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October 2020 MBR The Christian Studies Shelf
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Midwest Book Review
Nov 29, 2020, 12:08:48 AM11/29/20
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The Christian Studies Shelf
Hallelujah: Memoirs of a Singing Priest
Father Ray Kelly
Columba Books
https://columbabooks.com
9781782183686, $18.99, HC, 300pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hallelujah-Fr-Ray-Kelly/dp/178218368X
Synopsis: Father Ray Kelly, popularly known as "the singing priest", became a worldwide internet sensation when a video of him singing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" at a wedding in 2014 went viral. The emotional video and his wonderful voice captured hearts globally and garnered him millions of views.
In 2018, he auditioned for Britain's Got Talent, singing "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M., where he made it to the semi-finals of the show, demonstrating his astonishing ability to connect with people through his singing.
"Hallelujah: Memoirs of a Singing Priest" is his personal story, describing his fascinating journey from parish priest to fame, and following his experience of sharing his exceptional talent with the world. Filled with stories of how music has always been a huge part of his world, from singing with his family as a child, to performing "Danny Boy" for Pope John Paul II in the Vatican and forming a boy band in seminary school.
Charting his childhood in Tyrrellspass, Ireland, his call to the seminary, and his subsequent work as a priest, "Hallelujah: Memoirs of a Singing Priest" culminates in Father Kelly being catapulted into the limelight because of his extraordinary talent, and combining his passion for singing with his dedicated work as a priest.
Critique: A deftly written and inherently fascinating story, "Hallelujah: Memoirs of a Singing Priest" is a remarkable and highly recommended addition to community and academic library contemporary biography collections, and will be of special interest to all members of the Catholic community.
The Church and the Modern Era: 1846 - 2005
David M. Wagner
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.avemariapress.com
9781594717871, $17.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Church-Modern-Era-1846-2005-Reclaiming/dp/1594717877
Synopsis: Lourdes and Fatima, war, Vatican I and II, Fulton Sheen, St. John Paul II, and the clerical sex abuse crisis: These are just a few of the people and events that helped define the Catholic Church in the modern era -- the period between 1846 and 2005.
The call to live the fullness of our faith has not changed since the time of the first disciples, but in "The Church and the Modern Era:1846 - 2005", author David Wagner explores how the Catholic Church met the challenges of the industrial age, world wars, the sexual revolution, and technological advancement in an increasingly secular world.
The "modern era" of the Catholic Church began with the election of Blessed Pius IX in 1846 and ends with the death of St. John Paul II in 2005, the last pope to have served as a council father at Vatican II. With monarchies falling, nation-states rising, and industrialization and mass migration underway, the world in which we live changed more during this period than any other, David Wagner contends. While the Church may feel more user-friendly and less formal than ever before, what we believe has been handed down from the beginning.
Wagner will reintroduce you to some of the era's most powerful examples of virtue and faith such as St. John Henry Newman, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Faustina, and St. Maximillian Kolbe. He will also dispel some of the long-held misconceptions about the Church that span the 160-year period.
In The Church and the Modern Era, you will learn: The Catholic Church is the world's most powerful advocate for workers, the poor, and human rights; The Church's social teaching does not endorse any economic or political systems; The Second Vatican Council did not change Catholic teaching on faith or morals; The Church's teaching on human sexuality is the real sexual revolution; The Church has been an advocate for raising the status of women, championing women's rights to education, to work, and to equal pay.
Of special note is that "The Church and the Modern Era: 1846-2005" includes both a map and a chronology.
Critique: An impressively detailed and informative history, "The Church and the Modern Era: 1846-2005" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in both organization and presentation, making it an ideal choice for either individual or small group studies. While very strongly recommended for church, seminary, community, college and university library Catholic Church History collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should be noted for seminary students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Church and the Modern Era: 1846-2005" is also readily available in a digital book format from Ave Maria Press (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: David M. Wagner is a lawyer and journalist who also works as a research fellow at the National Legal Foundation. He previously served as a law professor at Regent University, a speechwriter for the US Department of Justice, and as deputy counsel for the House Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights. His work has appeared in many publications, including First Things, National Catholic Register, Crisis, National Review, The Weekly Standard, and City Journal. Wagner covered the 1985 Extraordinary Synod on Vatican II for The Washington Times.
The Resilient Leader
Alfred Ells
David C. Cook
c/o Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.davidccook.org
9780830781072, $25.99, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Resilient-Leader-Adversity-Change-Ministry/dp/0830781072
Synopsis: In life and in the church community adversity often comes without warning. Bad news can be shocking. Betrayal is always heartbreaking. It's natural for a church leader to feel defensive and want to fight back. But fear and anger make for poor strategies when it comes to resolving conflict and thriving afterward.
