Word & Spirit
"And as for the apostolic epistles, what man who is skilled in literary interpretation would think them to be plain and easily understood, when even in them there are thousands of passages that provide, as if through a window, a narrow opening leading to multitudes of the deepest thoughts?"
-Origen, On First Principles
As much as I love books and literature, the books in my library are not eternal. Every physical book I own is in the process of returning to dust—“For you are paper pulp and to paper pulp you shall return.” I keep this in mind when I uncap a pen and begin scrawling my notes into the pages of a book. My books are not fragile museum pieces to archive behind a glass display; my books are well-worn hand tools—hammers, tin snips, measuring tapes, and vice grips—to help me remodel my brain.
-Tony Reinke in Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books
John Piper said St. Andrews Seven is one of the best books he has read on missions, so a lot of people (including me) flocked to Amazon to buy said book, months ago.
One of the most inspiring books I've read on missions. I hope it comes back into print. http://t.co/nmBvb0EGnH
— John Piper (@JohnPiper) June 5, 2013
This book is no longer in print.
That afternoon, the prices increased from $30 to $50 to $75 and then...almost $300? (We're talking about a tiny, used book). I didn't buy it originally because I thought $30 was too steep for a used book...
I was creating an Evernote about the experience today as I sat down to read the copy I checked out at HST (from the phenomenal library on campus), when I decided to check to see if there are any copies on Amazon still for $300 a pop), just for the sake of accurate note-creating, today, and there were some.
The price was still jacked up except for on one copy! Caught and bought after being sought for months--you rascal!
I think I'll wait for that copy in the mail, so I can make notes in it (with pencil).
This evolved from an Evernote note, to a Facebook Status, to a blog post before I could save or submit the former--
My, how things can escalate quickly.
So, I watched the following video earlier today--all 40 minutes of it. What can I say other than I was sucked into it. What was meant to be a quick glance at an editor (who looks a tad like Einstein) turned into almost an hour venture.
Usually I post faith-related updates flavored like a Bible study. That was my plan, anyway. However, the English major in me (which was my undergraduate work) loves stuff like this.
John Wilson, editor of “Books & Culture: A Christian Review” describes his experience in being a editor in order to help aspiring writers to think on both sides of the equation instead of just one.
Near the end, Mr. John Wilson has some great advice, and I'll paraphrase what I can remember (with apologies to Mr. Wilson): don't feel like you have to have read all of the classics, or whatever the latest gab is about. Read what you enjoy, and enjoy what you read. That is not to say that we shouldn't read anything difficult, or that we shouldn't read the classics. They're classics for a reason.
So, have "...not a belligerent rejection but an independent spirit..."
"There is a sort of false idea that there is some set of books that if you want to be really educated, or you want to be really hip, or whatever the category is--you have to do this, you have to do this--and it's false..."
I might start to read Books and Culture sometime. Thank you for telling the truth, Mr. John Wilson.
