of the World? asks some hard questions about how well the American Evangelical church is living up to that call to discipleship and holy living. This is not an easy book to read - not because of length (it's only 131 pages), nor because of its writing style (easy to read), but because of the uncomfortable lens it turns and focuses on our failures as God's people.
   
   "We proudly trumpet our orthodox doctrine of Christ as true God and true man and then disobey his teaching. We divorce, though doing so is contrary to his commands....Christ died to create one new multi-cultural body of believers, yet we display more racism than liberal Christians who doubt his deity." (pp. 50). Sider's tone throughout is close to sounding exasperated, but I think, that for the most part, his message needs to be heard! He is right, that much of our problem comes from poor teaching and understanding of the Biblical message: "If all there is to accepting the gospel is receiving the forgiveness of sins, one can accept the gospel, become a Christian, and then go on living the same adulterous, materialistic, racist life that one lived before. Salvation becomes, not a life-transforming experience that reorients every corner of life, but a one-way ticket to heaven, and one can live like hell until one gets there." (pp. 57-58).
   
   Do I recommend this book? Yes, with qualifications. I think sometimes it is good to read people who challenge you and stretch your understanding. Sider, is at times, not careful enough with his words, as he can make behavior change seem like part of coming to Christ, rather than the result of Christ changing u s after we come to Christ. He also focuses a lot on social and political areas, sometimes in ways that are not helpful. Still, all in all, I believe that all Christians should read this book and be reminded, that the grace that saves us, is also the grace that must transform us. As Paul writes in Titus 2:11-12, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age." I pray that God would use books like this, to remind us that we are called to a transformed lifestyle when we come to Christ, and the more we fail to strive for holiness-the more the world sees our hypocrisy. Again, not a fun book to read, but an important one for all who are serious about following the Savior.



5. Hard to deny that Sider scores hits on evangelic Christianity in this book. American Christians are soft, and that's all there is to it. However, my criticism is that he's guilty of too much dependency on Barna's findings for so-called "born again Christians." This group includes a majority who believe other religions are good enough to get to God. Nearly half don't believe in a personal Satan.
   
   Based on this crew, Sider and Barna conclude that just as many Christians get divorced as non-Christians. The problem is, these aren't Christians. Only the Barna category, "evangelicals" can reasonably be called Christians in my opinion. We certainly don't see divorce rates anywhere close to those in the world in our church, and I don't hear from other evangelical pastors that they see such rates either. We're not even seeing a tenth of the rate typical of secular society in our church.
   
   I also didn't like Sider's Lordship rhetoric which makes it seem like salvation is by works.
   
   Other than these problems, it's a well-worthwhile read.
   
   Dennis McCallum, author Organic Disciplemaking: How to promote Christian leadership development through personal relationships, biblical discipleship, mentoring, and Christian community

5 comments about Handbook of Denominations in the United States, 12th Edition.

1. Our church pulled out of the United Church of Christ in 2001, and our denomination search committee needed a resource to get more information. We were very happy to find this book. At your finger tips are brief sketches of practically every major religious group in the United States. Some of the essays are very brief in nature, while others are pages long. Still, it is an excellent starting point, and for most people who just want the basic facts, it is all the information a person could want on the religious movements in the country. And one of the other things I like about the book is that as far as it it is possible, the authors take a very objective position. No trace of bias or sectarian coloring mars the book, as far as I can tell. There is no way of discerning which denominational perspective the authors write from, and that's the way I like it.



2. Extremely helpful when researching various group's beliefs. Unbiased, and fair to the individual Christian denominations that number in the hundreds here in America. So many churches. So many groups you may never have heard of. For example; when a certain minister in my church gave testimony that he once served in the Church of the Living God denomination as a pastor, a group formerly unheard of to me, I used this handbook for research into that group's background. I love studying the different beliefs that are a part of this nation's freedom to practice them, according to the dictates of our hearts.



3. I had access to older editions of this book in our public library, and finally found one in a used bookstore. I was thrilled to find out it had been updated. I was disappointed to a degree, however. The older editions had many small bodies listed in it, which are nowhere to be found in this edition. I really enjoyed reading about some of these churches (I remember one was down to a single church). On the other hand, I think it is a plus that more coverage is now being given to non-Christian groups as these have grown in recent years in this country.
   
   I still give it five stars, I just wish they had left some of the smaller groups in the book.



4. I have used this resource in my ministry on a regular basis since purchasing an earlier edition in 1976. I have found it to be informative and helpful in understanding the scope of Christianity in the United States. This is a valuable resource for those wanting a beginning point for research and for reference.



5. We ordered this for my 80+ year old stepdad, and he has found it very informative. He keeps buying extra copies as he gives them away to friends interested in spiritual matters and/or the intellectually curious. One of the things I liked about the book were the brief sketches of different churches' beliefs. The author(s) has/have been fair or even glowing about different denominations, which is a very nice change from the negative reports we find in most of life. As I haven't read all the book, I don't know if they have any 'bad reviews' or warnings about some groups. My only complaint would be that some of the thumbnail sketches were just that, too little infomation. That could be all that was known, or that they couldn't find any or enough good things to say, so erred on the side of caution. Thank you for offering this book (and other items, and for your speedy service). Ms Coburn (L. Coburn-Browning)

5 comments about Radically Unchurched: Who They Are-How to Reach Them.

