Review: The Manifold Beauty of Genesis One

 

I was cautious and curious when I picked up The Manifold Beauty of Genesis One: A Multi-Layered Approach by Gregg Davidson and Kenneth J. Turner. I was encouraged to see that the authors affirmed The Chicago Statement on Inerrancy (10). That meant – to me – that wherever the authors were going, they were going to affirm the text as the True Word of God.

The authors break down each chapter addressing their points and concerns that readers might have, and each chapter ends with questions for reflection and study. The reading is not geared for the average layperson, but for the college student, seminarian, and pastor.

The authors identify the seven layers as song, analogy, polemic, covenant, temple, calendar, and land. The authors identify these layers as within the text, but neither opposed to the text or each other. These are additional facets of the text that one may find and study to flesh out the beauty of the text and the fullness of the meaning already there.

In presenting the layers, the authors look at the linguistic uses within the text, other Ancient Near Eastern parallels to the text – not to say that the Bible is a copy of their texts, but to make the point that God has condescended to present His True Word to us in a language and structure that we can understand.

This is an example of the parts being greater than the whole. The book looks small from the outside, but it is filled and becomes fuller as one reads the text and applies it in Genesis one and considers the use of the layers in other texts. It is an interesting and useful approach to gain more of what is already in the text.

Within the text, an assertion is made that floored me:  humans bringing of sin into the world did not change the Creation, only our experience of it (90). How can this be right?

Paul writes, “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:19-21, ESV).

If sin didn’t change the Creation, then what is the “futility” and “bondage” that it longs to be freed from?

Other issues such as seeing the days of Creation from the “framework” position and support for the idea of animal death in the Garden just don’t make sense to my reading of the Scripture.

So, I would say this book has value in showing how the text can be opened like and onion to bee seen to the further glory of God and our joy in seeing its beauty. However, I find some of their conclusions/interpretations of the text problematic. Use this book with care.

The book ends with a bibliography, author index, and Scripture index. (Footnotes appear throughout.)

[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, Kregel.com, and Goodreads.com].

Review: Berserk, Volume 1

 

I know little about anime, but I know a little more now.  Cole Hastings talks about it on his YouTube channel – and he said Berserk is his favorite. I asked my sister about it, and she’s likes it as well, and has the first few volumes, so I borrowed them.

These volumes are paginated from back to front and right to left, as the original language version is.

The series is by Kentaro Miura.

Berserk 1

The story opens introducing the reader to Guts, the Black Swordsman, and his friend, Puck the Elf. Guts has suffered in war and been tortured and is now out for revenge. He is marked on the neck with a brand that draws evil to him. And he lost his left arm which is now replaced with a mechanical one.

The pages are more drawings than words. The art is living and takes the reader through the story with understanding.

The volume is marked with a parental advisory for the violence of the story and art.

I am going to continue reading.

[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com].

Review: A Brief Theology of Christmas Presents

 

As Christmas is upon us, it seems appropriate to read, A Brief Theology of Christmas Presents by Douglas Wilson.

Wilson argues that one must consider the nature of gifts, the nature of giving, the nature of receiving, and the goodness of the material world to arrive at the title’s goal.

First, the nature of gifts is found in grace (5) and giving fills a need and results in thanksgiving (7). The ground of all generosity – of all gift-giving – is the giving of God the Son to us in the Incarnation (8).

Wilson says there are three categories of gifts:  the tithe – the ten percent of one’s gross income that God requires, offerings – gifts above the required ten percent, and celebrations (10). Christmas gifts are part of the third category.

One does not give to get, rather, we give gifts on order to be able to give more (13). God gives more for giving to those who give. God does not pay off someone with more for oneself for giving.

Second, the nature of giving is understood in Jesus’ saying that it is more blessed to give that to receive” (20). To be blessed, Wilson points out, is to receive. Therefore, in giving, one receives from God “a blessing given by another” (21). Thus, the nature of giving is the desire to receive nothing for the giving except to have been obedient to God. “To be blessed in giving is to be a receiver” (30).

Third, the nature of receiving involves “giving to get to give some more” (32). Being a true receive is done in humility and equips the receiver to give more (38). Receiving is not about pride and hoarding but being made able to give more.

