ON LIVING SIMPLY John Chrysostom Book Review

On Living Simply: The Golden Voice of John Chrysostom
A Book of Ancient Wisdom
compiled by Robert Van de Weyer




Published by Liguori/Triumph, Liguori MO
ISBN: 978-0-7648-0056-6
Softcover
Retail price: $9.95
Size: 5-1/4 x 7-3/8 inches (19 cm)
96 pages


What is on the book's back cover:This meditational book contains more than 90 excerpts from the sermons of Saint John Chrysostom, a major but little-known spiritual thinker of the early Church. Robert Van de Weyer has selected thematic passages from the written record of these sermons in order to inspire, challenge, remind, and reassure a new generation of readers.


John Chrysostom was a spell-binding preacher and the leader of the Church of Constantinople during the 4th century. He chastised the rich for failing to share their wealth with the less fortunate, and he described generosity to another not as gift-giving but as a required repayment of a debt. He view the goal of marriage as companionship on the journey to heaven. This book brings these and other views across the centuries in a message whose modernity, bluntness, and vigor is undimmed by time.


Babamarusia's Review:Today I read On Living Simply: The Golden Voice of John Chrysostom, A Book of Ancient Christian Wisdom compiled by Robert van de Weyer, published by Ligouri/Triumph, 1996. It’s a pretty little book, and the pages all have lots of space that is empty–-and at that, it is full of wisdom and thought that is as useful and functional today as it was in the 4th century. Beginning with a brief biography of John the “golden-mouthed,” name for his eloquence and the outspoken truths in his sermons, John was eventually forced to leave the city where he lived because the rulers and the rich didn’t care for what he was saying.


There are 84 writings–very easy to read in one sitting, and also marvelous read one each day for 84 days. However it is done, it’s a good read. Now for today. After reading this book, I understand better the nature of being a steward of all that belongs to God–which is…. EVERYthing.


Why should I take care of my home and yard, my possessions? I should take care of them as a steward, keeping all in good order for the next steward to come.


Is it possible to be humble and meek, and be wrong? Most definitely so, and here is how. As John Chrysostom points out, humility and meekness can become an idol, a worship of attitude instead of a reflection of the Christian’s nature in relationship to God. When humility and meekness, and other forms of visible display–such as living frugally, relying on other for transportation and the like create a situation where someone else is put out in an yway–cause others to inconvenience themselves in an unnecessary manner, then the humble person has elevated him- or herself to a position above others.


A lot of topics are covered by John Chrysostom, taken and written in current English usage by the author. There are strong words spoken out of love, that come across as loving rather than harsh. Whether this is the nature of John’s message or the creativeness of Mr. Van de Weyer’s writing, I don’t know. The author worked from pieces and fragments as you might expect he would, given the age of the original manuscripts.


I encourage you to read this book that I now recommend to you.
....babamarusia

EXPERIENCING THE RESURRECTION Henry & Melvin Blackaby Book Review

Experiencing the Resurrection: The Everyday Encounter That Changes Your Life
Henry and Melvin Blackaby, Authors
Copyright © 2008 by Henry T. & Melvin D. Blackaby
Published by Multnomah Books, Colorado Springs, CO
ISBN 978-1-59052-757-3
Retail price $16.99 in U.S.A., 211 pages

Study Guide by Henry & Melvin Blackaby with Thomas Womack
Copyright © by Henry T. and Melvin D. Blackaby
ISBN 978-1-59052-758-9
Softcover, 105 pages
Retail price $9.99


Reviewed by Mary Katherine May of QualityMusicandBooks.com.

REVIEW

Experiencing the Resurrection by Henry and Melvin Blackaby, a book new to my bookstore, piqued my interest. My own church has used Blackaby materials for classes, and somewhere in my readings I was given the impression that their books hold a good reputation among Christians.

I can give an impression only of the Blackaby book that I have read, which is the one mentioned here, and my review of what I have read must express confusion. I had difficulty with some of the statements made, found the thought-train jagged and uneven, and conclude that they failed to achieve any goal.

Henry and Melvin Blackaby write from an Arminian perspective, believing that all people have a choice to either accept or not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin. This is in opposition to what is called a Calvanistic perspective in which God has chosen, or fore-ordained, each person’s future. As for myself, my belief lies somewhere in the middle of the two—that God has a plan for each of us, children of God that we are, and through circumstances of choice we either accept or reject His purpose for us in life.

At the start of the book, it is stated that many Christians do not live up to their “resurrection power potential,” and are missing out on the “abundant life”. Although much later in the book there is explanation of this power, I found the implication that I may be settling for “insignificance” demeaning, and different positive wording would have conveyed the thought much better. The “abundant life,” is used by the Blackabys rather than by the tele-evangelist who normally promotes this phrase, which leads to the impossibility for me to disassociate the term from prosper theology, where Christians deserve to have monetary riches.

