The Orthodox Heretic: And Other Impossible Talesstar rating 5Josh HaydenMarch 15, 2010This is a powerful book that is meant to provoke and prod and help one to imagine a better way of living in the world. It is funny, creative, and packed with great commentary. A great read meant to lead to action not simply a good story.
The Orthodox Heretic: And Other Impossible Talesstar rating 5Chad EstesAugust 25, 2009According to a recent article about heart/brain communication, research shows that fibers in the nervous system are 90% dedicated to sending messages to the brain and only 10% going out from the brain. "Neurally speaking," states Rollin McCraty, PhD, "the heart sends far more information to the brain than the brain sends to the heart." If that is the case I need to read more books that connect straight with my heart, not just ones that simply stimulate my thinking. Peter Rollins new book, "The Orthodox Heretic: And Other Impossible Tales" does just that. In 33 short chapters Rollins weaves tales designed to bathe readers in the possibilities of faith, love, freedom and forgiveness. And in the same way that Jesus told parables to shock his listeners; Rollins uses this literary technique to poke his readers. I ended several of the sections with a laugh, a chill, or an audible gasp as a point was driven home. He follows each tale with some of his own processing that went into the story as a jumping off place for reflection. This is helpful in understanding Rollins thoughts, but the processing doesn't end with reading the book. These tales stick with you. Several times I found myself grabbing a friend or family member and saying, "Sit down, you have to listen to this story!" as I read aloud to them and entered into meaningful conversations. This book will serve as an excellent resource for discussion groups as they engage with these narratives. I highly recommend this book!