Someone was visiting our home the other day and wanted to know what I was reading in the way of non-fiction. She is a layperson with an active mind, and liked that I would share titles during bible study through the years, even if unrelated to the scripture passages we were considering
Recent purchases include a book on the spiritual lives of prison inmates called Down in the Chapel, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, Invitation to Solitude and Silence, The Case for the Psalms, and Evil Men.
Now to eke out time to read these and others! The challenge of ministry is to be disciplined enough to be a theologian. There is a constant " tyranny of the urgent," the tasks, often important, sometimes not, which can crowd out prayerful reflection and reading. Pastoral care is essential as well, but so is the preparation and investigation of new ideas.
It's a matter of balance I suppose. How do I talk about God and explore the way of Christ with others if I'm not doing the "heavy lifting" myself?
What are your thoughts about this? Do you want your clergy to spend valuable and limited time with their noses in books? Is this a luxury or a necessity?
5 comments:
Time spent in books (the right ones) is never wasted!
"Down in the Chapel"is a great read. Any reading is good. Good, bad etc. any reading is good, in my mind. Please keep on passing reads along to us.
Interested in knowing what you think of Zealot. Always interested in what you are reading!
Just saw a book in the Toronto Star that Carol Goar was commenting on that intrigues me - 'Scarcity: why Having Too Little Means So Much' and one that I think would have faith implications.
Readers of the world arise! Thanks to all of you for affirming the importance of reading as a tool for opening our minds and deepening our spirits.
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