Hearts & Minds Books

As you know, sometimes I share lists with you that are first developed for a customer who inquires about what sort of books are best in a given field.  Actually, we don't pretend to know the "best" but we do try to offer suggestions that are good for the person or group---best as we can tell---who has asked us. So, here are some recommendations for a book club, study team, or anybody wanting to think about caring for elderly parents, the role of mid-life adults taking care of their own dear folks.  By the way, we have a number of resources on aging, on older adult ministry, and a lot of good reading for elders who may want devotionals or reflections about growing older.  Just call us if you'd like or if you know anybody who might want something like that, written for an older readership.

These, though, as you can see, are mostly about caring for aging parents.  Hope it is helpful.

Caring for Your Aging Parent: When Love Is Not Enough Barbara Deane (NavPress) $15.99  This is well written and touching and insightful, if a bit basic.  A good number of years old, now, but it stays in print.  Balanced, thoughtful, interesting and helpful, from a clearly Christian perspective.  Some have said it has nearly revolutionized how they see their aging folks, and given them fabulous ideas on how to cope.

Changing Places: A Christian's Guide for Caring for Aging Parents  Betty Benson
Robertson (Beacon Hill) $14.99  Betty is a pleasant author, funny, known for her sensible Bible studies and evangelical faith.  This one also has a nice tone and while it is very practical, tells stories, shares the anguish of these times, and is based mostly on her own experience bringing an ailing parent into their home.  It gives lots of common sense ideas and is quite reassuring.
 







Family Squeezed: Tales of Hope and Hilarity for a Sandwiched Generation Phil Callaway (Multnomah) $13.99  You know the "squeezed" phrase, or the "sandwich" generation---between raising kids and caring for elders.  This reads almost like a novel, as he shares touching--but usually hilarious--stories of his own crazy family.  As he puts it, being middle aged today is between "the greatest generation and the gimmee generation."  No wonder it is tricky, " Money is tight and so are your favorite jeans. "  Some call Callaway "Dave Berry with a message."  Nice.

Taking Care of Parents Who Didn't Take Care of You: Making Peace with Aging Parents Eleanor Cade (Hazelden) $16.00  This is not overtly Christian, but thought I should mention it as it could be important for someone out there.  Hazeldon is the AA publisher, and they are renown for doing things for folks in recovery.  Well, what if you were raised in an abusive or alcoholic or neglectful or controlling family?  How does one "make amends" on top of the obligations to care for aging parents.  This is a powerful story, a long-overdue look at a sad situation that is laden with possibilities of redemption for those who are willing...She offers a compassionate and realistic guide with lots of poignant stories.

My Mother, Your Mother: Embracing Slow Medicine, The Compassionate Approach to Caring for Your Aging Loved Ones Dennis McCullough (Harper) $14.99  This is not a religious perspective, and some even think it is controversial, so some sharp folks might caringly reflect on it.  It is mostly about medical issues.  The author invites us to be proactive and intentional about health care and not await for acute or crisis situations that demand major medical interventions.  I'm not sure how one can always anticipate the complications, but this is a kind guide to thinking about the medical needs of our elders without going overboard and entering a health care system that may end up making matters more complicated and expensive and inhumane.  One reviewer called it "comforting in its compassion and detail."

Caring for Mother: A Daughter's Long Goodbye  Virginia Stem Owens (WJK) $16.95  Oh, boy, get the tissues out for this one.  Beth and I were just awestruck by this when we read it as it so chronicled the exact frustrations and pain we experienced as my mother-in-law was in her last weeks in and out of hospitals, talking to too many doctors, medical confusions and institutional errors and less-than-attentive caregivers and the consequences of feeling marginal and helpless in this dear time at the end of life.  I devoured her prose, with tears and sighing too deep for words. Ms Owens is a great Christian writer (friend of Eugene Peterson and poet Luci Shaw) and these essays are powerful, essential reading---although may be too specific about end of life care of a dying parent that it may not be right for your group if you are seeking something about all sorts of aging issues.  Still, this account of caring for the dying and navigating the medical worlds is tender and passionate and beautiful;  this is truly a sacred story, set on holy ground, by one of our finest memoirists.  Very, very highly recommended.

A Place Called Canterbury: Tales of the New Old Age in America Dudley Clendinen (Penguin) $16.00  Once again, this isn't a faith-based book, so it wouldn't be right for a Sunday school class, but it is one we couldn't put down.  The author's parents ended up in a retirement village---everything paid---in swanky Florida and as he visited often, he decided to do some investigative journalism and write a book about the inside scoop on this little enclave of the very old.  It is both hilariously funny, quite touching, truly interesting, pretty enlightening (who knew half of this stuff?) It unfolds like a novel, or a great bit of magazine reporting, and we were hooked on wanting to know what happens as these folks age, and as this author grew to care for this home full of characters.  This particular place (literally called Canterbury) may not be exactly the sort of place most of our parents end up, but the stories are remarkable, and we learned a lot.  Some colorful language, by the way, and a chapter on the sex lives at Canterbury.  Oh my...would make a great book club read, or a "end of the summer" beach book.

A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God's Sovereignty Joni Eareckson Tada (Zondervan) $21.99  special sale price, $5.00 off-- $16.99
 As we struggle with the pressures of care-giving, we get exhausted and weary and, understandably, begin to doubt the deepest things of our faith.  Here, a woman who has suffered much (and even know, in her pain-wracked days, has just announced her breast cancer diagnosis) has so much to teach us.  Joni is a very, very smart woman and has earned the right to speak about mature theology, harsh stuff, and the joy of serving God, even in times of great pain and hardship. This is brand new, very thoughtful, and we are please to be able to share it with you.  See the sale price, noted above.

Aging and Ministry in the 21st Century: An Inquiry Approach  Richard Gentzler
(Discipleship Resources) $13.00  While this is a handbook for thinking about ministry and I suppose is aimed at an audience of church leaders, any strong Christian might find it interesting to think strategically about reaching and serving and nurturing the faith of our elderly.  This is a truly marvelous resource; one Presbyterian consultant on the topic wrote "I have waited almost 30 years for this book to be written."  For churches or individuals wanting to do ministry---and, really, that might be all of us if we care about the faith of our parents---this gives sociological insights, health-related stuff, chapters on spiritual formation, a bit on development issues.  It covers everything from the theology needed to understand dementia to worksheets for caregivers.  There is a chapter on how boomers view death and dying, and there is plenty to reflect upon for anyone curious, even if not planning an official launch of a new church-based ministry per se.  I like the balance of perspective and of practicality.  Very nicely done.

Lost in the Middle: Midlife and the Grace of God  Paul David Tripp (Shepherd Press)
$15.95  Tripp has written a great, Biblically-based book on parenting teens (Age of Opportunity) and is a Reformed scholar and counselor who emphasizes a strong role of the Bible as we care for one another in helping ministries.  (His Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands has the subtitle "people in need of change helping people in need of change.") This is not really about caring for elderly adults, but it seems that, even though the Bible never exactly mentions "mid-life" it does offer great resources for those of us going through this time of transition. He believes that there is much regret and pain and unspoken conflict in this time of life (these days, especially) and offers the hope of the gospel which allows us to reflect on how we can renew our faith, find our way anew, and see more clearly how God can help us carry on.  He's certainly attuned to family dynamics and such, so this is a very appropriate book for anyone in this season of life.

Hannah Coulter  Wendell Berry (Counterpoint) $14.95  Memory of Old Jack was the very first Wendell Berry novel I read,  thanks to my friend the fiddler, Bob Buckingham, back in the early 80s and I've been a fan of Berry's fiction and poems ever since. I have long intended to re-read it, now that I know even more about Mr. Berry and (through other novels) the friends and kin old Jack Beechum describes in that long-ago story.  Mr. Berry is known, perhaps best, for his incisive essays about place, land, the economies of scale, sustainable agriculture, creation-care, farm life, and such.  His love of rural life and a sense of place pervades his prophetic critique of bigness, modernity, progress and the false gods of growth and efficiency, but, almost as central, is this sense of "the membership" of a community, a network of family and friends and place, related, somehow, in unspoken troth.

 This "membership" thesis is described as beautifully and as tenderly and as realistically as ever in his novels, all set in the fictional town of Port Williams, KY.  Hannah Coulter has been through a lot--her first husband killed in World War II---and in her old age at the end of the 20th century she looks back over her life.  This telling of her life story rings true for many older women I know, raised on farms, children of the depression, watching their land and families divided by highways and college, and,  now, computers, and jet travel. This tender, insightful, wonderful story simply called Hannah Coulter is perhaps my favorite Wendell Berry novel, perhaps only surpassed by his well-loved novel of 2000, Jayber Crow.

I think the story of Hannah, and her clear voice, will help anyone of any age understand much of our elderly population as they recall their lives and prepare for their deaths.  Give it to your aging parents, and ask them, especially your mothers or grandmothers.  This is a gem of a book, and we simply could not give it a higher recommendation.

Although I don't write about them here, much, we have a nice selection of Bible reference books, one-volume commentaries, research tools on everything from what the church fathers and patristics said about Bible texts to how the Scriptures came together; we have a good number of things on the Dead Sea Scrolls and a few Greek and Hebrew aids.  Most often, though, we sell Bible dictionaries and concordances.  Yet, since the Scriptures are a Story about God's redemptive history in time, that is, in real history, that is, in true places, which we call geography, we'd like to suggest that folks get in the habit of using Bible atlases and maps.  To wit, here are a few we like.  I tried to list a few different sorts, depending on your needs and budget.  Let us know in the comment section below if there is one you've found particularly helpful.

