*****
GLOBAL AND ECUMENICAL IN SCOPE
CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE
Wayne A. Holst, Editor
My E-Mail Address:
waholst@telus.net
Colleagues List Web Site:
http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com
"Quicklinks" are included with many items
at the beginning of this issue. To get a more
complete picture, however, scroll down to
find your special selection in the body of
the blog.
*****
Dear Friends:
My Special Item this week is a book notice
for Jimmy Carter's latest, but probably not
his last, autobiography. I am a fan of his,
and along with the notice, provide some
views on why he continues to write such
books.
To read mine and all items in this section,
please scroll down past all quick links -
"A Full Life - Reflections at Ninety"
http://tinyurl.com/o2snc8x
Three of my Previous Carter
Reviews and Notices:
http://tinyurl.com/puxxozw
http://tinyurl.com/k2q55u4
Colleague Comment - this week is from
Herb O'Driscoll of Victoria who notes what
he considers a seminal NYT article on a
future "positive" religious conservatism
that has implications for Canada also.
"The Next Culture War"
http://tinyurl.com/py48tvs
Thanks for the excellent article, Herb!
To read his note to me, scroll down
*****
Colleague Contributions this week -
Marjorie Gibson (Vancouver BC) -
who writes on
"From the Past to the Future"
http://tinyurl.com/ngrr4p7
--
Reginald Bibby (Lethbridge AB) -
who is featured in the magazine of
the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
"Faith Today Interview"
http://tinyurl.com/pxgfgm3
--
Martin Marty (Chicago IL) -
who comments on a flood of current
religion stories in the US secular press
"Religion Overwhelms in the News"
http://tinyurl.com/pbmlfmd
--
Ron Rolheiser (San Antonio TX) -
who reflects on
"The Value and Power of Ritual"
http://tinyurl.com/ncne37f
--
Jim Taylor - who shares online about
"Loveliness -
Something You Can't Give Back"
http://tinyurl.com/ngmqle7
*****
Net Notes -
"Acropolis Now" - big in the news this week
has been the Greek monetary crisis and the EU.
Here is a theological/spiritual perspective
(America Magazine, Vox, via Sojourners)
http://tinyurl.com/pbk7z3d
http://tinyurl.com/ostv2by
--
"Obama's Eulogy" - good commentary on
the place in history of this now famous
speech in Charleston. Will it rival Lincoln's
Gettysburg Address? (New York Times)
http://tinyurl.com/pnlq6ws
--
"Sacred Inwardness" - popular American
author Marilynne Robinson takes on the
intriguing but controversial theme of
"Why Secularism Has No Meaning"
(The Christian Century)
http://tinyurl.com/p8u6bqn
--
"Brother Roger of Taize" - from the video
archives, "Seeking God, Listening More"
(Englewood Review of Books)
http://tinyurl.com/o54tbj5
--
"Church of Pope Francis" - a helpful video
panel discussion with notable comment
on the church being shaped by Francis
(America Magazine Online)
http://tinyurl.com/pfogkuv
--
"Fifty Years of Ecumenism" - it is important
to recognize in this world of sound bites that
solid ecumenical work over a long period, by
the world's Christian faith communities, is only
now starting to be realized (Anglican Journal)
http://tinyurl.com/oh4j4ja
--
"Pope Offers Important Apologies" - more on
Francis, traveling in Latin America. He offers
apologies to early evangelical Christians, the
Waldensians of Italy, and to the world's
indigenous peoples - speaking from Bolivia
(Christianity Today, Huffington Religion)
http://tinyurl.com/ntj4qws
http://tinyurl.com/osvm5a9
--
"Millions Missing from Church Accounts" -
where there are humans, there is fraud,
and the church in China is no exception
(UCA News - Asia)
http://tinyurl.com/qar83wn
--
"ECUSA - Removal of All Confederate Flags"
- it is intriguing to see, from a Canadian
perspective, how a deeply entrenched symbol
of southern US resistance, should disintegrate
so quickly - but at a tragic price (Christian Post)
http://tinyurl.com/p6eqt4p
--
"Ontario Law Society Rejects Trinity Western Grads"
- some Canadian friends would consider this to be
religious persecution, but I am not one of them
(Globe and Mail, The Christian Post)