Fourth, to see any good in gifts, one must acknowledge that the world – the material world is good. God created the material world good, and God the Son incarnate and remains forever a real, material human being. Thus, the material world must be good (44).

The theology of Christmas presents, therefore, is – by example of the giving of Jesus Christ – the giving of celebratory gifts is good – the giving of material gifts is good. The giving of gifts is not part of a quid pro quo but giving only to receive the blessing from God. In receiving from God and from others, one is prepared to thankfully give more.

Gifts rightly given at Christmas reflect Who Jesus is, that He remains human, so the world is good, and that gifts prepare the giving and the receiver to give more to the glory of Christ.

[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com].

Review: The Tigress of Forli

 

The Tigress of Forli:  Renaissance Italy’s Most Courageous and Notorious Countess:  Caterina Riario Sforza De’ Medici by Elizabeth Lev is my latest read.

I watched the TV series, The Borgias, and it made me seek out more about some of the characters of that period. Caterina De’ Medici is one of them. One of the things that interested me is that she came close to stopping the excesses of the Borgia Pope.

Caterina suffered the loss of three husbands but lead her people in peace and war, bore children, showing and unexpected strength. In the end, she is imprisoned, but she is released in time, spending the rest of her life preparing her children to be great.

The work includes quotations from extant writing of Caterina – as well as other figures of the time.

It ends with notes, sources, and an index.

A fascinating and very readable biography.

[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com].

Review: Why Should I Be Interested in Church History

 

Why Should I Be Interested in Church History by Joel R. Beeke and Michael A. G. Haykin is part of the “Cultivating Biblical Godliness” series.

The authors introduce the topic saying, “Generally speaking, men and women in the West today rarely think of consulting history for wisdom, direction, or encouragement” (1).

Biblically, this is the wrong attitude to have as God commands “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee” (Deuteronomy 32:7, KJV) (3).

History, the authors explain, is the viewing of God’s work of salvation in time. History helps us to avoid the errors of the past (11). History shows us the value of peoples and traditions other than our own (14). “A Christian view of history helps us see our present moment in the light of creation, redemption, and the completion of God’s saving purposes”
(18).

History shows us the value of other traditions (20), “offers models for imitation” (21), and “stirs up praise to God” because history rests upon Christ (25).

The authors go on to look at applications of Church History noting that our hope and the purpose of history is only found in God’s Word (30-31).

Finally, the authors go on to recommend a number of books to start with in the areas of overview of history, short biographies, visits to historical buildings and monuments, and primary sources to read (31).

The authors’ arguments and reasons are sound – nothing makes any sense outside of the Word of God – and through the Word of God, the study of Church history – and history more generally – will help the reader to understand what God has done and is doing and how to best live out the Scripture in history today. The recommendations at the end of the book are especially useful – I have read several of them.

You should be interested in Church history.

[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com].

Review: These Truths Alone

 

Tomorrow, October 31^st, is Reformation Day. We will be giving out copies of Jason Helopoulos’ book, These Truths Alone: Why the Reformation Solas Are Essential for Our Faith Today. This book was first released in 2017 – marking the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation.

This book is part of “The Good Book Guide to” series.

The author states the importance of the Solas: “Each of the Solas proves to be essential to the gospel. We neglect them to our harm. When the church loses its understanding of these rallying cries of the Reformation, it loses the gospel” (5).

He then has six chapters – one on each of the Solas – Scripture alone, Christ alone, grace alone, faith alone, and Glory to God alone – and one on perseverance.

Each chapter is designed for self-study or group study. Each chapter begins with two scriptures – one from the Old Testament and one for the New that support the doctrine of the Sola in question.

The chapters include a dictionary of terms, general questions on the theme, questions on the Scripture texts, questions regarding the implications of the text, a section of addition areas to “explore more,” question on application, a section on how the reader responds to what has been learned, and, finally, a section of things to pray for.

The book includes a detailed leader’s guide for using this book as a group study.

I believe the Solas are necessary for the Gospel. This book does an excellent job of explaining them and their place in Scripture. If you are unfamiliar with the Solas, need a refresher or additional theological and practical guidance, this is a great place to go.

