So Beautiful by Leonard Sweet

Leonard Sweet. He got many of us thinking about the postmodern cultural-spiritual shift in the 1990s with provocative titles like Quantum Spirituality, SoulTsunami and AquaChurch. These titles were like books on crack, seemingly taking a cue from the then-popular VH1 Pop-Up Video, with ADD-appropriate sprinkles of information overlaid on more conventional text. By the early, he was introducing proto-emergent ideas of faithful Christian engagement with postmodernity, including books like A Is For Abductive with Brian McLaren. By the mid-2000s, Sweet’s books took on a more contemplative (though no less provocative) tone beginning with Out of the Question…and Into The Mystery, while his message began to identify more with ‘missional’ and less with ‘emergent,’ whatever these constantly-shifting signifiers might point to. With Sweet’s latest offering, he deepens his commitments to a culturally-responsive and biblically-savvy ecclesiology. More than 50 years ago scientists made a remarkable discovery, proclaiming, "We have found the secret of life – and it's so pretty!" The secret? That life's biological code is helixical, two strands surrounding a single axis-the foundation for DNA. This design, Sweet proposes, points to an even deeper – and more poignant – secret. Just as DNA's three strands make life possible, three other elements work in harmony to make life not just pretty, but beautiful. And it's in the church where we find the greatest expression, and ultimate fulfillment, of these three components to a beautiful life. The Good Doctor Sweet presents an extraordinary look at life as it was intended to be lived, sharing secrets of God's design for God’s people in three interwoven elements that form the heart, soul and calling of the apprenticed-to-Jesus life. In the spirit of radical inquiry – from radix, going to the root –So Beautiful unearths God’s deep-rooted dreams for the church after his own heart. Recommended for missional, organic, and house church provocateurs, as well as open-minded emerging church folks. [hide] This Title Has Been Closed for Review :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: Book trailer, complete with living DNA & beating hearts! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXgW1SfsAkw [1] Sample chapters to share with readers: http://www.davidccook.com/catalog/resources/samples/105793.pdf [2] Sweet’s official website, under construction at press time: http://www.leonardsweet.com [3] Sweet’s Tweet: http://twitter.com/lensweet [4] Interview Availability: Leonard Sweet’s interview availability is unknown at press time. Please email Mike at zoecarnate [at] theooze [dot] com if you’d like to talk with Len on your blog or podcast. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about So Beautiful within 30 days of getting it. Please cut & paste your post into this blog entry. Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXgW1SfsAkw [2] http://www.davidccook.com/catalog/resources/samples/105793.pdf [3] http://www.leonardsweet.com/ [4] http://twitter.com/lensweet