The New Testament Deacon: The Church's Minister of Mercy

Book Description

Our heartfelt burden is to help deacons get out of the boardroom and building-maintenance mentality and into the people-serving mentality. Deacons, as the New testament teaches and as some of the sixteenth-century reformers discovered, are to be involved in a compassionate ministry of caring for the poor and needy.

The deacons' ministry, therefore, is one that no Christ-centered, New Testament church can afford to neglect. It's through the deacons' ministry that we make Christ's love a reality for many people. A ground-breaking study of all the biblical texts on the subject, The New Testament Deacon: Minister of Mercy will help you build a strong ministry in your church.

Customer Reviews:

Deacon Guide.......2007-09-26

As a candiadate to become a deacon, I went to scripture to help me understand what it means to be a deacon. In addition, I wanted to read some books written by ministers that had experience with deacons and their roles. This book was of great support in my search for additional knowledge. I highly recommend present and future deacons read this book.

Great Insight.......2007-02-25

Although I thought he could have saved a chapter or two by not rehashing some points he already made, I believe this is as close to the mark as you can get. I think it should be a "must read" for all churches - especially church planters. Get off on the right foot.

The best deacon book available.......2007-01-13

There are nine books about deacons on my bookshelf. This is the best of the bunch. Strauch starts at the right place--in the Book of Acts. He goes back to the foundations of the church and builds his arguments from there.

Upon this foundation, Strauch then goes on to discuss the calling and work of the deacon, how it differs from that of the elder, and what qualifies a man to serve.

Most of all, I appreciate his emphasis on mercy and service. Too often, deacons get wrapped up in the budget and the building--because those aren't as difficult as people.

But deacons are called to serve people: widows and orphans. We must love the forgotten and thereby reveal Christ's compassion to them in the midst of their hurting. This book will get your deaconate moving in that direction.

Deacon's.......2004-07-15

This book tells what role deacon's should play in church leadership. I think it is a valuable book that every Christian should read.

Great to use for a deacon's study--overstates case sometimes.......2002-07-03

Overall, this is a great biblical study dealing with all the passages which address deacons. Strauch stresses the importance of deacons and the need for biblically functioning deacons in any New Testament church. I recommend it for any pastor wanting to train deacons.

There are 3 criticisms that I have and anyone who uses the book should be aware of them.

1. Based on the Acts 6 passage, Strauch seems to limit the realm of the deacon to ministering to the poor and needy. It seems that the thrust of Acts 6 is the the deacons really ministered by taking some of the load off of the apostles--in this case it happened to involve ministry to the poor. In modern times, it might involve a whole range of issues that need to be done to free up the elders in a local church.

2. His decisions on when the term "deacon" ("servant") is technical or not seems to depend on preconcieved notions without much discussion.

3. His discussion of the possibility of women deacons seems weak. On one hand he stresses that deacons do not occupy positions of authority (which are reserved for elders) yet on the other seems to indicate that women should not be deacons since they indeed do have authority in the church.

Book Description

Set on September 12, 2001, The Mercy Seat continues Neil LaBute’s unflinching fascination with the often-brutal realities of the war between the sexes. In a time of national tragedy, the world changes overnight. A man and a woman explore the choices now available to them in an existence different from the one they had lived just the day before. Can one be opportunistic in a time of universal selflessness?

Customer Reviews:

Affecting Sept. 11th tale.......2005-08-08

Leave it to Neil Labute to provide a view of September 11th that has little to do with waving flags and stalwart heroes. On the contrary, his tale deals with people too self-absorbed and cowardly to act in any way other than that which satisfies their own immediate desires. They realize they are in the middle of a national tragedy, and they want to be brave and selfless, but it's not in them. This is a situation that probably occured all over this country in the days following the attacks, but of course was never reported. Deception and adultery don't make good press in a time when we're all supposed to be united and courageous. LaBute shows us the truth, ugly though it is. A worthy read.

Fascinating study of humanity..........2005-08-07

...of course, with plenty of LaBute's sometimes heavy-handed misanthropy. I originally began reading LaBute's plays after seeing Bash, and while I'll say that that one is better (everyone should read it!), I'll say that Mercy Seat is second only to that play for honest-to-god squirm-in-your-seat disgust at humanity's...human-ness.

Here in America, the gimme-gimme capital of the world, it's easy to pretend you don't see the poor, the sick, and the war-ravaged (especially since they're across the ocean). Then on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001 America got a huge wake-up call--we were the war-ravaged for once. The Mercy Seat, set on Wedensday, September 12th, is a multi-layered examination of just how deep our image of concern for fellow man really went in those troubled days. According to Neil LaBute, not very far.

LaBute's play is the story of Abby Prescott and Ben Harcourt, two self-absorbed New Yorkers--that is, they were a day ago, before "9-11". Did the tragedy that befell their coworkers, friends, and family change their attitude? Not at all. In fact, their selfishness is what saved their lives; if Ben hadn't been cheating on his wife, they would have actually been at work like he told his wife.

With brutal honesty and the kind of cruel, biting wit, LaBute shapes the morning of September 12th and asks the sort of questions many Americans pretend they don't think about: If something doesn't affect you personally, does it affect you? Are your loved ones really more important than yourself? If you could, would you erase everything for the chance to try again--do it "right"--no wife, kids, responsibility?

