There is nothing more enjoyable than when you combine the two things you love. I'n my case it's running and reading, the two "R" 's. A great way to stimulate both heart and mind.
You will have noticed i'n my previous post on " Repentance" that I've been reading Eugene Petersons book, " The Word Made Flesh" , which I have found to be a surprisingly good read considering the fact its been sitting on my bookshelf for a year or so.
During my run I have been listening to a series of talks that Peterson gave on prayer at the Reformed Theological College in the USA . During the introduction it was mentioned that Peterson had for many years made it a practice to read Calvins " Institutes Of The Christian Religion" through once a year. This surprised me. Of course this is by no means uncommon , the great baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon made it a practice to read through Bunyans "Pilgrims PRogress" once a year.
Is there a book that resonates and calls you to read it through once a year? Of course the bible springs to mind, even particular books like Ecclesiastes which resonates with theologian J I Packer. The one thing that these books have i'n common is that they're were all written by dead guys, other than the living word which although written by human hand's had the Holy Spirit as it's author.
C.S Lewis once said "It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones.....Keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through your mind.....by reading old books".
I find it encouraging that someone like Peterson who has received so much criticism from the conservative christian right has grounded himself i'n the thoughts of John Calvin i.e. reformed theology. Indeed how many of his critics would make it a regular yearly practice to read John Calvin? Peterson has often been lumped by his critics with those of the left like the emergent church and i realise that his endorsement of "The Shack" drew ctriticism, but how many of these same critics have actually taken the time to read his books other than his well known "The Message" bible?
You will have noticed i'n my previous post on " Repentance" that I've been reading Eugene Petersons book, " The Word Made Flesh" , which I have found to be a surprisingly good read considering the fact its been sitting on my bookshelf for a year or so.
During my run I have been listening to a series of talks that Peterson gave on prayer at the Reformed Theological College in the USA . During the introduction it was mentioned that Peterson had for many years made it a practice to read Calvins " Institutes Of The Christian Religion" through once a year. This surprised me. Of course this is by no means uncommon , the great baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon made it a practice to read through Bunyans "Pilgrims PRogress" once a year.
Is there a book that resonates and calls you to read it through once a year? Of course the bible springs to mind, even particular books like Ecclesiastes which resonates with theologian J I Packer. The one thing that these books have i'n common is that they're were all written by dead guys, other than the living word which although written by human hand's had the Holy Spirit as it's author.
C.S Lewis once said "It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones.....Keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through your mind.....by reading old books".
I find it encouraging that someone like Peterson who has received so much criticism from the conservative christian right has grounded himself i'n the thoughts of John Calvin i.e. reformed theology. Indeed how many of his critics would make it a regular yearly practice to read John Calvin? Peterson has often been lumped by his critics with those of the left like the emergent church and i realise that his endorsement of "The Shack" drew ctriticism, but how many of these same critics have actually taken the time to read his books other than his well known "The Message" bible?
Rather than following the critics we should endeavor to be like the Bereans and search for ourselves to see if these things which are written are true. What do you think?
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