The principle message in "The Resilient Leader: How Adversity Can Change You and Your Ministry for the Better" by ordained minister and leadership consultant Alfred Ells is that it most certainly is as illustrated through stories of congregational leaders who have suffered the traumas of betrayal, conflict, and failure. In the pages of "The Resilient Leader" Ells provides insights, wisdom, and instruction on how to leverage adversity to become a resilient leader skilled at repairing any breach.
Critique: Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Resilient Leader: How Adversity Can Change You and Your Ministry for the Better" is both inspired and inspiring. A timely book of practical instruction and illustrative example, "The Resilient Leader: How Adversity Can Change You and Your Ministry for the Better" is especially recommended for church, seminary, community, and academic library Christian Church Leadership & Pastoral Counseling collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, clergy, and non- specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Resilient Leader: How Adversity Can Change You and Your Ministry for the Better" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.33).
Editorial Note: Alfred Ells is an ordained minister, and the founder/director of Leaders That Last Ministries. As a master coach, counselor, and leadership consultant, he has helped many pastors, executives, and denominational leaders find and fulfill their destiny in Christ. He has also founded or helped establish many Christ-centered treatment programs for individuals, families, and youth including Samaritan Counseling Services.
In Thy Presence
Lev Gillet
SVS Press
575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707
www.svspress.com
9780913836347, $16.00, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Thy-Presence-Lev-Gillet/dp/0913836346
Synopsis: "In Thy Presence" by Lev Gillet is comprised of meditations that are written in the form of God speaking to the reader as to His loved and valued child in order to reveal the nature of His love more clearly in its depth, its splendor and its tenderness. Some of them open our minds to the immense energy of Love in the universe. Others reveal the presence of Love in human tribulations and suffering or illuminate the most commonplace actions of daily life. In all of them, tenderness toward each created being touches the real hunger and hope of our lives for a relationship of loving communion with God, for a journey with a transcendent destination.
Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "In Thy Presence" is highly commended to the attention of all Orthodox Christians and is especially recommended for clergy, seminary and college/university library Orthodox Christianity collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation
A. J. Sherrill
Brazos Press
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.brazospress.com
9781587435126, $29.99, HC, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Enneagram-Spiritual-Formation-Knowing-Ourselves/dp/1587434725
Synopsis: Author AJ Sherrill still remembers the moment when his life was forever changed by a word he didn't even understand at the time: an Enneagram. A personality theory that includes nine different "types," the Enneagram has become a popular tool for self-awareness and improvement.
But in "The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation: How Knowing Ourselves Can Make Us More Like Jesus", Sherrill goes deeper, exploring with Christians how the Enneagram can be a pathway to profound spiritual transformation. Sherrill reveals the Enneagram as a tool to unlock new ways of viewing identity, personality, discipleship, spiritual practices, evangelism, and the Bible.
Using this fresh approach, Sherrill shows how our true identity is that of a beloved child of God. Recognizing that, we can move confidently into the world expressing this identity through our unique personality.
Through Sherrill's detailed spiritual exploration of each type, readers will emerge viewing the Enneagram as a precious gift to following Jesus more closely.
Critique: An inherently fascination, thoughtful and thought-provoking read, "The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation: How Knowing Ourselves Can Make Us More Like Jesus" offers a potentially life changing approach toward spiritual growth and is commended to the attention of all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliations. While highly recommended for church, seminary, community, and college/university library Christian Personal Self-Help & Growth collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Christian Personal Growth" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781587434723, $16.99), and in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.09).
Editorial Note: AJ Sherrill (DMin, Fuller Theological Seminary) has more than twenty years of experience as a pastor, including the role of lead pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he teaches popular courses on transformational preaching and the Enneagram. He receives many speaking requests to lead Enneagram workshops across the country.
A Retreat with Saint Anthony: Finding Our Way
Carol Ann Morrow
Franciscan Media
28 West Liberty Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
https://info.franciscanmedia.org
9781632533548, $14.99, PB, 104pp
https://www.amazon.com/Retreat-Saint-Anthony-Finding-Our/dp/1632533545
Synopsis: "A Retreat with Saint Anthony: Finding Our Way" is seven-day retreat in book form where the director is Anthony of Padua, one of the earliest followers of St. Francis of Assisi.
Beyond his reputation as a finder of lost objects, much more can be known about this complex yet simple genius the Catholic Church calls saint and doctor.
