No comments about The Golden Legend: Selections (Penguin Classics).

4 comments about Mormon Mother: An Autobiography by Annie Clark Tanner.

1. This book is an interesting account of a woman's life during the late 1800s and early 1900s. If you are interested in this time period, you will enjoy it regardless of whether you are interested in polygamy or Mormonism. There are some odd spots in the writing, including some repetitive passages. These almost led me to give it 4 stars instead of 5. However, the story itself is too important to let some blips in the writing get in the way. I was surprised at how well educated and actually open-minded the individuals in the story were. These were not religious zealots though they lived a very dedicated religious life. If you have read "Escape" or "Stolen Innocence," you need to read this book to get the back story and really begin to understand how religion can get people to practice polygamy. Annie Clark Tanner is a true American pioneer.



2. An interesting account of polygamy in application and as doctrine. Inherently though the story is really that of one of a family and certainly a dysfunctional couple. The heroine is likeable despite her foolishness. The husband would be the antagonist; a narcissist in any time.



3. Annie Clark Tanner was an admirable person. When I completed reading this book I had a strong desire to call one of her children, if any are still alive. I appreciated the support and understanding she received from her children as they became adults. They had a wonderful mother. I am amazed at all she went through for her husband, without bitterness. However, she was open about her feelings, which let me know that she was "real". Thank you Annie, for writing about your life and sharing your experiences.



4. With all of the highly polarized descriptions of Mormon polygamy in the late 1800's, it is refreshing to read an honest first-person account of how "plural marriage" affected everyday life for those involved. Mrs. Tanner's experience was decidedly negative, yet she writes without the bitterness one might expect. A must read for all Mormons, as well as others interested in US history in that period.

5 comments about Grace: A Memoir.

1. This is a memoir of how a middle-aged woman becomes an ordained Methodist minister, but it's so much more-- it's about how a girl raised on an island in Lake Erie ends up in divinity school at Duke; how a wary, twice-divorced mother of two with little reason to believe in relationships meets the love of her life; how a dedicated, feminist, driven-by-the-Holy-Spirit new minister copes with being placed into a struggling South Carolina Methodist church; how God can enter a life; how the Holy Spirit relates to pianos. It's an extraordinarily poetic, yet earthy and fluent, account of a life that's extremely full, and I swallowed it whole, while I both laughed and cried. This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in women's lives, the church, spirituality, relationships, or personal growth. It touches on all of them without slighting any. The author's belief in God and faith in her calling infuses this book so that it almost glows with the Holy Spirit she's so sure is leading her.



2. The premise of the book, namely why would a 42 yr old woman, twice divorced with 2 teenage kids, turn her life upside down and go to divinity school and pastor a church, hooked me right away, and so I eagerly dove into the book.
   
   Mary Cartledgehayes' "Grace" (293 pages) can roughly be divided up in 2 equal parts: her life up to and including going through divinity school at Duke, and then the three years of being a pastor for a United Methodist church somewhere in South Carolina. While somewhat surprisingly self-admiited rational thinker Cartledgehayes writes that her calling became obvious and inevitable after a singular incident (the roof of her car became "transparent" and the Lord engulfed her), it's the second part of the book that is by far the most fascinating part. The particular church she lands at had not had a female pastor before, and was also not doing very well as a congregation. Cartledgehayes gives a great insight of what it's like to try and do a job that is far more than a "9 to 5" job. She makes the comparison of being at her first church pastoring as it being "your first baby". Cartledgehayes ultimately stays there for only three years, and even though the author doesn't attribute it to burn-out, it is very clear that that was a part of it. Frustratingly, we are not told what the author ended up doing after she left pastoring in 1998.
   
   All that aside, I must say that (i) I had no idea that the United Methodist church held such liberal believes, and (ii) I just cannot phantom any pastor dropping the "F" bomb at all, let alone as frequently as Cartledgehayes does in this book. While it's clear that Cartledgehayes has a deep faith in the Lord, that aspect was simply very off-putting for me. Reader beware!



