Mediaculture

Each year, before Christmas, we review some recent books to whet our appetites for the many out there that can help us in our spiritual lives.

Kingdom: The kingdom of God is a dominant theme of the Gospels and receives attention in three recent books.

Imminent Domain: The Story of the Kingdom of God and Its Celebration by Ben Witherington III (Eerdmans, 2009, $12) addresses the already and the not-yet of the kingdom, which he calls “the Dominion of God” to emphasize that it “cannot be limited to a specific locale’ but is ‘found wherever God’s transforming Spirit is at work throughout the world.” This is a helpful introduction for general readers to the kingdom of God.

Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview and Cultural Formation by James K.A. Smith (Baker Academic, 2009, $21.99) is a more demanding, academic book but rich in insights. The first of three books presenting a theology of culture, this one provides “an invitation to re-vision Christian education as a formative rather than just an informative project.” A philosopher, Smith addresses culture and worship in encouraging a God-directed, embodied love through worship rather than an idea-centered or belief-centered approach.

Christian America and the Kingdom of God by Richard T. Hughes (University of Illinois Press, 2009, $29.95) makes four arguments: (1) the notions of Christian America and the kingdom of God are polar opposites, (2) Christian America often behaves in unchristian ways, (3) Christians should behave in ways consistent with their faith, and (4) biblical and theological illiteracy runs rampant in the United States, even in America’s churches. While not new to many of us, this is a relevant book that needs to reach a wide audience.

Bible: Given the rampant biblical illiteracy in many of our churches, Andy Deane’s straightforward book Learn to Study the Bible: Forty Different Step-by-Step Methods to Help You Discover, Apply and Enjoy God’s Word (Xulon Press, 2009, $15.99) is a helpful resource. Though some may argue with Deane’s views of Scripture, his 40 different methods are practical and presented clearly.

John M. Miller practices Bible study in his book Revelation: Making Sense of Its Message in the 21st Century (Leola Publisher, 2009, $21.97). Against those who either ignore Revelation or see it as a literal prediction of future violence, Miller interprets the Bible’s final book as an apocalyptic writing that depicts God’s victory through persevering love. He concludes that Revelation sees the church as missionary and that “the nature of its ministry is healing.”

Spirituality: Spirituality is about how we follow the Spirit and live out our faith. Many books address this topic—from various angles.

The Dark Night: A Gift of God by Daniel P. Schrock (Herald Press, 2009, $16.99) addresses a topic mostly ignored by Mennonites—the baffling experience many have of spiritual dryness or languor. A Mennonite pastor trained in spiritual direction, Schrock explains this phenomenon and shows how it can be a gift that draws us into a deeper experience of God’s presence.

God Hides in Plain Sight: How to See the Sacred in a Chaotic World by Dean Nelson (Brazos Press, 2009, $15.99) takes another angle, that of seeing God’s activity in everyday affairs. Nelson is an engaging writer and uses many stories to illustrate his insights, including this definition of jazz, which sounds like life: “ordered disorder, with sudden bursts of revelation.”

In his poetic memoir, Nightwatch: An Inquiry Into Solitude, Alone on the Prairie with the Hutterites (Good Books, 2009, $9.95), Robert Rhodes alternates reflections on his and his family’s life at Starland Hutterite Colony near Gibbon, Minn., with stories of growing up in Arkansas in a prosperous Catholic family. He addresses solitude and loneliness and their interplay in his life. This is a vulnerable, thoughtful memoir that helps us reflect on our individual and corporate lives.

There are many more books out there, ripe for reading and sharing with friends.