Visionary or Gentle Shepherding?
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Perhaps I am just an old fuddy-duddy (though only 29). Maybe I'm just too narrow minded, or maybe just a wimp. It seemed to me that this guy took a small church, cast his vision, and "made it happen". This page was dripping with passion and boldness but not with gentleness and respect. I know that ministry can be brutal but at times it seemed like O'Dell was just airing dirty laundry or licking old wounds.

I read this at the same time that I read Church Planting is for Wimps, and the difference in the vision and attitude is telling. Mike McKinley talks about patience but he seems like a gentle shepherd. Shannon O'Dell talks about patience but doesn't seem like a gentle shepherd.

There is much to commend in this book.  For those points you can check out the 5 star reviews.  Even though there is much to commend the general tenor of this book was enough to make me give it a 2 out of 5 stars.  The style of leadership promoted in this book (both overtly and in the general tone) does not seem to be that of a patient and gentle shepherd that faithfully teaches and relies on the Spirit of God using His Word to transform people.  Try Mike McKinley's Church Planting is for Wimps instead.
4552504
I feel like I gained a lot personally from The Self Awakened. On a larger political and economic level, I think its guidelines fall short of its wonderful spiritual and philosophical message.

Unger's basic spiritual stance is very compelling: that each person (and each society as a whole) can reach out beyond the assumptions and limits within which we live. I think this is a valuable impetus for understanding the limits of what we can do while stretching those limits. But it has to be taken on faith; it doesn't follow from his arguments.

How do we start to make a change that will make us all a bit more free? No one should be surprised by this point of the book (around Chapter 9) that Unger paints in broad strokes. What worries me is that his recommendations are idealistic. They depend on society agreeing to experiments that could overturn some very cushy arrangements that seem comfortable to people with the most control over government policy and business decisions. Historically, these people have proven not only selfish but short-sighted. I think Unger would agree that there's no point to pushing for change that can't be achieved under current social and culture conditions, but I'm afraid that's what he's done.

The writing style is thick and the reader has to be prepared for slow and careful reading (along with some redundant passages), but you're rewarded with some breath-taking moments of inspiration and beautiful prose.
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J. Krishnamurti found a path with leads generally in the direction of "enlightenment." His books offer a point in the right direction, but, as such, they are only for those who are willing to do the hard work of actually walking the path themselves and observing their consciousness and their word with honest eyes. Intelligence for Krishnamurti was the ability to keep the mind from lazily settling on any one conclusion ("blocking itself"), and maintaining always an open, alert and unending curiosty about everything. Concentration was another key word for Krishnamurti, and he seemed to feel that most people were unable to take concentration to the level of an art-form, which is what he felt it should always be. That said, this book is an excellent career overview of his "work," but, in my mind, intended for those already acquainted with his take on life. I would advise starting with As One Is or Think on These Things.
2275905
There are a million reviews of Waltari's work out there already, so I won't plague the internet with yet another in-depth one.  I will, however, comment on what I perceive to be the central question that the book asks:

"Is it better to live a life shaped by ethics and compassion, and thus die alone?  Or would one rather turn a blind eye to suffering and gather all earthly wealth around oneself?"

And the book doesn't pass judgement on either form of living, even though the protagonist leans towards the ethical, and his faithful servant towards the material.  I think, from that relation between Sinuhe and Kaptah, there springs a certain analogy for the human psyche - no matter how we wish to strive for the light, for the truth, for purity, the material cannot be shafted away - it must always follow us, even through our convoluted course of the search for meanings and maintain us, sometimes unwillingly, in this life.  That is what is magical about this book - it is an epic historical adventure, spanning the entire life of Sinuhe, and the rise and fall of several pharoahs; but most importantly, it is a thoroughly profound look at the human condition, and the struggle raging in each individual.
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Lipsey's book gathers together tales and anecdotes of the people who consulted the Oracle at Delphi.  He attempts to draw spiritual wisdom from these tales for modern man. His approach is more philosophical than historical or scholarly which makes for a more interesting read than "Classical Athens And The Delphic Oracle" by Hugh Bowden. Throughout the book he makes a distinction between the Delphi of the mind and the Delphi of fact. Every tale is followed by the author's illuminating commentary.

