"Worth Fighting For" (John Pavlovitz)

TITLE: Worth Fighting For: Finding Courage and Compassion When Cruelty is Trending
AUTHOR: John Pavlovitz
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2024, (168 pages).

It has been said that "No news is good news." This is obvious when we read the news today. On every page we turn, chances are, there is more bad news than anything else. From the poverty and homelessness crisis to global-warming; corruption to leadership scandals; rising inflation to unemployment; political turmoil and wars; social uprising and injustice; wherever one turns, the world seems to be getting from bad to worse. This world is broken. Systems are broken. People are broken. Everything is broken. No wonder many people are feeling more helpless and hopeless than ever before. Worse, people are turning from sympathy to lethargy to apathy. If a broken world remains unfixed, it will not be fixed. For all the talk about goodness and love, author John Pavlovitz writes that "Love isn’t real until it moves from aspiration to incarnation." We need action that speaks louder than words. Using a metaphor of the car warning lights, Pavlovitz urges us to use despair as the impetus for action. Our actions include attention to mental health matters; creating a safe space for people to share their struggles; encouraging empathy toward the vulnerable; harnessing righteous anger; resisting the tendency toward depression; cultivating good attitudes like gratitude, rest, joy, and simply being well. Fellowship with people who give us hope. Adopt faith over fear. Move beyond mere niceness. 

"Hard and Holy Work" (Mary Alice Birdwhistell and Tyler D. Mayfield)

TITLE: Hard and Holy Work: A Lenten Journey through the Book of Exodus
AUTHOR: Mary Alice Birdwhistell and Tyler D. Mayfield
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2024, (122 pages).
 

Traditionally, devotionals on Lent tend to focus on self-reflection and quiet meditation. While it is a good spiritual practice to be mindful of the meaning of Lent, sometimes it can be accused of being impractical in a world of trouble and despair. Is there more to simply fasting and praying? Can we adopt practices that will lead us toward betterment for the common good? How can Christians observe Lent without forgetting that although they are not of the world, they are in the world? This book was inspired by the life of the Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, who found himself smack in the middle of Fourth and Walnut in Louisville, Kentucky, to be awakened to the needs of the world, and what God is prompting one to do: Paying attention and awakened to work toward justice. Using the book of Exodus, the authors highlight themes of liberation, justice, faithfulness, storytelling, and attentiveness to the marginalized. Useful for individual and group studies, each week contains stories from the Exodus narrative and ends with invitations to reflect, engage, and respond. These three invitations are summarized as "Paying Attention," "Sharing Together," and "Taking Action." 

"Waiting in Gratitude: Prayers for Joy" (Walter Brueggemann)

TITLE: Waiting in Gratitude: Prayers for Joy
AUTHOR: Walter Brueggemann
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2024, (148 pages).
 

Prayer is more than asking for things. Prayer is listening to God. It is cultivating our relationship with God. Whatever it is, regardless of emotional conditions, we can all pray to God at all times. Having written considerably on the prayers of lament, author and retired professor Walter Brueggemann focuses on the movement of tears, desperation, and pain toward joy. Savoring the "peculiarities" of our life's journey, we turn our very living from lament to waiting, from waiting to gratitude, and from gratitude to joy. How do we do that? Begin with the why. Continue with the "chewing of the world" of ups and downs. Finally, arriving at complete joy. Brueggemann reasons as follows: "The sum of these prayers is to voice our life back to God in wonder and gratitude for God’s “countless gifts” that are indeed beyond our counting. We nevertheless continue to count them!"

Indeed, praying is learning to count our blessings and this book is designed to help us through our journey of life. Part One comprises prayers for all kinds of occasions. From anniversaries to baptisms, birthdays to confirmations, weddings to memorials, Brueggemann shows us how we can pray for all occasions. With the help of hymns and Scripture, he guides us to look to Jesus in acknowledging the present with gratitude and look to the future with hope. He has prayers for individuals, for those in specific vocations in life, and in particular, for those called to the ministry. Part Two takes us deeper into what it means to experience joy in Christ. No longer about specific occasions or callings, the prayers reflect a longing for God. Using the created world as a platform for prayer, Brueggemann weaves his prayers and tightens them with biblical texts and principles. Some of the prayers can also be used as congregational prayers. Many of the prayers are steeped in Scriptural reflection. 

