New Books – July 2008

New Books – July 2008

Theological Guide to Calvin’s Institutes: Essays and Analysis, edited by David W. Hall and Peter A. Lillback (Calvin 500 Series). This volume is a contribution to the celebrations marking the 500th anniversary of Calvin’s birth, and is made up of a section-by-section analysis of John Calvin’s magnum opus by twenty leading Calvin scholars. J.I. Packer says, “for making Calvin known today as well as once he was, and in every age deserves to be, this really is a major step forward”.

Enthroned On Our Praise: An Old Testament Theology of Worship, by Timothy M. Pierce (NAC Studies in Bible and Theology). A theological survey of the whole OT, grounding worship in its bedrock theological structures, showing how worship ties God, humanity, and creation together. The author examines each canonical division of the OT: the Primeval Prologue, the Pentateuch, the Former Prophets, the Latter Prophets, and the Writings.

Lloyd-Jones: Messenger of Grace, by Iain H. Murray. Focuses on key themes of Lloyd-Jones’ ministry: the nature of true preaching, the importance of assurance of salvation, and addresses the charge that Lloyd-Jones’ view of the nature of the church was needlessly divisive.

Salvation Belongs to Our God: Celebrating the Bible’s Central Story, by Christopher J. H. Wright (Christian Doctrine in Global Perspective). Every phrase in Revelation 7:10 resonates with significant themes in the Old and New Testaments. The author views the story of God’s salvation through the lens of this verse to show the great breadth of God’s saving work: the character and purposes of God, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the redemption of all creation, the joy of Christian experience, and the responsibility of Christian mission.

The Many Gospels of Jesus: Sorting Out the Story of the Life of Jesus, by Philip W. Comfort and Jason Driesbach. Discusses the various ancient documents (35 total) that claim to describe the life of Jesus, including the Biblical Gospels. Which gospels tell the truth about the historical Jesus? Investigate the evidence for yourself.

Personal God: Can You Really Know the One Who Made the Universe?, by Tim Stafford. Considering what it means to have a personal relationship with the God who covers the earth with living things.

Who Gets to Narrate the World? Contending for the Christian Story in an Age of Rivals, by Robert E. Webber.

What Do the Patriarchs Have to Do With the Resurrection? Jesus’ Use of Covenant Language in His Debate with the Sadducees, by Peter Lincoln Smith. In this his Master’s thesis, CBCer Peter Smith examines Jesus’ quotation of Exodus 3:6 in his debate with the Sadducees concerning resurrection (Matt 22; Mark 12; Luke 20).

Heirs with Christ: The Puritans on Adoption, by Joel R. Beeke. In contrast to the bad press the Puritans have gotten for their supposed lack of teaching on the doctrine of spiritual adoption, Beeke shows that the Puritan era did more to advance the idea that every true Christian is God’s adopted child than any other age of church history.

A Place at the Table: George Eldon Ladd and the Rehabilitation of Evangelical Scholarship in America, by John A. D’Elia. Ladd (1911-1982) was a pivotal figure in the resurgence of conservative evangelical scholarship in America during the years after WWII. He was a strong critic of dispensationalism and fundamentalism, and is best known for his doctrine of the Kingdom of God. His main focus was to create a body of evangelical scholarship that the broader academic world would accept, and when he was unsuccessful in this effort during his lifetime, he descended into depression, bitterness and alcoholism. However, he played an important part in opening academic doors to later generations of evangelical scholars.

Love, the Ultimate Apologetic: The Heart of Christian Witness, by Art Lindsley. Defending the Christian faith is a multidimensional task, but central to that task must be the presentation and example of the uniqueness of Christian love. Author and apologist Lindsley explores the persuasive and illuminating power of Christlike love expressed in commitment, conscience, character, community and courage.

The Quotable Oswald Chambers, compiled and edited by David McCasland. Chambers was the author of My Utmost for His Highest, the best-selling devotional book of all time. He died in 1917 in Cairo, Egypt, where he served as chaplain for British troops.

Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry and Writings, edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns. The third OT volume in IVP’s celebrated “Black Dictionary” series. Features 150 articles covering all the important aspects of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Ruth and Esther.

Father, Son and Spirit: The Trinity and John’s Gospel, by Andreas J. Kostenberger and Scott R. Swain (New Studies in Biblical Theology). From the patristic period until today, John’s Gospel has served as a major source for the church’s knowledge, doctrine, and worship of the trinune God.

Christ Walks Where Evil Reigned: Responding to the Rwandan Genocide, by Emmanuel M. Kolini (Archbishop of Rwanda) and Peter R. Holmes. The 1994 Rwandan genocide, where over a million people were killed in 100 days, looms as one of the great atrocities of our generation. Further it was magnified by the apathy and inaction of the West, and the complicity of many in the Rwandan church. However, whereas evil seemed to reign during that tragedy, God has been present and active in the healing taking place in Rwanda at this time.

Sacred Chaos: Spiritual Disciplines for the Life You Have, by Tricia McCary Rhodes. Life is often chaotic, but in the midst of a time of household turmoil, Tricia learned to see God and communicate with Him in whole new way—not on a spiritual retreat, but right in the midst of the chaos of life. This book aims to help awaken you to the reality of God’s presence in your life, just as it is.

Because He Loves Me: How Christ Transforms Our Daily Life, by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick. Hope and a supply of “spiritual oxygen” to those who have lost sight of what they have and who they are in Christ.

Beyond Smells and Bells: The Wonder and Power of Christian Liturgy, by Mark Galli. A compelling case for the relevance of Christian liturgy in our postmodern, individualistic age. The author says that in a culture that values spontaneity, liturgy grounds us in something enduring. The author is senior managing editor of Christianity Today magazine.

The Search for the Twelve Apostles, by William Steuart McBirnie. Begin where the Bible story ends by exploring the legends, traditions, and real lives of Jesus’ closest followers. The author traveled to the places where the apostles lived and visited, studied Scripture and biblical history, listened to local traditions, and engaged in his own original research.

Be Last: Descending to Greatness, by Jeremy Kingsley. In a world where people are driven tirelessly by the “me first” mentality, Jesus challenges us to descend to true greatness.

Reformation Heroes: A Simple Illustrated Overview of People Who Assisted in the Great Work of the Reformation, by Diane Kleyn with Joel R. Beeke. A beautifully written and illustrated coffee-table size book, written especially for older children and teens.

The New Conspirators: Creating the Future One Mustard Seed at a Time, by Tom Sine. Living examples of Christ-like activity in the world, with a bold challenge to “those who think that the kingdom of God can be built from the starting point of compromise and comfort”.

I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus, by Don Everts and Doug Schaupp. After listening to the stories of two thousand postmodern people who have come to follow Jesus, the authors describe the factors that influence how people shift their perspectives and become open to the gospel.

Dispensationalism Tomorrow and Beyond: A Theological Collection in Honor of Charles C. Ryrie, edited by Christopher Cone. This book in honor of Dr. Ryrie was written by scholars who hold to the same basic view of Dispensationalism for which he is noted. Contains a total of 23 essays on various subjects related directly or indirectly to Dispensationalism.

ILLUSTRATED GUIDES: The Christians: An Illustrated History, by Tim Dowley (church history); How We Got the Bible: A Visual Journey, by Clinton E. Arnold; Amazing Discoveries That Unlock the Bible: A Visual Experience, by Douglas Connelly (an archaeological journey thru the OT and NT).

ADULT FICTION: Allison’s Journey, by Wanda E. Brunstetter (The Brides of Webster County #4); Miracles, by Terri Blackstock; Washington’s Lady, by Nancy Moser; Crossroads of Grace #1-3, by Allison Pittman; Little Hickman Creek Series #1-3, by Sharlene MacLaren.

YOUTH.CHILDREN’S BOOKS: Elise the Actress and four other titles in the Sisters in Time series; Rainy Day Games: Fun with the Animals of Noah’s Ark, by Andy McGuire.

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