Book Review of "The Jew in the Lotus" by Rodger Kamenetz

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The Jew in the Lotus [Softcover]

by Rodger Kamenetz

304 pages

ISBN-13: 978-0060645748

Nonfiction

Review by Steven King, MBA, MEd

Religious faith without conviction seems to be antithetical to the very essence of conviction. Perhaps blind adherence to religious principles is the most restrictive philosophy adopted by a particular religion's devotees. As a Christian, this writer feels compelled to make a disclaimer - adherence to Christianity requires exclusivist thinking. To follow Jesus implies that the devotee has accepted the scriptural tenet which Christ spoke, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father but through me." [John 14:6]

Does such faithful adherence imply that no truth can be found in other religious expression? Of course not, but truth seldom intrudes where a locked mind exists. In the words of J.L. Borges: Truth never penetrates an unwilling mind.

The Jew in the Lotus is a fascinating discovery of what occurs when a diversified group of Jewish rabbis travel to India to have an exclusive meeting with the Dalai Lama, the religious and political leader of Tibetan Buddhism. Although this pilgrimage to Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan political administration in exile, occurred in 1990, the discoveries unfolded serve as a type of road map for pluralistic religious discussion.

At the heart of the book, Judaism meets Buddhism. What could these religious expressions have in common at all? Without trying to exhaustively detail the tenets of either religion, the first asserts that the pathway to God is accomplished by knowing and following his will as revealed in the Tanakh, a slightly altered derivation of the Christian Old Testament. The latter believes that life is marked by suffering and its purpose, in this life or another, is to follow the Eightfold Path to ameliorate suffering and to help all attain enlightenment, or Nirvana. From the outset, most would believe that there were very little points of convergence. As you read the story of this classic meeting, you see a different characterization unfolding.

The greatest convergence of these two diametrically opposed religious expressions is the reality of surviving in exile. For many centuries, Jewish people have been scattered worldwide via the Diaspora and have maintained their religious and cultural identity. Such survival expertise intrigued the Dalai Lama as he sought a way to keep his people inclined to their religious expression while in exile.

Another point of convergence surrounds their common belief that a type of exoteric enlightenment occurs via meditation, where both groups are attempting to quantify truth via ritualistic means. It is instructive that the term Jubu, which characterizes a Jew who practices Buddhism, was made famous by the narrative of this book.

Perhaps due to his proclivity for poetry, Kamenetz's prose seems unnecessarily lengthy in places. The reader should give him a wide berth as this tome reflects his rediscovery of his Jewish identity through Buddhism. Fortunately, for Kamenetz this trip helps him to veer away from a progressive atheism toward his religious heritage.

Kamenetz goes to great lengths to preserve many quotes from the liaison between the travelling Jews and the Dalai Lama. Many of these quotes will cause you to ponder: how is my religious expression practically working out in my life?

Larry Taunton - The Grace Effect - Book Review

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Many non-fiction books present their case and successfully persuade through intellectual reasoning. Fewer effectively wield the weapon of emotional appeal. Larry Taunton, Founder of Fixed Point Foundation, CNN columnist, and adoptive father, has managed to blend both strategies to create a very stimulating case for the power of Christian influence in society.

Taunton's book, The Grace Effect, begins with a conversation between two unlikely friends-Taunton himself, an apologetic and defender of Christianity, and the late Christopher Hitchens, prominent journalist and author of God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. As both parties present intellectual and historical evidence to promote their individual cases, the question arises, are atheists correct in their hypothesis that religion, such as Christianity, offers more societal destruction than good (demonstrated by events such as the Crusades), or, can religion, particularly Christianity, be the life breath of civility within a nation? At this point, the intellectual discussion takes a back seat to Taunton's deeply emotional story detailing his adoption of a little Ukrainian orphan, Sasha.