The book delves into such matters as the ambiguity of the oracle's answers. When an answer was particularly cryptic it would be the responsibility of the inquirer to "complete the oracle" by reflecting upon its message and coming to the correct interpretation. There were attempts to bribe the oracle which could lead to a cruel fate. A chapter is devoted to the trial of Socrates who invoked Delphi in his defense. Socrates claimed his philosophical quest to humiliate the wise was a pious attempt to determine the meaning of a flattering message from Delphi. The oracle was asked if there was anyone wiser than Socrates and the priestess replied that there was no one. Other philosophers debated the nature of the prophetic faculty or expressed doubts. An interview with the son of the Tibetan State Oracle provides a contemporary example.

The author favors the assumption that the Pythia entered into a trance to serve as a medium or channel for the god Apollo. Other theories are that the priestess used some sort of psychoactive substance but the legends and myths only mention chewing laurel leaves or drinking spring water. Another theory is that she sat over a cave in a tripod and the vapors from this opening inspired her divine frenzy. There is considerable debate over whether she gave her response in poetry or prose which was then rendered as poetry by the temple poets.

A trance is probably experienced more often than is thought. Most people will not claim to have ever experienced a trance because they have been given exaggerated descriptions that do not match their experience. And too many fanciful claims have been made for states of trance which creates more skepticism than there should be. However, a trance state does bring the mind more closely in contact the spiritual side of human nature. And in a state of trance the mind is capable of greater intuitive comprehension. Although this will not result in prophesies direct from the all knowing gods, it may lead to more intuitive guesses about the course of events than is otherwise possible. Finally, it seems appropriate that the oracles are given in riddles because it is better to express intuitive insights poetically and speak to the soul than to use the language of concrete thought and merely speak to the mind.
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Grace is great, yet tough subject.  Max makes it much simpler, like the Father intended.  It's only complicated to those not willing to take God's offer.  Be wise and quickly take the offer, with eagerness and with both hands.
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The language of systems theory applied to the Church is the common language of the clergy. We frequently cite terms like `triangle' while noting the need for a `non-anxious presence' among `anxious, undifferentiated' parishioners whose `over functioning' is a sign of their `enmeshment.' We nod in general agreement (at least among ourselves in clergy support groups) that `self differentiation' is the response to the `undifferentiated ego mass' that is the local congregation. This is in large part due to the theories of Murray Bowen and his students, particularly the brilliant Rabbi Edwin Friedmann whose book Generation to Generation introduced a generation of clergy to a new way of the church as a biological system that required particular pastoral practice to be healthy. We now have a vast company of clergy laboring to be non-anxious, self-differentiated leaders who are unfamiliar with the deep sources of pastoral wisdom that guided the Church for centuries. One has to admit that the result is a mixed bag if not worse. The New York Times (August 2010) reported on the large numbers of clergy experiencing signs of poor health including obesity, depression, sexual addiction, loneliness and burnout. Gregory Jones countered, citing a survey that indicated the large number of pastors who are satisfied with their vocation and find joy in it. (Pulpit and Pew) Denominational executives will tell you the number of congregations in survival mode that likely to close within the decade. Still there are pastoral leaders among these congregations who are called to be shepherds who need more than therapeutic language and clever techniques to feed the flock for congregational vitality in the 21st century. Christopher Beeley, an experienced Episcopal parish priest who teaches at Yale Divinity School, beckons clergy to attend to the theology and practice of early church pastors. Ironically while some are steadily inventing theory and practice to guide the "emerging" Church, Beeley encourages a radical turn to the past tradition as a way into the future. Drawing upon the teaching of Augustine, Ambrose and Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory the Great, John Cassian and John Chrysostom, he brings to light essential pastoral practices that were laser-focused on teaching the faith to their congregations and providing pastoral care for the "health of the whole person." He writes, "At the end of the day, and at the end of a lifetime of ministry, the only thing that matters is whether we have made the love of God and the spiritual growth of our people the top priority." Beeley is a sure guide and a good writer reminding pastors, and other church leaders, that the essential purpose of the pastoral vocation is to shepherd the flock and ensure the sure and certain knowledge of God. He addresses teaching and preaching, pastoral counsel, spirituality and church leadership all from the perspective of these ancient guides whose wisdom continues to speak to the Church in the midst of change. "Weak leadership does not promote vital lay ministry; it compromises the health of the entire body by failing to provide the laity with the basic spiritual guidance they need to be effective leaders themselves." Reading this book one is reminded of other classics such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Spiritual Care or Eugene Peterson's Working the Angles. Here is food for every pastor and church leader.
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Sometimes my words can get me into trouble. But communicating graciously involves more than just our words. It also involves our tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language.

