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Archive | June, 2010

The PAOC’s Identity Crisis (Part 1 of 6)

By on June 29, 2010 in Pentecostalism 0

The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada has set up a Theological Study Commission (described here, near the bottom of the page). The first-fruits of this commission have arrived. Masters Pentecostal Seminary has released a series of six papers that can be downloaded here. The stated intent of these papers is to “provoke thought and discussion”, not to layout the PAOC’s official position on these matters.

I’ve read the papers and they’re quite interesting. I thought I’d do my part to further the discussion by calling out and responding to the papers with some thoughts and questions of my own. Six papers (+ one appendix) = six posts. Here we go:

Paper #1:
Pentecostal Identity—A Pastoral Perspective
by Peter Cusick and Brandon Malo

Cusick and Malo anonymously surveyed PAOC pastors on a variety of issues surrounding our pentecostal identity (the raw data can be found here). The paper begins with bit of history about Pentecostal identity before diving into the results of the survey. Continue Reading →

The Life and Times of The Thunderbolt Kid | Bill Bryson

By on June 28, 2010 in Biography, Book Reviews 0

This book chronicles the early years of The Thunderbolt Kid: Bryson’s childhood alter-ego who terrorized anyone who annoyed him. It’s Bryson at his absolute finest. Even though his childhood happened in the 50s, I had no problem identifying with his experience.

Bryson is laugh-out-loud funny. I don’t mean that in the watered-down LOL variety, either. I actually laughed out loud a number of times. (It made it difficult to read in bed while my wife was trying to sleep.)

Some of his other books suffered from too much filler, not enough killer. Fortunately, that was not the case here. Although the volume’s 400 pages, the font-size is relatively large. This is a compelling joy-ride through 1950s Americana. Every chapter is a gem.

To be a Christian is to Pray | Karl Barth

By on June 25, 2010 in Weekend Wisdom 0

Here’s Barth on the importance of prayer (in Prayer):

It is not possible to say, “I shall pray,” or, “I shall not pray,” as if it were an act according to our own good pleasure. To be a Christian and to pray are one and the same thing; it is a matter that cannot be left to our caprice. It is a need, a kind of breathing necessary to life.

Shadowrise | Tad Williams

By on June 21, 2010 in Book Reviews, Fantasy 0

He did it again. Williams took a nice traditional trilogy and spun it into four books. (Douglas Adams would be proud.) It’s difficult to be frustrated with him, though, since this series is so riveting you don’t want it to end. All the elements that made this series great (angry fairies, the half-sane king who believes he’s a god, tunnels under the castle and their inhabitants, life behind the shadowline, legends coming to life) get more interesting in this book.

My only frustration is with Princess Briony. Her storyline wasn’t boring so much as irritating. When it was getting late and I needed to put the book down, I invariably closed the covers when the next chapter began with her. Her plot-line better pay off in volume four!

Shadowrise truly is half of the third book in the trilogy. Unlike how Brandon Sanderson retooled Jordan’s final work to make three semi-self-contained volumes, Williams just ended the book half-way through. Thankfully we will not have to wait long for the last final installment.

The Theology of Paul the Apostle | James D. G. Dunn (§12)

By on June 16, 2010 in Book Studies, The Theology of the Apostle Paul 1

My particular background in the Christian tradition used to speak of the foursquare gospel: Jesus saves, Jesus heals, Jesus baptizes, and Jesus is coming again. I’m not interested in debating the amount of skew that places on our understanding of Jesus. I want to point out how cherished the topic of Jesus’ second coming is to many people. The details of the parousia often get clouded in debates about particular end-time theologies. I’m quite looking forward to Dunn’s take on Paul’s take on Jesus’ second advent.

. . .

Continue Reading →

The Faces of Jesus | Frederick Buechner

By on June 14, 2010 in Book Reviews, Spiritual Formation 0

The Faces of Jesus is Buechner’s brief survey of Jesus’ life. He takes the reader through the important moments of Jesus’ life with a poet’s eye for beauty.

Unfortunately, the style of writing that so amazed me in Now and Then seemed largely absent here. It could have been my familiarity with the subject matter, but this book left me largely unmoved. To be sure, there were moments of poetic brilliance (this is Buechner we’re talking about!)—but they seemed few and far between.

I must add that Paraclete Press didn’t do the book any favors by selecting different sized fonts seemingly at random. It almost felt like they were stretching the material to make (almost) 100 pages.

I’ll keep reading Buechner, but my prior enthusiasm has been slightly dampened.

Prayer | Karl Barth

By on June 9, 2010 in Book Reviews, Spiritual Formation 0

I’m no expert on Barth. I have, however, read Luther and Calvin on the Lord’s Prayer. This book was a nice little survey of their thought set in a devotional tone. It’s actually the translation of an adaptation of three lectures Barth gave at Neuchâtel.

This is the sort of book that packs a lot of meaning into a few words. Don’t let its 78 pages fool you into thinking it’s a lightweight. The words of the translation (by Sara F. Terrien) are carefully weighed and full of beauty.

Take this little book on your next paddling trip and meditate on the Lord’s prayer as you go.

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