Books and other random stuff

In Australia there has been much argument about the ‘black-armband’ view of history, of paying particular attention to the dark side of Australia’s colonial past, rather than celebrating achievements. Sarah Thornhill would argue that when such stories are hidden they cast a long painful shadow. It is the sequel to The Secret River, published in 2005. And it is truly a sequel, in that the events of that book have unforeseen consequences in this. Sarah Thornhill is William Thornhill’s youngest child, born after the events of Secret River. Continue reading →

This book is a delight and an inspiration. It is a series of columns that Hornby has written for the Believer magazine about, yes, stuff he’s been reading. His choice of material is widely eclectic, the only proviso being that he doesn’t write about books he didn’t like. Actually he has the ability, which I don’t have, of not finishing a book he is struggling with. I need to grind on to the end, in the hope of improvement or clarity. Maybe that’s why I frequently am reading more than one book at once. Continue reading →

Terry Pratchett got me to read Shakespeare! The premise of this book is like a remix of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, so I had to read it. The first since school, I think. Just like the play, there is a couple just before their wedding, a band of rustic amateur actors, and the King of Queen of the fairies. However, in this case, the Queen, rather than being the playful queen of faerie, is the evil queen of the elves. The rustic actors are the conduit through which evil comes, and Verence and Magrat are not even sure about being married. Continue reading →

Introduction

             In this paper, I will look at the responses it is possible to make to the environmental crisis. I will argue that it arises from a profound alienation or disenchantment from creation. I will look at some of the theological responses we can make, and arrive at some interim conclusions. These conclusions will then be taken back to the scriptures to see if they are supported there. Finally I will look at some suggestions to enable us to re-enchant creation, to enable us to be inspired to respond adequately to the world around us. Continue reading →

I have to start by comparing this with Eric Metaxas’s biography (see earlier post). This biography was written in German so we are reading a translation from a language that translation from doesn’t always help readability. Thus this volume is not as readable as Metaxas. Of course, the broad story outline is the same but there the similarity ends. In this biography the man emerges not as a proto-evangelical but as a complex thinker Continue reading →

This is the story of Fair Trade, mainly in the UK, from 1998-2008. The author is the Director of the Fairtrade Foundation and much of the story is told from first-hand knowledge. It is an inspiring book, with on the ground stories of how Fair Trade has changed the lives of small farmers and producers. Continue reading →

Brian McLaren’s book is a plea for a return to spiritual practices. For him, they are ‘about life, about training ourselves to become the kinds of people who have eyes and actually see, who have ears and actually hear, and so experience … not just survival but Life.’

He identifies seven ancient practices: Continue reading →

The book of the TV series, or rather the book inspired by the TV series, McInnes has used the same source material to craft his own take. There are some of the same stories as the TV, sometimes gone into in greater depth, along with some of his own history and anecdotes growing up in the same time. Continue reading →

The title of this book is a spin on the popular ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ movement, a movement that Caputo has little time for. It’s not that simple – what is the specifically Jesus like thing that we are called to do? To start to find out we need to deconstruct. For Caputo deconstruction is not about destruction, but rather reformation and reconfiguring, which he allies to metanoia, the New Testament term for undergoing a fundamental change of heart. Continue reading →

This is a large volume telling the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor executed on Hitler’s orders a few days before the end of WWII. This book annoyed me. Although written in a style that leads the reader on, there are a number of simple errors, from the tonnage of a ship, to assigning Matthew 10 to the Sermon on the Mount. Continue reading →