Inspired as a young man by the example of the first Franciscan martyrs, Anthony embarked upon a life balanced by preaching and example, learning and love. Through these excerpts from his sermons, he invites readers to search with him to find Jesus and to live the Gospel.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "A Retreat with Saint Anthony: Finding Our Way" is a spiritual treat for the soul and especially recommended reading for clergy, seminary students, and all members of the Roman Catholic community. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Retreat with Saint Anthony: Finding Our Way" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Carol Ann Morrow is an Associate of the Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg, Indiana. She served in various roles at St. Anthony Messenger Press (now Franciscan Media) for twenty-five years and, in that capacity, traveled to Portugal and Italy in the footsteps of St. Anthony as a pilgrim and a journalist.
Complaints of the Saints
Mary Lea Hill, FSP
Pauline Books & Media
50 St. Paul's Avenue, Boston, MA 02130-3433
www.pauline.org
9780819816832, $14.95, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Complaints-Saints-Mary-Lea-Hill/dp/0819816833
Synopsis: "Complaints of the Saints" by Sr. Mary Lea Hill, FSP, shares some of the saints' responses to suffering. The witty anecdotes and wisdom comprising "Complaints of the Saints" are both consoling and relatable, teaching us that the saints experienced the same emotions and feelings we do in the face of hardship. After all, the saints used their human nature, faults, and even complaints, to help them grow closer to God!
Critique: An inherently inspiring read from first page to last, "Complaints of the Saints" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to church, seminary, community, and college/university library Christian Spirituality collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, clergy, and lay members of the Roman Catholic community that "Complaints of the Saints" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Sister Mary Lea Hill, a member of the Daughters of St. Paul since 1964, has enjoyed communicating the faith through a variety of apostolic assignments. Her skills as a story teller were honed as director of audiovisual productions when Pauline Books & Media first produced animated features in the early 80s. An editor and author for many years, Sister Mary Lea has written several books, including the best-selling Basic Catechism (co-authored with Sister Susan Helen Wallace).
Write That They May Read
Daniel I. Black et al.
Pickwick Publications
c/o Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401-2960
http://wipfandstock.com
9781725252103, $61.00, PB, 538pp
https://www.amazon.com/Write-That-They-Read-Textualization/dp/1725252104
Synopsis: "Write That They May Read: Studies in Literacy and Textualization in the Ancient Near East and in the Hebrew Scriptures" is a collection of erudite essays written in honor of the editors' mentor, friend, and fellow scholar, Professor Alan R. Millard.
Respectful of his contribution to our understanding of writing and literacy in the ancient biblical world, all the essays deal with some aspect of this issue, ranging in scope from archeological artifacts that need to be "read," to early evidence of writing in Israel's world, to the significance of reading and writing in the Bible, including God's own literacy, to the production of books in the ancient world, and the significance of metaphorical branding of God's people with his name.
The contributors are distributed among Professor Millard's peers and colleagues in a variety of institutions, his own students, and students of his students. They represent a variety of disciplines including biblical archeology, Egyptology, Assyriology, Hebrew and other Northwest Semitic texts, and the literature of the Bible, and reside in North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Germany.
Critique: A seminal collection of impressively informative and exceptionally well presented scholarship by a roster of experts, "Write That They May Read: Studies in Literacy and Textualization in the Ancient Near East and in the Hebrew Scriptures: Essays in Honour of Professor Alan R. Millard" is an extraordinary and valued contribution to Christian Bible History & Culture, Old Testament Bible Study, and Ancient Civilizations studies. While especially and unreservedly recommended for church, seminary, community, and college/university library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, clergy, seminarians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Write That They May Read: Studies in Literacy and Textualization in the Ancient Near East and in the Hebrew Scriptures: Essays in Honour of Professor Alan R. Millard" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: The editors include: Daniel I. Block (Gunther H. Knoedler Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Wheaton College); David C. Deuel (Academic Dean Emeritus, The Master's Academy International); C. John Collins (Professor of Old Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary); and Paul J. N. Lawrence (a translation consultant for SIL International).
Rhythms for Life
Alastair Sterne
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830831975, $16.00, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Rhythms-Life-Spiritual-Practices-Made/dp/0830831975
Synopsis: For Christians, spiritual transformation is not a one-size-fits-all journey. Each of us has a particular identity, gifts, values, roles, and purpose. Thus we each need distinct spiritual rhythms that are designed to help us live out that vocation and calling.
"Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Made You to Be" is a practical book in which Alastair Sterne shows how we can craft a life of more intentionality, becoming Christlike in ways that fit who we are. First we discover who God made us to be, in all our distinctiveness. Then we enter into spiritual practices that flow out of that particular sense of identity, with fourfold rhythms that point us upward to God, inward to self, withward in community, and outward in mission.
Our vocation is our identity uniquely lived out before God, bringing our being and doing together. You can live a life that is more aligned with who you are meant to be. Discover spiritual rhythms that move at the pace of grace, and align you with your unique identity and calling in Christ.
Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Made You to Be" is very highly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community. It should be noted that "Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Made You to Be" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Alastair Sterne is the founding and lead pastor of St. Peter's Fireside in Vancouver and serves as canon of church planting for the Anglican Network in Canada. He is a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary and is currently working on a doctorate in intercultural studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. He also serves on the board of Always Forward, the church planting initiative of the Anglican Church in North America.
Sex and the Spiritual Life
Patricia Cooney Hathaway, editor
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.avemariapress.com
9781594719912, $18.95, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Spiritual-Life-Reclaiming-Integrity/dp/1594719918
Synopsis: Are sexuality and spirituality opposed to each other? To anyone who has struggled to align their sexual desires with the call to be holy these might seem in opposition, but they don't have to be.
"Sex and the Spiritual Life: Reclaiming Integrity, Wholeness, and Intimacy" by Patricia Hathaway will help you understand that you can experience fulfillment through sexual integrity -- a way of life that affirms the presence of God and the sacred in our sexual feelings and expressions. "Sex and the Spiritual Life" is comprised of a selection of Catholic men and women (married, clergy, religious, and single) whose personal stories will inspire and equip you to reclaim the joy and wholeness of sexual integrity.
Addressing sexuality across a wide range of vocations, challenges, and experiences, each of the contributors to "Sex and the Spiritual Life" reflects upon living out the Church's teachings about human sexuality with integrity as a means to achieving spiritual maturity. All those who want to experience the benefits of sexual integrity will be inspired by their witness, and benefit from their practical advice.
Under the deftly editorship of Patricia Hathaway, the contributors to "Sex and the Spiritual Life" include Patricia Cooney Hathaway; Timothy P. O'Malley; Deacon James Keating; Susan Muto; Eve Tushnet; Fr. John Riccardo; and Sr. Sarah Fairbanks, O.P.; as well as clinical specialists in addictions and marriage and family life.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Sex and the Spiritual Life: Reclaiming Integrity, Wholeness, and Intimacy" is extraordinary and highly recommended reading for all members of the Roman Catholic community. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of clergy, seminary students, and non-specialist general readers that "Sex and the Spiritual Life" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Patricia Cooney Hathaway is a professor of spirituality and systematic theology and the chairperson of the licentiate in sacred theology degree committee at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, where she has worked since 1987. She is the author of the award-winning book Weaving Faith and Experience. She also serves as the associate editor of Human Development Magazine.
Survive the Day
Ben Young
David C. Cook
c/o Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80918
https://davidccook.org
9780781414647, $22.99, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Survive-Day-Thriving-Midst-Storms/dp/0781414644
Synopsis: For the past three decades, pastor Ben Young has worked with families and individuals struggling to cope with the harsh realities of major life crisis. He also knows personally what it's like to endure an ongoing storm. Through his own trials, he has learned not only to survive each dark day, but to live every day in ways that make a person stronger, wiser, and more at peace.
Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "Survive the Day: Thriving in the Midst of Life's Storms" will be particularly appreciated by those members of the Christian community that are having to deal with the stresses, pressures, and problems during these period of pandemic, economic collapse, social justice reform efforts, political polarization, environmental catastrophes, and so much more. While especially and unreservedly recommended for church, community, and college/university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Survive the Day: Thriving in the Midst of LIfe's Storms" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Ben Young is a writer and pastor at Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. He is also an adjunct professor at Houston Theological Seminary and the author of several books, including Room for Doubt, Devotions for Dating Couples, and Why Mike's Not a Christian.
The Non-Prophet's Guide to Spiritual Warfare
Todd Hampson
Harvest House Publishers
PO Box 41210, Eugene, OR 97404-0322
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
9780736977951, $17.99, PB, 223pp
https://www.amazon.com/Non-Prophets-GuideTM-Spiritual-Warfare/dp/0736977953
Synopsis: Even as a Christian, it can be difficult to discern the facts about the supernatural nature of good and evil. How much has pop culture influenced our ideas about angels and demons? Why do we as Christians face spiritual warfare when the Holy Spirit dwells within us? What limits exist on Satan's powers?
