Reading list for 2012?

One of the things I really enjoyed about 2011 was reading more than I have for a while. And I mean reading proper books, not just blogs and the like (although I do read a lot of those, too).

This year I’ve read a few of what I’d call “proper novels”. Although quite how I’m making that ‘proper’ distinction I’m not sure. It started when a nephew lent me The Book Thief. It was extraordinary. I loved it and found myself in awe of the quality of the writing. Seemed to me like nothing I’d ever read before.

Finishing that left me wanting more so I scoured the bookshelves at home to see if there was anything I’d not read, and found a copy of The Kite Runner I didn’t even know we had. Well, that, too, was simply amazing. (You’ll note these aren’t much in the way of book reviews.)

      
       Books read in 2011 (Click covers for Amazon links.)

We also had The Number One Ladies’ Detective Agency and its sequel The Tears of the Giraffe, so they were next to be enjoyed. The first one didn’t grab me as immediately as the ones I’d read before, but I warmed to it and was glad I stuck with it as the story was worth persevering with. I found the second novel even more enjoyable than the first, and hope to continue the series at some point.

And as a new year comes to a start I once again seem to have developed a bit of a book pile by my bed.

        The pile from by my bed. Where to start?

I spotted A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian in a £1 basket outside our Oxfam shop last week and couldn’t resist picking it up. I’ve started that so I’m guessing that will be the next one I get through. The Stieg Larsson Millennium Trilogy ones have been lent to me by a friend who thought I might enjoy them. I’ll find out some time this year.

The other two in the pile are theology rather than fiction. Timothy Keller’s The Reason for God was lent to me by my best friend a couple of years ago and I did start it back then but never finished it. I’ve promised him I’ll tackle it agin this year. Honest, Dave. I will. And Tom Wright’s Mark for Everyone has reached me by curious means. Someone I don’t know at all, and I’ve never met, but who is part of a family I do know, has apparently seen some of the stuff I’ve written online and thought it would be a good book for me to read. She apparently saw something I’d said “on Facebook” – but I’m not friends with her on Facebook so I’m guessing it was probably something on here linked to from Facebook via one of her family’s pages. Jane, if you see this, you know your book has reached me!

UPDATE: Just unwrapped some birthday presents and found this among them:

Not a novel, but looks great fun. 

Science and faith.

If you’ve been reading regularly (yes, I know that means not many of you) then you’ll be aware that I subscribe to the blog “Unreasonable Faith” and that it often feeds my doubts. Along with Dawkins’ God Delusion, it has been one of the main things that’s led me to struggle with all manner of things I once thought I believed in. Prayer, miracles, a creator God; all are on shaky ground. But some of you will be pleased to know that they’re not the only kind of things I read. I subscribe to many blogs on a variety of subjects, and most of my “faith and church” reading is written by ministers and the like, so I am trying to get a balanced view (although I admit that it’s Daniel at Unreasonable Faith who gets my attention more often than not).

I’m sure I’ve never been an out-and-out creationist, but what is now called “intelligent design” has probably been close to my position. (Put simply, “nature is complex, therefore it must have had a designer, therefore God exists”.) Nowadays I’m completely happy to say that Darwin’s explanations seem to be by far the most likely explanation for both origins and diversity of life – without needing a designer. But what Dawkins and those like him go on to conclude is this: because evolution is as good as certain, there can therefore be no god. And I’ve come pretty close to going along with that recently. 

The one thing that’s stopped me so far is knowing that there are many far more intelligent than I who are perfectly happy to accept evolution without rejecting God. So I’ve been looking out for explanations I can understand for how they do this. Ironically, one of the first I came across lately was indirectly a result of a link from Unreasonable Faith. Daniel posted a link to a video interview between Richard Dawkins and Derren Brown (in which Derren brilliantly debunks all manner of mediums and spiritualism), and following on from that I watched Dawkins interview with a Father George Coyne. I couldn’t follow all his reasoning, but here is a man of deep scientific conviction who seems to say what it is I feel like I’m looking for. It’s worth a watch, and you can find it on YouTube here.  (Just to warn you, though, if you watch all seven parts it’ll take about an hour. The Derren Brown interview is also worth a watch here, and it’s about as long.)

One blog I read is by Bishop Alan Wilson of Buckingham, and he recently wrote a helpful post entitled “Reading the bible 101” which caught my attention, and has pointed me in slightly different direction.

And now my own minister is in on the act, too. Not a blog (maybe we can persuade him to start one?), but his message in this month’s church Briefing was bang on the nail. I hope he won’t mind me reproducing it below…

Let’s leave silly behind. 

Galileo built himself a telescope in 1610 and made some startling discoveries. He confirmed the revolutionary theories of Copernicus, the most important of which was that the Earth circled the sun. He also discovered the scandalous fact that the moon was made of similar material to Earth. Revolution? Scandal? Why? 