An hour-long argument.......2005-04-30

I'm fascinated by arguing and the dynamics of arguments. The part I liked best about Labute's "Your Friends and Neighbors" was the arguing between Ben Stiller and Catherine Keener. That argument only lasted for about five minutes, so the fact that Mercy Seat is an hour-long argument is treat for someone like me.

This play has only two characters, and it is extremely fascinating and extremely complex. Ben Harcourt is Labute's typical Aaron Eckhart character. But I think that Abby Prescott's character type is new for Labute. She's a very smart, and seemingly genuine and nice woman.

Labute says in the introduction that this is his first play solely about relationships. He does an excellent job. My only recommendation is to skip Labute's introduction to the play until you've read it through once. It's an extremely cool intro, but I feel that it gives away too much of the plot.

A great play.......2003-04-07

Labute has once again proved to be one of the great authors of the 20th/21st century. His style allows one to grab into characters, not only because of their actions, but because they are one of our own. These people remind of us us. Of ourselves. We see things we do not like, but must understand. The Mercy Seat is just the latest example of an amazing work, but one of the great American authors around today.

Interesting character piece..........2003-03-28

Labute masterminded "In the Company of Men," "Your Friends and Neighbors," the absolutely brilliant, "The Shape of Things," now brings to the stage, "Mercy Seat". Set the day after September 11, "Mercy Seat" is the story of Ben Harcourt and Abby Prescott. Set in Abby's downtown apartment, the play explores their relationship and selfishness in light of a national tragedy. The ending, as any play from Labute--comes as a surprise, sadly, the climax is somewhat of a let down. I'm not going to give away the ending and I'm well aware of what the relationship is there to show/represent, but I think my biggest problem with, "Mercy Seat" was that I didn't care about that characters, through out the majority of the play there fighting or nagging at each other. It got to the point where I would rather them shut up, than reveal anything to progress the story. I like the idea behind "Mercy Seat," the thought that two people could be a couple of blocks away from this disaster and be so caught up in themselves... I just don't think it was executed as well as it could have been. In the end, we just don't care--there are bigger and better things going on outside that window and Ben and Abby...well, it seems like they're just there. If you've never read Labute, pick up a copy of "Shape of Things," you will NOT regret it. If you've never seen Labute, go out and rent, "In the Company of Men". If you LOVE Labute, go ahead with "Mercy Seat," it's not bad, it's still witty and clever, and the dialouge is just incredible--back and forth, back and forth, he really owns this relationship, but it's just not his best. This is character piece...

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Dallas never disappoints!
Another Sandra Dallas Hit
Very entertaining and transporting!
Southern gothic meets film noir
Captures the essence of the times

New Mercies
Sandra Dallas
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312336209
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Book Description

Natchez, Mississippi, in 1933 is a place suspended in time. The silver and china is still dented and cracked from Yankee invaders. And the houses have names....and memories. Nora Bondurant is running awayfrom her husbands death, from his secrets, and from the ghosts that dog her every step. When she receives a telegram informing her that she has an inheritance, Nora suddenly has somewhere to run to: a house named Avoca in Natchez, Mississippi. Now, shes learning that the lure of Natchez runs deep, and that, along with Avoca, shes inherited a mystery. Noras aunt Amalia Bondurant was killed in an apparent murder/suicide, and the locals are saying nothing more. As Nora becomes more and more enmeshed in the community and in her familys history, she learns surprising things about the life and death of her aunt: kinship isnt always what it seems, loyalty can be as fierce as blood relations, and every day we are given new mercies to heal the pain of loss and love.

Customer Reviews:

Dallas never disappoints!.......2007-04-21

Sandra Dallas has a unique talent, and her readers are the lucky participants. _New Mercies_ is no exception. The characters are finely drawn, making the reader want to meet every single one. The underlying themes of suspense and mystery - even murder - keep this story interesting from the first page to the last.

My only nit to pick is that Nora seems unrealistically enlightened for the time period. She is a divorced career woman in 1933. She has surprisingly modern attitudes about bi-racial relationships, homosexuality, and social equality even though she is an old-money former Junior Leaguer. Not totally realistic for the time period, IMO.

That said, I love Southern literature - particularly set during the Great Depression - and Sandra Dallas offers a story that contains these elements and also kept me glued to my chair for the better part of two days.

Definitely worth the time and money. You will remember these characters for a long time. I would give it five stars except for my reservations about Nora's enlightenment, and because I don't think this one quite measures up to _The Persion Pickle Club_.

Another Sandra Dallas Hit.......2006-08-26

Once again Ms Dallas has provided us with an insight into the every day lives and the life style of the folks from the era. In the tradition of Persian Pickle Club,The Chili Queen and The Diary of Mattie Spenser we have the weave of characters and history. Ms Dallas is also proof that a story can be well told without being offensive to anyone. Highly recommended!!

Very entertaining and transporting!.......2006-07-11

I read a couple of Sandra Dallas's novels several years ago and really enjoyed them, so I have no idea why it took me so long to pick up another one. I stumbled across this one in the library the other day and, as usual, I just loved it!