[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com].

Review: Devoured by Cannabis

 

Douglas Wilson’s Devoured by Cannabis: Weed, Liberty, and Legalization is a gateway book.  (Pun intended.)

The question Wilson addresses in this book is whether cannabis should be legalized for recreational use.

Wilson begins by arguing that alcohol is not the same as cannabis (and other drugs) because alcohol is approved of, mandated, and recommended in the Scripture, whereas drugs are not.  Of course, not every use of alcohol is approved of by the Scripture – drunkenness is a sin (12).

Wilson states that another difference between alcohol and cannabis is that one can have a little alcohol and be fine – and its effects dissipate within a couple of hours.  However, it is not possible not to be deleteriously affected by cannabis (except for perhaps the most minimal amount) and that affect lasts for days interfering with the body’s function (13).

He argues that being drunk or stoned is incompatible with holiness (27).

Tobacco and cannabis are different because tobacco can be used without deleterious effect (35).

If one takes a libertarian view of using cannabis, the freedom use must exist alongside of an employer’s right to fire for use (53).  (Or the employer’s right to fire for use must remain, as per the First Amendment’s provision for freedom of association.)

Economically, he argues that legalization of cannabis would cost the taxpayer in damage while “stoned” and rehab clinics (59).

He argues that the science shows that cannabis use causes mental health problems in numerous people (61).  In fact, any use of cannabis is damaging to the body and mind (73).

While Wilson argues for the criminalization of cannabis use, he argues that possession of cannabis should be decriminalized.  The convicted of possession ought to be given the option of a fine or rehab – on an increasing scale depending on the number of convictions (88). And, the treatment centers would be private, not government run, so that the goal is the repair of the hearts and souls of the user (90).

Ultimately, the problem in one of sin, and the need of repentance – for all of humanity.  No one can ultimately be helped (do not read “cured”) without the intervention of God the Holy Spirit.  So, in working with drug users – and with all others – the presentation of the gospel must be foremost in our work.

I began by saying this is a gateway book.  What I mean by that is, as I began the book, I thought I knew what he was going to say and my response to it, but he took me up.  He stopped me and got me questioning the views I have held.

Specifically, I have two questions that I need to learn more about to better form a solid option on this issue:

First, is it true that it is impossible not to become impaired with any use of cannabis?

Second, is it true that use of cannabis causes or induces a significant percentage of mental illness?

If the answer to these is “yes,” I agree with him that the recreation use of cannabis must be illegal.

[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com].

Review: The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity

 

I saw the title, The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity by Carlos M. Cipolla, and chuckled thinking it must be a book of humor. Then I saw that the forward is written by Nassim Nicholas Taleb and thought better of my assumption and bought the book.

Taleb explains, “the author has a formal axiomatic definition of what stupid means: someone who harms others without procuring any gain fir himself or herself—in contrast to the much more predictable bandit who gains from harming you” (viii, italics his).

Cipolla explains that there are equal percentages of stupid people at every level and in every race, gender, ethnicity – everything of which you can think.

Cipolla states that there are five laws of human stupidity, and there are four categories of people – and all people fall to one degree or another along the four axes in differing spots depending on the degree one is one or the other.

His observations almost seem obvious until you sit back and think about them, and then you realize how profound they are. For the sake of your discovering this exceedingly readable, thought-provoking, and short book, I will not state the rules or the categories.

Once you have read the book, there are several blank charts at the end to plot out where you, your family member, or co-worker fall between being stupid and dangerous.

This is a book to go back to more than once.

 [This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com].

Review: 40 Questions About Roman Catholicism

 

I’ve read several of the “40 Questions” volumes in the Kregel series, and I have found them, by and large, interesting and instructive.  The latest volume I read, 40 Questions About Roman Catholicism by Gregg R. Allison is no exception.

I am not Roman Catholic, but I know a fair bit about Roman Catholicism, so I came to this volume interested to see what else I would learn.

The book is divided into three sections:  historical and foundational questions (questions 1-10), theological questions (questions 11-34), and contemporary and personal questions (questions 35-40).

