For reflection and study

On a Journey with God: You come too . . . V. George Shillington. Springfield Publishers, 2003. 110 pages.

This slim volume contains 14 short essays on a variety of biblical topics, from worship, to the meaning of the salt metaphor in Matthew 5:13, to those difficult verses about women and silence in 1 Timothy 2:11–15. They were first delivered by the author as sermons. Since I have taken a course from Dr. Shillington (long-time professor at MB Bible College/Concord College and then Canadian Mennonite University) and heard him preach, I cannot help but “hear” him (the Irish accent, his use of the emphatic “I should think not,” and so on) as I read these pieces.

Though called essays, these chapters retain, to my mind, their sermonic quality and will best be appreciated that way. They are very good sermons, grabbing one’s attention, explicating the meaning of a chosen text, and drawing quickly to a close with a challenge or application. They yield new insights, or may engage the mind with a twist on a well-known story or familiar truth. In the Good Samaritan story, for example, we are invited to consider, not loving an enemy, but being loved by an enemy. In 1 Timothy 2:11–15, the three words “let women learn” are the door into understanding the original situation and its meaning for today. When he talks about places where our minds are “renewed,” the author includes the expected facilities of healing, the natural world and the church. But he also includes the academy, a good reminder of the healing power of education.

This is a good book for personal reflective reading. Since the 14 chapters stand on their own, any one of them could also work as a study focus for a group.

Dora Dueck is associate editor of the MB Herald.