3. It was early August here in Northeastern Ohio when I was introduced to this book and author by a friend. I have read and re-read and re-read this book and shared it with others as well. I am an instructor at a Christian College here in Stark County, Ohio, and I found this book inspiring and challenging and extremely motivating. As a life so far is retraced, the power of God and the importance of love and joy and music are acknowledge, affirmed, and celebrated. Too often individuals, lacking confidence in their own dreams, enter into someone else's and a precious gift is lost or at least in Mary Jo's case deferred. I am so thankful that Mary Jo accepted God's will for her and entered into ministry and authorship. The power of a God
   centered personhood can not be overestimated. I heartily recommend this book!



4. It was early August here in northeastern Ohio when I was introduced to this book and this author by a friend. The Wooster Daily Record carried a feature article about the author who was returning to Ohio for a high school reunion and about her book,
   Grace:A Memoir.
   The joy I have experienced as I've read and re-read and re-read this work is wonderous! The life that is shared by this author is both inspiring and entertaining. I believe many people experience the fact of making life choices that center upon pursuing someone else's dream when lacking confidence in pursuing their own. I feel that Mary reminds me and other readers through laughter and tears that God will keep calling each person to be the person he or she was created to be. I am so glad that Mary answered God's call to ministry and to authorship of this memoir. I look forward to sharing this book with many in the days ahead in my teaching at Malone College in Canton, Ohio, at my church in Massillon, Ohio, and by e-mail, letters, conversations, and purchases of many copies to share with friends and family. Be prepared for many surprises as you enjoy this volume.



5. I was't sure I wanted to read one more spiritual journey book. But the first paragraph hooked me and I laughed and cried my way through "Grace." The stories of her childhood, with the Episcopal priest in a long black dress with a white lace overdress, who came once a month with the "smells and bells" that transformed the schoolroom into a holy space, were delightful. The isolated life on the island, which her parents tried to make as normal as possible, shaped Mary Jo in ways even she cannot articulate.

   What I loved the most, though, was following this incredibly articulate, incredibly outrageous woman as she followed the call to ministry she did not want but couldn't avoid. I don't think she was sweet but she was tender, most of the time, when she could draw it up from that deep place inside where the holy is.

   Especially the book moved me because I too went to seminary, a little older than she was, with only one divorce and no kids, finding a little more support for women--there were more women than men in my class. We were smarter, outtalked them in class and more or less ignored their sexism. The men were, for the most part, also in their twenties. The top ten students in my graduating class of about thirty were women. But the men in their twenties mostly found churches first (we find our own calls to a church, and can't be ordained until we find one, not appointed as Methodists are). That was a bummer, and some of us got mad. I learned a lot about current Methodist polity from her book, which was interesting too.

   I loved how she fell in love with her parishoners, and ached when it hurt her. The picture of what life in the parish is like is so precisely true. Most people think it's just Sunday morning, but remember how upset they got when she and Fred were gone for two weeks? They subliminally thought she belonged to them 24/7. Mary Jo was right to stick with her church, even if it led her right out of the church. But why do churches do this to their pastors? This is a really heavy topic in all denominations right now, as pastor burnout is a huge issue. I'm not pastoring a church now either, due to disability, but as I watch my pastor and all she has to juggle, I don't know if I could go back to it.

   But that's all beside the point. This is an honest, passionate,funny, wonderful, sexy book, full of human emotion most people in the pew, or outside the church, never expected to hear from a minister. My only issue with it is the implicit admission on the blurb on the back that indeed Fred died of his cancer. But she has already shown us how she would deal with that loss--with grace, and with music.

5 comments about An American Band.

1. Reading through this book transported back to where I grew up in southern california and some similar adventures. I enjoyed reading about Dan's early years moving around with his family and how he and his brother Tom got into music. I liked Dan's honesty about his faith in GOD and what it means to him.



2. As a rabid fan of America's music, I found this book insightful - illustrating the early beginnings of the band, the ups & downs, the challenges and the triumphs. It's written simply and straightforward from Dan's perspective. One gets to know tid bits about all three members - likes, dislikes, quirks, and the like. It also shows how shallow the rock life can be and how one can easily crash and burn. It's a decent, not great read and more tailored for those who appreciate Peek and his band mates music.