The first area of great interest to me was the explanation that Roman Catholics believe that nature and grace are interconnected (see question 5). What this means is that nature – the physical creation – transmits – imparts – grace to the believer directly. The Creation does not merely show grace or point to grace, but itself, gives grace. This is seen – especially in the sacraments where the water, itself, cleanses the person of sin, and in the Lord’s Supper transmits grace, itself, to the receiving believer. This “works” in Roman Catholic theology because they deny that the sin of our first parents radically (to the root) corrupted humanity and all of Creation. Rather, they say that the sin of our first parents weakened humans and Creation. Thus, grace can come directly from the Creation and not just by God through the Creation.

Questions 11-13 were also of interest to me as the author explained that – for the Roman Catholic, authority comes from tradition, the Scripture, and the Magisterium. The Scripture, itself, is not the final authority, and if any of the three parts of authority fail, the entire authority of whatever is being regarded also fails.

A third area of interest to me was in question 37 that looks at why Protestants are converting to Roman Catholicism – many of whom are young people. Allison explains that Protest churches have failed in giving youth four things that they find in the Roman Catholic Church:  certainty, history, unity, and authority (300). To be welcoming, contemporary, and non-threatening, Protestant churches have become slippery, ethereal, and a mere vanity – causing young people to look elsewhere.

Allison examines the history of the church, the sacraments, Mary, the popes, and so forth, and provides and excellent introduction to and critique of the Roman Catholic Church. (One thing to be aware of, as I have mentioned with each volume of this series, is that Baptists author them – which is unimportant – except to note that there are places in the commentary where the Baptist view in Protestantism is the view put forth, which may not agree with all Protestant views.)

Each question/chapter ends with a summary and then questions for reflection – either for individual contemplation or group discussion. The volume ends with a bibliography and a Scripture index.

As I noted to begin with – I enjoy this series and have found many of the volumes to be instructive and enjoyable. This one is certainly helpful in understanding the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church and the differences there are between it and the Protestant churches. I hope to read and review addition volumes of this series.

I received this book free from Kregel in exchange for an honest review.

            [This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, Kregel. Com, and Goodreads.com].

Review: Turn On The Heat

 

Turn On the Heat is one of the Cool & Lam novels written by Erle Stanley Gardner (of Perry Mason fame) which he wrote under the pen name of A. A. Fair.

            Mr. Smith hires the private investigative firm of Cool & Lam (Bertha and Donald, respectively) to locate a Mrs. Lantig who disappear twenty-one years earlier. They are not to look for Mr. Lantig.

            What does Mrs. Lantig look like? How old is she? Where had she been? Mr. Smith says he doesn’t know.

            With almost nothing to go on, Cool & Lam begin to investigate and end up trying to figure out who’s who – who’s alive or dead – who’s married or divorced – and where is Mrs. Lantig?

            An enjoyable and twisty tale.

            [This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com].

Review: Faith After Doubt

 

            Let’s consider Christianity specifically:  have you ever had doubts about the authority of the Bible, the truth of the history or doctrinal claims of the Bible? Have you ever not been able to reconcile what you believe in your heart is just and living with what the Bible seems to say?

            A friend generously gave me a copy of Brian McLaren’s book, Faith After Doubt:  Why Your Beliefs Stopped Working and What to Do About It.

            McLaren begins his book with all-too-familiar anecdotes:  people who question how God could allow evil and command genocide, how God could be against LBGTQ+ relationships, how could God send all people of all faiths to Hell who don’t believe what the Church teaches to be true, and how can we believe the origin story of the Bible when science shows something utterly different?  These and other issues that may arise doubt and confusion about what to truly believe are common.  I was shaken when I began seminary and was told that the history of the Old Testament was largely myth.

            McLaren rightly says it is good and right to admit when we don’t know an answer or how to get out of a textual and/or textual-scientific problem (75). Being glib or trying to force an answer only makes the problem worse.

            McClaren explains that there are four stages of belief (87ff, 163ff):

            The first, which he calls simplicity, accepts the correctness of the dualistic theology that is handed down from the teachers of the religion. That is, there is truth and there is untruth and nothing else – there are not shades of grey. There is good and there is evil. Period.