On page fourteen is the following statement. “All people instinctively know there’s a God, whether or not they choose to respond to Him.” Since this statement cannot be proven, one may assume it correct or incorrect. I am not denying that I believe every person on this earth is a child of God. I do entertain the possibility that such a statement contradicts the Blackaby’s Arminian philosophy. Why would anyone who instinctively knows something is true not acknowledge and accept that truth?

The middle of the book takes the reader forth and back between sections talking about the love of God and fire/damnation from the wrath of God. I couldn’t follow the train of thought, and kept waiting for a very clear statement saying that until our last breath is taken before death we can still seek forgiveness. It never came. Personally, I don’t believe in scaring people into believing the message of love, hope and salvation. It doesn’t make sense. It’s a contradiction to God’s desiring salvation for the whole world. Rather, it just might be better to promote the disappointment God feels over a soul lost.

The last chapters of the book finally get to the point. At last this book explains and defines what these two men believe it means to experience the resurrection of Jesus Christ and its power. I still wasn’t clear who their target audience was, because of the flip-flopping between seeming to speak to those already in the Christian faith, those who assume (implied) they are Christian, and those who are not yet Christian.

I have not given enough thought to why the book doesn’t work. It may be that the book is too brief for the subject matter. Or, it may be that they wrote it too quickly and didn’t see that there was no clear train of thought throughout—which is very easy to do without putting in sufficient time. It is a good subject upon which to think and write, but I recommend reading about it elsewhere.

All of this being said, if you like what Henry and Melvin Blackaby have to say, this just might be the right book for you.

I do not recommend this book.

THE SIGN OF THE CROSS TAndreas Andreopoulos Book Review

The Sign of the Cross
The Gesture, The Mystery, The History

Andreas Andreopoulos, Author

Foreword by Frederica Mathewes Green

Paraclete Press, PublisherISBN 978-1-55725-496-2165 pages

Retail Price: $19.95

Having spent my formative and early adult years in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and then moving to a protestant denomination after marriage, one part of my faith practices that has never changed has been using the faith profession of making the sign of the cross. In this small book Andreas Andreopoulos has explained a lot of my unanswered questions. The Sign of the Cross is not a book only for Eastern Orthodox, Catholics, or any other Christians who use this gesture. It is for all Christians.

Andreopoulos, in every day language readily understandable to all, gives the background history for how this symbol of faith came into existance, the meanings of the various ways it is practiced, the related history of its development, and what it still means to Christians today. He covers how and why it is used by clergy and lay people. In essence, this book gives those who do not want to delve into deep theological writing or would have difficulty understanding such, a theological dissertation in a way that will be a learning experience giving deeper meaning to their Christian faith.

I found a lot that I didn't know, some information that affirmed what I believe, and a whole lot that I didn't know that I can put into practice. For example, why do Eastern Orthodox Christians shape their hand differently than others to make the cross? Why do Catholics go to the left shoulder first and the Orthodox to the right shoulder first? What does the cross symbol mean when I use it?

Although the facts about the initial use of the cross sign are sketchy, Andreopoulos presents what is known, and presents why different thoughts about its origins may or may not be true. He does not make any judgement about one denomination against another, nor does he say one practice is right and another wrong. If I might have one criticism, it is that Andreopoulos comes from the perspective that all Christians use the sign of the cross. Perhaps that will be his next book--how for some Christians this practice fell out of use and why.

I highly recommend this book.

From the Publisher

Millions of Christians around the world use the sign of the Cross—and have done so for centuries—as a gesture of blessing. It is practiced when alone, during worship, before sleep, upon waking, before eating, before travel, and many other times throughout the day. But, what does it mean? Where did it originate? What did the sign of the Cross mean to the first Christians, and how has this simple movement of the hand evolved over the centuries?

The sign of the Cross is literally a tracing of the Cross of Christ onto the body. By so doing, Christians invite the mystery of the Cross into their everyday lives. Now and for the first time, young Greek scholar Andreas Andreopoulos explains the tremendous meaning, mystery, and history of this dramatic gesture shared by Christians worldwide. This readable account will fascinate and inspire all who desire to know more about the inherited spiritual practices of everyday life.

Andreas Andreopoulos was born in Greece in 1966 and is recognized throughout the world as one of the most eloquent young scholars of Christianity. He earned his Ph.D. in theology at the University of Durham under Fr. Andrew Louth and has taught in Toronto, Montreal, and Philadelphia. He is currently Lecturer of Christian Theology at the University of Wales.

Reviewed by Mary Katherine May of QualityMusicandBooks.com.