3. After reading Dan Peek's autobiography I feel satiated and a little angry. Satiated because my thirst for more America (even non-musical) has been at least temporarily slaked after a long hiatus; angry because these guys whom I consider to be so musicaly gifted are fully revealed to be greedy, selfish pigs like most entertainers. I got to hang out with Beckley once for an hour, and this book confirmed all my suspicians about him formed during that brief meeting. This book will delight all true America fans who long for the inside story of this group's formation, rise to superstar status, and ultimate crash. I would have enjoyed more good stuff, such as how more of the songs came to be, what it was like to win a grammy, etc. and less dirt. But it is clear that Dan needed to cleanse his soul, and God bless him. Let's hope these three can unite again before some disease or nut with a gun renders this impossible, as it did with the Beatles. A great read, even with some shortcomings such as horrible editing. Thank you, Dan, for letting your fans into your heart.



4. As someone who espouses the "christian way of life" it seems rather sad that the facts according to Peek have to be dredged up again. What's passed is past. The fact that there seems to be more unresolved issues make me think that he should have talked to the two men in the crux of the matter instead of letting them READ it in a book. WOW. Anyway, glad he's "forgiven" them and himself. That's always a good thing. As for the book, it's ok. It's a kind of salicious read for those longing for the glory days from the mid to late '70's. If you read the portions of it on the website it might be a way to save the $13.



5. I could not wait for Dan's book to arrive. I opened it and began reading aloud to any family member willing to listen. There is humor, suspense, love and jealousy. Yes, this is real life, whether in the fast lane or slow lane.
   
   I got the feeling Dan was trying his best to be honest and fair from his perspective, without being too brutally honest. In general, he seems to be harder on himself than on others. Somehow we always seem to hurt those to whom we are the closest. Sometimes we are too close and do not give each other the space to be individuals.
   
   I have always felt America was better as a trio than as a duet or solo act. Dan, Dewey and Gerry are three separate, strong personalities. Their individual music has always been both distinct, yet complementary. We may never have the entire group together again, but can only hope the three will someday realize they were better together than separate. They wanted to be "bigger than the Beatles", but the Beatles were never big enough to put past differences behind.
   
   In order to understand this book in its fullest sense, a person must understand forgiveness and the Christian life. For in the end, this book seemed to be beyond an autobiography, but also Dan's way of saying "I'm sorry". To forgive is divine.

2 comments about Jesse: The Life and Pilgrimage of Jesse Jackson.

1. Neither a smear sheet or puff piece, this is a very objective and thorough look at the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

   Here you see both the good and bad. The infamous "King's blood" incident, the womanizing, the crudity and rudeness (that I've had the misfortune to expereince once), and the scandals are all here minus the Angela Parker case in 1971, oddly.

   However, Frady does not let the reader forget the good that Jesse Jackson has done for society. We also him getting tearful Israeli and Palestinian children to come together in peace. We see him trying to unify poor Whites and Blacks in America (who even THINKS of doing that anymore?), we see him encouraging Black kids to forego delinquency and do better in school (I first saw him on one such occasion in 1978), and we see the successful instances in which he helped in the release of hostages. We also see that contrary to popular (mis)beleif, he has encouraged far more cooperation among the races than this far lesser contemporaries among what remains of "Black leadership."

   Frady lets the reader know that in spite of Rev. Jesse Jackson's considerable and numerous flaws, the good that he has done cannot be dismissed.

   In spite of this, there is a minor complaint. Frady gets to be a bit much with the dialect in trying to capture Rev. J/J's speech patters ("Yawl," "Great Gawd a mighty," "Looka heah," etc.).




2. "Jesse" is a compelling examination of the fascinating life and times of an American original, civil rights leader and two-time presidential contender Jesse Jackson. This detailed, nuanced biography benefits from the author's nearly thirty years covering Jackson as a journalist, as well as the access Frady was granted his subject as a frequent traveling companion and from many interviews with Jackson, his family and colleagues. As a result, Frady has been able to create a intimate account of his subject's life and thought which seemingly allows the reader to get inside Jackson's head and understand his motivations and actions. Striving for a balanced portrayal, Frady does not shy away from Jackson's faults; commendably, he deals with them in a frank, fair manner while avoiding sensationalism. Ultimately, Frady suggests, all of Jackson's activities, from his early work with PUSH and Operation Breadbasket in Chicago, to his presidential campaigns and his incessant world travels, have been motivated by a common spirit of "gospel populism" and a desire to be seen not simply as a black leader but as a moral leader with a vision that transcends racial, cultural and economic boundaries. "Jesse" is not a perfect book; it seems at times a bit lengthy, and often Frady devotes seemingly endless attention to minor or obscure events and breezes over major ones (example: we repeatedly hear references and anecdotes about Jackson's 1989 trip to earthquake-stricken Armenia, but his 1988 speech at the Democratic National Convention - probably his most memorable public moment - is cursorily dispatched in two sentences). "Jesse" is probably not, as one reviewer suggested, the definitive biography of Jesse Jackson, but it is an important key to understanding the man, and in the absence of a definitive portrait, it will no doubt be the best Jackson biography available for a very long time.