Dallas often sets her novels in the early 1900's, and she gets the feel of those times so right somehow. This one is set in 1933 and it begins in the small town of Natchez , Mississippi , with a young lady from the North pulling up to a decrepit mansion. Nora Bondurant, normally a big city girl, recently received a telegraph that said her aunt, Miss Amalia Bondurant, has died and left her everything, including her house. This wouldn't raise much interest in Nora, most likely, except for two facts -- first of all, Nora had no idea she HAD an aunt in Mississippi . And secondly, said aunt, locally known as "The Goat Lady," has been murdered.

Nora arrives in Natchez to find the house falling down and two former slaves still trying to stay on top of the place. She immediately befriends the two, Ezra and his mother Aunt Polly, who, it turns out, were extremely dedicated to Miss Amalia. As she begins to explore the house and ask Ezra and Polly questions about her aunt, she also begins to meet the locals, many of whom can also shed some light on Miss Amalia. Soon she's learned a bit more about her aunt than she bargained for, however, and out of the past comes a truth that ultimately became the motive for her murder.

This is a really entertaining novel, with great characters and a wonderful sense of place and time. I will be looking for more by her soon! And this time I mean that! Recommended!

Southern gothic meets film noir.......2006-02-18

Dallas is at the top of her game with this novel. The suspense she creates is superb, and this book makes for delicious reading. In a break from her previous novels, she's moved this tale out of the 19th century, but the past can't be forgotten in this tale of a Southern family and the remnants of a society still clinging to the values found in the Old South. This one successfully made its way around my circle of reading friends.

Captures the essence of the times.......2005-12-21

While I did have some trouble getting into this book, I decided that it was because I was reading it in ten or twenty page segments. It is much better read in several long sittings. That aside, I can honestly say that I was quickly drawn into the mysteries of Avoca.

Dallas captures the language, the customs, the dress, everything about the depression era 30's with the understanding of a person who had lived then. So clearly, she has done her homework.

I loved Aunt Polly. She is a woman filled with wisdom and many talents. I believe that she had a fondness for Nora that she was not to willing to show too quickly. She probably knew more about Nora, than Nora knew about herself, just by her instincts.

The situation between Nora and her husband and how that all ended came as no surprise. Reading between the lines, it was all rather predictable. Still and all it was tragic.

By the time Nora has been accepted by the main players as a member of "old Natchez" and the mystery has been solved, the book ends on a very upbeat note, in a room as bright and white as Avoca was dark and dreary in the beginning.

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Looking back on the rude stream of life
Real Good

Mercy of a Rude Stream/Limited Edition
Henry Roth
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0312105010

Customer Reviews:

Looking back on the rude stream of life.......2000-09-20

In 1934, the 28-year old Henry Roth published "Call It Sleep" which became a classic novel reflecting the lives of Jewish immigrants on the lower east side in the early part of the twentieth century.

Almost sixty years later, in 1993, the elderly Roth published Volume I of his second novel, "Mercy of a Rude Stream" which was intended to be the first of a 6-volume set. He has titled this volume, "A Star Shines Over Mt. Morris Park" and tells the story of Ira Stigman, a Jewish child growing up in Harlem from 1914 until 1920.

The title comes from a Shakespearean quotation which sees life as a tumultuous rude stream and as the novel proceeds, it is obvious that this is the thinking of the author. Although Roth insists that this book is not autobiographical, it is structured in a unique way. There is an aging author who is looking back on his childhood and struggling to put all his memories down on his new computer. These recollections are a break in the narrative and remind the reader of the inevitability of aging as he comments on his current rheumatoid arthritis and his disappointment in one of his sons. He'll then get back to the basic story of the young Ira Stigman and his coming of age.

The reader can't help identifying with the young protagonist and seeing the world through his eyes. We live through the feelings of alienation and of trying to assimilate. We understand the tears of his grandmother as his uncle goes off to fight in World War I. We experience the conflicts between the old Jewish culture and the new American one. There is anti-semitism, racism and poverty. There is hope for the future and a rude sexual awakening. It's all the stuff that life is made of. And we live Ira Stigman's life right along with him.

I did like reading this, but sometimes found myself becoming impatient. Perhaps its simply because the material itself is nothing fresh for me. Or perhaps there is something painful about the contrasting view of the young boy and the old man writing this book and trying to make peace with his life.

I understand that Mr. Roth managed to publish two more volumes of this narrative before he died in 1995 at the age of 89. I don't know whether I want to read them or not. I feel very complete in having read this first volume which is 290 pages long.

Recommended for those who are interested in this particular time in history, the immigrant culture, and Henry Roth in particular.

Real Good.......1998-09-07

If you liked Call It Sleep, you'll definitely like this puppy. My suggestion? Go for it. It's a winner.

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Provocative Topic, Mixed Results
I was hoping for a better
Intriguing topic tempered by author preconceptions
Christians United For Genocide speaks out
Challenging, essential reading

Show Them No Mercy

Manufacturer: Zondervan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0310245680

Book Description

A Counterpoints book that discusses various contemporary views held by evangelicals on God’s command to the Israelites to destroy utterly the Canaanites and how each view sees the relationship between this God of the Israelites and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has commanded us to love our enemies.

