Two Kinds of Love: Martin Luther’s Religious World by Tuoma Mannermaa
Tuoma Mannermaa comes out of the Finnish Lutheran tradition, which has been heavily influenced by the Eastern Orthodox tradition because of Finland’s close proximitely to Russia. In this book Mannermaa focuses on Luther’s distinction between Human love and God’s love.
One of the joys of reading this book is that Mannermaa provides a clear and concise explanation. He is not long winded and I found myself highlighting regularly. I always wonder about theologians who feel the need to write massive volumes in which there are only a few memorable quotes. This is not the case with Mannermaa. He gets right to the point in the opening pages and then expounds. It is no wonder that in the intro to this book it states that “It is quite appropriate to talk about a ‘Mannermaa school.’” His ability to explain difficult concepts has captured the attention of many scholars who wish to emulate such an excellent theologian.
Best of all Mannermaa often uses Luther’s own written material and then expounds on it. In the first chapter this one quote by Luther and further explanation provides an excellent example of this. Luther states, “God’s Love does not find, but creates, that which is lovable to it. Human Love comes into being through that which is lovable to it.” Mannermaa goes on to explain that “God’s Love is directed toward that which is empty and nothing, in order to create something of it and to make it exist in the first place…Human Love by contrast turns itself or is oriented toward that which already ‘is’ something in itself and as such is good and beautiful.” In other words God creates something out of nothing, and that nothing is found in weakness, hate, envy etc. God’s Love is oriented toward that which we find unlovable whereas we can only love that which is beautiful and good to us. On top of that we cannot create out of nothing.
If you are interested in a book that takes a look at Love through the lens of justification by faith through grace this is the book for you.
Experience and Faith: The Signifigance of Luther for Understanding Todays Experiential Religion by William Hordern
First off if you enjoy reading deep yet well written and accesable tehology Bill Hordern is your man. He has an uncanny ability to take complex issues and write about them in ways that are both enjoyable to read and intellectually stimulating. The title pretty much explains what the book is about and here are a few quotes to wet your whistle.
Feubach in The Essence of Christianity argues that all theology is really anthropology. God is humanity written large, a projection of human nature onto a heavenly screen. As Barth sees it, the attempt to know God through one’s own experience is always vulnerable to this analysis. (26)
The point we are making is that to concentrate on our own experience is to give only information about how we feel. This has its interest and importance. But it cannot be claimed that it gives knowledge of a reality apart from ourselves. (35)
For Luther the experience of God was real and important. But true and abiding assurance can no more come from looking at our personal experience than it can come from looking at the good works we perform. Assurance comes only when we look outside of ourselves to the objective work that God has done and is doing. Faith, therefore, is never a feeling of assurance for such feelings come and go. Faith is the trust that is given by the Holy Spirit whereby we have confidence that God will keep the promises made in Christ. (83)
Often as Christians look to their experience, the absence and unreality of God is all that is experienced. (98)
Now you may agree or disagree with some of these quotes but what this book does is put together a very logical and concise argument about the danger of allowing experience to guide us in our Christian walk. It does not discount experience but challenges how it fits into our life of faith.
Family Ties that Bind
For anyone who is interesting in understanding the dynamics of both familial and relationships in general this book is compact and easy to read. The book covers a good variety of problems and ways of being healthy in relationship.
1) Triangles are an interesting dynamic which exist when there are three people involved. Heres an example. My wife (Jenny) and I (Gerald) get along fine and so do my mother (Lynn) and I. However Lynn does not like Jenny. What happens is that I constantly hear how Lynn feels about my wife and how Jenny feels about my mother. They do not talk to each other and so I am caught in the middle. No longer is there relationship simply between the two of them but it involves me as well, even though it has nothing to do with me. I have to stick up for each of them when the other is bad mouthing and may even try to make peace between them.
