*****
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 the arrival of N.T. Wright's
"Simply Good News" - third in a series:
http://tinyurl.com/njdpxxm
http://tinyurl.com/5sv6z24
--
Colleague Contributions - are from:
Martin Marty (Chicago IL)
"Blasphemy and Freedom"
http://tinyurl.com/k5tomek
Jim Taylor (Okanagan BC)
"Diabetes - Zoom in to See More Fully"
http://tinyurl.com/kegzla3
Ron Rolheiser (San Antonio TX)
"The Importance of
the Interior and Private"
http://tinyurl.com/nylrm8x
--
Net Notes - are the following:
"Five Days that Shook France" - a
summary evaluation of events from
specialists in the field of terrorism
(The Tablet, UK; Al Jazeera America)
http://tinyurl.com/kf4xwla
http://tinyurl.com/mbr7rtb
"Ending Female Genital Cutting" -
an African student writes on an issue
that is very important to her
(Sightings) http://tinyurl.com/m2b3jxd
"Widespread Human Destruction" -
satellite pictures reveal mass killings
in Northern Nigeria (BBC News)
http://tinyurl.com/kwoufmn
"Papal Visit to Catholic Philippines" - the
pope, in Asia, arrives in the Philippines after
a successful trip to Sri Lanka (UCA News,
America Magazine, Christian Science Monitor)
http://tinyurl.com/pn45t6a
http://tinyurl.com/oqcvubw
http://tinyurl.com/mnk3hls
"Canada's Climate Change Evangelist" - a
leading specialist in climate change is a
Canadian evangelical Christian
(Faith Today online)
http://tinyurl.com/l6ch428
"Forced Chinese Psychiatric Treatment" -
Christians who challenge the law in China
are frequently sent for "re-education"
(Radio Free China)
http://tinyurl.com/op4kfgu
"Borg: Overturning Common Christianity" -
a special recognition this week for his new
book (published last May) for a long-time
colleague, Marcus Borg (Publisher's Weekly)
http://tinyurl.com/mfpn728
"Prominent Mormon Faces Excommunication" -
a popular Utah-based Mormon blogger who
supports gays and women's ordination -
(New York Times) http://tinyurl.com/lscfwvr
"Calvary" - Living a Life of Ordinary Heroism" -
review of a current movie on the trials of a
priest caught in a dilemma (Christian Week)
http://tinyurl.com/pkkxr82
"How People of Faith Should Respond to Paris" -
Jim Wallis suggests how people of faith might
respond to developments in Paris last week;
plus another perspective from England
(Sojourners Online, The Guardian, UK)
http://tinyurl.com/mqw76y8
http://tinyurl.com/jvufbuu
--
Wisdom of the Week - comes to us from
Sojourners and the Bruderhof Online =
Saint Teresa of Avila, Anne Frank,
Anna Mow, Victor Hugo and Dom Helder Camera
Please scroll down to read them.
--
On This Day - reports on events as they happened
from the archives of the New York Times -
"Amelia Earhart First Woman
to Fly Solo Across Pacific"
http://tinyurl.com/n5r77mb
--
Closing Thought - Henri Nouwen
Scroll down to read him.
(end)
Winter 2015 Adult Spiritual Development
ACTS Ministry Programs at St. David's
and at the University of Calgary
For those interested, this list appears
at the end of the blog, below.
*****
SPECIAL ITEM
Book Notice -
SIMPLY GOOD NEWS
Why the Gospel is News
and What Makes it Good
by N.T. Wright. 2015
HarperOne, Toronto, ON
Hardcover. 189 pages. $20.00 CAD
ISBN #978-0-06-223434-3.
Publisher's Promo:
Discover the real story
Jesus came to announce -
Many people think the message of the
gospel is that if we believe in Jesus we
will be saved from hell and be transported
to heaven after we die. But what if that is
not what the Bible actually teaches? What
if the good news Jesus came to announce
is much bigger, much better, and includes
much more than merely what happens after
we die? Revered bestselling scholar N. T.
Wright reveals what the gospel really is
and how it can transform our todays just
as much as our tomorrows.
Praise for N. T. Wright -
“Tom Wright is, as always, brilliant at
distilling immense scholarship into vivid,
clear and accessible form.”
(Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury)
Author's Bio:
N. T. Wright is the former bishop of Durham
in the Church of England and one of the world's
leading Bible scholars. He is now serving as the
Chair of New Testament and Early Christianity
at the School of Divinity at the University of
St. Andrews. For twenty years he taught New
Testament studies at Cambridge, McGill, and
Oxford Universities, and he has been featured
on ABC News, Dateline, The Colbert Report, and
Fresh Air. Wright is the award-winning author
of Surprised by Scripture, The Case for the Psalms,
How God Became King, Simply Jesus, After You
Believe, Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian,
Scripture and the Authority of God, The Meaning
of Jesus (coauthored with Marcus Borg), as well
as translator for The Kingdom New Testament.
Wiki Bio: http://tinyurl.com/5sv6z24
--
Author's Words: "What's the News?"
Chapter One Excerpt from the Book -
http://tinyurl.com/oujh4qewa
--
My Thoughts:
I have always appreciated the theology of
N.T. Wright because he reflects what I myself
seek to emulate in terms of my Christian faith.
That does not mean, however that I always
agree with him.
He speaks with both head and heart language.
He does not avoid the challenges of reason, but
he is also aware that faith needs to be grounded
in personal experience and a living spirit.
Wright believes that many people are seeking
good news today. When they go to hear it in
church, however, what they often get - at best -
is good advice. They miss what Christians from
the beginning have responded to - the Gospel
as Good News.
This is not only true for those of us in the more
liberal churches where maxims and common
wisdom are offered. It is also true for many in
the more conservative churches were the
Gospel is presented as a series of biblical
propositions.
Wright rejects both approaches. The real Gospel,
Wright believes, comes as news about Jesus rooted
in a history complete with a backstory and heralded
as an event with real personal entailments and
social implications.
Wright wants us to rethink and re-examine
the Gospel. So much of what passes for gospel
today does little justice to Jesus' life, death,
resurrection and exaltation. He continues:
"For something to qualify as news there has to be
(1) an announcement of an event that has happened;
(2) a larger context, a backstory within which this
makes sense; (3) a sudden unveiling of the new
that lies ahead; and (4) the transformation of the
present moment, sitting between the event that
has happened and the future event that therefore
will happen."
Wright introduces these themes in chapters one
and two, while the rest of the book elaborates
with great power the implications of embracing
the Gospel as Good News in proclamation and
practice, just as it happened for the first Christians
in the context of their lives and times.
We err when we think that our circumstances
needs and hopes are different from those who
first heard the Good News proclaimed and
witnessed to by the first believers and apostles.
Wright makes the biblical message come alive
for us because he not only takes it seriously
but understands and interprets it in a real-
live set of circumstances.
This is Wright's third book of a series using both
erudition and immediacy. Previously, he wrote
"Simply Jesus" (2006) and "Simply Christian"
(2011) - employing the same theological process
and literary method which works well for him.
For those who need a faith grounded in real history,
(I personally am not in need of this) Wright serves
as an enlightened guide and is well worth reading.
-----
Buy the book from Amazon.ca
http://tinyurl.com/njdpxxm
*****
COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS
MARTIN MARTY
Chicago. IL
Sightings
January 12th, 2015
"Blasphemy and Freedom"
http://tinyurl.com/k5tomek
--
JIM TAYLOR
Okanagan, bc
Web Log
January 14th, 2015
"Diabetes - Zoom in
to See More Fully"
http://tinyurl.com/kegzla3
--
RON ROLHEISER
San Antonio, TX
Personal Web Site
January 11th, 2015
"The Importance of
the Interior and Private"
http://tinyurl.com/nylrm8x
*****
NET NOTES
FIVE DAYS THAT SHOOK FRANCE
Summary of Events by a Specialist
The Tablet, UK
January 16th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/kf4xwla
--
"From Lone Wolf to Wolf Pack -
Evolving New Forms of Terror"
Al Jazeera America
January 13th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/mbr7rtb
--
ENDING FEMALE GENITAL CUTTING
Is Political Correctness in the Way?