http://tinyurl.com/pby6wmx
http://tinyurl.com/qfnomwj
--
"Swedish Megachurch Pastor Converts to Catholicism"
- an evangelical minister in Sweden claims to have
had a vision of the Virgin Mary - most interesting
(The Christian Post)
http://tinyurl.com/od4lcym
*****
Wisdom of the Week - comes to us from
Sojourners and the Bruderhof online:
Gustavo Gutierrez, Albert Camus,
Meister Eckhart, Augustine, Stanley Hauerwas
Albert Einstein and Anthony de Mello
Please scroll down to read what they have to say
*****
On This Day -
From the archives of the New York Times:
"Treaty of Versailles Signed in France,
Ending World War One"
http://tinyurl.com/qa7p57x
"Hong Kong Reverts to Chinese Rule
After 156 Years as a British Colony"
http://tinyurl.com/pf6xaxq
"The WWII Battle of Britain Begins"
http://tinyurl.com/mrvkkf9
*****
Closing Thought - Flanner O'Connor
Scroll down to the end of the blog to read her
(end)
If you are interested in our developing
program for the fall and winter, please
scroll down to the end of the blog -
*****
SPECIAL ITEM
Book Notice -
A FULL LIFE
Reflections at Ninety,
by Jimmy Carter
Simon & Schuster, Toronto
July 7th, 2015. $22.89 CAD.
257 pages. Hardcover.
ISBN #978-1-5011-1563-9.
Publisher's Promo:
Jimmy Carter, thirty-ninth President,
Nobel Peace Prize winner, international
humanitarian, fisherman, reflects on his
full and happy life with pride, humor,
and a few second thoughts.
At ninety, Jimmy Carter reflects on his
public and private life with a frankness
that is disarming. He adds detail and e
motion about his youth in rural Georgia
that he described in his magnificent
An Hour Before Daylight. He discusses
racism and the isolation of the Carters.
He describes the brutality of the hazing
regimen at Annapolis, and how he nearly
lost his life twice serving on submarines
and his amazing interview with Admiral
Rickover. He describes the profound
influence his mother had on him, and
how he admired his father even though
he didn’t emulate him. He admits that
he decided to quit the Navy and later
enter politics without consulting his wife,
Rosalynn, and how appalled he is in
retrospect.
In A Full Life, Carter tells what he is proud
of and what he might do differently. He
discusses his regret at losing his re-election,
but how he and Rosalyn pushed on and made
a new life and second and third rewarding
careers. He is frank about the presidents who
have succeeded him, world leaders, and his
passions for the causes he cares most about,
particularly the condition of women and the
deprived people of the developing world.
This is a wise and moving look back from
this remarkable man. Jimmy Carter has lived
one of our great American lives—from rural
obscurity to world fame, universal respect, a
nd contentment. A Full Life is extraordinary.
--
Author's Words:
Reaching my ninetieth birthday is a good time
to look back to moments that changed my life
and reflect on some of the memories that re
especially important to me.
Some of these events affected me profoundly
or taught me lessons, large and small. Others
are amusing, and some make me contemplate
who I was at the time. There are some that
I enjoyed or savor, and others I wished had
never happened or that I could change.
I spent four of my ninety years in the White
House, and they were, of course, the pinnacle
of my political life. Those years, though, do
not dominate my chain of memories, and
there never was an orderly or planned path
to get there during my early life. At each step
of my career, I made peremptory decisions
about the next one...
I have written a number of books about some
of my experiences... and I still receive between
fifteen hundred to three thousand letters each
month (all my books are listed in my Wikipedia
bio and bibliography, below) while many of my
articles, reports, speeches and letters are
posted on my personal website:
www.cartercenter.org
www.cartercenter.org/news/index.html
Some of the more personal and intimate events
of my life are covered in this book for the first
time (including) how Rosalyn and I have spent
our more private times since the Washington
years.