And, we would like to ask for a drum roll for these first two.  The first won a prestigious award from a gang o cartographers (I wonder where cartophraphers get together, and if they use GPS to get there?  Sorry; I digress.)  The second is, well, just about the best and biggest one we've seen, ever.  Both deserve a applause.  Does your church have a library where they stock this stuff, at least for Bible study leaders and Sunday school teachers?  Might you pass this on to whoever stocks such a resource room?  Thanks.

The New Moody Atlas of the Bible  Barry Beitzel (Moody Press) $49.99  We proudly list this one not only because it is recent, and won a "Gold Medallion" from the Christian Booksellers Association, but it also won, just recently, the "best book of maps [of any sort] published this year" by a professional association of cartographers.  Beitzel has done numerous Bible maps (for the NIV Study Bible, for instance) and is quite the man. He has studied Semitics at Fuller Theological Seminary and general linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania. The association honors map-makers by giving awards to maps, guidebooks, wall maps, and various sorts of examples of their work and this New Moody Atlas won in the category of maps in a printed book.  It is a comprehensive survey of important Bible locations and events and offers great looks at Bible history and geography.  It is really informative, up-to-date, and very clear in tone and content.  It has several good indexes (so you can find the same place as it may be shown on different maps) and lots of Bible citations.  It is getting rave reviews from some of our best Bible scholars (Tremper Longman, Doug Moo, etc.)  It has good articles, lots of color illustrations, and nearly 120 different clearly-done maps. Kudos.

The ESV Bible Atlas  John Currid & David Barrett (Crossway) introductory price, $49.99; soon, $55.00  This is the largest and heaviest map book we have in the store (and it further includes a big poster, and a CD-rom) and includes over 175 full-color maps!  Written by a Bible scholar and an experienced cartographer, it is perhaps the best ever done.  It shows in brilliantly designed pages the geographic, geological and historical information in a way that is easy to use and won't overwhelm with technical information (as some tend to do.) Its size isn't an indication that it is filled up with too much detail, but rather that it is truly comprehensive and very, very helpful.  This is made by folks with great integrity who wanted to create a resource to go with the recent, conservative and highly regarded English Standard Version translation (some of the maps in this are from the acclaimed ESV Study Bible.) It is getting very truly great reviews.  And, like the study Bible, it is very well made, so the pages lay flat and it is assured for durability.  A truly wonderful book at an excellent value if you want a significant reference tool like this.

The Essential Bible Guide: Bible Background with Maps, Charts, and Lists  Menashe Har-El, Paul Wright, and Baruch Sarel (Abingdon) $24.95  This is a great, brand-new volume that was created in the Israel by Holy Land scholars there.  It is much less weighty or thick than the previously mentioned one, but is loaded information, descriptions of Iron Age-era confederations and battles and tribes and mountain ranges and seas and cities and cultural customs. As you would expect there are plenty of colorful illustrations and scenic photopgraphy and such.  It has 115 pages and over 60 maps.  Very handsome.


The Historical Atlas of the Bible Lands  Caroline Hull & Andrew Jotischky (Penguin) $20.00  This is a light-weight medium-sized paperback, nicely done on glossy paper, and a mainstream classic used in college classes and the like. It has lists of kings and historical figures, great photos and artwork reconstructions, and over 50 full color maps.  There may be more text here than maps, and so much reads more like a Bible encyclopedia.

Oxford Bible Atlas fourth edition Adrian Curtis (Oxford University Press) $24.95  This latest edition of this small classic is very nicely done, drawing on contemporary, modern, critical scholarship.  There are only 27 maps, though, but some are the latest "three-dimensional" computer generated ones, so it looks great and is quite helpful.  There is a lot on ancient history, archeology, geography and such and a few pages that I found less useful, too.

IVP Atlas of Bible History Paul Lawrence  (IVP) $45.00 
This, too, is an award-winning
volume, having been award just a few years ago the best book of its kind by the CBA, earning the "Gold Medallion."  We certainly  commend it as one of the very best ever done.  There were a host of thoughtful scholars, Bible guys, archeologists, historians and writers who consulted to put this remarkable book together.  We enjoy how it is written, how reliable it is, and the good design.  It does take a narrative approach, so the writing is helpful, captivating, and draws readers in to the big picture of the Holy drama.  One reviewer said it was a "visually rich work, brimming with high-quality photographs."  It has nearly 100 relief maps.





Then and Now Bible Maps (Rose) $19.97  This is a fascinating, spiral bound volume that has dozens of maps of Bible times and places, and clear plastic overlays that allow you to compare modern-day cities and countries.  It includes some time lines comparing the Bible chronology and world history, too.  The maps are basic and clear (not the award-winning and stunning cartography in the first few) but are very, very useful, since few people know the ancient-to-modern comparison of Bible lands.

Nelson's Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts (third edition) (Nelson) $19.99  This is less an atlas and more a big paperback collection of useful resources, lists,  outlines of each section of the Bible and interesting stuff of all sorts.  The maps are exceptionally clear (but quite basic; no 3D or handsome ones like in the true atlas style reference books) and there are charts galore.  These are reproducible, too, so can be used for handouts or reference.  There are almost 500 pages of information, and it is may be useful for putting things in their proper order, along with tables and diagrams and good introductions to each book.
 

I've been writing the last few weeks about reading the whole Bible narrative as one unfolding drama, and describing, in short-hand, this narrative as the journey through good creation, radical fall, wholistic redemption and future consummation in a new creation.  I've noted books that in one way or another help us get that Story in our bones, and that help us read and study and live into God's redemptive work---His Kingdom "on Earth as it is in heaven"---by seeing the Bible through these lenses, and our lives as unfolding stories which can be shaped by the Bible.  Many of the books I cited are rooted in the work of authors like Al Wolters (and his popular, important Creation Regained) or N.T. Wright's stuff on the "acts" in the Bible, or the creative and feisty "anti-commentary" on Colossians by Brian Walsh & Sylvia Keesmaat, which illustrates this sense of God restoring creation, bringing us home to shalom, even as we are in a world of great sorrow and injustice.  As Bob Wauzzinski, author of the Ruth book I've highlighted, says, "the 'history of redemption' must lead to the redemption of history.  And that starts with creation!" And then I threw some other important new resources in the mix---the serious and important collection of articles on the Bible by D.A. Carson or the unusual but informative Girardian study of the Jesus Driven Life by radical Mennonite-ish friend Michael Hardin.  All of these odd and interesting titles that I described might help re-energize your interest in Biblical studies.  Or, if you are new to the Bible, it will help you get going in the right direction.

Work with youth?  Children?  There are tons and tons of resources here at the shop, but if you want a few to chew on, enjoy this little list.  Do pass it on to anybody in your church or fellowship who might find it interesting.  Talking about books like this--even if you don't intend to buy them now---is an important and strategic ministry.  Blessings on your conversations!

Story Signs and Sacred Rhythms: A Narrative Approach to Youth Ministry Chris   Folmsbee (Zondervan) $14.99  I've liked this guys earlier books on youth ministry, and a friend out his way (Kansas City) knows him and speaks highly of him.  Here, though, he's done a stunning piece of work, evocative and insightful and playful and interesting.  Tony Jones says it "proposes no less than a re-invention of youth ministry based on a robust narrative theology---in other words, a theology of youth ministry that follows the contours of the biblical story."   I like this line from a great blurb by Mark Riddle, who says "this book represents a beautiful combination of research, know-how, curiosity, intuition, and the expansive experience that is uniquely Christ Folmsbee."  Or, as he puts it, "in a world of deconstructionists, Chris reconstructs a youth ministry that has depth and vitality."  And, again, it is an approach informed by this narrative theology, the very stuff I've been writing about,  informed by the very flow and shape of the big Biblical picture. Forward by Scot McKnight----which surely ought to indicate how good this is.  Know any youth workers you could gift it to?

Shaped by the Story: Helping Students Encounter God in a New Way  Michael Novelli (Youth Specialties) includes a DVD $29.99  I've been wanting to tell you about this cool paperback for more than a year, and keep wishing I knew more groups that use it.  I wanted to report that it really works, which I think I can, given that I now know a few who have told us about their finding it helpful.  It is, as the title implies, a guide to helping students (and I'd include even college students or younger adults here, if you want) learn this basic overview of the plot of the Bible.  Call it a postmodern "Bethel Bible" class, or a hip, youthful "Disciple" course, maybe, but know this: it is energizing, draws students in, engages them, by using an approach (I don't want to call it a technique, but a "way") that was introduced to Mike by a missionary.  He calls it "Storying" and is a sequential telling of Bible stories followed by a time of creative retelling and in-depth dialogue.  Early church-era rabbis did something like this and they were called targums.  This ancient/new approach builds a lasting theological foundation (or so they hope) while challenging students to discover their unique identity and calling within God's Story.  Sounds great, doesn't it? 

There is a training DVD that comes with it, and it shows not only how to tell the Bible story, but how to do the discussions that will allow your group to experience God in a Biblically-based, and, perhaps, life-changing way.   You can get some of this dialogical approach to Bible learning for free at www.echothestory.com and after visiting there, you will know if you want to invest in the book.  Please check it out.

Enter the Story: 7 Experiences to Unlock the Bible for Your Student  Michael Novelli (Youth Specialties) includes a CD-Rom $18.99   Do you think too many people are suggesting dumbing down the Bible for students?  This is a better way, offering more exercises based on his Shaped by the Story project.  Here, you invite participants to step into God's story (sometimes quite literally.)  With this experiential learning approach, you'll find detailed instructions to effectively prepare hands-on and engaging lessons on what he calls creation, disruption, Israel's Journey, The Tabernacle, The Kingdom, Journey to the Cross, and Restoration.  You can "drop these in" from time to time as special pieces to your youth classes or fellowships, or use them in succession, weekly or at a retreat.  This is a great handbook to have around if you want to explore not only dialogical storying, but storying about God's unfolding Story.  The Bible isn't a compilation of random episodes, but a coherent outworking of promise and deliverance, fulfillment and hope.  The old song says "we love to tell the story." This will help you tell it right, in learning ways that are transformative.

