One
of the promises I made myself this summer was to report on my reading
encounters. My hope: First, that the review will prevent me from losing important
things I discovered; and, second, that the project might prompt my reader(s) to
pick up or download at least one or two of the selections for themselves. Here,
then, is my first report (May-August 2021, but not in chronological order).
THE RHYTHM OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE:
2019 by Brian J. Wright.
Of
all the books I read, this was the only one where I started by personally
meeting the author. During a week at a Christian retreat camp in the North
Carolina mountains, Dr. Wright and his family were among the guests. I found
him to be an engaging conversationalist who has embraced several ministry
venues which let me know that he is older than he looks. At the moment of our
paths crossing, he was transitioning to a co-pastoral role at a church in
Texas.
Using
salient quotes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship, Dr.
Wright challenges his readers to adjust their thinking concerning public
worship as a local church, and personal devotions as individuals. The
adjustment involves a move away from the idea of routine (weekly calendar and
daily job list), to a living, interactive rhythm in which each informs and is
invigorated by the other.
Dr.
Wright’s treatment of the analogy is rich and satisfying whether speaking of
breathing, or music, or other living relationships. You get the idea that mankind
was created to be in a rhythmic interrelationship of living souls. That
relationship has been off-beat ever since the rebellion, and the new body in
Christ is called to demonstrate good breathing in a fallen world of spiritual emphysema.
This
is not an easy transition to think about. Many of us are given to public and
private worship as categories which can be evaluated and assigned personal
preference. We hear it in the oft claimed assertion that some can worship better in
private. Dr. Wright will not let the reader get away with that dichotomy. Rather, he takes us to the core rhythm of the Christian experience: Love God / Love Others.
My
thanks to Brian Wright of his thoughts in The Rhythm of the Christian life; and
also, for our personal interaction, which was greatly appreciated.
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