In the wake of a 1931 trip to Palestine, PhD hopeful Bo Giertz’s experience of scripture reached new depths. A physical encounter with the biblical context freed Giertz to “read his Bible with completely new eyes. It smelled of earth and daily life. It reflected a reality that one could still see with their own […]
2019 NYC Conference Book Table
Many thanks to all who attended and helped pull off the 12th annual Mockingbird conference in NYC! For all who couldn’t make it, and also those who could, each year we like to put together a virtual book table, with the various recommended readings and resources written by our speakers and guests. (Last week we […]
The Top Theology Books of 2017
Were you given an Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card, but don’t know what to spend it on? Or perhaps you’re a bibliophile like me and have an insatiable appetite for the latest and greatest theology books. In either case, I’ve got just the list for you: the top Mockingbird theology books from 2017. […]
With My Own Eyes by Bo Giertz - A Review
By personal habit, and soon by way of formal study (again), I read a good deal of academic theology. It isn’t always easy going down – sometimes quite far from it, as most working theologians are not sparkling writers. By contrast, I don’t read much popular Christian literature. It isn’t my thing, and I justify […]
Top 10 Things I Wanted to Blog about in 2013 but Was Too Lazy
I happily come across more pieces of culture than I know what to do with each year (or month, or week, or day) that speak to the Christian Message. This is a good problem to have–it means a blog like Mbird or a preacher like me will never run out of new material. Not using it […]
A New Bo Giertz Must Have Resource: Then Fell the Lord's Fire
In his post “The Whole Debt is Paid,” Tullian Tchividjian–our opening speaker at MBird 2013!–recounts a phenomenon that has changed the way he views ministry. He writes: I have a long way to go (bad habits die slowly, for sure). But a Copernican revolution of sorts has taken place in my own heart regarding the need to preach […]
He Saved Others; He Cannot Save Himself - Bo Giertz on Mark 15:31
One of the most powerful devotions on this Good Friday verse I’ve ever come across, taken from the Swedish bishop’s invaluable To Live with Christ: Once again, the mockers expressed one of the most profound truths about Jesus. He saved others. Without thinking about it, they affirmed then and for all posterity that it really […]
Rusty Hearts
“But sir, if you do not give your heart to Jesus, you cannot be saved.”- The young pastor “You are right, my boy. And it is just as true that, if you think you are saved because you give Jesus your heart, you will not be saved. You see, my boy,” he continued reassuringly, as […]
Excerpt from Bo Giertz's "Hammer of God"
I’ve finally gotten around to reading The Hammer of God, which comes highly recommended by many of my favorite Mbird theologians, and was especially stuck by the marvelous opening section entitled “The Call” (which I have quoted below). But before I do, I want to share two brief, and I would say quite funny, quotes […]
Slightly Expanded And Significantly More Organized Conference Book Table List
Here’s the full list plus a couple of relevant additions, linked to sites where they can be purchased. Although everything comes highly recommended, this is by no means meant to be a definitive list (stay tuned…). For the sake of newcomers we have divided the non-fiction into three itunes-inspired categories: Basics, Next Steps and Deep […]
James Nestingen on Faith vs. Piety
Mockingbird friend Matt McCormick recently transcribed an incredible excerpt of a sermon by James Nestingen. Amazing stuff: You can always hear the difference between Faith and Piety in the verbs. Piety says, “I did this. I’ll do that.” Faith says, “He does this. He’ll do that.” Piety says, “You know – I’ve committed my life […]
The Hammer of God - Bo Giertz
I’ve just finished re-reading The Hammer of God by Bo Giertz, who was the Swedish Lutheran Bishop of Gothenburg. It is a novel about three curates who come to grips with God’s grace through tremendous failure, and needless to say, I highly recommend it. The second story may be my favorite, about a young curate […]