Receiving Love.

Book Review.

Hendrix, Harville.  Hunt, Lakelly, Helen.  Receiving Love.  Transform your relationship by letting yourself be loved.  Atria Books.  2004.

H.H.- Ph.D., pastoral counselor and co-creator of Imago Relationship Therapy.

H.H.- Ph.D., psychologist who helped develop I. R. T.  Was inducted into Women’s Hall of Fame.

Comment.  Henry.

I get the impression that this is a ‘handbook’ for Imago Relationship Therapy.  Both authors are involved with counselling couples whom deal with relationship problems.  They believe receiving love is the fundamental challenge that faces couples.  The self-help ingredient of this resource is strong.

“It turns out that loving your partner is the best way to facilitate your personal and spiritual growth.” (5)  Receiving love is the challenge and the concepts of “separate and connected knowing” (9) are relevant to such receiving.

Relationships between two people are represented by the “I-thou” (33) phrase where the hyphen represents a “between” (33) that represents the emotional ties that bind people together.  They are brought into the relationship and exert a great influence.  Here is the area where work needs to be done to address problems.  “Partners tend to be most unconscious in those situations in which they need to be most enlightened, cautious and aware.” (53)  Cycles of “unconscious wounding and defending” (60) become established.  Negative emotions projected on a partner result in “symbiosis in relationship”. (65) 

“Self- rejection is the most universal and least recognized problem of our lives.  It is the source of all our difficulties in giving and receiving love.” (72)   Self-rejection comes in many different forms.

The “science of relationship” (149) is helpful in addressing problems in receiving love.  Relationships have effects on the brain that can be measured.  Negative patterns can be restructured.  To demonstrate love parents have to be “attuned”. (140)  Receiving love has to be learned and often involves the need of healing.  It is a “voyage of discovery.” (162)  “The Imago Dialogue” (162) involving “mirroring, validating, and empathizing” (163) is very helpful in making this voyage. 

The last part of the book is a series of eleven exercises that relate to the challenge of “Receiving Love.”

henrydirksen.blogspot.com

Christianity Rediscovered.

Book Review.

Donovan, Vincent J.  Christianity Rediscovered.  Twenty-fifth Anniversary Edition.  Orbis Books, Maryknoll.  2003.

V.D.- a Spiritan priest who spent seventeen years as a missionary in Tanzania. 

Comment.  Henry.

The contents of this book come primarily from the author’s experience as a missionary to the Masai people of Tanzania.  Working primarily by himself, he discovers some profound principles about evangelizing ‘pagans’, principles that have by and large been missing from missionary practices in in general.  Herein lays the value of what Vincent has contributed to missionary work.  There is an application of those principles to evangelization in general.

“Evangelization is a process of bringing the gospel to people where they are.. not where you would like them to be.” (Preface)  “If Christianity is of value to the world around it, what will happen when we bring Christianity and paganism together?” (Preface.)

The impact of slavery was a fundamental challenge for early missions in East Africa.  The practice of purchasing slaves and Christianizing them was not a sound type of evangelizing.  The establishing of schools and hospitals also fell short of missionary goals.  “To bring freedom or knowledge or health or prosperity to a people in order that they become Christians is a perversion of missionary work.” (10)  After his first year of missionary work (1966) Vincent writes a letter to his bishop outlining his ‘calling’ to launch a totally different approach to reaching the ‘pagans’.  It was rather simple.  His plan was to go to the Masai people and simply talk to them about God.  “I was trying to convince them directly of the inherent value of Christianity.” (19)

This new approach was very daring and was done with full knowledge and respect for Masai culture.  Mission practice needs to meet the following criteria: “Is it biblical? Is it evangelical? Is it scriptural?” (26)  Paul’s example of evangelizing is striking.  He labored for about ten years during his three missionary journeys planting churches and then his evangelizing was complete.  The churches carried on, on their own.  That doesn’t sound like modern missions.

Vincent’s missionary ‘experience’ is a very interesting story.  The Masai tribe accepted him and his presentation of the gospel and became an aboriginal church.  His evangelizing of this group was complete and he could now move on to another group (tribe).  “Christianity must be a force that moves outward, and a Christian community is basically in existence for others.” (79)

The task of missions is ‘finishable’ if we go about it the right way.  “The gospel is the affair of the missionary, and the interpretation of the gospel is the affair of the people who hear the gospel.” (122)

henrydirksen.blogspot.com 

 

With.

Book Review.

Skye,  Jethani.  With.  Reimagining the way you relate to God.  Thomas Nelson. 2011.

J.S.- managing editor of Leadership Journal, a publication of Christianity Today International.  He lives in Wheaton, Illinois.

Comment.  Henry.

Using the prepositions –under, over, from, and for- Jethani identifies four common lifestyles that describe our life with God.  By themselves they result in various levels of frustration and stress.  He goes on to present a fifth and all-encompassing option, i.e. a life with God.  His thesis is very relevant and he does a commendable job of unpacking that concept. 