"Wounded Pastors" (Carol Howard Merritt and James Fenimore)

TITLE: Wounded Pastors: Navigating Burnout, Finding Healing, and Discerning the Future of Your Ministry
AUTHOR: Carol Howard Merritt and James Fenimore
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2024, (190 pages).

Saying pastoral ministry is not easy is an understatement. Many enter the call to full-time ministry at some level of social and economic disadvantage. Well-remunerated pastors are few. Many struggle even to make ends meet. Having written about wounded Christians in all walks of life, there is one group of people that the authors have left out: The clergy. This book is the answer to the many criticisms about excluding the clergy in the woundedness category. From burnout to blatant hurts, healing is a necessary process, and some of us might say, even more so for the clerical vocation. Frequently, those in the ministry of helping others need help themselves. It is widely expected that pastors have to comfort others in their times of grief. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said the other way around. Who comforts them when they are grieved? In some congregations, expectations of pastoral perfection can even lead to unrealistic assumptions that pastors with special calling will automatically experience God's comfort. What if God is using ordinary people to help the hurting pastors? What if we recognize that not everyone is like the Bible heroes of old, like Moses, Joshua, David, etc, where God was their personal Comforter, Deliverer, and Saviour? God can use supernatural means to help, but we should not restrict God from using ordinary people via ordinary means. This book is one ordinary way in which pastors can find a way to heal from their wounds. Written in three parts, authors James Fenimore and Carol Howard write about this process.

"Beguiled by Beauty" (Wendy Farley)

TITLE: Beguiled by Beauty: Cultivating a Life of Contemplation and Compassion
AUTHOR: Wendy Farley
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2023, (200 pages).
 

Modern versions of Christianity have been one of activism and various spiritual practices. Some even call for greater participation in social justice. The rush to do first without adequate contemplation can become a form of short-term gain without long-term benefits. Living in a busy world is already a hectic routine. With the evangelical fervor that pushes us to do more, no wonder Christians are in need of a vacation. Some might even need more such breaks. What if we could incorporate more regular retreats and opportunities for spiritual renewal? What if we could adopt a discipline of slowing down and being more contemplative in everything? More importantly, what if we could turn our contemplative activities into opportunities to behold God's work on earth and bless the community that we interact with? Before we can do that, we need to understand what contemplation is. This is how author Wendy Farley begins, by showing us the meaning and the reasons for contemplation. Beginning with an explanation of what contemplation is, she aims to help us cultivate this discipline in our everyday lives. She helps us "cultivate habits of wonder" as we become more aware of beauty and compassion. She defines the contemplative life as "a general attitude for integrating all the aspects of one's life into a spiritual whole."

"A is for Alabaster" (Anna Carter Florence)

TITLE: A is for Alabaster: 52 Reflections on the Stories of Scripture
AUTHOR: Anna Carter Florence
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2023, (200 pages).
 

The phrase A-to-Z is commonly used to give us a grasp of the scope of any particular topic. When we say, "Let me give you the A-to-Z of the matter," it simply means the salient points to help us appreciate the gist of the matter. It is a convenient way to use the alphabet to run down the list of things that we could share. It is not meant to be comprehensive. Rather, it is a popular framework to sample anything. In this book, author Anna Carter Florence adopts this framework to talk about the Old and the New Testaments. Altogether, there are 52 reflections, based equally on both testaments of the Bible. The purpose is to show us that just like God has participated and revealed Himself to His People over the ages, God is also present in our lives from A to Z. Inspired by Frederick Buechner's Peculiar Treasures, this book is originally written as a "Who's Who" in the Bible, the content has been expanded from just names and people to include animals, places, themes, objects, and other stories in the Bible. Each chapter begins with a letter, a Scripture passage, and a key theme as depicted by the word. From the context of the biblical passage, the author guides us through her reflections. From the ancient stories, she connects us to modern cultural sensitivities such as community, gender acceptance, nationhood, power politics, war, etc, to spiritual themes like grace, honesty, hope, patience, wisdom, etc. Some helpful reflections come from rare passages such as Numbers 27, animals from Genesis 2, Quirinius in Luke 2, allusions to the country of India in John 20, and so on. What we have is a delightful collection of reflections from both well-known and other relatively obscure parts of the Bible. 

