Complete New Book List
March 2015
The Daring Mission of William Tyndale, Steven J. Lawson (Long Line of Godly Men series). In translating the Bible into English, for which he was martyred, he became the father of the English Reformation and of the modern English language (NOTE: this book is not to be confused with another Tyndale biography added to the library a few months ago).
Kept for Jesus: What the New Testament Really Teaches About Assurance of Salvation and Eternal Security, by Sam Storms. Charts a biblical course between those who say Christians can lose their salvation and those who carelessly declare, “once saved, always saved”. Examines every NT passage on the subject.
HISTORICAL NON-FICTION: Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II’s Most Dramatic Mission, by Hampton Sides. In early 1945 a small group of elite Rangers slipped behind enemy lines in the Philippines in an attempt to rescue 513 POWs, who were largely survivors of the infamous Bataan death march. The fear was that, as they had done in other camps, the Japanese would execute the POWs rather than have to surrender them. As the Rangers stealthily moved toward the camp, they learned that instead of a few prison guards, they could face as many as 8,000 battle-hardened enemy troops. The story of the successful rescue is dramatic; The Sisters of Sinai: How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels, by Janet Soskice. In 1892, two middle-aged Scottish twin sisters, without university degrees, made one of the most important scriptural discoveries of modern time. Acting on accounts they had heard, they ventured across the Sinai desert on camels, and plumbing thru the library at St. Catherine’s Monastery at Mt Sinai, they found the earliest known copy of the Gospels, in ancient Syriac, the language of Jesus. Along the way, they faced Bedouins, grotesque creatures, fiendish adversaries, and relentless sandstorms, as well as prejudice against females who were not scholars. Their only natural advantages were a gift for languages, a sense of adventure, and a strong belief in the Bible. A fascinating story.
Luther on the Christian Life: Cross and Freedom, by Carl R. Trueman. Mark Noll says “this book illustrates why Martin Luther remains a nearly inexhaustible resource…and explains why Luther can be such a perceptive, encouraging, human, and even humorous guide to the Christian life”, while Kevin DeYoung says Trueman has captured both the “brilliance and boldness” of Luther in a short space.
Counter Culture: A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World of Poverty, Same-Sex Marriage, Racism, Sex Slavery, Immigration, Abortion, Persecution, Orphans and Pornography, by David Platt. The lines have been drawn and the moment has come for Christians to rise up and deliver a gospel message that’s even more radical than the most controversial issues of our day. Collin Hansen calls it the most provocative book of the last 10 years.
Logic: A God-Centered Approach to the Foundation of Western Thought, by Vern S. Poythress. For Christians hoping to improve their critical thinking skills, here is an introduction to the study of logic from a professor with over six academic degrees.
Heaven is a Place on Earth: Why Everything You Do Matters to God, by Michael Wittmer. Stresses the continuity between this world and the next and how our final destination is a transformed earth rather than a celestial heaven. His views are in accordance with Randy Alcorn (although Alcorn still uses the word “heaven” to refer to the new earth). He also argues for a radical transformation of this present earth in the new creation, rather than its annihilation and replacement.
Becoming Worldly Saints: Can You Serve Jesus and Still Enjoy Life? by Michael Wittmer. Since the new creation or final redemption has continuity with this present creation, except for the eradication of sin and evil, Wittmer argues that we are free to enjoy the good things and good pleasures of this world that come from God as Creator, and that the best advertisement for the gospel is a flourishing human life.
Perspectives on Israel and the Church: 4 Views, edited by Chad O. Brand. The distinction between Israel and the church is the key difference between dispensationalism and other evangelical views of Bible interpretation. The four views presented are the dispensational; progressive dispensational; traditional covenantal (church has replaced Israel); and the progressive covenantal or new covenant view (church is the new Israel).
Justification Reconsidered: Rethinking a Pauline Theme, by Stephen Westerholm. This brief (99 page) book throws down the gauntlet to the New Perspective, and affirms the traditional view of Paul on justification by faith.
Redeeming Mathematics: A God-Centered Approach, by Vern S. Poythress. The author, who has six academic degrees, argues that the harmony of abstract mathematical truths, the physical world of things, and the personal world of our thinking, all depend on the existence of a personal God. Lays the foundation for all mathematical inquiry.
Prone to Wander: Prayers of Confession and Celebration, by Barbara R. Duguid and Wayne Duguid Houk, edited by Iain M. Duguid. Confessing our sins might seem like a gloomy business, but confession is more celebratory than we think. It does not simply remind us of our guilt, but points us to our great Savior who has atoned for us. This book was inspired by the Puritan classic, The Valley of Vision. Arranged by subject matter, such as confession of anxiety, unclean lips, judging others, building our own houses, faithlessness, wandering, and many others.
COMMENTARIES: Ezekiel, by Steven Tuell (Understanding the Bible Commentary Series); Hebrews, by Thomas R. Schreiner (Biblical Theology on Christian Proclamation).
ADULT FICTION: Sabotaged, by Dani Pettrey (Alaskan Courage #5); Twisted Innocence, by Terri Blackstock (Moonlighter #3).
DVDs ON CREATION AND EVOLUTION: Privileged Species: How the Cosmos Is Designed for Human Life, by The Discovery Institute (intelligent design perspective); Icons of Evolution: The Growing Scientific Controversy Over Darwin, by Cold Water Media (recommended by Reasons to Believe); The Master Designer-The Song, by Exploration Films (intelligent design perspective); A Question of Age: Conference on Creation, the Bible, and Science, by First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton (young earth vs old earth debate); Awesome Universe, from Reasons to Believe (an exciting trip thru the universe with astrophysicist Dr. Jeff Zweerink; aimed at kids); How Old Is the Universe: Astronomers Debate the Scientific Evidence, from the John Ankerberg Show; The John Ankerberg Debate: Young-Earth vs Old-Earth.
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