Bishop's Reading List for 2012

As he has done in the past, the Bishop suggests specific books to individuals and congregations for their reading and study in 2012. In each category, the Bishop has made two suggestions. The first suggestion (a) is easily adaptable for individual or group study with little formal background needed.  The suggestion that then follows (b) is for added or more in-depth study and reflection.  

1.    Spirituality. The Bishop has recommended books by Ilia Delio in the past.  A Roman Catholic Franciscan, she is a senior fellow at Woodstock Theological Center, Georgetown University. In 2000, she received a Templeton course award in Science and Religion. She is the author of many books, including The Humility of God, Franciscan Prayer, and the award-winning Care for Creation: A Franciscan Spirituality of the Earth. She lives in Washington, D.C.  In the recommended book, she guides us through the life of Francis, tracing his growth from a selfish, materialistic young man to the humble, holy saint beloved by millions. With this book as your guide, you can do simple things every day to discover a more compassionate, open, fearless, and loving life--just as St. Francis did.

a.    Compassion: Living in the Spirit of St. Francis, by Ilia Delio. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2011.

b.    Franciscan Spirituality: Following St. Francis Today, by Brother Ramon, SSF.  SPCK, 2008 (Re-issue).

2.    Bible Study. The Bishop urges the entire Diocese into a focused study of the Acts of the Apostles in 2012.  Canon Robertson, the Canon to the Presiding Bishop, has been a guest of the Diocese in the past and his book on Stewardship was included in last year’s reading list.  The work listed is an accessible introduction to Acts with questions for today. 

a.    Conversations With Scripture: Acts of the Apostles (Anglican Association of Biblical Scholars), by C. K. Robertson. Morehouse Publishing, 2010.

b.    The Acts of the Apostles (Sacra Patina), by Luke Timothy Johnson. Liturgical Press, 2006.

3.    Young Adults.   The Bishop is often asked about young people and their place in the life of the Church.  Why aren’t young people staying in Church?  Where are they?  These two books (in this case, reading both can be of value) help find answers to difficult questions.  The questions raised need to addressed by everyone in the Church.

a.    You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church...and Rethinking Faith, by David Kinnaman. Baker Books, 2011.

b.    unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters, by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. Baker Books, 2007.

4.    Christian engagement in a pluralistic and multi-cultural world. Miroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and Director of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture. He has published and edited nine books and over 60 scholarly articles. Debates rage today about the role of religions in public life. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, various religions come to inhabit the same space. But how do they live together, especially when each wants to shape the public realm according to the dictates of its own sacred texts and traditions? How does the Christian faith relate in the religious pluralism of contemporary public life? In the suggested book, Volf argues that there is no single way Christian faith relates to culture as a whole, he explores major issues on the frontlines of faith today: 1) In what way does the Christian faith come to malfunction in the contemporary world, and how should we counter these malfunctions? 2) What should a Christian's main concern be when it comes to living well in the world today? and 3) How should we go about realizing a vision for human flourishing in relation to other faiths and under the roof of a single state? Covering such timely issues as witness in a multifaith society and political engagement in a pluralistic world, this compelling book highlights things Christians can do to serve the common good.

a.    A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good, by Miroslav Volf. Brazos Press, 2011.

b.    Allah: A Christian Response, by Miroslav Volf. HarperOne, 2011.

Lastly, the Bishop hopes as many people as possible read the newly revised and undated People and Cultures of Hawaii: The Evolution of Culture and Ethnicity, Second Updated Edition, by John F. McDermott, Naleen Naupaka Andrade, et al., University of Hawaii Press, 2011.  This should be basic reading for mission and ministry in this Diocese.