"Life After God" (Mark Feldmeir)

TITLE: Life After God
AUTHOR: Mark Feldmeir
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2023, (220 pages).
 

As the spiritual climate in the West becomes more secular and anti-establishment, the Church at large is entering a Post-Christian era. With declining membership in churches and an ever-increasing number of people who call themselves NONES, it is becoming more difficult to see what faith and belief look like. Some Christians even doubt what they believe as they toggle between faith and doubt. Dealing with such situations can be tricky. How does one nuance the historic faith without sweeping contemporary doubts under the carpet? Here lies the challenge that author, pastor, and professor Mark Feldmeir boldly tackles. Starting with a professor using an imaginary gun to challenge a student's faith, he articulates the classic problem that pits the doctrine of God's love against the reality of human pain and suffering. Where does free will come in? If God already knows why certain events are bound to happen, why did He not intervene according to His Goodness? His musings about theodicy take us through history and contemporary times. In the former, he mentions the writings of CS Lewis, Pascal, Nicholas Wolterstorff, and the biblical book of Job.

"Meeting Jesus at the Table" (Cynthia M. Campbell and Christine Coy Fohr)

TITLE: Meeting Jesus at the Table
AUTHOR: Cynthia M. Campbell and Christine Coy Fohr
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2023, (160 pages).
 

Food is a significant part of any community both at home and outside the home. The Bible too has lots of references to meals, food, and feasts. There are food laws in the Torah. Throughout the Old Testament, we read instances of people needing food, like the famine in Egypt; the hungry and thirsty Israelites in the wilderness; the test of Daniel and his friends who opted for vegetarian food as their act of faith; how God fed Elijah; the feasts of kings; and so on. The need to eat continues to be a key thing in the New Testament. The gospels, especially the gospel of John use special feasts as a way to date the interactions of Jesus with the people. For Christians, the highlight of the Christian meal is none other than the Holy Eucharist or the Lord's Table.  The Lord's Table is a symbol of love, hospitality, openness, and welcome. Combing the gospels for instances of meals with Jesus, authors Cynthia Campbell and Christine Coy Fohr lead us through the different aspects of spirituality over the table. The intent of this book is to help us ponder what it means to be disciples of Christ, and what it means to be nourished body-wise and soul-wise. Food not only sustains us. It is an opportunity to cultivate relationships of all sorts. Eating together also provides teachable moments to learn spiritual lessons. In this Lenten Study, readers get to explore eight broad themes using food as a key to unlock these lessons. The authors have also engaged the input of illustrator Kevin Burns to use visual aids to invite further reflection on the past, conversation about the present, and application for the future. Each chapter helps us relate to the Season of Lent, to point us to the direction of meeting our needs in Christ alone.

"Acting in the Wake" (Walter Brueggemann)

TITLE: Acting in the Wake
AUTHOR: Walter Brueggemann
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2023, (154 pages).

We pray with our hearts awake for God, for as Augustine teaches, "Prayer is the conversation of the heart addressed to God." Who is this God? In his preface to this book, author and prayer-writer Walter Brueggemann sees God as righteous, just, steadfast in love, merciful, and faithful. Based on these attributes from Hosea 2:19-20, we can pray with clear minds and open hearts. Most people would understand God as Omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. Brueggemann takes us deeper into God's character, by paying special attention to the Old Testament use of prayers. The German Theologian, Karl Barth once said: "Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible." Brueggemann not only does that, but he also takes Barth's triad of "faith, obedience, and prayer" as instructive for this book. He also borrows from Anne Lamott's three moments of prayer as per her book title, "Help, Thanks, Wow." He notes that the Bible has a particular interest in the plight of the poor, the weak, and the marginalized. "Restorative socioeconomic and political justice" are things that God cares deeply about. We ought to learn to pray as taught by the Scriptures and also to be able to connect existing needs in our prayers. He divides the prayers into "We-Prayers" and "Thou-Prayers." The latter pleads with God to act on the injustice while the former prayers for God to use us as He deems fit. Taken from his public prayers from the 80s to the present, this book is a unique collection of such "We-Prayers" and "Thou-Prayers." The theme of justice flows throughout the prayers. 