Ukraine, unlike the United States, has little to no Christian heritage. Rather, its foundation rests on the humanistic ideology of secularism, spawned by the Communist revolutions that plagued the eastern block of Europe in the last century. So when Taunton, his wife, and two sons flew to Ukraine to begin what should have been the happy process of adding an additional member to their family, they instead meet a seemingly unending series of obstacles deposited by Ukraine's secular bureaucracy. As we get to know Sasha, and are drawn into the story of her adoption, each road block motivates a frustration within the reader that forces one to reflect on the notion-does the influence of Christianity truly shape a culture for the better, as seen in the contrast between America and Ukraine?

Here's where Taunton presents what he calls inherited grace, or, the grace effect. Essentially, a society dominated by Christianity, even deep in its past, benefits as a whole from the ideology of love and forgiveness as proclaimed by Jesus. Naturally, even those who are not living the Christian faith benefit from those who are. Selfishness, greed, slander, and deceit take a backseat to generosity, encouragement, truth, and hope of purpose. These attributes become a societal norm, and filter all the way to the highest levels of government. Taunton proposes that America has benefited deeply from thisgrace effect, and demonstrates how Ukraine suffers from the lack thereof.

Ultimately, after weeks and weeks of arduous struggles with the corrupt Ukrainian orphanage and judicial systems, little Sasha finally gets to fly home with her new parents, and family. Here the reader realizes that the grace effect truly begins in the family, and that families are the cells that make the greater organism of society. Experiencing Sasha's delight with her new family and home as she learns she's no longer an orphan, but a daughter, offers a powerful closing argument for Taunton's grace effect theory. I highly recommend The Grace Effect to any reader wishing for a broader understanding of how Christian ideology can shape society through inherited grace.

I was provided a free copy of this book through the Pinkston Group and was not required to provide a positive review.

Peter Dudek is a writer/blogger at http://www.christian-fantasy.com/.

The Doctrine of the Incarnation and the Fact About Jesus' Sexuality

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Brown had raised several questions about the divinity of Jesus especially regarding His sexuality and the fact that he physically resurrected. Many Christians express their disgust and respond to the possibilities raised by Brown with such indignation. Many Christians would rather accept a lie to protect the sentiment of their traditional beliefs than face the fact of any historical evidence. Many do not have any profound reason to retain those beliefs, yet they are afraid to accept any radical change that may violate their sentiments. Richard Holloway in "Doubts and Love" called this a strong generic predisposition of christian fanaticism.

My focus in this short appraisal is to test the claim put forward by Brown that Jesus had sexual experiences (Please refer to the gospel according to Mary Magdalene); whether it dilutes the fact of the divinity of Jesus.

Brown's conjectures about the possibility of Jesus' sexual experience may not necessarily dilute the belief in the divinity of Jesus. It only attempts to change the way to believing in the divinity of Jesus. If Jesus was truly man, there may be nothing essentially wrong to imagine that he may have had sexual experiences (Brown) and this point does not intrinsically mean that his divinity is unjustifiable. In fact sex is part of being truly human; we only feel guilt about our sexual experiences because of our moral perversions.

Many Christians are afraid to confront the possibility of Brown's conjectures. Yet it is generally admitted that Jesus was, at least, truly man if not truly God. The fact of his true humanity gives evidence to the historical realities of his existence..."that he was born of a woman, lived in a society, had a vocation and experienced death". This sequence of events is experienced by every man living in history.

Whether or not there are historical evidences to support the claim of His sexuality, or the claim itself is a form of "doctrinal blackmail", it is still of no significant spiritual consequences. Sex, marriage and procreation are all human experiences. God created man with his sexuality. The reason for the incarnation may just be that: God entered human history as a man in Jesus; fully and truly man, to live and experience humanity, and justify the possibility of perfection in the human experience (be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect).

Sexuality is not essentially a sign of imperfection. Hence Christians need not fear to accept the possibility of Jesus sexual experiences whether or not it is true. In fact, it is a confirmation that Jesus actually had a place in the human history. It takes the fact of the incarnation beyond an exaggerated metaphor ('Elijah was a man like us'...likewise Jesus). That is, he experienced humanity.

It is only because many of us are blinded by the sentiments of our moral perversions that we unconsciously but actively deny the humanity of Jesus. The consequence of this attitude finds expression in the fact that, many of us Christians spend all the time talking about Jesus and our believe in Him instead of imitating his actions. It seems many of us are more of Jesus' advocates than Jesus-like people (Christians).