In his book, Graciousness Tempering Truth With Love, John Crotts addresses the importance and need to  effectively communicate in a loving and gracious manner. He asks the question: Why do we need graciousness? Perhaps the simple answer is   to be more like Jesus in His example.

The second question the author raises is: What exactly is gracious speech?

The book is a short read but one to be read slowly in order to absorb and make application to our lives. He gently and wisely guides us toward cultivating graciousness in our own hearts, in our mind-set towards other, in our actions, and in our communities.

In a time when graciousness is much needed and in short supply, this book is a practical guide and help for us all in our daily conversations with those around us.

 ** I received this book in exchange for my review from Reformation Heritage Books via Cross Focused Reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 : Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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Rewilding Our Hearts: Building Pathways of Compassion and Coexistence is a thoughtful and wise entreaty for a new ethic to guide our relationship to other animals and natural landscapes. The author, animal activist and professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Marc Bekoff  borrows a term from wildlife conservation when he calls for a "rewilding" of our human attitudes. Instead of restoring habitats and creating corridors between wild spaces to help animal populations recover, Bekoff proposes that we need to dissolve the barriers we have erected between ourselves and nature letting the wonder we were born with reinstate itself.  Seeding our imagination with stories of kinship and kindness, he says, will let each of us reclaim our compassionate, empathic, and moral nature. Bekoff's appeal is at once his unswerving dedication to the animals he loves and his relentless unmasking of the injustices still being perpetuated in the world--like the emphasis in nature documentaries on sex and violence instead of the friendships and community life of a species. He also acknowledges the complexity of the problems we have created by putting ourselves above nature and the unlikely possibility of a world where everyone can feel or acknowledge our deep connection to other animals.  Still, this book is about the present and the future and the importance of a single individual's rewilding of self. Never underestimate the power of one to make a difference.
2260428
Kindness seems a forgotten virtue in a world where strangers accept as normal the practice of skewering one another in social media. How important is kindness? Micah, an Old Testament prophet, desired to know what the Lord expected of him, and the Lords reply was to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8, ESV). Love Kindnessthe two words Barry Corey chose for the title of his book.

In Love Kindness Corey weaves personal experiences with Bible insight as he walks the reader through an investigation of practical kindness. Coreys impressions of kindness began in his youth through the worthy example of his late father who shared (page 4), Ive got to live my life so strangers, friends, aching, lonely, familythey receive me. And through me they see Gods inexhaustible love.

Coreys central theme is that followers of Christ must live to be receivable to others. We must maintain the firm center of our beliefs, but we need soft edges that might open opportunities to relate to others. No one will accept our message if we deliver our words through bullhorns accompanied by shaking fists.

The book is organized into thirteen chapters with each focused on a particular aspect of kindness. My favorite is Chapter 2, A new Job, A Road Trip, and a Father and Son: The Way of Kindness is Messy. Yes, the title is a mouthful, but Barry Corey shares his heart on the relocation of his family to California to begin a new life. The authors comparisons to Abrahams story with the uncertainties the Patriarch faced were especially meaningful to me.