Thinking Theologically About...Body Image, Money, Pop Culture, and Haves & Have-Nots  (Abingdon) $5.95 each.  Leaders guides $9.95 each  We have suggested that the trajectory of the Bible narrative is that, in Christ, the reign of God breaks into history and intends to bring shalom---pushing back the curse of the fall---to every area of life.  It is the task of God's people to hear and do the gospel, being "living letters" to the world, agents of reconciliation, ambassadors of this future hope.  And so, to discern the times and be faithful to our calling, we must help students read "the Word and the world" to be formed by the Bible in such as way that their "minds are transformed" and they live as "aliens" in this corrupt culture.  This is a project and perspective that is neither fundamentalist or liberal, as I see it.  And I long for creatively done youth curriculum resources that help students see the Biblical story as shaping their worldview and practice and that "hit the ground" with practical ways to think about real life.  This wonderful series does just this.  In each book, (there are four different ones) the authors ask, in the final, 6th unit, this questions: "what was God's original intent?" and "how did 'the fall' distort it?" and "how does the Cross transform it?" and then "how are we then to live?"

So, say, for money, or the body, we ask about the creational goodness, the sinful distortions, and the redemptive impact.  What remarkable ways to see each and everything thing in life and culture---made good, truly messed up, and being redeemed by Christ.  Because these were created by United Methodists, they use the Wesleyan Quadrilateral, which studies a topic firstly in light of Scripture, then our Experience, using obvious Reason, and asking about the best Christian Traditions and what they have to say.  (This makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?)  Throughout there are journalling options, plenty of discussion questions, a few little rituals to explore. So, each of these four "issue" oriented, hot-topic studies do thoughtful, Biblical study, informed by common sense and church history, which all leads to the big questions in the last session, shaping practice informed by creation-fall-redemption.  How great is that?  Buy 'em quick, before they go out of print!

The Jesus Storybook Bible Sally Lloyd-Jones & Jago (Zonderkidz) $16.99  You know we've raved about this before, enjoy the story, the well-crafted telling, the artwork, perfect for young pre-schoolers or early readers.  The most important thing, though, is the way in which it captures the lovely subtitle, "each story whispers His name."  Each book of the Bible may not "shout" Christ's name, but it does, if one has the ears to hear, whisper the promise and fulfillment.  I know some can overdo the Christo-centric readings, but this wonderful resource gets it really right; again, it shows that the Holy Book is not a random collection of individual stories nor primarily a book of doctrinal instruction or morals.  We have sold this to adults sometimes by just reading out loud the first part, the bit about the nature of a story, and truth of the Scriptural story, and the way the creation of all things is the start of that drama. By the way, if you noted our recommendation last week of the famous British preacher, Martin Lloyd-Jones and a new book of sermons on Genesis, yes, you are right to see the family name here.  By the way, there is a nice audio CD of some of the Jesus Storybook Bible that comes in a deluxe edition.
Here is a website that has some audio and video, and a great interview with Sally that explains what is unique and vital about this work.

What God Has Always Wanted: The Bible's Big Idea from Genesis through Revelation Charles F. Boyd & Dennas Davis (FamilyLife Publishing) $14.99  This looks like a fairly standard fare children's story book with upbeat whimsical drawings and a nice, inexpensive feel. (I mean no disrespect to say it feels like a book from Ideals or even a golden book.)  But, wow, what a Story.  It shows the consistent plot-line of the Bible--God bringing the children of earth back to Himself--and it delightfully reminds us that this rescue plan is multi-ethnic and ends up on a newly restored planet.  It is well told, reads well out loud, helps children understand the simple gospel message.  Jesus doesn't just live "in your heart/chest" but is alive in the world, finishing the good work described in the slow unfolding story of the Bible.  Serious Bible scholars like John Walton and brilliant storytellers like Haddon Robinson endorse it.  God wants friends to dwell with Him and is working out a way for that to happen.  What a big-picture idea.

Children of God Storybook Bible  Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Zondervan) $18.99  On sale for $14.97.  Yes, the famous Nobel Peace Prize Winner has crafted a beautifully illustrated storybook Bible, and it is a winner.  How can we describe the generous tone, the uplifting way in which the stories are rendered, the appropriate, visionary (but never overly didactic) multi-cultural illustrations.  In fact, this is one of the great joys of the book---it is illustrated by dozens of authors from around the world, and each was invited to offer an artful impression of the story using their own culture.  What a fun and creative way to see global art, to recall the global nature of the body of Christ, and to remember that this grand Story is, truly, about "red and yellow, black and white" as the Sunday school rhyme puts it.  It's a radical song, you know, and having a Christian hero like Tutu and these artists drawn from the nations are a great way to remind us.
 
                                                                 The Archbishop signing books at an event in South Africa                                                                

There are free audio downloads at www.ChildrenofGodBible.com if you want to hear some of it for yourself---you'll delight in Tutu's sense of humor, the joy he brings to the project.  This is a very, very nice website.  Do visit, but be sure to come back here!

What's in the Bible with Buck Denver (Jellyfish Labs) $14.99 each  on sale for $12.97 each
  
1 In the Beginning
2 Let My People Go
3 Wanderin' in the Desert

Okay. I hope you trust me on this. These are spectacular!  You may or may not still appreciate the Veggie Tales, although, even if you think the brand became a bit over-done, you have to admit they were clever, witty, and most often very insightful, essentially true to the Bible story.  Well, the honcho behind this whirlwind of brilliance was, of course, Phil Vischer (who, by the way, has a very interesting memoir out, about the rise and fall of the Veggie Empire) and he has decided to focus his energies on a Veggie-like/Muppet-ish, wild and crazy survey of the Bible.  Yep, this is amazing---how does he think of this stuff?---very funny,  engagingly interesting, and very solid stuff about the Bible.  There are three DVDs out at this point, and we cannot say enough about them.  The first one includes a bit about how the Bible got written, compiled and such.  (Ahh, I love the wacky, fast-paced first few minutes, where an old Sunday School lady says "they are only three minutes in and it's off the tracks already!") This is tremendous for elementary-aged kids, with some very helpful information, a bit of sarcasm, a lot of inside jokes, and enough wit to keep adults glued.  I suspect not everybody will be as thrilled as I am, but True Fan or not, these are valuable, fun, and highly recommended.  Get your Christian educators on this, pronto.
I dare you to listen to the first minute of Phil Vischer's little video clip here that tells about why he's doing this project, and not be excited.   Watch the next few minutes and get a rapid fire bunch of excerpts and clips, but that doesn't do it justice.  Check out the other trailers. Read reviews. Ask around.  I'm beggin' ya.  Don't miss this.  What's in the Bible.  With Buck Denver.  (And Friends.)  

I hope you read through the two lists we've recently published over at the "review columns" pages of the website as they told about a few particular books about reading the Bible which we think would be helpful.  You know we write a lot about, and suggest books to help us, engage culture, work for justice, reflect on the "signs of the times" and nurture the calling to use hearts and minds to pursue our holy vocations (whatever they may be.)  Yet, this "wholistic" vision of missional discipleship, of Kingdom living, of living out of a distinctively Christian worldview perspective, will never fully catch on unless we hear the Word proclaimed in our congregations and in our small group studies and prayer groups.  That is, the Word as it relates to and shapes our live in the world, the Word proclaimed as a coherent narrative that can upend the false stories of this world.  So I am not trying to sound pious or doctrinally correct here---to "balance out" our suggestions about peacemaking or the arts or Christian views of science or work or economics.  No, we believe that robust discipleship depends upon our deep, profound commitments to be Bible-shaped people.  Sons and daughters of Issachar (1 Chronicles 12:32) "knew the times and knew what God's people should do." Their insight about the times and their confidence about a faithful response happened, surely, because they knew Torah. They were wise covenant children.  Let it be so with us.

And so, with my sermon ended (for now--heee, heee) here are a few random selections of mostly recent books you may not know about but that seem somehow germane to the larger lists of books about the overview of the Biblical narrative and such that we posted last month.

The Gospel in Genesis: From Fig Leaves to Faith Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Crossway) $15.99  This handsome small volume is a fabulous collection of sermons preached---and never-before published--by the famous minister of Westminster Chapel in London in the middle of the 20th century.  Here is excellent Bible exposition and eloquent proclamation and good examples of how this preacher understood how to see the gospel in any portion of the Bible. Lloyd-Jones is edifying and strengthening, a contemporary Puritan in the best sense of the word, with backbone and kindness and love for the Supreme glory of Christ. 

Telling God's Story: Narrative Preaching for Christian Formation John W. Wright (IVP) $19.00  No matter if you are a preacher, teacher, or just serious Bible student, learning how to communicate the nuances of a given text within the broader theme of salvation history is tricky, at best.  The blurbs on this are too numerous to quote, but Wright (of Point Loma Nazarene University with a PhD from Notre Dame) gets raves from Ray Anderson, Stan Hauerwas, Marva Dawn, Brent Laytham, James K. A. Smith (who says it "should be required reading.")  Winsome and prophetic.  Good for learning the story, and better for learning to tell the story. Highly recommended.

