Book Tag

Amber recently gave me a book tag challenge, and being
a brand new bloggie, I feel I'm up for the challenge. Here
is my list:

1). One book that changed my life: Abraham Heschel's
The Sabbath. The book is a rich and profound essay on
time and space that is meant to be savored and enjoyed.

2). One book that I have read more than once: C.S. Lewis's
The Narnian Chronicles. I do not read books that I have
read before; the only exception is this series of books that
grabs the attention, interest, and imagination of the little
boy in me in a way nothing else does. I may be close to
saying the same thing about Tolkien's Lord of the Rings,
but give me just a bit more time to make my way through
the series the first time.

3). One book I'd want on a desert island: It would be a
great time to finish reading the Tolkien trilogy. But I
would struggle to choose between Tolkien and Hans Urs
von Baltasar's seven volume series on prayer, The Glory
of the Lord: A Theological Aesthetic. Regardless of which
series I chose, the desert island would become a dessert
island for me!

4). One book that made me laugh: I thought that real
Christians didn't smile or laugh. Just kidding! Another
series has had me doing both: McCall Smith's The No. 1
Ladies Detective Agency series. A lot of fun!

5). One book that made me cry: I thought that real men
don't cry. Well, I do a lot. One book that struck me deeply
and made me cry has been Sheldon Vanauken's A Severe
Mercy. It is a true story full of romance, adventure, the
pain of losing a lover, and the deep pain of grief. Plus there
are letters from C.S. Lewis on grief. It really touched me
deeply and I did cry.

6). One book I wish had been written: the second and third
volumes on the theology of contextual evangelization by
Orlando E. Costas. He was working on the first of three
volumes, but died from cancer in 1987, just before he
was to complete it. The first volume was completed for
publication by a colleague and by his widow. My disser-
tation is on his theology of contextual evangelization be-
cause I believe he had a lot to share with the broader
Church. Even though he wrote a lot and I have a lot to
work with, I would really have appreciated the oppor-
tunity to read his mature thinking about mission in
today's world.

l7). One book that I wish had never been written: again,
it is not one book but a lot of books and pamphlets that
reflect and promote the views of the health and wealth
school, also called the Prosperity Gospel or the Faith
Movement. I see it as nothing but aberrant Christianity,
even a different gospel. As a pastor I am concerned about
what the theology expressed through this material does
to the spiritual health of Christians. I wish it had never
been written.

8). One book I am currently reading: I find it difficult to
read one book only, so I always have a number that I am
working on. At this time they include: The DaVinci Code
(Dan Brown), Constants in Context: A Theology of Mis-
sion for Today ( S. Bevans and R. Schroeder), Mission in
the New Testament ( W. Larkin and J. Williams, eds), The
Recovery of Mission (V. Ramachandra), and Christianity
Rediscovered: An Epistle from the Masai ( V. Donovan).

9). One book that I want to read: That book is H. Melville's
Moby Dick. But I also must complete Tolkien's Ring trilogy
and read more of George MacDonald. If I do that I will be
a happy, clappy sort of guy.

I've enjoyed reading the lists of other people. I hope my list
is interesting, too. Jeff T.