Well, the summer vacation reading is complete – here are some thoughts on the books for those who are interested -- 1) Servanthood - Leadership for the third Millennium by Bishop Bennett J. Sims The late Bishop Sims has one a place in my heart as a favorite. I only regret that he passed away in 2006 long before I discovered his writing. This book takes u to places I have never before gone with Episcopalian writers. He eloquently addresses Person and work of the Holy Spirit while laying out the truth that we cannot live the Christian life - it is only as Christ in us hope of glory lives through us via the Holy Spirit is the Christian life lived in a manner worthy of God. Bishop Sim’s perspective on leadership is spot on. He GETS IT. Collaboration is a primary platform of effective leadership – without collaboration we are just not going to be effective leaders. 2) The Person Reborn by Paul Tournier Again, another author who passed away before I discovered his works. This book has been in my library for many years but I picked it up on a whim and read Tournier’s chapter on GRACE last week. I was hooked. 3) Unveiled - The Hidden Lives of Nuns by Cheryl L. Reed Reed respectfully lifts the veil and lets the reader peer into the private lives of nuns – some are intent upon living under the burden of rigorous rules and vows that to the average person would seem extreme. Others seem less focused on the externals rules of nuns and more focused on the activism of social and moral change. It is interesting to see that (a) Nuns sometimes disagree (extremely disagree) with the church / Pope, yet the love the church / Pope. (b) Nuns are dwindling in number and increasing in age. The future of nuns, like the Catholic Church is facing serious questions that demand responses. Just as it will be most interesting to observe the church over the next generation, likewise it will be interesting to see how nuns and their ministries transition over the same time frame. 4) Evil Men by James Dawes – This is not an easy book to read – not JUST because of the brilliance of Dawes’ intellect – but because he goes where few journalists have ever gone. He interviews and asks the hard questions of war criminals who have committed the most heinous of war crimes. These old men, nearing the end of their lives talk frankly and honestly with Dawes about how they used humans for deadly science tests. Some of these men vivisected living subjects to see how long it took them to die under controlled conditions. Others explained how and why they killed innocent children and civilians in the theater of war. But Dawes does not stop there. He goes more deeply and considers why we want to read these things. He admits that if he let himself he could actually ‘like’ the men he interviewed. They were after all, men, humans, who made egregious decisions but they remain human ---- or do they? Do we buy the books and read their stories in hopes that we can somehow dehumanized them? Or are we just voyeurs peering into the darkest places out of warped curiosity? 5) Living with Sheep - Wooster / Hansen – This book goes a totally different direction by breaking down the process and procedures of good sheep farming. I was struck by the amount of work involved in farming sheep – it is a 24 / 7 commitment. Yet, the sheep are loyal, bonding with their shepherds. Learned many practical lessons about sheep that frankly, I will probably never utilized in any fashion. But it was good to learn how sheep eat, how they are most comfortable sleeping, and what it takes to keep them safe for a full season so that their fur, meat, or milk is preserved for maximum return on investment. It was also good to learn that contrary to what preacher after preacher has proclaimed from pulpit after pulpit, sheep are not dumb, ignorant animals. Yes, they are creatures of habit. Yes, they trust their shepherd implicitly. But no they will not just walk off a cliff because they are clueless. They may walk over a cliff because their shepherd isn’t attentive to details or they may over-graze a pasture because the shepherd does not rotate them properly but sheep are survivors just like any other beast. Lots of pastoral lessons in this book - just have to take the time to digest them. 6) Mennonite in the Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen – This is the second book I’ve read by Janzen recently. She writes with a solid serving of sarcasm but she is not afraid to talk about anything from the church, to her ex-husbands’ divorcing her for another man, to her mother’s odd subjection to her father, to failed relationships and her struggles with cancer. Janzen makes me scratch my head and think – that is always a good thing.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Aug 2013 00:32:59 +0000
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