I've been reading lately like it's my job (wouldn't that be nice), so I thought I'd post a little bit about what I've read, if for no other reason than to summarize for my own sake.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Christmas Sermons
Kari got me this book for Christmas, and it was the first thing I read when we returned home. The Advent sermons are outstanding, and the editor had access to some previously unpublished letters, including some from prison, that Bonhoeffer had written to his fiancee and to his friend, Eberhard Bethge. Because of some other things I've been reading, I'm especially fascinated by Bonhoeffer's involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate Hitler. This reminds me of Gandhi's statement that nonviolent opposition to injustice is best, but violent opposition is better than nothing at all (forgive the rough paraphrase). If you don't know much about this martyr, find out about him. He wrote one of my all-time favorite books, given to me by my good friend David Ballenger, Life Together.

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
When Brian McLaren was on campus here at MNU, he recommended this book to us. I was incredulous at some of the things I learned. The Americas (North, South, and Central) in the 15th century were much more populous than our American history textbooks would have us believe. When Columbus and other Europeans arrived, they found sophisticated cultures with advanced levels of commerce, the arts, and especially agriculture. So how did the Europeans eliminate them so quickly, you ask? Two reasons: Enormous four-legged creatures that were incredibly strong and fast, the likes of which the Native Americans had never seen (yeah, horses); and, more importantly, the Native Americans hadn't developed an immunity to some of the diseases the Europeans (and their animals) carried, especially small pox. And this is staggering: Over the 15-20 years after the Europeans first arrived, 25 million Native Americans died of small pox...About 80% of their entire population. One lighter note: The reason we call them Indians is because when Columbus landed, he thought he was in India (must've been some compass).

God's Politics: Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It
I'll not attempt to summarize what Wallis says in this brilliant piece of work, only to say that he is a prophet of hope. He has hope that right-wing extremists who do not have a consistent ethic of life can see the error of their ways. He has hope that left-wing extremists who have become "allergic to spirituality" may find the hope of a compassionate Jesus. He has hope that a frighteningly partisan America is, perhaps, on track to become more aware of poverty and disease, and the havoc they are wreaking on the world.

A New Kind of Christian
This is the first in a quasi-fiction trilogy by Brian McLaren. It's been especially interesting to me because he was here on campus recently and shared many thoughts from this book. In fact, the entire conversation that takes place at the coffee shop between NEO and the wavering pastor was his outline in sessions two and three. Kari also got me McLaren's A Generour Orthodoxy for Christmas, and she was clever enough to get him to sign it while he was here without me knowing it. A book that McLaren wrote with Tony Campolo will be re-released in paperback in a few months. What's so cool about that, you ask? I proofread it, that's what.

The Kingdom of God is in You
This must be the shortest book ever by Leo Tolstoy, but that doesn't mean it's easy. I'm still wading heavily through the first chapter.

Give It Away
This isn't exactly a read; it's the new CD from the Gaither Vocal Band. I've been very pleased with it, though, for three reasons: 1) The title track is all about "taking everything that you have" and giving it away, for the right reasons; 2) There is a great tune with the African Children's Choir about celebrating the differences between cultures, and recognizing other children of God for what they are; and 3) It has a fabulous rendition of a very old, familiar classic: "Jesus Loves Me."

Coming Soon
When you get most of your books at the library, sometimes you have to bunch your reading up. That's what I'll be doing in the next few weeks. Among my upcoming reads:

-Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, by Anne Rice
-The Challenge of Jesus, by NT Wright
-Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror, by Richard Clarke
-Lies my Teacher Told Me, by James Loewen

I've also added the Nouwen journal Gracias to my stack...It will be a re-read, but I saw where Doug is reading it in Honduras, and I think it gives me a feeling of solidarity with my old roommate.

And, with baseball season looming, I've picked up a couple books by/about Jack Buck, the late Hall of Fame radio broadcaster for the St. Louis Cardinals.

In Other News
We could use a few prayers today. Kari's dad, Dick, has been in the hospital all day today with a bleeding ulcer, and he may need a blood transfusion. He's doing better tonight. And, my brother-in-law, Brian, got laid off today. EA moved he and Sis down to Orlando just a few months ago, and today they told him and thrity-four other employees to hit the road. If you think about it, or even as you read this, say a prayer for Dick, and for Brian and Sis. Thank you.

Now Reading: Well, I guess I just told you, huh?