Colleagues List, December 31st, 2018

Vol. XIV No. 25

GLOBAL AND ECUMENICAL IN SCOPE
CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE

END OF YEAR 2018 EDITION
 
Wayne A. Holst, Editor
My E-Mail Address: wholst@telus.net

This email is sent only to a voluntary subscriber list.

If you no longer wish to receive these weekly columns,

write to me personally - waholst@telus.net

*****

Dear Friends:

This is my  final edition of Colleagues List for 2018. I sent you a total of 49 issues this year - a record since I began using this format almost 11 years ago. 

Traditionally, for this issue, I collate all Special Items from the past year's issues for those who may have missed some articles they might still like to read.
  
--

These selections are constituted as follows: 

Book notices - 22
Anglican Journal columns - 14
Personal reflections/sermons - 9
News items - 1
Lectures and letters - 3

Total - 49 Special Items

Please enjoy this summary of a year of extensive work. I try to share with you some of the most pertinent information in the field of religion and culture (from a Canadian perspective) that I have encountered in 2018.

I look forward to our relationship in 2019!
 

Wayne

****

A SUMMARY OF MY SPECIAL ITEM SELECTIONS FOR 2018

49 Entries

January, 2018 

My Anglican Journal review of the book:
"Worshipful" by James C. Howell

Howell is the pastor of Myers Park
United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC 

https://tinyurl.com/y8zx5k9b

--

My introduction to the book:
"The Ecstacy of Being: Mythology and Dance"

  by Joseph Campbell

 

Campbell was a world famous mythologist, now
dead thirty years, who remains a popular author.
 

https://tinyurl.com/yasl6be7

--

My introduction to the book:
"Great Canadian Speeches"
  by Dennis Gruending

Colleague Gruending is a former Canadian politician 
who continues to write and create anthologies: 
                                           
https://tinyurl.com/yada6evd

--

My January Anglican Journal column on Douglas John Hall,
Canadian theologian:

https://tinyurl.com/y7nkg8vu

***

February, 2018

Special Recognition for Colleague Martin E. Marty -
A Personal Reflection

Marty has been a mentor of mine for many years

https://tinyurl.com/y82w95jm

--

My Lenten Preparation this Year
Some Personal Suggestions for
Reading, Music and Silence

https://tinyurl.com/y9yd5yjh

--

My February Column for the Anglican Journal
"Spiritual Lessons from a Canadian Winter"

  A Canadian faith perspective.

https://tinyurl.com/yanlnptk

--

A Brief Life Journey with Billy Graham
who died this year

I write of aspects of his faith and ministry
which I support

https://tinyurl.com/y9l5h292

***

March, 2018

My introduction to the book: "Unbelievable"
Why Neither Ancient Creeds Nor the Reformation Can
Produce a Living Faith Today, by John Shelby Spong

This is probably Spong's final faith statement.

https://tinyurl.com/y98f84ot

--

My Anglican Journal Column for March, 2018

"Encountering the Sacred at the Mount"
  A Quiet Lenten Retreat Reflection

https://tinyurl.com/ybyvgegu

--

Notes from a lecture by colleague Reginald Bibby -

Keynote Address for Diversity and Religious Pluralism Week

at the University of Calgary, Friday, March 16th, 2018

 

"Toward Enhancing Social Life: The Current
  Contributions of Pro-Religious, Low Religious
  and No Religious"

 

The content of this lecture was largely based on material
from Bibby's recent book "Resilient Gods" (2017) introduced
here Dec. 3rd, 2017 - https://tinyurl.com/ybur2lmm

https://tinyurl.com/ydy2r3wj

--

 

My introduction to the book:
 

"Richard Rohr - Essential Teachings on Love"
 Selected with an Introduction
 by Joelle Chase and Judy Traeger

 

https://tinyurl.com/y8kuchxa

***

April, 2018

A Holy Week and Easter Reflection:

https://tinyurl.com/y9cfhxhr

--

My introduction to the book:

"The Triumph of Christianity -
  How a Forbidden Religion Swept the World"
  by Bart Ehrmann

https://tinyurl.com/yc7nvhbs

--

My Anglican Journal Column for April -
"When Christian Witness Was Simple, Yet Profound"

https://tinyurl.com/yc65zhgp

--

My introduction to the book:

