Complete New Book List
January 2020
‘He Descended to the Dead’: An Evangelical Theology of Holy Saturday, by Matthew Y. Emerson. Where was Jesus in between his death on Friday and his resurrection on Sunday? The descent of Jesus to the dead has been a fundamental tenet of the Christian faith, as seen by its inclusion in the Apostles’ and Athanasian Creeds. But it has also been a subject of suspicion and scrutiny, especially from evangelicals. Led by the mystery and wonder of Holy Saturday, Emerson offers an explanation of the historical and theological implications of the descent.
From Adam and Israel to the Church: A Biblical Theology of the People of God, by Benjamin L. Gladd (Essential Studies in Biblical Theology). What does it mean to be created in the image of God, how has the fall affected this image, and who are the people of God? This book addresses these core questions about spiritual identity, examining the people of God from Genesis to Revelation serving as God’s image-bearers in various roles throughout Scripture–from Adam and Eve to the nation of Israel, from Jesus to the church.
Sacred Endurance: Finding Grace and Strength for a Lasting Faith, by Trillia J. Newbell. God promises to finish the good work he began in us, but that doesn’t come without bumps in the road. Life can be hard, faith can wane, and distractions abound. Today many around us are at the risk of compromising their integrity or walking away from their faith. How can we persevere to the end? Newbell offers hope and encouragement for us to run the race well.
HISTORICAL NON-FICTION: Tap Code: The Epic Survival Tale of a Vietnam POW and the Secret Code That Changed Everything, by Carlyle S. Harris and Sara W. Berry. The untold story of ex-Vietnam POW Col. Carlyle “Smitty “ Harris, who brought hope, strength, and the love of God to his fellow American POWs by secretly reviving a long-unused military communication code which became a lifeline to hundreds of military prisoners suffering from torture and abuse and helped them come home with honor, their wills unbroken.
The Messianic Vision of the Pentateuch, by Kevin S. Chen. Challenges the common view of the Pentateuch as focused primarily on the Mosaic Law, arguing instead that it sets forth a sweeping vision of the Messiah as the center of its theological message. Examines key passages from Genesis 3 to Moses’ climactic blessing in Deuteronomy 33 to see the Messianic glory in the Pentateuch.
Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters, by Carmen Joy Imes. This book goes back to Sinai to examine a theme that continues throughout the rest of Scripture as we learn about God’s name, Israel’s law, and our identify as Christians who bear God’s name.
The Great Transformation: The Sanctification and Glorification of the Believer, by Maurice Roberts.
The Lord Is One: Reclaiming Divine Simplicity, edited by ex-CBCer Joseph Minich and Onsi A. Kamel (Davenant Retrievals). The doctrine of divine simplicity refers to God’s undivided wholeness, or how God is “without parts.” Once a cornerstone of orthodox Christianity’s doctrine of God, simplicity has been dismissed by many modern theologians. This collection of essays seeks to reclaim it.
Clash of Visions: Populism and Elitism in New Testament Theology, by Robert W. Yarbrough. G.K. Beale calls this a “breath of fresh air in the midst of the theological pollution of liberal Christianity that persists in the Western world”. The book contrasts the liberal ‘elitists’ who deny the supernatural in the Bible, with the Christian ‘populists’ who believe it. Mike Bird adds that the NT is a religious book and of interest to religious people, and “not a text to be endlessly compared, dissected, or deconstructed for the amusement of elites” or to provide them with assurance that they need not take God too seriously.
The Cross Before Me: Reimagining the Way to the Good Life, by Rankin Wilbourne and Brian Gregor. The call to take up one’s cross and follow the suffering Savior may sound vague and even off-putting, but the authors aim to show how the call to Christ’s cross and to a cruciform life is a call to joy—not just for eternity, but for life now.
Handbook on Acts and Paul’s Letters, by Thomas R. Schreiner (Handbook on the NT series). This new series focuses primarily on the content of the biblical books without getting bogged down in historical-critical questions or detailed verse-by-verse exegesis.
My Heart Cries Out: Gospel Meditations for Everyday Life, by Paul David Tripp.
CHILDREN’S BOOKS: Sophie and the Heidelberg Cat, by Andrew Wilson, illustrated by Helena Perez Garcia (for ages 3 and up). Sophie, a little girl upset after disobeying her parents, learns the basics of the gospel of grace from a neighborhood cat through a conversation based on the first question and answer of the 1563 Heidelberg Catechism. The Moon is Always Round., by Jonathan Gibson, illustrated by Joe Hox (for ages 3-5). The moon is always round, even when we can’t see the whole moon. Gibson uses this vivid imagery to explain how God’s goodness is always present, even when it might be obscured by upsetting or difficult circumstances. (Note to parents: read this book yourselves before sharing with your child, as this lesson is applied to the stillbirth of a baby).