Any good books read recently?

[Steve Summerfield]

Just thought I'd ask the question and ask as to whether anyone has any recommendations on good books... perhaps it might be useful to indicate whether it is more for personal encouragement, or about more of a church-related topic, if that makes sense?

[Colin Pye]

Steve

Good idea. For me I've been enjoying the series by Brian McLaren the first of which is "A New Kind of Christian" - probably old hat to some, but as it mixes a novel with stretching your thinking it's been good for me.
M.Scott Peck "further along the road less travelled" a psychotherapists journey with faith. I had it on tape and listened to it severaltimes while travelling.
David Runcorn "Spirituality workbook" has brief overviews of a broad spectrumof Christian approaches to spirituality, with questions for home groups.
I'm currently ploughing through surprised by hope by Tom Wright.

Colin

[Stephen Plummer]

Hi Steve,
I'm one of those people who can't help reading, and end up reading about 5 books at once and struggling to finish them - one of my new year's resolutions is to discipline myself to spend more time reading. It makes a massive difference to my sermon prep! Here's my present batch, all of which I recommend:
Eugene Peterson's 'Eat This Book' - The art of spiritual reading. Very challenging. It will be the basis for a sermon very soon!
John Ortberg's 'When The Game Is Over' - packed full of sermon illustrations (see my latest blogspot: http://thoughtsthattransform.blogspot.com/ ). One of my associate pastors' is reading it, too, so we'll be battling over the illustrations!
Tom Butler-Bowden's '50 Psychology Classics' - a great insight into 50 key authors/books (lots of food for thought for sermon prep, too).
Martin Bell's 'The Truth That Sticks - New Labour's Breach of Trust', with very thought-provoking reading regarding cash for honours, the Iraq war, ethical bombing etc.

[Steve Summerfield]

Hi, Colin, Stephen
Seeing as I started this... The two books that are on the go for me at the moment, are contrasting, but complementary views of this church leadership thing...
"The Contemplative Pastor" by Eugene Petersen, which is very thought-provoking and minimalist in terms of its emphases in leadership
On the other hand, there is "How to survive (and thrive) as a church leader" Nick Cuthbert
I take it from the lack of response, that no other CBA ministers are reading anything, or if they are it's too embarrassing to reveal... ;-) ;-)

[Tom Wharin]

Ed Husain The Islamist
London, Penguin, 2007

Hi Steve, I read this book & wrote a review for my post-accreditation studies. I’d recommend it to anyone wanting to get to grips with Islam in the UK. It’s easy and gripping reading as well as being highly informative.




A review by Tom Wharin

The Islamist is the story of the author’s Journey from a moderate Muslim family into the heart of British Islamic Radicalism and then out again. It is a very Brave book, describing the inner workings of Hizb-ut-tahir and other Islamist organisations.

There is much in this book which would strike a note with the Christian reader. Husain calls out the grotesque, empty materialism of life as a banker 183 and lad/ladette culture 284. He wrestles with issues of cultural relativism (eg 225), both in contemporary life (noting for example that the hijab, far from being a universal and exclusively muslim symbol of virtue is simply a typical middle eastern garment 224) and in Koranic interpretation. His argument that the kufr of the Koran are a closely defined group of Mohammad’s contemporary persecutors is fascinating (222). Husain is deeply condemnatory of Saudi government ethics and human rights abuses.

For me this book was a great way to get to grips with Islamism in the UK. I was surprised by two aspects of this: the divisions and varying influences within Islamism, including the literalist Saudi Wahabis, who by virtue of their oil wealth and missionary zeal are increasingly becoming a force in UK Islam (pp166, 283) and the fact that the Muslim Council of Great Britain reflects Islamist, rather than mainstream Muslim thought 167.

Husain reflects his own struggles as he journeyed out of Islamism to shake a much wider definition of kafr. 9/11 was a wake up call for him, as he became increasingly uncomfortable with the anti-Americanism he had inherited from Islamism 202. He notes with discomfort the anti-Semitism and anti-westernism which are widespread across the Muslim world.

Perhaps the most telling incident in the whole of this biography is the moment when Hussain discovers that one of the supporters of the Islamic student movement he’s been leading in Newham College had murdered a ‘black Christian’ youth in the street (153). Hussain perceived that this was a direct result of the Islamist rhetoric he had been preaching and began to move into a more mystical kind of Islam.

The book does give the impression that Husain is swimming against the tide of Islam in his broadly pro-western stance, narrow definition of Kafr and rejection of violence. Indeed, other authors have suggested that the example of the prophet’s life & the principle of the abrogation of earlier, more peaceable verses of the Koran by later, more violent ones do lean towards violence being an inevitable consequence of Islam (eg Giesler and Saleeb, Answering Islam pp319-329),

On his way out of Islamism, Hussain gave consideration to other faiths including Christianity 186. He seems like a fairly open minded character, but clearly sees the incarnation and trinity as insurmountable barriers to his adoption of Christian faith. I can’t help but wonder how he heard about them and whether he has had the opportunity to really grapple with the New Testament.

I found Hussain’s devotion to Sufism fascinating. References to devotion to the prophet (eg 285) and especially getting closer to God (220) make me wonder whether this brand of Islam would be much more susceptible to falling in love with Jesus (and then having to deal with his claims!).

[David Hughes]

Hi there!