4 comments about Saint Among Savages: The Life of Saint Isaac Jogues.

1. This book is one of the best I have ever read. I have read it perhaps six or seven times since discovering it in a library in 1970. We should not wonder that Europeans, in the forbidding land of North America in the 17th century, should have thought of Indians(not called Native Americans til much later) as savages. We must, we have no other choice, we must judge people by the times in which they lived. Not by 2008 standards, low as they are. Otherwise we will find ourselves involved in absurdities such as wondering why the Vikings did not advocate sensitiviy training. This book is about a courageous young priest whose only interest in North America was to bring these Hurons and Iroquois to God. He was misunderstood by the Iroquois and died because of it. But the book is absolutely fascinating and brings to complete life the times in which Jogues lived. Reading this, you can get into the canoe with the young Jesuit and travel with him and others on long journeys. It is a vivid rendering of what it was like to live in absolute wilderness and ministering to people who did not want you anywhere near them. What a story and what an inspiration. Any time I think I have it bad, I think of Isaac Jogues and what he endured.



2. This account,written some 70 years ago by Jesuit Francis Talbot, brings out the best and most heroic aspects of Jesuit missionary work. Drawing mostly on careful records and reports left by the missionaries, it is an illustration of the courage of these well-educated men who left the comfort of the Old World to spread the Gospel to the Americam people.
   The Jesuits were careful to respect the culture they found in the New World. Even before active evangelization, that was task number one. They learnt the language and studied the customs. Some of these customs dismayed the European missionaries, but they did not disturb these customs except when they were plainly self-destructive (cannabalism, wholesale promiscuity). They were not into mass baptisms for the sake of getting "numbers". If anything, they erred on the opposite side, making a careful and thorough examination of any individual before he would be admitted to Baptism. Exceptions were made for those dying.
   Even after making allowances for the possibility that the author is acting as a cheerleader for the Jesuit mission enterprise, I could not but admire the bravery, the good sense, and the piety of these Frenchmen. especially the central figure, St. Isaac Jogues.
   Although it is a point not stressed (or even mentioned) in the book, I was struck by the contrast between the French approach in encountering the native population, and the English approach. For the most part, the former treated the natives as real men and women with immortal souls. For the most part, the latter did not. The bitter fruit of the English approach is seen in the reservation sysyem. Give me the French traders and Jesuit missionaries any day!



3. This is a thoroughly researched and enthralling biography of what would have to be one of the most extraordinary lives of all time - the life of a highly educated Jesuit of the 17th century golden age of France, sent as a missionary to the native tribes in the jungles of America. St Isaac Jogues' heroism, holiness, perseverance and indomitable courage, in the midst of the Native Americans, shine out in a well-told story.



4. This is a reprint of a book first published in 1935. While it has historical information about Isaac Jogues, it comes packaged in the author's cultural baggage of another era. It is full of derogatory references to the native peoples as "savages," and lacks an appreciation of inculturation. Since Vatican II the Church has forged new directions in missiology and an awareness of culture in evangelization. Speaking to a group of native Americans, the pope himself has stated that "The early encounter between your traditional cultures and the European way of life...was a harsh and painful reality for your peoples. The cultural oppression, the injustices, the disruption of your life and of your traditional societies must be acknowledged..." (Speech in Phoenix, AZ, Sept. 14, 1987) This book presents quite a different picture. The heroism of the martyrs can only be admired. But it is ironic that they themselves practiced a form of inculturation far ahead of their time, and so they would presumably be in the vanguard of the Church's missionary outreach today. Publishing this book now can only do them a disservice, as it does to the native peoples whom they loved enough to give their lives for.