"Metis Pioneers:
  Marie Rose Delorme Smith and
  Isabella Clark Hardisty Lougheed"
  by Doris Jeanne MacKinnon

https://tinyurl.com/y6wv9o6l

--

My introduction to the book:

 

"The Prophetic Vision of the Real Jesus"  Growth of the
  Prophetic Vision and Its Impact on the Mission of Jesus
  in Matthew's Gospel, by colleague Adrian M. Leske

https://tinyurl.com/yd9vo9wb

***

May, 2018

My introduction to the book:

"Speeches that Changed Canada"
  by Colleague Dennis Gruending

https://tinyurl.com/y9ydz8tj

--

My introduction to the book:

"The Flight of the Wild Gander -
  Explorations in the Mythological Dimension
  Selected Essays 1944-1968"
  by Joseph Campbell

https://tinyurl.com/y8jue5mv

--

My introduction to the book:

"Faith - A Journey for All"
  by Jimmy Carter

https://tinyurl.com/yc7zanj8

--

My May Anglican Journal Column:

"Gandhi - Man of the sacred and secular, East and West"

In honour of colleague Anthony Parel 
https://tinyurl.com/y7sndpt6 

***

June, 2018

My introduction to the book:

"Re-imagine - Preaching in the Present Tense"
 by  colleague Mark Whittall

https://tinyurl.com/ybka9vb5

--

My June Anglican Journal Column -

"A Tribute to Anglican-Lutheran Community"

Celebrating "The Boeckners"
Serving Together for Fifty Years in Quebec City
Remembering my college school-mates.

https://tinyurl.com/y85acta9

--

"The Mennonite Story"
  A visit to a museum in St. Jacobs, ON.

https://tinyurl.com/y7l2ek5s

***

July, 2018

My introduction to the book:

"Revelation For Progressive Christians:
  A Seven Session Study Guide"
  by Donald Schmidt

https://tinyurl.com/y9k8x7ba 

-- 

My Anglican Journal Column for July, 2018

"Trillium and Wild Rose" 

https://tinyurl.com/ybmdp9ap

--

Canadian Religion News Item:

Jane Kryzanowski Ordained New Bishop for RCWP at
St. David's United Church, Calgary (July 21st, 2018)

Roman Catholic Woman Priest (RCWP) website articles
were selected and published by colleague Felix Kryzanowski
of Regina,SK. the new bishop's husband.

http://rcwpcanada.x10.mx/

***

August, 2018
 

My introduction to the book:

 

"The Book of Joy -

  Lasting Happiness in a Changing World"

by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and
Archbishop Desmond Tutu with
Douglas Abrams

https://tinyurl.com/ya245nxl

--

A Summer Service Reflection at:

St. David's United Church
Sunday, August 19th, 2018
 

"Wisdom for Living - Opinions or Convictions?" 

https://tinyurl.com/ydd38mjj

 --
 

My introduction to the book:

 

"Al Rashid Mosque -
  Building Canadian Muslim Communities"
  by Earle H. Waugh

https://tinyurl.com/yba842ff

--

My Anglican Journal Column for August:

"The Web of Life"

https://tinyurl.com/yb7wsoqbwa
 

***

September, 2018

My introduction to the book:

"Our Spirits Aligned -

  Aboriginal Voices of Healing and Reconciliation"

 

  Compiled by JoAnn Restoule

  with Wedlidi Speck and Karen Close

https://tinyurl.com/ybk55bjq

--

My introduction to the book

"The Gift of Story"  (Updated Edition)
  by Ralph Milton

https://tinyurl.com/yc2a5k2e

--

My Anglican Journal column for September:

"25 years after Peers's apology,
  glimmers of 'true repentance'"

https://tinyurl.com/y8q85h74

***
 

October, 2018

A personal reflection on the theme of:

"Thanksgiving -
  at a special time of year to be grateful"

https://tinyurl.com/ybqj7z97

--

My introduction to the book:

 "Responsive Prayers -
  For Every Week of the Church Year

  Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary"

  by David Sparks

https://tinyurl.com/y7s4vq3o

 

--

My introduction to the book:

