Alright, I know you've all been waiting in eager anticipation for this, so here it is. This is my reading list for the year 2012! Hopefully there is some nice overlap in some areas, but enough eclecticism overall (although, obviously most are intended for "Christian" audiences, I guess).
(Apologetic series)
1. End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason, by Sam Harris
2. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, by Timothy Keller
(Evangelism)
3. One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven, by Mark Cahill
(Youth Ministry)
4. Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church, by Kenda Creasy Dean
5. You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church.... And Rethinking Faith, by David Kinnaman
6. (a re-read!) Shaping the Spiritual Life of Students, by Richard R. Dunn
(Personal Spiritual Growth/Devotionals)
7. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream, by David Platt
8. The Holiness of God, by R.C. Sproul
9. Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together, by Mark and Grace Driscoll
(Biography)
10. Abraham Lincoln: A Biography, by Benjamin P. Thomas
(Fiction)
11. The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath
(Theology)
12. What is Reformed Theology?: Understanding the Basics, by R.C. Sproul
Again, this is one of those times where I'm so excited to read so many things that this list hardly contains everything I hope I read this year! However, I wanted to re-read one book and make sure that the majority of the books on this list are ones that I already own rather than needing to purchase!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Review of "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy" by Eric Metaxas
This was my second favorite book of the year and probably the best biography I've ever read. Then again, it has all the things you would want in a theological spy thriller (who knew that existed?).
What I Liked:
The story itself is one just begging to be told. The courage, spiritual insight, theological depth, trust in God, and peace that surpassing all understanding in this man's life is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Metaxas does a great job at building tension in this book. He also gives more focus to the ecumenical movement going through Germany (and Europe in general) during these crazy times. It was fascinating to hear Bonhoeffer's role in all of this. I don't want to reveal too much about the plot for those unfamiliar with this story, but will simply say that you should read this book.
What I Didn't Like:
Metaxas does get a little hairy in the details of Bonhoeffer's early life and at times reading the letters between Bonhoeffer and his friends/family in length seems tedious. That having been said, getting through some of those chapters only makes the pay-off of the espionage, assassination attempts, and the chaos of Germany even greater.
Favorite Quotations:
- (on prominent preachers in the US) "In New York they preach about virtually everything; only one thing is not addressed, or is addressed so rarely that I have as yet been unable to hear it, namely, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the cross, sin, and forgiveness, death and life."
- (on his fellow theologians joining Hitler's "German Christians" church) "'If you board the wrong train,' [Bonhoeffer] said, ' it is no use running along the corridor in the opposite direction.'"
- "For Bonhoeffer, the challenge was to deliver the Word of God as purely as possible, without feeling the need to help it along or to dress it up. It alone had the power to touch the human heart. Any frippery would onl dilute the power of the thing itself. He had told his ordinands of this time and time again. 'Let this power speak for itself, unhindered.'"
Recommendation:
This book is fantastic and I do widely recommend it. However, as much as there is a political thriller feel to the plot of Bonhoeffer's life, this book reads nothing like a John Grisham novel. But it is worth it if you can put the time (500+ pages) and patience into the story.
What I Liked:
The story itself is one just begging to be told. The courage, spiritual insight, theological depth, trust in God, and peace that surpassing all understanding in this man's life is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Metaxas does a great job at building tension in this book. He also gives more focus to the ecumenical movement going through Germany (and Europe in general) during these crazy times. It was fascinating to hear Bonhoeffer's role in all of this. I don't want to reveal too much about the plot for those unfamiliar with this story, but will simply say that you should read this book.
What I Didn't Like:
Metaxas does get a little hairy in the details of Bonhoeffer's early life and at times reading the letters between Bonhoeffer and his friends/family in length seems tedious. That having been said, getting through some of those chapters only makes the pay-off of the espionage, assassination attempts, and the chaos of Germany even greater.