"Returning from the Abyss" (Walter Brueggemann)

TITLE: Returning from the Abyss: Pivotal Moments in the Book of Jeremiah
AUTHOR: Walter Brueggemann
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2022, (170 pages).

What does it take to do a sustained study of Jeremiah? What is the "primary plotline" of this major prophet? What has the book of Jeremiah has to say to modern society, and in particular to the modern USA? How would Jeremiah speak into a culture constantly tarnished by incidents of racism and economic injustice? Reflecting on chosen passages from the book of Jeremiah, author Walter Brueggemann aims to highlight how the ancient prophet's message to Israel then is also applicable to us today. Beginning with how Jeremiah describes the time of the kings, the author looks at the reign of several kings of Judah and Israel and extrapolates God's message of intent into the 21st Century. He invites readers to enter the abyss of the Israelite exilic experience, to show us the inexplicable gift of being able to return from such dire circumstances. Instead of a verse-by-verse or a passage-by-passage commentary style, Brueggemann opts for selective verses that help us pause and read via the ancient practice of Lectio Divina. With each verse, Brueggemann provides us a context for the thought process. He then highlights some of the spiritual ills or challenges facing ancient people of God and challenges us to recognize any modern equivalents. Brueggemann challenges us to identify the threats of atheism and idolatry, warning us against the mistake of identifying the lesser enemy.

"Holy Disruption" (Tracy S. Daub)

TITLE: Holy Disruption: Discovering Advent in the Gospel of Mark
AUTHOR: Tracy S. Daub
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John-Knox Press, 2022, (100 pages).
 

Advent is just a few weeks away. With lower temperatures and lesser sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere, the mood is set for quieter and gloomier weather. The gospels give us various dimensions to the nativity story. Most of our narratives about the birth of Jesus come from the gospel of Matthew and Luke. Instead of birth narratives, John provides us with a theological rendition of the birth of Jesus. Mark does not give us any information about baby Jesus, only some passing information about his mother and his ministry. Herein lies the challenge. How then do we discover Advent in the gospel of Mark? Author Tracy Daub shows us five ways to do just that.

1. Anticipating the Coming of Jesus
2. Peace on Earth in Christ Jesus
3. Belonging to Christ
4. The revelation of the Messiah
5. The Hope of Immanuel: God with Us

Daub starts the Advent preparation early by reflecting on Mark 13, the "little apocalypse" chapter. She unpacks the contexts of the first century and compares them with our existing world.

"Stories of My Life" (Katherine Paterson)

TITLE: Stories of My Life
AUTHOR: Katherine Paterson
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2022, (352 pages).
 

We all love stories. Since young, many of us would recall listening to how our parents and grandparents told us all kinds of stories. From fairy tales to modern legends, biblical narratives to personal testimonies, stories captivate us in ways that no prose nor non-fiction could. Stories help us appreciate and understand tradition. They also teach us lessons about life, just like the world-famous Aesop's Fables. It takes a conscientious storyteller to tell a good story. It takes a gifted storyteller to tell a great story. Author Katherine Paterson tells her own story to give us many glimpses into her fascinating life as a writer, a missionary kid, teacher, preacher's wife, devoted mother, and a Christian. She shares about the ups and downs of her life. Events like her topsy-turvy days when living with her missionary parents to China to having children of her own following a miscarriage, Paterson shares her stories with vivid description and brutal honesty. She introduces the book from a readers' perspective via three "Frequently Asked Questions." 

1. How did you become a writer?
2. Where do you get your ideas?
3. How does it feel to be famous?

"Professional Christian" (Sarah Bereza)

TITLE: Professional Christian: Being Fully Yourself in the Spotlight of Public Ministry
AUTHOR: Sarah Bereza
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2022, (198 pages).