1. Finally, a book that addresses the identity of the unchurched and how to reach them in a passionate tone that the reader can't help but be excited about. Alvin Reid, who through his teaching and writings has popularized the term "radically unchurched," records his thoughts, insights, and proposal for reaching today's unbelievers in Radically Unchurched: Who They Are--How to Reach Them. Readers will find this book refreshing as Reid presents his observations on postmodernism and the coming generation. He continues by higlighting ways to reach this generation for Christ through worship, your testimony, church planting, and other creative approaches to evangelism. This book will not disappoint those who are genuinely looking for a layman's understanding of who the radically unchurched are and how to effectively reach them.



2. All I can say about this book is WOW! This is an awesome book. The author of this book is a very genuine man of God. I have written the author several times to ask him some questions about his book and about evangelism, and he has written me back every time and answered my questions every single time. Anything by Alvin L. Reid would be a good purchase in my opinion.



3. The book's subtitle explains its premise: who they are and how to reach them. It is the author's contention, and rightly so, that the church is totally unprepared to reach the coming generation with the gospel of Christ, that its methods and means of reaching the radically unchurched are no longer effective. After defining who the radically unchurched are, the author reviews methodological and means of evangelism which have proven effective with the radically unchurched.

   The author deals brutally and honestly with the ineptness of the evangelical church and the head in the sand attitude it has concerning its declining attendance and influence on American culture. Again and again, Reid drives home the point that things are not well with the evangelical church. The best part of the book is the How to reach them part. The author really adds nothing new to the well-read reader of evangelism; rather, he surveys the methodologies that have proven successful and presents them to the reader, with the warning that copying methodically without adaptation and a heart for evangelism will fail.

   I did not like this book. I had to force myself to read it through. Yet, after doing so, I am glad that I did. There is little or no original thought or research in it. Sjogren's Conspiracy of Kindness, Rainer's Surprising Insights from the Unchurched, and Warren's Purpose Driven Church are all well quoted. The author also has an anti-charismatic bias. His ranting against Full Gospel churches on page 112 is shameful. To accuse charismatic churches as not believing the Bible is sufficient in its historic doctrine is a gross misunderstanding of charismatic theology. If my memory serves me right only one charismatic church, Brooklyn Tabernacle, was cited as a growth church, while dozens of Baptist churches were cited as growing.

   Reid helped me understand that my evangelistic training taught me to share Christ with people who shared my basic values: a belief in God, reverence for the Bible, and a belief in ultimate right and wrong. Today, the radically unchurched do not believe in God, have no regard for the Bible and hold to a subjective value system. Reid points to Paul's sermon on Mars Hill for insight on how we can reach the radically unchurched. When preaching to the pre-Christian Jews, Paul spoke of Jesus and fulfilled prophecy, but when he spoke to the pagans on Mars Hill, he started with the existence of God, and told of God as creator and judge. The chapter on postmodernism is helpful. He succinctly describes what post modernism is and how it affects the way we present the gospel of Christ.




4. This book is less a study of the radically unchurched than a book on evangelism. Some research is reported, but most of the book is teaching on how to mobilize people into effective evangelism. Reid is conversant with postmodernism, but doesn't fall for the foolishness of accommodation. His call for forsaking anti-culturalism is well put.
   
   My objections to the book would be that he is too optimistic about churchy approaches like prayer at the poles, or worship evangelism. These and similar approaches are exciting to Christians, but I do not believe there is solid evidence that they are effective in reaching hard-core unchurched people.
   
   This book would be a good corrective for ingrown churches.
   
   - Dennis McCallum, author Organic Disciplemaking: Mentoring Others Into Spiritual Maturity And Leadership



5. Radically Unchurched was written to remind Christians that the world we live in is no longer culturally Christian, but still can be reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and demonstrates practical ways one can reach out to those who are lost. Instead of lamenting the loss of a Christian culture, Reid explains that we have just as much opportunity to present the Gospel today as we did in the past. The book is split into two parts, the first dealing with the profile of those who are unchurched. The second half deals with ways to reach out to the radically unchurched.
   
   A minor area of concern relates to the age of the book. The publication date is 2002, which is relatively new in the scholarly world. However, with the changes that happen so quickly in the world of technology, six years is a long time. Today, chat rooms have been eclipsed by blogs, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and many other tools available on the web today. A minor update to the material would be good, although many people reading the book will make the connection between his ideas and a practical application using tools available today.
   
   Dr. Reid successfully convinces the reader that it is imperative for believers to be obedient to the Scriptural mandate to share the gospel with everyone. He presents a large amount of evidence to prove his point and writes in a compelling manner. The idea that every believer is supposed to share the gospel is not new. It is a command from Jesus that has been repeated throughout the centuries, yet each generation must learn anew the task of reaching his own with His message.
   
   Anyone who wants to be encouraged to be faithful in ministry and be presented with practical ways to share the gospel should read this book. Church leaders, college professors, high school teachers and many others can use the material in this book to engage their students in the effort of sharing the Gospel with those who are radically unchurched. The church grew in a culture that was very much like what ours is becoming in the USA and Europe.

5 comments about Story of My Feelings.

1. If your child already owns Berkner cds - this may be a waste of money -- not much to this book -- recommended for under 3.



