The Little Friar

I finished and submitted Thinking:  A Student's Introduction to Philosophy this morning.  A full month ahead of schedule!  Hopefully that means we'll see press a full month ahead of schedule.  But given editors, I won't hold my breath. So I was wondering what to write this morning.  And it occurred to me:  Perhaps a little reflection on the writing process itself.  Because, there are still three more book projects on the horizon. I've noticed that my ability to write is in direct correlation to turning off my phone alerts and staying away from the internet.  There's this mysterious correlation between my happiness as a writer and my access to technology.  The more you have of one, the less you have of the other.  The less you have of one, the more you have of the other. So this has become my writing process: Get up early.  Preferably about 3 a.m.  That's because it's quiet, and I have a chance to write without distra...

I have four different book projects in various states of completion: Faith Thinking: An Introduction to Theology for Students  will be the first to be published, probably in January 2015.  Thinking: An Introduction to Philosophy for Students  will be available in early 2015. The goal is by February.   God Gets What God Wants: Biblical & Theological Essays on Trinitarian Universalism  will be available in mid-2015. My goal is June or July.  And finally, I'm aiming for  Good News: Principalities, Powers & Preaching  to be published in late 2015 (October or November).

I'm in the midst of editing and reviewing -- for what I hope is the last  time -- my book that introduces philosophy.  Since it's written as an ordinary introduction (for high school and college students), one of my themes in editing has been simple, short sentences.  I've  been trying to use a greater variety of sentence types in my writing, and I have particularly been laboring to achieve good short sentences.  It's harder than it sounds.  I've  also begun to notice that many students could improve their writing dramatically merely by setting their sights on shorter sentences.  Many students have somehow got the assumption that scholarly writing requires a certain tone of voice.  I don’t know where this assumption comes from.  I'm inclined to blame it on the rhetorical posturing of well-meaning but fundamentally inept high school English teachers -- the kind of teacher who promotes "critique" and "decoding" of "texts" instead of e...

1.  The kindest people are the ones who've endured the greatest sadness and suffering.  Hence, the infinite kindness of God.  2.  Jesus is a 5000 piece jigsaw puzzle -- with pieces missing.  If you think you've got him figured out, you're doing it wrong.  3.  Some of us find it hard to pray.  Sometimes, it's because our minds are too busy.  But mostly, we just don't like asking for help.  4.  For the intelligent enquirer on the border of faith and  for the intelligent believer on the border of doubt:  If you need one book that demonstrates modern atheism is self-refuting, may I recommend Dawkins' The God Delusion ? 5.   Penal substitution theory of atonement  is the theological equivalent of God's anger management classes.  They didn't work.  Hence, their "Plan B": Eternal Damnation.  6.  I'm not worried about questioning the Bible.  I'm worried about the Bible not questioning us.  7...

In his simply beautiful, Dancing on the Head of a Pen:  The Practice of a Writing Life , Robert Benson, the acclaimed writer of books on life and spirituality, sets out to answer a question often posed to writers:  "Can you tell me how to write a book?"  In the 12 chapters that compose this masterpiece, Benson describes his own "practice" of a "writing life".   He's quick to point out the debts he owes to other writers.  He's cobbled together his own practice from so many sources.  He's honed his craft utilizing the tools and tricks of good reading and writing over the years.  And that craft shines in the book with all the poetic intensity of a masterpiece from a master writer.  Standing on the shoulders of so many good writers, he's learned how to write by "dancing on the head of a pen" -- reminiscent of the medieval thinkers who spoke of theology as dealing with such intricate questions as how many angels might dance on the head...