            Second, complexity, in which one comes to focus on the effectiveness of living out the teachings of the Church, rather that slavishly believing them. Here, one begins to acknowledge that all religions have truth in them, so one begins to use the tools one has to bring about world connection and universal love.

            Third, perplexity, in which one honestly and critically considers the beliefs one has been taught and looks at them with suspicion and doubt. This critique and challenge even reflects back on oneself.

            Finally, harmony, in which one denies dualistic theology, rather, one zooms out one’s perspective to see all peoples and idea in the context of faith expressing love.

            This progression is not a once only event. As one continues to grow and mature in faith expressing love, one will go through the stages again.

            The expressing of faith, then, moves from belief to activity to doubt and, finally, to love (167). This pattern of growth through doubt ends up helping human nature and society move towards non-violence and love (180).

            McLaren explains that once one is in stage three, one understands that religion cannot be divorced from social justice (183) and believing in absolutes and not doubting leads to deterioration of the self (191).

            By stage four, one understands that everyone has the Holy Spirit within them and the presence of grace (201).

            This, McLaren has found in his own spiritual journey that whether or not the stories of the Bible are historical is not what matters most. Rather, what matters most is understanding the meaning of the stories and putting that meaning into action (207).

            There are six appendices to the book: 1. A chart of the four stages, 2. What the move out of infancy looks like, 3. Various authors’ namings of the four stages, 4. Resources, 5. Three points of prayer for each of the four stages, and 6. Group guidelines.

            I appreciate that McLaren does not dismiss the struggles many people have in understand what the Bible says and how to understand it in the light of feelings and the sciences. I also appreciate his emphasis that we don’t know or understand everything, and we ought to be willing and able to admit when we don’t know, or to ask for time to think things through. No one has all the answers, and no one perfectly understands everything in the Bible. He is also right to emphasize that belief cannot be stagnant/inactive. Belief must lead to action. Orthodoxy leads (necessarily) to orthopraxy. If you say you do believe and don’t live it out, you are lying or self-deceived (see the book of James, for example).

            However, McLaren’s book suffers fatally from an overarching false dichotomy – that being that one either believes blindly and does not act on one’s beliefs, or one doubts one’s beliefs/considers them equal in truth to all other’s beliefs and does act in faith expressing love. That is simply not true.

            Even as he quotes from James, we read, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:22-25, ESV).

            McLaren does not allow for the person who sincerely believes what the Church teaches (even if that person struggles to understand portions of the Bible – or even never understands portions of the Bible), but also follows the teachings of the Church and the Bible (when the teachings of the Church are those of the Bible), and acts on those beliefs with purposeful and merciful action towards all people (even while believing that a just and loving God cannot allow sin to go unpunished).

            McLaren also disagrees with Paul when McLaren says that the historicity of the Bible is not what matters most. Paul says that this is the Gospel:

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me” (I Corinthians 15:3-8, ESV).

Paul says historicity is of paramount importance.

I appreciate McLaren’s desire to help those who doubt/struggle with understanding the Bible and living it out, but he has written in his own first stage – and either/or that does not leave room for other understandings with action.

            (Also, the partisan political bashing is not helpful to getting his views across.)

            [This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com].

Review: The Age of Entitlement

 

Two things happen in 1963 which propelled the American entitlement culture according to Christopher Caldwell, in his book, The Age of Entitlement:  America Since the Sixties. Those being the assassination of JFK and the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act.

The crux of the matter is the diminishing of the right of freedom of association.

The ACLU explains, “The First Amendment guarantees our right to free expression and free association, which means that the government does not have the right to forbid us from saying what we like and writing what we like; we can form clubs and organizations, and take part in demonstrations and rallies.” (https://www.aclu.org/other/your-right-free-expression). The Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment implies and guarantees freedom of association.

The equality assured in the Civil Rights Act has gone from believing and codifying in law that all people are equal to a growing belief that there must be equity for all people. LBJ said it was not enough that everyone has equal opportunity, but that they must achieve equal outcome (31).

Caldwell visits the changing views on race, sex, war, debt, diversity, and examines who the true winners and losers are in a society that grants entitlements such that equity is achieved.

