By: Garfield Harvey on October 12, 2016
Was this book written as a forewarning for America’s upcoming election? Hmmm…. Before diving into the content of this book, let’s focus a little on the “why” portion of this book. The author believes there’s a “rampant sabotaging of leaders” that exist in our American society that creates a reactive atmosphere and a regressive mood…
By: Pablo Morales on October 8, 2016
SUMMARY Beauty, power, betrayal, murder. These are not words of the latest movie, but words that describe centuries of world history as captured by Peter Frankopan, director of the Centre for Byzantine Research at Oxford. In the book, The Silk Roads: A New History of the World, Peter Frankopan challenges the linear understanding of history by…
By: Jason Kennedy on October 7, 2016
I was sitting in my dorm room with 8 other men. Because I could not sleep, I decided to get out of my cot, pass the outdoor restroom and look across the river into El Paso, Texas. While El Paso is not the most cosmopolitan of towns, it is light years ahead of Anapra, Mexico. …
By: Kevin Norwood on October 7, 2016
Summary: Peter Frankopan, an accomplished academic at Oxford, where he is director of the Centre for Byzantine Research, has introduced us to a new path “the Silk Roads.” He has changed the centre of history to a new path, changing from the historical path, the that is traditionally followed. He has done this through the timely…
By: Phil Goldsberry on October 6, 2016
Introduction “Follow the money!” Has anything really changed? In Peter Frankopan’s book, The Silk Road: A New History of the World, he reiterates this very thought of money, currency, trade goods and the impact upon the world. Of greater interest is his shifting of the “center” of the world away from the “alluvial lowlands of…
By: Aaron Cole on October 6, 2016
Summary Silk Road by Peter Frankopan is a historical view of the world that is taken from a non-eurocentric perspective. Frankopan is a well noted scholar and academic from Oxford, England, where he is the director of the Centre for Byzantine Research. Frankopan ignores the common thought of the world’s history going back through the…
By: Aaron Peterson on October 6, 2016
In many ways, The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan is the quintessential book for this doctor of ministry leadership and global perspectives track. Frankopan’s stories of leaders, networks, conquests, religion, economies, and of course, his conclusion that the Silk Roads are rising again, each epitomize what we learned last year and what we are currently…
By: Marc Andresen on October 6, 2016
As we walked the stairs and passage ways of Oxford University we could hear echoes. We could hear the echo of our own footsteps and perhaps an echo of the voice of Harry Potter. But far more importantly we could and can hear the echoes of history. The walls and halls of Oxford in general,…
By: Garfield Harvey on October 6, 2016
Long ago, there was a boy by the name of Zeus, son of Cronus and Rhea. He later became the god of sky and thunder in ancient Greek religion and also ruled over the gods of Mount Olympus. He would overthrow his father and drew lots with his brother Poseidon and Hades to decide who…
By: Claire Appiah on October 5, 2016
Peter Frankopan – Silk Roads: A New History of the World Introduction Peter Frankopan, is Director of the Centre for Byzantine Research at Oxford University and Senior Research Fellow at Worcester College, Oxford. In this comprehensive and compelling book Frankopan presents a perspective of world history through the lens of the East. With superb…
By: Rose Anding on October 5, 2016
The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan Frankopan’s study reminds us that one-way systems are a recent invention. Traffic—physically and culturally—typically runs two ways, and certainly did along the Silk Roads. Introduction Peter Frankopan, the director of Oxford University’s Centre for Byzantine Research, has rethought world history while relocating all…
By: Aaron Cole on September 16, 2016
Introduction: Visual Faith: Art, Theology and Worship in Dialogue by William A. Dryness is a culturally engage look at the foundation, history and present interaction and conflict of perspectives on the subject of “visual faith” in the church. By the book’s title, Dryness defines “visual faith” as all forms of artistic expression in church past…
By: Garfield Harvey on September 16, 2016
C.S. Lewis writes that “My own eyes are not enough for me, I will see through those of others.” We often declare that faith is about seeing something before “seeing it” so the visual arts allows us to see the world in its entirety, even if it’s an “Imagined World.” In reading this book, we’ll…
By: Kevin Norwood on September 15, 2016
At Oklahoma State University in the Student Union Amphitheater every month there was a night of worship that drew students from across the campus and around the state. At these monthly meeting there was a melting pot of musicians that would collaborate to create an atmosphere of freedom and creativity to express feelings toward God. …
By: Pablo Morales on September 15, 2016
Have you ever walked into a cathedral filled with statues depicting the life of Jesus? Have you ever seen walls covered with gold as they display paintings of biblical themes? I have often seen it throughout Latin America. In most cities rooted in Spanish colonialism, there are Catholic cathedrals that display beautiful art. Yet, the…
By: Phil Goldsberry on September 15, 2016
Introduction William Dyrness grapples with what the church has allowed to enter the “eye gate” both historically and in today’s contemporary world. The arts have ranged in their gamut from being “idolic” (my own word referencing idols) to iconic. Dryness took us back in time when he stated that, “The visual culture of the early…
By: Marc Andresen on September 15, 2016
“All of Creation is a Theater for God’s Glory” [1] And with that my soul was captured. I believe this is the most vision-producing theme in William Dyrness’ book, Visual Faith: Art, Theology, and Worship in Dialogue. If we are to follow the author’s lead and encourage dialogue involving art, theology, and worship, then can…
By: Aaron Peterson on September 15, 2016
One of my favorite moments from our time in Hong Kong last year was when Martyn Percy showed us The Scorpion from Stanely Spencer’s “Christ in the Wilderness” series. Viewing this image was such a powerful experience for me. I appreciated everything Dr. Percy said as I took notes vigorously. However, what penetrated my soul…
By: Claire Appiah on September 15, 2016
Introduction William Dyrness is a prolific writer who has published works in several fields including theology and culture, apologetics, theology and art, and global missions. He has taught in the United States, Africa, and Asia. Dyrness is a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Dyrness indicates that the purpose of this book is to “extend…
By: Jason Kennedy on September 15, 2016
Twice a week, I get the great joy of picking my girls up from school. It is something I look forward to every time. There is one part of the trip that I really despise though. There is an intersection at the corner of the school that is pretty impossible to navigate. When you…
