By: Katy Drage Lines on September 8, 2016
I am working under the following assumptions: those who venture to read this blog post are intelligent people; perhaps they have even read the book I review here. For whatever reason you have happened onto this post, welcome! Mortimer Adler’s classic 1940 book, updated with Charles Van Doren in 1972, guides the reader through a…
By: Lynda Gittens on September 8, 2016
It was a challenge for me to read a book about how to read a book. The author shared his points on the levels of reading, types of books, and the ways to approach reading. He stated that there were four levels of reading: elementary, inspectional, analytical, and syntopical. He dissected each level to provide…
By: Aaron Cole on September 8, 2016
Introduction: Good to Great by Jim Collins is one of the best books on leadership. Collins not only engages the reader with the simplicity and highly applicable nature of his writing, but also supports his theories and leadership principles with real data and research. Although Collins is addressing companies the application goes all the way…
By: Jim Sabella on September 8, 2016
When I saw that Adler’s and Van Doren’s How to Read a Book was listed as part of our course reading, it brought to mind an encounter I had when I first read the book several years ago. While I was reading the book on a park bench, a man came up to me and…
By: Marc Andresen on September 8, 2016
I am not interested in George Fox Evangelical Seminary producing good ministry leaders (pursuant to its mission). I am interested in the seminary applying the principles of Jim Collins’ Good to Great to its Doctor of Ministry program. If we as students were content to be part of good ministries, we would not be investing…
By: Aaron Peterson on September 8, 2016
What I like most about Good to Great and Good to Great and the Social Sectors is the call for a new way to evaluate churches and schools. It is a breath of fresh air to have someone as respected as Jim Collins essentially say that measuring churches is not about Sunday attendance and budgets.…
By: Geoff Lee on September 8, 2016
How to Read a Book – Adler and van Doren This book looks at the four different types of reading, ranging from elementary reading, to inspectional reading, to analytical reading to syntopical reading, focusing in particular detail on the latter two categories. All books are not equal, and they should be read in different ways,…
By: Claire Appiah on September 8, 2016
James C. Collins – Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t Good to Great and the Social Sectors: Why Business Thinking Is Not the Answer: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great Introduction James C.…
By: Garfield Harvey on September 8, 2016
The premise of “Good to Great and the Social Sectors” is easy to interpret and accept. Jim Collins’ thought behind this book is how to build a framework (or formula) of greatness while exposing principles that has the potential to lead to greatness. “Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, as it turns out,…
By: Rose Anding on September 7, 2016
Introduction Written by J. C. Collins and published in 2011, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap—and Others Don’t describes how companies have actually transitioned from average to huge, while also examining the other side: why this transition does not happen and why those companies end up in failure. The first book focuses…
By: Mary Walker on September 7, 2016
So, why do doctoral level students need to read a book called, “How to Read a Book”? I found out why in this engaging and enjoyable book. As an old dog at the age of 65, I still learned some new tricks. Analysis The authors, Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren explain that we…
By: Aaron Cole on September 3, 2016
This has been quite a journey and quite a year! I did not know really what to expect when I began. I would describe my academic journey as a “treadmill experience”. It began in September being a bit overwhelmed because we were dropped in the deep end. It eased with the advance, only to increase…
By: Jon Spellman on November 22, 2015
Making a distinction between morals and ethics is a bit of a brain-twister for me. I have probably always lumped them into a single thing. The reading this week has been helpful to me in distinguishing between the two, and seeing how they work together, kind of like a hand in glove. Morals can be…
By: Brian Yost on November 21, 2015
In their book The Matrix of Christian Ethics: Integrating Philosophy and Moral Theology in a Postmodern Context, Patrick Nullens and Ronald T. Michener take us on an historical journey of discovery as we explore the approaches taken to ethics and morals throughout the centuries by various philosophers. For many, ethics is based solely on…
By: Dawnel Volzke on November 20, 2015
I’ve grown up in churches for most of my life, and ethics isn’t a subject that has been widely discussed or taught. Instead, I’ve more frequently observed church leaders talk about being holy, living a pure life, and abiding by Biblical principles. Many denominations have developed church disciplines in efforts to articulate their beliefs on…
By: Travis Biglow on November 19, 2015
November 19, 15 Rebooting the Matrix of Christian Ethics I really enjoyed reading some of the philosophical ideas of Aristotle and Plato. It is incredible how they were so enlightened and were able to have insight into society and life. I think it’s a great time for Christian ethics to be rebooted and…
By: Mary Pandiani on November 18, 2015
The classic story, Les Miserables, strikes at the human heart as Fantine, a destitute young woman, must choose between a morally upright life or supporting her daughter, Cosette, and becoming a prostitute. How could a mother choose otherwise? Earlier, this theme of difficult choices begins the story as former convict, Jean Valjean is given a…
By: Phillip Struckmeyer on November 17, 2015
“Christian ethics ultimately probes our deepest sensibilities as humans an how we, as followers of Christ, go about seeking “the good” for others as well as for ourselves.”[1] I was recently in a room of about thirty Wesleyan pastors. The attendance was that of our leading practitioners in the practices of faith-based justice and compassion…
By: Nick Martineau on November 16, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. The Matrix of Christian Ethics by Patrick Nullens and Ronald Michener tackle a very difficult topic and do a good job of simplifying it for all to understand. For many, ethics are black and white. Do this, don’t do that, and all the while the actual relationship/people piece gets taken…
By: Dave Young on November 16, 2015
I know I’m not alone in my feelings of frustration, anger, and ultimately exhaustion sparked by terrorist killing of innocent people such as we saw this past weekend in Paris and Beirut. “What can I do?” is a question that sparks frustration and helplessness, while anger at the senseless loss of life is overwhelming. We…
