1.19.2014

Get Ready for Mr. Stringfellow!

Just a heads up that starting tomorrow I begin working through William Stringfellow's book An Ethic for Christians and Other Aliens Living in a Strange Land. This is the book that many consider to be Stringfellow's best book. I agree.

For this week and next (Monday-Thursday, eight posts in all) I'll be going chapter by chapter through An Ethic. And I'll risk the prediction that in every post there will be something--some quote, idea, insight or turn of phrase--that will blow your hair back.

This heads up is for new or more casual readers of this blog who might not know William Stringfellow and, thus, feel tempted to skip these posts. My encouragement: these next two weeks might be the best thing you read this month. Or year. Or decade.

Can you tell I'm excited?

(Some biographical background for those new to Stringfellow. Stringfellow was an American lawyer and a lay theologian. He was Episcopalian. Most of his books were written in the '60 and '70s, tumultuous years in America. Stringfellow is best known for his seminal analysis of "the principalities and powers.") 

If George MacDonald was the great theological influence upon me during my college years, William Stringfellow is coming to be the theologian of my adulthood.

This week and next I hope you'll come to see why.
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8 comments:

  1. Rob GraysonSunday, January 19, 2014

    I'd never heard of this Sprigfellow fellow (probably mainly because I'm a Brit). But now my appetite is well and truly whet, and I look forward to having my hair blown back! :)

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  2. Rob GraysonSunday, January 19, 2014

    I'd never heard of this Sprigfellow fellow (probably because I'm a Brit). But now my appetite is well and truly whet, and I look forward to having my hair blown back! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rev. Kurt HuberSunday, January 19, 2014

    Looking forward to it!

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  4. AndrewSunday, January 19, 2014

    [Rubbing hands in anticipation...] When you get excited, Richard, so do I! @-:¦

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  5. SilvanaSunday, January 19, 2014

    I am really looking forward to it. MacDonal holds first place for me, but would love to discover another gem. Thank you in advance.

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  6. MarcSunday, January 19, 2014

    I am looking forward it!

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  7. Bill Wylie-KellermannMonday, January 20, 2014

    Richard - wonder if you know that I've recently edited The Essential Stringfellow in the Orbis Books Modern Spiritual Masters series. With a substantial intro I'm pretty happy with. Also for the Brits, there is a collection of essays edited by Anthony Dancer called William Stringfellow in Anglo-American Perspective. I'm in agreement with you assessment that Ethic is is most important work. Go to it.

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  8. Tom (aka Volkmar)Friday, January 24, 2014

    I'm with ya dude! Starting right now to ketchup...

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