Journey to the Common Good  Walter Brueggemann (WJK) $16.95  Speaking of prophets, I am sometimes stunned, left nearly breathless, by the passionate and insightful and most often faithful sermons of dear Walter.  He is on my short list of those who I esteem as mentors and heroes.  Here we have three mighty lectures---aww, go ahead an call 'em sermons---which were delivered at Regent College in British Columbia. (We sell the audios and they are excellent.) There is remarkable Bible exposition here (some nothing short of brilliant, some a bit overstated, some quite comical) and the trajectory is towards a full-orbed neighborliness that helps people of faith contribute to the common good for the glory of God.  As he has in other places, he offers thought-provoking comparisons between the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC and our own griefs and losses (such as the horror of 9-11) in the post-modern West.  This will make you think, help you see things in the Bible you may have missed, and illustrates a master teacher at work.  What a book.

Manna & Mercy  Daniel Erlander (Dan Erlander Publications) $8.00 How can I even begin to explain this?  This is the whole Bible story told in an 81/2 x 11 workbook-looking thing that is hand-written, with little cartoony characters throughout. It's actually pretty cool, with a few almost looking like woodcuts.  Yet, the Biblical scholarship is serious, and the footnotes include the aforementioned Dr. Brueggemann, radical activists who understand the theme of justice and who see the flow of the Biblical narrative as a subversive movement against Empire.  The theme comes from the wilderness wanderings, of course, where the God of abundance offers enough, but the spirit of fear leads to hoarding, idolatry, and finally, systems of oppression and barbarism.  This is a vision of the Scriptures that takes seriously Torah and prophets, and wisely sees Jesus as the One who brings a regime of grace and love, enabling us to live in ways that are just and good. It might remind one a bit of Jesus for President, another fully visual telling of the Bible story, with an Anabaptist/resistance slant.  The author is a Lutheran activist with a large social consciousness who is clearly rooted in the grand Story of liberation and shalom.  This isn't for children, really, but the cartoon approach may have appeal to some younger readers.  Serious stuff, if playful.  Wow.See the (religiously powerful) guys complaining in the upper right corner---saying some don't deserve free food? And the "a place for you" inscribed near the table?  This is pretty typical of his style, adding these little commentaries from time to time within the meticulous drawings.

Three Views on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament  (Counterpoints series) Walter Kaiser, Darrell Bock, Peter Enns  (Zondervan) $16.99  This is one of the most interesting topics for those seeking a renewed understanding of the "one true story" of the whole of Scripture, so this is critical, urgent, stuff.  The authors, each with prestigious PhDs (from places like Aberdeen and Harvard) and years of scholarly writing, thankfully, do an excellent job bringing three different "takes" on the basic question, and I learned much from every one.  As with the others in this on-going series, each author offers feedback and critique of their conversation partners, which offers even a deeper bit of learning as the discussion goes back and forth.  Really good.

Four Views on Moving beyond the Bible to Theology (Counterpoints series) Walter Kaiser, Daniel Doriani, Kevin Vanhoozer, William Webb, Mark Strauss, Christopher Wright, and Al Wolters (Zondervan) $19.99 This is another great release in this fascinating series, and the high calibre of discourse is invigorating, informative, and, I'd wager to say, pretty accessible for nearly anyone reading this blog.   What a fabulous bit of debate about the role of the Bible in forging theology, and how theology might inform life itself.  Unlike others in this good series, a few extra voices are invited in at the end, Strauss & Wright and Creation Regained author and worldview scholar Al Wolters who do good summaries of the conversation and remind us what all is at stake.  Highly recommended.

Perspectives on Our Father Abraham: Essay in Honor of Marvin R. Wilson edited by Steven Hunt (Eerdmans) $26.00  Random collections of essays offered in honor of the retirement of a scholar or professor are often hard to describe, let alone sell.  This, though, is a perfect anthology for anyone interested in Wilson's renowned work on Jewish-Christian dialogue, the Older Testament influence on the Christian Scriptures, and, particularly, on the role of Abraham.  Wilson's own classic (called seminal by some reviewers) Our Father Abraham became the source for an PBS documentary and is here further explored by a range of scholars.  Find here interesting, thoughtful, pieces by his Gordon College colleagues, writers such as Lauren Winner, and authors from both mainline Christian and Jewish perspectives.  Nearly 400 pages, in 17 serious chapters, this is a gem of a resource, and a book we are proud to celebrate.  

Here is part of the review from Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman:  "...a remarkable volume...insightful and provocative views that are sure to challenge and inform...I highly recommend it."

But listen to this, from Sonia Schreiber Weitz of the Boston Holocaust Center

Continuing to fill our lives with his great wisdom and envisioning beautiful possibilities along the way, Marvin Wilson builds bridges of love between Christian and Jewish communities.  As for me, a survivor of the Shoah, Marv restored my faith in humanity, and for that I am eternally grateful. 

It isn't every bit of scholarly Biblical study (by a teacher at an evangelical college, no less) that garners this sort of touching tribute.  It makes us want to honor that kind of scholarship, that bears that kind of fruit eh?  These essays may not interest everyone, but it should be in church libraries and owned by those interested in details of Jewish-Christian Scripture discussions.

Jesus Matters: Good News for the 21st Century edited by James R. Krabill and David
Shenk (Herald Press) $16.99  I would be remiss to compile several lists of books about the Bible and not focus a bit on recent books about Jesus.  There are many--of various sorts and perspectives--but I wanted to hold up this one as a vital and interesting collection on why Jesus matters, and how His reign might led us to personal and society healing and hope. It has some very sharp authors, and the writing is mature, but clear.  This is a welcome resource for adult classes, small groups, book clubs and such.  The various authors are not all Mennonite, but the editors and publishers have this particular radical tradition.  It seems to me that this is a gift from the good folks at Herald Press that all of us can appreciate.   This is handsomely designed, too, with some nice pull quotes, good discussion questions, a bit of helpful scholarship appropriated by those wanting to serve the church and helps us better understand the person of Jesus and what it means to be a disciple in our day.  A moving forward by Shane Claiborne.  We highly recommend it and hope it is often used.


The Jesus Driven Life: Reconnecting Humanity with Jesus  Michael Hardin (JDL Press) $17.95  I mentioned that I wanted to suggest some titles you might not otherwise know about.  This is written by one of the smartest guys on the planet, a Lancaster, PA,  fellow who, after leaving the narrow and intellectually unsustainable views of Jesus from his fundamentalist past, undertook years and years of study to see how the pieces of the Bible might fit together, linking Rabbinic thinking about Hebrew Scripture, Jesus' own re-working of Torah, and how early church letters thought about the saving work of the peace-bringing Savior.  The book is exciting and big in its vision. It has some oddities about it (the many fascinating and important footnotes are inexplicably in Roman numerals making it maddening to use; the author is prone to condescend and the tone shifts from irenic to bombastic, from chatty to arcane, too quickly for my tastes; he is remarkably familiar with the latest controversial speculations of the Jesus Seminar and the oldest views of the church fathers but seems to not care much about the best evangelical thinkers of our day (although, to his credit, he cites Ben Worthington and N.T. Wright and Luke Timothy Johnson on occasion); he sees the cryptic work of Rene Girard--memetic realism and psychological insights about scapegoating-- as the key to understanding the nonviolent atonement; he leans a bit on the work of Walter Wink without a nod or a wink to Marva Dawn's important critique of Wink's view of the powers; he tends to lack nuance in his dismissal of "American" Christianity, without really saying which branch or sort of American faith he despises.)  So the book is weird and, for me, finally less than convincing.

 Yet, yet, yet, it is so very interesting, learned, challenging and provocative that I happily recommend it to anyone serious about studying our Lord and Savior Jesus and learning more about the gospels in their first century setting. It is not for those who haven't read much Biblical scholarship or who don't enjoy serious digging.   Brian McLaren has a dear forward and, as Brian will do, he tells you five themes to watch for.  One, of course, is Michael's absolute love for the person of Jesus and his serious commitment to follow Him.  He may say goofy things without explaining (like that certain gospel texts aren't historically accurate) but his love for those texts is palpable. And sometimes, what he says about them is very, very good. 

This hefty volume, despite the annoying title, is important for anyone wanting to be brought up to speed on the latest sorts of conversations happening in the neo-liberal/modernist wing of the church.  Well, that isn't exactly fair, since Michael hangs around with the guild of super-academic scholars, progressive Christan peace activists, and old-order Mennonites and he clearly rejects some of the liberal dismissal of the salvific work of Christ offered by old-school liberal theologians and higher critics.  Like N.T. Wright (but more so, or so it seems) he is fluent in--and often appreciative of--- the world and assumptions of the Bible critics, yet wants us to love Jesus and embrace His commonwealth. Still, he cites the latest stuff from James Alison, Dale Allison, Marcus Borg, Walter Wink, Rita Nakashima Brock, Dietrich Ritschl, and a host of scholars from Europe and the states; this is not your mama's Sunday school class, that's for sure. Is he right? Does his novel take on things bear Godly fruit? Does his knowledge of ancient insight and his insistence on importing the work of Girard into the Story make sense?  You must decide, but it is a book worth struggling with.

Conservative evangelical friends will wonder why I promote a controversial and provocative book with a rather rare thesis.  I don't know, to be honest.  I like much of what he says here about how to handle the Bible (even while I vigorously disagree with some of it), and those of us with more traditional understandings need to be pushed and probed by others who know the Hebrew and early church stuff well and have much to teach us.  Michael seems as quick to cite the Loeb Classic Library edition of Josephus or the 3-volume Mekilta de-Rabbi Ishmael or the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha as he is the church fathers or 20th century phenomenological philosophers.  (He reminds us often that Enlightenment logic is simply not adequate as an epistemology for knowing this stuff and, of course, he is right!)  And, as you must know, I agree with his basic assertion that Christ taught non-violence and that we are called to the holy work of peacemaking.  And, I don't know of any other Christian book that cites the prog-rock band Yes. 