Jimmy Carter Biography:
http://tinyurl.com/onh5a5d
Jimmy Carter Bibliography:
http://tinyurl.com/ojg2wpb
--
My Thoughts:
Over the years, I have reviewed and commented
much on the life and writings of Jimmy Carter.
(see for example, my review of Carter's book -
"Beyond the White House" an earlier (2007)
account of his post-presidency, and of Frye
Gaillard's biography "Prophet from Plains")
http://tinyurl.com/puxxozw
My most recent Carter book notice here was:
"A Call to Action - Women, Religion, Violence
and Power" April 6th, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/k2q55u4
--
We can never assume that Jimmy Carter has
written his "magnum opus" or "summing up"
book - even at age ninety or with a title like
the one currently under consideration.
I think I can understand why. Even though some
experiences of his life had a profound impact,
and he has written much about them over time,
he continues having the need to revisit them in
order to refine his learning and growth.
I have had a similar experience, early this summer,
as I perused 25-30 personal journals which were
written during the 1990's. My "post-White House
years" - back to which I will probably keep returning
- were those when I struggled to rebuild my career
and family life after what for me were devastating
losses.
What were seminal developments I missed?
How has my life evolved in new ways since then?
I do not believe God had a "plan" for my life, but
by reading hundreds of journal entries I can
certainly see God at work in me as we "struggled"
"competed" and "cooperated."
After reading many journals I have noted some
pivotal events, personalities and new discoveries
by writing a few refined and updated entries!
I suspect that as you grow older and more mature,
you too have your own ways of doing this.
Carter discovers there were important "gaps" in his
life that he neglected to pay attention to previously.
He discovers that greater distance and life perspective
allow him to see things differently, and hopefully more
accurately.
And, if my experience can at all be transferred to his,
my "revisiting" continues to be part of my healing.
He writes about his family background and his own
continuing relationship with Rosalyn in ways he has
not addressed previously.
He reflects on how long-forgotten or repressed
experiences have now emerged for him. These shed
light on fears and hopes he did not previously realize
had prodded him.
He describes his evolving senior years, and how he
has kept involved and active. No doubt this is one of
the reasons he continues to be productive long after
most have started to coast, or have simply died.
I am obviously a Carter fan. I have read many of his
books and promoted them by means of reviews
and notices because of my adulation for the man.
For those who may share at least some of my feelings,
this is probably his most refined and valuable work
of autobiography yet. It is well worth consideration.
But don't assume this is his last word on the subject.
Buy the book from Amazon.ca:
http://tinyurl.com/o2snc8x
*****
COLLEAGUE COMMENT
Herbert O'Driscoll
Victoria, BC
June 30th, 2015
Wayne:
I could be wrong but my gut tells me
this (article) is a significant insight.
Cheers.
