By: Geoff Lee on May 14, 2017
This work resonated with me at several levels. Here are some of my key thoughts and take-aways: I have an inherent dislike of social media – always have. I am only on Facebook for this course. I do not tweet, use Snapchat, Instagram or anything else. This is not a value judgment. I…
By: Kevin Norwood on May 13, 2017
Thomas C Oden in his educational book How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind is an advocate for the recognition of Africa as a contributor to the history and future of Christianity. The phrase seedbed of early Christian thought is throughout and Oden makes a strong argument for the foundation of key principles straight from Africa. …
By: Jennifer Dean-Hill on May 12, 2017
Deep Thoughts about Deep Work As I write, I am struggling to enter into deep work. Distractions yank my concentration away from my writing, as email alerts spontaneously appear on the screen, movie background noises interrupt my thoughts, and my dog peers longingly through the glass door at me. Although I have cocooned myself…
By: Garfield Harvey on May 12, 2017
We are Jews, Gentiles, and Africans. “This is what the book is about: to state the African seedbed hypothesis in a measured way and begin to sort out the facts that support it” (p. 31). Oden’s intent is to challenge each reader to appreciate Africa’s role in shaping Christianity. He believes Africa’s role was significant…
By: Chip Stapleton on May 12, 2017
One of first things on my ‘must do’ list when we moved to Boston was visiting Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau’s iconic retreat. I initially encountered Thoreau’s Walden because the paperback version of ‘On the Duty of Civil Disobedience’ that I wanted to read as a slightly rebellious and intellectually curious middle schooler, came as part of…
By: Kristin Hamilton on May 11, 2017
There are worse places to write about deep work than sitting by the pool at a house just outside of Palm Springs, CA. Honestly, though, I struggled to concentrate this week despite finding so many things within Cal Newport’s book that could eventually be life changing for me. When I opened the book and saw…
By: Pablo Morales on May 11, 2017
Thomas C. Oden graduated into heaven last year, after a journey of spiritual inquiry and academic career that led him to write several books. Among them was the Ancient Christian Doctrine Series. Through that research Oden realized how much of our Christian theological heritage comes from ancient African theologians. This discovery surprised him, because he…
By: Phil Goldsberry on May 11, 2017
Introduction While living in New York, an Egyptian Coptic Church built (1990) a new temple in Woodbury, New York. I was amazed at their architecture and location to build their gathering place. Of great interest is the name of the church: St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Center/ St. Abraam Church. This double name ties them back…
By: Lynda Gittens on May 11, 2017
DEEP WORK: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Newport Words by Iyanla Vanzant When reading this book, Newport mentioned the phrase ‘do the work.’ (111) The words “you must do the work” kept speaking to me. It’s a phrase often used by Iyanla Vanzant. Iyanla is a Life coach for many…
By: Stu Cocanougher on May 11, 2017
Memo: As you probably know, I have been working in a church office for over 25 years. During this time, serving in youth ministry and in missions ministry fit my personality. For the most part, I can regulate my own workload. With an inbox that is always full, I can choose to move back and…
By: Aaron Peterson on May 11, 2017
African Theology Matters The stated thesis of How Africa Shaped The Christian Mind by Thomas Oden is simple. African theology matters because, “Africa played a decisive role in the formation of Christian culture” (P9). I think the real impetus for this book though is a call to young Africans to rediscover the importance and influence…
By: Claire Appiah on May 11, 2017
Thomas Oden—How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind: Rediscovering the African Seedbed of Western Christianity Introduction The late Thomas Oden was a theologian affiliated with the American United Methodist Church. He was a prolific author of major theological works relating to Christian doctrine, orthodoxy, and spirituality. Oden was formerly the director of the Center for…
By: Christal Jenkins Tanks on May 11, 2017
“Whether you’re a writer, marketer, consultant, or lawyer: Your work is craft, and if you hone your ability and apply it with respect and care, then like the skilled wheelwright you can generate meaning in the daily efforts of your professional life.”[1] My Challenge: My workday begins when my alarm wakes me up at…
By: Rose Anding on May 11, 2017
How Should a Christian Think? “Just as the twinkle of stars was reduced to nuclear explosions, and life itself to biochemical reactions, so the brain may one day be explained by the same forces that run the rest of the universe.”[1] “What’s the matter? Never mind. What is mind?…
By: Jason Kennedy on May 11, 2017
A few years ago I was invited to speak at a pastor’s conference in Rwanda. Hundreds of pastors attended from the Congo, Tanzania, Uganda and of course Rwanda. I had prepared a topic that was theological. I spoke on the role of the Holy Spirit in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. After…
By: Marc Andresen on May 11, 2017
It has become very popular recently to submit personal DNA to ancestry.com in order to explore one’s origins. Should the Church wish to engage in this process the search through our theological DNA must begin with How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind: Rediscovering the African Seedbed of Western Christianity, written by Thomas C. Oden. Oden’s…
By: Jim Sabella on May 11, 2017
Newport, Cal. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distract World. Grand Central Publishing, 2016. Summary We face distractions today that ten years ago did not exist. According to Newport, being distracted is a trend to be resisted; it is a trend that it hinders us from functioning and creating at a high level…
By: Mary Walker on May 11, 2017
“A commitment to deep work is not a moral stance and it’s not a philosophical statement – it is instead a pragmatic recognition that the ability to concentrate is a skill that gets valuable things done.”[1] Cal Newport’s book is based on the hypothesis that performing deep work is becoming increasingly rare at the same…
By: Katy Drage Lines on May 9, 2017
By page 8 I had deleted Facebook and Twitter from my phone. By the end of an evening’s read (with my sons’ video games as background accompaniment), I’d resolved the following: silence, not news or music on my drive to work, and walking to work once I move; removing the Facebook tab on my work…
By: Pablo Morales on March 24, 2017
Andrew Marin has written an insightful book. Just like an anthropologist can help us increase our cultural intelligence, Marin gives us insights into the GLBT community that can increase our ministry intelligence. In his book Love is an Orientation, the author challenges the evangelical church to engage the hurting lives of the GLBT community with…