Favorite Quotations:
- (on prominent preachers in the US) "In New York they preach about virtually everything; only one thing is not addressed, or is addressed so rarely that I have as yet been unable to hear it, namely, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the cross, sin, and forgiveness, death and life."
- (on his fellow theologians joining Hitler's "German Christians" church) "'If you board the wrong train,' [Bonhoeffer] said, ' it is no use running along the corridor in the opposite direction.'"
- "For Bonhoeffer, the challenge was to deliver the Word of God as purely as possible, without feeling the need to help it along or to dress it up. It alone had the power to touch the human heart. Any frippery would onl dilute the power of the thing itself. He had told his ordinands of this time and time again. 'Let this power speak for itself, unhindered.'"
Recommendation:
This book is fantastic and I do widely recommend it. However, as much as there is a political thriller feel to the plot of Bonhoeffer's life, this book reads nothing like a John Grisham novel. But it is worth it if you can put the time (500+ pages) and patience into the story.
Review of "What Does God Know And When Does He Know It?" by Millard J. Erickson
Ahhhhh (sigh of relief), saving the best for last. This is the final book in my personal series on Open Theism, and it was like a breath of fresh air. This is the book I'd been waiting to read on OT.
What I Liked: Although much more highly academic in nature, finally someone tackles the arguments both for and against OT in the original Greek and Hebrew. Truly, Erickson traces and deconstructs each argument in the way only the best systematic theologians can.
From hermeneutic inconsistencies, to directly answering the challenges brought forth from the front-runners of OT, Erickson presents a case against the open view of God and for the classical view that is hard to deny.
What I Didn't Like: This is less of a critique and more of a word to the wise: This book is much harder to access than the previous mentioned volumes in my personal series. This is not to say that it is impossible to understand, but I did find myself feeling like I was reading a textbook more than anything else.
My only criticism is that Erickson doesn't present his case for classical theism until he basically reviews the purpose/arguments of the book throughout the last two shorter chapters in the book. Now, this is also a great thing because his deconstruction of the OT view throughout the book is so spot-on that little needs to be said in direct defense of the classical view.
My Favorite Quotes:
(with this book being so based upon nearly flawless argumentation, it is hard to pull just anything out of context to quote, but here are a couple that can stand on their own.)
- "The open theist appeal is not a call to return to an earlier, purer version of biblical understanding [like the Protestant Reformation]. It is a call to something new to the mainstream of orthodox Christian thought."
- "Similarly, for God to know what he is to do requires in some cases his knowing what humans will do. his predictions about the coming of his Son required knowing that humans would persist in their wicked ways. His prediction of the resurrection of Jesus assumes that he will be rejected and put to death."
Recommendation:
I would recommend this to anyone who already has at least a basic understanding of the current debate between open theism and classical theism. It would also help if you have a basic understanding of philosophical/theological terms as Erickson does little explaining, and uses much jargon. This book is for the inner academic in us all.
What I Liked: Although much more highly academic in nature, finally someone tackles the arguments both for and against OT in the original Greek and Hebrew. Truly, Erickson traces and deconstructs each argument in the way only the best systematic theologians can.
From hermeneutic inconsistencies, to directly answering the challenges brought forth from the front-runners of OT, Erickson presents a case against the open view of God and for the classical view that is hard to deny.
What I Didn't Like: This is less of a critique and more of a word to the wise: This book is much harder to access than the previous mentioned volumes in my personal series. This is not to say that it is impossible to understand, but I did find myself feeling like I was reading a textbook more than anything else.
My only criticism is that Erickson doesn't present his case for classical theism until he basically reviews the purpose/arguments of the book throughout the last two shorter chapters in the book. Now, this is also a great thing because his deconstruction of the OT view throughout the book is so spot-on that little needs to be said in direct defense of the classical view.
My Favorite Quotes:
(with this book being so based upon nearly flawless argumentation, it is hard to pull just anything out of context to quote, but here are a couple that can stand on their own.)