Jethani gives a brief overview of each lifestyle that is reflected by the prepositions.  Life from God reflects a readiness to accept God’s blessings and gifts but is not really interested in God Himself.  Life over God focuses on the proven formulas and controllable outcomes in our life.  Life for God has to do with “accomplishing great things in God’s service”. (7)  Life under God is all about dos and don’ts and maintaining a lifestyle of good works. 

Life with God is demonstrated in Eden before the fall and the New Jerusalem when we will rule with Christ.  Subdue and reign are words that characterize this life.  Primitive religions illustrate life under God.  In its very extreme form this life is reflected in acts of terrorism.  Jesus was adamant in condemning this life under God. 

(Christian) consumerism is evidence of the negative aspect of life from God.  Ironically this kind of life ends in bankruptcy. 

When the only focus is life for God where service and mission are crucial the fear of failure is devastating. 

All the options we have considered thus far have this in common.  They result in “variations of fear and control.”(99)  They are “humanly devised ways of relating to God.” (99) 

The life with God involves communication and communion which is the environment for faith.  With surrender there is safety without fear and control.  Even death is no longer a threat having lost its sting.  It is a life with hope and love.  Gifts, knowledge, faith and service are incomplete if they are not anchored in love.  All together they become life with God. 

When we realize that we are more than a “sinner, a manager, a consumer, and a servant” (170) we discover the core of our identity enveloped by God’s love, we discover life with God.

henrydirksen.blogspot.com 

 

A New Climate For Theology

Book Review.

McFague, Sallie.  A New Climate For Theology.  God, the world, and global warming.  Fortress Press, Minneapolis. 2008.

S.M.-  Distinguished Theologian in Residence at the Vancouver School of Theology.  Carpenter Professor of Theology Emeritus at Vanderbilt Divinity School.

Comment.  Henry.

My reason for pulling this title off the library shelf has to do with the challenge of not becoming myopic in my reading.  As a theology resource this book would probably be found in a 300 or 400 course.  I have no prerequisites in theology so this read was somewhat beyond me.  There was enough material in the book that I did understand to give me an appreciation for the problem of global warming that I did not have before.

The case is made for the reality of global warming.  “The environmental crisis (GW) is a theological problem, a problem coming from views of God and ourselves that encourages or permits destructive, unjust actions.” (31)  The evidence of climate change has been substantiated by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Care for the creation must be part of the gospel message.  A comparison is presented between “A communitarian view of human beings (and) an anthropocentric view.” (32)

A paradigm change needs to happen from an “individualistic anthropology to an ecological anthropology.” (44)   “Ecology is the most fundamental study imaginable.” (50)  We need “ecological unity.” (53)

From anthropology the author turns to “a typology of God- world relationships.” (66)  An interesting conclusion to this discussion is posed, “Creation Christianity or Redemption Christianity.” (79)

Christianity should support an ecological model of economics.  “Living within the world as God’s Body” (112) presents the concept of the environment as a place and an object of worship.  The author admits to being a friend of pantheism.  As urban dwellers we must retain a focus on nature.

A different world of “human dignity and the integrity of creation” (143) is possible.  Because of God there is hope as we face the responsibility for the care of our ailing planet.

In Search Of Balance

Book Review.

Swenson, Richard A. M.D.  In Search Of Balance.  Keys to a stable life.  NavPress 2010.

R.S.-a futurist, physician-researcher, award-winning educator, and best-selling author.  Lives in Menomonie, Wisconsin.

Comment-  Henry.

The doctor has produced a very practical resource for anyone who is looking for balance in his/her life in a culture that is not known for balance and serenity.  He speaks from a rich background in medicine, academics, and research.  This is an easy read and I recommend it heartily.

“Many problems in life are best served by solving them rather than yielding to them.  Balance is one such issue.” (18)  The author explains his transitions from medicine to the academy to being a “futurist.” (27) 

Change as we know it began with the Industrial Revolution (1700-1900).  There has been more change in the last 250 years (for man) than all previous history.  Progress in in our culture is all about having more.  “It arrived as a friend then transformed itself into both friend and enemy.” (33)  A function of progress is profusion and herein lays the threat to balance.  Profusion has exploded in the past three decades.  “We are addicted to progress.” (43) 

All nature is a study in balance.  The function of our body in every aspect demonstrates balance.  E.g. A well struck golf ball is the result of a multitude of mental and bodily functions operating in perfect balance.

The first step to attain balance is to “place our priorities at the centre of our existence and our lives in balanced orbit about these priorities.” (65)   Priorities that transcend time are of utmost importance, e.g. God-centred life.

A margin for capacity is required for balance.  “Margin is productivity with sustainability.” (92)

Escalation in every area of living expenses (dying expenses) is a real threat to maintaining a balanced life.  Some practical suggestions are made on how to escape the escalation of change.  The challenge is to confront escalation as a norm.

We need to develop some “decent minimums” (186) as they relate to the basics of life, work finances, family, etc. 

By way of conclusion the author introduces a topic that remains undeveloped but is absolutely crucial for balance in life.  He calls this ‘key’ “securing a space for deep consecutive thoughts.” (201)