Customer Reviews:

Provocative Topic, Mixed Results.......2007-06-05

Four Old Testament scholars debate the ethical issue as to how a God of love could order the genocide of the Canaanite communities. CS Cowles handles this by stating that the Israelites misunderstood what God was saying, and that Canaanite genocide is incompatible with God's love shown in Jesus Christ. His essay was the weakest in my view because he in essence rejected the authority of the Old Testament. The other three writers called him to task on this, and also called on Cowles to strengthen his commitment to the infallibility of Scripture. Yikes!

The best article in my humble opinion was the one by Eugene Merrill of Dallas Theological Seminary, He goes through every salient Hebrew Bible text about holy war (herem) and concludes that God's call for the destruction of these communites was a unique time in history when God was executing judgment on historically oppressive, repressive societies in opposition to the Noachide commandments. He gives the following reasons: 1) the stubbornness of the Canaanites in their persistence in idolatry, child sacrifice, and their opposition to the revealed will of God, 2) because this was a special time in history when the people of Israel were emerging as God's chosen instrument to bring salvation and judgment to the nations (3 to bring Israel into the promised land and to prepare them for the coming of their Messiah (4 to show them that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and 5) to remove communities that would continue to oppress God's people and to tempt them toward idolatry and sin. Never mind that Israel didn't obey God completely, the article deals with the theological reasons for OT holy war.

This satisfies the biblical reasoning more than it solves the ethical dilemna, but nevertheless, I found it to be the most compelling discussion in the book, and John Gard and Tremper Longman (two of the other contributors found themselves in substantial agreement with a number of Merrill's arguments).

John Gard (the Missouri Synod Lutheran contributor) ties this topic in with God's eschatological judgment on His enemies. And Tremper Longman says that the NT carries on the Old Testament idea of holy war in the spiritual realm (pointing out Jesus' encounter with the demon world at His first coming).

This was a good book. It satisfied me. I have never really had a problem with the idea of God judging whole civilizations. He is the Lord, He can do what is right in His own eyes. I am just glad that He has given me life and allows me to live in His world.

I should also say that I commend all four writers for noting that this was an unusual time in history and that there is no authorization or word from God to continue this sort of action today. In the book of Revelation, God pours out His wrath on the beast and his minions, but that will be at His initiative.

This is a tough subject where it will be hard to find a unanimous consent. But I commend the writers for their courage in taking up such a hot potato.

I was hoping for a better.......2007-05-01

"When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations... then you must destroy them totally... and show them no mercy. Do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them... as the Lord your God has commanded you."

These statements found in Deuteronomy and Joshua serve as the backdrop to one of the hardest stories in the Bible to reconcile with my beliefs and with the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us, Jesus. It is the story of the genocide of the Canaanites. It is with that in mind that I picked up Show Them No Mercy: Four Views on God and Canaanite Genocide edited by Stanley Gundry. It contains essays by four scholars, C.S. Cowles, Eugene Merrill, Daniel Gard, and Tremper Longman. What made it especially interesting for me was that I had read some of Longman's other work that he has done with Dan Allender, so that was at least one familiar voice.

The four essays widely varied in quality. While I liked Longman's article, I thought that Cowles, who was the least conservative of all of them, actually had the best argument. I thought Merrill's arguments were poor and would put Gard above Merrill but below Longman. Without a doubt, the three conservative articles shared the most in common in that they all defended the idea that God had actually told Moses and Joshua to conquer the land just as is recorded in the Bible. They solve the tension for themselves by jamming the proverbial square peg in the round hole and saying, "look it fits!" Cowles, to put it simply and most accurately, solves the problem by denying that the Bible records God's command to the Israelite leaders accurately.

To critics who would say that Cowles selection of scripture is arbitrary he would respond thus,

"... how can we speak of Jesus as the embodiment of deity when he not only fails to incarnate Israel's image of a warrior God, from whom `good and evil comes forth,' but discloses its exact opposite?.. what is our criterion for selection [of Scripture]? John Wesley would answer in a flash: Jesus! As the full and final revelation of God, Jesus is "the criterion" for evaluating Scripture, the prism through which the Hebrew Scriptures must be read."

For Cowles, Jesus is the "canon" so to speak. Now from what I've read from others who have read Karl Barth, this sounds like the logical extension of his idea that Jesus, as opposed to the Bible, is the true Word/Revelation of God. To loosely paraphrase N.T. Wright who put it something like this in a panel discussion with Anne Rice: Jesus didn't say all authority has been given unto the books and letters which you chaps will go on to write. He said all authority has been given unto me. Ostensibly, to bring a modern reformed voice into the discussion, Cowles quotes John Stott who says, "our Christian conviction is that the Bible has both authority and relevance... and that the secret of both is Jesus Christ."

(Disclaimer: I am pretty sure that none of the above mentioned writers would absolutely deny any kind of inspiration in Scripture).

Cowles goes on to say that "Jesus exercised an audacious prophetic authority over the Torah and on how it was to be interpreted... The benchmark of divine revelation in the era of the new covenant was no longer the Word of God mediated by Moses but by Jesus." He then traces the evolution of the Israelite beliefs, from blaming bad events on God (2 Sam. 24:1) to blaming bad events on Satan (I Chron. 21:1). He goes on to say it was not that the revelation of God was ever full of malice and genocidal intentions but that the Israelites misinterpreted and distorted God's command. He points out how God's command to annihilate everything was conveniently modified as the conquest went on.

