Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Some of those listed may surprise you.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Rene Joseph Letourneau: (b. 1929, Massachusetts, USA – d. 2013) Korean War veteran. Alabama Bowlers Hall of Fame. Roman Catholic.

John Brown: (b. 1763, Ireland – d. 1842) Presbyterian minister.  President of the University of Georgia (USA) from 18111-1816.

Johann Valentin Andreae: (b. 1586, Germany - d. 1654: aka: Johannes Valentinus Andeaea)  Author of Christianopolis (1619), a novel about a democratic utopian society governed by scholars and artisans.  He became interested in esoterics and the occult and was involved in the foundation of Rosicrucianism.

Zewditu I: (b. 1876, Ethiopia –d. 1930; aka: Askala Maryam; Queen of Kings) Daughter of Meneiik II of Ethiopia, Empress of Ethiopia 1916-1930.  She was known to be intensely devout. Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo.

Angela Dorothea Kasner Merkel: (b. 1954, West Germany)  Chancellor of Germany 1994-1998.  Lutheran.

God Expects Us to Work

“God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into the nest.” J. G. Holland

Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819-1881) was an American novelist, poet, magazine editor, physician, and Methodist hymn lyricist.

God expects us to work.

““Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.  To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.  The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.  So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.  But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

   “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.  The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’

  His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

 “The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’

       “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

  “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.   So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?  Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

    “‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.  For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.  And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” Matthew 25:14-30

” Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”  1 Corinthians 4:2

Jane Austen, Christian Novelist?

British novelist Jane Austen (b. 1778, England - d. 1817) is currently the subject of much discussion as a Christian novelist.  No less a thinker than C.S. Lewis was convinced that Austen was a Christian novelist.  Do a search for the following terms, "Jane Austen" & "Christian novelist" and you will get numerous hits.

Jane Austen was the daughter and sister of Anglican clergymen and was at least nominally Christian.  Little is actually known about her; after her education, from the age of eleven until her death, she was a proud seamstress who lived at home with her family who called her "good quiet Aunt Jane."  Her novels were published anonymously by her brother, who was her literary agent.  She was never noticed until after her death.

There is nothing overtly Christian about her novels (Pride and Prejudice,1813; Sense and Sensibility,1811; Mansfield Park, 1814; Emma, 1816; Persuasion, 1818, and Northanger Abbey, 1818) but they stress respect for others, courtesy, self-control, morality, and that those who refuse to "repent" will finally come to regret it. Her female characters often have a moment of "reflection" in which they make a turn in their lives.

Jane Austen was apparently a Christian and her novels show her Christian understanding of morality, but there is nothing about a personal God and no mention of Jesus.

Book Comment: Jesus of Nazareth

Jesus of Nazareth (1977), by William Barclay, is a novelization of the film (also 1977) of the same name by Franco Zeffirelli. The novel adheres closely to the script and is heavily illustrated with color stills from the film. This was a major big-budget movie with more name actors and actresses than you want me to list here and featured a score by Maurice Jarre.