In an essay on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, [Marilynne] Robinson declared that "great theology is always a kind of giant and intricate poetry, like epic or saga. It is written for those who know the tale already, the urgent messages and the dying words, and who attend to its retelling with a special alertness, because the story has a claim on them and they on it. Theology is also close to the spoken voice." In Gilead we are indeed listening, or rather overhearing, the dying words of the venerable, ailing, seventy-six-year-old … [Read more...] about Great Theology, Teachableness, & John Calvin [Balm in Gilead / Summer Read…Quote…Reflect]
John Calvin
Best Christian Book: What Have You Added to Your Reading List?
Thank you, Andy, for your amazing breakdown of the advanced metrics of the Best Christian Book of All Time Tournament. One of Andy's findings was that the Tournament seedings came much closer to an ideal seeding than the most recent NCAA Men's Basketball tournaments. (However, I do note as a proud UofL alumnus that this year, at least, the #1 overall seed justified its ranking. Go Cards! #L1C4) Perhaps this represents my in-depth understanding of ESN members' voting tendencies —or, more likely, I was simply quite … [Read more...] about Best Christian Book: What Have You Added to Your Reading List?
Best Christian Book of All Time: First Round Update
The first round has closed in the Theology & Apologetics and Christian Life & Discipleship brackets of our Best Christian Book of All Time tournament. Download the updated bracket for your office pools, and head to Facebook to vote for your choices for the Sweet Sixteen. Vote for Round 2! First Round Results Theology & Apologetics Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (1) defeated On Loving God by Bernard of Clairvaux (16) by a score of 99-11. … [Read more...] about Best Christian Book of All Time: First Round Update
Best Christian Book of All Time: Early Nominations
The nominations are coming in for our Best Christian Book of All Time Tournament (BCBATT for short). So far, more than 140 different books have been nominated, ranging from the 2nd to the 21st centuries. Here are a few of the books receiving multiple nominations: Augustine, Confessions Augustine, City of God Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The Cost of Discipleship Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion G.K. Chesterton, … [Read more...] about Best Christian Book of All Time: Early Nominations
Insights from works by people from other worldviews?
James W. Sire addresses another excellent question from Micheal Hickerson, ESN Blog Contributor: Should Christians worry if they find themselves enjoying or gaining insight from artistic, literary or academic works by people from other worldviews? I know that this has been a question within the Christian world from the ancients to the present. Didn't Tertullian (c. 160-230) ask, “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” But, though I was brought up in a modestly fundamentalist community, the question has always … [Read more...] about Insights from works by people from other worldviews?