So much is new

Personally, the harbinger of the new year is not the calendar, but the taste of sour eggnog.  Eggnog only seems to go bad after the new year.  But never before.

The library is ringing in the new year with stacks of new books, and stacks of promises.  Since the fall of 2010, and continuing through winter, new materials are populating the shelves.  Click here – or the New Items tab — to see the latest.  And thanks to an extremely generous gift (thanks to the giver, actually), we are building a “first-class” DVD collection that will include feature films, author talks, documentaries, and flicks for the family.

Here are a couple new books available now:

The Wisdom of Stability: Rooting Faith in a Mobile Culture by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove explores how “staying put” — a once common idea, now laughable — may be essential to a life of faith.

Louise Knight’s remarkable biography, Jane Addams: Spirit in Action, describes Addams’s journey from a Victorian upbringing to her inspirational work as a pacifist, advocate for the poor, lobbyist for women’s rights, and Nobel Peace Price recipient.

Be on the look out for new fiction, books for teens, and, of course, DVDs!

Librarians are Librarians

A sad blog subscriber

The six of you who “keep up” with this site deserve an apology for the dearth of information trickling your way.  Nevertheless, this librarian was encouraged by, of all things, a blog post about what we might call the “librarian-ness” of the librarian.  Turns out librarians are selling themselves as “web designers, information architects, web searchers, information scientists, user experience experts, and on and on, when each of those things is already a profession filled with people who make a stronger claim to it than we do” [1].  We are not those things.  We are librarians.

What that means is not easy question to answer:  “There has been intense pressure on librarians for decades to focus on technology at the expense of something that is now difficult even to remember.”

Rory Litwin, the post’s author, suggests that great librarians we’ve known seem to testify to the full character of a good librarian:

a combination of an enthusiastic desire to help, good communication skills, insight, general knowledge (not to be underestimated in its importance), and a compound of skills at connecting the dots between the particularities of users, their needs, the clues, the relevant bits of knowledge in memory, the access points, the information structure, and the hermeneutics and heuristics of helping.

The picture here is rare because the librarian begins to look like one of the few professional non-specialists.  Many professionals have been trained toward expertise within disciplines, e.g, writing a dissertation on something no one has ever written a dissertation on before.  But the librarian feigns speciality in order to serve a community, because a community by definition is multi- and inter-disciplinary.  We need expertise, the stones, but we also need cement.

There is a great deal more to say about the utter necessity (yes) of the librarian and other non-specialists.  But we have difficulty imagining what that might be because of Jesse Shera’s observation in the earliy eighties, “Librarians persist in sublimating librarianship to the lure of the machine.”  This coming from a man who made his first great impact on the library world in the realm of automation.

His view of librarianship was in part based on the idea that automation should give librarians time to focus our attention on the problems of communities and their information needs, and how to connect to them, freeing us from technical busywork. He lived long enough, however, to see the profession become machine-oriented and dedicated to refining these tools of efficiency.

The problem is obviously not the technology, per se, but the eclipsing of the librarian’s full work by the tools she uses.

So when there those long blog silences inevitably arise, take heart — I’m being a librarian.

Note:

[1] Rory Litwin, “Our niche and how to get back into it” Library Juice, August 18, 2010, http://libraryjuicepress.com/blog/?p=2349

“And all is seared with trade; Bleared, smeared with toil”

NASA/MODIS Rapid Response Team

OIL,

CREATION,

and EASTER

Every day for nearly two weeks, 5,000 barrels of crude oil have been spilling into the Gulf of Mexico with no clear way to stop it.  Some are calling this America’s worst ecological disaster.

With Earth Day not long behind us, we are perhaps more sensitive to these catastrophes than otherwise.  For Christians, this is the season of Easter in which we celebrate not only the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but also the beginning of the redemption of all things, including, somehow the Gulf of Mexico and her coasts.