To be fair, Cowles attempts to point out that the Israelites acted in good faith based on what they understood of God's will, much as a Crusader might have done back in the middle ages. He compares an Old Testament treatment of the unbeliever to the New Testament treatment by quoting Jack Ford and A.R.G. Deasley: "There can be no doubt that, armed with the Christian gospel and endued with the Holy Spirit, Paul would have entered Canaan as he entered Corinth to show God's triumph over evil in transformed lives."

He closes with the following,

"Where was God in Israel's genocidal conquest of Canaan? In the `lost hopes,' the `charred past,' the "extinguished future,' of the babies, the infants, the little children - all the `Julieks' of Canaan. It was in those like Melchizedek, the priest of God Most High, and Rahab, who might have glorified God had they been given the chance." [His quote marks are in reference to Elie Wiesel's book "Night".]

All in all, the book did not meet my expectations. Other than Cowles, the other 3 had very similar views and seemed to sort of shirk the question that still haunts me even after reading this book.

Intriguing topic tempered by author preconceptions.......2006-10-25

This book deals with one of the more difficult questions arising out of the OT narratives: How could a God of love, as he is described in the NT, order the wholesale slaughter of the Canaanites in the OT? The answers and analyses in this book are certainly thought-provoking. I wasn't sure I appreciated the book's frequent use of the term "genocide" to describe the Israelite's warfare, as this word tends to produce a very emotional reaction in people and is often assumed to describe an inherently evil act which has no regard for the value of human life. (And all the contributors deny that God ever does evil or that he lacks respect for human life.) The word "genocide" seems more like an attempt to appeal to sensationalism and capitalize on the events of Sept.11, than a completely accurate term for what happened to the Canaanites.

Also, each of the authors' chapters is heavily based on unproven presuppositions which he simply assumes to be true. Specifically:

--C.S. Cowles assumes that parts of the OT (namely, those ordering the warfare) either are not inspired by God, or that they completely misconstrue God's true intent (Cowles doesn't specify which of these options he prefers), to the extent that they are of little if any value to modern readers.

--Eugene Merrill assumes that a dispensational interpretation of the Bible is accurate. (While I understand that many people today are dispensationalits, Merrill simply assumes this scheme without proving it).

--Daniel Gard assumes that an eschatological theme exists in 1-2 Chronicles (spending more time commenting on implications of this theme, and tracing it through the rest of the Bible, than establishing whether it even exists in the first place).

--Tremper Longman assumes that some of God's ways are inherently mysterious and impossible for finite humans to understand completely. (This allows him a very convenient excuse to what otherwise would be a major hole in his argumentation -- namely, why God orders the destruction of the Canaanites but protects the Israelites, when both groups were guilty of sin.)

Personally I was most convinced by Longman -- partly because I reject the presuppositions of Cowles and Merrill and agree with Longman's, and partly because of Longman's appeal to "intrusion ethics" (p.185 if you buy the book) as a way of linking God's OT savagery against the Canaanites w/ his future Final Judgment over all mankind. I find this a fascinating concept in explaining God's warfare-commands to Israel. Other readers are certainly free to side with other contributors of the book, but anyone who reads this will get 4 intelligent, well-argued, yet markedly different approaches toward making sense of a problem for which no easy answers exist.

Christians United For Genocide speaks out .......2006-10-20

"Show them no mercy" is a book published by the mainstream Christian publisher Zondervan. But are the ideas contained in the book mainstream among evangelical Christians? If they are, I suddenly became more sympathetic to the wackos that are waging war on Christmas. I found the book to be both disturbing and revealing.

The book deals with the perhaps most shocking part of the Bible, the Book of Joshua, included in both Jewish and Christian Bibles. Joshua and the Israelites conquer the land of Canaan (Palestine) and exterminate the entire civilian population of several towns, most notably Jericho. This genocidal butchering is commanded by God himself, who is also portrayed as the leader of the war effort. In plain English, God commands genocide against civilian men, women and children. They are all evil, and every one must die, lest they pollute the Israelites with their wicked heathen cults. Indeed, "Show them no mercy" is actually a quote from the Bible.

By modern standards, Joshua was a war criminal. There is also an obvious difference between the message of the Book of Joshua, and the message of Jesus, for instance as recorded in the Sermon on the Mount. Yet, Christians are supposed to believe that the God of Joshua was the same as Jesus Christ. Does this mean that genocide is justified from a Christian perspective?

Disturbingly, only one of the four contributors to this volume reject genocide. The exception is C.S. Cowles. Judging by his contributions, he is some kind of Methodist. He argues for a radical downplaying of the Old Testament in favor of the New. Cowles articles are very spirited and emotional, indeed the only contributions that are. Hes getting it.

The three other writers are all pro-genocide. I couldnt decipher their exact denominational affiliations, but I guess one of them is a Baptist and the two others Calvinists. Their texts, by contrast to that of Cowles, are dispassionate, scholarly, even boring. Given the subject, this give them a truly bizarre appearence. All three of them argue that genocide is not allowed today, neither for Christians or anyone else. It was allowed "only" in the past, "only" for Gods chosen nation Israel, and "only" at Gods express command.

So that makes it alright, then?

Its very difficult to interact with these kinds of ideas in a dispassionate way. However, I will make my best. But first, a hot coffee....

