A Lover of Books

الثلاثاء، 4 يوليو 2017

Blue Ocean Faith book review

Wilhelm يوليو 04, 2017 0

Blue Ocean Faith I believe in the Church. Now, I do not believe in the Church the same way I believe in Jesus... but it is close. It is close because I do not believe it is possible to be a follower of Jesus outside of the community of faith. Community is central to being faithful. At the same time, Church is full of cultural bits and as culture changes, the institutional expression of Church changes too. We are in the midst of huge changes culturally and that is impacting the institution of the Church in significant ways. Indeed, I believe that we are facing the birth of a new incarnation of Church that will be radically different from the institution in which I was formed and by which I'm employed. So, my eyebrows usually go up when someone mentions a book that might be giving a glimpse of the not quite here yet... Blue Ocean Faith by David Schmelzer promised to be one such book.

Let me begin by saying this book frustrates me. A lot. And I think I'll likely be proposing it to my church board for the next all church study book.

So, what about it frustrates me? The author speaks to a post-Evangelical audience. I am so post post-evangelical that those arguments have no interest for me whatsoever.

The argument whether or not we should be centered set vs. bounded set is not one I even see worth entertaining. Indeed, if you need to question who we need to exclude... I don't have time or energy for you.

He writes about a third way when facing controversial issues that allows for room to differ over non-essentials and then defines the essentials as dogma - the ideas included in the Apostolic and Nicene creeds and says that if one does not hold those ideas, then they're talking about a different faith than Christianity. I'm not sure about that. Indeed, I come from a tradition that specifically rejects creedalism in favor of Statements of Faith which a very thoughtful friend of mine said must always be written in pencil. The author defines disputable issues as those that bring together competing implications from dogma and over which otherwise faithful people might reasonably disagree. I like the intent here... but fear we might disagree over what is disputable. Schmelzer includes the issue of LGBTQ folk here. I cannot see that as disputable. Indeed, reject those folk and you're talking about something other than Christianity in my mind. The bottom line is that I'm not sure how one defines the essentials vs. the disputables.

Perhaps most important of all, the author sees this new movement of the church standing on the statement - Solus Jesus (as opposed to sola scriptura). I like that... but I fear we might have a lot of very different understandings of who Jesus is. The implications of that range of images is very serious.

I observed earlier that Schmelzer is writing to a post-evangelical audience. This became most apparent as he embraces ideas that more mainline churches have held for a long time as if they are new ideas. He treats centered set as if it is new (he does give credit to a theologian from Fuller who wrote about it in the 70's) but in my circles it was part of the discussion in the 1980's. He speaks of joyful engagement with secular culture when the mainline church never rejected scientific inquiry, the arts, etc. etc. He calls for ecumenism when the mainline church embraced that wholeheartedly in the 50's and went on to wrestle with the even larger issues of interfaith connectedness.

Finally, the book doesn't really address the institutional questions with which I struggle daily. What does the coming Church look like? How does it work in society? What forms might worship take? Ministry? Do we have trained leadership and if not, what happens to a body of knowledge and wisdom that has been gained through centuries and requires a kind of commitment to it which lay folk don't have time or skills to address?

So... what do I like?

Their six distinctives are a good start... and especially for those in the post-evangelical world. I have a bunch of younger friends who grew up in evangelical churches, left as they became more mature, and have been inoculated against church, thinking that all real Christian churches believe and act like the ones they abandoned. There was no convincing them that something else exists out there where their gay friends would be welcomed, women can hold leadership, they don't have to leave their brains in the parking lot, and real faith is not identified with white middle class Republicanism. This may have helped...

The dsitinctives are:

Our primary framework is SOLUS JESUS

Our primary metaphor is CENTERED SET

Our approach to spiritual development is CHILDLIKE FAITH

Our approach to controversial issues in THIRD WAY

Our approach to other churches is ECUMENICAL

Our engagement to secular culture is JOYFUL ENGAGEMENT

In a good ecumenical orientation, there are some pieces they carry with them from their evangelical backgrounds such as picking 6 neig

Conceit & Concealment by Abigail Reynolds - My Review

book

Wilhelm يوليو 02, 2017 0

Recently author Abigail Reynolds visited my blog with a guest post and giveaway of 'Conceit & Concealment', her latest 'Pride & Prejudice' variation. I was provided with copy to read and review, so read on to see what I think of the book and whether I'd recommend adding it to your 'To Be Read' list.

