With delightful disrespect and hilarious updated illustrations, the author takes you through the history of Western philosophy and religion. Beginning with classic Greek pigs, the author pokes good-natured fun as you learn the essentials of these most important thinkers and schools of thought. See a little band of Methodist pigs fleeing from the wrath to come, a Calvinist pig being saved because he is predestined to be among the elect, a Barthian Pig hearing a resounding “NO” from above, a Deconstuctionist pig interpreting a text, and many others.
How to Tell God From the Devil is the first book to depict the relationship among comedy, the Devil, and God. Drawing from Jewish and Christian theories, Eckardt describes comedy as a means to distinguish the divine from the diabolic. He presents a thorough critique of efforts throughout history to justify God in the presence of radical evil and suffering. How to Tell God From the Devil is a sequel to Eckardt's fascinating earlier study Sitting in the Earth and Laughing. Eckardt offers a theological vision of the comic, and shows its practical use in differentiating God from the Devil. The viewpoint presupposed is a special application of the incongruity theory of humor, which sees humor as an attempt to deal with inexplicable occurrences. Eckardt shows how humor can make faulty explanations tolerable for examining evil and suffering, particularly the notion that God can somehow be "excused" for the terrible evils extant in the world. Eckardt critiques dualistic views that make the Devil and God independent sovereign beings, and monistic views that try to reduce evil to non-being. Eckardt holds God to be ultimately responsible for evil, in such ways that the only final resolution of evil-if there is such-is a form of divine comedy. Eckardt employs a variety of historical, psychological, sociological, philosophical, and theological sources. He discusses and assesses such diverse figures as Martin Luther, Reinhold Niebuhr, Zen Buddhists, Conrad Hyers, Nancy A. Walker, Jon D. Levenson, and Harvey Cox. How to Tell God From The Devil is an exceptional work, and will be significant and enjoyable for sociologists, theologians, philosophers, and specialists concerned with the study of humor.
For Lutheran pastor John Berntsen, the cross is about more than the crucifixion on Good Friday. It is shorthand for the whole drama of salvation--God's decisive act of reconciling the world to God's own self. The cross is dying and rising with Christ, but at a deeper level it is the story of the world's resistance to grace. Those who lead are subject to the cross no less than others. In contrast with the current fashion for "visionary" or "purpose-driven" leaders, cross-shaped leaders are not primarily the providers of master plans, nor are they master builders. Cross-shaped leadership is provisional, contextual, and fallible--open-ended ministry that has the character of a pilot project. It is always under construction and revision. Our moment-by-moment functioning in ministry is subject to countless deaths and resurrections, few of which are heroic or glorious. But Berntsen offers good news within this potentially dismal perspective. He writes, "Once we've accepted the truth that ministry is hard, even impossible--once we've stopped living in denial of this reality, or perhaps whining about it--it becomes the truth that sets us free. We cease being gloomy servants, weighed down by our resentful conviction that we are all alone in our work--the closet atheism born of the worry, 'If I don t do it, nobody will'--and instead become joyful coworkers of a strong, wise, and consoling Lord." With optimism, humor, and deep empathy, Berntsen's Cross-Shaped Leadership offers hope and challenge in the midst of the rough and tumble of parish practice.
The Hog Book is one of the most radical works in the annals of classic animal literature. This is the definitive work that touched off the whole recent revolution in our hog awareness leading to the ever-spreading acceptance of pigs as pets, as working partners, organ donors, movie stars, and so many other fresh manifestations of the barely tapped porcine potential. The Hog Book is also a lot of fun.
This book contains limericks galore, Packed with puns, but also much more: Academic lights And helpful insights May be seen as o'er pages you pore. Is the Bible (gasp!) boring? This set of limericks may change your mind, or at least supply you with enough puns to keep your students awake all semester and enough rhymes to jog their memories before the exam. Or perhaps you want to get onto (or removed from) the church sign committee. Looking at familiar (or less familiar) biblical passages and events in church history from a different angle may even provide new insights--especially if the viewing angle is slightly askew. And, as Proverbs 17:22 says, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine," so buckle your seatbelt for a ride on the Romans road less taken.
