Page 123 Meme

Dale tagged me for this meme:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages), or whatever book you are currently reading
2. Open the book to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence
4. Post the next three sentences
5. Tag five people (I am not a tagger, so ... I didn't do this.)

From The Jesus of Suburbia, by Mike Erre

"This has always been the temptation of the people of God: to tame him. He increases mystery; we desire to remove it. He introduces paradox; we seek to solve it."

Podcast Help?

I was the last person in my family (and probably the developed world) to get an iPod -- though I still occassionally sneak some quality time with Old Faithful, my Sony Walkman, which is literally held together by rubber bands.

I have found a few top-notch podcasts, including the Daily Audio Bible, which will take me through the Bible in one year. This one runs about 20-25 minutes a day, with daily readings in the OT, NT, Psalms, and Proverbs.

I know that the Podcasting world is vast, and I will never "stumble on" to all of the good ones. I'm not looking for sermons or church services, but rather Christians discussing theology, culture, church history, stuff like that.

Any suggestions?

Book Review

A Pagan's Nightmare, by Roy Blackston. Blackston is one of the few funny fiction writers in the Christian marketplace. This one is a funny, bizarre, post-modern read. The story revolves around a literary agent and his client's latest manuscript, and the novel bounces back and forth between the manuscript and people's reactions to the manuscript. There is a lot of poking fun at aspects of modern evangelical culture, so if you can't laugh at yourself, this one's not for you.

Brigid’s Feast

I should like a lake of finest ale
For the King of kings.
I should like a table of the choicest food
For the family of heaven.
Let the ale be made from the fruits of faith.
And the food be forgiving love.

I should welcome the poor at my feast,
For they are God’s children.
I should welcome the sick at my feast,
For they are God’s joy.
Let the poor sit with Jesus at the highest place,
And the sick dance with the angels.

God bless the poor,
God bless the sick,
And bless our human race.

God bless our food,
God bless our drink,
All homes, O god, embrace.

Nice Little Prayer

Sarum Primer, 1527:
God be in my head and in my understanding.
God be in mine eyes and in my looking.
God be in my mouth and in my speaking.
God be in my heart and in my thinking.
God be at mine end and my departing.

Book Review

Saving God's Green Earth, by Tri Robinson.

Robinson is a pastor of a Vineyard church in Idaho, and is at the forefront of the “creation care” movement in evangelical circles. This book has some how-to information on being a good steward to the earth, but mostly focuses on Robinson’s own journey towards becoming seeing care for nature as not only the province of the extreme left.

There is a generational shift on this issue happening in the evangelical world, and younger leadership emerges in the movement. There is interesting stuff behind this shift in theology, from sociology to life experiences to politics, some of which Robinson touches on.

Just God

From the diary of Vincent Pallotti, a 19th Century theologian and pastor, a praryer I'd like to make my own:

Not the intellect, but God.
Not the will, but God.
Not the soul, but God.
Not the goods of the world, but God.
Not riches, but God.
Not honors, but God.
Not distinction, but God.
Not dignities, but God.
Not advancement, but God.
God always and in everything.

Why I Read the Church Fathers

Scott Cairns wrote the following in an introduction to Athanasius' Life of Antony. He says more effectively than I could ever do how I have come to feel about the leaders of the early church and the writings they've left behind:
-----------------------------
... C.S. Lewis makes the claim that our continued attention to the "old books" is absolutely necessary if we are to avoid the hubris of thinking that our contemporary views are without error. It is not so much that the old authors didn't also make mistakes, Lewis notes, as it is that their mistakes are not our mistakes; without having recourse to "the old books," we become blind to our own disabling premises.

To the Father of Monks

Today is the feast day of St. Anthony of Egypt, one of the "Desert Fathers" of the church. In 271, at the age of 20, Anthony took seriously Jesus' words regarding the selling of possessions. Anthony gave all his wealth to the poor and moved to the desert to live the ascetic life of a monk, but was continually sought out by pilgrims for spiritual direction and advice.

In the early 300s, Anthony created a loosely-organized group of cells, which can be considered the world's first monastery. The story of Anthony's life (compiled by St. Athanasius in about 370) greatly influenced St. Augustine, who was only 2 when Anthony died. Augustine went on to serve the church greatly and leave many of his own writings behind, including his "Rule" for monastic life, written in 400, which led to great growth and vitality of the monastic vocation within the church over the next thousand years.

In 311, in a renewed time of persecution, Anthony moved about ALexandria preaching and teaching, willing to accept the grace of martyrdom should it come his way. His life was spared, and he continued as a church leader, active in the fight against the Arian heresy, which denied the deity of Christ and thus the Trinity. At this point, Anthony was nearly 90. He died at 105.

from the venerable Bede

A hymn of glory let us sing,
new hymns throughout the world shall ring;
by a new way none ever trod
Christ takes his place: the throne of God!

You are a present joy, O Lord;
you will be ever our reward;
and great the light in you we see
to guide us to eternity.

O risen Christ, ascended Lord,
all praise to you let earth accord,
who are, while endless ages run,
with Father and with Spirit, One.