Summer Reading - From the Clergy at St. Francis Church

From the Rector, Rich Simpson. Below are five books at the top of my summer reading list.

ROGER WILLIAMS AND THE CREATION OF THE AMERICAN SOUL

Church, State, and the Birth of Liberty

By John M. Barry

This book was recommended to me by a parishioner whose judgments I trust. I also saw an excellent review of it in The New York Times

OF MEADOWS AND FLOWERS AND CRYING AND HOPE

Poems of and by a Troubled Youth

By Patricia Larsted

This book was written by a young woman from Holden, under a pen name, about her struggles growing up with mental illness.

THE COLLECTED SERMONS OF WALTER BRUEGGEMANN

Forward by Sam Wells

Longtime members of St. Francis are used to hearing the great Walter Brueggemann quoted regularly in sermons.  Most know that he was one of my teachers at Columbia Theological Seminary.  In fact, when working on my doctoral degree, I was in chapel on the day that he preached "A Fourth Generation Sellout" on July 14, 2000.  (page 164-167)  What more really needs to be said: he is a great scholar and a great preacher! 

IN ONE PERSON

By John Irving

Many of you already know that John Irving is my favorite living novelist, and it's always a great summer when there is a new John Irving novel to be read! For those who don't know Irving, my two all time favorites remain A Prayer for Owen Meany and The Cider House Rules.

THE GLOBALIZATION PARADOX: DEMOCRACY AND THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD ECONOMY

By Dani Rodrik

This one comes from a Harvard economist, recommended to me by a Harvard Econ major. 'Nuff said!

And from our Associate Rector, Karen Safstrom, come these five books:

Speaking Christian: Why Christian Words Have Lost Their Meaning and Power-And How They Can Be Restored

by Marcus Borg

I am a fan of Borg and not just because he also has Lutheran and Episcopal connections (he was born and raised a Lutheran and he is currently Canon Theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon). J   I look forward to reading this book because in it he tackles an important issue in the life of the Christian faith today - the need to recognize that the language we speak is a foreign one to the culture around us and at times even to ourselves as we have lost the original meaning of much of the language of faith. In this book he seeks to trace the roots of many of the words we think we know the meaning of and reclaim them for their original intent.

Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives

by Wayne Muller

I discovered this one through a recommendation in a reader comment on a blog I frequent. I always need help with Sabbath and summer seems like the perfect time to think more intentionally about the topic.

Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire

by William T. Cavanaugh

As a stewardship geek I am always interested in books that bring different views on how we as Christians think about our relationship to God and economics. With tensions high in the political arena in our country as politicians from each party claim that their faith is informing their budget proposals, I thought it a good time to dig a little deeper on the topic of money and faith for myself.

My Jesus Year: A Rabbi's Son Wanders the Bible Belt in Search of His Own Faith

by Benyamin Cohen

I have wanted to read this book for a few years and then a few months ago I came across a hard cover copy on clearance for $5.00 at my favorite independent book store. What a deal! I can't even get it that cheap for my Kindle! J The book tells the story of how the author, the Georgia-born son of an Orthodox rabbi, decides to explore what it would be like to be a Christian and in the process comes to embrace his Jewish faith more. It sounds like a fun and thought-provoking read and since I love to read about others' faith journeys I am looking forward to getting into this.

To Kill a Mockingbird

by Harper Lee

The Library of Congress has an exhibition of "Books That Shaped America"  and this book is part of it. For some reason I never got to read it in school, but it has been on my list of books to read for a long time so this year is the year!