Book Review of "Letters to a Young Pastor" By Calvin Miller

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Letters to a Young Pastor [Paperback]

By Calvin Miller

David C. Cook Publishing

ISBN-13: 978-0781405775

$14.99, 256 pages (including front and back matter)

Those aspiring to professional ministry have the same dreams as individuals entering various careers. After sufficient academic preparation, each young minister has an idealistic view of the world and enters his first parish hopeful that he will translate biblical realities to an eager congregation. Idealism fades to black rather quickly, however, when this same minister realizes that ministry can be arduous work. Parishioners complain frequently, there never seems to be enough time, and there is always one more meeting to attend. For some, the path of least resistance is to leave the ministry and seek their "calling" somewhere else.

Most vocations do not live up the expectations placed upon them: there is always the difficult co-worker, implacable boss, or maniacal workload that drains vitality. In desperate times, it is as refreshing as a cold glass of water on an arid summer day to know that someone-anyone-understands the struggles you are facing.

Calvin Miller, seminary professor and prolific writer, understands the foibles of ministry. Opting to share twenty-five years worth of experience in a very personal manner, Miller has written a collection of letters to a young minister which he has placed into one of five categories:

Letters on Locating Your LifeGrowing a Large Worldview on a Shrinking PlanetNever Cast a Vision in an Empty SanctuarySermons: Great Introductions and Conclusions Kept as Close Together as PossibleCome into my Heart, Lord Jesus...please

On those days when the young pastor feels that he is ready to call it quits, instead he can turn to Miller's letter: Never Resign till Tuesday, and receive motivation to continue at least through the rest of the weekend.

In an attempt to undercut the implied acceptance of interpretive plurality that exists in the emergent movement, Miller reminds pastors that the clarion call of ministry is clearly specified in Jude 3. In this passage the author tells his readers, "Dear friends, although I have been eager to write to you about our common salvation, I now feel compelled instead to write to encourage you to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints."(NET Bible). The faith that was entrusted to the saints buffets the modern emphasis of an emergent theology and reminds all of the primacy of Scripture to the minister's work. In those moments where either the work of the ministry or modernist tendencies would encroach on this reality, pastors should remember, "Biblical exposition is the work of the kingdom."

As I read this collection of letters, I was impressed by Miller's transparency as he wrote of personal struggles in ministry. His writing is grittily earthy and is underscored by quick-wittedness and sardonic sarcasm. In many places, I laughed out loud at the illustration he was making, but in each case, the truth behind the banter was spot on.

As a master teacher, Miller incorporates practical recommendations for those in ministry: including how to avoid impropriety with the opposite sex; staying connected with the Arts; and what to do when you just cannot seem to find Christ on any given day.

After a few decades of professional ministry, Miller noticed that the vocation has changed quite a bit. However, in the ecclesiastical pursuit two things always remained constant: God is love, and people are broken. Anyone who has accepted the call to minister soon realizes that the latter makes you quickly forget the former.

In the midst of troubling times, Letters to a Young Pastor, provides insight and motivation to pull through.

Reviewed by Steven King, MBA, MEd

Ministry or Monument?

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Human beings have an "edifice" complex-an urge to build something permanent. When Peter went with Jesus to the Mount of Transfiguration, he felt compelled to build a shrine, but that was not Jesus' plan. The meeting had served its purpose when Moses and Elijah returned to heaven. It was time to move on.

When the disciples marveled at the architecture of the Temple, Jesus contrasted its ephemeral nature with the glory of His resurrected body, the eternal temple of God. He could make the same comparison with any of the imposing structures that serve as churches today.

I once got involved with a ministry to soldiers in Iraq. We packaged gifts and sent them to the field with personal notes and words of encouragement. The program was so successful that Gary Sinise of CSI New York fame threw a concert every July to help us raise funds. When the war began to wind down, the leader said she would find another reason to keep the program going. Why the need to continue? It had served its purpose admirably. She just felt the need to memorialize the ministry.

