So … I just got blindsided by a movie. Yeah. I went to the theatre expecting to see the love story of Solomon and the Shulamite translated into modern times. I came out of the theatre having seen a good movie, but definitely not Solomon and the Shulamite. Or Christ and his bride. Let me… Continue reading The Song
Tag: religion
Daily Minyan: An Adult Perspective
It is probably very strange for a 45-year-old shikse to review a book intended for Jewish men. But the premise intrigued me: praying meaningfully and appropriately for your age and stage of life. Let the liturgy and the rules of prayer draw you into a deeper and more intellectual spiritual experience. For readers unfamiliar with… Continue reading Daily Minyan: An Adult Perspective
Fix Yourself in Jesus
The word “fix” has two meanings: “to repair” and “to fasten securely.” Sally Hanan skillfully intertwines both aspects of “fixing” in Fix Yourself in Jesus, a manual for healing and hope. Jesus spoke of the need for a person to be “fixed” in him in John 15:1–11, where he says that he is the vine… Continue reading Fix Yourself in Jesus
Eclectic Spirituality — Read With Caution!
A Religion of One’s Own is a confusing book. While its stated purpose is to guide readers in “creating a personal spirituality in a secular world,” I found it to be more of a manual for self-analysis and self-therapy. It is composed of the typically eclectic “cherry-pick your beliefs” advice that seems to dominate modern… Continue reading Eclectic Spirituality — Read With Caution!
The Case for Apologetics in Women’s Ministry
What do you believe about God and why do you believe it? If you are a woman who can answer this question confidently, you are in a minority. And churches need to do a better job of addressing the lack of theological foundations that affects women’s ability to articulate, defend, and share. At least, that… Continue reading The Case for Apologetics in Women’s Ministry
A Woman’s Right to Rest
How do you explain a book that frees you from something you did not know you were enslaved to? How do you tell women that what they have been taught for centuries is — if not exactly a lie — is at least not the whole truth? How do you convince them that God has… Continue reading A Woman’s Right to Rest
Glory Road: The Journeys of 10 African-Americans into Reformed Christianity, by Anthony J. Carter
Glory Road is compilation of autobiographical sketches by ten prominent African-American pastors, focusing specifically on their journey from the traditional Black Church into Reform Theology, which is widely viewed as “white people’s religion.” Some of these stories necessarily encompass the difficult faith journeys of their congregations, as the pastor’s shift in theological base took them… Continue reading Glory Road: The Journeys of 10 African-Americans into Reformed Christianity, by Anthony J. Carter
The Problem of Pain
This book is a very deep and thought-provoking examination of the role that pain and suffering play in the world. If it is read carefully and with reflection adequate to ensure full understanding of the author’s theses, premises, and conclusions, The Problem of Pain provides an excellent answer to the question “How can a good,… Continue reading The Problem of Pain
Want to Turn Your Brain on End?
This little gem, which I am re-reading for the eight or ninth time, is a great mind-bender. Primarily because it’s a book about Christianity, but it’s written from the point of view of a demon in Hell. So you have to constantly remind yourself that when the demon says “The Enemy” he means God, and… Continue reading Want to Turn Your Brain on End?