OK, Im back.

First, the practical problem. The fact that Merrill, Gard and Longman limits genocide to the distant past (but also to the future, in the form of the apocalypse) may convince their own followers, but the real world is more complicated than that. And more evil. A prophet or churchman may claim that its the will of God that a certain people, say the Tutsi, should be exterminated. He may claim that the apocalypse draws near, and that his people are simply doing Gods work. The prophet may even claim to have recieved a direct communication from God himself as to that effect. Its unclear what Merrill, Gard or Longman would say in such a situation. "You are right, God does occasionally command genocide, but not in the present dispensation. You have to wait until the apocalypse for the next chance". Oh my...

Indeed, every argument used by the three writers defending Joshua is used to justify genocide still today. The Jews are not the only people who claim to be chosen. For all I know, the Hutu claimed to be Gods chosen people. One of the writers even argues that not even the children of the Canaanites were innocent, since they were part of an inherently wicked culture. They too must therefore die. The same line of reasoning was used by White settlers to kill Indian babies, and (I imagine) by Nazis to kill Jewish children. Nits, after all, make lice. Its pretty chilling to see every genocidal argument on record in a Christian book!

But what about the theological arguments? According to Merrill, Gard and Longman, God isnt simply loving, good and forgiving. He is also holy. The holyness of God means that he cannot suffer sin, but must exterminate it completely. That is what happened at Jericho and Ai. But what exactly is holyness? The contributors seem to regard it as something existing in and of itself, without any attributes. God is altogether different from everything human and created, and this Wholly Otherness is his holyness. Logically, this means that God stands apart from our modern human morality, according to which genocide is always wrong and its perpetrators should be brought to justice for crimes against humanity. Should we simply say "Amen" to such a God? Its indeed absurd that our gut reflex when reading the Book of Joshua, one of shock and horror, is brushed aside by arguments about the unfathomable workings of God, his holyness, how we puny humans cannot judge him, and so on.

Lets grant for the sake of the argument that God exists. How do Merrill, Gard and Longman know that his holyness is a separate quality? Perhaps Gods holyness, his perfect nature, means that he is loving, good, forgiving and long-suffering. After all, perfect goodness would also set God apart from fallen humanity and creation.

If God is unfathomable, how do Calvinists and Southern Baptists know that the entity they are worshipping is really God? For all we know, it could be the Devil. Indeed, if holyness lacks any qualifying attributes, the result can only be nominalism: what God does is right by definition. But a God whose raw power and will isnt coupled with moral goodness, is not much different from Satan. Im not being demagogical. Im trying to make a serious point.

For what is power without morality if not the very definition of evil?

Challenging, essential reading .......2005-05-09

Every Christian needs to read this book which confronts us with the inescapable gory nature of our history. We believe in a God who is loving and merciful, but who is also holy and cannot abide evil.

We rightly focus on the New Testament and its message of love and forgiveness for sins: this book reminds us that our salvation has a bloody history, not only in the torture and crucifixion of Christ, but also in the death of many hundreds of thousands of people, by leaders who believed they were ordered to do this by God himself.

Three of the book's contributors understand that Moses, Joshua and David were led by God to wipe out Canaanites, Amalekites, Philistines and others, but Nazarene pacifist C S Cowles believes that the New Testament shows that they were misled.

It is worth reading the articles from the different points of view, but also intriguing to read each author's critique of the others' views.

I felt that each article was worth having been included in the book, but I would have liked to read what an evangelical pacifist with a high view of the bible would have written, too.

Highly recommended

The Works of Mercy: The Heart of Catholicism

Average customer rating:

Why do we help others?

The Works of Mercy: The Heart of Catholicism
James Keenan
Manufacturer: Sheed and Ward
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0742532208

Book Description

In The Works of Mercy: The Heart of Catholicism, Father James Keenan, S.J., reveals mercy as God's principle way of loving us and our way of loving one another. In the first two of three parts, Father Keenan explores modern applications of the corp

Customer Reviews:

Why do we help others?.......2005-08-21

Fr. James Keenan, SJ states, "Our entire theological tradition is expressed in terms of mercy, which is defined as the willingness to enter into the chaos of others". If you are searching for reasons, or satisfying a Christian interest, the book quenches the thirst for knowledge. You are left with better insight to Christian belief. The way Fr. Keenan expresses his thoughts and opinions, opens the mind of the reader to contemplation and understanding to what should be obvious to us all.

The Living Word of Kuan Yin: The Teachings & Prophecies of The Goddess of Compassion & Mercy

Average customer rating:

A genuine Kuan Yin channeling
Interesting but...
Check this book, yo!