2. This is a great story! It came with the music cd and both were in perfect condition. It came quickly too. I am very pleased.



3. the kids love the book and song. the cd was great. price was good. only issue i had was the book kinda looked used because the pages were a littled wrinkled.



4. I teach an autism preschool class and my students love this book. They love to listen to the story and the music is very calming. We practice imitating the emotions and everyone's favorite is to yell when you're angry!!



5. The Story of My feelings is a lovely little book with a CD that's charming. I teach PreK and it's perfect to help children put words and a song with their feelings.

5 comments about Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historical Church.

1. Steve had a problem. He knew Jesus was for real but he was beginning to find that his presuppositions about the church were not. This is the story of how he fought against the Tiber tide until he could fight no longer and gave in to that which he had persecuted for so long. ("Crossing the Tiber" or "Swimming the Tiber" is popular Catholic convert slang referring to the Tiber river in Rome with regard to joining the Roman Catholic church.) Steve is one of many Protestants who had realized their one defining principle was that they were not Catholic. Their search for the roots of their faith led them to see the internal contradictions in the Protestant worldview and the discoveries were frightening and life-altering. Steve was goaded on to the deep Tiber waters by his loving wife and it is clear that the changes have been a spiritual empowerment in their family.
   
   With extensive footnotes that do not distract from the primary text, Steve relays their story as he first wrote it down for friends and family. It is a heartfelt and appealing story that makes us want to join in the journey with them. The journey ends with their somewhat hesitant realization that Jesus was alive and well in the Catholic church they had distrusted. It was a conversion not far from that of the Apostle Paul in realizing the one whom they persecuted was calling them to His family.
   
   The brief overview of the Ray family conversion is just the beginning. Steve adds to that story an historical, scriptural, and enlightening study of Baptism and then of the Eucharist. Each of the three sections could stand alone in scope and depth of study, especially in light of the extensive footnotes and references. It is a conversion story that packs a theological wallop without skipping a beat. Emotionally and intellectually challenging and inspiring at the same time. You will not easily dismiss this incredible treatise of faith.



2. This is an excellent book, written by Protestants who, through their thorough Bible knowledge were led back home--(kicking and screaming at times!)--into the Catholic Faith. This story chronicles their gradual realization of the Fullness of Truth in the Church and her claims, as supported by Holy Scripture.
   
   Warning: Read with your Bible and pen and paper handy! You WILL want to cross reference and take notes. It also provides many excellent Scripture references for several of the major points of Catholic Apologetics.



3. One might expect a book which wanted to preach the superiority of Roman Catholicism, especially if it had scholarly pretensions, would at least want to be accurate. In this case, however, your expectations would be confounded.
   
   As early as page 15 (the first page of the main text) the author writes in a footnote:
   
   "the tradition and succession left by the apostles were the source of unity and theological orthodoxy CENTURIES before the canon of the New Testament was established."
   ("centuries" is in capital letters for emphasis - not in the original text)
   
   This is a not very subtle covert claim that the establishment of the Roman Catholic church pre-dates the establishment of the New Testament as we now have it.
   This would obviously be a major factor in establishing Roman Catholicism as "the one true church" - if it were true. Only it isn't true.
   
   In fact the canon of what became the New Testament developed quite quickly, as the various books appeared. One of the primary guiding lights of the process being a division between those texts which were perceived to be based on the experiences of the actual followers of Jesus, and later texts which couldn't possibly have been produced by eye witnesses, and which in many cases flatly contradicted what was already known about Jesus Christ's life and teaching.
   
   From this perspective, the first Council of Nicea (325 A.D.), which this author presumably believes *created* the New Testament canon, actually only confirmed the canon which had already been in existence for a couple of hundred years or more.
   
   Not a good start for someone claiming an indepth knowledge of "church history" :(
   
   But there's worse to come.
   
   In a footnote on page 23 we read "The Westminster Confession of Faith states that the pope is 'that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition ...'"
   
   So, noticing that the quote uses the word "states" (present tense), if you went into a Protestant church today and the congregation spoke the Westminster Confession of Faith they would thus insult the pope. Right?
   No. Absolutely WRONG.
   
   Firstly the Westminster Confession is a feature of the Presbytarian church - it is NOT common to ALL Christians.
   
   Moreover, the author is quoting from a book printed back in 1931.
   
   The question, then, is: What is this author's purpose in repeating this highly contentious piece of text?
   
   Is he really unaware that the Presbytarian Church in America revised the Westminster Confession over twenty years ago (1983), at which time they REMOVED the reference to the pope?
   
   If he doesn't know, it doesn't say much for his research.
   And if he does know, why does he present the information in a way that seems to imply that this version of the Confession were the *current* version?
   
   Next, in a footnote on page 24 the author claims that Martin Luther added the word "alone" to Romans 3:28 - to make it read "by faith alone" - and that:
   
   "This has become part of the Protestant tradition, an example of how Protestants have added to the word of God 'Protestant traditions' that conflict with other truths that the Bible teaches ..."
   
   And just in case we missed the point, the author comes back to it only a couple of pages later:
   
   "As a Fundamentalist I was quick to accuse the Catholic [sic] Church of teaching what I perceived as a 'gospel of works' and not the true gospel of 'faith alone'."
   (page 26)
   
   Reading those comments one might surely be forgiven for assuming that if you picked up a "protestant" Bible today you would find that Romans 3:28 does indeed include the word "alone". But you wouldn't.
   