In "The Non-Prophet's Guide to Spiritual Warfare", author, illustrator, and Christian, Todd Hampson gets to the heart of common questions about spiritual battles, angels, demons, the nature of evil, and more. With Todd's signature combination of light-hearted illustrations and thoughtful applications of Scripture, this guide is both easy to understand and deeply informative.
"The Non-Prophet's Guide to Spiritual Warfare" will show the reader how to: Discern between cultural myths and biblical facts about the supernatural; Recognize the real threats you face while remaining grounded in God's truth; Understand why being ready to stand against demonic influence is more important now than ever before.
Regardless of their denomination affiliations, "The Non-Prophet's Guide to Spiritual Warfare" will give Christians the resources needed to champion spiritual battles, while inspiring them to dive deeper into God's Word to equip themselves with truth.
Critique: Laced with humor and offering impressive insights, "The Non-Prophet's Guide to Spiritual Warfare" is as entertaining as it is inspiring. While especially and unreservedly recommended for church, seminary, community, and college/university library Christian Angelology & Demonology, Christian Prophecies, and Christian Apologetics collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Non-Prophet's Guide to Spiritual Warfare" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Todd Hampson is a speaker, illustrator, animation producer, and the author/illustrator of The Non-Prophet's Guide" book series. His award-winning animation company, Timbuktoons, has produced content for many well-known ministry organizations.
Manhood is a Mindset
J. Colin Trisler
Resource Publications
c/o Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401-2960
http://wipfandstock.com
9781725262270, $38.00, HC, 196pp
https://www.amazon.com/Manhood-Mindset-J-Colin-Trisler/dp/1725262274
Synopsis: A boy doesn't become a man by accident. The truth is, it takes a special kind of father (or father-figure) to teach his son the practical wisdom he needs to build the mindset of a real man.
In "Manhood Is A Mindset: Fatherly Instruction from the Wisest Man Who Ever Lived", pastor and father J. Colin Trisler points his son to the example of Solomon, and instructs him in the fatherly wisdom Solomon taught his son in Proverbs 1-9. "Manhood Is A Mindset" is a text-driven exposition that follows Solomon's lead and reads as a personalized discourse--as a series of letters from a father to his son.
Trisler wrote these letters to instruct his son in the wisdom he needs to grow into a man who is prepared to go out into the real world and earn a good life for himself. He has now published these letters to support all those other fathers who are working just as hard to mold their inexperienced boys into strong and capable men who are prepared to meet their responsibilities to God, their families, their neighbors, and themselves.
Critique: An invaluable and welcome addition to parenting books from a Christian and Biblical perspective, "Manhood Is A Mindset: Fatherly Instruction from the Wisest Man Who Ever Lived" is impressively informative, inspiring, and ideal, recommended reading for all men seeking to raise a child in today's traumatically troubled times. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Manhood Is A Mindset" is also readily available in a paperback edition (digital book format (9781725262263, $23.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Critique: J. Colin Trisler has more than ten years of ministerial experience as a lead pastor and youth pastor. He holds an MDiv with a concentration in Christian ethics from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, an MMC from Louisiana State University, and a BA in English from Louisiana Tech University.
How to Read Theology for All Its Worth
Karin Spiecker Stetina
Zondervan Academic
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
www.zondervan.com
9780310093824, $16.99, PB, 224p
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Theology-All-Worth/dp/0310093821
Synopsis: Too many Christians avoid reading theology for fear they won't understand it or out of a misconception that it's only meant for the academic elite. Similarly, students in introductory theology classes can feel overwhelmed by the concepts and terminology they encounter. Yet theology can be read with enjoyment and discernment.
In "How to Read Theology for All Its Worth: A Guide for Students", Karin Stetina (Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at Biola University) introduces students of all ages to the basic skills of intelligent reading, applied especially to theological works. Anyone who'd like to read theology well, whether a formal student or interested layperson, will benefit from the simple steps Stetina outlines.
Those steps include: Identifying genre; Becoming acquainted with the author and the context out of which he or she wrote; Determining a thesis and main arguments.
"How to Read Theology for All Its Worth" will equip readers not only to understand theology but also to insightfully engage theologians ideas. With the basic tools in hand, everyone can read with confidence and enjoy "conversations" with theological works.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "How to Read Theology for All Its Worth: A Guide for Students" is a unique, informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking DIY study guide that is unreservedly recommended for all members of the Christian community. It should be noted for students, academia, clergy, seminarians, and non-specialist general readers that "How to Read Theology for All Its Worth: A Guide for Students" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, 9.99).
