New Books–March 2014

New Books–March 2014

Complete New Book List

March 2014

Confessing History: Explorations in Christian Faith and the Historian’s Vocation, edited by John Fea, Jay Green and Eric Miller

God’s Double Agent: The True Story of a Chinese Christian’s Fight for Freedom, by Bob Fu with Nancy French. The riveting account of a student leader of the Tiananmen Square protests who became a literal prisoner for Christ and then escapes to the West, which Eric Metaxas says is “impossible to put down”.

The Final Days of Jesus: The Most Important Week of the Most Important Person Who Ever Lived, by Andreas J. Kostenberger and Justin Taylor. A day-to-day guide to Passion Week, allowing us to reexamine and meditate upon the history-making, earth-shaking significance of Jesus’ arrest, trial, crucifixion and empty tomb.

A Loving Life: In a World of Broken Relationships, by Paul E. Miller. How do you love with no love in return? Or when no one notices or cares? Based on the book of Ruth.

HISTORICAL NON-FICTION: The Johnstown Flood, by David McCullough. The stunning story of one of America’s great disasters, brilliantly told by master historian David McCullough. In the mountains above Johnstown, PA, an old earth dam had been hastily rebuilt to create a lake for an exclusive summer resort patronized by Pittsburgh tycoons such as Andrew Carnegie and Andrew Mellon. Despite repeated warnings of possible danger, nothing was done about the dam. Then came May 31, 1889, when the dam burst, sending a wall of water thundering down the mountain, smashing through Johnstown, and killing more than 2,000 people. It was a tragedy that became a national scandal.

The Twilight of the American Enlightenment: The 1950s and the Crisis of Liberal Belief, by George M. Marsden. Barry Hankins says: “In mid-20thcentury, enlightened intellectuals believed that autonomous individuals steeped in scientific rationality would build a tolerant and inclusive society, but in our era of culture wars, it seems the dream has failed; what went wrong?” Marsden, the dean of evangelical historians, tackles that question and offers an alternative proposal for keeping peace in a pluralistic culture.

Prepared for a Purpose: The Inspiring True Story of How One Woman Saved an Atlanta School Under Siege, by Antoinette Tuff with Alex Tresniowski. 870 children waited in fear as their elementary school rushed into lockdown mode. As the nation faced another Sandy Hook story of tragedy, one woman through courage and faith rewrote the ending and prevented tragedy.

The Storytelling God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Parables, by Jared C. Wilson. If parables such as the Prodigal Son or the Good Samaritan strike us just as sweet, heart-warming stories, then we have probably misread them.

Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep Us Apart, by Christena Cleveland. If Christians are supposedly all about love, why do we seem to fight so much?

Recovering Eden: The Gospel According to Ecclesiastes, by Zack Eswine (Gospel According to the OT). Only in Christ are we freed from bondage to vanity and futility.

Bach: Music in the Castle of Heaven, by John Eliot Gardiner. A unique portrait of one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time by one of the greatest musical geniuses of our age. According to Justin Taylor at the Gospel Coalition website, this book has been garnering high praise. One reviewer says: “Simply as a biography this is splendid, but the fact that it comes with such a wealth of musical understanding and experience makes it invaluable.”

Finishing Our Course with Joy: Guidance from God for Engaging with our Aging, by J.I. Packer. Thinning hair, failing eyesight, and arthritic hands reveal an inescapable truth: we’re only getting older. But that doesn’t mean we should simply lean back and take it easy. Theologian and author Packer challenges us to embrace aging as an opportunity for continued learning and heartfelt discipleship.

The Adam Quest: Eleven Scientists Who Held On to a Strong Faith While Wrestling with the Mystery of Human Origins, by Tim Stafford. Whether you believe in a young earth, intelligent design, evolutionary creationism, or something else, this book offers a chance to deepen your appreciation of the views of others. Philip Yancey says, “in a debate that usually provokes accusations, name-calling and polarization, Stafford offers a wise, mediating overview”.

Sermons on the Gospel of John, Chapters 6-8 and Sermons on the Gospel of John, Chapters 14-16, by Martin Luther, edited by Jaroslav Pelikan (Luther’s Works, Vols. 23, 24). Frederick Dale Bruner says “no interpreter of Scripture was more helpful than Martin Luther, especially on the Gospel of John”, and that “Luther prized the Gospel of John, especially chapters 14-16. ” These sermons are delightful to read and rich in Gospel truth.

The Suffering and Victorious Christ: Toward a More Comprehensive Christology, by Richard J. Mouw and Douglas A. Sweeney. In the mysteries of the Trinity, Christ not only created his fellow humans, but also suffered with them. This book emphasizes Christ’s servanthood and suffering in giving us a better appreciation of “the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died”.

The Dude’s Guide to Manhood: Finding True Manliness in a World of Counterfeits, by Darrin Patrick. John Piper says to “buy a bundle, read one, and give the rest to believing and unbelieving guys you know”.

Evangelical Theology: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction, by Michael F. Bird. A systematic theology written from the perspective of a biblical scholar. Bird contends that the center, unity and boundary of the evangelical faith is the evangel (i.e. the gospel) and the gospel is the hermeneutical lens thru which the various subfields of theology need to be understood. The text features tables, sidebars, and questions for discussion and the end of every part includes a “What to Take Home” section. Bird is also known for his unique sense of humor, and knowing that reading theology can become dry and cerebral, he includes occasional “Comic Belief” sections with theological humor thrown in. Trevin Wax, who said Bird is “not only smart but funny”, listed this book as one of his top 10 reads of 2013, and said it “may rival Erickson as his go-to in the future”.

COMMENTARIES: Obadiah: The Kingship Belongs to YHWH, by Daniel I. Block (Hearing the Message of Scripture Commentary Series); 1,2,&3 John, by Karen H. Jobes (Exegetical Commentary on the NT).

ADULT FICTION: Butterfly Palace, by Colleen Coble; Not by Sight, by Kathy Herman (Ozark Mountain Trilogy #1); Eyes Wide Open, by Ted Dekker (Outlaw Chronicles).

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