Programs can easily become monuments to their founders. Perhaps they met a very real need at one time though that need has ceased to exist. Some needs may not be large enough to organize into a program or they may not be a priority for leadership. Some people are not joiners and will not voluntarily participate in a church program. Some people are shy about sharing their needs. Nonetheless, once a program has become part of the church schedule, it takes on a life of its own. Mere activity gives the impression of progress. Rarely does anyone stop to ask whether a program is actually achieving its purpose.

There should be an avenue of service for every believer, but church programs built around specific agendas seldom provide a ministry role for everyone. What is to be done for the person whom God has called to some other role or for whom the need doesn't fit the agenda? A better approach, in many cases, would be to form a ministry task force. The job of the task force would be to identify individual needs and allocate the resources to meet them. Rather than formalize a response with a one size fits all program, the ministry task force would be able to tailor its response to each individual need. Once the need gets met, it could move on rather than institutionalize the program.

The Apostle Paul's Ministry Partners*

Paul had some thirty seven different ministry partners. Some of these partners worked alongside him, others supported him, and still others served jail time with him, but they all united with him to reach those who had never heard the gospel. Each partner or combination of partners performed different roles depending on the nature of the ministry. The fact that Paul had so many partners indicates that his ministry was constantly changing with the needs on the ground. No church program or formal agenda handcuffed him.

The early church made a practice of caring for needs we entrust to the government and social welfare agencies today. Providing meals for widows was one such ministry. The Apostles chose a committee of seven men to ensure that both the Hebraic widows and the Greek-speaking widows in Jerusalem got their fair share of food. Paul took up a collection from the Asian churches to meet the needs of the suffering saints in Jerusalem, and believers of the church at Jerusalem sold their possessions to provide for the needs of the less fortunate among them.

Due to the affluence of our American society, needs may not be so apparent as they were even fifty years ago, but individuals still experience misfortune, families still suffer loss, and the elderly still struggle with loneliness and disability. Just because the modern church has gotten out of the practice of meeting practical needs does not mean there are no needs. The church may not be able to manage all of these needs but they can encourage their members to root out the needs and minister to one another in practical ways. The Internet allows people to make their needs known from the comfort of their own homes even if they cannot get to church. Given the sophistication of modern communications, there is no excuse for overlooking the needs of the church family. Church leaders just need to be flexible enough to adapt their ministries to the changing needs of society and their own members.

* Paul's Ministry Partners:

Aquilla, Luke, Lucius, Tychicus, Apphia, Andonichus, Marcus, Urbane, Aristarchus, Archippus, Nymphus, Onesiphorus, Carpus, Barnabus, Phebe, Philemon, Epaphras, Demus, Priscilla, Secundus, Erastus, Epaphroditus, Silas, Sopater, Jason, Gaius, Tertius, Timothy, Justus, Junia, Titus, Trophimus, Tyrannus

Ministry Task Forces Posted by Craig on Feb 25, 2012

Take a look inside the book The Casual Christian at: http://casualchristian.net/book-site

Find more articles like this one, visit my blog at http://casualchristian.net/blog

What Did Earth Look Like Before Noah?

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Many secular institutions provide avenues for their employees to openly express disagreements in a constructive way. For example, my wife's company does an anonymous online survey every year that gives employees a chance to offer constructive criticism of their superiors. There is still one institution, however, that stifles dissent. That institution is the church. Most church leaders would be horrified at the prospect of an anonymous review. They would view it as insubordination. You won't find an op-ed page in the church newsletter.

I have told a number of church leaders about my disappointments with the church. One accused me of 'church bashing.' When I told another that the church was due for revival he said he didn't like the word, 'revival.' His comment made no sense to me. After all, the word just means to 'revitalize' or bring back to life. Then it occurred to me. To say the church needs revival would mean that he and his seminary brethren hadn't been doing their job! Although I am sure he wouldn't admit it, he considered the church a work of his hands rather than a product of the Holy Spirit.