This means that the high school drop out working in the supermarket should make the same salary as the college professor – and so forth.

It also weakens the right of freedom of associate from – to use a modern example – anyone may make a cake for a gay wedding to anyone asked must make a cake for a gay wedding. Also, a la MLK, rather than judging a person by their character, people are judged by the color of their skin – and their place in the hierarchy of intersectional victimhood.

Caldwell writes, “The strongest case for letting people make choices without the interference of the state rests not on their competence as choosers but on their dignity as persons” (214).

Entitlement and the erosion of freedom of association leads to authoritarian – top down – government. “Freedom of association is the master freedom – it is the freedom without which political freedom cannot be effectively exercised” (218).

The book concludes with endnotes, a bibliography, and an index.

I found Caldwell’s argument and historical analysis persuasive. What he describes is where we are today. We have become a people less tolerant and more divisive, and, if nothing amends our trajectory, the future of this country is in jeopardy.

A sobering and important read.

[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]

Review: The Count of Nine

 

The Count of Nine is one of the Cool & Lam novels written by Erle Stanley Gardner (of Perry Mason fame) which he wrote under the pen name of A. A. Fair.

The private investigative firm of Cool & Lam (Bertha and Donald, respectively) are hired by Dean Crockett the Second to guard his valuables during his upcoming soiree – given that one of his two priceless jade buddhas was stolen at his last soiree.  Unfortunately, even with Bertha like a bulldog checking the guests in, not only is the second jade buddha stolen, but the blow gun Crockett recently brough back from Africa.

Lam figures out who took them and recovers them fairly quickly, but in attempting to return them, he finds that Crockett has been murdered with a blow gun dart in a locked room.  The obvious answer is his wife did it.

A twisty and satisfying mystery.

[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]

Review: What God Has to Say About Our Bodies

 

            When I was thirteen, the church we attended split.  In the minister’s last sermon before the split, he preached on the Shema – to love the Lord Thy God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength.  Strength meaning “the body.”  He preached, it’s time that the body come back into the Church. He was reflecting what is still a common error – that the material world – including our bodies – doesn’t matter – what matters is the spiritual.

            Part of Sam Allberry’s What God Has to Say About Our Bodies:  How the Gospel is Good News for Our Physical Selves is a corrective to this and the laying out of a biblical understanding of the body.

            Allberry divides his book into three sections:  created bodies, broken bodies, and redeemed bodies.

            Allberry begins by drawing our attention to the fact that in the Incarnation, the Son of God became a body; He did not merely inhabit one for a time (20).

            Our body is us, but we are not merely our body (46). The modern view is more that we are not our body, but this is not biblical.  God made us personally and purposefully.

            He goes on to explain that – normally – and originally, people are born as God created humans, male and female, and this being male, and female are both created in the Image of God and image God complementarily (65).  Men and women are different and not interchangeable.  We need and complement each other (76).

            In the second section, Allberry looks at how our bodies have been broken due to sin.

            In the Fall, he notes, there is a parallel brokenness in humans and in nature (90).  Pain, suffering, and varieties of body shame are the results of sin (97).

            Allberry turns to Corinthians to look at sexual sin and how it is the most detrimental sin to the body (108).

            And death is the final enemy (116).

            The ways in which we suffer should make us compassionate to others who suffer and have pain in any aspect of the body (the body also being shorthand for the totality of the self) (120). In this we can understand how, since Jesus was tempted according to every “species of trial,” He is about to sympathize with us – and be our example in sympathizing with others (123). This culminates in the suffering and death of Jesus (126).

            In the final section, Allberry explains that our bodies will be restore because they belong to Jesus (138).  “Not being our own means our body does not exist solely for our pleasure and agenda.  We are to glorify God with it, not ourselves.  And this is good news.  Only a body can glorify God” (150, italics in the original).

            Allberry explains that we are to offer up ourselves – our bodies as living sacrifices to God because He loved us first (166).

            Finally, we look forward to the resurrection of the body – assured by Jesus’ bodily resurrection – because “the life to come is going to be more real than our lives here” (177).

            The book contains endnotes, a general index, and a Scripture index.

