Michael Krahn : The Ascent to Truth

***This is a series of posts based on writing I did on personal retreat in October 2009. Read earlier posts in the series here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 |Part 5|Part 6|Part 7***
The most famous work on spiritual disciplines among Evangelicals is Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual [...]

Thomas Merton died on this day in 1968.
Apart from scripture itself, Merton’s writings, without question, have been the single biggest source of artistic inspiration and spiritual formation for me. Someday, when I write my memoirs, there will be an entire chapter (maybe two) on Merton’s influence on my life and thought, but for now I’ll [...]

Merton was born on this day in 1915… a couple of my favorite quotes:
“Reason is in fact the path to faith, and faith takes over when reason can say no more…Faith does not destroy reason, but fulfills it.”
“One of the paradoxes of our age is that millions of men who have found it impossible [...]

1. I started dating Anne Marie when I was just short of my 15th birthday
2. I married Anne Marie when I was just short of my 20th birthday
3. In between those two dates, I didn’t always treat Anne Marie as well as could have. I hope I do a lot better now.
4. I get annoyed [...]

I changed the title from “A Mind Awake” (after a book about C.S. Lewis) to “The Ascent to Truth” (after a book by Thomas Merton).  I like books, in case you haven’t noticed.
I chose the new title for several reasons:
1. It’s the title of one of my favorite Thomas Merton books
2. I hope everyone believes [...]

Ok, I’m done now… I told Anne Marie not to let me go out again.
Here’s the academic stack:

…and the other stack. You’ll notice I out the Bell and Pagitt books between some more solid theological works.  I tried to put them closer to MacArthur but there were sparks.

By the way, we’re going Rob Bell’s church [...]

This town is a gold mine. I bought the stack below at a mall -  A MALL! And I only went through half of what they had so I’ll be going back today. I didn’t pay more than $4.99 for any of these.

 Top book is by Ratzinger (BXVI).  I’ve skimmed it and his writing is [...]

I always buy a lot of books at this time of the year.  Tomorrow we’re heading for Grand Rapids where I’ll buy a few dozen more.  Below are spine pics of some that I bought this week.
I picked these up one night at a thrift store and at Chapters in the discount section:

 
I picked up [...]

When I find a worthy author I engage that author intensely and exhaustively until I can articulate what they are and are not about.  I’ve done this with CS Lewis, Thomas Merton, Marshall McLuhan, Mark Driscoll, Douglas Coupland, Madeleine L’engle, and I am now doing it with John Piper.  Many people sip on these authors [...]

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
On a church men’s group road trip to an enormous Christian bookstore in Detroit when I was 17 or 18 years old, I discovered Thomas Merton. I don’t remember when I first heard his name but I know I had been reading books and listening to music that quoted him and even used [...]