"Superabundantly Alive -
  Thomas Merton's Dance with the Feminine"

  by Susan McCaslin and J.S. Porter

https://tinyurl.com/y9spvytx

 

--

 

At the time of a second anniversary reminder,

written at a tragic time in history, here is my

repeated November 2016 Anglican Journal column:

"What is Truth?"
  https://tinyurl.com/y8cbljl5

***

November, 2018
 

My introduction to the book:

"A Cry is Heard - My Path to Peace
  A Memoir, A Spiritual Autobiography
  and a Call to Unity, by Jean Vanier

https://tinyurl.com/y8x98ze2

--

My Anglican Journal column for November
A reflection on the theme of All Saints

"For All the Saints" 

 

https://tinyurl.com/ycsp5bqg

 --

My introduction to the book:

"Why Religion? A Personal Story"
  by Elaine Pagels

https://tinyurl.com/ybpobe42

--

My introduction to the book:

"Jon Sobrino - Spiritual Writings
  Selected with an Introduction"
  by Robert Lassalle-Klein

https://tinyurl.com/ybaygqgb

***

December, 2018

A personal reflection on the theme of:

"Finding a Place for Advent
  in Our Personal Spirituality"

https://tinyurl.com/y7wnxrt5

--

My introduction to the book:

"The Great Spiritual Migration -
  How the World's Largest Religion is
  Seeking a Better Way to be Christian"
  by Brian D. McLaren

https://tinyurl.com/y95btbm4

--

My Anglican Journal column for December

An Advent/Christmas Column - Repeated
First Published, December 12th, 2014:

https://tinyurl.com/yd3maqf2

--

The Holst Family Christmas Letter for 2018
https://tinyurl.com/yabf4oje

--

Summary of Special Item Selections, 2018
https://tinyurl.com/yctkj9tb

*****

WISDOM OF CHRISTMAS WEEK

God is in the manger, wealth in poverty, light
in darkness, succor in abandonment.

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

--

I've heard it said that the Holy Spirit very rarely
respects one's comfort zones.

- Anne Lamot

--

Christmas is a good time to begin standing with
the shepherds, to open ourselves to that angelic
invitation, and to be disarmed of our fears and
the swords we carry.

- Jim Forest

--

There’s nothing romantic about the Christmas
story. If anything, it offers a slice of a
brutal world in which a child is born on
the street, so to speak, with next to nothing
in the way of rights and security, and not
even a home.

He whose birthday we celebrate at Christmas
said, even as a grown man, “I have nothing.
I am nowhere at home. Even at night, I have
no place to rest or lay my head”.…But now
this man from Nazareth comes to us and
invites us to mirror God’s image, and shows
us how. He says: you too can become light,
as God is light. Because what is all around
you is not hell, but rather a world waiting
to be filled with hope and faith.

- Jörg Zink

--

 

The old man Simeon, who recognized the baby
as the Messiah, instinctively understood that

conflict would surely follow. “This child is

destined to cause the falling and rising of

many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be

spoken against…” he said, and then made the

prediction that a sword would pierce Mary’s

own soul. Somehow Simeon sensed that
though on the surface little had changed –

 

the autocrat Herod still ruled, Roman troops

were still stringing up patriots, Jerusalem

still overflowed with beggars – underneath

everything had changed.

 

A new force had arrived to undermine the
world’s powers.

 

 - Philip Yancey

 

--

It is easy for the devout to join up with the
shepherds and fall into place at the crib and
look out into the surrounding night and say,
“Look at those silly intellectuals wandering
about after a star, with no religious sense at
all! Look at that clumsy camel, what an
unspiritual animal it is! Look what odd gifts
of self-consecration they are bringing; they’re
certainly not the sort of people who’d make it
in a church!”

But we must remember that the child who
began by receiving these very unexpected
pilgrims had a woman of the streets for his
faithful friend and two thieves for his comrades
at the end: and looking at these two extremes
 let us try to learn a little of the height and
breadth and depth of his love – and then
apply it to our own lives.

- Evelyn Underhill

*****

CLOSING THOUGHT - Nadia Bolz-Weber

God did not enter the world of our nostalgic,
silent-night, snow-blanketed, peace-on-earth,
suspended reality of  Christmas. God slipped
into the vulnerability of skin and entered our
violent and disturbing world.

 

(end)

*****