The library has several resources that speak to the way in which faith informs our life in creation.  None may be more “timely” than a nineteenth-century poem called “God’s Grandeur” by Jesuit priest and early modern poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins.

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
And all is seared with trade; Bleared, smeared with toil;
And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs —
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

Find Hopkins’ collected poems at the library here.  A biography and novel about his life are also available.

Bibliography: Practicing Christian Community in the World

In October we posted a series of bibliographies related to practicing Christian community.  This month (see calendar), NCFL Network and Friend of the Library Coordinator, Rafael Ubico, will be teaching a class called “Practicing Christian Community in the World.”  We would thus like to remind readers of these bibliographies (find them by clicking here: 1, 2, 3, 4).

Christians, Health, Medicine, and Community

Last Fall theologian and professor William Cavanaugh joined us to speak on two topics, consumerism and torture.  In the discussion on torture Dr. Cavanaugh made a thought-provoking comment on the healthcare debate.  He noted that the discussion is primarily about choice, not really about health — about what health looks like for individuals and communities.

With the passing of the healthcare bill in Congress, Christians in our community (Northern Colorado) disagree on the bill’s significance.  But the question of what it means to be healthy, and how medicine and communities contribute to or detract from health, is still open.

On Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. in April, Rafael Ubico will be leading a course called, “Practicing Christian Community in the World.”  This is an excellent opportunity for Christians to learn about how healthy communities are built and how they foster healthy individuals.  While Rafael does not plan to focus on medical issues, his class will help establish a framework for the ethics of health, care, and medicine, among other ethical issues.

The library also has several books on topics related to Christians, health, medicine and community.  Below are just a handful of our newer books.

With the passing of the bill, perhaps it is time to undertake a sustained, informed, and substantive dialogue on health in our community.

Bibliography: Community, health, medicine

241.64957 WAT Waters, Brent. This mortal flesh: incarnation and bioethics. Grand Rapids, Mich: Brazos Press, c2009.

248.482 VAN Vanier, Jean. Community and growth. Mahwah, NJ: Paulest Press, c1989, 2003.

248.861 DAW Dawn, Marva J. Being well when we’re ill: wholeness and hope in spite of infirmity. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Books, c2008.

261.561 SHU Shuman, Joel James. Reclaiming the body: Christians and the faithful use of modern medicine. Grand Rapids, Mich: Brazos Press, c2006.

261.70973 WAL Wallis, Jim. Who speaks for God?: an alternative to the religious right–a new politics of compassion, community, and civility. New York: Delacorte Press, 1996.

261.8 JAC Jacobsen, Dennis A. Doing justice: congregations and community organizing. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, c2001.

261.832 SCH Food & faith: justice, joy and daily bread. Denver, CO: Living the Good News, c2002, 2006.

261.8324 HAU Vanier, Jean and Stanley Hauerwas. Living gently in a violent world: the prophetic witness of weakness. Downers Grove, Ill: IVP Books, c2008.

306.0973 BER Berry, Wendell. Sex, economy, freedom & community: eight essays. New York: Pantheon Books, c1993.

306.3 McK McKibben, Bill. Deep economy: the wealth of communities and the durable future. New York: Times Books, 2007.

363.80973 WIN Winne, Mark. Closing the food gap: resetting the table in the land of plenty. Boston: Beacon Press, [2009], c2008.

Within any library are the seeds for the overthrow of the world: Twelve Theses on Faith Libraries

Australian theologian Ben Myers has posted “Twelve Theses on Faith Libraries” on his blog, Faith and Theology. We read a few of these at the Faith Library Seminary in February and they seemed to be a big hit.  Here are a few:

2. When you think of librarians, you may imagine those bespectacled mild-mannered characters with their index cards and carbon paper and obsolete black-and-green computer screens. Librarians often contrive for themselves this Luddite image. But they are in truth the most progressive and visionary figures in the whole university: like bloodhounds, always hot on the trail of the future. Their demure appearance is a cunning disguise which allows them to perpetrate their radicalism all the more effectively. It is a camouflage net thrown over an armoured vehicle.