   In the NIV translation (copyright 1978) the passage reads:
   
   "... a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law."
   
   And the same passage in the 17th century KJV reads:
   
   "... a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
   
   Where, then, is this alleged rewriting of the passage, following from Luther's first German translation of The Old and New Testaments in 1534; this alleged adding to God's word in conflict with the truths of The Bible?
   
   NOT in translations of The Bible today! In fact NOT in a translation of The Bible over 300 years old!
   
   So why did this author feel it necessary to make this claim in such a misleading way?
   
   If he had been a life long Roman Catholic we might suppose that he was simply ignorant of the facts. But he wasn't. He was raised a Baptist and was at one time a Bible Studies teacher in an evangelical church (according to the back cover blurb). How, with that background, could he be unaware that Luther's editing did not survive?
   
   And what does this say about the rest of the author's much vaunted "studies"?
   
   BTW, I've made three references to the footnotes in this book - simply because, for some totally incomprehensible reason, a very large portion of the text is quite needlessly shunted off to the bottom of the corresponding page. For example:
   
   Main text:
   
   "I want to challenge reality, ask questions, and find answers; I want to know and understand."
   
   This sentence ends with a reference to a footnote:
   
   "I remember lying in the grass as a young boy, looking up at the clouds with my dad. I asked Dad if there was a 'real' reality, or if this was all just a dream or creation of our imagination."
   
   So, what was the point of shunting this folksy little tale off to the bottom of the page, thus breaking the reader's concentration?
   
   If it was worth including at all, why not include it in the main text, where it would have fitted comfortably?
   And if it wasn't important enough to appear in the main text, why include it at all?
   
   This book is yet more evidence that Amazon should allow a zero rating.



4. I thought I was part of a vast wave of Of "Born-Again" souls when I became a Christian. I thought the Catholic Church was old, stale, lackluster and for old mindless minions of Rome.
   
   The Holy Spirit took the scales off my eyes and I joined in the exodus of souls returning home to Christs Catholic Church, His visible body on earth. This book aided me in overcoming the lies I had been told about Catholics whilst I was a Protestant. It aided me in knowing the difficulties with family and friends and pursecution I would suffer for the truth in Christs words and my desire to obey His word - not mine or my preachers word or wahtever we believed in that day or that church. As a Protestant, my beliefs just drifted in the wind. They went wherever the wind blew them.
   
   God and His Word never change. That makes it old fashined. Mordern reinvention of His word is manmade. I chose to come home to Rome because it stays loyal to God and His Word without changing it or morphing it. Heaven is not a democracy.
   
   I used to pick churches based on location or size or the stage show or a dynamic preacher. Now I pick a Church because it is the one the Christ founded , preserved and continues to protect. A Church that gave us the Bible and preserves and protects His Word in its origional unchanged meaning.
   
   If your open to the truth, read this book.



5. "Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historic Church" by Stephen K. Ray is a fascinating and infuriating read. It is fascinating because it is the testimony of an "evangelical protestant" and their conversion to the Roman Catholic Church, but it is equally infuriating because much of the content is confusing or misleading.
   
   The book is divided into three sections. The first is called "Crossing the Tiber", which recounts the journey of Stephen and his wife to the Roman Catholic Church. The last two are related to sacramentology: "Baptism in the Scriptures and in the Ancient Church" and "The Eucharist in the Scriptures and in the Ancient Church." Minimal review is needed of the later two sections because they are pretty straightforward and I would say worth the price of the book. They consist of a collection of a Scripture verses and quotes from the Early Church Father that seek to demonstrate the sacramental nature of the baptism and the Eucharist/Lord's Supper. This is essential reading to Protestants because they are oft confused on the sacraments, including the Catholic position, and in their historical understanding of these issues, including seeing the Scriptures through the lens of a Roman Catholic and why and how they arrive at their views. I am very sympathetic to his understanding of the sacraments, although maybe needing nuancing, but these two sections are a great one-stop treatment of the sacraments both Biblically and historically. As any good Augustinian would say, tolle lege.
   
   The first section, despite being intriguing & fascinating, is infuriating, because, although he regularly claims that Protestants have represented "bogeymen" of Roman Catholicism, I think he is guilty of a something quite similar of Protestants. First, too much of the book is in the footnotes. Other reviewers say "read the footnotes" and with them I agree, but the footnotes aren't really footnotes. In most instances, they seem part and parcel of his argument and should be in the body of the book. Second, it needs to be pointed out that Mr. Ray comes from a particular brand of "Protestantism"/"Evangelicalism" known as fundamentalism. He acknowledges that he was a fundamentalist and states that it "believes in the sole sufficiency of the Bible, the imminent rapture, eternal security, blood atonement, the invisible unity of the Church, denominationalism and so on." Yet, on the same page, he treats Lutheranism, which do not hold to the above doctrines (at least in the same `spirit' or understanding as fundamentalists), and Reformed (at least those that hold to the Westminster Confession of Faith) as fundamentalists. Yet, in most instances, if you talk to those of these camps that actually know their beliefs, then they would distance themselves from fundamentalism, which as he appropriately points out is a response a response to modernism. He also provides in a footnote the fact that the WCF holds/held to idea that the Pope is the anti-christ, yet, except for a very small minority, this has been reformed in most bodies that use the WCF. On the next page, discussing Luther's "new ideas", he says, "Christ completed the work of atonement, and the Judge of the universe makes a legal declaration that those who simply believe and `accept Christ as their personal Lord & Savior' will be eternally justified." Yet, this might be his experience in fundamentalism, but this is not Luther or Lutheranism, especially if one considers the Book of Concord. This is the sort of "bogeyman" he laments Protestants use in their attacks on Rome & that he was a part of, but it is unfortunate that he continues in this vain. These sorts of errors could be multiplied, but that is flavor of what one encounters in the book, but won't be satisfactory to those that know history, including the "historical protestant church". If, as a Christian, my options were fundamentalism, including solo Scriptura (opposed to sola Scriptura), then I would by on a raft over the Tiber or breaking out the compass to Constantinople.
   