Barry Corey treads into the roiling waters of current events as he answers questions like (page 61), How do we live a life with a firm center and soft edges in conversations on human sexuality? What does kindness look like on one of the hot-button issues of our generation? Where do grace and truth cohabit? Some might take exception to his coverage, but I applaud his courage in beginning the conversation. Corey reminds us (page 66), Reach-across-the-aisle kindness is not meant to affirm each others choices, but it does mean we listen to each others voices.

As I consumed the pages of Love Kindness I often paused to nod my head with the message. At other times I bowed in conviction and resolved to make changes in my practices. Is not the mark of a great author the ability to reach across time and connect with his readers? Thank you, Barry Corey, for a job well-done!

Note - Tyndale House Publishers provided a complimentary copy of Love Kindness to facilitate my review.
3330078
If many in the world truly have become disenchanted and have lost a sense of the supernatural, then this book will show them that another world is possible. The geography of this new world may be the same, but the way of seeing, the vantage, differs drastically. Mike Cosper has written a book that speaks to our age, and he writes not only to the disaffiliated secular person, but to the discouraged and disenchanted Christian person, the person of faith who has sensed that something is commonly off inside the church. He invites the reader to see the creation differently, the commonplace differently, and to see Jesus differently. He does so by exploring ideas found in literature and culture, but also through testimony, relaying personal experiences that have helped him realize that God's world is overwhelmed with grace, for those with eyes to see. Each chapter is followed by a spiritual discipline, or holy habit, that reinforces a primary idea. Cosper advocates for healthy rhythms, seasons of reflection, the reading of Scripture, time in solitude, feasting, and developing a rule. The disciplines are helpful, assisting the reader in connecting with God in the concrete, everyday realities of life, which is where wonder is truly found.

This is a solid book, beautifully written, and wonderfully provocative. Read it.
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Danah Zohar (born 1945) is a management thought leader, physicist, philosopher and author, who is active in management education and consultancy. She is also the author of&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Spiritual-Intelligence-Bloomsbury-Paperbacks/dp/0747536449/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Spiritual Intelligence (Bloomsbury Paperbacks)</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Spiritual-Capital-Wealth-We-Can-Live-by/dp/1576751384/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Spiritual Capital: Wealth We Can Live by</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Quantum-Society/dp/0688142303/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Quantum Society</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Israel-the-land-and-its-people-Macdonald-countries-19/dp/0356054543/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Israel, the land and its people (Macdonald countries ; 19)</a>. etc.

She wrote in the Preface to this 1990 book, "This book began primarily as an exercise in metaphor but, as it unfolded, metaphor gave way increasingly to evidence, or to what is at least well-grounded speculation about the actual physics of human psychology and its moral and spiritual implications."

Here are some additional quotations from the book:

