Strange Gods is a Thorough Reality Check
By Pat Gohn, author and Patheos columnist, A Word in Season The Ten Commandments first declare, "I am the LORD your God... You shall have no other gods before me." (Ex 20: 2-3 rsv). And yet, we do. This thoughtful and thought-provoking book, Strange Gods: Unmasking the Idols in Everyday Life, exposes to our chagrin, yet ultimately to our benefit, that this premiere command of the Decalogue cannot be overlooked if we are to ever dare to live the other nine. Armed with faith in the graces … [Read More...]
Becoming the Son: A Q&A with Author C.D. Baker
Now Featured at the Patheos Book Club Becoming the Son: An Autobiography of Jesus By C.D. Baker An Interview with the Author Why should someone read this book? Jesus Christ changed the world, and not just for Christians. Knowing who he could have been can make a great difference in the way any of us understands ourselves and others. Yet, most of us only know him according to very narrow perspectives, usually controlled by churches or other communities. The result is to sometimes miss … [Read More...]
Animate: Coming Out as Apophatic
By Lillian Daniel, author and contributor to animate.Faith Gathered in a cozy living room, our little church group watched the Animate DVDs over eight weeks. We dug into the deep theological questions as we got to learn more about God, each other and the vagaries of our host’s temperamental toilet. In the first DVD, the gifted teacher Brian McLaren explained that in the Christian tradition, there are two ways of thinking about God, the apophatic and the kataphatic. (Hang in there with … [Read More...]
Help Us Remember Who We Are: A Review of Strange Gods
By Laurel Dalrymple When I first looked at Strange Gods: Unmasking the Idols in Everyday Life, by Elizabeth Scalia, I thought, “Oh no, another book to make me feel guilty.” That wasn’t the only thought I had; I was also excited to read something (even if it was going to be convicting) by someone whom I loved to read. I was surprised however; instead of being guilt-inducing, Strange Gods was inspiring. If it did induce a little guilt, it was mostly illuminating, with quite a few … [Read More...]
What is God’s Favorite Place on Earth? A Q&A with Author Frank Viola
This week, one of Patheos' favorite bloggers, Frank Viola, releases his new book God's Favorite Place on Earth. Recommended by some 47 top Christian leaders, Viola's book is a creative retelling of the stories of Bethany, told through the eyes of Lazarus. The premise of the book is simple and 100% Biblical: when Jesus was on the earth, He was rejected everywhere He went ... from Bethlehem, to Nazareth, to Jerusalem. The only exception was the little village of Bethany. We caught up with … [Read More...]
8 Lessons Concerning Mental Illness
By Amy Simpson, author Troubled Minds: Mental Illness and the Church's Mission Like most people, I don't personally know Rick Warren. But like so many, I feel as if I do. The best-selling author of The Purpose-Driven Life and pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, Warren has spent the last decade largely in the public eye, causing some to dub him "America's pastor." He has written and spoken to millions, and his down-to-earth style and straightforward messages have … [Read More...]
The Secrets of Leaven: A Q&A with Author Todd Wynward
In his new novel The Secrets of Leaven, author, educator and wilderness guide Todd Wynward serves up a delicious mystery set in Guatemala and the Middle East as the lively backdrop for exploring deep questions about Christianity and the Way of Jesus. The main characater is a cynical young seminarian who is catapulted into a new reality when he encounters the Society of Leaven, an ancient sect of Jesus-loving radicals who’ve been subverting Empire and making holy mischief for two thousand … [Read More...]
Angels in the Making?
{This post is part of a roundtable conversation on the new book In the Presence of Angels, by Andrea R. Garrison.} In the Presence of Angels and the Way of Blessing Andrea Garrison presents the vision of an enchanted and inspired universe in her delightful text, In the Presence of Angels. As I sat at my local coffee house, enjoying a sunrise cup of coffee, I was enchanted by the reading of Garrison’s book. She reminds us that life is more than meets the eye and that each of us, whether … [Read More...]
In the Presence of Angels: A Q&A with Andrea Garrison
Just in time for Mother's Day, the Patheos Book Club presents a special mother-daughter story, In the Presence of Angels: Reflections on Mattie Pearl and Emanuel Swedenborg. In this meditative memoir, author Andrea Garrison shares her journey with her Mom in the final weeks leading up to her death, during which her mother experienced and shared glimpses of the "other side." Garrison's book is a meditation on life, love and the journey beyond, as she weaves her own reflections with the … [Read More...]
God’s Favorite Place on Earth
[This post is part of a roundtable on the new book, God's Favorite Place on Earth, by Frank Viola.] When I went deaf literally overnight in my left ear, I got an MRI which gave me the opportunity to do something everyone ought to get to do at least once in their life; I got to see the inside of my own brain. A neurologist pointed and explained. We were both enthralled. The doctor because he gets jazzed over brains, me on two counts. I’m insatiably curious about anything I don’t know … [Read More...]
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