   Yet, despite this type of complaint, I am sympathetic to elements within his story and find myself on a similar trajectory, although, because I find that the Reformed Church, which sought to reform the Church and not restore the church (he seems to suggest that protestants are more akin to restorationist theology rather than reformers and, unfortunately, many branches are), solves most of his complaints I don't see a need to cross the Tiber myself or find my way to Constantinople.
   
   Finally, even though the book is directed at Protestants, Mr. Ray's decision to join Rome opposed to Constantinople is extremely dissatisfying. He gives a lengthy quote from Thomas Howard and prefaces it with "when we first read the postscript to Evangelical is Not Enough, we considered it something of a weak sidestep, an attempt to avoid the issues in a tough decision...now, having struggled with the same decisions, Janet and I acknowledge and accept the wisdom of his words." Yet, in the quote, Mr. Howard admits that "on this point [Rome or Constantinople] I must dodge behind a manifestly flimsy shield". Just as Mr. Ray claims that "sola Scriptura" doesn't work, since you have two groups (perhaps more) claiming "and tradition", then an individual is still left deciding what Church to go with. This indeed is a manifestly flimsy shield.
   This is a good work for Protestants to read, especially fundamentalists, because it will bring greater clarity to the issues at hand and let them know that many within Rome, even those that took the Road to Rome, do indeed love Jesus Christ, trusting in him alone for salvation & that many of the complaints are in fact bogeyman. A Protestant that does not know his history will be greatly challenged, even those that do will be as well, but hopefully this book will help Christians understand each other a little better, so when we confess that we believe in "one holy catholic and apostolic church" that we better understand what we mean and this book will help that.

5 comments about Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America (Plume Books).

1. The best sentence in this book is at the foot of page 193 in the paperback - "After years of trusting the people "in charge" to know what was right for me and for my life, I began to realize that I was the only one who could know for certain what was rally best for me."
   
   Everything else in the book is an alibi and an excuse.
   
   Mel White followed the tracks laid down by his grandparents, he looked for absolute certainties by joining in the ritualistic devotions of what Americans have made politico-religion until he found the strains too much. He was in the wrong occupation. He lived a lie because he wanted to live that lie; and to hide himself in the most orthodox part of US society until he finally flipped to the other extreme for relief from the perils of schizophrenia.
   
   This is a biograhy not a prescriptive roadmap. The Bible is for many the essence of life, for others it is a history and a prescription. The Old Testament tells us what happened and the New Testament hopes to tell us what lies ahead. The fact is what Mel White calls homosexuality did not exist as a term until German and Hungarian psychologists coined the term to decribe activities, now it has been hardened into describing personalities.
   
   The hedonism if Greek culture set against asceticism of Jewish culture produced the swirling influences in Christianity; but the plethora of books attempting to redefine Scripture as embracing homosexuality as mainstream are so weakly argued as to be incredible. The fact is that men have engaged in same-sex relations throughout history both within and outside the Church, and some accept the fact, some fight it, some live with a secret life, others cannot.
   
   If Mel White is now happy, that is good for him. I simply do not believe the way ECUSA is behaving is the answer. I is becoming cultic and losing what Anglicanism was when men like Cranmer, Risdley, and Latimer died for it.
   
   I find the extremists in the US deeply un-Christian, possibly even anti-Christian; but that is US domestic politics polarised since Roe v Wade where the Supreme Court continued a policy since the 1950s f ruling on religious matters and social mores. Accepting the Supreme Court as a Church of Absolute Right is also a failing.
   
   Christianity is a matter of accounting for individual conscience and actions on Judgment Day. By that token Mel White, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and millions of other will be assessed and there is no court of appeal, nor an other advocate but oneself alone. That is why the sentence Mel White wrote on Page 193 is the very essence of his book.



2. I picked this book up after reading "What's So Amazing About Grace" by Phil YancyWhat's So Amazing About Grace?in which he mentions Mel White, and I read that book after reading "god is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything" by Christopher Hitchens.God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
   
   Kind of a surreal experience. Stranger at the Gate proves Hitchen's point that religion is child abuse but I doubt White would see it that way. None the less White tells harrowing stories about what he and others have done to themselves in the name of Christ. It's clear that Christians, most especially Evangelical (read Fundamentalist/Fantatical) can't think for themselves and don't care what damage they do to others as long as the march toward their world view continues.
   