Sightings,
January 15th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/m2b3jxd
--
WIDESPREAD HUMAN DESTRUCTION
Satellite Images of Human Tragedy
Caused by Boko Haram in Nigeria
BBC News
January 15th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/kwoufmn
--
POPE VISITS CATHOLIC PHILIPPINES
After Successful Journey to Sri Lanka
UCA News
January 16th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pn45t6a
"Francis Calls for Healing after Civil War"
America Magazine
January 13th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/oqcvubw
"Cardinal Decries 'Feminized' Church"
Demoted American Prelate Upset by Pope
Christian Science Monitor
January 14th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/mnk3hls
--
CANADA'S CLIMATE CHANGE EVANGELIST
She is a Scientist and an Evangelical
Faith Today
January/February 2015
http://tinyurl.com/l6ch428
--
FORCED CHINESE PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT
Government Critics are Targeted
Radio Free China
January 16th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/op4kfgu
--
BORG: OVERTURNING COMMON CHRISTIANITY
Publishers Weekly Interviews Marcus Borg
"Pressing Voice for Progressive Christianity"
Rated as a Special Publishing Event in 2014
May 20th, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/mfpn728
--
PROMINENT MORMON
FACING EXCOMMUNICATION
For Views on Women and Gays
New York Times
January 15th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/lscfwvr
--
LIVING A LIFE OF ORDINARY HEROISM
Review of the Movie "Calvary"
Christian Week Online
January 13th, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/pkkxr82
--
HOW PEOPLE OF FAITH
SHOULD RESPOND TO PARIS
Thoughts by Jim Wallis
Sojourners Online
January 15th, 2015
"God's Politics"
http://tinyurl.com/mqw76y8
Another Perspective:
The Guardian, UK
January 14th, 2015
"Faithphobia"
http://tinyurl.com/jvufbuu
*****
WISDOM OF THE WEEK
Provided by Sojourners
and Bruderhof Online:
Settle yourself in solitude and you
will come upon God in yourself.
- Saint Teresa of Avila
--
How wonderful it is that nobody
need wait a single moment before
beginning to improve the world.
- Anne Frank
--
| The big obstacle to God’s grace is bitterness. Some people complain because they are not blessed by God as others have been. They do not realize that in thinking of themselves, they open the door to bitterness and close it to God’s grace. No matter what happens, we dare never be bitter or resentful. - Anna Mow -- The sea is the pitiless social darkness into which the penal system casts those it has condemned, an unfathomable waste of misery. The human soul, lost in those depths, may become a corpse. Who shall revive it? - Victor Hugo --
|
*****
ON THIS DAY
From the Archives of the
New York Times
"Amelia Earhart First Woman to Fly Solo Across Pacific"
http://tinyurl.com/n5r77mb
CLOSING THOUGHT - Henri Nouwen
| To be grateful for the good things that happen in our lives is easy, but to be grateful for all of our lives – the good as well as the bad, the moments of joy as well as the moments of sorrow, the successes as well as the failures, the rewards as well as the rejections – that requires hard spiritual work. Still, we are only truly grateful people when we can say thank you to all that has brought us to the present moment... Let us not be afraid to look at everything that has brought us to where we are now and trust that we will soon see in it the guiding hand of a loving God. |
(end)
*****
Winter 2015 Adult Spiritual Development
ACTS Ministry Programs at St. David's
and at the University of Calgary:
MONDAY NIGHT STUDY - WINTER SERIES
January 12nd – March 23rd, 2015
7-00-9:00PM TM Room. Ten Weeks.
(Family Day Monday exempted)
“Fields of Blood: Religion and
the History of Violence”
by Karen Armstrong
Led by Jock McTavish and Wayne Holst
Registration $60.00. Book only $25.00
---
THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDYJanuary 22nd - March 26th, 2015. Ten Weeks.
10:00-11:00AM TM Room
"Romans and James -
Foundations for Christian Living"
Study Leader: Wayne Holst
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
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
(Tour itinerary/costs brochure available in
the church lobby. Talk to Marlene and Wayne)
---
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY CENTRE
Interfaith Chaplains' Book Studies
for faculty, students, staff, and
campus guests - Winter, 2015
SPECIAL 2015 SIXTEEN DAY TOUR
"Jerusalem and the Land of Three Great Faiths"
October 16th - 31st, 2015
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
(Tour itinerary/costs brochure available in
the church lobby. Talk to Marlene and Wayne)
---
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY CENTRE
Interfaith Chaplains' Book Studies
for faculty, students, staff, and
campus guests - Winter, 2015
"Simply Good News"
by N.T. Wright
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
Five Fridays in Lent, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Feb. 27th; March 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th.
Participants are encouraged to attend
all sessions. However, you may attend
one or more sessions on a drop-in basis.
Study Leader: Dr. Wayne A. Holst
Book cost $20.00
*****
