Reflections on the Bible, and Other Writings, from a Christian Perspective.
I closed out last year with a study of the shortest psalm in the Bible. Today, I'm continuing our consideration of the Book of Psalms, and doing so based on length. Even though Psalm 131 is only 3 verses in length, there are some main ideas that immediately jump out at me. Two of these are not concerning myself with matters too wonderful for me, and the image of a weaned child with a mother.
We have just begun a new year, and there is much that I want to share and discuss on this blog in 2020. However, before doing so, I wish to take one last look at the material that was presented in 2019. The reason for this is to provide an index of sorts for future visitors.
Near the end of August, I shared some thoughts on The Two Ways of Psalm 1. Now that we are coming to the close of 2019, I think tonight is a good time to return to this Book of Wisdom. The text of Psalm 117 focuses on two major ideas. These are that Yahweh is worthy of praise, and He is kind and faithful. Let's take a look at each of these!
Over the past month, I have been focusing on uploading all of my backlog of book reviews that I originally posted on Goodreads. Since so many have been shared recently, I've put together a list of such posts and a brief summary of each one.
Bad Church Good Church: A Memoir of a Former Catholic Priest by Tom Kane is a short, and surprisingly psychological book. It contains four parts. The most important of which discuss the author's upbringing and journey to become a priest, the problems he faced, and how his beliefs have changed over time.
20 Most Asked Questions about the Amish and Mennonites by Merle and Phyllis Good is a quick, easy read for those who want a short summary about these religious groups.
The 100 Most Important Events in Christian History seeks to accomplish a very difficult task. That is to provide a fair list of the 100 most important events in Christian history in just over 200 pages. They strive to provide an overview of events in the perplexing history of the people of God that will provide a convenient look at major contours and catalysts that have shaped Christianity.
In her book, If Nuns Ruled the World: Ten Sisters on a Mission, Jo Piazza profiles ten nuns and the causes to which they have dedicated their lives. Her primary goal is to show how badass nuns are, and spends about twenty pages on each woman’s story to do so. In a sense, she succeeds.
The Catacombs of Rome by Fabrizio Mancinelli is an exploration of a number of burial sites around the city of Rome. It features a large number of photos of artwork from the third through fifth centuries that depict a wide variety of Biblical events. Even though the book is only 64 pages in length, it contains an impressive 120 images.
Blasphemy, by Asia Bibi, is the memoir of a Catholic woman who was sentenced to death over a cup of water. It tells the story of a simple, illiterate farmer's daughter who was accused of blaspheming against Mohammed and the religion of Islam. This book records what led up to her imprisonment, the first two years of her terrible treatment, and attempts to free her.
James L. Hutton 