…

5. In all the world there is nothing more dangerous than a library. Within any library are the seeds for the overthrow of the world. What bloody revolution cannot be traced back finally to a library? Or to some book that lay waiting through silent centuries for the day when it would be unsheathed? The rule of silence – upheld in all libraries since time immemorial – is a ruse. It is the silence of a tiger crouching in the reeds.

…

10. Every head librarian is (or ought to be) vested with virtually unlimited executive powers. The library is one of those institutions in which benevolent dictatorship is not only desirable but essential. The head librarian is the captain of a ship at sea: her word alone is law. The importance of these executive powers lies in the fact that the librarian is answerable only to the collection, just as the pope is answerable only to God and a ship’s captain only to the devil.

The application of these theses to faith libraries makes them perhaps more potent.  Very often, in times of great trouble, faith literature — or the faith expressed in great literature — is the only hope people find.

Bibliography: Celtic Spirituality

Beginning March 7 at 10:45 a.m., FUMC’s faith formation committee is sponsoring a four-week course on Celtic Spirituality.  Below is an extensive bibliography for those interested in further reading.

(1) Celtic Prayers and Blessings:

Carmichael, Alexander. Carmina Gadelica, 2009, BiblioBazzar.

De Wall, Esther. The Celtic Vision: Prayers and Blessings from the Outer Hebrides, 1993, Darton Longman & Todd. (See Note 1.)

The Northumbria Community. Celtic Daily Prayer, with Introduction by Richard J. Foster, 2002, HarperCollins.

Sawyers, June Skinner. Praying with Celtic Saints, Prophets, Martyrs and Poets, 2001, Rowan & Littlefield.

(2) Books of Daily Readings with Entries on the Irish Patron Saints:

Ellsberg, Robert. All Saints: Reflections on Saints, Prophets and Witnesses for Our Time, 1998, Crossroad. (See Note 1.)

Peacock, Larry James. Openings: A Daybook of Saints, Psalms and Prayer, 2003, Upper Room Books. (See Note 1.)

(3) The Fantasy Novels of George MacDonald (see also list of Internet resources at end):

Titles in the NCFL library at FUMC: The Christmas Stories of George MacDonald, The Fisherman’s Lady, The Marquis’ Secret, The Shepherds Castle, Sir Gibbie (See Note 2.)

Other republished titles:

Lilith, Introduction by C. S. Lewis, 1981, Eerdmans, William B.

Phantases, Introduction by C. S. Lewis, 1981, Eerdmans, William B.

The Princess and Curdie, 1996, Penguin.

The Princess and the Goblin, 1997, Penguin.

The Complete Fairytales, 1999, Penguin.

George MacDonald Treasury, Glenn Kahley (ed.), 2007, Kahley House.

(4) Books by J. Phillip Newell, Church of Scotland minister and former Warden of Iona Abbey:

Listening for the Heartbeat of God: A Celtic Spirituality, 1997, Paulist Press. (See Notes 1 and 2.)

Celtic Prayers from Iona, 1997, Paulist Press.

One Foot in Eden: A Celtic View of the Stages of Life, 1999, Paulist Press.

The Book of Creation: An Introduction to Celtic Spirituality, 1999, Paulist Press.

Celtic Benediction: Morning and Night Prayer, 2000, Eerdmans, William B.

Sounds of the Eternal: A Celtic Psalter, 2002, Eerdmans, William B.

Celtic Treasure: Daily Scriptures and Prayer, 2005, Eerdmans, William B.

Christ of the Celts: The Healing of Creation, 2008, Wiley, Johns & Sons.

(5) Books by John O’Donohue, Irish poet and philosopher who died in 2008 at the age of 52:

Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom, 1998, HarperCollins.

Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong, 2000, HarperCollins

Beauty: The Invisible Embrace, 2004, HarperCollins

To Bless the Space Between Us, 2008, Doubleday Religious Publishing Group

(6) Books by Thomas O’Loughlin, Research Associate at the School of Celtic Studies in the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies:

St. Patrick: The Man and His Works, 1999, SPCK Publishing.

Journeys on the Edge: The Celtic Tradition, 2000, Orbis Books.

Celtic Theology: Humanity, World and God in Early Irish Writings, 2000, Continuum.

Discovering Saint Patrick, 2005, Paulist Press.

(7) Other Books on the Celtic Saints:

Adamnan of Iona. The Life of Saint Columba, Translated with Introduction by Richard Sharpe, 1995, Penguin.

Bitel, Lisa M. Landscape with Two Saints: How Genovefa of Paris and Brigit of Kildare Built Christianity in Barbarian Europe, 2009, Oxford University Press.

Bradley, Ian. Columba: Pilgrim and Penitent, 1996, Wild Goose Publications.

Columba. The Altus of Saint Columba, 2009, BiblioBazzar.

Condren, Mary. The Serpent and the Goddess: Women, Religion and Power in Celtic Ireland, 1989, Harper & Row.

Duinn, Sean O. The Rites of Brigid: Goddess and Saint, 2005, Columbia Press.

Dunville, David N. Saint Patrick: A.D. 493-1993, 1999, Boydell & Brewer.

Menzies, Lucy. Saint Columba of Iona, 2009, BiblioBazzar.

Terrell, Heather. Brigid of Kildare, 2010, Random House (an historical novel).

Tobin, Greg. The Wisdom of St. Patrick: Inspirations from the Patron Saint of Ireland, 2004, Fall River Press.

Ward, Marie. The Confession of St. Patrick, 1996, Triumph.

(8) Other Books on Celtic History and Spirituality:

Bradley, Ian C. Celtic Christian Communities: Live the Tradition, 2001, Woodlake Publishing.

Cahill, Thomas. How the Irish Saved Civilization, 1996, Knopf Doubleday.

Davies, Oliver (trans.), in collaboration with Thomas O’Loughlin. Celtic Spirituality, 2000, Paulist Press. (See Note 2.)

De Waal, Esther. The Celtic Way of Prayer: The Recovery of the Religious Imagination, 1999, Random House.

De Waal, Every Earthly Blessing, Rediscovering the Celtic Tradition, 1999, Church Publishing.

Leech, Kenneth. Soul Friend, 2001, Morehouse.

Lewis, C. S. George MacDonald, 2001, Harper Collins.

MacEowen, Frank. Mist-Filled Path: Celtic Wisdom for Exiles, Wanderers and Seekers, 2002, New World Library.

Sellner, Edward C. Stories of the Celtic Soul Friends: Their Meaning for Today, 2004, Paulist Press.

van de Weyer, Robert (ed.), The Passionate Religious Vision of Ancient Britain and Ireland, 1991, Doubleday Religious Publishing Group.

van de Weyer, Robert. The Letters of Pelagius: Celtic Soul Friend, 1995, Arthur James.

Internet Resources

Entries for “Saint Patrick,” “Brigid of Kildare,” “Columba” and “George MacDonald” in the Wikipedia free online encyclopedia.

Thinking Faith – “Celtic Spirituality: Just what does it mean?” by Liam Tracey:

www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/20080314_1.htm

New Advent – The Catholic Encyclopedia (relevant searches):

www.newadvent.org/cathen/index/html

The Iona Community:

www.iona.org.uk

Northumbria Community:

www.northumbriacommunity.org

Christian Classics Ethereal Library – Online full-text Christian classics. See entries for Patrick (Confessions of St. Patrick) and MacDonald, George (various titles):

www.ccel.org/index/author-A.html

Notes

1. These books were used as source materials in preparing the study guide for the course.

2. These books are available for checkout at the Northern Colorado Faith Library at First United Methodist Church.

Bibliography: Christian Mysticism

Simone Weil, a modern mystic

Beginning this Sunday (January 24) at First United Methodist Fort Collins, Martha Conant (Adult Education), and Rev. Ray Miller will lead a four week class on Christian Mysticism (ending February 14).

