I watched the entire Republican presidential nominee debate last Wednesday night (no lie, the whole thing). And are you digging, like me, the Pope's refusal of a limousine yesterday, and lunch with congress today - the latter in favor of dining with the homeless?
I'm provoked by the content, personages and yes, even the hype of such world-shaping events.
As a follower of Jesus, I'm reading two new books I've chosen as guides through both the US presidential primary and our American encounter with the first Latin American Pope.
"Jesus Outside the Lines: A Way Forward For Those Who Are Tired of Taking Sides" is a refreshing look at discipleship in our polarized society. When I say polarized, I mean polarized politically, racially, economically and even within the Christian faith. The author, Scott Sauls (a pastor in TN who was apprenticed to Tim Keller for some years), points to Jesus as a way forward - away from harshness, caricatures, and stereotypes. How to hold firm to our orthodox Christian beliefs without perpetuating divisiveness.
I'm not finished with it, but so far its a book I wish I'd written a while ago. With chapter titles like "Red State or Blue State?" and "For the Unborn or For the Poor?" and "Personal Faith or Institutional Church?" dude takes on contemporary binary Christian choices and kicks their tail by simply studying Jesus.
That last sentence? Since I'm reading this book, yall can look for me to do a little more of that in the near future than I have recently. His rants on things like 'outrage porn' and wide ranging quotes from masters of the faith are worth the purchase price.
Here are a couple of his quotes:
"Tolerance isn't about not having beliefs. It's about how your beliefs lead you to treat people who disagree with you." - Tim Keller. BAM
"I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them, 1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy: 2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against: and, 3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side." - John Wesley. BOOM
The book I am reading as a companion to Pope Francis' first visit to American soil is "Pope Francis: Why He Leads The Way He Leads," by Chris Lowney. I'm intrigued by this book for two reasons.
One, the author examines Francis through the lens of his extensive training and life practices as a Jesuit: "I suspect the Pope doesn't even have a leadership philosophy---instead, he focuses on one priority only: he is a follower of Jesus, and his Jesuit formation helps him follow Jesus more closely, end of story. This is what gives the Jesuit life meaning and purpose; Jesuits pursue their formation and spiritual practices for this end alone and no other."
Two, the author trained for six years as a Jesuit in seminary, before going on to a career as a managing director at J.P. Morgan on three continents. A Jesuit Christian Capitalist, writing about the Pope's leadership. That's trippy. The notable evangelical conference speaker recommending this book is Patrick Lencioni, author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Its a leadership book and a Christian spirituality book.
I've had quite a week of intense pastoral encounters, interrupted Bible study, and pragmatic planning for the common life of Christ's church, the tribe called "Lake Forest." But evenings have been spent on my back porch, in the glorious cool of early fall, prayerfully reading these books and examining my heart and my ways.
I wish for you such high minded companions as these. Or better.