A friend of Michael's is Tony Bartlett, another rising star in the peace-able, Girardian, Biblical criticism movement, whose robust Biblical nonviolence allows him to move in ways that those wedded to more traditional presuppositions may not.  Bartlett has a new book coming early next year, Virtually Christian, which Hardin cites approvingly. As I said, Michael draws on a plethora of sources and he knows oodles of good folks. Hardin's other work can be seen in the notable volume on the atonement of Christ which he co-edited, Stricken by God? and his work in the Colloquium on Violence and Religion.  You can find more of his Biblical comments at www.PreachingPeace.org.  You may not find his deconstruction and reconstruction of the Christian faith fully compelling, but I think you will be glad for the experience. It is an amazing piece of work.  Read The Jesus Driven Life and see what you think.

Imaginary Jesus  Matt Mikalatos (Barna) $14.99  While I'm on a roll suggesting stuff you may not want to hear about, but, upon consideration, might be just the thing you need, let me tell you briefly about this crazy, fun, wild ride of a novel. It may be just what you need to think through the need for paying closer attention to Jesus.  Short version: the main character knows Jesus.  I mean really knows him.  The first line goes like this, "Jesus and I sometimes grab lunch at the Red and Black Cafe on Twelfth and Oak.  It's decorated in revolutionary black and red with posters and pictures of uprisings on the walls."  But yet, soon enough, a wild chase ensues with a furious, blue-collar dude who (named, in a fishy way, Pete) says that he knows the real Jesus and this guy isn't the real Jesus.  Spoiler alert: Pete's right.  Our hero Matt is following the wrong Jesus.  So he has to, uh, destroy the imposters.

Listen to one of our most reliable guides to the life of spiritual formation, Gary Thomas, saying what he thinks of this hoot of a story:
 

Take the theological forcefulness of Bonhoeffer, combine it with the imaginative whimsy of C.S. Lewis and the wit of Charles Spurgeon, and you get Matt Mikalatos.  Imaginary Jesus marks the debut of one of today's most prominent young Christian writers.

I am not so sure about the prominent part.  That depends on you.  Wanna make this a good seller? Order a few today and get some crazy friends and check it out.  You won't regret it.

CrossTalk: Where Life & Scripture Meet  Michael Emlet (New Growth Press) $15.99  Well, perhaps these creative and programmatic re-thinkings of Scripture and discipleship aren't up your alley right now.  Maybe you most need something less akin to "a new kind of Christianity" but just a new way to live it with reliable fidelity.  You want to know the Word and the world, but you don't want anything fishy.  I can tell you with great confidence, this is the book for you.

Emlet is a man we respect, a scholar who reads widely, and does energetic work with the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation, a ministry with the audacious task of "restoring Christ to Counseling and Counseling to the Church."  Think about that.  They believe that the gospel of God, seen in the life and work of the Christ, is the power we need for not just salvation, but sanctification.  That is, a gospel-centered life can bring healing and hope, even for brokenness and painful struggles.  Emlet is a Biblical scholar and a counselor.  He's written on topics such as Asperger's Syndrome, dealing with angry children, OCD.  He stands squarely in a particular tradition of Christian counseling, yet this book is so full of Biblical insight I'm tempted to put it under the Biblical studies section, rather than Christian growth or psychology.  Actually, the book does include a lot about Biblical interpretation, including exercises---using various kinds of passages, in different practical ways. It is no surprise that the book emerged from a class he was teaching on how to interpret and apply the Scripture.

I so respect the culturally-savvy, professor of apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary, our friend, Dr William Edgar.  He knows Emlet well and says this:

Many authors can tell you what the Bible is and how to read it.  Many others can offer wisdom to face life's problems.  Few can do both.  Mike Emlet wonderfully bridges the two worlds.  CrossTalk not only gives us numerous examples of applying the Scriptures to daily life, but also models how to go about it on our won.  This book is a marvelous resource for anyone who wants to know how to navigate the often-troubled waters of personal experience.

Paul Miller, whose NavPress book on Jesus called Loved Walked Among Us is fabulously helpful, and whose recent book on prayer, A Praying Life, is one of the best I've read in ages, has this to say about Crosstalk, one of the best endorsements one could find.

In Crosstalk, Mike Emlet is serious about applying all of Scripture to all of life. Mike teaches us how to weave together the story line of Scripture with our own stories.  And Mike gets the story right.  It is a gospel story.  Mike's passion for the immediacy and centrality of the gospel story comes through on every page.

Ruth: The Story of God's Unending Redemption Robert Wauzzinski (Dordt College Press) $14.00  I reviewed this with great gusto a few weeks back, here, having first mentioned it when it came out in February.  I mention it now, here, for two reasons.  Firstly, if you are thinking about starting up a Bible study group in the fall, and in the next weeks will be wanting to do a certain book of the Bible, you know we have tons of inductive studies, small group discussion guides, and Bible study booklets.  This small study of Ruth is a step better---not a full commentary, of course, but offering insight one won't find in a fill-in-the-blank job.  And, Rev. Wauzzinski brings together a few urgent themes in this one study that we've noted these last weeks.  It places Ruth in the broader history of redemption, seeing how Christ's own Kingdom is pre-figured in this ancient Hebrew text, and it has this all-too-rare explication about justice, charity, and public righteousness that, for those with eyes to see, is really there in the text.  So many Bible studies focus on our own personal faith and the inner journey that they fail to see the whole-life implications of God's story as it is translated into our own time.  This is a Kingdom book, for sure!

  

The days of summer have not been slower for me, and I guess not for you.  Still, we hope that you can squeeze some extra time in some shaded spot to enjoy books you've bought from us.  And, perhaps, to think about resources you might need to help deepen your desire to study the Scriptures; maybe you even intend to lead a Bible study or book group this fall.  I presume that most readers agree that the Bible is the book above all books, and we can't ignore either serious study, prolonged reading, or devotional reflection on God's Word.

And so, we made another long list, describing books on the large Biblical narrative, on understanding difficult texts, on hermeneutics.  Here are just a few of the book covers of titles we described.  Please visit the "reviews" column tab--or click here--which is were I generally post longer bibliographies or more thorough reviews that what I can post here at the BookNotes blog.  You can see Part 1 listed under "June" and Part 2 listed under "July." It isn't a comprehensive list, mind you, but we think it is diverse and interesting and fun.

Thanks for caring, about books, about reading, about words, and about the Word.  Enjoy.

I just did the first part of a "monthly review column" that I sometimes do, longer lists that we compile over at the "review" section of the website.  Thanks for keeping up with BookNotes (at the blog, or on facebook or twitter) but--if your a real fan, or in need of fabulous, longer lists---please click on over to the review column from time to time.  We have so many archieved, longer reviews or bigger lists to be found by clicking on the "review" tab.  Or just click here.

For a little teaser: I name what I think is the best book I've yet found as an introduction to the Bible.  Ever hear of Mike Erre?  He has a few other books that are fine, but his new book on the Bible?  Wow!  I am just stunned by how great this is, an excellent overview for
perspective, clarity, vision, and---yeah--fun writing.  For those who like the fabulously-done, brief, The True Story of the Whole World by Craig Bartholomew & Michael Goheen (which is an adapted and abridged version of their essential---essential!---The Drama of Scripture) or who appreciate N.T. Wright's vision of how the Bible stories are inter-connected.  This captures that storied nature of the unfolding drama as a worldview-shaping narrative, walking us through the epic adventure of God's rescue of the planet.  Sound good?  Check it out.  I tell about a handful of others, too, including a few you really will be glad to hear about, I'd guess.  Please feel free to pass it on to anybody you know who teaches, studies, or is interested in learning about the Scriptures.  I tell you a bit about each one, and I think they are reliable, fun, feisty, and helpful.  

Just for instance, here is one of the books I list, Ruth: The Story of God's Unending Redemption written by my friend, Dr. Robert A. Wauzzinski (Dordt College Press) $14.00.  It is the only one that I listed, I think, that isn't a full Biblical overview, but it is so very helpful, such a good example of how to read the Scriptures, that I had to list it.  This book is more thorough than a typical small-group Bible study guide, but isn't as big or tedious as a full commentary.  I think this is truly a helpful sort of book---meaty enough for nearly anybody to learn something (smart guys and pastors, too---trust me) but not a scholarly tome.  Perfect for busy folks, for Sunday school teachers, for adult classes or book clubs or anyone wanting to dig into a particular book of the Bible. 

More important than the size and format---brief and usable---is the insightful, inspiring, and at times, nearly provocative, content.  As I explain below, this is a case study in a wise and faithful use of the Bible.  It doesn't reduce the text to a "moral lesson" nor does it make it merely about doctrine or dogma.  It draws from more evangelical/conservative readings as well as more liberal/critical scholars, while being something considerably more than a balanced approach between the extremes.  No, this is a full-throated and redemptively wise telling of a full-orbed tale, a story placed in the broader Story of God's Kingdom a-coming, on Earth as it is in Heaven.  Do you believe it---the gospel according to Ruth.  Of course he is not the first to have this Christ-centered reading, but I think he unpacks it better than any of the other recent ones that we also commend, such as the good work of Iain Duguid, Dean Ulrich, and Carolyn Custis James, all who have recent books on Ruth.  

