Back in Seminary School....

I am so surprised by the number of times I get to write that!
Anyway, back then, in another life, I read Elaine Pagels.  So I was very interested when I saw that her new book was on hoopla and then I saw that she was on Fresh Air and I listened and then I listened to the book and it was excellent.  Why Religion?:  A Personal Story is, indeed, a personal one.  She writes about her husband, Heinz, who was killed in a hiking accident shortly after the death of there son. 
We have some similarities in our spiritual journy!  I mean, not exactly, her parents were scientists and she became famous and all, but we both were Evangelical Christians and were "born again" at a Billy Graham revival!  I went to the 1993 revival in Pittsburgh.  And although I had known Christ prior to my coming forward at this event, this was impactful for me.  This is a book that will evoke a lot of feelings, I believe.  For Christians who are more of the black and white kind, it will be disturbing, I think.  But for others and for even those who do not know Christ it is a must read.  It is also a must read for those who have suffered great loss.  Yes, for sure. 

Mark 9:42

Everything Happens for a Reason:  And Other Lies I've Loved was an incredible, beautiful and heart-breaking.  I had heard Kate Bowler on Fresh Air and read the book right away.  This is a must-read.  What a brave, incredible woman of God.  It's lies like "Everything happens for a reason.," that have caused many to stumble.  And that is very sad.
But what a testimony this is.  Kate Bowler is truly God's voice in this world. 

Subjects Matter

I probably would have given Revival one star had I not enjoyed the subject matter.  Matters of faith always appeal to me.  But the ending was just so ridiculous and it was SO drawn out and typical wordy "I am too rich to need an editor" King that had it not handled the "terrible sermon" so very well, I would have given it one star.  Lots to think about and talk about here...if there was an abridged version. 

Thought-provoking

The Sunflower:  on the possibilities and limits of forgiveness is a book I won't forget, recommended to me by one of the kindest and most beautiful souls I know.  This is some book.  I listened to it, so I wasn't sure who all of the respondents were, but wikipedia has a nice listing of them, that was very helpful.
Simon was asked by a dying Nazi to be forgiven for the crimes he had committed, well, one specific crime, one that kept him up at night.  Simon refuses to give an answer and he wonders if he did the right thing.
He asks the question, "what would you have done?" and at first, and actually, at second, I am just floored by the people who felt they could answer this question.  Granted, many who did answer the question admitted that they didn't really feel like they COULD answer the question, but they tried.
It just seems to me that I don't know what I would have done if I were Simon in this horrific situation. I can say with certainty that what Simon did was the right thing.  If he had chosen something different, that would have been the right thing, too.  I feel like he had every right to do what he felt led to do, with no comments that I or anyone could make being fair or worthy or moral.
While I have had great respect for the Roman Church in the past, I admit I am troubled by how many Roman Catholics felt the need to vote for now President-Elect Donald Trump because he is "pro-life."  While Mr. Trump may very well be anti-abortion now (he was pro-choice in the past)  he is not pro-life for Muslims, African Americans, Mexicans, and those of the LGBTQ community.
Additionally, I have been very outraged by the Reichskonkordat.  Of the 53 respondents, 10 said "forgive."  Of those 10, half were Roman Catholics, 2 were Tibetan Buddhists, 2 Protestants and one listed no faith.
10 people were "uncertain," among them were 3 Jews, 3 Protestants (one of Jewish ethnicity), 1 Muslim, and 2 who listed no faith.
The 43 others all said to "not forgive."  19 Jews, 3 Roman Catholics, 2 Protestants and 9 who listed no faith.
So 55% of the Roman Catholics said "forgive."
33% of the Protestants said "forgive."
100% of Buddhists said "forgive."
100% of Jews said "do not forgive."
I simply can't say that I would be able to forgive.  There is no way, no way that I could presume to put myself in that horrible, horrible position.  All I can say is that Wiesenthal did the right thing.  Not that he needs my approval, indeed, I think it is even presumptuous of me to say as much.  So instead, I will just pretend that I am at least more "moral" than the Roman Catholics who suggest that Mr. Wiesenthal should have forgiven the Nazi.  (Delusional, yes, but I am angry right now, and at least I know that most priests would forgive me, right?)
I had to give this 3 stars because the "forgive" responses troubled me so very much.  For Wisenthal's part- a 5 all the way.

The Class of '57

One of my most favorite songs is this one.   If you have graduated from high school more than fifteen years ago, just put your own year in there for '57 and you will love it, too, for the line, "Things get complicated when you get past eighteen." is one that we all know is true.
Nora, the main character in Mister Death's Blue-eyed Girls, is from the class of '57 and most of the book is told from her perspective, regarding the events that took place the summer before her senior year.  On the last day of school in June, Nora's two friends, one a senior and the other a few years younger, are shot to death in the woods while walking to school.  The story is based on similar events in Mary Downing Hahn's own life.
I couldn't put this book down.  I loved every page.  I was horrified by the way in which the priest in this book acts, but I know that some priests do believe as this priest did, both back then, and today.   This is a great book for a discussion on theodicy.  I wish I could have been the pastor that Nora went to back then in the summer of '56.  I don't know if I would have helped, but I would have given her a very different take on the events of that summer, as I have a very different understanding of the cause of earthly suffering, given by the grace of God and the study of the Scriptures.
This book really takes you back in time.  I've yet to find a book by Hahn that I didn't love, even though this is quite different from her others.