This post is basically an invitation for all of my readers in 33 countries to respond to my thoughts / question . . .
I've been thinking about greed, materialism, and Christian marketing lately. I attend a school with a bookstore on the campus - a bookstore that beckons us (me) every single day that we walk by it. I find it to be both unbelievably great and a source of fierce inner turmoil (well . . . not so much). The bookstore at Southern Seminary provides a great service with some great deals as well. Book-lovers beware.
I've also been thinking about the new ESV Study Bible, which I do not presently own. This thing has been pitched as indispensable to godliness and as the cure for cancer in evangelical circles. Of course my favorite blogger, Justin Taylor, is the main guy pushing this Bible, as he is Crossway's go-to guy with this stuff.
My question comes down to this . . . Great books at great deals at Christian retail stores and amazing study aids like the ESV Bible are just that - great. I love it. Yet, I find my own heart prone to greed and materialism; the former (greed), the Bible equates with idolatry. Where is the balance between my individual fight against greed and the responsibility of Christian retailers and publishers to reign-in the type of marketing that tells us, "You are not complete unless you have this"???
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Greed and Christian Marketing
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
World Series
Well, we're all for the Philadelphia Philthies in this household this October. When we lived outside of Philly for one year, I adopted the Phillies as my second baseball team (the Reds are my #1). They (the Phillies) were very grateful for my gesture, so much so that they named a section of box seats after me.
Thanks to my father-in-law, we had the opportunity to see a few games. So, I am not a die-hard fan like my wife (who grew up there and who still has a baseball card of a Philly player from the early '90s that she thought was cute in her room at home), but I am glad to see them in the Series. We'll see if they can do it.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Most Enjoyable Books at Semester's Mid-Point
All of these are from school, of course. Haven't had time to read much else . . .
- Richard Sibbes: The Bruised Reed - a wonderful, grace-filled work that I will certainly return to.
- C. S. Lewis: The Great Divorce - What an imagination Lewis had! a profound book.
- N. T. Wright: Surprised by Hope - my foray into Wright; I now understand his acclaim. Superb book despite some troubling points (same for Lewis above).
- George Ladd: The Presence of the Future - excellent resource for NT theology and an understanding of the "already/not yet" tension.
- Richard Mouw: When the Kings Come Marching In - building on a Puritan idea of individual salvation, Mouw helpfully demonstrates the need to see the cosmic implications of the work of Christ in areas such as politics, societal structures, etc. (whole book is an attempt to understand Isaiah 60)
- Robert Wilken: The Spirit of Early Christian Thought - Catholic perspective on the early church; very well-done and beneficial.
Well, that's it for now. Back to the books.
Kristie's pick: Wendell Berry - Hannah Coulter; My wife is a new Wendell Berry devotee.