Into His Presence
Napoleon Burt
Christian Faith Publishing
9781645159711, $22.95, PB, 374pp
https://www.amazon.com/Into-His-Presence-Encountering-Patriarchs/dp/164515971X
Synopsis: For all dedicated Christians, the God of the Bible is not a concept to be studied but a divine person each of us can and should encounter personally. "Into His Presence: Encountering the God of the Patriarchs" by Napoleon Burt uses historically documented experiences of a number of important people with God over thousands of years as the lens through which to help you understand the character of God as a person. In this study the God of the Bible is seen as a divine person encountered by the men and women of the Bible. The approach to the study of the Bible here presented will completely change how we read the Bible and how we will perceive the divine author of the Bible.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, impressively informed and informative, thoughtful and thought provoking, inspired and inspiring biblically based study of the Judeo-Christian deity, "Into His Presence: Encountering the God of the Patriarchs" is especially and unreservedly recommended and instructive reading for all members of the Christian community -- regardless of denominational affiliations. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Into His Presence 1: Encountering the God of the Patriarchs" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
EDITOR'S NOTE:
The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.
The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "California Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview (dot) com
Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugalmuse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publisher, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number, and list price).
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
Hallelujah: Memoirs of a Singing Priest
Father Ray Kelly
Columba Books
https://columbabooks.com
9781782183686, $18.99, HC, 300pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hallelujah-Fr-Ray-Kelly/dp/178218368X
Synopsis: Father Ray Kelly, popularly known as "the singing priest", became a worldwide internet sensation when a video of him singing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" at a wedding in 2014 went viral. The emotional video and his wonderful voice captured hearts globally and garnered him millions of views.
In 2018, he auditioned for Britain's Got Talent, singing "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M., where he made it to the semi-finals of the show, demonstrating his astonishing ability to connect with people through his singing.
"Hallelujah: Memoirs of a Singing Priest" is his personal story, describing his fascinating journey from parish priest to fame, and following his experience of sharing his exceptional talent with the world. Filled with stories of how music has always been a huge part of his world, from singing with his family as a child, to performing "Danny Boy" for Pope John Paul II in the Vatican and forming a boy band in seminary school.
Charting his childhood in Tyrrellspass, Ireland, his call to the seminary, and his subsequent work as a priest, "Hallelujah: Memoirs of a Singing Priest" culminates in Father Kelly being catapulted into the limelight because of his extraordinary talent, and combining his passion for singing with his dedicated work as a priest.
Critique: A deftly written and inherently fascinating story, "Hallelujah: Memoirs of a Singing Priest" is a remarkable and highly recommended addition to community and academic library contemporary biography collections, and will be of special interest to all members of the Catholic community.
The Church and the Modern Era: 1846 - 2005
David M. Wagner
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.avemariapress.com
9781594717871, $17.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Church-Modern-Era-1846-2005-Reclaiming/dp/1594717877
Synopsis: Lourdes and Fatima, war, Vatican I and II, Fulton Sheen, St. John Paul II, and the clerical sex abuse crisis: These are just a few of the people and events that helped define the Catholic Church in the modern era -- the period between 1846 and 2005.
The call to live the fullness of our faith has not changed since the time of the first disciples, but in "The Church and the Modern Era:1846 - 2005", author David Wagner explores how the Catholic Church met the challenges of the industrial age, world wars, the sexual revolution, and technological advancement in an increasingly secular world.
The "modern era" of the Catholic Church began with the election of Blessed Pius IX in 1846 and ends with the death of St. John Paul II in 2005, the last pope to have served as a council father at Vatican II. With monarchies falling, nation-states rising, and industrialization and mass migration underway, the world in which we live changed more during this period than any other, David Wagner contends. While the Church may feel more user-friendly and less formal than ever before, what we believe has been handed down from the beginning.
Wagner will reintroduce you to some of the era's most powerful examples of virtue and faith such as St. John Henry Newman, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Faustina, and St. Maximillian Kolbe. He will also dispel some of the long-held misconceptions about the Church that span the 160-year period.
In The Church and the Modern Era, you will learn: The Catholic Church is the world's most powerful advocate for workers, the poor, and human rights; The Church's social teaching does not endorse any economic or political systems; The Second Vatican Council did not change Catholic teaching on faith or morals; The Church's teaching on human sexuality is the real sexual revolution; The Church has been an advocate for raising the status of women, championing women's rights to education, to work, and to equal pay.
Of special note is that "The Church and the Modern Era: 1846-2005" includes both a map and a chronology.