* * *

Like many other people, I was very excited to hear that Abigail Reynolds had a new book out. Often her variations have a small change in the events of ‘Pride & Prejudice’, which can cause the whole story to go down a new road, but with ‘Conceit & Concealment’ it’s a change which happens before the events of ‘P&P’ begin, and one which would be very far reaching.

At the time that ‘Pride & Prejudice’ was set, Britain had been at war with France for some years. As we know, Napoleon’s army successfully invaded many places and in this change from canon, Britain has been successfully invaded and is now occupied by the French. Obviously this would have had an effect on every Briton, but how specifically might it affect the story of Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy?

Well, firstly the French have requisitioned property and wealth from many of the gentry. The Bennets are lucky enough to be living at Longbourn, but that is after being evicted and only returned due to Lydia allying herself with an officer; Lydia’s liking for officers actually had the effect of saving her family rather than endangering them in these circumstances!

What of the Bennets’ other daughters? With huge difficulties in being able to deny the French soldiers anything that they may take a liking to Mr Bennet initially sent his eldest daughters away, but since their return has had to take drastic measures to protect beautiful Jane from being forced into marriage. Elizabeth has so far managed not to excite too much interest, partly due to her frigid manner towards them. Elizabeth heartily hates the French invaders, and despises those landowners who have welcomed the French in order to keep their estates.

Now, just such a man has entered the neighbourhood. Mr Bingley (who has been allowed to keep his fortune as it was derived honourably from trade) has come to stay at Netherfield with a member of the landed gentry, Mr Darcy, and that gentleman’s sister, who he never allows far from his side. In Elizabeth’s eyes Darcy is a traitor, so it’s unfortunate that, as she begins to know him, she finds that he has many admirable qualities.

‘It simply wasn’t fair. Elizabeth did not want to like Mr. Darcy. How could she like a man who put his own wealth and possessions before his love of his country? True, he had been far from the only man to do so, but she was prepared to hate every last one of them.’

But the man who may have said in other circumstances “disguise of every sort is my abhorrence” is keeping a very big secret and putting up a false front. Although Darcy appears to be a supporter of the French in fact he is nothing of the sort and has had to subjugate his feelings for the good of his country.

‘He had plenty of practice at false stories, after all. Once upon a time, disguise of every sort had been his abhorrence. Now he could hardly recall when he had not worn a disguise.’

It’s easy enough for Elizabeth to say what she’d do if she were a man and able to do something against the French when she’s in the comfort of her home. But when push comes to shove, what would she be willing to sacrifice for the good of her country?

This was such a departure from the usual. Elizabeth was prejudiced against Darcy, but for entirely different reasons than usual. As in canon, she also makes misjudgements on character, failing to see beyond the black and white of somebody’s character and realising that there are shades. So in P&P she learns that a proud person isn’t necessarily cast in one mould, and in this she learns that enemies can have good characteristics just as countrymen can have negatives. I liked that she still made this development. Darcy had less pride, or rather, he’d had to subjugate his pride, as many men of his class would look on him as a traitor, but he had selflessly put the needs of others such as his sister and his tenants before his own since taking on guardianship of Georgiana and the management of the Pemberley estate from his father and was ready to sacrifice his whole future for it.

‘Sometimes he wondered if a clean death in battle would not have been preferable. But Georgiana needed him, so that was not an option.’

I am not always a big fan of high drama, I have to be in the mood for it as I don’t like things to stretch believability too much, but the fact that this book has a bit of a ‘Résistance’ theme to it makes high drama much more realistic than in a more normalised setting. Abigail visited my blog recently with a post regarding ‘the black moment’, a moment to add drama and excitement to a story. This one has one of these moments, and then one that I found much worse, although I trusted that Abigail would bring things to a

Civilization

book

Wilhelm يوليو 02, 2017 0

Civilization

I've been rolling this one over in my mind for some time, though I read it months ago. Assembling my thoughts. I can't say I was fully satisfied with the book, thigh it was in many ways accurate, pithy, and gave some food for thought.

