Monday, May 15, 2006

Currently Reading

... and enjoying every one: (Reading Narnia with Judah; we're up to Book 5, "A Horse and His Boy")

posted by Jeremy Del Rio @ 5/15/2006 09:58:00 AM

4 Comments:

At 5/16/2006 06:49:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

1 man's 2 cents...

On McLaren... has he discovered something Christians have missed for 2000 years? I loved reading A Different Kind of Christian, fretful about the directions he's moving.

On Eldridge... I know that his theology and his use of Scripture in the book is lousy (leanings toward Open Theism, very man-centered understanding of the Christian life, key verse is taken totally out of context -- "The heart of a man is like deep water" is not what the verse says. The subject of that sentence is Counsel: "Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water." You can't do what he did with that verse and say you are quoting Scripture. -- but I love any book written by a Christian that challenges men to be masculine. There are much better books that do this with a Biblically faithful theology, but amen to him for his call to men to be men.

On Every Man's Battle... loved the start of the book -- clear articulation of our depravity, the seriousness of sexual sin, forces us to say "Houston, we have a problem." -- but then I felt like the solution presented wasn't the Gospel but technique. My hope for conquering sexual sin is not primarily technique (although that is a secondary part of it) but a better underdtanding of the Gospel and a deeper knowledge of Christ and His supremacy and the cross. THAT ios the message we need to give to sex addicts and everyone else... not a rah rah you can get better so bounce your eyes, blah blah blah. Skipping from sin to technique for imporvement without hitting on the cross doesn't cut it. For me anyway.

On C.S. Lewis... I love it. I read much of Horse and his Boy to MJ as well. My sons have listened to everyone of those stories on CD falling asleep. Lewis manages to not only communicate the Gospel but so much more about courage, honor, friendship, love, loyalty, forgiveness and on and on and on.

In addition to Wild at Heart try Future Men by Douglas Wilson.

In addition to Every Man's Battle try Sex and the Supremacy of Christ by John Piper et al.

In addition to Narnia... forget it, can't beat 'em.

 
At 5/16/2006 07:45:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Woops, haven't read Every Man's Marriage. Man, we evangelicals know how to go to market when we find a winner. How are those guys writing books and you're not?

In addition to the Marriage book, check out Each for the Other by Bryan Chapell

 
At 5/17/2006 12:05:00 AM, Blogger Jeremy Del Rio said...

Matt, thanks for the recommendations. I'll be sure to add them to my reading list.

Regarding McLaren, he has said some provocative (incendiary?) things recently, but I suspect you'd enjoy his "Secret Message." While the title evokes for some gnostic meanings (a marketing hook to bait readers of Da Vinci Code, Gospel of Judas, etc, I'm guessing), the secret (at least as far as I've gotten, about halfway through) is really an exploration of the "Kingdom of Heaven" that Jesus proclaimed including the message itself, the method of delivery, its impact on society, and how Christ's Kingdom differs from the American gospel. When I finally finish, I promise to post a long overdue review, both here and on Amazon.

Re. Eldridge, I just started the book, so I'm can't really comment on his theology yet. Good catch on the "heart of man" verse. Hopefully that's not indicative of how he uses scripture throughout the rest of the book.

Re. "Every Man's Battle" ... haven't read it yet. Re. "Marriage," it is scary how evangelical marketers operate, no different than secular marketers really. The book cover actually mentions that it was previously published with a different title, but after the success of "Battle" they returned to the golden goose a second time. I'm about two-thirds through and enjoying the authors' exploration of "Oneness" and what they call "mutual submission." Maybe I'll review this one as well ...

Re. CS Lewis, I actually got the idea to read Narnia to Judah at this age this summer at your place. I think you and MJ had just begun "A Horse and His Boy" and I made a mental note to give it a shot with Judah after he turned 5. So we started with "Wardrobe" shortly ater his birthday, and we're almost done with the 5th book less than 5 months later. Judah's loving them!

 
At 5/17/2006 08:35:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cannot hurt to explore what Jesus meant by the kingdom of God. I am daily awed that in His grace God has moved us from one kingdom to another, from a kingdom of darkness that is fading away to a kingdom of light that will literally exist forever. What does this new kingdom look like? What would it look like to have your whole life marked by a Jesus-kingdom ethic now? It'll be interesting to see Mclaren's take on this.

If EMM is teaching on mutual submission, amen. I have learned so much in coming to see marriage reflecting the Trinitarian nature of God... love, mutual submission, selflessness, distinct roles. I've come to wonder at God's wisdom in infusing gender into humanity and I am so troubled at our complete loss of perspective on the beauties of masculinity and femininity and how they go together in home and church and God's world. What's worst is not that our culture has lost it (expected) but that the church has allowed the culture to take these understandings away from us as well.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home