Curses, I've Been Tagged...Again

MorningGlory2 tagged me earlier today. I hate being tagged...


One book that changed your life: The Book of Concord. The reason for this choice is that when I got done reading it I realized for the first time that what I thought about Scripture was irrelevant compared to what it actually said. I had once thought that it was up to me to figure out what God wanted me to understand or do. After reading the Lutheran Confessions, which are a defense of the faith, I understood that God has done all the doing already. I think it’s just in all our natures (that is sinful) to make God be who we want him to be instead of who He really is. That’s to say after reading the Book of Concord, I understood God only as expressed as the Son, Jesus. And also after reading the Book of Concord, I understood that it is only by faith given by the Spirit that I’m able to believe and surely not by my own power or understanding.

One book that you’ve read more than once: On Being a Theologian of the Cross: Reflections on Luther's Heidelberg Disputation, 1518 by Gerhard Forde. I read this book every Lent. Dr. Forde not only goes over Dr. Luther's explanation of the false belief that good works offer salvation, but also the proof texts that can only silence the enthusiast in us all. Excellent read!

One book that you would want on a deserted island: The Bible, NKJV. Nuff said?

One book that made you laugh: Ok, the answer really depends on what you mean by book. If I’m allowed a book in the comic book realm, well, Marvel Zombies hit just the right spot. Zombies has a virus infecting earth and with the exception of a few humans, the only ones that are left are the zombified superheroes. It’s really funnier than it sounds! Marvel took classic covers and zombified them for the 5 issue miniseries. What a hoot.

But some don’t think comic books aren’t real books (they’re called comic books folks!). In that case, the short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Conner. Just read it! The story does not go where you think it will, and you'll love the ending (oh no, they didn’t, did they?).

One book that made you cry: Silly wabbit, boys don’t cry. (unless the jury comes back and says “not guilty”, then I think we get to cry)

One book you wish had (will) been written: Lutheran History by the Reverend Doctor Lawrence Rast. Dr. Rast is the best teacher of Lutheran history I’ve ever met. I just wish he’d take 10% of that stuff in his noggin and help the rest of us to learn.

One book you wish had never been written: My first choice was going to be the Koran. Mainly because of the scourge of Islamic fascism that exist today. But we live in a post modern society that can’t call evil evil. Unfortunately, that’s just the way our fallen world works. But after thinking about it for little while longer I came up with Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren.

Sorry, but throwing in a few Bible verses doesn’t hide a business model that strives to grow the church by reducing everything theological to the lowest common denominator. Warren’s book is appealing because it has us running the verbs. His book focuses on what we can do for God instead of God’s undeserved mercy expressed in Christ. It’s a good thing I never read Warren’s book before the Book of Concord.

One book you are currently reading: Commentary on Romans by Philip Melanchthon. This commentary was written before Melanchthon succumbed to the power of the dark side. It is after this was written that he started to be a little more ecumenical and thereby be a little more tolerant of those who said “But what the Bible really means is…” I’m reading this now because next to Galatians, Romans is one of my favorite books of the Bible.

One book you have been meaning to read: I’ve been meaning to read The Song of Songs: A Theological Exposition of Sacred Scripture by Christopher Wright Mitchell. But for crying out loud, it’s 1300 pages long and weighs 5.39 pounds! Someday…………..at least I own it. I know, I know, it won’t read itself sitting on my library table.

Now I’m supposed to tag five people with this thing. Here goes:Uh, uh I don't tag people.