Note from CM: During my weekend at Gethsemani, some of the most insightful reading I did came from Christian Wiman’s luminous book, My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer. Here is one of the passages that gave me pause, for your meditation today. * * * Religious despair is often a defense against boredomContinue reading “Christian Wiman: Religious Despair as Defense”
Category Archives: IM Recommended Reading
The Dark Side of Small
In forsaking the ability to change, they diminish the capacity for hope. – Kathleen Norris I have often praised smaller churches. I continue to hope in the restoration of community life across the U.S. and the revitalization of neighborhood churches that will bring the Gospel back down to its proper human scale. But I amContinue reading “The Dark Side of Small”
Another Look: Willimon on Jesus – Vagabond, Peacemaker, Storyteller
Note from CM: This week we are focusing on Jesus-shaped spirituality. One thing I am doing is going back and taking a look at some of my favorite authors and books that have helped me know Christ and his way better. Here is one part of a review I did in 2011 of Will Willimon’sContinue reading “Another Look: Willimon on Jesus – Vagabond, Peacemaker, Storyteller”
Jesus-Shaped Spirituality: A Eucharistic Life
I am a liturgical Christian. By that I do not mean that I prefer a certain style of worship. Rather, it means that I accept the wisdom of the traditional pattern of worship. I have written about this in a post called, “The Order of Christian Worship.” The traditional pattern reenacts the drama of theContinue reading “Jesus-Shaped Spirituality: A Eucharistic Life”
The Heroic Journey
But what are you going to do with your now resurrected life? That is the heroic question. – Richard Rohr Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life * * * One traditional way of thinking about the course of life has been through the stories of journeys made by heroes or heroines.Continue reading “The Heroic Journey”
A Surprising Implication of the New Perspective
We haven’t talked much about biblical scholarship lately. I know it’s not necessarily high on the agenda for a number of our readers, but perhaps others might wish we would discuss such matters more often. Honestly, too much time was spent in my former fundamentalist and evangelical circles arguing about who wrote what book ofContinue reading “A Surprising Implication of the New Perspective”
Theology and Life
After discussing Philemon at the outset of Paul and the Faithfulness of God, N.T. Wright takes time to present an overview of the method he is using to understand the apostle, his message, and his ministry. In short, Wright follows what he calls a “worldview-model.” Believing that studies of the Bible and Paul in particularContinue reading “Theology and Life”
Drawn to the Religionless
I often ask myself why a “Christian instinct” often draws me more to the religionless people than to the religious, by which I don’t in the least mean with any evangelizing intention, but, I might almost say, “in brotherhood.” While I’m often reluctant to mention God by name to religious people — because that nameContinue reading “Drawn to the Religionless”
Pliny vs. Paul
N.T. Wright launches Paul and the Faithfulness of God in surprising fashion: by examining the NT story of Philemon in its context. He thinks that Philemon reveals that “something very different, different from the way the rest of the world behaved” was taking place through the early Christians. Wright suggests that this account is notContinue reading “Pliny vs. Paul”
IM Book Thoughts: Jesus Feminist
Dropping the Mic: Reflections on Jesus Feminist by Adam McHugh We are shaped by the voices we choose to listen to. I know that everyone is seeking to “find their voice” these days, that unique contribution and perspective each person brings to the world, but sometimes we neglect the communal aspect of the discovery. WeContinue reading “IM Book Thoughts: Jesus Feminist”
The Internet Monk Archives 