   Everyone should read this book, if you dislike Christians, if you are devout, if you are not heterosexual, if you are. If you can quote Leviticus YOU ABSOLUTELY need to read this book. You've got it wrong and Mel White will tell you why. If you refuse to read this book then you are just another narrow minded lemming...and that's really sad.
   
   This book is a must read.



3. I had first read about Mel White through the eyes of grace: his best friend Philip Yancey wrote a chapter about Mel in the book "What's So Amazing About Grace?" So I approached the book "Stranger" with a grace-filled attitude toward Mel. I truly felt sorrow for his terrible struggle against his homosexual urges and attractions. Eventually, I was practically convinced that Mel had tried his best to live as a straight man. However, I was troubled when I sensed that the book was more than simply a telling of his personal struggle. Rather, it became clear that Mel was driving a personal agenda against the religious right. From that point on, I thought the book lost all credibility. If he was only honestly sharing his struggles, I was all ears. But when he began to rip those who opposed him, I lost respect. Why are people of faith who hold a high view of sexual morality held in such contempt?
   
   I was especially troubled when Mel was not particularly upset the first time he ventured out for an illicit sexual encounter with some unknown gay man. He had broken his vow of faithfulness to his wife, with hardly a passing reference in the subsequent paragraphs. While Mel may have done a thorough review of the theology of homosexuality from the Bible, I think he undervalued the importance of keeping the marriage bed undefiled and to flee from youthful lusts. And I know he read that God hates divorce.
   
   White describes the great turmoil that gripped him as he concludes that he must be gay. However, Mel's conclusion that he must leave his wife and family and he must pursue these sexual urges is troubling to me at many levels. I am not unsympathetic to men who are already married and then find themselves to have same sex attractions. However, I believe these attractions occur on a wide spectrum of intensity. I do not accept that these longings can only be fulfilled by sexual activity with another man. Is there no ability to restrain oneself sexually? Placing homosexuals and heterosexuals in the same category, can we not behave in a manner that transcends our urges? As a healthy heterosexual male, I find it is possible to restrain myself against my urges to have sex with young attractive females. Must I accept that Mel was incapable of holding himself back from his urges? And returning to the marriage vow discussion, is "same sex attraction" an exception to "for better or for worse" and "keeping myself only unto thee, so long as we both shall live"?
   
   I have homosexual friends who are "gay", but sexually celibate, as well as gay and married and planning on leaving their family to act-out. I am well aware of the heart-aches on both sides of the issues.



4. A compelling narrative of the life and growth in self-awareness of one of God's noblest creatures. Required reading for anyone, liberal or conservative, Christian or pagan. White argues most convincingly for the full inclusion of homosexuals in the life of church and society.



5. Bought this as a gift for a minister -- it was a good choice according to him.

5 comments about Preaching Life.

1. The author describes how difficult and outmoded God was during the early 1970s, when she was in college. Everything was tried as a substitute, at the same time some others were embracing Christianity with a vigor not found since far earlier times. The contrast is sharp between the un-churched and individuals who are "Born Again." Rev. Taylor went on to say how others during or since have been so thoroughly discouraged by their belief in God and allegiance to Church that they may never return. Others had their faiths restored, rebuilt by new experiences that showed what God was rather than wasn't.
   
   An important element introduced early on in the book pertains to Rev. Taylor's quoting of Martin Luther's perspective relative to the commonality of vocation as a result of our Christian baptism. What each of does in our lives is our "office" or function, so that there is no higher or lower position of laity to clergy, it is simply a matter of what one does for a living in the context of living out their Christian faith. Also, it was an important distinction to make in explaining how we can discern what God's will for us is personally: "Whatever makes us happy, provided that we continue to belong to God."
   
   She describes that the preaching experience is a three-fold arrangement within a congregation. The congregation grants authority to the minister to address their spiritual needs. The minister listens to God's leanings for the message, and God conveys what message is desirable to be conveyed. The author uses the analogy of Cyrano de Bergerac to illustrate the role of representing the sentiments of one party (the congregation) to God in the balcony, then the minister takes God's message back to the party that he represents. It is a perfect arrangement.
   
   Three of the eleven Sermon examples:
   In the sermon "One Step at a Time," her conversion experience in college was very realistic and believable. The description of her experience, "giving herself to Christ," despite her half hearted efforts, was very impressive. The manner in which she described her acceptance of Jesus into her life was simply beautiful. The beauty of her sermons is the straight forward manner in which she expresses truth as she understands it.
   
   Rev. Taylor's sermon on the "Good Samaritan" was told very believably and with an understanding reasoning, not moralizing. When the lawyer in the story asks Jesus "who is my neighbor," Jesus asks the lawyer which one of the three passers-by showed the Samaritan neighborliness? The lawyer answered that the person who showed mercy to the Samaritan was most like a neighbor. Jesus said, then do as the neighbor did. Simply perform mercy or justice to whomever you encounter and this will bring you eternal life. What a simple and direct message she is able to make by reiterating what Jesus taught at the time, and does so once again through her uniquely simple message.
   
