New Books–November 2009

Holy Ground: Walking with Jesus as a Former Catholic, by Chris Castaldo. An evangelical convert from Catholicism explores how to emulate the grace and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ in relation to their Catholic friends and family. D.A. Carson said it is the “best book he has read that chronicles such pilgrimages”. The author challenges Evangelicals to recognize that yes, Catholics can love Jesus.

An Uncommon Union: Dallas Theological Seminary and American Evangelicalism, by John Hannah. While DTS is often stereotyped as a stronghold of fundamentalism and dispensational premillennialism, the author of this history of the institution says the truth is far more complicated then the stereotypes would imply.

Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters, by Timothy Keller. How the Bible reveals the unvarnished truth about our faith and our heart’s desires.

Evening in the Palace of Reason: Bach Meets Frederick the Great in the Age of Enlightenment, by James R. Gaines. How a fleeting encounter in 1757 signaled a unique moment in history when Bach’s Lutheran faith met with the cold certainty of Frederic’s reason.

Religions of the Stars: What Hollywood Believes and How It Affects You, by Richard Abanes. Compares the religious beliefs of celebrities such as Oprah, Tom Cruise, and Madonna, and compares it to biblical Christianity.

5 Cities That Ruled the World: How Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London and New York Shaped Global History, by Douglas Wilson. Fuses together the critical moments in the birthing of history’s most influential cities–Jerusalem the city of spiritual freedom, Athens the city of reason, Rome the city of law, London the city of literature, and New York the city of commerce.

The Lives of David Brainerd: The Making of An American Evangelical Icon, by John A Grigg. The first scholarly biography of Brainerd, the student rebel, revivalist preacher, son-in-law of Jonathan Edwards, and missionary to the Indians, whose early death turned him into a heroic yet contested figure. Shows us why Brainerd’s is a life worth knowing.

Your Intercultural Marriage: A Guide to a Heathy, Happy Relationship, by Marla Alupoaicei. Sharing stories from her own marriage, and those of numerous intercultural couples, the author gives practical and biblical advice for handling the most common intercultural conflicts. (note: does not discuss marriages between aggies and graduates of other colleges).

More of the End Times Made Simple, by Samuel E. Waldron. The sequel to The End Times Made Simple, in which he disputed the dispensational interpretation of biblical prophecy. Now Waldron, an amillennialist, goes one step further, and argues that there are consequences to our End Times views. He also deals with such questions as to whether the temple in Ezekiel 48 is literal or figurative, and whether there is a distinction between Israel and the Church.

Who Made God? Searching for a Theory of Everything, by Edgar Andrews. Written by a distinguished scientist about the existence of God, this book dismantles the pretensions of scientific atheism.

The Power of Words and the Wonder of God, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor. The power and impact of our spoken and written words, for good or evil. The authors seek to instill a desire to see those words used to express the wonder of God. Contributors include Mark Driscoll, Paul David Tripp, Sinclair Ferguson, and others.

What Difference Do It Make? Stories of Hope and Healing, by Ron Hall, Denver Moore, and Lynn Vincent. Continues the story that began with Same Kind of Different as Me, with an unlikely friendship between an illiterate homeless African American and a wealthy fine-art dealer, and how a remarkable woman’s love brought them together.

Understanding English Bible Translations: The Case for an Essentially Literal Approach, by Leland Ryken. Ryken makes a strong case against the dynamic equivalence theory (such as the NIV) as not only insufficient, but counterproductive.

The Nearness of God: His Presence with His People, by Lanier Burns (Explorations in Biblical Theology). For many people, God is an abstract figure who set the world running, but is now largely absent from it. But in the Bible, God is not only center stage, He is intimately involved with His people. Burns shows us that, at each stage of the unfolding story of God and His people, God’s presence is never far away.

Chasing the Dragon, by Jackie Pullinger. Missionary biography of one woman’s struggle against the darkness of Hong Kong’s drug dens

My God Is True: Lessons Learned Along Cancer’s Dark Road, by Paul D. Wolfe. The author tells his story within the framework of a deep sense of the undergirding sovereignty and grace of God. Alister Begg says “my search is over for the one book to give someone battling cancer”.

Pilgrim Heart: The Way of Jesus in Everyday Life, by Darryl Tippens. Presents discipleship as a particular way of life guided by a set of simple but powerful daily practices known to the saints throughout the ages. These practices, or disciplines, include confession, listening, singing, Sabbath rest, hospitality, and others.

