Friday, April 30, 2010

April reading list

20. Reliving the Passion (hc), by Walter Wangerin, Jr.
21. Madman (pb), by Tracy Groot
22. Dexter by Design (ua), by Jeff Lindsay
23. The Law of Nines (ua), by Terry Goodkind

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Book Review

Mother of God, by Miri Rubin.

Rubin, a history professor from England, presents an extremely well-research and detailed "history" of the Virgin Mary. In reality, it is a history of the Christian era of human history, using the Catholic Church as its focus, using the portayal of the Blessed Virgin as the narrative thread.

Rubin reviews (extensively) nearly 2 millennia of art, poetry, and songs of Mary, explaining how specific portrayals relate to a particular cultural view of the Virgin. She also covers theological and political developments as they relate to the Catholic Church and Mary's role in it.

The volume of notes at the end of the book place it firmly in the cAtegory of "academic," but is also manages to be a very readable and intersting work.

Monday, April 19, 2010

More From Blaise Pascal

Penses #121:
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It is dangerous to explain too clearly to man how like he is to the animals without pointing out his greatness. It is also dangerous to make too much of his greatness without his vileness. It is still more dangerous to leave him in ignorance of both, but it is most valuable to represent both to him.

Man must not be allowed to believe that he is equal either to animals or to angels, nor to be unaware of either, but he must know both.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Podcast Review

The Bible Study Podcast

Note that there are many podcasts in iTunes with similar names -- this review is for the weekly podcast hosted by Chris Christensen and produced for Mevio.

This is a nice, bite-size podcast, that runs 10-12 minutes per weekly episode, covering a topic or book of the Bible in 10 to 20 episodes. After series on "The Church is Called to be" and "The Bible on Leadership," Chris is currently working his way through Acts, after covering Luke's Gospel.

The theology espoused in this podcst is standard and orthodox, a "safe" presentation of biblical truths for Christian believers of all stripes.

Thursday, April 08, 2010

From The Carmina Gadelica

a collection of Celtic psalms, hymns, & poetry, gathered by Alexander Carmichael more than 100 years ago.
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May God shield you on every steep,
May Christ aid you on every path,
May Spirit fill you on every slope,
On hill and on plain.

May the King shield you in the valleys,
May Christ aid you on the mountains,
May Spirit bathe you on the slopes,
Inhollow, on hill, on plain,
Mountain, valley and plain.