Say What?
In Crazy Talk: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Theological Terms, editor Rolf Jacobson and others put plain English (and fun) back into theological terms from absolution to YHWH—the latter defined as, “Th Hbrw nm fr Gd, whch w dn’t xctly knw hw t prnnc bcs th vwls wr lft t.” Or here’s monotheism: “The practice of worshiping one god (not counting the one in the mirror).” Each definition is followed by a brief but beefy explanation of the term. Augsburg Books.
Visions of a New Earth
The film Renewal: Stories from America’s Religious-Environmental Movement contains eight compelling stories of faith-based activism around the country—including how evangelicals have mobilized against mountaintop removal in Appalachia, the ways Catholics and Native Americans have joined to protect natural resources, and what a Jewish camp teaches kids about the environment. The 90-minute doc is great for small groups, as the eight segments can stand alone. www.renewalproject.net.
Beating the Bling
In Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire, theology professor William Cavanaugh proposes a “theological microeconomics”—but don’t let that scare you. In this slim book, he takes on the free market, consumerism, globalization, and scarcity, arguing in clear prose that Christians should foster economic practices that are in line with the gospel, not the market. He also offers concrete ways to link theology with practice. Eerdmans.
Living History
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