The Living Word of Kuan Yin: The Teachings & Prophecies of The Goddess of Compassion & Mercy
Hope Bradford & Lena Lees
Manufacturer: BookSurge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Dreams | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1419646400
Release Date: 2006-09-18

Book Description

When Lena Lees prayed to a beautiful statue of the goddess Kuan Yin at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, there ensued a story almost too incredible to believe. A few years later, making an appointment with a hypnotherapist, Lena found herself engaged in an ongoing conversation: channeling the words and spiritual canons of the ancient Asian deity she had earlier prayed to. The story of the manifestation of this book is as fascinating and wondrous as its message. A tapestry of found pieces to the cosmic puzzle coupled with mystifying phenomenon, The Living Word of Kuan Yin journals the astounding spiritual sojourn involving a mother of three and her muse. A meticulous chronicling of how, through hypnosis, Asia's ancient deity, Kuan Yin, spoke through Lena, this work ultimately demonstrates how each of us carries within the twin potentials for rebirth: compassion and free will. Focused upon the power of loving-kindness and the importance of personal beliefs and life choices, Kuan Yin speaks with immediacy and ardor. Insisting that it is upon each of us to understand her kaleidoscopic shape shifting: Kuan Yin offers her wondrous insight and wisdom, spirituality for our times.

Customer Reviews:

A genuine Kuan Yin channeling.......2007-07-13

This well written book is a must read for anyone interested in the spiritual wisdom of world renown Eastern goddess of compassion, Kuan Yin. This goddess has a warm, loving and joyful personality and approach to spirituality, while being well aware of the challenges of daily living. I am convinced this goddess is very intent upon assisting us with her spiritual teachings. The appendices were very helpful in helping better understand the pertinent spiritual con

Interesting but..........2007-07-04

I have been quite drawn to Kuan Yin for a couple of years now, as have a couple of my close friends. In doing further research about the Bodhisattva of Compassion, I ran across this book which is the supposed contemporary channeled information from Kuan Yin through Lena Lees.

The information from the channelings is interesting, although pretty much in line with other channeled ideas that have been brought to the fore in recent years so there isn't a lot that is terribly new or unique. This being "She Who Hears the Cries of the World" however, the material does focus more on Kuan Yin's (and the channel's) concern, love, and compassion for humanity.

The reason that I am giving the book only 3 stars is because of how poorly written it is. Ms. Bradford's incorrect use of punctuation makes this book very hard to read, as does her problems with homonyms and the proliferation of typos. It's as if no one proofread or edited the text. A lot of the book is redundant also, with pretty much the last 70 pages simply a rewording or reorganizing of the previous material.

All in all though, I came away with some new thoughts and feelings regarding Kuan Yin (and her many aspects) that ended up making this a worthwhile read for me. So regardless of the books shortcomings I would still recommend it...just be prepared for a challenging read at times.

Check this book, yo!.......2007-01-13

I've had an abiding interest in belief systems that connect humanity and nature. In my college days, Taoism was a spiritual path that had captured my interest, as it emphasized the emergence of the myriad creatures from the One.
Receiving The Living Word of Kuan Yin as a gift, I was immediately charmed by this Entity's warmth and wisdom. Her emphasis upon love and compassion encouraged me to re-examine my decision making process & lead a life that is truly worthwhile. Stating that this earthly existence is the most important phase of our spiritual evolution, Kuan Yin maintains that it is here on earth that we learn how to "spiritualize matter": realizing that the mundane contains the divine.
Through her profound parables and shape shifting, Kuan Yin tells the story of the earth; how each of us is a divine and powerful being. It is these concepts that have opened me to a much more expansive approach to my life. Scanning other Kuan Yin books, I found them to be general histories or second hand accounts on visitations from this Entity. The Living Word of Kuan Yin offers a new perspective, it is an authentic channeling, "captured live". Displaying the impressive photography of National Geographic contributor Martin Gray, I enjoyed reading the Pilgrimage Appendix that includes a comprehensive list of Kuan Yin sacred sites.

The Good News Of God's Mercy: Luke (Six Weeks With the Bible for Catholic Teens)

Average customer rating:

A "reader friendly", informative survey of Luke.

The Good News Of God's Mercy: Luke (Six Weeks With the Bible for Catholic Teens)
Kevin Perrotta , and Gerald Darring
Manufacturer: Loyola Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0829420525

Book Description

Designed as a guided discovery, Six Weeks with the Bible for Catholic Teens introduces high school students to books of the Bible by integrating the biblical text with insightful questions to help youth discern what Scripture means for their lives today. The series provides students with a clear explanation of Biblical text, opportunities for prayer, and a means to enter into conversation with God.

Customer Reviews:

A "reader friendly", informative survey of Luke........2000-09-07

Luke: The Good News Of God's Mercy is the lead title in the new Loyola Press "The Good News of God's Mercy" series and offers a "reader friendly", informative guided tour through the New Testament Book of Luke from a Catholic perspective. Series editor Kevin Perrotta (an experienced Catholic journalist) employs questions, commentary, prayer exercises, and discussions of Catholic traditions and people in this exploration of individual passages and their larger biblical themes. Other books in this highly recommended series for students and non-specialist general readers include Jonah/Ruth: Love Crosses Boundaries; Psalms: An Invitation To Prayer; and Revelation: God's Gift Of Hope.

Average customer rating:

Good read and very entertaining...
ZZZZZ-ZZZZZzzzzzz
A Good Christian Romance
Entertaining
ANOTHER WOMAN'S HUSBAND

Awakening Mercy (New Spirit)
Angela Benson
Manufacturer: Bet Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 158314322X

Book Description

2001 Christy Award finalist!
Awakening Mercy is the first book in an exciting series by award-winning author Angela Benson. This is a contemporary story about a successful career woman and a man who runs a social services agency in inner-city Atlanta. The reader will learn the consequences of unforgiveness and the willingness of God to restore broken relationships.