            This book is thorough on the one hand, and very comprehensible on the other.  Pretty much anyone will understand and follow Allberry’s writing.  It is a book that sets out what the Bible teaches about the body – very good as God created it – and very God when God restores it.

            This is a book that ought to be read by ministers, seminary students, and members of the congregation to help dispel wrong ideas about the body and to embrace what the Bible truly says.  Which is Good News.

            [This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]

Review: The Institute

 

            The Institute by Stephen King begins with Tim losing his job.  Tim is a police officer and accidentally injures a bystander.  So, after being fired, Tim takes off to find out what will come next.

            Elsewhere, Luke Ellis is being kidnapped and his parents murdered.  There will be no ransom note.  Luke is telekinetic.  Kids with telepathy and telekinetic ability are needed by the Institute.

            Part Carrie, part Dead Zone, and part IT, The Institute confronts the reader with questions – not only of special abilities – but with the uses and protections of kids – and their ability to even overcome grown-ups and their problems.  The3 nuance here is that the grown-ups could be right.

            The novel moved smoothly and was very enjoyable – except for a passage near the end of the novel where King has a character express a political view – obviously his – which tilts the ret of the novel.  I wish he had left out or modified that section – you’ll see it.

            I read King for good story telling and to rouse my fears.  He does that most of the time.

            Enjoy the Institute.

            [This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]

Review: A History of Evangelism in North America

            A History of Evangelism in North America, edited by Thomas P. Johnson, is my latest read.

            The chapter/essayists look at the evangelism style and practices of Jonathan Edwards, David Brainerd, John Wesley, George Whitefield, Shubal Stearns, Francis Asbury, Cane Ridge, Bible Societies, the revival of 1800, Wilbur Chapman, John Mason Pack, Henrietta Mears, Dawson Trotman, Shadrach Meshach Lockridge, Billy Graham, Bill Bright, D. James Kennedy, Chuck Smith, Donald McGavran and C. Peter Wagner, John Piper, the Southern Baptists, and twenty-first century developments.  Evangelism in North America from 1700 to the present.

            The authors do a good job of presenting the varieties of evangelism, including primary sources, but with little critique.  The point of this volume is to present the ways in which evangelism is done, not to argue for or against certain forms of evangelism.  That is not to say that the authors neglect to bring up controversies regarding the figures – they do – but the is little saying that this or that form is right or wrong, biblical, or unbiblical. 

            The authors accomplish what they have set out to do.  It is a very readable and enlightening presentation of these people and events – with the underlying assumption that evangelism is a work of all Christians.

            In the final chapter, the editor gives a challenge: “…Christians and churches [should] choose to engage in a missionary encounter with culture, refusing to isolate or accommodate and zealously striving to bring the biblical story to bear on the governing ideologies of the day” (342).

            This is a well-written call for all Christians to evangelize.

            [This review appears on my blog, Kregel.com, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]

Review: Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals

 

            I bought Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals: Why We Need Our Past to Have a Future by Gavin Ortlund because the title looked to be something I would find interesting.

            Ortlund argues that the Protestant Church did not begin with Luther, much less in the past twenty years.  To understand the Church and what we believe and why we believe it, we must look to the Patristic and Medieval Theologians – not reading them through the Reformers or anyone else, but in their original documents – we ought to read what they wrote and learn from it (30).

            We do this understanding that the Church has never been wholly corrupt.  That is – whatever tradition we are in – we ought not throw out all other traditions because we disagree or understanding something to be wrong in their theology.  There is value in all the Christian Church – and we neglect mining it to our detriment (37).

            Peter J. Leithart writes, “A Reformational Catholic knows some of his ancestors were deeply flawed but won’t delete them from the family tree” (59).

            Ortlund explains some of the benefits and perils of retrieval:

            The benefits include bulking up contemporary theology where it is weak, teaching us how to make formal distinctions, and learning to reframe “modern debates by providing a premodern perspective (69-72).

            Some perils include distorting others’ views – not doing our homework, artificially pressing others’ views to support our own, “repristination” – presenting ancient views as the last word on an issue, and “minimalism” – reducing the variety of theological opinions into a single thought as though there was never any disagreement or nuance (73-75).