- "The open theist appeal is not a call to return to an earlier, purer version of biblical understanding [like the Protestant Reformation]. It is a call to something new to the mainstream of orthodox Christian thought."
- "Similarly, for God to know what he is to do requires in some cases his knowing what humans will do. his predictions about the coming of his Son required knowing that humans would persist in their wicked ways. His prediction of the resurrection of Jesus assumes that he will be rejected and put to death."
Recommendation:
I would recommend this to anyone who already has at least a basic understanding of the current debate between open theism and classical theism. It would also help if you have a basic understanding of philosophical/theological terms as Erickson does little explaining, and uses much jargon. This book is for the inner academic in us all.
Review of "The Christian Atheist" by Craig Groeschel
I am still trying to decide why I didn't love this book. I mean, it's solid theologically, well-written, has a semi-controversial title, written from conviction and has a decent narrative to each chapter; however, I found it overall lackluster. This is like the new Sherlock Holmes movie: it has a decent setup and should work well-enough, but left me wanting so much more.
What I Liked: Again, this book does what it set out to do. It seeks to call out, convict, and encourage people who claim they believe in God, but in their day-to-day live as if He doesn't exist. I've waited for a few years now to read a book like this, and Groeschel beautifully weaves in and out of biblical concepts and his own personal journey. It's obvious to see the heart of a pastor coming out from the chapters of this book. I think especially in high school this book would have been monumental for my spiritual growth.
What I Found Lacking: For a book that desires to call out the lukewarm within the church body, this book has little bite. This is not to say that Groeschel is timid in his approach/writing, but rather that at times he danced around an issue instead of calling things like he sees them. I knew where he was getting and I honestly agreed with basically every point of this book, but there was just something missing in his overall presentation.
My Favorite Quotations:
- "Over time, we accumulate such a long list of sins that we can't understand how God could possibly forgive us. Locked in a prison of shame, many Christian Atheists hate their pasts and themselves in equal measure -- and there seems to be no hope of escape."
- "Our actions confirm that a disturbing number of us truly believe this equation: better possessions + peaceful circumstances + thrilling experiences + the right relationships + the perfect appearance = happiness."
Recommendation: I DO widely recommend this book; however, I think the best audience might be a newer believer, or a believer who has been in a rut for years. That having been said, there still is a wealth of analogies and everyone will likely be challenged in one way or another throughout the course of this book. I would recommend this most widely to my high schoolers who are more inexperienced in the day-to-day life of a believer.
What I Liked: Again, this book does what it set out to do. It seeks to call out, convict, and encourage people who claim they believe in God, but in their day-to-day live as if He doesn't exist. I've waited for a few years now to read a book like this, and Groeschel beautifully weaves in and out of biblical concepts and his own personal journey. It's obvious to see the heart of a pastor coming out from the chapters of this book. I think especially in high school this book would have been monumental for my spiritual growth.
What I Found Lacking: For a book that desires to call out the lukewarm within the church body, this book has little bite. This is not to say that Groeschel is timid in his approach/writing, but rather that at times he danced around an issue instead of calling things like he sees them. I knew where he was getting and I honestly agreed with basically every point of this book, but there was just something missing in his overall presentation.
My Favorite Quotations:
- "Over time, we accumulate such a long list of sins that we can't understand how God could possibly forgive us. Locked in a prison of shame, many Christian Atheists hate their pasts and themselves in equal measure -- and there seems to be no hope of escape."
- "Our actions confirm that a disturbing number of us truly believe this equation: better possessions + peaceful circumstances + thrilling experiences + the right relationships + the perfect appearance = happiness."
Recommendation: I DO widely recommend this book; however, I think the best audience might be a newer believer, or a believer who has been in a rut for years. That having been said, there still is a wealth of analogies and everyone will likely be challenged in one way or another throughout the course of this book. I would recommend this most widely to my high schoolers who are more inexperienced in the day-to-day life of a believer.
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