Today I finally finished reading a book that's been on the shelf for way too long. I bought it at a Christian Bookstore thinking the title was good but I suspected that it would not be all that intuitive.
I was clearly wrong on this. I realized I had made a better decision in buying the book called, "Jesus Died For This? A Satirist's Search For The Risen Christ" written by Becky Garrison when she stated that she was an Anglican. Up to that point I had been thinking this might be a good book to send to a family member who is not speaking to me because of my "liberal" views but as I read it more and became greatly interested in the content, I remembered that what is grace for one person is just the opposite for another person.
Nonetheless, I think Garrison does well in underscoring the importance of the resurrection of Christ and her style of literally going to the ends of the earth to find the resurrected Christ. She talks about going to the Middle East and finding more commercialization in places and yet she still managed to find Christ. Even in Europe where it is stated the Christian faith is irrelevant to the people. She even states that if she can find these genuine communities in other countries perhaps she can find them in America and she does.
Garrison's perspective of growing up in the Anglican Church combined with her involvement in the emerging church and monastic communities makes for an interesting perspective that gives her an open mind beyond her own tradition. At the same time, I like her honesty about finding grace in her own tradition while also recognizing that not all people find God's grace in the same way she does.
I recommend this book especially to people who are wondering where God is working. One of the greatest resources this book offers is the list of valuable sources consulted for the writing of this book. While the language of the book is simple, the ideas behind the language are deep and reflective. With all that said about recommending this book, I might still send this book as a gift.
Friday, December 5, 2014
"Jesus Died For This?"
Today I finally finished reading a book that's been on the shelf for way too long. I bought it at a Christian Bookstore thinking the title was good but I suspected that it would not be all that intuitive.
I was clearly wrong on this. I realized I had made a better decision in buying the book called, "Jesus Died For This? A Satirist's Search For The Risen Christ" written by Becky Garrison when she stated that she was an Anglican. Up to that point I had been thinking this might be a good book to send to a family member who is not speaking to me because of my "liberal" views but as I read it more and became greatly interested in the content, I remembered that what is grace for one person is just the opposite for another person.
Nonetheless, I think Garrison does well in underscoring the importance of the resurrection of Christ and her style of literally going to the ends of the earth to find the resurrected Christ. She talks about going to the Middle East and finding more commercialization in places and yet she still managed to find Christ. Even in Europe where it is stated the Christian faith is irrelevant to the people. She even states that if she can find these genuine communities in other countries perhaps she can find them in America and she does.
Garrison's perspective of growing up in the Anglican Church combined with her involvement in the emerging church and monastic communities makes for an interesting perspective that gives her an open mind beyond her own tradition. At the same time, I like her honesty about finding grace in her own tradition while also recognizing that not all people find God's grace in the same way she does.
I recommend this book especially to people who are wondering where God is working. One of the greatest resources this book offers is the list of valuable sources consulted for the writing of this book. While the language of the book is simple, the ideas behind the language are deep and reflective. With all that said about recommending this book, I might still send this book as a gift.
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This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.(emphasis added) For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:1-7
It looks like I need to post an exegetical paper on this passage as well, eh?
This is a pretty long list. To justify not communicating with another professing Christian on the basis of a different viewpoint of innerancy of scripture, an anachronous term even to the Apostle Paul, would seem presumptuous at best and twisting God's word to justify one's own actions at worst.
"twisting God's word" - what an unusual thing to say from someone who doesn't even accept the Bible as God's Word, oh, except for that salvation stuff. You think it's inerrant for that. How convenient. But that other stuff, just throw that under the bus. In the New Testament, in 1st Thess. 2:13, Paul's writing is called the Word of God, and in 2nd Peter 3:16 it is equated with the other Scriptures. What happened is the Catholic counter-reformation set out to discredit the Bible by inventing "older and better" manuscripts which are neither older nor better. So now you have all these "bible" versions which undermine the true Word of God, and it worked. "Scholars" like you have no confidence in the Holy Scriptures and are drifting along through life, being carried about with every wind of doctrine.
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