A gem from the late Walter Wink

Last updated on: June 20, 2013 at 9:03 am by Kevin Miller

A gem from the late Walter Wink 2013-06-20T09:03:54-06:00 Kevin Miller

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Finally getting around to reading Walter Wink, particularly his book Engaging the Powers. It’s an interesting experience b/c I bought a used copy in San Francisco that someone had already marked up and dog-eared. Then as I began reading it, the binding came apart. So now it’s more like a sheaf of papers than an actual book, and reading it presents somewhat of an ergonomic challenge.

That said, this book is an invaluable complement to so many other people I’ve been reading recently, including Rene Girard, Simone Weil, Ernest Becker, George Grant, Michael Hardin, Derek Flood, Jared Diamond and Brad Jersak. Highly recommended. Here’s one of many passages I underlined (but the previous reader didn’t!):

The very success of a reform effort helps to produce its decline, since the improved situation reduces the public outrage necessary to sustain opinion and activity on behalf of change. Social change is thus self-limiting; every movement forward is usually followed by at least some movement back. Furthermore, we are usually able to understand only the system that is crumbling, not the one emerging. This means that our perception of reality generally arrives too late to save a society but just in time to explain its demise.

Previous Post

June 19, 2013

Video of a debate I did recently

Next Post

June 21, 2013 One year ago at the Wild Goose Festival...

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Books environment Film Hell non-violence Philosophy Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2016 May 2016 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Paul say was the purpose of the Law?

Select your answer to see how you score.

To make us righteous To keep order To separate Israel from the nations To lead us to Christ