Ruth: The Story of God's Unending Redemption Robert A. Wauzzinski (Dordt College Press) $14.00  You know of our desire to promote books about the big picture of Scripture, how to best understand the major chapters of the grand Story, our effort to help folks be faithful and fruitful with a wise and appropriate study of the whole counsel of God.  Most of the books I've mentioned in the list share the conviction that the authoritative Word is one major story, with a coherent, redemptive plot that shows God's promise and fulfillment.  To reject any significant tension between Old and New Testaments and to reject any reductionism or sentimentalism that fails to see the way in which God's faithfulness to creation is need of the hour.  I don't know who tends to drop these balls more often, mainline liberals or conservative independent folks, Catholics or Orthodox.  Nearly everyone needs a refresher, I'd say, on how best to read the Bible in coherent and realistic ways that point to God's reign coming and our role in the Story the Scripture tell.  This book is exactly the kind of refresher we need.

One way to do this is to study a certain book of the Bible with a view not only of teaching that book of the Bible, but of modeling faithful and wise and fruitful engagement with the text. This book does exactly that making it very interesting and informative.  I want to review this is greater detail soon so won't say much more here, except that we commend it for anyone that wants to study Ruth, and who wants to see how best to study any given book of the Bible in its place within the bigger story of God's shalom project.  Wauzzinski knows this Bible book well---he's taught it in synagogues and prisons, in college Bible studies and congregations large and small. He's got a particular focus on the history of intellectual ideas, a degree in philosophical economics, and he is an ordained Presbyterian (USA) minister.  This book isn't a serious, dry commentary, and it isn't a fill-in-the-blank inductive study.  It is short enough to be used as an adult elective or book group, and challenging enough that nearly anyone will learn new insights---about Ruth, about the Bible, and about how to read the Bible in a way to hear God's Word to us anew.  We are not the only ones who highly recommend it.

Here is what Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann graciously wrote about it:

Two important things are going on in Ruth. First, one gets the wonder of the Book of Ruth with its' 'central character,' the God of 'cascading grace' who is extravagantly displayed in this plot.  Second, one gets a patient, self-aware pastoral pedagogy that keeps connecting the contemporary reader to the ancient narrative.  The outcome is a narrative articulation of a vision of generous offers of unending goodness, offers that contradict the pervasive violence all around us.  Readers are invited to a deep, welcome alternative, as welcome as healed humanness, as deep as the unswerving purposes of God.

Here is what Calvin Seerveld, professor of aesthetics and Bible teacher, said,

Bob Wauzzinski has served us well by reading the biblical book of Ruth in its full relevance for our current lives in society fraught with greed for self and lovelessness for the stranger....(he) has given us a compelling way to understand how hearing God speak in this Older Testament book may help American's today to cope not only with our evils of war and recession, but positively to reform our ways, if painfully, towards God's blessing of shalom.

...the unmistakable, powerful truth of the good news of Ruth is told with conviction.

Lastly, I have to tell you--among friends, here at BookNotes---that we particularly like supporting projects like this.  Bob has taught in prisons, done research an been an advocate for a Pittsburgh, African-American-owned urban bank,  and is quite a fellow---few things would make us happier than to have him get some credit for this gift of good work, even though that isn't his desire.  And, we dig supporting faithful, little alt houses, like this small Dutch Reformed Iowa college press.  Some of the bigger publishers gave Ruth very good thumbs up, but couldn't imagine a book selling that was more than a "fill in the blank" study for small groups that had some academic cred, or an evangelically-minded author citing social justice stuff, or a serious scholar being so accessible for ordinary folks.  I don't know the publishing world, really, but this is a no-brainer in my book-- the very sort of book we ought to be about.  We hope agree.  Let us know how many you want for your next small group or class.

And don't forget to check out the bigger list at the "review column" for June.  Buy something over there and get an extra discount on Ruth.  Almost like gleaning, eh?

 

Sometimes I like to share with readers some of the lists I generate for customers who inquire.  Just today I did a serious list of commentaries about 1 & 2 Timothy, a brief list about war & peace, a good list of some favorite novels for a church-based reading group, and a bunch of books for a friend who has a seeker at work who may read about a book about Christian faith. Want to see 'em, such as they are, just give a holla.

Here is another I just finished, at 2 am tonight.  It is for a good friend who is writing a paper on how churches might reach out to young adults, and how to better understand that "missing generation."  Since we just did that special offer on the Outsider Interviews I figured this might be good to share now.

Please keep in mind it isn't exhaustive, and was created for a customer I know well.  There could be some others, but this pretty much is just the real list I sent out today.  Thanks for allowing me to send it to you, here, as well.
Also, I apologize for the lack of book covers and clever visuals.  I'm just too tired.  Here ya go.

Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults Christian Smith (Oxford University Press) $24.95  Required reading, the best scholarly  research on college age young adults...

The Outsider Interviews: A New Generation Speaks Out... Jim Henderson, Todd Hunter, Craig Spinks (Baker) $24.99 w/DVD Did you see my review on the blog earlier this week?  Not just college students, exactly, but un-churched young adults...brand new, very good.  Came out of the inspiration of unChristian which I know you have.  Getting churches watching their DVDs or reading that would be a good start, no?

Dear Church...Letters from a Disillusioned Generation Sarah Cunningham (Zondervan) $12.99  These are open letters to the evangelical church by a gal in her 20s.  She does talk a bit about her college years... older folks have to hear these voices, I'd say...

My Generation: A Real Story of Change and Hope Josh James Riebock (Baker) $14.99 Raw and edgy, this guy tells it like he sees it about today's 20s. I reviewed this at the blog and raved as I was very touched and felt very authentic to me.

The New Faithful: Why Young Adults Are Embracing Christian Orthodoxy Collen Carroll (Loyola Press)  This claims that many young adults, including those on campuses, are turning to Catholicism and Orthodoxy and are more culturally conservative than ever, due to strong renewal of faith.  Pretty well researched and very interesting. I actually know a few young adults in their later 20s where this seems to be right on.  Not too many 18 year olds, though...

God on the Quad  Naomi Schaeffer Riley (Ivan Dee) $14.95  I suppose you've heard of this, a non-Christian reporter doing first hand research on religious faith on campuses.  She calls this the "missionary generation." Fascinating!

The Tribal Church: Ministering to the Missing Generation Carol Howard Merritt  (Alban Institute) $17.00  I don't think this is quite as good as some think it is, but it is quite popular in mainline denominational churches, wondering what they can do to meaningful attract younger post-college serious adults.  There just isn't that much for mainline folks... I've met the author and really enjoyed chatting with her, so I'm glad for her work.  She's got another book coming this year, and is being widely read in some congregations.

Hungry Souls, Holy Companions: Mentoring a new Generation of Christians Patricia Hendricks (Morehouse) $16.00  Again, this is from a more mainline, Episcopalian perspective, asking how to do "youth ministry" with younger adults...invites adults to the role of spiritual director and guide, and less programs, etc.

The Slow Fade: Why You Matter in the Story of Twenty-somethings Reggie Joiner, Chuck Bomar, Abbie Smith (Cook) $14.99  You may recall that Chuck did a workshop on campus ministry, based on his book, at Jubilee this year.  The previous two or three years, Abbie was at Jubilee, on her "keeping your faith in college" book.  She's great!  Here they offer evangelical churches a vision of extending their ministry from youth to include collegiates. Brand new, so check it out!  Here is a link to a nifty youtube video for the book.  Here is an interview with co-author Abbie Smith that Derek Melleby at CPYU did.

College Ministry 101 Chuck Bomar (Zondervan) $15.99  It is my sense that Chuck's model is more or less having "youth group" at the church for college members.  It may work if there is a lively church right near campus...still, there isn't much about college ministry and even if this "guide" isn't fully  adequate for campus ministry, it is a good start for congregations who can hire a full time college worker to create programs just for that outreach.

They Like Jesus But Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations Dan Kimball (Zondervan) $18.99  There is also a DVD and participants guide. Very helpful.  I suppose you know this...very cool.  I'm not always sure he is right, but it is necessary resource for anyone seriously interested in this topic.

The Multi-generational Congregation: Meeting the Leadership Challenge Gil Rendle (Alban Institute) $15.00  I'm not sure that this is focused enough for your purposes, but it is about how regular mainline churches can manage the variety of ages and stages within the various generations in the congregation.  I like Rendle, whose got insight and passion for ordinary congregational life.

The Church of All Ages: Generations Worshiping Together Howard Vanderwell (editor) (Alban Institute) $17.00  This fairly recent book is a good collection of serious essays about mainline churches and their desire to be multi-generational.  Very important stuff.

Young Adult Ministry in the 21st Century: The Encyclopedia of Practical Ideas Brad Lewis and others, editors (Group Publishing) $24.95  Jam packed full of ideas; this is part of a good series, they have 'em for women's ministry, men's ministry, children's, etc.  A practical, programatic handbook.

SimChurch: Being the Church in the Virtual World  Douglas Estes (Zondervan) $16.99  I am not so sure that the church can possibly be "on the internet" but this makes a good case.  Seriously?  Check it out if you care about the current realities and what they might mean for enfolding youth into (local?) parish life.  This isn't as sophisticated as the brilliant Thy Kingdom Connected by Dwight Friesen (which I've raved about here before) but it is a very helpful read about new dimensions of ministry.  For those wondering if this is a cheapo job, the author has a PhD in Johannian studies from the University of Nottingham and an academic monograph on Brill.  Not too shabby.

Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion Kevin DeYoung &Ted Kluck (Moody Press) $14.99 These are two guys who also wrote a book about being edgy twenty-somethings who are not emergent.  Here they make a case for mostly younger adults, house church folks, para-church kids and others who are giving up on the institutional church and insisting that that isn't faithful.  Love it!

