Deus Misereatur

Who Lynched Willie Earle?: Preaching to Confront Racism by William H. Willimon My rating: 5 of 5 stars Given the present environment of racial tensions in the U.S.A. there are a rising number of volumes from diverse authors rolling out of publishing houses across the country. Will Willimon, retired Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church and Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke University Divinity School, has recently added his voice with his tiny 137 page paperback “Who Lynched Willie Earle: Preaching to Confront Racism”. Though the manuscript is popularly written and small in size, it is deep in thought and significant in intention. The first four chapters of the book deals with the story of the lynching Willie Earle on February 17, 1947, and the critical analysis of the only local sermon preached by a white pastor the following Sunday (Hawley Lynn). The remainder of the material covers the place and problem of racism as well as pre...

The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle My rating: 4 of 5 stars Quite a fun fictive piece. It runs in the same stream of progressive positivism that prevailed at the turn into the 20th century. It follows much of a similar trajectory as Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth," but instead of going into the earth, it rises to the center of South America. "The Lost World" also plays out the fallacious mindset that fed much of the early Darwinian evolution of the day; especially its racial superiority. This appears to be the culture milieu that many imbibed in at the time, such as Theodore Roosevelt and Sir Julian Huxley, to name a few. But all of that said, it was a fun fictive piece written in the style one comes to enjoy in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story line holds all of the way through the tale, and ties together in a tidy piece. I happily recommend the book, especially if you're looking for an entertaining read. View all my reviews

“ Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed ” (Revelation 15.3-4).  O Eternal God, through whose mighty power our fathers won their liberties over two centuries ago; grant, please, that we and all the inhabitants of this land may have grace to maintain those liberties in righteousness and peace through Jesus Christ our Lord. We ask you to over-rule the brutal savagery raging in many nations, as well as the legitimization of slavery, prostitution and the harassment of your Church. We affirm with Scripture that the hearts of national leaders, to include President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan; King Felipe VI of Spain; and President Maithripala Sirisena of Sri Lanka , are streams of water in your hand, O LORD, and that you turn them wherever...

O Lord, make us have a perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Preserve those who are heading to Carnegie tomorrow. Thank you for the opportunity you provided for us; now provide us safe travel; enrich our service projects; bring our VBS time to have a powerfully positive impact on the kids; and give physical and emotional resilience in all we do that we may come back singing your praises. On behalf of your Church throughout the world, as well as Westmoore Community Church; Wheatland Methodist Church; Wildewood Christian Church; and Word of God Church , we pray. Show yourself strong on behalf of those who are suffering for righteousness sake, show them a sign of your favor that those who hate them may see it and be put to shame, because you have helped and comforted your people (Psalm 86.17). Reclaim those who have lost their way...

Research of Martial Arts by Jonathan Bluestein My rating: 4 of 5 stars “Research of Martial Arts” is compiled by Jonathan Bluestein, author, martial arts teacher and founder of the Tianjin Martial Arts Academy where he teaches the traditional Chinese martial arts of Xing Yi Quan and Pigua Zhang. This 418 page monograph is a massive manual clearly composed over several years. It is ideally suited for martial artists looking for detailed and technical background information on external and internal martial arts. “Research of Martial Arts” has three sections, one that is highly didactic, a second that is reflective and the final which is a record of six in-depth interviews with master martial artists. Bluestein meticulously weighs the pros and cons of the external and internal styles. Though it is clear that the author’s own preference is for the internal arts, yet he gives due consideration to the external and acknowledges “that there is no right or wrong in different approaches to tr...

Jesus told us, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15.16). Let us pray: Holy Father, you who are the benchmark, the high water mark of all true fathering: we are grateful for our fathers, especially when their firm love and care reverberated harmoniously with the melody of your own fatherhood. Help us to rightly honor our fathers and their memories. For those fathers in our lives who missed the mark – or worse – grant them to find you a true Father in Jesus Christ; repair that which they scarred or marred or broke, and heal the wounds. For the fathers in our fellowship we ask you to guide us by your fatherly hand that we will be – more and more – a noble and wholesome reflection of you to our children, whether they are still at home or out on their own. Lord God of Hosts, the whole earth is filled with your ...

O Lord, we adore you with the words of the prophet Isaiah who said, “ O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure ” (Isaiah 25.1). On behalf of your Church throughout the world, for this congregation along with Unity Baptist Church; University Fellowship Church; Victory Church; Victory Missionary Baptist Church; Village Baptist Church; Ware Chapel; and Waterloo Church of the Nazarene ; we pray. For those of your people who are suffering for righteousness sake, show yourself strong on their behalf. With those who have lost their way and exchanged your glory for their own greed or their own reputation, reclaim them; for those who are working and toiling, spending and being spent for your honor, fill up what is lacking and cause your work to prosper in their hands. May your protection be on our commissioners as they head to General Assembly, and when they return home. May the ri...