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Book List
The Universal Christ
Richard Rohr
Convergent Books, 2019Sapiens
Yuval Noah Harari
Penguin Random House, 2014Living the Examined Life
James Hollis
Sounds True Publishers, 2018The Exquisite Risk: Daring to Live an Authentic Life
Mark Nepo,
Harmony, 2006
Amusing Ourselves to Death
Neil Postman,
Penguin Books, 2005Prayers of the Cosmos: Reflections on the Original Meaning of Jesus’s Words
Neil Douglas-Klotz,
HarperOne Paperback Reprint Edition 2009Guerrillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle
Rev. Ted Loder,
Augsburg Press, 2016Queer Virtue: What LGBTQ Know About Life and Love and How It can Revitalize Christianity
Rev. Elizabeth M. Edman,
Beacon Press, 2016Love: A History
Simon May,
Yale University Press, 2011The Great Spiritual Migration
Brian McLaren,
Convergent Books, 2016Original Thinking
Glenn Aparicio,
North Atlantic Books, 2015On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old
Parker Palmer,
Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2018Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World–and Why Things Are Better Than You Think
Hans Rosling, Anna Rosling Rönnlund, Ola Rosling,
Flatiron Books, New York, 2018Finding Purpose in a Godless World: Why We Care Even If the Universe Doesn’t Hardcover
Ralph Lewis,
Prometheus Books, Amhurst, NY, 2018Convergence: The Idea at the Heart of Science
Peter Watson,
Simon and Schuster, UK, 2016The Jazz of Physics: The Secret Link between Music and the Structure of the Universe
Stephon Alexander, Basic Books, 2016Integral Christianity: The Spirit’s Call to Evolve
Paul Smith, Paragon House, 2011Evolutionary Faith
Diarmuid O’Murchu,
Orbis Books, 2002The Holy Trinity and the Power of Three
Cynthia Bourgeoult,
Shambhala Publications, 2013I’m Right and You’re an Idiot: The Toxic State of Public Discourse and How to Clean It UP
James Hoggan with Grania Litwin,
New Society Publishers, 2016The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America
Timothy Snyder,
Tim Duggan Books, 2018Darwin, Divinity, and the Dance of the Cosmos
Bruce Sanguin,
Copper House, 2007The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief
Francis Collins,
Simon and Schuster, 2007Other Resources
The Cross and the Lynching Tree,
Rev. Otis Moss. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6985UG0Z3k&feature=youtu.bePentecost sermon
Bishop Michael Curry at the Washington National Cathedral. (https://episcopalchurch.org/posts/publicaffairs/presiding-bishop-michael-currys-pentecost-sermon-live-streamed-service)10 Positive Psychology Studies to Change Your View of Happiness
Joshua Becker, 2014
https://www.becomingminimalist.com/happierCanticle to the Cosmos
Brian Swimme, Center for the Story of the Universe DVD Series, 1996Willie Nelson, April 2017 God’s Problem Child https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMT4nJwbjAU
Richard Rohr, Center for Action and Contemplation daily blog, https://cac.org/sign-up/
Category Archives: Justice
Hanging onto Hope
It’s now been a year living with COVID 19. Every month there is a new perspective, new information, adjustments to my thinking, new questions about life as we have been living it, variants, looking forward to vaccine, and wondering what’s … Continue reading
A Thought on Telling the Truth
My wife, Sylvia, and I usually sit and talk while we have our morning coffee. Of course, we have been talking about the events of the last two days with the counting of the electoral college votes and the invasion … Continue reading
Entering Advent With Hope
Every Advent I return to my ritual of asking the question, “What does Christmas mean to me this year?” Richard Rohr’s book, The Universal Christ, helped me put words to the celebration of the coming of Jesus. In Rohr’s view, … Continue reading
Poems and Prayers and Promises
I haven’t stopped thinking but I have not been able to share it lately. Beginning with COVID and Black Lives Matter and the U.S. election I have been oppressed by negative thinking. However, today I realize that I have been … Continue reading
Synchronicity, Fantasy or the Spirit of God?
It seems like I am in a movie, or life really is stranger than fiction. It is now October and I am back inside, mostly self-isolating, wondering who I am in the midst of a pandemic, U.S. election, Black Lives … Continue reading
I Am Tired ….
Poem: I Am Tired, July 2020 I am tired of searching for meaning And reading about letting go I am tired of preaching the meaning Of proclaiming Yes and getting No I am tired of reaching for meaning In the … Continue reading
I Don’t Know How the Angel’s Woke Me Up This Morning Soon
Here I am again at 5:15 am, an hour later than I first woke up. This has become a regular wake up call and I can’t get back to sleep. What am I thinking? Why can’t I stop thinking? These … Continue reading
The Way to Emmaus and Back Again: Reflections on 41 Days After Easter:
I am wondering how you are as we move into the third month of self-isolating. Sylvia and I look out the windows of our sun room and say to each other, “It doesn’t look dangerous out there.” And then we … Continue reading
A Template of a Spiritual Journey
Using Lent as a time of contemplation has been a long tradition for me, in which I commit to a daily time of reflection and prayer. My current question is, “What does this season mean to me this year?” Usually … Continue reading
A Crisis Made In Canada: Here’s What I Was Thinking
We are experiencing an Indigenous blockade of our rail lines. The Conservatives want to use force to open up the line and the Liberals are taking another path – negotiation. What do the indigenous groups want? Do they want Canada … Continue reading
The Great ADVENTure
The cycle of the Christian year begins again. I like beginnings. It is a sign of hope and new possibilities. At the beginning of the Christmas season, Advent gives me the opportunity to explore the depths of the mystery at … Continue reading
White Privilege and Retirement
The first weekend in November I attended a workshop led by Brian McLaren who wrote the book, The Great Spiritual Migration, noted in an earlier blog. He first addressed the question, “Should I stay in the church or should I … Continue reading
Random Thoughts and Rants
My last post was August 26th. What was I thinking in the past 7 weeks? I have been stuck in a negative rant about how bad things are in the world and what can one person do anyway! When I … Continue reading
Back From Holidays
“As much as summer should remove the burden of “should” and give an invitation to rest and frolic, the world is rarely a respecter of the calendar’s mood. It’s been deeply disturbing to watch, yet again, dozens of innocent lives … Continue reading
My Foray Into Truth and Lies
For two weeks I have had the most unsettling thoughts. Usually I am optimistic and hopeful, but lately I find myself angry and frightened. And I confess I now see how naive I am about political matters. I have been … Continue reading
Thinking About Justice
On April 7th, an article in the Globe and Mail got me thinking. The article said shareholders of the Royal Bank were not happy with the “breath taking size of the CEO’s pay package” (last year $13.4 million dollars). An … Continue reading
After graduating from seminary I was in pastoral ministry for 30 years then moved into community ministry as the Founder and Director of Spiritual Directions, a not-for-profit personal and spiritual development centre in Calgary, Alberta. During this time I was also involved in offering spiritual direction and training spiritual directors at the FCJ Catholic retreat centre in Calgary. After retiring from 50 years of professional life the ground is still shifting, and my mind is still processing all the change in light of the gospel. I have decided to write this blog about what I am thinking and I hope you readers will respond with your own thoughts. I believe Truth comes to Light in dialogue as well as in the shadows and pathways of my mind.
What Was I Thinking! 