   She tells a great story with insight and understanding of the "Rich, Young Man" who asks Jesus how he can gain the Kingdom of Heaven. Rev. Taylor explains that the man had assumed that Jesus would tell what he could do that would make a difference to other people, that was achievable, so that Heaven too could be his due to his great wealth. Jesus causes the man to actually see what gaining Heaven requires, giving up everything that gives him security and the sense of power to affect people's lives. This is what the man could not do when Jesus posed the question. I was disappointed at the conclusion of the sermon. Rev. Taylor said that for us to have done any better than the "rich, young man" is impossible. However, it is not impossible for God to do what is impossible for us. I thought for sure that she would give us something more than a riddle at the end. This presumably meant that God could untie the binds that keep us in bondage - true - but we need to be aware of what binds us so that it can be released by us consciously. It appears difficult to accept that God can take from us what we need to give up so that we can have eternal life. This removes our role in giving it; removes our role in making the transition from one state to a more enlightened one.
   
   I find Barbara Brown Taylor's writing and sermon style to be very refreshing. She offers plenty of study of the scriptural subjects that she tackles. It is with new lenses looking at old scriptural questions that she teaches so refreshingly. No wonder she is so popular a teacher, today.



2. Barbara Brown Taylor offers a book here that is a wonderful and moving read. The book takes the form of two parts, each of which offers insight and spiritual direction to aspiring clergy, clergy, and laypeople alike. The first half of the book is a journey through the growth of the author's faith. She speaks of her quest for God that developed from childhood that led to a variety of churches and experiences through adolescence and young adulthood. This journey demonstrates the struggle we all have to come to know God, and the imperfect path which we all travel in order to arrive at a relationship with God. In the process, though, she illustrates tools and elements of the journey which are important to all the faithful. This "everyperson" quality of the book shows the average reader that a preacher is as human as those who sit in the pews on a Sunday morning. For the professional or those interested in preaching, it gives insight to the necessities involved in preparing a sermon on Sunday mornings, and the importance of our own faith stories in preparing us to live as preachers. The second half of the book is a collection of sermons from the author. These also have purpose that can offer spiritual direction to readers no matter if they are in the pews or in the pulpit. For the people in the pews, they are an excellent source of understanding the scriptures that they are written on. The author often acknowledges the difficulty in relating to the words of the Bible in these sermons, but the plain-spoken way in which they are offered give them the ability to bring those words alive for the modern audience. For the ones in the pulpit, it demonstrates a style of preaching that can be most effective in presenting the word of God to a wide variety of people at very different stops on the type of journey she details in the first half of the book. I would encourage anyone who is on their own spiritual journey to read this book, and especially those who are preparing to or filling a pulpit in a church. The vision of faith from both sides of the preaching equation is of great benefit to all.



3. There is never any doubt for ten years since I first heard this lady Teacher-Preacher, this one-of-a-kind, Barbara Brown Taylor has sustained my interest! After hearing her first in Lectionary Homiletics Conference in-between Joanna Adams and Fred Craddock, I recall taking a risk to ask her to autograph one of her books. She proved to be a gracious listener. After exchanging E-mails about our mutual friend John Claypool, she expressed her thanks.
   
   Dr Craddock gives her one of his rare accolades that she has the capacity to "sit on her own shoulder and report on what she sees and hears herself doing and saying." Maybe this is why she has gained her ability to become such a creative story-teller!
   
   To sustain my interest she uses 7 chapters to teach us about her intimate "Life of Faith" from, "a call, her imagination, belief in scripture and seeing herself in the pulpit." My favorite of the second half of 13 Sermons is "Do Love!" She starts with her disclaimer: "All things considered, I am a pretty good thinker if people will be patient with me..." Every time I have heard her preach or lecture, that is definitely one big unnecessary disclaimer! For this early gem of teaching plus Preaching Life, I only comment, it's the unvarnished sincere Holy Truth! retired Chaplain Fred W Hood



4. Key themes of the book:
   The key theme of the book is incorporating some of the essential aspects of the Christian life into the body, soul and spirit of the preacher. The book asks the preacher to reorient his or her life in such a way that he or she may see God in the seemingly insignificant. It challenges the preacher to see that sermon that is embedded in our daily lives, to abstract the message from the mundane and to liberate God from tradition and ritual.
   
   Taylor's answer to "what is preaching?"
   Taylor's description of preaching would be, complete immersion in the life of God for the purpose of sharing that life with the body of believers that we call, the church. The preaching moment does not belong to the preacher, but to God. The preacher must be aware of the way in which the sermon converses with the congregation. The preacher must always be concerned with the fact that his/her words are spoken on "God's behalf". The preacher serves as the conduit between God and God's people. He or she serves to seek intimacy with and revelation from God, and to share that experience with the church. While Taylor does talk about the act of studying the Bible, of choosing the right words, of understanding the sacraments... ... She comes back to the fact that preaching is ultimately God's event. The sermon is God's creation, and the preacher's role is simply to deliver it as best he or she can.
   