I have never belonged to a church that had a mechanism for providing feedback to leadership. So leaders have no idea whether their ministries are achieving their objectives. Without regular feedback, what would stop errant leadership from continuing to stray? But voicing a difference of opinion with church leadership is generally frowned upon.

Where does this 'brook no dissent' mentality come from? I believe it comes from the mistaken notion that leadership is ordained by God and their decisions are gospel. So anyone who disagrees is challenging the will of God. That would be a legitimate viewpoint if human beings were guided by wholly altruistic motives. But the fact is that we all have hidden agendas and promote our own self interests. Sometimes it is difficult to know how much this agenda influences our decisions. That voice we hear in our head may not be the voice of God, but our own. That is why we need to hear different viewpoints. Proverbs 15:21 says, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." Leaders must be willing to hear all sides of an issue.

There hasn't been a nationwide revival in the United States since before the Civil War. By the time the Third Great Awakening had run its course, it had spread from coast to coast producing over 50,000 converts per week and a total of over one million new believers. Nationwide, the population of the churches had been increased by ten percent. There was a return to public morality as taverns were closed and businessmen paid off their debts. Charities and volunteers multiplied as faith found expression in humanitarian work.

Why don't we see this kind of outpouring of the Holy Spirit today? It is because church leaders have replaced reliance on the Holy Spirit with human methods such as church growth and management techniques. The church has been subjected to scientific methods in order to produce a type of synthetic growth characterized by a church full of hangers on who seek the status and prestige of church membership but are not prepared to sacrifice in the service of Christ. However, because leaders will hear no criticism of the way they do things, the church just keeps drifting farther and farther off course.

If we ever want to see God pour out his Holy Spirit upon the church in revival, our leaders need to be receptive to constructive criticism, turn from their reliance on man-made methods, and depend on the Holy Spirit build His church.

Take a look inside the book The Casual Christian at: http://casualchristian.net/book-site.

Find more articles like this one, visit my blog at http://casualchristian.net/blog.

Book Review of "Honest Reflections From an Open-Minded Christ Follower" by Ed Gungor

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Although scripture clearly states that a "double minded man is unstable in all his ways," open-minded Christ followers have to agree - there are some issues about Christianity that create discomfort. It is not a stretch to admit that a truthful Christian grapples with a certain amount of doubt along the journey. Denying the potential of doubt is being intellectually dishonest. The question is - are you alone in your doubts or are others having similar debates?

Ed Gungor's candor in What Bothers Me Most about Christianity is admirable. His prose is easily followed and his development of key issues evidences sufficient thought and study. Pastor Gungor is to be commended - his selection of pivotal issues speaks to the doubts of which thinking Christians struggle. It is refreshing to read of a popular pastor's doubts and see honest reflection. Such transparency only elevates the author's authenticity.

Not satisfied to talk about trite issues, Gungor tackles some of the bigger things which plague Christians. For example, one issue dealt with is the idea that Jesus Christ is the only way to a relationship with God. Since post modernity seeks all things pluralistic, the exclusivity purported by Christianity's claims cause some to feel the sting of unfairness. Could a loving God banish the faithful of religions contrary to Christianity to utter torment? If the Bible is truthful then a Christian has to concede that God would respond according to scripture. Gungor seeks to bring balance by admitting that the nuances of saving faith are not easily understandable and that Christians should only convey this message with the undergirding of love. In his response he never denies the truthfulness of the issue but makes it clear that an audience of mutual respect is best for dialogue.

Thinking Christians will benefit from reading about the other issues with which Gungor wrestles. Classic debates, such as "Why is there Evil in this World?" and "How does one reconcile reason with faith?" are presented in logical fashion. Gungor's desire is to share his reflections which enables him to write candidly about how thinking Christians struggle to explain something as prevalent as evil.

Faith is a journey. If you would enjoy a cogent development of such issues - this book is for you.

What Bothers Me Most about Christianity: Honest Reflections From an Open-Minded Christ Follower. [Soft cover]

by Ed Gungor

256 pages, $15.99

ISBN-10: 1416592555

Nonfiction

Review by Steven King, MBA, MEd