Like Colin, I'm currently reading 'Surprised by Hope' by Tom Wright - I consider it a 'must read' for all in pastoral leadership and all preachers. It has certainly helped me to focus on the full meaning of resurrection and has made me realise how easy it is for us all to drift from Christian/biblical orthodoxy.

I have also recently enjoyed reading 'Retrieving the Tradition & Renewing Evangelicalism: A Primer for Suspicious Protestants' by D.H. Williams which argues that we (evangelical Protestants) need to recognise the importance of the doctrinal foundation laid by the Church Fathers.

Cheers,
David.

[Steve Summerfield]

Hi, David
Hmm... seems "Surprised by Hope" has got a couple of mentions now, and bearing in mind the current initiative, HOPE 08, is perhaps rather topical!
Looks like I'll need to add that to my list of "books to read"
Thanks for your contribution
Steve

[John Smith]

I hear Tom's writing a sequel "Surprised by .. how much money I made from my last book"

I've just finished reading "George's Secret Key to the Universe" by Lucy and Stephen Hawkins and "Thomas Paine" by Craig Nelson.

[Colin Pye]

.Very good.

....AND???? the books you mention.....are they any good?

colin

[Tom Wharin]

Hello anyone,

just posting a review of The Life and work of a Priest by John Pritchard (One of the books recommended by Roy Searle at the ministers' gathering on Monday), which I did for REPAST.

John Pritchard’s ‘The Life and Work of a Priest’ is a wide ranging survey of the roles of the parish priest. Despite its Anglican orientation, the book is almost wholly applicable to the roles of ministers in any denomination.

Pritchard looks at three areas of priestly work: the role of the priest in exploring (and leading others in the exploration of) the Glory of God; the role of the priest in engaging with the pain of the world; and the role of the priest in provoking the renewal of the church.

The book’s initial rationale for the existence of the priesthood is laid out in a theological ‘white-knuckle ride’ on pages 5-6. Pritchard argues that Christian ministry is the continuation of Christ’s ministry and is therefore the role of Christ’s body – it is exercised through the ‘baptismal vocation of of all God’s people.’ (see also p105) Priests are set apart to serve and support this ministry. Pritchard also sees priests as ‘signs’ that this ministry is going on. This theme re-surfaces repeatedly though the book: eg ‘The priest has the privilege of being a kind of walking sacrament.’ Pp 43, 86 I got the feeling as I read through the book that the task of the set-apart priest/minister was enormous enough without this extra-special (and therefore extra-biblical?) sacramental role. It seems to me that the role of walking sacrament is one which aught to be attributed to all believers – not just to the country parson at the bus stop with the dog collar.

That said, there is much in this book which resonates with me as a called & set apart minister. Pritchard is, not surprisingly, largely positive in his view of priesthood: ‘the priest is someone who has been dazzled by the beauty of God and longs to reveal that beauty to the world’ p6 his or her vocation is as ‘precious as Gold. p151’ However, this is a realistic book, frequently referring to the exhausting nature of ministry – the draining multi-task of being a worshipping worship leader p20 – the personal confusion and inadequacy involved in pastoral pain-bearing and maintaining a less-anxious presence p60 – the struggle to balance ministry and family p156.

The Life and Work of a Priest has some great practical advice for ministers or anyone aspiring to ministry. Much of this is encapsulated in quotable one liners and memorable phrases: ‘How often do people leave church humming the sermon?’ p33 Priests are ‘kingdom spotters’ p78 – seeing what God’s up to outside the church and steering the church in that direction. Pastoral care is referred to as an ‘exercise in loose ends.’ p74 What do people remember most about a priest? Pritchard believes it is the fifth fruit of the Sprit: Kindness p70.

I was fascinated by Pritchard’s design for a new church on pp132-134. It’s great to hear a radical call for the reformation of the way church works in post-Christendom.

Pritchard will ‘forever regret that [he] didn’t give [his] children more time in those fascinating formative years.’ P157 I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard these sentiments expressed by senior ministers, but find it dismaying that no-one seems to be able to take their own advice. When I meet John Pritchard (either in the new earth or at REPAST ’08) I’ll ask him what he would have done to make this happen.

I really enjoyed this book – it’s a refreshing reminder of the enormity of the ministerial task. The first two sections make the task of exploring, communicating and serving God sound overwhelming, but Pritchard later talks about referring people p73, partnership with the community p79, leading the body of Christ as they engage in ministry p105, and commitment to our families p157 all of which remind us that we’re not in this alone. It’s evident that ministry has been a journey of self-discovery for Pritchard: ‘the most mysterious person I have had to deal with is myself.’ P151 I’m comforted to hear this & can’t help wondering whether he’d think this if he really knew me!

[Steve Summerfield]

Hi, Tom,
Thanks for that review. Sounds very thought-provoking... the idea of someone humming the sermon as they leave! I don't know about you, but if I'd had a penny for the "Nice sermon vicar" type comments.... almost any comment that shows some thought on the content of the message is preferable, even if it's a comment of disagreement..
Two books that I have skim read, and am putting in our church library, are the following...
"Who stole my church?" by Gordon McDonald - (a story of a mythical congregation dealing with change)

and
"Culture changers (how to be an agent of change)" by Matt Bird

The observant amongst you might be able to spot a common thread... no prizes for spotting it!
Anyway hopefully this entry will revive this thread... so come on folks, I'm assuming folk are reading out there...?? :-)