5 comments about Sanctifying the World: The Augustinian Life and Mind of Christopher Dawson.

1. This book came as a complete surprise, and I have to admit that when it arrived as a Father's Day present, I found that the publishing house sent it by mistake. When notified by my wife, they told her to keep it...free.
   
   I don't know if this book will Sanctify the World, but I know it confirmed me in the work that I have been engaged in during the past four years---trying to help bridge the chasm that exists within my little section of the vineyard.
   
   I felt the Holy Spirit speaking through this book from the outset and I commend Bradley for his evenhanded treatment of an enigmatic man whom 95 out of 100 Catholics alive today have probably never even heard of. I have not met a priest, sister, or layman in the past week (20 or so queried) that recognized the name. This first taste of Christopher Dawson has moved me to greatly desire to read more.
   
   By today's standard of success/failure, Dawson's life seems a dismal failure, and yet isn't that the way of the prophets and saints?
   
   He speaks to humanity in 2008 and seems to have known all along what this "end state" of western culture would look like. Like Aldous Huxley's extended vision in The Brave New World Revisted, Christopher Dawson predicted a de-humanized, overorganized world that would be arrayed against the Eternal City of God, Incarnate in the Catholic Church. They arrive at this conclusion from different persectives (humanist vs. Christian humanist) but as G.K. Chesterton would say, that is a sure indication that they are both glimpsing at the Christocentic truth, the center of all that is.



2. As the title of Professor Birzer's book suggests, this biography chronicles more of Christopher Dawson's spiritual life than his social life--Dawson was a shy man anyway. No doubt Birzer does devote significant pages to Dawson's external life (the first two chapters deal especially with the early material influences on Dawson--factors such as Dawson's birthplace and family, his travels and his associations with such people as Frank Sheed, Victor Branford and the LePlay House and the Order group), but Birzer cites Dawson's social life only to transition the discussion to Dawson's intellectual development. Emphasizing Dawson's intellectual life over his social life is probably a wise approach anyway, since Birzer is not trying to reintroduce Dawson as an historical figure for antiquarian interests but as an intellectual still resonant in our own time.
   
   The most interesting part of Professor Birzer's book is his explanation of Dawson's Christian humanist view of history. According to Birzer, Dawson believed that God's "Divine economy of grace"--that is, God's universal plan for man's Salvation--accommodates not only every individual but also every culture. Thus, the West is not the exclusive cradle of Christianity but an inclusive source, as it contains elements of other cultures, too. Birzer insists that this view is Augustinian, and the evidence is convincing, especially when we read Dawson's many misgivings with Thomism's "eurocentric" views.
   
   Professor Birzer's book should make a significant contribution to Dawson's revival in the 21st century. It presents a judicious reading of this underestimated historian and should be a required companion to Dawson's works.



3. Forgotten by some and unknown to others, Christopher Dawson's extraordinary mind comes to life in Birzer's thorough and insightful book. Dawson was a writer and thinker for writers and thinkers and (somewhat unexpectedly) also for artists. In an age of propaganda, Dawson proclaimed the truths that the ideologues chose to ignore, suppress and in many cases destroy.
   
   Keenly aware of the horrors of totalitarian government, yet also aware of the dangers of "totalitarian" free-markets, Dawson recognized the reality that humanity thrives not as a manipulatable mass or a disinterested collection of free agents, but as a culture. In Europe this culture had Christian roots that grew out of the ashes of the Roman empire. That culture developed over the course of centuries. Dawson realized that though it took many generations to mature, culture could only be sustained by a people willing to live up to it's ideals and truths. And it could be destroyed in an instant by those seeking only the "new" and who somehow considered its past as of little consequence.
   
   Dawson took up the challenge of trying to sustain and nurture Christian culture at one of its darkest hours. Like Chesterton, Dawson's insight and understanding is pertinent now more than ever. His influence can clearly be seen in the works of Eliot but more recently in the works of Pope John Paul II. For artists in particular, Dawson reminds that the power of poetry, paint and music does not aimlessly spew from the fountain of individual whim, but blossoms from the rich soil of works, and indeed the very lives, of those whose world we inherit.
   
