A couple years ago I was looking for a new Bible and, like you, wanted something with room for notes. I got 'single column' Bible, which is a little different look and has quite a bit of space for notes, especially in the parts where there is poetry. Some of them even have intentionally wider spaces designed for notes.
Last month I read a couple books whose themes are sort of connected.
Dominion is the history of how Christian values came to saturate western culture. Where did the idea of ‘human rights’ come from? Or ‘all you need is love’? Or distinctions like ‘secular’ Or of partnership between the sexes in marriage? Or the notion that every person has the right to ‘life liberty and happiness’? Ideas and values like these didn’t certainly didn’t come from the Greco-Roman culture into which Christianity was born. Instead, these values grew up into, and then transformed western culture. Above all, these notions flow from the power of weakness, the power of the Son of God crucified on a cross of shame. This book, written by Tom Holland, who is not a Christian, tells how this transformation of values happened across the centuries.
The other book was Pastor in a Secular Age about how what’s it’s like for pastors to do ministry in the part of the story where we live now, in a secular age. He also tells the story of pastors across the centuries, and how they ministered. In our secular culture it’s very easy for people to live with a sense that God is barely, if ever, involved in our lives. That was not the case centuries ago, when people sensed that God was always involved, and that words, objects, and people had tremendous spiritual power. Andrew Root describes a way of pastoring that imitates God, who acts as a minister to people in the stories of Scripture, and continues to minister to us in real ways.
This month I'm reading the big Chernow biography about Alexander Hamilton, the one the musical is based on. I'm also reading about cell biology in a book by Nick Lane called Power, Sex, Suicide. The title is a bit over the top, and refers more accurately to energy production in cells (power), genetic combination in cells (sex), and aging in cells (suicide). The focus of the book is the role of mitocondria. All this might sound rather esoteric, and while it's not the easiest to understand everything is explained pretty well. With cell biology in the news daily due to the pandemic, it's a useful book to read.
I think the point raised by this article is really underrated. Dwelling with the text, prayerfully with the Holy Spirit, and just waiting means we are spending time with God letting him speak. And that kind of relationship where we are waiting for God to speak with a sense of anticipation is God's deep desire.
I often print out a Scripture on a page with nothing else on it. Lots of empty space. And then I listen, using my pencil to write on the page what I hear. After a half-hour or so of listening I'm really struck, every time, by how interesting and helpful the text is, and I'm sure it's because Jesus is speaking through the Word by the power of the Spirt.
I have some copies from the 1960s. Someone from my church was doing some spring cleaning and brought them to the church office. They've been sitting on the shelf here for a while.
I have some copies from the 1960s. Someone from my church was doing some spring cleaning and brought them to the church office. They've been sitting on the shelf here for a while.
Posted in: Do You Have a Favorite Bible?
A couple years ago I was looking for a new Bible and, like you, wanted something with room for notes. I got 'single column' Bible, which is a little different look and has quite a bit of space for notes, especially in the parts where there is poetry. Some of them even have intentionally wider spaces designed for notes.
Posted in: January 6
Thank you for putting this into words. I appreciate what you wrote here.
Posted in: What Books Are You Reading This Summer?
Last month I read a couple books whose themes are sort of connected.
Dominion is the history of how Christian values came to saturate western culture. Where did the idea of ‘human rights’ come from? Or ‘all you need is love’? Or distinctions like ‘secular’ Or of partnership between the sexes in marriage? Or the notion that every person has the right to ‘life liberty and happiness’? Ideas and values like these didn’t certainly didn’t come from the Greco-Roman culture into which Christianity was born. Instead, these values grew up into, and then transformed western culture. Above all, these notions flow from the power of weakness, the power of the Son of God crucified on a cross of shame. This book, written by Tom Holland, who is not a Christian, tells how this transformation of values happened across the centuries.
The other book was Pastor in a Secular Age about how what’s it’s like for pastors to do ministry in the part of the story where we live now, in a secular age. He also tells the story of pastors across the centuries, and how they ministered. In our secular culture it’s very easy for people to live with a sense that God is barely, if ever, involved in our lives. That was not the case centuries ago, when people sensed that God was always involved, and that words, objects, and people had tremendous spiritual power. Andrew Root describes a way of pastoring that imitates God, who acts as a minister to people in the stories of Scripture, and continues to minister to us in real ways.
This month I'm reading the big Chernow biography about Alexander Hamilton, the one the musical is based on. I'm also reading about cell biology in a book by Nick Lane called Power, Sex, Suicide. The title is a bit over the top, and refers more accurately to energy production in cells (power), genetic combination in cells (sex), and aging in cells (suicide). The focus of the book is the role of mitocondria. All this might sound rather esoteric, and while it's not the easiest to understand everything is explained pretty well. With cell biology in the news daily due to the pandemic, it's a useful book to read.
Posted in: Dwelling in the Text
I think the point raised by this article is really underrated. Dwelling with the text, prayerfully with the Holy Spirit, and just waiting means we are spending time with God letting him speak. And that kind of relationship where we are waiting for God to speak with a sense of anticipation is God's deep desire.
I often print out a Scripture on a page with nothing else on it. Lots of empty space. And then I listen, using my pencil to write on the page what I hear. After a half-hour or so of listening I'm really struck, every time, by how interesting and helpful the text is, and I'm sure it's because Jesus is speaking through the Word by the power of the Spirt.
Posted in: Do You Have Very Old Copies of The Banner?
I have some copies from the 1960s. Someone from my church was doing some spring cleaning and brought them to the church office. They've been sitting on the shelf here for a while.
Posted in: Do You Have Very Old Copies of The Banner?
I have some copies from the 1960s. Someone from my church was doing some spring cleaning and brought them to the church office. They've been sitting on the shelf here for a while.