I suppose some of the best aspects of the book were just the accuracy of the six aspects of civilization that have caused the West in the last 500 years to gain such an ascendancy in the world. In the main he uses comparative analyses to determine why this society falls and that one thrives. There is only one China, only one America, so there isn't the availability of several Chinas to experiment on to view how they might develop differently had they been placed under different conditions. In other words, history has no control group like the hard sciences. Still, he succeeds fairly well at this.

The weakness of the book is the fact that he begins with an argument against some philosophy of a historical particle. That history doesn't have particles. I see this argument often, but I don't know where the authors arguing for a history particle (aside from myself) are. It is as if historians feel some sense of the consistency of behavior in the objects of history, which speak of laws, and the historian then proceeds to invent a philosopher that argues such, only to take a stand against this. Like inventing your own opponent.

Yet while stating at the beginning that there is no historical particle, no laws or properties to historical objects, he then compares fairly similar civilizations to determine those qualities that made the west powerful. He ends with a bit of exaggeration and hyperbolic overextension of conclusions. He more than hints at collapse of the west. As if the behaviors of the past, despite there being no particles, properties, or laws, are predictive of our inevitable destruction.

There it ends. He doesn't take it to the next step that the world may instead, with the West in the lead (for better or worse), be on the brink of a transformation into an unheard of society that will look as different from us in 300 years as the world previous to the American and French revelations does now. I think of Jeremy Rifkin and others who are presenting other more positive and exciting pictures of the future.

If the "six apps" are all there is, and nothing new can appear, then indeed, the West is doomed as it leaves much of these qualities behind, as the East adopts them.

Generally an OK read for the various comparisons of societies.

Come Fly With Me

book

Wilhelm يوليو 02, 2017 0

Author: Jeff Brooks

Publisher: AuthorHouse

ISBN: 978-1468563955

Pages: 356, Hardcover/Paperback

Genre: Fiction

Reviewed by: S. Marie Vernon, Pacific Book Review

“Reviewed by: S Marie Vernon, Pacific Book ReviewAllison Ross is a sharp, blue-eyed, drop-dead gorgeous society girl from New York. She’s witty and strong-willed. At thirty years old, Allison is pretty ambivalent about marriage, but everyone important to her is calling her out on the issue. Her mother would love to have grandchildren and Kenyon, her fairy godmother (as he refers to himself), says she has no love life because she is cold, tart, and as frosty as a winter morning in New York! Author, Sandi Perry, has the perfect solution for her sophisticated and sassy protagonist. His name is Alex, but will his southern charm warm her up so he can melt her heart?

Allison reflects on her life. She doesn’t see what the fuss is about. After all, she has plenty of romantic suitors. She’s rich and happy. She has her own SOHO loft in Manhattan. And, she’s a wonderfully talented artist and savvy business woman with a successful art gallery. Actually, she didn’t see how she could fit a man into her life unless, of course, George Clooney suddenly declared his undying love for her! Then she would definitely reconsider her busy lifestyle she thinks with a smile. A ringing telephone disrupts the fantasy and her world turns upside down. Her father dies from an automobile accident that seemed innocent enough except two detectives show up asking questions. When the will is read Allison is her father’s first choice for CEO of RossAir Industries, his premier luxury jet company. While Allison is very capable of leading the company she simply doesn’t want to do it. She takes a deep breath and sets about finding a suitable CEO who would make her father proud.

Alexander Coventry is an ambitious, good-looking, and sexy executive from Buckhead, the uptown district of Atlanta Georgia. He shows promise for the CEO position at RossAir, but Allison doesn’t trust him. He’s cocky and pushes her buttons in every possible way. She has certainly met her match, but he will never know because he makes her very uncomfortable and he’s probably just interested in securing that CEO position anyway. Who will she recommend for the position if not Alex? And, who would want her father dead? There are so many questions and so few answers.

Sandi Perry is a native New Yorker and author of Come Fly With Me. She understands the socially elite perspective and it comes through in her writing. This isher second romance novel that is difficult to put down and very easy to read. Her book is engaging with sophisticated main characters that are realistic, fun-loving, and on-the-move; living jet-set lifestyles, yet they are also down-to-earth and discerning about what is really important in life. Deep down, Allison wants a true love even if it scares her to open up and be real with a potential husband. This is a story that has it all, love, romance, mystery, suspense, and intrigue until the very end. It’s a classic romantic fiction with a modern day setting complete with conflict, growth and resolution. In my estimation, Come Fly With Me is a wonderful eBook that will fly onto Kindles and eBooks and into the hands of romantic fiction lovers everywhere.