Herb
New York Times
June 30th, 2015
"The Next Culture War"
http://tinyurl.com/py48tvs
*****
COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS
Marjorie Gibson,
Vancouver, BC
Marjorie Remembers
July 4th, 2015
"From the Past to the Future"
http://tinyurl.com/ngrr4p7
--
Reginald Bibby,
Lethbridge, AB
Faith Today (EFC)
July 3rd, 2015
"Faith Today Interview"
http://tinyurl.com/pxgfgm3
--
Martin Marty,
Chicago, IL
Sightings
June 29th, 2015
"Religion Overwhelms in the News"
http://tinyurl.com/pbmlfmd
--
Ron Rolheiser,
San Antonio, TXPersonal Web Site
July 6th, 2015
"The Value and Power of Ritual"
http://tinyurl.com/ncne37f
--
Jim Taylor
Okanagan, BC
Personal Web Log
July 8th, 2015
"Loveliness -
Something You Can't Give Back"
http://tinyurl.com/ngmqle7
*****
NET NOTES
ACROPOLIS NOW
Greek Economic Crisis
America Magazine
July 6th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pbk7z3d
"The Greek Crisis in 500 Words"
Vox,
June 29th, 2015
OBAMA'S EULOGY
At Charleston Funeral
It's Place is in History
New York Times
July 3rd, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pnlq6ws
--
SACRED INWARDNESS
Why Secularism Has No Meaning
by Marilynne Robinson
The Christian Century
June 24th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/p8u6bqn
--
BROTHER ROGER OF TAIZE
"Seeking God, Listening More"
Video from
Englewood Review of Books
July 3rd, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/o54tbj5
--
Video Views of Top Flight Panel
America Magazine Online
July 7th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pfogkuv
--
50 YEARS OF ECUMENICAL COOPERATION
World Council and Roman Catholic Church
Anglican Journal
July 6th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/oh4j4ja
--
POPE OFFERS TWO IMPORTANT APOLOGIES
A Week of On-Going Bridge-Building
"Addresses Waldensians, Early Evangelicals"
July 7th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/ntj4qws
"Speaks About Church 'Offences"
Against Indigenous People"
Huffington Religion
July 9th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/osvm5a9
MILLIONS MISSING FROM
SHANGHI CHURCH ACCOUNTS
Fraud is Suspected
UCA News
July 9th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/qar83wn
--
ECUSA CALLS FOR REMOVAL
OF ALL CONFEDERATE FLAGS
'It is at Odds With the Love of Jesus'
Christian Post
July 3rd, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/p6eqt4p
--
ONTARIO LAW SOCIETY REJECTS
TRINITY WESTERN LAW SCHOOL
Will Not Accept Its Grads
Globe and Mail
July 2nd, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pby6wmx
Reaction from Conservative
American Evangelical Press
The Christian Post
July 9th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/qfnomwj
--
SWEDISH EVANGELICAL MEGACHURCH
PASTOR CONVERTS TO CATHOLICISM
Says He Had Vision from Virgin Mary
The Christian Post
July 8th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/od4lcym
*****
WISDOM OF THE WEEK
Provided by Sojourners and
Bruderhof online:
Discipleship is rooted in the experience
of an encounter with Jesus Christ.
- Gustavo Gutierrez
--
To assert in any case that a man must be
absolutely cut off from society because he
is absolutely evil amounts to saying that
society is absolutely good, and no one in
his right mind will believe this today.
- Albert Camus
--
Do not think that saintliness comes from
occupation; it depends rather on what one is.
The kind of work we do does not make us holy,
but we may make it holy.
- Meister Eckhart
--
Let us leave a little room for reflection in our lives,
room too for silence. Let us look within ourselves
and see whether there is some delightful hidden
place inside where we can be free of noise and
argument. Let us hear the Word of God in stillness
and perhaps we will then come to understand it.
- Augustine
--
Never think that you need to protect God.
Because anytime you think you need to
protect God, you can be sure that you are
worshipping an idol.
- Stanley Hauerwas
--
Each of us is here for a brief sojourn; for what
purpose he knows not, though he sometimes
thinks he feels it. But from the view point of
daily life – without going deeper – we exist
for each other; in the first place, for those
on whose smiles and welfare all our happiness
depends, and next, for all those unknown to us
personally, with whose destinies we are bound
up by the tie of sympathy. A hundred times
every day I remind myself that my inner and
outer life depends onthe labors of others, living
and dead, and that I must exert myself in order
to give in the same measure as I have received
and am still receiving.
- Albert Einstein
--
Has it ever struck you that those who most fear
to die are the ones who most fear to live? Life is
flexible and free, and you are rigid and frozen.
Life carries all things away, and you crave
stability and permanence. You fear life and death
because you cling. You cannot bear the thought
of losing a relative or friend; you dread losing a
pet theory or ideology or belief. When you cling
to nothing, when you have no fear of losing
anything, then you are free to flow like a
mountain stream that is always fresh and
sparkling and alive.
