Summer is here and that can mean only one thing — more time for books! Whether it’s a leisurely day at the beach or an excursion to the mountains or just a beautiful afternoon in the backyard hammock, summer is a great time to catch up on the reading list you haven’t had time for […]
Reading has been an acquired taste for me. It wasn’t until graduate work in theology that the reading bug hit me. Books are now a daily part of my life and the people who write them are some of my best friends. That’s why recent events in my beloved book world have me thinking deeply […]
Let’s take a break from the craziness to talk about something dear to me. Books. Digital or otherwise, the words of others have the potential to change your life. Rene Descartes said, “The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries.” Nowhere is that truer than in […]
Certain books have a way of shaping you – they stay with you – and you keep going back to them. If reading had been a thing in Jesus’ day, he would have been a big reader. There are two reasons I say that: 1. Reading makes us better human beings. Jesus was all about […]
I have been reading about 30 books per year for the last 10 years. It’s always fun to select my books for the new year. I usually select books from in the following categories — Christian Life, Biblical Studies, Leadership, Self-Improvement, Creative Non-Fiction, and Fiction. I have several lists I consult to help me in […]
I’m not crazy about reading. Here’s what I mean. My mother was an English major in college. My sister is a librarian. My Dad read the paper (remember those?) from cover to cover every day, and filled our house with books. I have no memories of them without reading material nearby. It’s not the […]
Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman (Boston: Beacon Press, 1996)
Thurman describes people under oppression as people “with their backs to the wall.” Jesus, God Incarnate, chose to take his place among those “with their backs to the wall.” Thurman teaches that Jesus’ life and teachings can only be understood from this vantage point. Jesus lived in an oppressive situation without giving in to fear, deception, or hate. In this sense, Thurman followed in the footsteps of Jesus.
“He recognized with authentic realism that anyone who permits another to determine the quality of his inner life gives into the hands of the other the keys to his destiny.”
This book will have a tremendous impact on the way you view Jesus and the way you live for him. Thurman was a giant as a theologian and a human being.
Howard Thurman was the first black dean of Marsh Chapel at Boston University.
Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen (New York City, NY: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 10th Aniv. Ed, 2002)
Upon meeting journalist, Fred Bratman, Henri Nouwen sensed that beneath Brat- man’s facade of cynicism and sarcasm, there was a beautiful heart – one that longed to give, create, and live a fruitful life. Nouwen longed to help his friend understand the power of the Christian faith. This book is the result of that attempt.
“Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the Beloved.”
This book was written as a very personal letter to a dear friend. In it, Nouwen takes time to explain in depth exactly what it means to be beloved by God, how we can be sure of God’s love, and why we should live as beloved children of God. Tragically, it did not convince his friend. But it has had a powerful impact on millions of Christians.
Henri Nouwen, a Catholic priest, was a teacher at Harvard, Yale, and Notre Dame. Well versed in many subjects, he was one of the great spiritual writers of our day.