Life During a Nation's Death

Wilhelm يوليو 02, 2017 0

Life During a Nation's Death

Life During a Nation’s Death is a historical fiction set in the 2030’s-2041 period. The United States no longer competes on the world stage. After the Obama Presidency the Democratic Party and Republican Party stayed in gridlock until they completely fell apart. The middle class died and several versions of the parties revived themselves for a while. There were the Old Democrats, The Democratic-Worker Party, and the American Progressive Party. Several presidents tried to turn the country around, some more than others.

The Chinese realized America couldn’t pay back the money they owed and financed an independent candidate Leon Stinchcomb. He took office and immediately did away with Social Security and Medicare, actually blaming the elderly for the country’s debt problems. In 2032, Governor Martin Clifton Daye, nicknamed “Happy Daye,” became president. Daye’s shining achievement was dismantling the US into two regions and proposed our once great nation return to its roots and become the breadbasket of the world. The Chinese agreed and so it was declared. The USbecame little more than a third world country ruled by a World Union – China, India and Brazil. America now had two occupations, growing/selling marijuana and tobacco or milking cows and growing crops.

Everyday people were trying to find their place. They all had a story. A few evolve in this novel and stand out like pioneers of a regressed new order. There is Nancy and C.J., two elderly people who fight to hang on to their vision of the world. Also there is Kirby and Latasha, two kids, who should have had it all. Potter and Teddy have secrets all their own and who is Larry Crago anyway? Demure little Doreen is quite surprising in the end and you won’t forget Sheila Vonstein! She’s the stuff of legends, a woman like the world hasn’t seen before. Major Sheila Vonstein has taken out villages in Afghanistan and worked over the Taliban, too. With all she’s seen it makes no sense anymore and she isn’t sure it ever did. She’s a big blonde bombshell with killer legs. Booze and sex provide the backdrop for the games she likes to play. Rick, the ex-con in charge, what could go wrong there? Each of these people will cross paths as they struggle to survive in a world that has lost its greatness and only exists at the mercy of the World Union.

The author, Jeff Brooks, lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and knows about tobacco. He also knows his history and provides many references that enhance his story. This is a story about a “country gone wrong” in so many ways. Jeff Brooks’ message to the United States is so sad it becomes comical and he seems to be saying, we must “Learn from history,” otherwise we could witness first-hand the reality of a dark and dismal Life During a Nation’s Death.”

This is one political satire written for mature audiences only!

Defining Moments, Breaking Through Tough Times

book

Wilhelm يوليو 02, 2017 0

Defining Moments

Author, Dorothea S. McArthur, PhD, has 34 years of training and practice as a clinical psychologist. She has also trained other graduate students to become psychologists. In her book, Defining Moments she draws from this experience, her training and case studies to create a dynamic resource for those who seek personal growth from self-help sources. This volume was also written as a guide-book for today’s graduate student of clinical psychology.

For the individual, Defining Moments is a comfortable book, easy to read and filled with examples of unique insight into the human condition. It offers down-to-earth, practical advice on coping with complex human dilemmas. Since the beginning of creation man has struggled to understand his life in a way that made his day-to-day challenges more manageable. Our modern society is no exception. Depression, anxiety and anger exist in epidemic proportions and form the root causes for many of the problems we face as a community and a nation. Defining Moments offers a calm sea of alternative views and practical applications to help an individual to be more centered in their world and regain a sense of empowerment. It assures them they are equal to their life challenges, reducing their anger, anxiety and depression. When individuals are empowered, communities are empowered, then nations and, ultimately, society as a whole.