            In the second half of the book, Ortlund invites the reader to consider some examples.

            In chapter four, he introduces the Creator/Creation distinction as expounded in Boethius, Calvin, and Torrance.

            In chapter five, he looks at “divine simplicity in Patristic and Medieval perspective.”

            In chapter six, he looks at the doctrine of the Atonement in Irenaeus, Anselm, and Athanasius.

            In chapter seven, he looks at “Gregory the Great on pastoral balance.”

            The book includes a general index and a Scripture index.

            I agree with Ortlund:  the thought of the Church is the thought of the Church, and we are diminished by neglecting the thought of those who have gone before us – all of them.

            It saddens me to know that most of the ministers I know never read a book that was written more than twenty to thirty years ago.  C. S. Lewis called this “chronological snobbery.”

            Ortlund’s book also excited me to go back to the ancient authors – people I have looked at before, but not recently – to pick them up, read where I have not read, and grow in my understanding of the faith and the Church.  I wrote down several works from his footnotes that I am going to read.

            This is an excellent call to the Evangelical Church – and the Church at large – to engage in theological retrieval.

            [This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]

Review: The Authoritarian Moment

 

            The Authoritarian Moment: How the Left Weaponized America’s Institutions Against Dissent by Ben Shapiro argues that authoritarianism is taking over the United States.

            Authoritarianism is a form of government that centralizes power and uses that power to press its will down on the people.  The dirty little secret of authoritarianism, Shapiro writes, is that they are the minority, not the majority, which is why they are so loud and require compulsion – they are insecure (22).

            The first step is to renormalize America – that is to change the country by a small, vocal minority pushing its agenda until the silent majority gives in.  One of these agendas is Critical Race Theory which states that every institution in America is rooted in white supremacy – racism – through and through – and, thus, must be rejected and replaced (55).

            It is argued that different identity groups cannot understand other identity groups, and the most victimized groups have moral authority and need to overthrow “the dominant systems of power” (62).

            Shapiro argues that a new ruling class is being formed through pure credentialism – college is mainly the sorting mechanism for this (74-75).  Colleges have been renormalized to promote the idea that expressive individualism to the end of the self-perceived good life (87).  Foundational and historic norms are rejected for what feels right.

            Science has also been renormalized such that trial and error is no longer science, rather science is whatever the authoritarian government says is their preferred solution (99).  This is ultracrepidarianism – weighing in on matters outside one’s expertise (103).

            Renormalizing and authoritarianism is found in corporations where producing quality goods is secondary to virtue-signaling (130).  It is most important that corporations – for example – put the pride flag on their ads during the month of June.  Product is secondary.

            The entertainment industry has followed suit and “cancels” any actor who does not mirror the woke authoritarian mores (150).  The establishment media has likewise altered reporting to support a certain view, rather than reporting as objectively as possible (163).

            Shapiro provides ample evidence of his arguments in present-day situations that most will be aware of.

            Shapiro argues that “our rallying cry” must be “they can’t cancel us if we don’t let them” (215).

            We must renormalize education – returning to the historic documents, ideas, and beliefs that founded our country, rather that accept a “reimagining of history” (216).

            We must reject the notion that “silence is violence.” We must reject the notion that speech is violence.  We must be cordial, but not afraid to be offensive (218-219).

            If we do not overthrow authoritarianism through these methods, the answer may be “building alternative institutions,” which though possibly necessary, will completely divide the nation (225).  Two governments, two types of news promoters, to educational systems, and so forth.

            The place to begin, Shapiro argues, is to no longer be silent (227).  Rather than allow the authoritarians to cudgel us into silence, we must stand up and say “no” to their radical renormalizing of the nation.  We ought to firmly know the founding principles of our nation and our history and put them forward with confidence and not back down.  That is how we take back the nation from the authoritarians.

            I have noted key points, but the book, with its present-day examples fills them out and makes for a much smoother and convincing read.

            I believe Shapiro is right.  The authoritarians are in control of the major institutions of our nation – including the whole of the Federal Government.  To save the country for ourselves and those who come after us, we must stand up and fight.

            Read this book.

            [This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]