Back during Lent, I set myself a daily obligation to read something God oriented on a daily basis. I’ve been doing it ever since. I’ve actually gone through several books by now.
I started with Kissing Fish by Roger Wolsey and am currently on Healing Spiritual Wounds by Carol Howard Merritt which is for Kara’s next Book Discussion group.
Along the way, I’ve read The Final Days of Jesus by Shimon Gibson, Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time by Marcus Borg, and A New Christianity for a New World by John Shelby Spong.
I was slogging through Hear Then the Parable by Bernard Brandon Scott when the Book Discussion subject came along. Since I wasn’t really enjoying the parables being dissected that much, I put it aside temporarily.
For the future, I have The Heart of Christianity and The God We Never Knew both by Marcus Borg. Borg is one of my favorite authors so I’m fairly sure I’ll enjoy those. I’m not sure I’ll go back to the Parables. It’s much more like a literature class discussion on poetry than I bargained for.
For the most part though, I’ve enjoyed going in depth on Bible subjects. The current reading for the discussion group has hit home as well.
I am finding it thought provoking although I don’t feel like I have any personal experience. I was raised in my Disciples of Christ church. I’ve never been exposed to the negative Christianity that this book is exposing. I knew it was there. I guess we’ve all heard of “fire and brimstone” preachers. It simply hasn’t been my experience. I’m reading quickly through it, then I plan to go back and try to do the exercises at the end of each chapter. The discussion isn’t until September 6th. I should have plenty of time to absorb it.
