What I've been reading this Summer....

With the spring semester complete history now, job interviews not happening until August, and no summer classes - I've been doing some pretty consistent independent reading! Thought I might share and suggest a few titles I've enjoyed recently: (citations are NOT MLA/APA/Chicago for those of you with an eye for detail!!)

1) Principles of Lutheran Theology - 2nd Edition, Carl E. Braaten, Fortress Press, 2007:


**As a History and Philosophy major, I thoroughly enjoy my encounters with religion and theology as forces that have shaped all (and I mean ALL - globally - not restricted to Christianity) of our intellectual and social endeavors - not to mention that the truth is central to their function. I have also thoroughly enjoyed, and have been educated by, my fellow blogger over at preachrblog/ , an ordained LCMS Lutheran minister. In any event, I literally stumbled across Braaten's 2nd edition of the Principles and it made for a compelling read. At 179 pages it reads pretty quickly, but some foundational knowledge, specifically of Lutheranism and theology in general, is required for it to be coherent. I don't really have the background to comment on Braaten's position - and he does take a theological position!!

As an aside - any approach to Lutheran theology or practice is best accompanied by the Book of Concord at one's side. The one I have is the Concordia - The Lutheran Confessions - A Reader's Edition of the Book of Concord, Concordia Publishing House: St Louis, 2005, 2006 edition.

I recommend Braaten's book for those with that type of curiosity.


2) God here and now, a compilation of Karl Barth, translated by Paul M. van Buren, Routledge Classics: New York, 2006 edition:


This book is a compilation of Karl Barth's (pronounced 'Bart') "finer shorter writings." (as noted by George Hunsinger in the introduction). I read this book as Braaten kept referring to Barth in his work as above. It is clear that there is a difference in interpretation at work between these two theologians - but since I am not one, I withold comment. I will say that the collected essays and addresses included in this compilation of Barth is intellectually challenging - while short at 132 pages, including the introduction - which one must read to develop the context at least to appreciate the subsequent writings - I found myself working slowly through the densely worded technical theology of most of the essays. Of note, the treatise on Christian Ethics and the work on Humanism are particularly noteworthy.

Again, if one is of this mind - an excellent book.

3)God & Empire - Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now, John Dominic Crossan, Harper San Francisco, 2007:


I recommend this book as an 'interesting' read - meaning I don't necessarily agree with Crossan's argument or conclusions. In his prologue he states,

"From all of that, I raise three questions in this book for American Christians - or better, Christian Americans. Since the Old Roman Empire crucified our Lord Jesus Christ, how can we be his faithful followers in America as the New Roman Empire? As we move through the book, a second question arises. Is our Christian Bible violent or nonviolent - is it actually for or against Jesus's nonviolent resistance to 'this world?' By the time we get to the end of the book, and especially in its final chapter, a third question will have appeared. Is Bible-fed Christian violence supporting or even instigating our imperial violence as the New Roman Empire?"

Now, before anyone jumps out of their chair and condemns this book - there are a few things to keep in mind! The first is that Crossan does have the credentials to raise these issues - you can view his background here . Second - this book integrates the disciplines of archeology, ancient linguistics, history, theology and a smattering of philosophy, and he actually does this fairly seamlessly in supporting his argument. But, with all such ambitious texts, there are weaknesses to his analyses - not fatal flaws, necessarily, but some 'circular' or Coherentist methodology at work. Said differently, the book as a system 'hangs' together well, but if a number of the more substantial assertions he makes (such as relegating the Book of Revelations to that of little more than a political treatise of the times), the system begins to suffer.

I still recommend it.

Having had my fill of Theology for the time being - I am currently reading an excellent 'pure' history biography!

4)Cicero - The Life and Times of Rome's Greatest Politician, Anthony Everitt, Random House: New York, 2001:


Everitt has composed a beautiful narrative treating Cicero as the complex rhetorician and politician that he was. As well, Everitt gracefully keeps the reader up to date with the background on Julius Caesar, General Pompey, Atticus, Brutus, et al, as well offering useful insights and analysis of the senate, the optimates and the popularis, and all of the intrigue of the time.

Everitt writes clearly, humbly indicates where the historical record fails us and he is patching the gap with indirect sources, and allows the personalities to be three-dimensional and complex. Cicero provides a unique insight to the Roman Republic just prior to the ascendancy of permanent dictatorship and Empire - concepts that Cicero spent his life struggling against. A very enlightening, entertaining read. Highly recommended!

Finally - I have waiting in the wings - in a week or two:

King Leopold's Ghost - A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa, Adam Hochschild, Houghton Mifflin: Boston, 1999:

I haven't read this book, yet. I hope it's good! Last semester I took a course in the "High Imperialism" age - 1890 through 1910 or so. Our focus, primarily, was the European rush to colonize the interior of Africa. I wrote my term paper on the founder of the White Fathers, the Roman Catholic missionary society originating in France. Cardinal Lavigerie founded the order, headquartered in Algiers. I adapted a framework of 'Explore, Control, Utilize' defining colonization - and then considered Lavigerie's missionary society to Africa alongside government and business as a compare/contrast to motives between the three within that framework. I used Leopold, King of Belgium, as the foil to Lavigerie. The two did meet, at least on one occasion and possibly others. I hope to delve a little deeper into Leopold's enslavement of the Congo with this book.

That's it - that's what I've been reading - what have you been reading???????