The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne

The Irresistible Revolution
Living as an ordinary radical

Shane Claiborne
http://www.thesimpleway.org/

The author confronts our ideas of what it is to be Christian from a very radical point of view. He lives among the poor in Philadelphia, PA in an organization called The Simple Way. Though his experiences here in this community and those that took place during his education studying theology. For a summer he worked with Mother Theresa in India with the lepers’ and the poor. He also studied at Willow Creek church for a short time which exposed him to the modern church. These life experiences lead him to the understanding of what he feels Jesus would do in our world. He explains this best with the statement asking us “when we stopped living Christianity and started to study it.”

Shane Claiborne often draws comparisons between those who give money but never really give time and connect what the problems of the poor. There are references to the idea that grace is cheap because we don’t want to pay the price. We admire Jesus and his followers for what he did but we are not willing to make the same sacrifice. The distant act of charity because those who have given helps those who need to receive but there is no interaction between the two. There is that distance between the rich and the poor. Early Christians believed that charity was merely the returning what we have stolen. And if there was not enough food for everyone they would fast until there was enough. If one child starves while one Christian has enough food then they are guilty of murder. We need to love others as ourselves. He express’s the belief that we need a theology rooted in abundance rather then the one of prosperity or poverty that we have today. One where we have just what we need and nothing more, having too much may cause us to disown God.

Some of the ideas that are presented in the book argue against the church of today. Shane Claiborne also pushes the idea of the politics in faith. And they are not always the ideal that so many of us may view as Christian. In fact his thought is that we as Christian should challenge the human authority that rules our world today with its wars and social upheavals. You may not agree with everything that he has to say but you must see the love of Jesus in his actions. There is also that fact that he feels that the mega churches are not what God wants Instead we should be looking to smaller and smaller churches. Jesus came as a small child, faith of a mustard seed,as God takes over the earth one small act of love at a time. Most important of all we must pray about everything!

Whether you chose to agree with everything or anything that Shane Claiborne says in his book, what he says makes you think about how we are as Christians in the world today.
Is his view of what Jesus would want true, I don’t know. I do feel that we need to question ourselves in the manner of what would Jesus do?

Sex God By Rob Bell

Sex God
Exploring The Endless Connections Between Sexuality and Spirituality
Rob Bell

I must admit that I was a little concerned about reading this book. Having survived the preacher’s sermon about SEX the most notable was titled the elephant in the bedroom. It was the Sunday that I would have skipped if I’d only known. The sermon was very good and very well handled without being too heavy handed but still. It was those same feelings that keep from picking up this book at first but what a mistake that would have been. I enjoyed this book so much that I have it in two formats, audio and e-book. After listening to in my car I had to have a copy of it that I could reference to in the written format. For those that enjoy audio this is a great way to enjoy the book because it is read by the author and pastor Rob Bell. So at times you feel as though you are listening to sermon on Sunday morning. Not the kind that would make you uncomfortable or awkward.

When we talk about sex we must in turn talk about where we come from and who created us which of course leads us to God. Also we need to reflect on how we treat others because this reflects our view of the creator. As we dehumanize others we are doing the same to ourselves. There is also the need to be aware that God often gives us not what we want but what we need. It may be something as simple lipstick, but it will be something that we need. Even more reason that we must learn to become what God has intended us to be and he will help us to do that.

This is a book that challenges the perspective of the world. While it enlightens us to how God views us and our sexuality.

Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil by John Berendt

A Savannah Story
John Berendt
This last year for Christmas we made our first trip to Savannah, Georgia. While there we did the usual tourist thing and took a guided tour of the town which is very rich in history. There were many references to the book “Midnight In The Garden Of Good and Evil” A Savannah Story by John Berendt while there for our visit. I must admit that the story is an interesting one full of many different characters. When reading this book you must remember that this book is based on people and events which are real only some of the names have been changed. I also must caution about some of the adult content in the book.
There are many interesting characters that populate the world of Savannah as presented in this novel. Jim Williams is one of the main characters, who is an antiques dealer and the restorer of old houses. He has a passion for Faberge and Nazi memorabilia There are hints to his life style that lead to his going on trial for murder. I will leave it stand at that because the trial is an interesting part of the story. His friend and neighbor Joe Odam, piano player, who is always one step ahead of the law. He writes bad checks, opens his home to tourists even if it is not his house and lives with a menagerie of characters.
There is also the inventor, Luther Driggers, who is rumored to have a bottle of poison five hundred times more deadly then arsenic which if added to the cities water supply would kill everyone. Luther's other hobby included anesthetized ordinary house flies and glued lengths of thread to their backs. He has been known to walk through downtown Savannah holing a dozen or more threads in his hand walking flies. There is also Chablis the drag queen who is dating a guy who likes women. Add Minerva with her purple glasses, who practices voodoo, wandering the graveyards and putts curses on people. There is a wide variety of characters and personalities in this well written novel. It is a surprising human drama which adds to the intrigue that is Savannah.

Summer Reading List

I'm not sure if I will be able to get all of these read but I will have fun trying. After going through my book shelves and of course buying a couple. My reading list for this summer is as follows:
The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claibourne
living as an ordinary radical
Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil by John Berendt
Time Travel In Einstein's Universe by J. Richard Gott
The Physical Possibilities of Travel Through Time
The Tipping Point How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcom Gladwell
Phantastes A Faerie Romance by George MacDonald
Sex God by Rob Bell
Stiff The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers By Mary Roach
The list may change but it will get me started. I think all I'm going to doing this summer is reading....I love it!

Phantasted George MacDonald

Phantastes
George MacDonald

This book was a delight to read. It is easy to see the influence that George MacDonald has had on other writers. In fact the volume that I read had a forward written by C.S. Lewis in which he sings the praises of this author. His influences on modern writers of fantasy are greatly in his debt. George MacDonald first chosen profession was that of minister but later in life he focused on writing and lecturing to the end of his life. The story is one of the adventures of Anodos on the event of his 21st birthday is given the key to his fathers secretary which leads to his first contact with a fairy and the beginning of his journey.
This brings him in contact with many adventures such as the tree spirits and a visit to place of the fairy queen. It is an amazing journey but I must admit at times it is a difficult read. It is written in a style that fits the time period that is a little different at times to read now. It is well worth the effort if you stick with it because it is an amazing story that is being told.

Blue Shoe by Annie Lamott

Blue Shoe

By Anne Lamott

Anne Lamott has written one of my favorite books but I must admit it isn’t this particular one. Because of her novel Traveling Mercies I wanted to read Blue Shoe. I have had this novel for a while so I thought why not. The story has its interesting moments as Mattie struggles with life: ex-husband, parental infidelity, children, her mothers declining mental state and romance. I must admit at times I was surprised by some of the things that she wrote while proclaiming her character as Christian. I should have taken into account the fact that she is writing about real living breathing people not an idolized individuals. The characters are full of human flaws as she fights with the kids, sleeps with her ex-husband and falls in love with her married best friend. The story is full of the hope that being a Christian gives us no matter how imperfect we are. Being a Christian is the one point that she never loses sight on within her difficulties.

The Shack by William P. Young

The Shack
William P. Young
I related to this book on so many levels because for a large portion of my life I was very angry with God. Even to the point that I stopped believing in him or in this case her. I wish this book would have been written many years ago. It would have helped me to heal more quickly. Believing and trusting allows Mack to take a journey that provides healing for himself and his family. It is through that journey that we are able to gain a better understanding of God in the difficult moments of life. Some have problems conceptualizing God as a women but I like this because I we need to recognize that we are not able to limit God. I felt encouraged by much of what takes place in the story. So much of it spoke to me on a personal spiritual level. In several areas it also reminded me of how different God is from what we humans have tried to make “him.” There are also several biblical lessons that take place through out that add to a better understanding of God. I have already loaned out a copy of this book to a friend and there are others in my work place who wants to read this book.