Greetings
faithful readers, I just wanted to update you all on my latest book, Seeing with the Mind, Hearing with the Heart, make sure you all know the wide variety
of books I’ve written that are available for purchase, and let you know the
directions I’m hoping to go with future books.
Seeingwith the Mind, Hearing with the Heart: A Thematic Bible Study on Luke by aYoung Pastor and a Not So Young Parishioner is a collaboration with one of
my parishioners, Linda Nietman. I taught a 7-week bible study on the portions
of Luke only found in the Gospel of Luke, and she suggested I turn it into a
book. I agreed, on one condition, that she become my co-author. Linda and I
alternate chapters, mine focus on what the text says, the bible study end of
things, and Linda’s chapters focus on what the texts mean for you, a more
devotional reading. In seven chapters we tackle a variety of themes, including
Women, Wealth, Samaritans, Social Status, Persistent Prayer, and Repentance.
Previous to
this I published Silicon Soul, which is a Dystopian Sci-Fi novel set in
a future where AI is out of control, Ayn Rand and her ideas are in ascendancy,
and the Gospel must be read with its back against the wall (to borrow a phrase
from Thurman). It was my contribution to National Novel Writing Month.
Additionally,
I gathered sermons from my Seminary classmates and stuck them into a little
book titled Nine Sermons from the Lutheran Theological Seminary atPhiladelphia Class of 2011.
Previous to
that I compiled a Minister’s Prayer Book-esque Prayer Book entitled Read,Reflect, Pray: A Lutheran Prayer Book that focused on the seven central
things of worship. I wrote it in response to my experience of becoming an
Ordained person, you no longer get to lose yourself in worship.
Finally, I
published an expanded version of my M. Phil. Thesis about re-tellings of
Genesis 22. Its title is An Uncomfortable Bit of Rope and Other Essays onthe Binding of Isaac.
So, those
are all the books I currently have out. Keep tabs on my Author’s Page.
Now that my
big summer projects are behind me, teaching a theology course for young people Smart People, Wise Faith, a Bible course
Hidden Books and Heresies, and
thinking through my sermon series 8 question from the pews, I’m starting to
think through my next writing projects. (Drumroll please).
Christopher’s Medium
Catechism—Every now and again I do an Ember Day like Luther did, where I
preach on Luther’s Small and Large Catechism. What results is a medium length
re-reading of those documents. So, once I’ve preached on the whole Catechism perhaps
I’ll work them into a more formal thing in book or blog form.
The Bible We Don’t
Read—A while back I defaced one of my bibles, cutting out all the pieces
that are in the lectionary to see what’s left… there is a lot. So, I intend to
carefully read through all the portions of scripture left out of the Revised
Common Lectionary and write about the kind of faith found in those portions of
the Bible.
A Project on
Revelation—I’ve often thought, what did the book of Revelation sound like
to its original readers? Did it sound like a 5th Gospel or a horror show? This will
be a work that covers similar ground as The Rapture Exposed and Joy
in Our Weakness but with more of a creative eye. So, perhaps a mainline
response to the Left Behind series.
A Speculative
Fiction Trilogy—Back in college I outlined a Speculative
Fiction trilogy that covered some of the same ground as Silicon Soul. My
plan is to write one of these for each of the next 3 National Novel Writing
Months.