The church had always taught that the earth was the centre of the universe and that the ‘heavenly bodies’ were made of different elements to the Earth. Both beliefs were based partly on mis-interpretations of the Bible. It took 359 years to establish beyond a doubt that Galileo’s discovery about the moon was true. In 1969 astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin collected 22kg of lunar samples, analysis of which confirmed Galileo’s belief. 

After the church had got over itself, no-one really doubted it was true (except perhaps Wallace and Gromit!). Current efforts to prove a 6 day creation, a young earth or even so-called ‘Intelligent Design’ does what the church did to Galileo: makes itself look silly. The Bible is God’s Word, but we need to respect it for what it is, an ancient document written by real people who had their own way of viewing the world. To expect the Bible to contain 21st century standards of scientific discovery is to make the Bible incomprehensible until now. And what will happen when a future Galileo or Darwin makes further revolutionary scientific discoveries? Our text books of today will need to be re-written, unlike God’s Word which is always relevant. 

There is no conflict between science and Christianity. The Bible answers the question, “why?” but not the, “how?” The ‘why’ is that God is infinitely loving and creative and expressed most clearly in Jesus Christ, the Word of God, who holds all of creation together. The ‘how’ will continue to be answered, but never finally because it is limited by those who try to answer it. 

So, find a new confidence to talk to your neighbours, friends and work colleagues about God, science and the natural world.  Let’s leave silly behind. 

Your pastor 

Dave Morris

So there you have it. Just a wee update to let you know that I haven’t quite fallen hook, line, and sinker for the “science has disproved god” argument. I’m still thinking about it. 

The Christian Agnostic

When I stared labelling myself as an “Agnostic Christian”, I thought I was being quite clever and original.  The full summary of my ‘religious view’ on my facebook profile says

Agnostic Christian. (Or is that Christian Agnostic? I can’t make up my mind.)

…which was supposed to be clever (can’t make up my mind. Get it?). But it should come as no surprise to me that the idea is far from original. In fact I’ve just discovered a 1965 book called The Christian Agnostic” (Leslie D. Weatherhead) that I’d rather like to get hold of. There’s a fairly long extract here, from which I shall quote just this one section:

I am writing for the “Christian Agnostic,” by which I mean a person who is immensely attracted by Christ and who seeks to show his spirit, to meet the challenges, hardships and sorrows of life in the light of that spirit, but who, though he is sure of many Christian truths, feels that he cannot honestly and conscientiously “sign on the dotted line” that he believes certain theological ideas about which some branches of the church dogmatize; churches from which he feels excluded because he cannot “believe.” His intellectual integrity makes him say about many things, “It may be so. I do not know.”

That may describe me. A bit.

Books revisited

Way back in May last year, when this blog was only just starting, I posted a list of the pile of part-read and unread books by my bedside. Nearly a year and a half later, most of the books are still there. Let’s revisit that list:

The Cloudspotter’s Guide, by Gavin Pretor-Pinney
A Christmas present from  a brother. Was about a third of the way through, and generally enjoying it though it wasn’t exactly gripping so my enthusiasm had waned. Still haven’t touched it (except when moving the pile for hoovering!) so I think it’s time to admit I’m not likely to and shelve this one.

How to Talk to Anyone, by Leil Lowndes
A very American self-help book for self confessed shy people. Cheesy, yes. But I have made use of several of her tips when in social situations (which I can find hard work at times. Yes, I’m shy at heart although very few people believe me when I try to tell them that). I had read this before and it was by my bed on a second outing. I may still dip into it from time to time.

The Case for Faith, by Lee Strobel
Recommended to my wife  by a friend, and I made a start on it once she’d finished. I’d really like to have another go at this one.

Roadcraft: the Police Driver’s Manual
Read it before. Was re-reading. Will stop now. (But I do thoroughly recommend it!)

Is God to Blame?, by Gregory Boyd
Lent to me by a friend after I first very publicly admitted I don’t understand why we pray. (Stood up and asked the question “so why do we pray?” in the middle of a sermon!)  I simply never got round to reading it and gave it back eventually.

The Baby Whisperer Solves all your Problems, by Tracy Hogg
Christmas present from Rachael’s Mum. Rachael read it all. I read bits.

The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, by Baigent, Lee and Lincoln
Bought in a charity shop after I’d enjoyed the Da Vinci Code. Still haven’t opened it.

From Birth to Five from the NHS.
Freeby dished out at the hospital when you have a baby. Never did read it all, but I guess it might be worth another look now Ainsworth is nearly 20 months old!

And needless to say there are umpteen other books I have read in the meantime. The God Delusion, of course, and I’ve made a start on The Dawkins Delusion (OK to keep hold of it a bit longer, Andy?). Most recent read was Ben Elton’s latest, Blind Faith, which was a great read.