   Bradley Birzer has done a great service by resurrecting the story and the ideas of Christopher Dawson. Highly recommended to historians, theologians, philosophers and artists alike.



4. The wonderful writings of Christopher Dawson are virtually forgotten now.
   "Sanctifying the World" brings them to life once again, a resurrection of a keen mind and thoughts that modernists should read.



5. Bradley Birzer's Sanctifying the World provides an authoritative and comprehensive appreciation of Christopher Dawson's achievement. Meticulous researched, painstakingly documented, and gracefully written, Birzer's assessment of Dawson's life and work deserves a wide readership. The book's thorough bibliography alone makes an invaluable contribution to any serious effort to grasp Dawson's place in historical scholarship in the twentieth century. Historians seeking to understand the contours of Christian thought in the ideological wasteland of the twentieth century owe a debt of gratitude to Birzer for his labors. Scholars in particular concerned with the ongoing debate over the historical and normative relationship between Christianity and culture cannot afford to ignore this volume.

5 comments about Body Piercing Saved My Life: Inside the Phenomenon of Christian Rock.

1. Beaujon is a senior contributing writer for Spin...and a PK (preacher's kid). He is not a believer and in "Body Piercing Saved My Life" (a reference to a popular t-shirt sold at Christian music festivals which shows the pierced hands of Jesus above the slogan) he presents a non-Christian perspective of a Christian industry. Seeking to answer, "Why do Christians need their own music?" He comes out of this quest not as a Christian but as one who is "a fan, not just of the music, but of Christians, and of Jesus himself." Beujon visits many key Christian festivals and events in search for an answer; he also travels off-the-beaten-path to visit a number of indie labels and in order to introduce readers to the likes of Pedro the Lion and The Psalters.
   
   There are a number of "Christian Rock Lifers" interviews which break up the book--and ultimately do just that--they break up the flow of the narrative. Not that the interviews are bad (he speaks with Doug Van Pelt, Steve Taylor, Jay Scwhartzendruber, Bill Hearn, Mark Salomen and others--it's just that they would serve better as appendices.
   
   Beaujon does a great job traveling not only geographically, but taking the reader back in time. In the second chapter, "No More LSD for ME (I met the Man from Galilee" he jumps back in time to the "early days of Christian rock music" notable for "the smell emanating from the musicians, reconstructed hippies crammed into a station wagon, lying on the top of amps as they traveled from church to church. They loved Jesus. They didn't shower much."
   
   As I mentioned early he visits a number of musicians and those who run independent Christian labels. His quest includes a stop at Calvin College's Festival of Faith and Music. Really, through the first half of the book he heaps praises on the indie spirit of early Christian musicians and highlights of the alt-Christian acts on labels like Tooth and Nail that are creating interesting music that appeals to non-Christians like himself. Then he heads to GMA Week.
   
   The chapters on his time in Nashville for the Gospel Music Associations main event are highly amusing. It is there that he gets baptized into the world of "worship music."
   
   "Worship music is Christian Music, and it's rock music, but, confusingly, it's not quite the same thing as Christian rock. Most good size evangelical churches have their own worship bands, which lead the congregation in a sort of amplified folk mass. Worship music has "hits," songs that appear on compilations like Worship Jamz and are licensed to individual churches through Christian Copyright Licensing International, a company that also keeps track of the most performed songs in churches and pays songwriter royalties, much like ASCAP and BMI.
   
   ... If you've seen that TV commercial for Time-Life's Worship Together Collection, you've heard worship music. Much--not all, but enough to tar the whole genre--of it sounds like Christian pop scrubbed of any remaining hint of menave. It's usually an updated form of folk-rock, anchored by drum loops and crystalline acoustic guitars, reminiscent of artists like Counting Crows or Hootie & the Blowfish, but with earth-shattering choruses that make those artists look like amateurs."
   
   This conversation continues a few pages later...
   
   "...I'm not saved and don't think I ever will be, but if such a miracle were to take place, I can't imagine anything worse than being forced to pay for my salvation by listening to worship music for the rest of my days.
   
