Between Chapters: What I'm Reading Now
Dear friends,
Wintertime brings its own kind of reading weather. This season, I am reading works that blend biblical thought with contemporary insight. Here are the books I am having quiet conversations with.
St. Basil of Caesarea's "On Social Justice' stands as one of early Christianity's most straightforward critiques of wealth inequality, written with notable clarity. These pages express a strong moral viewpoint. He dismantles comfortable justifications for accumulating wealth and its purpose, asserting that excess possessions should rightfully be given to the poor. A key theme he emphasizes is that hoarding resources while others suffer amounts to theft. He introduces a radical idea that challenges many of our economic beliefs about what we value and own. For Basil, withholding aid from those in need is fundamentally incompatible with our identity as followers of Jesus Christ.
Page-wise, it’s a short read, but long in thought with some provocative ideas.
Over a year ago, my sister-in-law gave me this book, and it sat on a shelf in my man cave until now. I have read other books by David Brooks, yet this one feels especially timely given what we are going through, not just here in the U.S., but globally. It’s a good read on the art of truly seeing others in a disconnected world. Brooks admits he spent much of his life getting this wrong — not paying enough attention to truly understanding others.
So far, what stands out most to me is how he makes understanding a person practical. It’s a skill that can be learned and helps all of us succeed in our relationships. Both Trudy and I are “putting eyes on it” and find it a delightful yet insightful read.
This last one is a PDF and might make you yawn. But think of it this way: if we don’t take care of our home called Earth and reverse the current trends, reading the other two books won’t matter. Caring for the poor and building meaningful relationships will pale in comparison to our survival. Just sayin’.
The report was put together by researchers and scientists on the state and welfare of the planet. I downloaded my copy yesterday and haven’t read it yet, so you’ll have to wait for my review until I slog through its 144 pages. Download your copy here: https://www.planetaryhealthcheck.org/
If reading leads to knowledge and knowledge is power (in a certain way), then knowledge gained from reading can teach us a level of self-mastery. As Seneca the Younger once said: “He is most powerful who has power over himself.”
Enjoy!