"A vision of reality that holds truck with instantaneous action-at-a-distance, or nonlocality as it is more properly called (the principle that something can be affected in the absence of a local cause), has obvious mystical overtones." (Pg. 34)
"There is only one basic kind of matter, all things---animate and inanimate---are made of it, some of this matter has the undoubted capacity for conscious life, and at the quantum level at least there is a creative dialogue between matter and consciousness. This dialogue means that the observer's conscious mind actually influences the material development of that which he observes." (Pg. 57)
"If 'the brain is a hologram perceiving and participating in a holographic universe,' who is looking at the hologram? The hologram itself is nothing but an unusual sort of photograph, which can't on its own be doing any sort of perceiving. So in asking who or what supplies the consciousness... one is driven to assume either that this must come from outside... or that the physics of the hologram can account for the unity of conscious perception. Obviously, it can't." (Pg. 74)
"A quantum mechanical model of consciousness, then, gives rise to a picture of our overall mental life that is neither entirely like a computer nor entirely like a quantum system---indeed, not entirely 'mental.'" (Pg. 90)
"Crudely put, mind is relationship and matter is that which it relates. Neither, on its own, could evolve or express anything; together they give us ourselves and the world." (Pg. 236)
1314462
From all points of the compass, as Thoreau once said, I found this book to be insightful. However, I was amazed that the author did not include in the gentle spirit of animals the humble and kind Donkey. Just how much these lovely equines permeate our spirit is incredible once you are aware and have studied them. In human history, theology, religion, literature, art they are there! And, from personal experience, they are the kindest beings I have ever met. So I believe too, mankind is on a path to empathy with our animal friends, but for me in particular, the Donkey leads the way. And, like Balaam's Donkey in the Old Testament, we too, will have a "reveal"ation and be lead by the example of the humble Donkey to the life of the spirit and the way of the heart. A website the author may look into is The Donkey Sanctuary in Devon, UK. And Some books the author may consider reading: "The Wisdom of Donkeys" by Andy Merrifield, any and all books by Dr. Elizabeth Svendsen, founder of The Donkey Sanctuary, and my newly published book "Opening Doors: An equilog of poetry about Donkeys", now globally available on Amazon! Thank you and high regard to the author. - Jenny B.
2432348
What does the mention of "nature" bring to mind? Nurturing and providing, or competitive and indifferent? Known and measured, or mysterious and chaotic? Pure and clean, or pestilential? In his book, Infinite Nature, Dr. R. Bruce Hull challenges us to choose.

Dr. Hull begins by introducing the concept of environmental fundamentalism. In his view, assuming a fundamentalist stance risks a narrowed perception, restricting the safe space where common interests can coexist. In taking a fundamentalist view, we may miss the larger texture of existence, or worse, dismiss those issues we fear and therefore fail to deal with them effectively. Dispassionate and fearless investigation could confirm and strengthen our views; it could enlarge them, or cause them to change.

However, if one embraces the concept of environmental pluralism, the notion arises that all participants in the science, spirit, politics and industry of "nature" can gather together cooperatively at the world's table. The planet being what it is - not a banquet of limitless supply - we must investigate all fact and all opinion, or risk missing essential information that could forestall a more difficult future for ourselves and our offspring.

Dr. Hull suggests "many natures and many lessons to learn from them," and he has titled his chapters, to cite a few: "Evolving Nature," "Rightful Nature," "Aesthetic Nature," "Moral Nature." These chapters contain various reflections about the price of a life, environmental racism, recreation, forestry, history, faith, health, and work.

As a series of chapters containing individual essays, the book lends itself well to small-bite reading. Open it anywhere; each chapter grabs the reader's interest immediately. It's a book that's easy to keep coming back to. It inspires one to think, to learn something new and to be driven to learn more.

Infinite Nature is not a macabre reflection on a future-less Malthusian world, but it does encourage us to ask why humanity often fails to respond in the face of obvious environmental catastrophe: we may distrust the message or the messenger; we may be so pessimistic as to believe that nothing can be done; our political or religious beliefs may indicate we need do nothing; we just might be too tired to act. Any such reasons might be legitimate, but Dr. Hull asks us to confront these controlling factors with an open mind and heart in order to answer the question: "What kind of world do I want to live in?"

While Dr. Hull unabashedly reveals his deep love of the natural world, there is a refreshing lack of preaching and moralizing within the book's covers. Infinite Nature insists that we make our own investigations and draw our own conclusions. Dr. Hull not only provides us with an entertaining and informative read, but also provokes us to ponder, and delight in, our place in the world.