Below is comprehensive bibliography on mysticism in the Christian tradition compiled by Rafael Ubico, a frequent contributor here.  The books marked with an asterisk (*) are available in the Northern Colorado Faith Library for check out.

MODERN BOOKS ON CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM

Woods, Richard. Understanding Mysticism, Image Books, 1980.

Dupre, Louis. The Deeper Self: An Introduction to Christian Mysticism, Crossroad, 1981.

Flinders, Carol Lee. Enduring Grace: Living Portraits of Seven Women Mystics, HarperSanFrancisco, 1993.

Tamburello, Dennis. Ordinary Mysticism, Paulist Press, 1996.

McIntosh, Mark A., Mystical Theology: The Integrity of Spirituality and Theology, Blackwell, 1998.

Fanning, Steven. Mystics of the Christian Tradition, Routledge, 2001.

King, Ursula. Christian Mystics: Their Lives and Legacies throughout the Ages,* Hidden Spring, 2001.

McGinn, Bernard and Patricia Ferris McGinn. Early Christian Mystics, Crossroad, 2003.

McGinn, Bernard. The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism, Modern Library, 2006.

Sample, Tex. Earthy Mystics: Spirituality for Unspiritual People,* Abingdon Press, 2008.

DEVOTIONAL BOOKS WITH READINGS ON CHRISTIAN MYSTICS

Foster, Richard J. and James Bryan Smith. Devotional Classics, HarperSanFrancisco, 1993.

Ellsberg, Robert. All Saints: Daily Reflections on Saints, Prophets and Witnesses for Our Time, Crossroad, 1998.

Foster, Richard J. and Emilie Griffin. Spiritual Classics,* HarperSanFrancisco, 2000.

Bread & Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter,* Plough Publishing, 2003.

THE CLASSICS OF CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM

Arranged Chronologically by Author

Gregory of Nyssa (330-395). Life of Moses

Augustine of Hippo (354-430). Confessions*

Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (5^th Century). The Mystical Theology, The Divine Names

Climacus, John (525-606). Ladder of Divine Ascent

Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022). Hymns of Divine Love, Three Theological Discourses

Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153). On Loving God, Sermons on the Song of Songs

Hildegard of Bingen (1058-1179). Scivias (Know the Ways), Illuminations

Francis of Assisi (1181-1226). Canticle of Creation, The Little Flowers of St. Francis

Clare of Assisi (1193-1253). Letters, Form of Life (Rule), Testament

Beatrice of Nazareth (1200-1268). Seven Ways of Holy Love

Mechthild of Magdeburg (1210-1282). The Flowing Light of the Godhead

Bonaventure of Bagnoreio (1221-1274). The Journey of the Mind to God

Marguerite of Porete ( ? – 1310). The Mirror of Simple Souls

Eckhart, Meister (1260-1329). Talks of Instruction, Sermons

Gregory Palamas (1296-1359). Triads in Defence of Holy Hesychast

Rolle, Richard (1300-1349). The Fire of Love

Tauler, Johannes (1300-1361). Sermons

Suso, Henry (1300-1366). Little Book of Eternal Wisdom, Little Book of Truth, The Exemplar

Unknown. Theologia Germanica (mid 14^th century)

Hilton, Walter (1340-1396). The Ladder of Perfection

Julian of Norwich (1342-1416). Revelations of Divine Love, Showings

Kempe, Margery (1373-1438). The Book of Margery Kempe

Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471). The Imitation of Christ*

Unknown. The Cloud of Unknowing* (late 14^th century)

Nicholas of Cusa (1401-1464). The Letters of Mystical Theology, On the Vision of God

Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510). Life & Doctrine, Purgation & Purgatory, The Spiritual Dialogue

Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556). Spiritual Exercises, Autobiography

Teresa of Avila (1515-1582). The Interior Castle, Life (autobiography)

John of the Cross (1542-1591). Dark Night of the Soul,* Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Living Flame of Love*

Frances de Sales (1567-1622). An Introduction to the Devout Life, Treatise on the Love of God

Boehme, Jakob (1575-1624). The Way to Christ

Brother Lawrence (aka Herman, Nicolas) (1611-1691). The Practice of the Presence of God*

Pascal, Blaise (1623-1662). Pensees*

Fox, George (1624-1691). The Journal of George Fox

Madame Guyon (1648-1717). Short & Easy Method of Prayer, Song of Songs of Solomon, Spiritual Torrents

de Caussade, Jean-Pierre (1675-1751). The Sacrament of the Present Moment, Abandonment to Divine Providence

Unknown. The Way of the Pilgrim, The Pilgrim Continues His Way (19^th century)

Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897). The Story of a Soul

Underhill, Evelyn (1875-1941). Mysticism

Teilhard de Chardin, Pierre (1881-1955). The Phenomenon of Man,* Hymn of the Universe, The Divine Milieu

Stein, Edith (1891-1942). The Science of the Cross, Knowledge & Faith, The Hidden Life

Hammarskjold, Dag (1905-1961). Markings

Weil, Simone (1909-1943). Waiting for God,* Encounters with Christ

Merton, Thomas (1915-1968). The Seven Storey Mountain,* New Seeds of Contemplation*

Keating, Thomas (1923-      ). Intimacy with God: An Introduction to Centering Prayer, Open

Mind Open Heart,* Invitation to Love: The Way of Christian Contemplation*

Nouwen, Henri (1932-1996). The Return of the Prodigal Son,* The Road to Daybreak*

PUBLICATION SERIES OFFERING ACCESS TO MANY OF THESE CLASSICS:

Classics of Western Spirituality, Paulist Press

Western Philosophy and Religion, Dover Publications

Modern Spiritual Masters, Orbis Books

Classics for Everyone, New City Press

Full-text copies can also be found online at: http://www.ccel.org/index/classics.html

* Books available for check out in the Northern Colorado Faith Library at FUMC

Schuster Writes Again

Rev. Charles Schuster, Senior Minister of First United Methodist Church of Fort Collins–this library’s supporting congregation–, has an article in this winter’s issue of The Progressive Christian. Charles’s writing appeared previously in TPC in April 2009 (see the blog post here).

Rev. Schuster’s article, “The Rethinking Lurch”, is an old minister’s perspective on rethinking church.  He notes that every decade since the 1960s has been marked by a shift in thinking about church.  In response to denominational panic over annihilation, he writes, “We have forgotten that our purpose is not to survive but to save the world from itself.”

The Northern Colorado Faith Library is a consequence of FUMC’s concern for the world.  Members of First United took a risk to build a library and share it with the community, when they could have invested in more pragmatic ways in their own long term survival.  It was preposterous and dangerous, but it’s consistent with a church working to save the world from itself.

Grawemeyer Awards

Every year the University of Louisville, in conjunction with Louisville Seminary, gives awards to outstanding books in five areas.  This year’s winner in religion is Eboo Patel for his memoir Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation.

Patel was born in India to a Muslim family and immigrated to Chicago as a child. As a teenager, he struggled with what he saw as a lack of religious pluralism in America. His experiences prompted him to launch a movement in 1998 called Interfaith Youth Core, an organization that helps young people build cooperative relationships among youth of different faiths.

Not only is Patel’s book in the library collection, but the previous four winners are too: Honest Patriots: Loving a Country Enough to Remember Its Misdeeds by Donald Shriver Jr. (2009); Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics by Margaret Farley (2008); Blood Done Sign My Name by Timothy Tyson (2006); and Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (2006).

Check to see if which are checked out by clicking the title.