   Worship music is the logical conclusion of Christian adult contemporary music--not just unappealing but unbearable to anyone not already in the fold. Every song follows the same parameters. It opens gently, with tinkling arpeggios or synthesized harp glissandos that portend the imminence of something celestial in glacial 4/4 time. In the second verse, the band--invariably excellent players--soft-pedals in, gaining in volume to the bridge. And then the chorus. Heavens, the choruses. They could put U2 out of business for good, they're so huge. Another verse. A middle eight. Then, a breakdown when the audience takes over singing. Another massive chorus. Fin."
   
   This isn't music to appreciate; it's music to experience. People at a worship service close their eyes and, as ecstasy spreads across their faces, begin to rock rhythmically, arms out, mouthing the lyrics. It's more than a little sexual and a tad uncomfortable if you're sitting next to an attractive person who's been overcome by the Spirit."
   
   Body Piercing Saved My Life offers an in-depth look at the Christian music industry and the Christian music indie scene from someone on the outside who is not a Christian and yet respects several key players in the scene. This is a book worthy of dialogue between believers and unbelievers. Beaujon also drops a number of names of musical artists who I had not heard of and have since added to my collection. I highly recommend this very insightful book.
   
   Related reading:
   Charlie Peacock presents an insiders look at Christian music in his book "At the Crossroads" (Broadman & Holman, 1999).



2. Beaujon writes a good book. I read it quickly. As a rural pastor and a huge fan of Christian Rock since the 70s I was impressed with this "agnostics' take on the subject matter. I have read a few reviews that comment on beaujon's nuetrality which I disagree with. Toward the end of the book Beaujon admits his dad was a pastor who had an affair with a church member and stole money from the next church he "landed at." Sad. Beaujon does in-depth work with several disaffected personalities in Christian Rock that I would contend are unknowns or at least alt acts that few kids could care about. When talking with Bazen and others who get paid for playing to Christians audiances they seem to loath or distrust, Beaujon gives them free space to rail, question or act typically artist like. In his few takes with true lifes like Taylor and the head of word he ask questions I could have come up with. So I think the word "balance" is tough to give Beaujon. I see him featuring the Bazen and company to confirm his own quite problems with the faith. Beaujon had to be affected by the sad actions of his dad. Those actions must have crushed his faith. If he knows it are not he bleeds all over the pages with his pain. I think he exudes that some things about the faith are good, but I can't enternalize it. I hope he will continue to study Christianity and I think the object of the worship music he distains will continue to patienly seek him.



3. It arrived at my house in a very timely manner. It was exactly how it was described, in a good condition.



4. ...though not a great one. most of you will remember the author as frontperson of Eggs, the band that gave us the classic LP "Teenbeat 96 Exploder." since that time, Beaujon has enjoyed success making journalism (of which this book is part). the book does a good job of providing some background and perspective on a subject widely misunderstood by outsiders (whom i count myself among). my criticisms are pretty much the sort that could be levelled against a vast number of music books. there's some distracting editorializing outside the (presumed) subject matter (anyone for a rehash of Dave Matthews vs. the Dismemberment Plan?) and no mention of some figures who've enjoyed notable crossover appeal: the sublime electronica of Joy Electric, Roadside Monument (a sort of Don Cab for Jesus) and the Sam/Leslie Phillips phenomenon. in terms of political orientation, the Serious Christian rock audience (as opposed to, say, those Serious Christians who limit their intake to Christian Rock) are as likely to speak well of Mr. Obama as Mr. Huckabee. overall, it's a terribly, terribly complex subject that Beaujon is to be commended for tackling.



5. I think there's something in all of us that loves to know what other people think of us. Growing up in the `90s under the "christian music only" rule, and a (former) collection of over 300 christian rock cds, I found this aspect of my life under scrutiny from the "outside." And I loved it.
   
   In Body Piercing Saved My Life, Beaujon offers a very candid look at the christian rock music industry. I have to say that I learned a ton about the music industry in general by reading this book. Seeing the behind the scenes issues, the financial policies, the tensions, etc. was something new for me.
   
   The book focuses more on people than anything, and I think Beaujon realizes that you can't really learn much from caricatures or stereotypes. (I guess that's why he wrote the book). This, for me, was incredibly interesting, as he basically related a series of interviews, relationships with figures in the scene, and how they all fit into the big picture.
   
