Interdisciplinary Book and Film Reviews

THE WISDOM OF CROWDS   By    James Surowiecki Reviewed by    Geoffrey W. Sutton The next time you are part of a large group or crowd, have a look around. Would you trust them to make a wise decision on your behalf? How about guessing the weight of an ox after it has been slaughtered and dressed? James Surowiecki, staff writer for The New Yorker , begins his foray into collective intelligence by taking us back to century old findings by Sir Francis Galton. The crowd of 787 that Galton observed weighed in with an average ox weight guess of 1,197 pounds. The actual weight was 1,198. Not bad! Surowiecki’s thesis is that under certain conditions,  a crowd is smarter than an individual is. The author divided the book into two parts. In the first part, readers will learn three types of problems that appear amenable to solutions by the wisdom of crowds followed by four important conditions. Part two contains examples of situations where collective wisdom has made a difference. The

FREE OF CHARGE: GIVING AND FORGIVING IN A CULTURE STRIPPED OF GRACE      By  Miroslav Volf Reviewed by    Geoffrey W. Sutton God as Giver and Forgiver are twin perspectives Volf offers readers  interested in a theological foundation for forgiveness. Volf inserts a personal story that illustrates the gift of forgiveness between the two sections on Giving and Forgiving, which each contain three chapters. In each section, he reflects on the theological premise of God qua Giver or Forgiver. These reflections on God’s character are tidily followed by chapters on how we should and can give and forgive, respectively.  Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and the Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. Volf employs the bridge across the gap metaphor to establish the purpose for this treatise. Initially, he establishes the gap as the difference between the self-centeredness of humanity on one side and the generosity of God on the other side.

PAGAN CHRISTIANITY: EXPLORING THE ROOTS OF OUR CHURCH PRACTICES