Are Christian ministers more "play-actors," mere "professionals," or "authentic persons?" With sky-high expectations from the public, the temptation is to become something less of ourselves. As the famous Shakespeare phrase says, "All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players." With a keen understanding of the human psyche, Shakespeare's comedy, "As You Like It," reminds us of the way we all tend to behave in front of other people. Like the professionals in a commercial on TV, people get paid to put on a facade by exaggerating the quality of a particular product or service. In fact, anyone in a public-facing environment would be tempted toward becoming something that they are not. Those of us in public ministries are not exempted from such temptations. We prefer praises rather than criticisms. If acting a little bit unlike ourselves would win more applause, many would. If doing something authentic invites vicious criticism, most dare not. This book casts a spotlight on situations where ministry personnel become professionals to look good in front of people rather than humble servants faithful to God's calling in Jesus. The thesis of this book is that the more we are in Christ, the more ourselves we become which in turn improves our authenticity in ministry. What does it mean to be fully ourselves? This is the key question that the author, Sarah Bereza will address. She adds that the closer we are to God's glorious light, the truer our colours will shine. Before one could deal with authentic ministering in love, there are seven barriers to overcome. These are:

"A Time to Grow" (Kara Eidson)

TITLE: A Time to Grow
AUTHOR: Kara Eidson
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2022, (126 pages).

When we read the gospels, there are two things that appear quite frequently in the life of Jesus: Food and Feast. Matthew, Mark, and Luke detail the parables related to sowing seeds. Mark collects several parables of Jesus that connect the seed parables with the kingdom of God. John structures his narrative according to the feast schedules (Passover, Purim, Tabernacles, etc). Using these metaphors, Jesus teaches us about faith and the kingdom of God. Taking a leaf from the gospels, author Kara Eidson introduces us to a unique way of observing the season of Lent. Inspired by her faith and her love for food, Eidson shares with us spiritual lessons from our everyday food choices. Lamenting at how a new generation who lives in cities is lacking a basic understanding of our favourite foods, she seeks to connect common produce with faith matters. Spurred by a desire to connect with her congregation familiar with rural living, she becomes more sensitized to the relationship between what we eat and where the food comes from. Written for small groups for use during the season of Lent, the purpose of this book is to make these connections more authentic in the hope that whenever we are eating or drinking with friends and family during mealtimes, we will be able to appreciate far beyond the food and faith relationship, and be guided toward gratitude the farming community who made it all possible, and ultimately to the One who had blessed us all: Our God in Heaven. 

"Advent in Plain Sight" (Jill J. Duffield)

TITLE: Advent in Plain Sight: A Devotion through Ten Objects
AUTHOR: Jill J. Duffield
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2021, (173 pages).

The weeks leading up to Christmas are deemed the Advent season. Even though many nowadays do not celebrate Christmas in church,  thanks to commercialization and popular culture, Christmas is that special time to usher in warm fuzzy feelings of giving, togetherness, family, and love. From public malls to private offices, department stores to individual homes, Christmas decorations can be found everywhere. Whether it is a Christmas tree or a candy cane, ornaments or pretty lights, these objects remind us about the coming of a significant annual event. Popularly called the "Christmas Spirit," different people would have varying opinions about what that means. Proverbs 8:17 reminds us that "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." What if we could redirect our attention from things to the Lord? What if we let the things of Christmas help us focus on Jesus and the reason He came to earth? "Be intentional," says author and minister Jill Duffield. Even as the world around us concentrates on the business of buying and selling stuff, believers should not be distracted by the hyperactive end-of-the-year commerce. Instead, let the ordinary things be used as launchpads to think more of Christ and the reason for the season. Throughout history, God has used messengers, sermons, narratives, prophecies, miracles, signs, testimonies, and so on, to call us back to Him. That is because the human race can often be forgetful, ignorant, or plain rebellious. We all need reminders and this book uses ten objects to help us observe Advent and Christmas intentionally. Let the ten objects we encounter be used to direct our attention and devotion to Christ. The ten objects are:

"A Surprising God" (Thomas G. Long and Donyelle C. McCray)

TITLE: A Surprising God: Advent Devotions for an Uncertain Time
AUTHOR: Thomas G. Long and Donyelle C. McCray
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2021, (112 pages).