Critique: An impressively detailed and informative history, "The Church and the Modern Era: 1846-2005" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in both organization and presentation, making it an ideal choice for either individual or small group studies. While very strongly recommended for church, seminary, community, college and university library Catholic Church History collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should be noted for seminary students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Church and the Modern Era: 1846-2005" is also readily available in a digital book format from Ave Maria Press (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: David M. Wagner is a lawyer and journalist who also works as a research fellow at the National Legal Foundation. He previously served as a law professor at Regent University, a speechwriter for the US Department of Justice, and as deputy counsel for the House Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights. His work has appeared in many publications, including First Things, National Catholic Register, Crisis, National Review, The Weekly Standard, and City Journal. Wagner covered the 1985 Extraordinary Synod on Vatican II for The Washington Times.
The Resilient Leader
Alfred Ells
David C. Cook
c/o Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.davidccook.org
9780830781072, $25.99, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Resilient-Leader-Adversity-Change-Ministry/dp/0830781072
Synopsis: In life and in the church community adversity often comes without warning. Bad news can be shocking. Betrayal is always heartbreaking. It's natural for a church leader to feel defensive and want to fight back. But fear and anger make for poor strategies when it comes to resolving conflict and thriving afterward.
The principle message in "The Resilient Leader: How Adversity Can Change You and Your Ministry for the Better" by ordained minister and leadership consultant Alfred Ells is that it most certainly is as illustrated through stories of congregational leaders who have suffered the traumas of betrayal, conflict, and failure. In the pages of "The Resilient Leader" Ells provides insights, wisdom, and instruction on how to leverage adversity to become a resilient leader skilled at repairing any breach.
Critique: Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Resilient Leader: How Adversity Can Change You and Your Ministry for the Better" is both inspired and inspiring. A timely book of practical instruction and illustrative example, "The Resilient Leader: How Adversity Can Change You and Your Ministry for the Better" is especially recommended for church, seminary, community, and academic library Christian Church Leadership & Pastoral Counseling collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, clergy, and non- specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Resilient Leader: How Adversity Can Change You and Your Ministry for the Better" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.33).
Editorial Note: Alfred Ells is an ordained minister, and the founder/director of Leaders That Last Ministries. As a master coach, counselor, and leadership consultant, he has helped many pastors, executives, and denominational leaders find and fulfill their destiny in Christ. He has also founded or helped establish many Christ-centered treatment programs for individuals, families, and youth including Samaritan Counseling Services.
In Thy Presence
Lev Gillet
SVS Press
575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707
www.svspress.com
9780913836347, $16.00, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Thy-Presence-Lev-Gillet/dp/0913836346
Synopsis: "In Thy Presence" by Lev Gillet is comprised of meditations that are written in the form of God speaking to the reader as to His loved and valued child in order to reveal the nature of His love more clearly in its depth, its splendor and its tenderness. Some of them open our minds to the immense energy of Love in the universe. Others reveal the presence of Love in human tribulations and suffering or illuminate the most commonplace actions of daily life. In all of them, tenderness toward each created being touches the real hunger and hope of our lives for a relationship of loving communion with God, for a journey with a transcendent destination.
Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "In Thy Presence" is highly commended to the attention of all Orthodox Christians and is especially recommended for clergy, seminary and college/university library Orthodox Christianity collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation
A. J. Sherrill
Brazos Press
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.brazospress.com
9781587435126, $29.99, HC, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Enneagram-Spiritual-Formation-Knowing-Ourselves/dp/1587434725
Synopsis: Author AJ Sherrill still remembers the moment when his life was forever changed by a word he didn't even understand at the time: an Enneagram. A personality theory that includes nine different "types," the Enneagram has become a popular tool for self-awareness and improvement.
But in "The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation: How Knowing Ourselves Can Make Us More Like Jesus", Sherrill goes deeper, exploring with Christians how the Enneagram can be a pathway to profound spiritual transformation. Sherrill reveals the Enneagram as a tool to unlock new ways of viewing identity, personality, discipleship, spiritual practices, evangelism, and the Bible.
Using this fresh approach, Sherrill shows how our true identity is that of a beloved child of God. Recognizing that, we can move confidently into the world expressing this identity through our unique personality.
Through Sherrill's detailed spiritual exploration of each type, readers will emerge viewing the Enneagram as a precious gift to following Jesus more closely.
