Book Review: Catholic Evangelists?

Fascinating book by Jeffrey Martlett, a professor at the The College of St. Rose. The book, Saving the Heartland traces the brief history of Catholic motor missionaries in the US Midwest. Protestants and Pentecsotals were not the only ones barnstorming around the Midwest in the twenties, thrities, and forties. For the brief period when we had radios but not TVs, the "Catholic Rural Problem" was being addressed by these traveling priests and laity. An interesting study of a piece of American religious history that I knew absolutely nothing about before reading this book.

A Deity Next Door?

I just finished off an amazing little book by Mike Bryan called The Afterword. The conceit of the book is that is not an actual novel, but is instead the afterword to the newest edition of a novel -- a novel that in our world does not exist. The novel for which this is the afterword is "The Deity Next Door," which is the story (non-existent) of a modern day messiah figure, dropped down into the middle of 21st century New York.

Within this bizarre set-up, Bryan is able to effortlessly discuss a range of theological issues and topics. He takes the topic seriously, and is clearly conversant with the language of theology and evangelicism. Not everyone who writes on he topic knows much about it, but Bryan clearly does. Very intriguing and thought-provoking.

Labels

I hate labels. Evangelical, Liberal, Fundamental, Conservative, Charismatic, Pentecostal . . . I hate every one of these, they are ways of trying to simplify otherwise complicated issues, and too many people hide behind their labels instead of standing up for their own personal beliefs. Thank God that God does not judge us based on our label, but on our hearts.