In trying times, there are few things more comforting than the Psalms. And in an era when contemplative faith is increasingly difficult, fewer pastors bring the depth of insight than Charles Spurgeon. I was delighted, therefore, to receive the new text of Spurgeon and the Psalms from Thomas Nelson. This slim volume includes each ofContinue reading “Book Review: Spurgeon and the Psalms”
Category Archives: Reviews
Books I Read in 2021
Every year, I commit to reading as much and as widely as possible and (as a means of remembering everything I’ve read and holding myself accountable to my reading goals) I track the books I’ve read each year. (Click here to see what I read in 2020) A couple of notes before my list. First,Continue reading “Books I Read in 2021”
Book Review: New Girl at Church
Questions. We all have them. About life, about our world, about why things are the way that they are. Asking questions is an important part of life and an integral part of learning about something new or unfamiliar. This is especially true when it comes to questions about faith. There are a lot of truthContinue reading “Book Review: New Girl at Church”
Book Review: Galatians: Freedom Through God’s Grace
Paul’s letter to the Galatians has long held a place of importance for those seeking to understand the power of the Gospel. One of the first books of the New Testament to be written, Galatians forcefully presents many of the Apostle Paul’s most central ideas and themes of grace and justification, displaying in brief, impassionedContinue reading “Book Review: Galatians: Freedom Through God’s Grace”
Book Review: Irresistible (Stanley)
Once upon a time, there existed a version of Christianity that was irresistible. Over the years, however, errors and accretions have piled up, reducing to a shadow what was once a robust proclamation of the Good News of Jesus. But now, there’s a way that the Church can return to its roots and make theContinue reading “Book Review: Irresistible (Stanley)”
Book Review: The Old Testament Case for Nonviolence (Fleischer)
Did God command Israel to commit atrocities when conquering the Promised Land? Does He approve when people go to war in His name? Is the God of the Old Testament truly a homicidal maniac, as some have said? In The Old Testament Case for Nonviolence, Matthew Curtis Fleischer tackles these questions—and much more—with a thoroughContinue reading “Book Review: The Old Testament Case for Nonviolence (Fleischer)”
In the Mail: An Anomalous Jew
Upon arrival at Saint Louis University this morning, I was pleased to find Michael Bird’s An Anomalous Jew: Paul among Jews, Greeks, and Romans (Eerdmans, 2016). I am most thankful to Eerdmans for sending this my way, and look forward to reading and reviewing what promises to be a stellar read. From the Eerdman’s catalogue:Continue reading “In the Mail: An Anomalous Jew”
Reflections on The Supremacy of God in Preaching
John Piper’s classic The Supremacy of God in Preaching offers an outline of principles for preaching, centering on the need for preachers to recognize (and apply) the supremacy of God in their theology and practice. The revised and expanded edition contains three emphases: why God should be supreme in preaching; how God should be supremeContinue reading “Reflections on The Supremacy of God in Preaching”
Book Review: The Pauline Effect (Strawbridge)
While the influence of Pauline writings on early Christianity remains widely recognized, few studies investigate the particulars of Paul’s theological and exegetical influence on ante-Nicene Christianity. Beginning this immense task of studying the specific reception histories of Pauline pericopes is Jennifer Strawbridge’s The Pauline Effect, winner of the 2014 SBL-De Gruyter Prize for Biblical StudiesContinue reading “Book Review: The Pauline Effect (Strawbridge)”
Book Review: Who Made Early Christianity? (Gager)
Contemporary readers of the New Testament are often struck by the overwhelming influence of the Apostle Paul. After not appearing at all in the gospels and barely appearing in the first half of Acts, he comes to dominate most of the rest of the New Testament canon. Despite his popularity, however, Paul remains a controversialContinue reading “Book Review: Who Made Early Christianity? (Gager)”
Pursuing Veritas 