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life, by Donald Miller. New from the author of Blue Like Jazz. When movie producers proposed turning his memoir into a movie, he found himself with a rare opportunity to edit his life into a great story.

“O” God: A Dialogue on Truth and Oprah’s Spirituality, by Josh McDowell and Dave Sterrett. A readable conversation about Oprah’s religious views—their popular appeal, their dangers and their necessary theological correctives.

Psalm 119 for Life: Living Today in the Light of the Word, by Hywel R. Jones. Shows how Psalm 119, “The Great Psalm”, was written as a celebration of God’s Word for all of life.

Knowing Christ Today: Why We Can Trust Spiritual Knowledge, by Dallas Willard. Challenges fluid contemporary values by arguing that Christian thought is true knowledge and not merely the product of preferences and emotions. Provides a spiritual defense of the proposition that faith and reason are not contradictory.

Connecting for Christ: Overcoming Challenges Across Cultures, edited by Dr. Florence P.T. Tan. Papers on global outreach by professors teaching at Dallas Theological Seminary.

The Pilgrim’s Progress: From This World to That Which Is to Come, by John Bunyan, updated and edited by C.J. Lovik. A new edition of the classic, with an updated version of Bunyan’s original text, and 30 full color original paintings by acclaimed artist Mike Wimmer.

Tight Fists or Open Hands? Wealth and Poverty in Old Testament Law, by David L. Baker. A comprehensive study of the teaching of the OT on the subject of wealth and poverty. An understanding of that law is not only fundamental for interpreting the entire OT, but was also assumed by the writers of the NT.

What Every Child Should Know About the Bible, by V. Gilbert Beers. Children need you to teach them the Bible, and this book will show how 356 of the greatest Bible stories all fit together into God’s overall plan as revealed in the Bible.

Making Life Rich Without Any Money, by Phil Callaway. Stories of finding joy in what really matters.

The Walk: Steps for New and Renewed Followers of Jesus, by Stephen Smallman. Highly recommended for new Believers by Justin Taylor and Tim Keller.

The Indelible Image: The Theological and Ethical Thought World of the New Testament, Vo1 One: The Individual Witnesses, by Ben Witherington III. Having completed commentaries on every book of the NT, Witherington now offers the first of a 2-volume set on the theological and ethical thought world of the NT. The first volume looks at the individual witnesses while the second volume will examine the collective witness. The author contends that what all of the NT authors have in mind is that all believers should be conformed in thought, word and deed to the image of Jesus Christ—the indelible image.

PURITAN CLASSICS: The Marrow of Modern Divinity, by Edward Fisher. An intriguing book which was written in the 1600s by an author of whom little is known. It was penned as a dialogue between a minister (Evangelista), a young Christian (Neophytus), a legalist (Nomista), and an antinomian (Antinomista). Filled with quotations from Martin Luther and the worthy Puritans, the Marrow emphasizes evangelical doctrines such as the sovereignty of God, the free offer of the gospel, and sanctification by grace. This newly laid out edition includes explanatory notes by the famous Puritan Thomas Boston and an introduction by Philip Ryken. Reformed theologian Derek Thomas has called it “one of the most important theological texts of all time”.

COMMENTARIES: Luke (2 vols), by Leland Ryken (Reformed Expository Commentary); 1 Corinthians, by William Baker, and 2 Corinthians, by Ralph P. Martin and Carl N. Toney (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary #15); James, by Dan G. McCartney (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the NT); The Letter to the Philippians, by G. Walter Hansen (Pillar NT Commentary); Isaiah 40-66, by Gary V. Smith (NAC).

ADULT FICTION: Though Waters Roar, by Lynn Austin; An Eye for an Eye, by Irene Hannon (Heroes of Quantico #2); Ransomed Dreams, by Amy Wallace (Defenders of Hope #1); Intervention, by Terri Blackstock; Shades of Blue, by Karen Kingsbury.

ADULT/FAMILY DVDS: Pioneers of the Spirit: Augustine of Hippo, from the Trinity Televison Collection; The Life of William Tyndale, featuring Brian Edwards; The Forbidden Book: The History of the English Bible, from New Liberty Videos; 4 Power Questions to Ask an Evolutionist, featuring Mike Riddle.

CHILDRENS DVDs: Gigi’s First Day of School and Gigi: Bursting with Readiness, by Sheila Walsh (Gigi: God’s Little Princess).

CHILDRENS BOOKS: Zac the Tax Man and other titles in the Cecil and Friends series by Andrew McDonough.