***
I didn't mention this one to my friend in the above list, but just to be interesting, here's one more that doesn't fit the topic.  Or does it?

Baby Boomers and Beyond: Tapping the Ministry Talents and Passions of Adults Over 50  Amy Hanson (Jossey-Bass) $24.95  Listen to what Marc Feedman, author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life and CEO of Civic Ventures writes:

"In this powerful and impassioned book, Amy Hanson urges the church to better serve boomers so boomers can better serve others.  It's simple and ingenious, revolutionary and reasonable, lofty and practical."

 I'm all for that!

Brand new.  Give us a call if you want to order anything.

Order on line, here.  It will take you to our secure order form page at the website.

Or inquire, here, if you have any questions at all.

Hearts & Minds 234 East Main Street  Dallastown, PA  17313            717.246.3333

We loved the in-store party with Ned Bustard and his family, celebrating the Church History ABCs book.  Ned told us a bit about making some of the pages, and why he put little quirky things in. (Ahh, the button down Oxford shirt on John Owen, from Oxford.  I hadn't noticed that!) There are some fun photos at facebook; it was fun seeing kids and parents, eager to learn something about this clever, new ABC book. 

It dawned on me, as it does from time to time, how foreign this stuff must sound to many.  Being excited about Tertuillian? Ignatius? Queens and artists and missionaries of years ago?

Well, indeed we do care.  We are rooted in this tradition called church and while each age lives out the burning issues of their time hopefully in fresh and fruitful ways, we do so rooted in the knowledge of God's faithfulness to His people over time.  Disciples of Jesus don't go it alone, so we care about the past, and others who have walked this journey before. 

For a simple but compelling book on church history for adults, why not try ABC author Steve Nichols one for grown ups called Pages From Church History: A Guided Tour of Christian Classics?  (Aside: you will recall how we raved a week or so ago about Diana Butler Bass' People's History of Church History, which is more about how ordinary folks lived out faith in various eras of the past.  Steve's emphasis on important books and ideas that shaped the theology of the practices Diana writes about is very helpful and is a good supplement to her approach.) Steve is a good, clear writer and we are happy to suggest books that are relatively easy to read and yet solid and mature.  Kudos to Dr. Nichols for this good ability and gift to us all. 

And yet, I come back to this question of how the Christian books we sell, the ideas and convictions we talk about, the rhetoric, the practices, the lingo, are often off-putting to those outside of the church or Christian community.  This, naturally, cannot finally change---that is what conversion is, after all, being transformed and transported into a new community---but we should attend to it, thinking about how our ways of doing church may or may not be hospitable and helpful to those wanting to check us out.

You most likely recall me promoting the important book UnChristian: What a New
Generation Really Thinks About Christianity...and Why it Matters by Dave Kinnamon and Gabe Lyon (Baker; $18.99) which is research done on what young adults think about religion and Christianity, particularly. The book, and the DVD curriculum that was done later around it is very, very much worth reading.  If anyone cares about what that generation thinks or how evangelical faith is perceived, it is a must.  Happily, it also has tons of great stories that show that the perceptions aren't fully fair: there are plenty of devout Christian folks that are doing remarkable work in the world---the stereotypes just aren't accurate!  This book can help us work on how we present the faith to younger outsiders.

After the huge buzz on that vital book, a group of folks who tend to specialize in thinking about outreach, evangelism, reaching out to seekers and forming friendship with those outside of traditional faith communities got to thinking.  What would happen if they set up shop in a given city and invited young non-churched folks to come and share, filming the events? The three who pioneered this project are Jim Henderson, who has written some very good books on evangelism (including the clever Jim and Casper Go To Church where he takes the agnostic Casper to a bunch of churches to get his feedback), Todd Hunter, whose recent Christianity Beyond Belief tells of new ways to live out a Kingdom vision in a postmodern culture, and Craig Spinks, a production geek with a heart for meaty conversations and using new media to spark discussion about the faith journey.

The narrative of this effort, the road trips to several cities, the report on what happened, is told in lively and helpful chapters in The Outsider Interviews (Baker; $24.99.)  I really, really liked it.  Yet, as the story unfolds, it becomes evident that the enclosed DVD of the actual interviews is equally central to the experience (perhaps more so.)  In fact, they call this a DVB---a blend between a book and DVD---to try to show the integrated nature of this whole project.
Reading and viewing can be done in any order and they invite you to go back and forth.  Both, though, are vital.

 According to statistics, it says on the back cover, young adults are more disenchanted with the church than ever.  But "beyond the statistics are the stories---real people with real opinions, and real experiences.  These people are more than just numbers...what if we took time to listen to the voices behind the statistics?"

As these three leaders traveled and took the time to listen to the candid stories of these young adults, the film and book increasingly became intertwined.  You can read the book.  You can watch the interviews.  Hopefully you'll do both.  The DVD is slipped into the book, although you can buy it separately for $19.99, skipping the book.  If you care about these folks that are missing from your congregational life, if you want the new generation to embrace Christ and His church, if you wonder how to help those young adults or college age students that are in your church, this could be an excellent resource.  Of, if your congregation isn't interested, maybe you might start your own study group.

The whole notion of "insiders" and "outsiders" is an important bit of the dialogue.  Kinnaman tells us in a good forward just what he used those words in UnChristian.   That is bit of the first chapter, too, the "backstory" that Jim Henderson tells. His organization, Off the Map, is designed to help Christians see themselves through the eyes of outsiders.   Interesting, eh?

Here is a "trailer" for the book.  Take a look. 

I suspect that some readers of this review are themselves in the age group--the demographic, as they say---found in UnChristian and The Outsider Interviews.  Why not invite your local barista or college room-mates or co-workers to watch this together, or just read the book.  I think unchurched folks will appreciate it a lot (just to see that somebody wants not first to tell them what to believe but to hear them out) and would stimulate remarkable conversations.

Or, if you are somewhat older, traditionally committed to a real church, I am sure you wonder about those you love who haven't embraced your own faith.  As this book puts it, see the "hearts behind the charts" and learn to truly hear the probing questions offered by those who aren't convinced that the church is important in their lives. I envision folks of various denominations and church traditions caring enough to use this. I envision folks of various denominations and church traditions caring enough to use this.

Teaching strong doctrine and church history and experiencing rich liturgy and deep community will continue to be important; caring about what outsiders think doesn't mean we are at liberty to change the truths of the gospel.  However, it is unforgivable to not care about our neighbors, including what they think.  We are called to give witness, to serve others, to be God's ambassadors.  This book is an indespensible guide to doing that in our time.

I enjoyed sharing the last post I did, talking about serving student leaders at OCBP and curating the book display at the Civitas gathering, sponsored in DC by our friends at CPJ.  I was just trying to be clever when I mentioned the alphabet soup.

But at 7:00 Wednesday night here in Dallastown we really are diving into Godly alphabet soup.  As we've said before, our friend Ned Bustard (Square Halo Books) designed and illustrated a fantastic new children's book on church history, called The Church History ABCs: Augustine and 25 Other Heroes of the Faith (Crossway; $15.99.)  Most of the text was written by uber-smart PhD guy Steve Nichols from nearby Lancaster Bible College, and the spiffy artwork was done by the aforementioned Mr. Bustard, almost shown, to your right.  We will be hosting a book release party, reception, and reading here at the shop.  There will be some alphabet-themed refreshments, too. 

How does one do a reading from an alphabet book, you ask?  Hey, have you never read Dr. Seuss right out loud?  Of course you have!  This is going to be great!  It will be fun to read this out loud--maybe even get some crazy unison thing going on. (Will the Lutherans out-shout the Calvinists on their respective pages?  Will we all groan at the Knox-Knox joke?)  We'll hear about Ned's artistic vision, maybe his collaboration process with author and editors, learn just how a classy kid's book comes to be.  With the interesting blend of bright color, stylized illustration, computer graphics and real photography, The Church History ABCs really is tremendous-looking.  I think it is one of the more artfully designed kid's picture books on any Christian publishing house, and certainly stands up with the greats so far this year in the design category.  I suppose I'd want to say this even if it weren't true since Ned is such a nice fellow, and really deserves acclaim (even from our small corner of the universe) but---yes---it really is true.  This is a very, very wonderfully designed book.


So. Having raved about the creative design and the important, informative content, allow me to note how well form and function unite in this happy book.  That is, there is cool artwork for each character, nifty stuff that teaches well, even in small ways that will reveal themselves upon repeated reads.  Playfully studying the text together a second or third time, looking carefully, you'll learn even more about cool details---why does Jonathan Edwards have a bar of chocolate in his hand, and why the Indian feather?  And what is that in Spurgeon's vest coat pocket?  What's with the picture of Venice in the Vivaldi page?  And the baby Jesus by Ignatius?   Who--with a B name---was "America's first bard"?  Granted, the word Pirates starts with P so it fits on the P-page with Patrick, but is there another reason for that skull & crossbones? And why the Philadelphia Liberty Bell on the J page with Absalom Jones?

The last few pages are for older readers (or mom and dad or Sunday School teachers) as it gives more detail about each of the characters shown.  Very helpful, and so important.
And, after they do the alphabetical order descriptions of the characters, they offer another listing, this time in chronological order, as in an historical timeline.  Did I mention that Ned helps design homeschooling curriculum?  This small touch is very, very helpful, and further shows the thoughtfulness they put into this.

Another great little touch. In the lovely introduction, they write, as they explain what we mean by church history,  "In fact, this story hasn't ended yet. Someday you will be adding your own story to it."  At the very, very end, they note again in passing that God's unfolding of church history isn't quite over yet.  "The story of church history is your story" they say.  So right.  Insofar as we are in Christ, a part of His Kingdom, then this is, indeed, our story.  Or, should I say, it is God's story, being written in the characters of our lives.
 