Customer Reviews:

Good read and very entertaining..........2005-10-09

I like this book. The only problem I had was why hadn't the author allowed Eric a part in the book and whatever happened to Marvin and Shay? Did BB and Mr. Towers ever get married? She could have focused a little more on these characters since they were a part of CeCe and Nate's life and followed through with some closesure.

ZZZZZ-ZZZZZzzzzzz.......2003-09-13

I could barely keep my eyes open. This book was recommended to me. I liked the title, but the story was so long and drawn out. CeCe was just playing games. The charaters didn't seem real. It read more like a Harloquin Romance novel than a true black christian fiction romance. It didn't flow. Sorry. I cannot recommend this read.

A Good Christian Romance.......2002-10-16

As CeCe Williams heads out to meet the director of Genesis House community center she is prepared to let him know that he had cost her to lose a much needed real estate commission by missing their first meeting. But she is not prepared for Nate Richardson's immediate meaningful apology and she is definately not prepared for a smile that erased any ill will torwards the man who will be her boss for the next couple of months. CeCe finds herself becoming more involved with Nate and the goings on at Genesis House. Nate admits to himself that he wants CeCe and her young son to remain in his life. But before they can come together he and she must share secrets and ask God to help them heal past hurts and accept this gift of love given to them. AWAKENING MERCY is my first Angela Benson novel and my first Cristian romance and I totally enjoyed it. Ms. Benson's beliefs shine through in this beautiful novel of faith, healing and love. I recommend this book.Vannie(~.~)

Entertaining.......2002-09-19

Ms. Benson, I loved this book from cover to cover. I appreciate your style of writing.
God bless
Fran

ANOTHER WOMAN'S HUSBAND.......2002-08-24

IF THIS AUTHOR IS A CHRISTIAN, THEN WHY WOULD SHE ENCOURAGE ADULTERY? NATE WAS ANOTHER WOMAN'S HUSBAND EVEN THOUGH HE WAS DIVORCED FROM NAOMI. ADULTERY IS A SIN. BY HIM MARRYING CECE, HE HAS CAUSED HER TO COMMIT ADULTERY TOO. SEE MARK 10:11 AND LUKE 16:18. AND ROMANS 7:1,2,3. THIS LOVE STORY WOULD BE NICE IF ONLY NATE HAD NEVER BEEN MARRIED PRIOR TO MEETING CECE. ALTHOUGH IT WAS ANNOYING THAT SHE OVER DID MOST OF THE SEQUENCES. FOR INSTANCE, IF THEY WENT TO A BASEBALL GAME, SHE SPENT SEVERAL PARAGRAPHS DESCRIBING EVERYTHING! LIKE HOW HE HELD HER HAND AND HOW HE GAZED INTO HER EYES AND HOW DAVID LOVED HIS MASCULINE ARMS PICKING HIM UP, ETC. SO FAR, THERE'S ONLY ONE CHRISTIAN ROMANCE NOVEL THAT I READ THAT WAS SPEAKING THE TRUTH AND THAT BOOK'S CALLED "THAT FAITH, THAT LOVE, THAT TRUST."

The Older Brother Returns: Finding a Renewed Sense of God's Love and Mercy

Average customer rating:

Extremely Inspiring
THE OLDER BROTHER RETURNS is inspiring, timely and healing.

The Older Brother Returns: Finding a Renewed Sense of God's Love and Mercy
Neal Lozano
Manufacturer: Attic Studio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 188355151X

Book Description

THE OLDER BROTHER RETURNS is an inspiring look at how a prodigal son comes home with joy, but then finds himself becoming more like the self-righteous older brother in the classic parable of Jesus. Like a skilled doctor, author Neal Lozano has located a "tender spot" among Christians; he offers both a revealing diagnosis and a helpful prescription for spiritual healing. Candidly sharing his own struggles with "the older brother syndrome," Neal offers invaluable hope for the older brother in all of us. His story will touch a nerve in your own life -- on the road to discovering a renewed sense of God's love and mercy. Fr. Michael Scanlan, who wrote the foreword, describes the book as "penetrating and freeing."

Customer Reviews:

Extremely Inspiring.......1999-12-30

The moment I recieved 'The Older Brother Returns' I had a very hard time putting it down. I laughed. I cried. It is very thought provoking. I want to send a copy to every one I know. This is the type book you just don't let out of sight. It is extremely inspiring, as I have said. I absolutely reccommend this to anyone down on themselves, down on life, down on the upcoming year, with all the hoopla you hear coming from the media. This book will turn your life around. It did mine.

THE OLDER BROTHER RETURNS is inspiring, timely and healing........1999-03-03

What a timely gift for all who seek to express God's loving heart in our day! Author Neal Lozano has served as an instrument of the Great Physician in providing a healthy dose of medicine for the soul and spirit. It is a very fitting book to read as we prepare for the new millennium. As Pope John Paul II urged recently, "Let no one behave like the elder brother in the Gospel parable who refuses to enter the house to celebrate (cf. Lk. 15:25-30). May the joy of forgiveness be stronger and greater than any resentment." THE OLDER BROTHER RETURNS is an excellent means to apply that timely message -- and the classic story about the prodigal son and the older brother (in all of us!).

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