… or how I didn’t keep my mouth shut and got some well-deserved negative behavior modification as a result.

JJ the Smu posted yet another meme on his blog recently. This one was sort of learned and dense. It was about the must-reads of apologetics and theology. But he only tagged men. I’ve lately noticed this. Some of my very fondest friends of the male persuasion who are so very sensitive and egalitarian on many different levels and who would never ever think of discriminating against anyone … even if said person were pink with purple polka-dots … do this. They are inclusive on everything … everything that is … until the conversation turns to deeper magic (as Aslan might say). Then, in complete innocence they turn to other men. And they are innocent in this. They have no clue about what they are doing. Until they are gently made aware. This is difficult because these kind and wonderful men then feel horrible.

Of course we all know that I am not gentle. Tact is not a word associated with me 😉 so JJ gave me a taste of my own. And tagged me back.

So here is my list for must reads:

Three Most Influential Works on Contemporary Apologetics/Theology

Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard – I have had to read this book very, very slowly. It takes time to let the concepts that Willard speaks of simmer and percolate deep into your soul. Then, you must read them again. He flips what you think you know on it’s head and then you fly upside down with it. But once you can embrace that, you’ll never look at Jesus or God in quite the same light again and it’s very, very good.
Jesus Creed by Scot McKnight – If Jesus came now, I think He’d write this book. Except that He probably wouldn’t be a professor at a university. So, He wouldn’t. But this book makes all the hard theology and apologetics about Jesus oh, so approachable … for regular people. Which is what Jesus is really all about.
The Body by Charles Colson – Imagine a hard core rightwing bastard with a soul. Then he writes a book. Here is that book. Colson aches for the Kingdom and the Church. He writes winsomely of it here. If only more rightwing fundamentalists read this side of Colson (not that I’m bitter).

Three Lesser Known Books Almost Everyone Should Read

The Gospel According to Moses by Athol Dickinson – This book was written by an evangelical Christian who went to an outreach event sponsored by a schul. That is a Torah-study. After the event, he found himself enthralled by the study of the Torah and asked to be included. He continued (undercover) for 5 years. He did not convert to Judaism, but thoroughly retained his Christian focus. This book is the result of his study and it is an amazing look at the foreshadowing of Christ in the Old Testament.
Colossians Remixed by Brian J. Walsh and Sylvia C. Keesmat – I almost think this book has to be read in conjunction with Walter Wink’s The Powers That Be. This idea of subversion has to be tempered with creative and devoted non-violence.
Rumors of Another World by Philip Yancey – Wonderful description of the Kingdom and Kingdom work; it’s tied with The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning in my book. I loved both of them.

Because this is my blog and I can, I’m going to add to the meme:

Three Most Influential Works on Women In Ministry

Women in the Maze by Ruth Tucker – this book is a wonderful description of the conundrum women face at home and in churches when they attempt to live out the call they feel in their hearts from God. It is both painful and liberating.
Paul, Women & Wives by Craig S. Keener – Very approachable scholarly work on what Paul was saying **in context** in those much debated texts that have been used for centuries to keep women “in their place.”
Equal To The Task by Ruth Haley Barton – I have to cop to not reading this … yet. It was lent to me by WittyPoet whom I admire for her ability to befriend everyone on equal footing. She told me that this book revolutionized her ability to have friendships with men. I’ve read a little of it. The chapter headings alone are intriguing and tell me that this book has redemption of the male-female relationship at it’s heart.

Now … because I was tagged as the result of a male-female thing to start. I’m going to to tag 3 women and 3 men.

Dee at Next Corner Brother Maynard
Molly the Merciful Mike at Awakening
Ari is Swinging David the Revolutionary