Why Do I need another book, now that I've already listed my five favorites?

I think I mentioned in an earlier blog that Suzi, her sister, and I had the chance to hear from Brian McLaren at Cornerstone a number of times. He’s an engaging speaker and one that I tended to agree with a lot more than not. I glanced at his books which were on sale in the merchandise tents, but decided against buying any at the Fest (they were all full price.) Plus, the one that I really wanted was sold out by the time I went looking. That book is entitled, A Generous Orthodoxy, and has a super-long sub-title which you’ll have to go to Amazon.com to find.

This past week I was working in St. Paul (as well as St. Anthony Village, Minnetonka, Edina, St. Louis Park.) The job in St. Paul was only blocks from the world’s greatest bookstore (sorry Barnes & Noble.) This bookstore is in the basement of Luther Seminary. Not only is the selection extremely wide, but all books are at least 25 percent off retail! I’ve visited the place dozens (maybe hundreds) of times over the past 30 years, and I still love it. Well, two days ago as I was leaving the remodel job in St. Paul and sitting at a traffic light, waiting for it to turn green, the book and the bookstore came to mind. I’m sure they have it, I thought. So three right turns and a u-turn (mistake) later I pull in front of the building which houses the bookstore. Covered from head to toe in white mud, I run into the building a start my search. I find it in only 5 minutes without having to ask for help. It was in the “personal theology” section, the third area I searched.

So now I’m actually reading the book. And I’m struck by many things, but one thing stands out—his style (or lack thereof.) His writing is even more jerky and parenthetical than mine! As I read, I was struck at how his constant qualifying and lame attempts at self-deprecating humor sounded vaguely familiar. In the past I have read authors whom I knew personally, and in short time I would start hearing their actual voice as I turned the pages. With this Brian character, I start to hear myself. It’s not that I’m anywhere in his league of understanding or perception, but the style is familiar. He has a lot more to say, but I sometimes find myself laughing at how he says it.

I’ll conclude with one humorous example from chapter zero (the warning that one might want to return the book before one jumps into the actual first chapter.)

Even as an English major I’m a failure. My sentences are too long. As you’ve already seen. I overuse parentheses, which many readers find highly obnoxious (and having been told this, I still yield to almost every parenthetical temptation that presents itself). And the book is laced with overstatement, hyperbole, and generalizations. . . which, as the self-refuting saying goes, always must be wrong. At least I could have footnoted reputable scholars who make the same generalizations I do, to add some aura of credibility. All good English majors know how to do this. But I seldom do so, leaving you to wonder whether I am even aware of the scholarship, or whether I’m just too lazy or ornery to give sufficient documentation, or whatever.

Besides all this he doesn’t waste his hormones growing hair either. I think I’ll enjoy the book.