Acknowledgements
Drawing on the writings of St. Augustine, Paul Griffiths cautions us not to regard our knowledge or the words we speak as personal property. Words and thoughts come from God who shares them with us through the gift of human language. We receive them in gratitude and share them with others in love.
My sermons are the fruits of such gifts gratefully received and offered back. I usually make a point of citing important historical figures during the sermons; but I also avoid loading down messages with lists of unfamiliar names. I reserve this space to give those sources their due public acknowledgment.
I draw constant insight and help from Oliver O’Donovan, Thomas Merton, and Austin Farrar. Frequent literary sources include Wendell Berry, Marilynne Robinson, Walker Percy, Graham Greene, Charles, Taylor, and David Foster Wallace. Theological and spiritual insights come form Henri Nouwen, C.S. Lewis, Flannery O’Connor, N.T. Wright, Gordon Wenham, Joel Green, Craig Keener, Walter Brueggemann, and James Mays, among others. There are also countless ideas and turns of phrase from friends like Dru Johnson, Jonathan Bailes, Jamie Grant, Bruce Clark, Jason Hood, Heath Thomas, Craig Bartholomew, Chris Wright, Aubrey Spears, and Calum Carmichael, as well as my wife and family, and so many of those in the community at Bread of Life.
Plus others I have simply forgotten. Thanks be to God for you.