the Rimmer family pages

A great look at the ecumenical whole of creation, our role in it, and redeeming nature of our work.

For everyone who wants to realize that mainstream Christianity bears witness to Jesus' real political impact long before Shane Claiborne and Jim Wallis made it popular, and with much more humility and ecumenicity - please read this book.  It should be required reading for all American Christians.

This is a real necessary read for everyone who wants to believe that the choice between the current "conservative" and "liberal" views is a false choice.  Belloc shows in near prophetic clarity that both ideologies are collectivist, and that there really is a third way to economic and political freedom that doesn't involve Marx or Reagan...check it out, then read Luke and Acts again and see if it doesn't make sense!

This book is incredible.  Why should you never run to catch a train?  Faith tells us that we can live our life on purpose, but too often we get caught up living life the way it "is", not the way it "ought" to be.  Read this book for a look at the problems with the way we perceive life as it "is", through the lens of the financial world from a world class economist.  Nassim Nicolas Taleb, a Lebanese financier, is a great writer, erudite, and a profound thinker.  Read it and see if it doesn't help you break out of the bell curve that society wants to corrall you into...

A great look at an emergent revision of Natural Theology.  The notion of "Creating" is complex, the properties of the universe are complex, and there is much to learn about emperical facts and mystery in the pursuit of Truth.  Through an exploration of the Anthropic Principle, this book reframes some of the old unfruitful questions that get repeated by scientific materialists and Christian creationists who just don't know how to ask bigger and better questions...

Finally...someone who is writing about the fact that life is complex, faith is complex, and even science has its mystery...systems biology and systematic theology are ready to talk to one another.

I think that this book should be required reading for all people of faith.  From needs of forgiveness, reconciliation and healing that exist in our personal and familial lives, to world scale peace and reconciliation, Fahrenholz takes a look at the realities and possibilities for practicing true forgiveness in the image of Christ that can lead to the only lasting reconciliation and peace in our lives.

Another title from Hans Kung.  When he wrote this book, he was about ten years ahead of his time.  Now, despite many difficulties that his message encountered, I hope you'll see the truth within his words, and the prophetic vision for an applied theology that can use our faith to approach the difficulties of a globalized world with a united ethic of life.

This recommendation is for the spiritually mature.  In order to find the third way to peace, to be the peacemakers that Christ has called us to be, we need to do a great deal of active Holy Listening, and engaging in confession and absolution.  This book is an offering from a friend, a German theologian from the World Council of Churches, to try and help a country that he loves reground its footing, while reclaiming the truth of our faith from its social and national trappings.  I recommend this book for everyone...and if you are not spiritually mature, please read it with a friend as a starting point on the road to maturity.

This book helps to pull the straw out of the straw man, and get into the meat of what science and faith are truly seeking.  Allister McGrath really moves the conflict from the 19th century focus into the place where the Church and Scientific Community currently live.

An ecumenical view of hope from a faithful man willing to engage the world in a real way.

For the sake of the world, we need a way forward...here is a beautiful look at the faithful option.

This is a great book that makes some serious breakthroughs.  She is a little rough and surface with Biblical texts, but the points that she draws are dead on.  For anyone not trained in scientific background, it is actually an easier read than Francis Collins, and I think makes more salient points towards reframing the discussion.  p.s. for all of my PA people, she makes some great reflection on the Dover case, and its ruling.

If you would like to start to make sense of the discussion between science and faith, instead of letting the radicals do it for you, please read this one!

Mainly for congregational leaders...but that doesn't mean pastors, that means everybody who cares to take the lead in their community of faith.

Everybody should read this...it will only take you about two hours...