Andy Rowell

Author: Andy Rowell

  • Letter to Santa

    We do not really encourage the Santa thing but here is 7-year-old Ryan's letter to Santa on behalf of himself, 5-year-old Jacob, and 2-year-old Allie.

    Ryan Letter to Santa Dec 2012 revised JPEG

     

  • First chapter books for 7 year olds and other 2nd grader book recommendations

    Our 7.5 year old Ryan listened to all of the Magic Tree House books by audio (from the library on CD or downloaded through the library from Overdrive) when he was 5 and 6. But since he started reading himself when he turned 7, he has enjoyed reading Dick King-Smith books such as Babe: The Gallant Pig which was made into the movie Babe, Cam Jansen Mysteries, Secrets of Droon series (audio books available), and Beast Quest series.

    Ryan also liked the audiobooks: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo and Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl.

    We continue to recommend Jim Trelease’s recommendations for books to read to kids in The Read-Aloud Handbook—the only book you need to buy–for everything else, there’s the library. I read to Ryan Poppy by Avi which I recommend.

    I am now reading Christian singer Andrew Peterson‘s series: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, North! Or Be Eaten, Monster in the Hollows. We are in the middle of the second book. The first book has a slow first 100 pages of background information but then it is fun. Our 5 year old Jacob couldn’t handle the vocabulary but Ryan loves it. (We are reading to Jacob The Boxcar Children: series books 1-2 instead). We enjoy Peterson’s music for us as adults (try Counting Stars) and have seen him in concert and he has three great Slugs and Bugs kids CD’s so we have some “relationship” and trust with him. All of the Peterson stuff is at our Blacknall Presbyterian church library. 

    Also looking forward to reading a chapter Advent book with the kids starting today: Jotham’s Journey: A Storybook for Advent by Arnold Ytreeide–one of three by Ytreeide that can be read during Advent. (Bartholomew’s Passage and Tabitha’s Travels) are books 2 and 3)–recommended by Jodi Fernando.

    Also looking forward to Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim’s Progress recommended by Curtis Freeman.

  • AAR and SBL recommendations

    I am attending the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) meetings in Chicago Nov 16-20. I have put the sessions I am going to attend in Microsoft Word or PDF files below.

    Download AAR & SBL session recommendations 2012 – Andy Rowell – Microsoft Word document

    Download AAR & SBL session recommendations 2012 – Andy Rowell – PDF document

    I look forward to seeing some of you there!

    Andy

     

    See also the recommendations of

    See also from Anthony Le Donne’s blog:

    See also the conference advice I first wrote up after going to my first SBL meeting in 2005.

    See also advice from 2008-2009:

    Below are some highlights for 2012 from me including some events not on the program:

     

     

     

    FRIDAY NOV 16

     

     

    P16-210

    Karl Barth Society of North America

    Theme: Karl Barth Society of North America

    Friday – 3:15 PM-6:15 PM

    McCormick Place East-258

    Katherine Sonderegger, Virginia Theological Seminary

    The Attributes of God

    Paul Dafydd Jones, University of Virginia

    Divine and Human Patience

      

     

     

    Not on the AAR or SBL programs:

    Theology Studio reception Friday night Nov 16th at 7:30-10:00 pm Grace Episcopal Church. (637 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60605). The Theology Studio is a Facebook group for academic theology. You can join or I can invite you. Here is the link to the group. Here is the link to the event. The invitation reads “On Friday, November 16th, at 7:30PM, we'll be hosting a reception at Chicago's Grace Episcopal Church, just a few blocks from the convention centre and the AAR Annual Meeting hotels. Come discuss the future of systematic theology with Sarah Coakley, Stephen Fowl, and lots of others. Seriously, come. Because it's likely to be the most interesting thing that's ever happened at an AAR.” If you haven't joined, join or just come.

     

     

     

    Not on the AAR or SBL programs:

    Nov 16, 7pm-9pm, Hilton Chicago: Scot McKnight presents on kingdom and church; N.T. Wright responds. Public event and free. Waldorf room at Hilton.

     

     

     

    SATURDAY NOV 17

     

     

    P17-112

    Karl Barth Society of North America

    Theme: Karl Barth Society of North America

    Saturday – 9:15 AM-12:15 PM

    McCormick Place West-183A

    David Haddorff, Saint John's University

    Christian Ethics as Witness: Barth's Ethics for a World at Risk (Wipf and Stock, 2011).

    Gerald P. McKenny, University of Notre Dame

    The Analogy of Grace: Karl Barth's Moral Theology (Oxford University Press, 2010)

     

     

     

    Not on the AAR or SBL programs:

    There will be a panel about McClendon's work on Saturday November 17 from 9:00-11:30 pm in Chicago at the McCormick Place Convention Center / Room W183C. Panelists include Terrance Tilley (Fordham University), Kimlyn Bender (Baylor University), and Jacob Goodson (William and Mary). Moderator: Curtis Freeman in honor of: James Wm. McClendon, Jr.'s 3-volume Systematic Theology in its new printing by Baylor University Press with a new introduction by Curtis Freeman.http://www.baylorpress.com/en/Contributor/396/James_Wm._McClendon,_Jr..html

     

     

    SUNDAY NOV 18

     

     

    A18-119

    Ecclesiological Investigations Group

    Theme: Ecclesiology and Ethnography

    Christian Scharen, Luther Seminary, Presiding

    Sunday – 9:00 AM-11:30 AM

    McCormick Place West-185D

    Panelists:

    Luke Bretherton, Duke University

    John Swinton, University of Aberdeen

    Mary McClintock Fulkerson, Duke University

    Elizabeth Phillips, University of Cambridge

    Responding:

    Richard Wood, University of New Mexico

    James K. A. Smith, Calvin College

     

     

    A18-281

    Tillich: Issues in Theology, Religion, and Culture Group

    Theme: Christology in Barth and Tillich

    Frederick J. Parrella, Santa Clara University , Presiding

    Sunday – 3:00 PM-4:30 PM

    McCormick Place North-128

    Panelists:

    Bruce McCormack, Princeton Theological Seminary

    Responding:

    Robison James, University of Richmond

    Tom Greggs, University of Aberdeen

     

     

    M18-407

    Loyola University, Maryland

    Theme: Diagonal Advance: Discussing Christian Perfection with Anthony D. Baker

    Dan McClain, Loyola University, Maryland, Presiding

    Sunday – 7:00 PM-9:00 PM

    Hilton Chicago-PDR 2

    The concept of perfection has wideranging consequences for politics and ethics, anthropology, and eschatology. Tony Baker's book, Diagonal Advance, has been hailed as the most theological sophisticated treatment to date of perfection in the Christian tradition.

    Panelists:

    Frederick Bauerschmidt, Loyola University, Maryland

    D. Stephen Long, Marquette University

    Sarah Coakley, University of Cambridge

    Responding:

    Anthony D. Baker, Seminary of the Southwest