One of the most popular questions Christians tend to ask is how the Bible of ancient times speaks to us in modern times. With a strong devotion to the Word and a desire to practice the Word, we ask general questions like "How relevant is the Bible today?" to specific questions surrounding contemporary life such as: "What would Jesus do in our situation?" or "What does the Bible has to say about politics, our friends, our current issues, or even our personal life?" Biblical scholars tend to be skeptical about such questions that begin with contemporary life instead of the Word of God first. In a marvelous preface, authors Thomas Long and Donyelle McCray believe that we need to do both "in the fray" (what it means then) as well as "above the fray" (what it means now). My first thought is: Easier said that done. Then authors Long and McCray surprise me with how they manage to write this Advent devotionals from three angles of relevance: Heavenly, Societal, and Personal.  Long and McCray alternate their devotions with the same format. Each day begins with a catchy title and short Bible passage. After a brief story or personal anecdote, we get to ponder upon the various surprises that defy our wildest imaginations. Even in the midst of troubles and turmoils around us, when the world around us seems to paint a bleak future, Jesus promises something totally unexpected: Redemption is coming! When doubts and uncertainties surround us with stories of doom and gloom, the Bible surprises us with the promise of eternal hope. Even when Revelation produces quite frightening images, we could still hang on to the promise that on Judgment Day, Jesus will rule with Justice and Mercy. This pattern of surprises come amid our current atmosphere of protest movement surrounding "Black Lives Matter," wars, political turmoil, economic struggles, poverty, etc. The authors want to prepare our hearts for the Hope of hopes, the Love of all loves, and the Surprise of all surprises: aka, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

"From Daughters to Disciples" (Lynn Japinga)

TITLE: From Daughters to Disciples: Women's Stories from the New Testament
AUTHOR: Lynn Japinga
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2021, (164 pages).

Many books have been written about the prophets of old, the kings of Israel, and the twelve disciples of Jesus. Yet, in the modern era, there are increasingly many who are questioning the patriarchal nature of the Bible. Why are there more male leaders? Why are most of the key figures in the Bible male? Is God showing preferential treatment to guys? With a desire to show that God is not blind to the needs of women, author and professor Lynn Japinga continues to shed light on some of the most prominent but often neglected characters in the Bible. Plus, they are all women! After writing her previous book about women's stories from the Old Testament, she continues this orientation by writing a companion volume on the women's stories from the New Testament. Yet, the author admits that this volume is more difficult because they don't speak much. Whatever they do, not much was recorded. Thus, compared to the first volume, the author tries to put herself into these women's shoes and does her best "imaginative speculation." She does this carefully after considering the New Testament contexts and reflecting on how Jesus treated the women then. Progressing from the gospels to the letters of Paul, Japinga begins with Mary, describing how conventional views paint her as obedient, blessed, ideal, or even the model woman for the rest to emulate. This is difficult for the modern woman to follow because no woman on earth is ever good enough. The author argues instead that she is more like one who had experienced grief, loss, and joy, all wrapped in one. She writes about the woman with a tissue of blood. While not much is known about this woman, Japinga manages to trace her background to give a counter-cultural proposal that instead of ostracizing her for her menstruation, readers ought to consider that as "mysterious and powerful." Mysterious because we still do not understand why the monthly period has to happen. Powerful because the process has the power to birth new life. On the Gentile woman who needed healing, the author puts herself in her shoes and to see her deep faith in Jesus in spite of her status.  Jesus accepted her in spite of her conditions. It is a lesson to remind us not to jump to conclusions about anyone. At one point, Japinga is close to accusing Jesus of not being inclusive enough. 

"From Widows to Warriors" (Lynn Japinga)

TITLE: From Widows to Warriors: Women's Stories from the Old Testament
AUTHOR: Lynn Japinga
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2020, (217 pages).