   3 aspects of the book that I found most helpful:
   Three aspects of the book that jumped out at me were vocation, imagination and the Bible. There were other ideas that were powerfully presented, but these three were the most pronounced. One of the first topics that Taylor addressed in the book was the idea of vocation and call. The connection between the things we do everyday and our participation in the life of God makes life worth living. I often describe call as that thing that "if I could not do, I would not want to live". Taylor simplifies this idea. People are often in search of call, but Taylor proposes that they are already doing the work of God in their daily lives. The key is in understanding that we are God's people, doing God's work in the world (pg. 29). Barbara Brown Taylor's discussion of Imagination was fascinating to me. She manages to take a topic that I personally take for granted and give it new life. I am particularly excited by her ability to take the commonplace and reimage it through eyes that have been touched by the spirit of God. I heard a great preacher once say, "There is something new in every hue that Christ-less eyes have never seen." When Taylor describes the common thought of Luke the physician juxtaposed with the thought of "gospel stories with the power to heal", I can see new dimensions in preaching. Taylor's chapter on the Bible presents powerful comparisons between what the Bible says and what culture says. I was moved by her comparison between a "romance" and a "marriage". The intimation is that it takes more to have a marriage. The nitty gritty; the day in and day out; not just the "oow's" and "ah's", but the "oops'" and the "oh no's". Seminary has taught me that the Bible is not all red roses and chocolates, its disagreements and failures as well. The kicker is that God's grace is always ready swoop in on eagle's wings and open up the possibilities for a brighter tomorrow.
   
   How does my preaching tradition disagree with some of Taylor's points:
   I do not think that my preaching style disagrees with Taylor's points at all. Her ideas fit in well with the preaching that I may hear on a Sunday in my tradition. I do feel that the depth of her ideas would add breadth to my tradition. Her ideas resonate with the better preaching that I have heard in my tradition, and she encourages me to look for this same depth, to explore new ideas and to go the extra mile in sermon preparation in order to truly reach the people of God. I cannot say that I disagreed with any of Taylor's ideas. I find that her imaginative writing style takes old stale thoughts and ideas and gives them new life. Reading her words makes me focus on my own words. I have found in the last few weeks that time spent looking for the right words before the preaching of the sermon has helped me to have the right words in mind when the actual preaching takes place. Thus, following Taylor's lead in searching for the right words helps me to achieve a depth of intimacy with God that carries over into the sermonic encounter.
   
   What questions have been raised for me in my own homileticcal thinking:
   Taylor's book has helped me to ask myself more questions about how the text is heard by people today. She encourages me to challenge myself in my thinking about preaching. As I prepare sermons, I am encouraged to think about the words I use. The best words in the best order may help to clarify the preached message. Taylor also asks me to get back in touch with my imagination. Have I been searching my imagination? Have I challenged myself to go to the borders of my mind, to find images that provoke the people of God to experience the depths of God with me?
   
   Overall impressions with the book:
   My initial impression of Barbara Brown Taylor is that she is a preacher. Her words flow eloquently and effortlessly from the pages of her book to the ears and eyes of the reader. She paints vivid images of the world that was, the world that is and the world that could yet be. I am amazed by her ability to both paint pictures and actually paint stories. She has an uncanny ability to draw the reader into the world as she sees it. This is quite obviously a tool and skill that would be useful for any preacher, as what we are tasked to do is take up a world view that places Christ at its center and draw those on the outside (non believers) into that world. If I could paint a glorious picture of a world where the dominion of Christ is exalted over all else, I am truly preaching the gospel message!



5. Consistent with her previous collections of sermons, this one does not miss. There are good illustrations and interesting techniques for the seasoned preachers and help for new preachers who are trying to preaching "outside the box".

5 comments about Daughter of the Saints: Growing Up In Polygamy.

1. This is the same book as "Predators, Prey, and Other Kinfolk: Growing up in Polgamy" by the same author. I didn't know that and bought both of them.
   
   Ms. Solomon is telling her story here and I do recommend you read it. I found the book boring and tedious in places and found myself wanting to skip ahead to get to the "meat" of the story. However, I read every page. It's good though to read her experience in polygamy.
   
   I found myself asking questions about the underpinnings of Mormonism and it's relation to polygamy, (and in a general way the notion of religious beliefs around the world.) Reading through the writings of Joseph Smith, Mormonism's founder, I got a definite idea of what he thought about polygamy. About 50 or so years later the Mormon church, under state and federal pressure, made certain declarations regarding polygamy. In light of the several (now) books on polygamy by ex-members of various splinter groups, and with events regarding the FLDS in Texas, it does make one wonder who is following the true, revealed, laws of Mormonism. If you find this an interesting question, you may wish to read some of those original writings on your own and come to your own conclusion.



2. This is a good read on a subject that is very controversial at the moment. It gives great insight into the daily lives of polygamists and sheds light on their beliefs. The author talks about her childhood and her relationship with her numerous siblings and mothers. Her father is a huge influence on her life and it is clear he was an influential member of their religious group. This book is definitely worth reading.



3. I didn't like this book very well. It gave too much history and not enough current events. I have read the history of polygamy over & over & over and would like to read current events. There wasn't too much to read about current events in this book. If you want the history, this book's for you. She's a good writer but I've had their history crammed down by throat enough. I get it!



4. This book represents a beautiful literary memoir of growing up in polygamy. The story is told beautifully unlike other books on this topic. Her voice is strong and contains beautiful imagery that often contrasts the gorgeous southwestern scenery, with the poverty and difficulty living conditions associated with living polygamy.



5. This was a book I could not put down. I really enjoyed learning about growing up in a polygamist family - from a "middle child" point of view. I learned so much about how lonely the wives were and how they struggled to raise their children.

2 comments about The Premarital Counseling Handbook.

1. Interesting points, however, buyer should know that it takes a pastoral, not necessarily a counseling, perspective to couple's work.



2. This is a great book for therapists who need general, well-rounded information regarding how to conduct pre-marital counseling.