This book covers Defining Moments from several categories: Defining Moments from Nature, Defining Moments for Taking Care of Self, Defining Moments from Furry Friends, Defining Moments for Handling Life, Defining Moments for Children, and Defining Moments when Clients Speak Out. Each category has chapters that follow to make up 66 defining moments most of us have experienced or will experience in our lifetime. The main message is to help one to get going again when they’ve been knocked down by some life event. This may not be easy but, deep within each person, strength and encouragement can be found. The author reminds us, we are an amazing people and we can learn to cope with life’s most difficult challenges and take good care of our self in the process. And, we can take care of our children too, especially special needs children and adopted children.

Many unique approaches are given to address each Defining Moments category. It’s acknowledged that often nature is an excellent place to find peace and healing. When we observe nature with an open mind and an open heart it may reveal a solution we’ve been looking to find. And, we are encouraged to explore the wisdom our pets bring into our environment. They help us more often than we realize and give us true unconditional love. In addition, the author doesn’t shy away from tougher subjects facing our society; subjects like bullying and what can be done about it, and what our nation needs to become a great nation again. She allows her clients to speak out about this. She offers her own artistic approach too, and speculates what results we might see if our artists were given opportunities to solve more pressing and global concerns, at least to work with heads of states for more holistic solutions. She notes most artists do not seek fame and fortune, but, “an artist’s primary interest lies in making a difference by articulating what needs to be realized.”

Author Dorothea S. McArthur, PhD is also a wife and mother. And, she is an artist, herself. She draws, does sculpture, choral singing, gardening and she is a seasoned author with four other books to her credit. She is the co-author of the manual for the Roberts Apperception Test for Children (RATC). She has published Birth of a Self in Adulthood and she will soon publish Tomorrow’s Child and Love Beyond Love. I am amazed that one woman has accomplished so much in her life; also that her accomplishments have helped so many people to lead more productive lives. I believe her book, Defining Moments is a must read for anyone who loves psychology and self-help books. It is also a great and affordable resource for those seeking personal growth in almost any area of life. This book is also intended as a guidebook and reference for practicing psychologists who want to define their career path by learning from one of the most accomplished in the field of clinical psychology. linical psychology.

By One Vote by Carole Eglash-Kosoff

book

Wilhelm يوليو 02, 2017 0

This review is from: By One Vote (Paperback)

By One Vote is a political novel and documentary series written by expert author Carole Eglash-Kosoff. It is a story about 12 significant events in American politics where one vote altered our society, significantly, and set our nation on an entirely different course. While each generation may think it is facing the nation's worst political and economic times, By One Vote is a poignant and factual story that tells us otherwise. Through the authors detailed and elaborated accounts of history we see what she describes as "The Butterfly Effect," how one small change at one moment in time can have a large, profound and sweeping effect at a later time. We also begin to see how the political wheel of social justice turns and how it is often turned by just one vote. Written in third person narrative and often explicit first person dialogue, this book is for mature audiences. It is well researched and dedicated to the unsung heroes, the unknowns-not famous men and women of history, who changed the world by having conviction and standing up for what they believed. These people changed the world as much as Roosevelt, Lincoln or Bush.

In 1783 the War of Independence was over. Unpaid soldiers from 13 colonies defeated the 18th Century's most dominant world power, The United Kingdom. It was no contest that General George Washington would become the first President of the United States, however, establishing new rules for running a country was no easy task; even the location for a central government was highly disputed. At a New York tavern, Alexander Hamilton and Robert Morris from the Federalist Party met privately with two leading Republicans, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. If Hamilton gets his financial package passed they will see that Jefferson gets the national capitol built along the Potomac River, near Virginia and Maryland. Until completed, the temporary capitol location would stay in the "City of Brotherly Love," Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The deal was sealed. Jefferson and Madison began encouraging southern states to vote for Hamilton's financial or Assumption Act and Robert Morris changed his vote for the Residency Act to pass in favor of the District of Columbia. All hinged on that one vote.

Later in the election of 1800, Thomas Jefferson is running against Aaron Burr and there's a deadlock; the nation experiences its first Constitutional crisis. Jefferson meets with James Bayard and assures him he won't replace the people who have worked so hard within his party, if he is elected. Also, in a strange twist, Alexander Hamilton wants Jefferson, his long time arch enemy on the political front, to win this election. On Feb 17, 1800, James Bayard lowers his loud Federalist voice and changes his vote from Aaron Burr to blank. The deadlock is broken and Jefferson becomes President, doubling the size of the country with the Louisiana Purchase and dispatching the Lewis and Clark Expedition to seek a northwest passageway to the Pacific Ocean. Aaron Burr believes Alexander Hamilton has attacked his honor. He challenges Hamilton to a duel, ultimately killing him with a bullet to his lower abdomen. The Federalist voice is greatly diminished.

