The Canon Re-loaded: Part 2 (6-10):
So now that you've had time to examine,
consider, and agree or disagree with the first five selections of
our 21st century postmodern canon, its time to announce the second
set of books that have "made the cut".
Of course we say this with tongue in cheek to some extent. After
all, as we pointed out with our first five selections, there are
probably another 40 books that are just as deserving as the ones
we've selected. Again, that's why we're referring to this as a postmodern canon- rather than the postmodern canon.
By the way, we are selecting this list as we go along. So if you
know of a book you think should be included in this collection then
be sure to email us with your choice. For all you know your selection
may be the swing vote.
To clarify the point of the exercise, these are the second set of
five books (from a total of 40 to be selected) that we think are
particularly useful in informing Christians about the issues facing
those "in ministry" (which in reality- should be all of
us- in some form or shape) in our contemporary postmodern mileu.
Postmodern Collection:
(1-5) (6-10) (11-15) (16-20)
A Primer on Postmodernism - Stanley J. Grenz
If you haven't guessed by now, this magazine, as well as countless other websites and publications spend a lot of time, space and energy dealing with the issue of postmodern culture. For those looking for a starter-book to introduce the topic in general, Stanley Grenz's A Primer on Postmodernism is considered a real classic. This book is great for grasping the metanarrative in which postmodernism was and is being born and how this is and will affect Christian ministry.
The Cost of Discipleship - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Some of the books we've included in our "top 50" are there because they are timely for contemporary culture. Others, such as this one, are there because they contain a message that is truly timeless. In the midst of seeker-sensitive approaches to ministry and outreach, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's
The Cost of Discipleship is a needed reminder that sacrifice is not an unfortunate consequence of following Jesus, but rather a vital aspect of faith and spiritual formation.
Leadership and the New Science - Margaret J. Wheatley
Ever since the dawn of the industrial era the modernist expression of institutional Christianity has spent much time and effort defining a leadership structure that can be likened to a machine or a mechanical process. Margaret Wheatley has cast a vision for a decidedly different leadership model- that being the organic structure we find in the created world. Wheatley encourages us to let the Body of Christ exist naturally- like an ecosystem more so than a factory.
New Seeds of Contemplation - Thomas Merton
In the midst of re-imagining ministry and outreach in a postmodern context, indivuduals can sometimes lose sight of the fact that silence and solitude are necessary aspects of our lives and our ecclesiology. Thomas Merton's New Seeds of Contemplation is a classic for this genre. Merton wrote this book in the 1960's as he saw individuals being swallowed up in the mass hystreria of an increasingly godless society. This book seems just as, if not even more, relevant today in our hyper-connected, yet spiritually bankrupt media culture.
The Prophetic imagination - Walter Brueggemann
Just as the Church somtimes need a new prophetic word cast in order to revitalize its sense of vision and mission, so to does the spirit of prophecy sometimes need a re-imagining of its role within the Church and within society. Walter Brueggemann's The Prophetic Imagination reminds us of the vital role a prophetic (i.e. Kingdom-coded) expression has had throughout the early history of the nation of Israel, through church history- and continues to have today.
