I just finished Alistair McGrath’s book – Doubting: Growing Through the Uncertainties of Faith. It’s a very structured book which will make for a nice topical sermon outline I think. I would ideally divide it into three parts and build the sermon around them…each with it’s own foundational scripture to work from.

McGrath is an apologist and so his book reads much like one would expect from an apologist – the argument is presented in the form of a challenge or thesis and then systematically the challenge is broken down. McGrath adds a preacher’s sense of metaphor and personal story to the text for which I am thanlful. It is a quick read and not too difficult.

Books like this are often picked up by people looking for miracle cures to their own issues with doubt. Just like the Prayer of Jabez might often be read by someone looking for God as the lamp genie who, if rubbed the right way, will grant you whatever wish you desire. Such a read will be highly disappointed in this book because it essentially directs the reader to develop their spiritual disciplines as a way of succeeding in the battle against doubt.

All in all a very good book and I highly recommend it.

MOVIE – I saw the movie End of the Spear and all I can say is – go out and rent it! What a spectacular movie. Very powerful. I was surpised frankly but I will definitely watch it again.

I picked up Rob Bell’s latest book Sex God (no, it’s not a biography…). I have a rule that if I have two unconnected people recommend the same thing I will check it out. In this case it was originally recommended by another local pastor and so while I was in Chapters a couple of weeks ago I quickly browsed it. My initial feeling was that it fits that new mode of writing where it appears the author’s skull splits open and his whole thought on a particular theme spills out onto the paper in a fairly non-linear, mix of formed and half-formed ideas. Very stream of consciousness, very post-modern (whatever that is).

Really that is the English major in me who is used to a modernist, classical linear approach to my non-fiction where there is a nice easy to identify thesis followed by an intro, a body and a conclusion. There’s soooooooo much less interpretive work involved in reading that.

So all that to say I put it back on the shelf despite the catch brown, pink and blue pastel cover (I am a sucker for covers). Than last night L. was over hanging out and she recomended it. That old rule of mine kicked in and I picked it up at Chapters today. As a youth and young adult pastor I don’t think there’s a limit to how much you should read about sex anyhow so we’ll consider it professional development.

I’ll keep you, oh faithful reader, posted on the content.

NOTEWORTHY: I am pleased to note that the author of a book on my Amazon Wishlist (insert shameless plug for free books here) won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Cormac McCarthy’s The Road won the prize this year. I have not read it. I have not even bought it. So anybody out there who has read it – please pass on some comments here.

Ciao for now.