And just this weekend I’ve picked up copies of Mark Haddon’s A Spot of Bother and The Shack, which my minister Dave has recommended. I’ll have to read  that first as it’s a library book and there’s a waiting list so I won’t be able to renew it.

Er, Bible, anyone?

The Dawkins Delusion

I’ve finally got hold of a copy of Alister McGrath’s The Dawkins Delusion. (Thanks, Andy, for the loan.)

Although I said months ago that I wasn’t sure about reading it, nothing else obvious has come my way in repsonse to The God Delusion, so I’m very glad to have something else to prompt my thoughts. I’ve not opened it yet, but once I get going I’ll try to make a point of letting coming here to make a note of what I think.

Darwin’s Angel: initial thoughts

Any concerns I had about this being “unbearably twee”, as I mentioned initially, were most certainly unfounded. It is beautifully written, intelligent, witty and profound prose and I am very glad to have picked it up.

Inevitably there are those who slate it; when I said the online reviews I’d found had been pretty positive I hadn’t yet seen those on RichardDawkins.net!

 

Finished at last

Has it really been nearly three months since I posted here? You must be wondering what on earth I’ve been up to. Well, you would be if you existed, but I don’t suppose anyone actually reads this.

Anyway, I finally finished The God Delusion. Richard Dawkins’ avowed intention is that “religious people who read this book would finish it as atheists”. So, has it worked? Am I a convert?

Not entirely.

There’s no doubt, though, that his book has left me with big questions. I’m not going to lay the blame for my doubts on Dawkins, but I can’t get away from the fact that the part of me that was beginning to question my long-held beliefs has been given plenty of ammunition. If you want a text book of Bad Things That Have Been Done In The Name Of God, read the God Delusion. Actually, I’d recommend it to anyone as a fascinating and intensely thought-provoking read.

It is entirely one-sided, however, and it has had some criticism on the strength of its logic and the gaps in its arguments, so as I mentioned previously I’ve been on the look-out for something to read afterwards to re-balance things. I’ve had a few suggestions; the obvious ones are those that have been written in direct response: Alistair McGrath’s The Dawkins Delusion and Andrew Wilson’s Deluded by Dawkins? but when I’ve looked at reviews online both books have been pretty well slated. I may pick one up at some point, but want something different at the moment. And then, while searching online last week, a title appeared that I did like the look of.

Darwin’s Angel by John Cornwell appears to take a rather different approach, calling itself “An Angelic Riposte” to Dawkins’ book, and written as a series of letters to Dawkins from Charles Darwin’s “guardian angel”. Now, I’m prepared for the fact that it could be unbearably twee, but the online reviews are much more promising. I particularly liked this extract from the reviewer in the Times:

This book is a piece of sheer heaven. It kicks Richard Dawkins’ self-aggrandising polemic, The God Delusion, into touch with featherlight footwork and is deliciously wise, witty and intellectually sharp into the bargain.

I picked it up from the library today. I’ll let you know.

Still reading. But what next?

About a third of the way through The God Delusion now, and am still pretty much agreeing with most of what Dawkins is saying. But I’m also beginning to get a bit annoyed with him at times. I’d expected a slightly more academic approach, but to my mind he seems to be meandering somewhat. Also, he’s beginning to get a bit insulting to those how have a faith. He doesn’t say so in so many words, but he often seems to apply that you’d have to by pretty stupid to believe this sort of stuff. Now I know that that’s, in one sense, the whole point of the book, but there are ways of saying things.

Andy commented that the God Dawkins is talking about is not the God of the Christian faith. I understand what he meant by that, and indeed it’s a view that I’ve had mentioned in an entirely different context once before (ie, not about Dawkins). Trouble is, in this context – and up to this point in the book – I’d say that Dawkins doesn’t claim to be talking about the Christian God specifically. It’s the whole concept of God, and the existence of any kind of spiritual realm, that he’s debating.

I’m enjoying reading it, anyway, and that’s a good thing. It’s got me thinking about God at the very least. I mentioned to one of my prayer partners (just about the only time I pray is when I meet up with two friends one morning a week before work) that I was wondering what to read next to get an opposite view. His suggestion?

“Well, there’s the Bible.”

Nice one Simon.

Reading progress

This evening I sat down and read the entire bible in one sitting. Impressive, hey?

More time-soakers

My list of books to read continues to grow. I’ve now finished a couple from my earlier list, but more have appeared in the meantime. And right now they’re all taking a back seat to the newest Harry Potter, which I’m about half way through.

I’d probably have found time to read a lot more (and, hey, maybe even pray once a while) if I hadn’t discovered Flickr. And I thought facebook soaked up a lot of time! Last night I was browsing through people’s photos before going to bed, occasionally commenting on them, and annotating some of my own and suddenly four hours had passed. FOUR HOURS.