(Fall 2006 issue of Virginia Forests, publication of The Virginia Forestry Association)
2393704
Unger's book revolves around whether our moral intuitions about our conduct are acceptable, and whether they can stand up to scrutiny - the conclusion is both convincing and disturbing - they cannot be. Specifically, Unger argues that we ought to do a lot more than we do to help starving people in the third world.
Unger's method of reaching his conclusion is by challenging such commonplace opinions such as the idea that our physical proximity to someone suffering makes a difference to our obligations; and asking whether it matters that we're not the only ones placed to help, whether it matters that the problem is so big that we can only make a small difference, and so on.
Convincing arguments show that none of this matters - we can make a difference, without sacrificing anything very important, and we ought to do so. Our intuitions to the contrary are mistaken. Unger's conclusion is therefore that each of us should adopt a Utilitarian outlook, where the needs of the many may well make important demands on ourselves.
3852605
Dr. Paul's illuminating new book, DO I HAVE TO GIVE UP ME TO BE LOVED BY GOD? looks at the disconnection we feel within and with others as a result of (in the broadest sense) "spiritual abuse" that we have suffered.  As Dr.  Paul says, "Giving children anything other than love and compassion is  spiritual abuse because all unloving behavior toward children creates an  ongoing problem in their relationship with God.  Any behavior that teaches  children that they must be different (smarter, more polite, more obedient)  IN ORDER TO BE LOVED [emphasis mine] by God -- or by their parents -- is  spiritual abuse.  Any behavior by an adult which disconnects a child from  God is spiritual abuse.  And any behavior that undermines a child's belief  in God as an infinite source of love and compassion and wisdom that is  always available to that child is spiritual abuse"  (p. 18).  I  particularly liked learning more about the false beliefs we have about God  and our relationship with whatever term we each use to name our Higher  Power.  The Inner Bonding definition of loving intrigues me: Loving  behavior is that which contributes to our own and others' spiritual and  emotional growth.  Often, what looks loving is just codependent, and in our  addictive society,  much confusion results when we act out the belief that  if others really loved us, they would do what we want.  If you read this  book, you will learn about a new way of looking at behavior -- not in terms  of judgment (a major controlling device of many religions) -- but in terms  of the good reasons that parts of us have for our behavior.  Life,  according to Dr. Paul, is a journey about learning and loving for everyone,  not about hellfire and damnation and the chosen.  I know that just  about every person on a journey thinks that s/he has just the right tools  and resources for healing and personal empowerment, but in my experience  there are few, if any,  approaches and processes that are as encompassing,  simple yet profound, practical, and portable as the Inner Bonding process.  DO I HAVE TO GIVE UP ME TO BE LOVED BY GOD? builds on Dr. Paul's other 6  books that have so much to teach about one's relationship with self,  others, and Spirit.  Yes, there are many books and people and therapies  and techniques out there promising us love, success, happiness, etc., but  my whole world -- self, family,  friends, career, spirituality -- is  different because one of Dr. Paul's books literally dropped in my path 8  years ago.  We live in times that are often filled with much conflict and  pain,  but also have so much potential for soul growth with new ways of  learning to bring the best of ourselves to ourselves, to others, to the  planet.  Margaret Paul's work is a powerful tool for transformation.  You  owe it to yourself to read this book!
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Nancy's book is an important, if belated, contribution to a philosophical understanding of a sensory modality at least as crucial for social existence and aesthetic experience as vision.  But it is vision that, from Plato to Husserl, received all the attention, until Derrida, Levinas, and Nancy undertook a critique of the metaphysics of presence, which vision has always encouraged.  I find Nancy's book very helpful, very insightful.  It is a shame, however, that he does not reflect on listening as a capacity that can be developed in, and as, a "practice of the self".  Self-development, "Bildungsprozesse", has simply not been a theme for contemporary philosophy, as it was for the eighteenth & nineteenth centuries.  In this regard, there is a useful book published in 1988 by Routledge, namely David Michael Levin's The Listening Self, which lays out the phases of a process in the development of the human capacity for listening,a process that the author follows through its consummate moment in Heidegger's thought, where ontic hearing becomes "hearkening", an "ontological organ", registering the very gift of an auditory field, the opening up of a resonance-field for our hearing.  Nancy's book implicitly draws the reader into this field, an abyss where what at one time what was called the "music of the spheres" can be heard resounding.