New Year, Old Territory

It's hard to believe that it's been a month since my last post and even harder to believe how much has happened in that month. I think that's what has been keeping me from starting back up the blog. Each time something else happened it would mean the next entry would be that much longer. Instead of a ridiculously long entry, I'll just give the highlights of the past month and probably go off on some tangent.

Well the end of the semester in Montevideo was relatively uneventful, filled with exams and packing. Then we hopped on a few planes for about a day (fun like you've never experienced...). About a week later I was back on a plane with my dad. We went to Utah to ski. We had great skiing and weather, even though the snow was a little low.

When we got back from Utah we had our Christmas celebrations with family and I tried to spend time with the friends I had missed for an entire semester. I didn't get to see as many as I had hoped, but there will be more chances soon enough. My break was cut short by a week by the January intensive course that I'm taking right now, Prophetic Literature of the Old Testament. I have class from 8-5 for a week for a semester's worth of credit. Anyway, it's time for the tangent that will form the bulk of this entry.

I read a few books over the break. I guess I'll go through them one by one.

1. The Messiah of Morris Avenue. This book is a modern day look at the story of Jesus. It is both hilarious and inspiring, encouraging and accusing. One of the most interesting aspects of Jay's (the modern Jesus character) teachings is his ideas on the trinity. He refers to God the Father and God the Mother. The Father is the Creator while the Mother is the Sustainer. Life would not exist without the Father and would not continue to do so without the Mother. As the son, he is the coming together of these two. It is a quick read and will really give you things to think about concerning the church today and what our mission is.

2. unChristian. This book (as many of you may already know) is the result of research into the stereotypes associated with Christians and the church today. The book does not concern itself as much with defending the church against attacks, but instead with offering possible solutions and changes to be effected within the church to make our image conform to that of Christ. Aside from showing a distinct bias toward a certain model of Christianity over others and having a distinct conservative viewpoint, this book provides a balanced look at the issues facing today's church and also features short essays by ministry leaders offering their ideas of how to become the hands and feet of Jesus.

3. The Da Vinci Code. I know, I know. It's been sitting on my shelf for years and I never got around to reading it. I have finally caught up with the world. As usual, I found myself less scandalized by a novel than some. I found the majority of it intriguing. I have always found symbology and things like the Knights Templar interesting. Also, I like the random tidbits that Brown throws into his writing (like the word sinister coming from the word for left handed people because they were considered bad). This book was not life changing. Simply an exciting, action-filled read.

4. The Unlikely Disciple. This book was reviewed by Kayla back in October which is what first turned me on to it. It is written by a journalism student from Brown who decides to transfer to Liberty University for a semester to write about the conservative evangelical side of the "God Divide". It is hilarious, sad, and even scary at times. He pulls no punches in uncovering what he finds wrong with the Christian environment that he experiences, but he also strives to find good in those around him and to humanize the people that his friends and family detest. At times I was proud to be a Christian while reading it and at other times I was ashamed to be associated with some of the behaviors of the author's classmates and professors. A wonderful and well-written book.

Well, that's all for now. I have to head back to my afternoon of more exciting prophets (That actually wasn't meant to be sarcastic. The class has been great so far.)

Blessings,
Matt