Chewing on a book or two . . .

There’s a common factor in thousands of my library’s books; all have been acquired as tools.

Embarking into Christian ministry in 1971 my early mentor, Pastor Marcus Goulton said;

• “John, you had a trade/craft as a typographer. Each week you worked at ‘the trade’ among your wages your employers paid an amount designated ‘tool-money’. Money above earnings to enable you to buy the personal tools needed in the ongoing pursuit of that trade/craft. Not extra cash for discretionary spending, it was dedicated to your profession.  Now you are joining in a new trade/craft. This new trade has different tools; books. You will be paid tool-money (we may call it an educational allowance) along with your salary. Buy books that will serve as tools, ones that won’t just sit on your shelves; they perch there, coming ‘on-and-off’ many times.”

I took his advice on-board. For over forty years I’ve sought to spend my tool-money in that vein, acquiring ‘literary-tools’ on a one per week average. 

Some years ago I picked up a second-hand copy of Art Gish’s s book “Living in Christian Community.” (Scottsdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1979.)

Art’s book has long had its place on my library shelves, many times over the years its “come on-and-off” that shelf. This year on a February morning it came off again, and as I scanned several points “relevant to what I’m writing in a dissertation,” a thought struck. “Is Art still alive?”

Both Google and my internalised-theology answered my question. They said; no and yes.  Sure I read about a tractor accident fatality in July 2010, but I’ve read in Art’s book too many times to settle a straight no to my question. Art’s book is a “tool forged in Christian community;” the ongoing community of my trade/craft’s pursuit. Art’s theology of community is alive, relevant, challenging, and replicating.

Just as Christian community exists in time and transcending it, so also its members.  What they have done, written or said still speaks.

The writer to the Hebrews resonates this into me (12:18-29). In that morning’s research writing, I found the longer-than-life strands of Art’s personal manifesto for living in community weaving into the argument that, “Christian spirituality is a social behaviour” – Yes for me while Art’s writing is a paper source, his words are living-source; incarnated-words in concert with the general assembly and the church/community of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.

NOW - it’s ruminating time . . .

1. While good tool-books contain theology, what processes am I allowing for their theology to be internalised?
2. How is my life developing as a “tool forged in community for others to use?”
3. When I die will the answer to “are they still with us” be no and yes?
4. What books are coming on-and-off their perches in your collections? . . . Oh, don’t say the Bible; that one lives on the desk, not the shelf!!!  . . .  Selah . . .