Even the back cover is a hoot, and only those who know a bit about this stuff will get the jokes.  "An excellent resource for young and old," they have C.S. Lewis saying in mock endorsement, "but where is Athanasius?"  Ha! Lewis wrote the forward to the modern edition of his third century classic (so would naturally want him in there. Sorry, Clive.)  "I really enjoyed this church history book for young people, until I got to the letter W" blurbs colonial- era evangelist George Whitefield. Of course, W is, uh, somebody else.  (In fact, they cheated puttimh two brothers on page W.  Guess who?)

One big beef of my own.  Saint Francis of Assisi.   Yeah, yeah, I know they felt they had to put somebody else on the coveted F page, but really? Skipping Saint Frank?  Or, maybe he will be in the next volume, perhaps already in the scheming?  If only they can think of another saint with an X and a Z name.

Here is a picture of Stephen Nichols and Ned Bustard.  I only wish they'd have been in Ned's drawn caricature, to show that they, too, are great characters in God's unfolding history.

We watched together one night the wonderful movie Patch Adams and wondered about Patch's remarkable passion and how he navigated an inhumane med school education and how he integrated a less mechanistic model of healing into his education and eventual medical practice.  We wondered what it takes to be social innovators, starting up projects, ministries, making cultural contributions big and small.  Oh, to grasp the good news of Christ's Jubilee reign that calls us to be in, but not of, the world around us!  Oh, the find mentors and guides (and books!) to guide us into this life-long discipleship.

Drawing just a bit on Neibuhr's classic Christ and Culture we explored varying ways in which church folk have tended to engage the society and cultures of which they are a part.  Liberal churches, by and large, have traditionally watered down Christian distinctives to accommodate to culture, while fundamentalists have typically employed an over-heated and often self-righteous holiness allowing them to keep their distance from the institutions which govern culture. If one sells out, the other cops out.  In Jeremiah 29, we are called to "seek the shalom" of the city in which we find ourselves.  To truly bring blessing, though, we need to be more than merely "relevant" but true.  Maybe Patch Adams can help us think through a faithful way to be innovative and effective in our care for place, for neighbors and our callings, seeing how God can use us to accomplish His purposes in the world.

You might guess that I invited them to read more deeply in this aspect of discipleship.  I recommended the meaty and provocative Transforming Vision: Developing a Christian Worldview by Brian Walsh and Richard Middleton (IVP; $17.00) which will take them deeper into a radical cultural analysis rooted in a Christian worldview.  I routinely talk about the wisdom and eloquence of Os Guinness' masterpiece The Call (Nelson; $17.99) and naturally pushed Andy Crouch's Culture-Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling (IVP; $20.00) which is really helpful as we think about these very things.  OCBP students are already reading some excellent books for their summer project such as the concise and powerful old book by Tom Sine, Taking Discipleship Seriously which invites us to arrange our lives around "God's intentions for the future." Of course they are reading  The Outrageous Idea of Academic Faithfulness by Don Opitz & Derek Melleby---a must for every college student; Henri Nouwen's profound little book on spiritual leadership, In The Name of Jesus, and Michael Goheen & Craig Barthlemew's overview of the Bible, The True Story of the Whole World: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Drama.  Each day they are reflecting on a great story from The Unexpected Adventure: Taking Everyday Risks to Talk With People About Jesus (Lee Strobel & Mark Middleburg) which reminds us to be praying and seeking opportunities to share the gospel, to be willing to tell others about the need for saving faith in Christ Jesus.  What a fun and inspiring collection---it is very highly recommended.  Maybe you will pray that these 30 students will not only think deeply about "living Jubilee" and cultural transformation, leadership, calling and such, but that they will each do verbal evangelism when appropriate, taking inspiration from the Strobel/Middelburg stories, to play their part in sowing seeds of Christ's message.


After this whirlwind week of passionate conversations with these campus leaders, we drove to Washington DC to set up a nice little book display about political theory and healthy citizenship for the  truly remarkable Civitas week sponsored by the Center for Public Justice. (Read Lauren Winner's interesting report about it from a few years back, here.)  I assume readers know CPJ (we've linked to them before) and will perhaps spend some of this holiday weekend ruminating on just what our citizenship duties may be.  Of course we dare not sin by engaging in idolatrous nationalism---don't get me started on the civil religion in some of our patriotic hymns---but that surely doesn't mean that we should be disengaged from civic responsibilities.  We think CPJ gets it pretty much right.

CPJ is neither conservative nor liberal but takes their cue from (among other influences) Abraham Kuyper, the famous preacher, journalist, devotional writer and Prime Minister of early 20th century Holland.  Kuyper, while a Parliament member,  gave the renowned "Stone Lectures" at Princeton Seminary (prior to visiting President McKinley at the White House) in 1898 and those lectures are still in print. It is considered one of the seminal texts for the contemporary popularity of the world "worldview."  In those lectures he invites us to stand in the grand tradition of the 16th century reformers, like Calvin, who strongly emphasized the cosmic sovereignty of Christ over all things. Jump-starting an emphasis on culture renewal sometimes now called "neo-Calvinism" Mr. Kuyper encouraged a graceful reflection on the claims of Christ the King over science, education, commerce, the arts, and, of course, politics.  Interestingly, I started my lecture series at OCBP with a quote from Kuyper that helped form the early days of the Jubilee conference three decades ago.  Kuyper famously insisted that the ascended Christ, upon looking down from heaven, does not see "one square inch" over which He does not point and declare "mine!" This "wide-as-life" view of redemption has inspired many to faithful cultural involvement and activism in our generation.

Importantly Kuyper's beloved "every square inch" quote starts with this line, a reminder to think Christianly:  No single piece of our mental world is to be hermetically sealed off from the rest...  As a bookseller committed to helping folks think about all of life from a Biblical perspective, this call thrills me.  We must relate faith to the life of the mind and our ideas must direct us to faithful thinking and living in the world.   Kuyper was quite a man, known for mystical spirituality and public theology, for journalism and education, for interest in church renewal, science, and politics. There is only one biography in print that I know of of Kuyper, one that we import from England, Abraham Kuyper: God's Renaissance Man by James E. McGoldrick (Evangelical Press; $18.99)  Check out this gateway to all things Kuyperian at "Friends of Kuyper" website.


 CPJ (for good and complex reasons rooted in thoughtful evangelical reflection) tends to think that the Christian right has failed in doing politics in a truly Christian fashion.  Similiarly, CPJ advocates a perspective that is something other than the so-called Christian left.  To seek a third way, rooted in Biblical assumptions about history, human nature, social architecture and the task of the state, and to be principled, passionate and civil about it all, is a project (it seems to us) many should support.

At Civitas, they will hear experts and public policy leaders reflecting on this "third way" thinking about uniquely Christian politics.  Much of the CPJ vision includes encouraging thoughtful dialogue to create on-going deepening of our views, rooted in the love of God and the conviction that the Bible teaches us norms about how the world is to work, including ways that government and civic life might be.  Along with our friends at Civitas this week, we invite you to consider some books about what truly "Christian politics" might be.

Church, State, and Public Justice: Five Views edited by P.C. Kemeny (IVP; $19.00)  A month ago, Sojourners editor Jim Wallis wrote a piece asking if the view of government and the civic philosophy of the Tea Party movement was consistent with Biblical views.  This set off a firestorm of critique, some of which (I believe) was understandable as Jim unwisely conflated the various views of Tea Party folk and libertarianism.  Still, as I posted at the Sojo blog, this is a good, good, question, and it is one worth asking of any of us.  Is our view of the task of the State, our political philosophy, how we construe our view of citizenship, in line with a Biblical life view?  This book, I think, can help us with this question.  I can't say enough about it as it allows some of the primary, current perspectives to be in on conversation and allows us to consider each approach. Each chapter includes not only the primary author giving his view, but also the other four replying with a critique, allowing readers to see not only the perspective, but the critics best response.   In just one  volume you get the basic view of a Roman Catholic showing the consistency of Catholic social teaching, a neo-Calvinist Kuyperian teaching about principled pluralism, a "peace & justice" Anabaptist who holds up an "evangelical for social action" view, a Baptist author teaching as a "strict separationist" and a liberal mainline Protestant.  I've reviewed this in greater detail previously, and think it is a fabulous resource.  Kudos to the publisher and editor for advancing the conversation among Christian about a Biblical view of the State and the nature of a Christian perspective.

Political Visions and Illusions: A Survey & Christian Critique of Contemporary Ideologies  David T. Koyzis (IVP; $22.00) Again, I've discussed this before and it may be the most important book of its kind.  This seriously exposes the deepest assumptions and ideas of the basic contours of the West's approach to politics.  Certainly in the United States, "conservatives" and "liberals" are considered the two major political options and understanding how this is so, so important if we are going to be insightful citizens and make up our minds on where we stand on contemporary issues.  Koyzis is a brilliant thinker and this book (which won a number of prestigious awards) is highly recommended.  Read here a few endorsements by folks we respect.


If you have about 25 minutes, I encourage you to watch and
listen to one of our best friends, the new Director of CPJ, Dr. Gideon Strauss, as he does a chapel talk at Gordon College earlier this school year.  This talk, "Justice Is Not Optional" can be seen on YouTube.  Gideon is from South Africa, and tells about his truly remarkable journey to faith and while he isn't talking about statecraft and political philosophy, he does give a great overview of the Biblical call to justice, somewhat inspired by his conversion story, his work with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission there, and his discovery of Isaiah 58.