Through the years, I have heard comments from various people, especially women that the Bible is too patriarchal for their comfort. With the gradual activism of feminism and groups that advocate for gender equality, women's rights have formed a big part of Western society. Many people could readily remember key Old Testament characters like Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, David, Elijah, Elisha, and so on. Yet, when asked about women characters, they might recall relatively less. Of course, the books of Esther and Ruth are named after female leads, but in terms of time and space allocated to various gender leads, most of the prominent biblical characters are male,. This might explain the general perception about ancient society being more patriarchal than in our times. The thing that spurs author and professor Lynn Japinga into action is when she saw so many people who miss out on women in the Old Testament. Plus, stories about women were often deemed uninteresting or mainly about sex and violence; or stories that paint women in a negative light. This is Japinga's contribution to correct that. She offers a way for us to discern how God uses these women in spite of their weaknesses. At the same time, she offers us another way to "dive deeper" into these stories not only to see them in another light, but also to see them for who they are. With over 46 female characters, the book categorizes them as follows:

"Lies My Preacher Told Me" (Brent A. Strawn)

TITLE: Lies My Preacher told Me: An Honest Look at the Old Testament
AUTHOR: Brent A. Strawn
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2021, (128 pages).

What do you mean by "lies?" Aren't preachers supposed to be telling the Truth? How could anyone paint them as liars? Perhaps it is a marketing gimmick or a clever way to capture attention. I suppose that is so. Looking at the content, it is more about misconceptions or misinterpretations over the pulpit rather than flat-out untruths. Thankfully, the author explains right from the beginning that the title was merely to highlight ten controversial Old Testament "mistruths." Mistruths according to Strawn are about the Old Testament as:

1. Someone Else's Mail
2. Boring
3. Obsolete
4. Tales of A Mean God
5. Hyper-Violent
6. Putting David as sole author of Psalms
7. Non-Spiritually enriching
8. Non-Relevance
9. Law an Impossible to Keep type of Burden
10. That only Jesus matters

"Journey to the Common Good, Updated Edition" (Walter Brueggemann)

TITLE: Journey to the Common Good, Updated Edition
AUTHOR: Walter Brueggemann
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2021, (143 pages).

Our world is in a crisis. Whether it is economic or financial, social or spiritual, the pandemic is rocking the world from its sense of normalcy and security. The economies of the world are mostly in recession and with the continuing loss of jobs experienced by many, and with many more to come, people need hope more than ever. There is also the continuing tussle between opposing groups with opposing philosophies of life. The Right vs the Left; the East vs the West, and the various other divisions that are split based on age, education, ethnicity, gender, nationality, and others.  What is good? How do we progress to a better world? The way forward is actually to learn about lessons from the past. Author and esteemed professor Walter Brueggemann urges us to go all the way back to the wilderness narrative experienced by ancient Israel. Calling  wilderness as "the hard work of alternative," Brueggemann reminds us that such an environment pushes us toward greater dependence on God and exposes our innate sinful tendency to complain. It forces us to look toward life according to the mercy and providence of God instead of self-dependence or self-centered subsistence. More importantly, we are reminded that life is a gift from God and it takes a wilderness crisis to wake us to the reality of how God had provided for us through all times and how we all need God. Under Pharaoh, Isreal could neither protest nor complain. Living freely in the wilderness, the freed slaves of Israel could even complain against God! Brueggemann observes how our modern culture has "freed" the various people groups who had previously faced "repression, brutality, and abandonment."  In this book, Bruggemann offers three paths toward a common good. From the Exodus narrative, he attempts to show us how hope could progress from personal anxieties to the practice of neighborly love. Readers are challenged with the question: "What is the common good?" Like how Jews welcomed Christians to share in the joy of seeing Israel liberated from Egypt, we also share in the natural common anxieties surrounding food, safety, security, and freedom. We see how Pharaoh exploited the Israelites and how God eventually delivered Isreal from slavery into freedom. Seeing how God had provided for His people should encourage us to hope in the future of promised abundance. For that, we need to recognize our anxieties caused by a scarcity narrative that often prevents us from generosity for the common good. We need to depart from the old to enter the new. These movements away from scarcity to abundance are essential in order to avoid extreme nationalism, toleration of poverty, policies that harm the environment for the sake of selfish profits, and so on. It is a mindset revolution that is needed.