Canon Press – Blog

Vote for your favorite obscure reformer in the comments section below! List their name and the most succinct and compelling reason why they’re your favorite, and you’ll automatically be entered in a drawing to win a signed copy of Douglas Wilson’s provocative new release Rules for Reformers! We’ve listed a couple below to pique your imagination. Drawing to be held November 26.

1. MARTIN BUCER

Known as the “Peacemaker of the Reformation.” Led Reformation in Strasbourg. Tried to reconcile Lutherans, the Reformed, and Catholics. Died of natural causes on Feb. 28, 1551 in Cambridge, England. His body was exhumed and burnt in 1557.

2. JOHN WYCLIFFE

Translated the Bible into English. Rejected many Roman Catholic practices. Sent out preachers called Lollards. Died of natural causes on Dec. 31, 1384 in Oxford, England. Posthumously declared heretical. His body was exhumed and burnt in 1415.

3. THOMAS CRANMER

Played a large role in the English Reformation. Involved in Henry VIII’s divorce(s). Was burned at the stake on Mar. 21, 1556 in Oxford, England after recanting his recantation. Thus, impossible for him to be exhumed and re-burnt later on. 

Comment on your favorite! (Or any other obscure/well-known reformers near and dear to your heart…).

HELLO NINJA CAPTION CONTEST

Think of the best, wittiest, funniest caption for the picture above and submit it in the comments section. Your friends at Canon Press will vote on the top three entries and a drawing will be held to determine a grand prize winner!

The top three entries will all receive complimentary copies of N. D. Wilson’s new Blah Blah Black Sheep. In addition to the board book, our grand prize winner will receive the all-new Ninja Wall Poster (36×24″)!

Drawing to be held November 24. 

We are thrilled to announce that Douglas Wilson’s satirical novel, Evangellyfish, has just won Best Fiction of the year in the Christianity Today 2013 Book Awards! CT called it a “startlingly poignant” satire, among other things — see the whole review by clicking here. Happy New Year, Gellies!

We are still excited about Loving the Little Years, and thus we are extra excited to announce  a special release of Rachel Jankovic’s NEW book, Fit to Burst: Abundance, Mayhem, and the Joys of Motherhood. This really is special: the book won’t be available anywhere else until January 29, 2013.  As long as you preorder by December 7th, we personally suggest Fit to Burst for Christmas presents, but there’s also a whole host of other reasons for buying it, we suppose. Get it before the rest of the world by clicking here.

In all seriousness, this book is great, and is sure get you thinking about motherhood in a lot of new and exciting ways (and we bet it would help you dads, too). For a little light reading, there’s a nifty sample posted below.

“Biscuits make up a small part of the culinary world. They are easy and quick, and have been satisfying children leaving honey trails on the table for generations. But biscuits have to be made. It isn’t enough to think of biscuits, because having thought of them doesn’t make a childhood more full. Having thought of them doesn’t give the dinner table that wonderful allure that having actually made them does. Your thoughts alone will not play into the memories of your children.

“A little guilt cycle often happens in the life of a mother. It usually goes something like this, and could take anywhere from two minutes to two years to complete itself: I thought of biscuits. I would like to be a person who makes biscuits for my hungry children. I do not feel like making biscuits right now. I will make biscuits another time. I will have time when I am not tired and feeling fat. The kids won’t know. I wish I had made biscuits.I could have made biscuits. I’m such a bad mom who doesn’t make biscuits. I am not as good as all the moms who are everywhere in this stupid world making biscuits. People who talk about making biscuits are self-righteous. I hate biscuits. They make me feel guilty.Jesus loves me! Biscuits or not! Jesus doesn’t care that I didn’t make biscuits. Home free! Biscuit-free!“

~ Fit to Burst, pg. 21

You’ll have get the book for Rachel’s field notes on how to not be guilty and still make biscuits.

There’s a couple days remaining to preorder God Rest Ye Merry: Why Christmas is the Foundation for Everything and still receive free shipping (the promotion ends Monday, November 19th). Why should you want it? Because it’ll help make Christmas real, powerful, and a lot of fun (you can read more about that on the product page).

After you’ve preordered, here’s a sneak-peek to roust your interest, and merry Christmas!

“Socrates once famously said that the unexamined life is not worth living. In a similar vein, the unexamined holiday is not worth celebrating.” ~ God Rest Ye Merry, pg. 87

“If your godliness won’t imprint on fudge, then it is not true godliness. Some may be disturbed by this. It seems a little out of control, as though I am urging you to “go overboard.” But of course I am urging you to go overboard. Think about it—when this world was “in sin and error pining,” did God give us a teaspoon of grace to make our dungeon a tad more pleasant? No. He went overboard.“ ~ God Rest Ye Merry, pg. 90

“Which is more important, the hat or the cattle? The foam or the beer? The gift or the altar? The gold paper stamp on the Christmas card or the gold coin of your faith? If our hearts are decorated with the refined gold of a true faith, we may therefore decorate everything else.”  ~ God Rest Ye Merry, pg. 100