I am glad to call attention to this book by Mary Poplin of Claremont Graduate University. Is Reality Secular? is a challenge, by an insider to the secularism that is now assumed, with no significant evaluation, to be the height of intellectual respectability and that dominates the most elevated and the most inclusive levels of higher education. From there it pervades professional, social and official life in our world, with effects that severely diminish human aspirations of the type that have traditionally been upheld for humanity by education in the Western world. . . . ~ Dallas Willard[1] in his forward to Mary Poplin‘s Is Reality Secular? What is the nature of reality? (InterVarsity Press, 2014).
Yes, this is a teaser of posts to come 🙂 But it is also a gift I received shortly after posting What Books are on Your Christmas Lists? (12/16/2013). Thank-you to friends at InterVarsity Press!
P.S. As you may remember Mary Poplin’s Finding Calcutta: What Mother Teresa Taught Me About Meaningful Work and Service (InterVarsity Press, 2008) is the focus of an ESN blog series. In addition, both titles are included in Campus Resources from InterVaristy Press: 2013-2014 Academic Year Edition. Is Reality Secular? will be among the InterVarsity Press table prizes[2] given by InterVarsity’s Graduate & Faculty Ministryat the upcoming InterVarsity Staff Conference (SC’14, January 7 – 11). Stay tuned to read more about SC’14 and Is Reality Secular? What is the nature of reality?
Update (12/25/2013). Publication date was originally posted as 2013 instead of 2014.Notes
- Dallas Willard (1935-2013), Professor in the School of Philosophy, University of Southern California (USC). ↩
- Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good (Amy Sherman, 2012), Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power (Andy Crouch, 2013), Your Mind’s Mission (Greg Jao, 2012). ↩
Tom enjoys daily conversations regarding living out the Biblical Story with his wife Theresa and their four girls, around the block, at Elizabethtown Brethren in Christ Church (where he teaches adult electives and co-leads a small group), among healthcare professionals as the Northeast Regional Director for the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA), and in higher ed as a volunteer with the Emerging Scholars Network (ESN). For a number of years, the Christian Medical Society / CMDA at Penn State College of Medicine was the hub of his ministry with CMDA. Note: Tom served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship / USA for 20+ years, including 6+ years as the Associate Director of ESN. He has written for the ESN blog from its launch in August 2008. He has studied Biology (B.S.), Higher Education (M.A.), Spiritual Direction (Certificate), Spiritual Formation (M.A.R.), Ministry to Emerging Generations (D.Min.). To God be the glory!