In 1868, Articles of Impeachment against President Andrew Johnson were approved by the House of Representatives. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States. After his assassination, Johnson took the Presidency. He reversed and vetoed many of Lincoln's legislation including the Freedman's Federal Program to help slaves and the Civil Rights Act. Johnson also fired Lincoln's popular Secretary of War. Edmund Ross would have the deciding vote on the Impeachment of Johnson. It would not come to pass because no one wanted Benjamin Wade to become the next President. Instead, General Ulysses S. Grant took the Presidency in the next election.

Almost a decade later, Rutherford B. Hayes is the Republican nominee who will continue Home Rule and ensure racial equality in the old Confederacy. Southern Democrats hate Republicans and want to end Home Rule. If elected, Samuel Tilden will destroy every multiracial institution in existence and there will be no protection for blacks; sharecropping will continue to enslave blacks as indentured servants. Justice Daniel Davis was to cast the critical vote of the Electoral Committee. When Davis realizes he no longer has independence from candidates Hayes and Tilden, he resigns. Justice Joseph Bradley is appointed to take his place and will cast his deciding vote for Hayes. Rutherford B. Hayes accepts the Presidency, but, it's bittersweet. His cabinet has convinced him he must make changes to appease the South. He accepts The Devil's Compromise. Against his belief system and moral focus he ends Home Rule and withdraws Union troops from the South. Education for the Negro and other Federal Programs disappeared completely leaving them to face decades of fear and intimidation. Their economic slavery continued well into the 20th Century.

In each chapter of this historical novel we see how the vote of one person continues to shape the lives of millions of people. The Treaty of Paris passed in 1896 by one vote, that of Senator Stephen White. The Philippine Islands, home to seven million people, would not be free for another half century and two world wars. The Filipinos were outraged; they wanted their freedom, now! Affirmative Action cases were weighted for a quarter of a century, from the 1970's to 2003. It was a period of social unrest and Justices were vexed as to the right thing to do about university admissions and job selection. Finally, social justice prevailed by one vote, that of Justice Blackman. And Sandra Day O'Connor in the year 2000, faced a complicated social issue, eventually, securing a woman's right to choose by her one vote. The Flag Protection Act of 1989 saw many court battles before becoming part of our patriotic legislation. There continues to be ongoing religious disputes about constitutional freedom of speech. And, the resentment of the Cubans residing in Florida helped place a dark horse like George W. Bush into the White House. A nation was mesmerized by the case of Elian Gonzales, an orphaned boy from Cuba seeking refuge in the United States. Democrats floundered in helping Elian so Cubans living in Florida retaliated and voted for Bush.

While author, Carole Eglash-Kosoff, has thoroughly researched and documented these 12 accounts of one vote events that changed the course of History, we can rest assured one vote continues to change the course of our nation, even now, within the Obama Administration. We've just recently seen how one vote ensured 35 million Americans medical coverage they did not previously have. We can see from these events that the American vote is here to stay and allows us a way to disagree without having to fight a war over every dispute. It allows us to resolve complex issues in a humane way as we strive to build a better society for all American citizens.

Author Carole Eglash-Kosoff, is a UCLA graduate, a teacher, a writer and a world traveler. She has three previous books to her credit and does not shy away from the tough subjects writing about the Apartheid of South Africa, War, Reconstruction in the South and Racism. Mostly she writes stories about the human spirit and hope. Her first book was titled, The Human Spirit-Apartheid's Unheralded Heroes. Then she wrote Winds of Change and When Stars Align, both stories of mixed race love. By One Vote is her fourth book destined to become a 12-part documentary series. In my opinion, this is a book for any historian or history buff as it is fact-laden and an accurate account of some of our country's most defining moments in history. This title is also well-suited for anyone who would like a down-to-earth account of our country's history and voting system, complete with how the current electoral system came into existence. By One Vote reveals to us a unique perspective of our History and shows us in detail just how important our one vote can be.