Creative Suffering by Paul Tournier

I’ve gone for an oldie again: a 30-year old book by Genevan doctor Paul Tournier. He’s a bit exasperating at times, because he lets himself get side-tracked and thinks laterally. But he has a great deal of experience through listening to countless patients and has acquired a lot of wisdom. Tournier made a name for himself through the book La médecine de la personne (1940), in which he takes a holistic approach to treating illness, recognising earlier than most the supremely important interplay of body, psyche, environment, counselling, etc. in the process of recovery or degeneration of a malady.
Continue reading “Creative Suffering by Paul Tournier”

Chrislam? Christian Palestinianism?

A one-time dear friend of mine sent me the following links as “must watch!” They make me weep inwardly.

1. Christian Palestinianism from the 2011 Berean Call Conference

Paul Wilkinson is a soft-spoken, gentle young English junior pastor of a small Church near Manchester. His voice and attitude is very compelling (although speaking in the US and dressed for the part). He seems sincere and humble, genuinely convinced of his position. Continue reading “Chrislam? Christian Palestinianism?”

The Radical Disciple by John Stott

How refreshing to read a compact, no nonsense book in which the great Bible teacher/apologist – I remember him well from my student days in London – “considers eight characteristics of Christian discipleship which are often neglected and yet deserve to be taken seriously.

John Stott makes no attempt to be sensational and refrains from embellishing his text with exciting anecdotes. Instead he delves deep, facing hard truths honestly, while presenting his message succinctly and clearly.

His eight topics are the following: Continue reading “The Radical Disciple by John Stott”

Love Wins: At the Heart of Life’s Big Questions by Rob Bell

A brave book, shocking for traditional Evangelicals! Rob Bell dares to question our understanding of God, heaven, hell.

This is ’empirical theology’, picking out impressions of God’s character and plan from the Bible, rather than expounding specific passages. In fact, he points out that by emphasizing specific pet texts many believers end up with a very lop-sided view of God and the Gospel (and others with a different but equally lop-sided view; see p. 16f). Continue reading “Love Wins: At the Heart of Life’s Big Questions by Rob Bell”

Naked Spirituality: A Life with God in Twelve Simple Words by Brian McLaren

A good, honest, inspirational book. Brian McLaren dares to face the real struggles involved in experiencing God in daily life and cultivating a vital relationship with him.

The first parts (Spring and Summer) made sense for me, the rest resonated less. I had the impression the latter chapters floundered a bit, trying to discover a pattern out of individual experiences (his and others’) and not succeeding so well. Continue reading “Naked Spirituality: A Life with God in Twelve Simple Words by Brian McLaren”

The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical, by Shane Claiborne

A very unusual book, disturbingly radical, but gentle and optimistic. Not a logically developed idea but a collection of thoughts, experiences and stories expounding the idea that Jesus really is advocating a totally different way of living – scorning fame, riches, success – in this crazy, corrupt world. Community, renunciation and sharing for the sake of the needy, justice, caring for the creation, loving the unlovely, humility wrt Church and political leaders, and much fun – these are Shane’s vision.

The Greatest Show on Earth: Richard Dawkins

The Evidence for EvolutionSubtitle: The evidence for evolution

A sad book – extremely prejudiced and bitterly derisive of all believers. His way of interpreting a variety of interesting scientific phenomena could support evolution, but ‘evidence’ in the sense of proof it is not. Continue reading “The Greatest Show on Earth: Richard Dawkins”

Everything Must Change – Brian McLaren

Everything Must Change
When the World’s Biggest Problems and Jesus’ Good News Collide

screen-shot-2016-11-06-at-13-19-11Ein neues Buch von einem meiner Lieblingsautoren – wird erst in 2 Wochen ausgegeben. Ich durfte eine Vorabkopie bekommen und bin fleissig darin am Lesen.

Nachdem er uns beruhigt, dass er kein Spinner ist, der uns Schuldgefühle vermitteln will, weil wir überhaupt Platz auf dieser Erde einnehmen, behauptet er, wenn wir das Buch fertig gelesen haben, werden wir ein besseres Gefühl über diese Welt und unseren Platz darin haben, und wir werden wissen, wie wir einen Unterschied machen können. Das fesselt meine Aufmerksamkeit!

Sehr bald veröffentlicht er seine 2 grosse Lebensfragen:

  1. Was sind die grössten Probleme dieser Welt? Continue reading “Everything Must Change – Brian McLaren”

The Complex Christ – Kester Brewin

Untertitel: Signs of emergence in the urban church

Ein Buch, das ich nicht ohne weiteres empfehlen kann. Brewin erkannt richtig einige Mängel und028105669202_scmzzzzzzz_1.jpg Versagen des Christentums, und behauptet, wir sind auf einem ‘lokalen Gipfel’ gelandet, anstatt zuoberst auf dem Berg. Um weiter zu kommen, müssen wir uns ins finstere, dreckige Tal wagen, uns einmischen in die unschönen Realitäten dieser brutalen, ungerechten, unmoralischen Welt – Fleisch werden (become incarnate)! – bevor wir den Weg zu einem höheren, ‘verbindenden’ (conjunctive) Lebensstil finden, der Einsichten aus einer Reihe von spirituellen Kulturerben mit weltlicher Weisheit vermischt.

Er betont eine allmähliche Evolution, statt Revolution; Geben, statt Ausbeutung; Entwicklung von unten nach oben, statt eine hierarchische Dominanz – alles gutes Zeug! Seine Grossstadt-Theorie (Kap. 5) ist besonders interessant.

Aber wo er von Dreck redet, finde ich seine Symbolik konfus. Ja, Jesus bringt dem Dreckigen Hoffnung, aber nicht indem er Dreck verherrlicht, sondern indem Er reinigt. Brewin hat offensichtlich den Wunsch, das Establishment durch unverschämte Behauptungen und Praktiken zu schockieren, stützt sich auch sehr stark auf nichtchristlichen Quellen, und bezieht sich zu wenig auf biblische Wahrheiten.

N.B. Brewin unterscheidet zwischen “Emergent” (etwas verachtend; à la Brian McLaren, usw.) und “emerging”, wobei scheinbar die Gross/kleinschreibung auch eine Bedeutung haben soll! Er ist nicht von der gleichen Schule wie B McL

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