   I can't say that I found much to disagree with in the book. I resonated strongly with David Bazan's confusion and then rejection with the charismatic background he was raised in. I very much agreed with Beaujon's analysis of modern praise music as "more than a little sexual and a tad uncomfortable if you're sitting next to an attractive person who's been overcome by the Spirit." (159). He pointed out the similarities between the way Deadheads and now the current jamband scene experience their music, and the current "worship experience." I thought I was the only one who saw that! As one who has had deep experiences in both scenes, I thought his analysis was right on and matched my experience perfectly. He also points out many of the quirks and foibles in modern american evangelicalism, and I couldn't really argue with any of them.
   
   I think I share the same opinions with Beaujon when it comes to american evangelicalism and its music. For me, I've rejected it in favor of a bare-bones, bible based faith which rejects most of the trappings of this sub-culture (some would label me a "fundamentalist," though (like we all say) "it's much more nuanced than that!") When I "got convicted" about my music, it wasn't just the Grateful Dead that got tossed out, it was my entire music collection, all 300+ christian rock cds included. Beaujon, in contrast, finds himself identifying with those christians who reject the american evangelical subculture in favor of the world's culture, and an emphasis on a social gospel.
   
   I found this fascinating: "As I left, [Jae] Choi asked me if I was a Christian, and when I said no, he handed me a tract. I was on the plane home before I realized that I'd been working on this project for six months, and it was the first time anyone had tried to evangelize me." (168)
   
   It's apparent to me, also, that Beaujon doesn't understand the gospel: "To me, the message of the Gospel is love one another, look out for the less fortunate, and try to walk gently on the earth." (271). This is, in fact, the "gospel" that many american evangelicals are currently preaching. To me, the message of the gospel is this: even though I am a wretched sinner who knows that I deserve hell and have no possible way of saving myself from it, God Himself took the initiative, became a man, took my sin upon Himself, and received the punishment I deserve. The way is clear for a restored relationship with the Creator of the universe! That's good news!
   
   I loved Beaujon's writing style. It was downright art at times. I also loved his transparency, and felt that this was a pretty unbiased, straightforward account of the scene. I didn't feel any hatred or malice or desire to make anyone look stupid; (if anyone looks stupid in this book, they brought it upon themselves). Overall, I wouldn't say that I necessarily gained a whole lot by reading this, but I found it fascinating and enjoyable to read.

5 comments about TOUCH: Pressing Against the Wounds of a Broken World.

1. Pastor Rudy's account of his ministry style reminds readers of the hands-on approach that I believe Christ intended. He provokes one to think twice about judging those who don't look, smell or behave the way "church folks" should. "Touch" is the answer to WWJD!



2. Have you ever thought to yourself "how can I help someone?" Touch is a practical guide assessing a persons ability to understand that "you really have the LOVE factor to affect and infect another persons life." By simply not being afraid to embrace and "touch" a person, this book embodies spiritual, as well as scientific proof (read the testimonies in the book) that the greatest single emotion that humans experience is to touch one another. It was proven long ago that children thrive by a physical "touch" (i.e. hugs and kisses), but Pastor Rudy expresses that this "touching" does something else for a persons soul as an adult. IT GIVES THEM HOPE!



3. My husband and I were members at Pastor Rudy's church for three years. What you read about in the book is just what you experience at St. John's. We experienced a wonderful healing in our lives as we were accepted into the faith community and loved unconditionally. This book will make you think about how you deal with others, as well as validate your own desires for unconditional love and acceptance. God truly is in the business of transforming lives. Pastor Rudy is certainly part on staff in God's workshop!



4. Rudy has done an outstanding job of bringing to life the ministry of Christ in the hard places. His approach is authentic and inspiring with visions of hope for the world. It's definitely not only worthwhile reading, but offers transformation for all those willing to do the gospel of Jesus Christ in a hurting world.
   Rev. Dr. W. Earl Bledsoe



5. This warm, wonderful, down-to-earth book has something for everyone. Pastor Rasmus is not just a born storyteller but a true philosopher who will make you think differently about every aspect of your life. Reading his words is like sitting down with an old friend and having a deep, enlightening conversation.

No comments about A Martyr's Grace: Stories of Those Who Gave All For Christ and His Cause.