- Anthony de Mello
*****
ON THIS DAY
From the archives of the New York Times:
"Treaty of Versailles Signed in France,
Ending World War One"
http://tinyurl.com/qa7p57x
"Hong Kong Reverts to Chinese Rule
After 156 Years as a British Colony"
http://tinyurl.com/pf6xaxq
"The WWII Battle of Britain Begins"
http://tinyurl.com/mrvkkf9
*****
CLOSING THOUGHT - Flanner O'Connor
When we get our spiritual houses in order,
we’ll be dead.
This goes on. You arrive at enough certainty
to be able to make your way, but it is making
it in darkness.
Don’t expect faith to clear things up for you.
It is trust, not certainty.
(end)
*****
Our New Program Planning Season Begins -
Autumn 2015 Adult Spiritual Development
ACTS Ministry Programs through St. David's
United and the University of Calgary:
--
AUTUMN 2015 MONDAY NIGHT STUDY
Theme: "Living in Darkness - Living in Light"
Books: "Learning to Walk in the Dark"
by Barbara Brown Taylor
"Between the Dark and the Daylight"
by Joan Chittister
http://tinyurl.com/pncmzec
http://tinyurl.com/qy9netg
A ten-week study in contemporary spirituality
with books by two prominent Protestant and
Catholic writers.
Ten Monday evenings, 7-9PM
In the St. David's TM Room
September 21st - November 30th, 2015
Books and Registration/Hospitality - $60.00
Books only - $35.00
Brenda and Joan will lead the sessions during
the two Mondays that Jock and Wayne are
participating in the "Jerusalem and the Lands
of Three Great Faiths Tour" (October 16th - 31st)
Now into our sixteenth year of Monday Night Studies
Our thirty-first series of (usually) ten week sessions!
Check our study archives for all 45 book notes:
http://tinyurl.com/q3bw6dh
*****
THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY
Theme: The Book of Exodus from the Hebrew Bible
"A Classic Story of Human Liberation"
Twelve sessions 10-11 AM
In the St. David's TM Room
September 17th - December 3rd
No charge.
Study resource -
The DK Complete Bible Handbook
http://tinyurl.com/odxlv7q
*****
ST. DAVID'S SPIRITUAL TRAVELERS'
SPECIAL 2015 SIXTEEN DAY TOUR
"Jerusalem and the Land of Three Great Faiths"
October 16th - 31st, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/plg4sgo
Hardcopy tour details brochure
is available at the church
Tour Company: Rostad Tours Calgary
Tour Hosts: Wayne and Marlene Holst
Sponsored by: St. David's ACTS Ministry
Endorsed by: St. David's Church Council
Talk with or write to Marlene and Wayne
(403-286-7416) waholst@telus.net
marleneaholst@gmail.com
This tour is filled up with 30 registrants.
Waiting List is open.
Books for consideration -
JERUSALEM:
One City, Three Faiths
by Karen Armstrong (1997)
http://tinyurl.com/qb4urn5
JEERUSALEM, ISRAEL, PETRA & SINAI
DK Eyewitness Travel (2014)
http://tinyurl.com/prl3k8m
TOP TEN: Israel, Including Sinai & Petra
DK Eyewitness Travel (2014)
http://tinyurl.com/pyromfc
*****
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY CENTRE
Interfaith Chaplains' Book Studies
for faculty, students, staff, and
campus guests - Autumn, 2015
Book Title to be determined
Book Study Co-Sponsored by:
The Faith and Spirituality Centre,
University of Calgary and
The ACTS Ministry,
St. David's United Church, Calgary
Native Centre Board Room
McEwan Student Centre
Fridays, 12:00 - 1:00 PM. Four sessions.
November, 2015
Participants are encouraged to attend
all four sessions. However, you may attend
one or more sessions on a drop-in basis.
Study Leader: Dr. Wayne A. Holst
Book cost approximately $20.00
*****
ACTS LENTEN RETREAT, 2016
Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre
Cochrane, Alberta
http://www.mountstfrancis.ca/
Mark your calendars!
Sunday February 28th
11:30 AM - 4:00 PM
John Griffith is on sabbatical this year.
Reflections will be led by a Franciscan on staff.
*****
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