New Books–March 2013

New Books–March 2013

Complete New Book List

March, 2013

One Perfect Life: The Complete Story of the Lord Jesus, by John MacArthur. A one-of-a-kind composite harmony of the NT Gospels, blended into a single continuous narrative.

The Heroic Boldness of Martin Luther, by Steven J. Lawson (Long Line of Godly Men series). Luther was a trailblazing Reformer, precise theologian, prolific author, and fierce debater. But above all, he was a preacher who was unflinchingly courageous as he stood in the pulpit, and he was so bold because he was thoroughly biblical.

The Cross in the Shadow of the Crescent, by Erwin Lutzer. An informed response to Islam’s war with Christianity.

Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels, by J. Warner Wallace. The author was an atheist and homicide detective who worked on “cold cases”. But after his conversion, he became a fervent apologist for Christianity, applying his detective skills to the assertions of the NT Gospels.

Christianity, Islam, and Atheism: The Struggle for the Soul of the West, by William Kilpatrick. Marvin Olasky of World Magazine says this is “a good introduction to the whole problem of Christian reticence to criticize Islam, sometimes out of fear and sometimes because of over-politeness”.

The Mystery of God: Theology for Knowing the Unknowable, by Steven D. Boyer and Christopher Hall. The concept of mystery is essential to exploring and contemplating the subject of the God who is, as Luther said, both hidden and revealed. The authors focus on such topics as incarnation, Trinity, prayer, and salvation, and along the way, they mine riches from the church fathers.

Galatians for You, by Timothy Keller, who says: “Galatians is all about the gospel—the gospel all of us need throughout all of our lives. It’s dynamite, and I pray that its powerful message explodes in your heart as you read this book”.

Crescent Moon Rising: The Islamic Transformation of America, by Paul L. Williams. A chronological account of the history of Islam and its rise in America. Marvin Olasky of World Magazine says this book “has an overblown subtitle, but useful information on Islam’s small steps domestically during the past three decades”.

Christianity and World Religions: An Introduction to the World’s Major Faiths, by Derek Cooper. Michael Horton says “only the best-informed writers can summarize diverse religious traditions in a brief but insightful manner (and) that is precisely what Derek Cooper has done”. The book concludes with biblical and theological responses to other religions.

Jesus the Messiah: Tracing the Promises, Expectations, and Coming of Israel’s King, by Herbert W. Bateman IV, Darrell L. Bock, and Gordon H. Johnston. A masterful synthesis of the teaching about the Messiah in the OT, the context of Judaism, and in the NT, which Richard Hess calls “the most useful work on the subject to date”. Color plates include numerous charts, maps, and sidebars.

Jesus iWitness, by Doug Powell.A visual, highly interactive tour of Jesus’ life, using paintings and vintage photos of the Holy Land. Written from an apologetics perspective, explaining the meaning of Jesus and the theological importance of the events of His life. NOTE: This would be a wonderful tool to give to a Muslim or member of another religion to whom you are witnessing—come and take a look!

The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity, by Robert Louis Wilken. Mark Noll calls this “the best kind of historical survey, learned and thorough, but accessible for all aspects of early Christian history,” especially emphasizing the significance of Islam to the whole Christian world from the 7th century onward. Wilken is known for his rich writing style and narrative gifts.

Schaeffer on the Christian Life: Countercultural Spirituality, by William Edgar. Francis Schaeffer was well-known as a Christian apologist and author, but this is the first book devoted to exploring the heart and soul of Schaeffer’s approach to the Christian life, a marriage of thought and life, of orthodoxy and love. The author was converted from agnosticism within days of meeting Schaeffer.

Adam in the New Testament, by J.P. Versteeg, translated by Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. Vern Poythress says: “Given the recent debates about the existence of Adam, Versteeg shows with vigor that the NT’s teaching requires a historical Adam”.

Imagining the Kingdom: How Worship Works, by James K.A. Smith (Cultural Liturgies, vol 2). Smith’s thesis is that human beings are best understood as worshiping animals. And in this volume, Alan Jacobs says that Smith “takes us deeper into the artistic, imaginative, and practical resources upon which we must draw if we wish to renew not only our minds but also our whole beings in Christ”.

Engaging the Written Word of God, by J. I. Packer. Packer is one of the most influential thinkers and apologists for Christianity. This volume contains a collection of articles on the authority of Scripture and the principles that should be applied when interpreting it. He addresses important issues such as responding to present-day views of Scripture, upholding the unity of the Bible, and addressing challenges in biblical interpretation.

The Psalter Reclaimed: Praying and Praising with the Psalms, by Gordon Wenham, who is one of the most respected OT scholars of our time. In this volume, he shares hermeneutical guidelines for interpreting Psalms, making the transforming messages of the Psalms accessible to us.

Faithmapping: A Gospel Atlas for Your Spiritual Journey, by Daniel Montgomery and Mike Casper. The author says that most of us emphasize one aspect of Christianity over another. Competing voices tell us that the Christian life is all about this or that: missions, discipleship, worship, the cross, or the kingdom. It’s as if we are navigating the Christian life with fragments of a map—bits and pieces of the good news—rather than the whole picture. If we put those map fragments together, we discover a beautiful, coherent picture. Faithmapping invites Christians to see that map.

Comforts from Romans: Celebrating the Gospel One Day at a Time, by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick. 32 days of devotional reflections on Romans.

ADULT FICTION: Submerged and Shattered, by Dani Pettrey (Alaskan Courage #1-2); Silhouette: A Peacer Novel, by Dave Swavely (a government thriller and murder mystery set in the distant future; the author is a PCA pastor, and the book is recommended by Marvin Olasky of World Magazine)

THEOLOGY FOR CHILDREN: God Is Forever, God Is Everywhere, God is Self-Sufficient, God Is Three Persons, and God Is Spirit, by William Lane Craig (Dr. Craig’s “What Is God Like”? The Attributes of God For Children series). Craig is a professor at Talbot School of Theology and prolific author in the field of Christian apologetics.

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