Critique: An inherently fascination, thoughtful and thought-provoking read, "The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation: How Knowing Ourselves Can Make Us More Like Jesus" offers a potentially life changing approach toward spiritual growth and is commended to the attention of all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliations. While highly recommended for church, seminary, community, and college/university library Christian Personal Self-Help & Growth collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Christian Personal Growth" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781587434723, $16.99), and in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.09).
Editorial Note: AJ Sherrill (DMin, Fuller Theological Seminary) has more than twenty years of experience as a pastor, including the role of lead pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he teaches popular courses on transformational preaching and the Enneagram. He receives many speaking requests to lead Enneagram workshops across the country.
A Retreat with Saint Anthony: Finding Our Way
Carol Ann Morrow
Franciscan Media
28 West Liberty Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
https://info.franciscanmedia.org
9781632533548, $14.99, PB, 104pp
https://www.amazon.com/Retreat-Saint-Anthony-Finding-Our/dp/1632533545
Synopsis: "A Retreat with Saint Anthony: Finding Our Way" is seven-day retreat in book form where the director is Anthony of Padua, one of the earliest followers of St. Francis of Assisi.
Beyond his reputation as a finder of lost objects, much more can be known about this complex yet simple genius the Catholic Church calls saint and doctor.
Inspired as a young man by the example of the first Franciscan martyrs, Anthony embarked upon a life balanced by preaching and example, learning and love. Through these excerpts from his sermons, he invites readers to search with him to find Jesus and to live the Gospel.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "A Retreat with Saint Anthony: Finding Our Way" is a spiritual treat for the soul and especially recommended reading for clergy, seminary students, and all members of the Roman Catholic community. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Retreat with Saint Anthony: Finding Our Way" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Carol Ann Morrow is an Associate of the Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg, Indiana. She served in various roles at St. Anthony Messenger Press (now Franciscan Media) for twenty-five years and, in that capacity, traveled to Portugal and Italy in the footsteps of St. Anthony as a pilgrim and a journalist.
Complaints of the Saints
Mary Lea Hill, FSP
Pauline Books & Media
50 St. Paul's Avenue, Boston, MA 02130-3433
www.pauline.org
9780819816832, $14.95, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Complaints-Saints-Mary-Lea-Hill/dp/0819816833
Synopsis: "Complaints of the Saints" by Sr. Mary Lea Hill, FSP, shares some of the saints' responses to suffering. The witty anecdotes and wisdom comprising "Complaints of the Saints" are both consoling and relatable, teaching us that the saints experienced the same emotions and feelings we do in the face of hardship. After all, the saints used their human nature, faults, and even complaints, to help them grow closer to God!
Critique: An inherently inspiring read from first page to last, "Complaints of the Saints" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to church, seminary, community, and college/university library Christian Spirituality collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, clergy, and lay members of the Roman Catholic community that "Complaints of the Saints" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Sister Mary Lea Hill, a member of the Daughters of St. Paul since 1964, has enjoyed communicating the faith through a variety of apostolic assignments. Her skills as a story teller were honed as director of audiovisual productions when Pauline Books & Media first produced animated features in the early 80s. An editor and author for many years, Sister Mary Lea has written several books, including the best-selling Basic Catechism (co-authored with Sister Susan Helen Wallace).
Write That They May Read
Daniel I. Black et al.
Pickwick Publications
c/o Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401-2960
http://wipfandstock.com
9781725252103, $61.00, PB, 538pp
https://www.amazon.com/Write-That-They-Read-Textualization/dp/1725252104
Synopsis: "Write That They May Read: Studies in Literacy and Textualization in the Ancient Near East and in the Hebrew Scriptures" is a collection of erudite essays written in honor of the editors' mentor, friend, and fellow scholar, Professor Alan R. Millard.
Respectful of his contribution to our understanding of writing and literacy in the ancient biblical world, all the essays deal with some aspect of this issue, ranging in scope from archeological artifacts that need to be "read," to early evidence of writing in Israel's world, to the significance of reading and writing in the Bible, including God's own literacy, to the production of books in the ancient world, and the significance of metaphorical branding of God's people with his name.
The contributors are distributed among Professor Millard's peers and colleagues in a variety of institutions, his own students, and students of his students. They represent a variety of disciplines including biblical archeology, Egyptology, Assyriology, Hebrew and other Northwest Semitic texts, and the literature of the Bible, and reside in North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Germany.
Critique: A seminal collection of impressively informative and exceptionally well presented scholarship by a roster of experts, "Write That They May Read: Studies in Literacy and Textualization in the Ancient Near East and in the Hebrew Scriptures: Essays in Honour of Professor Alan R. Millard" is an extraordinary and valued contribution to Christian Bible History & Culture, Old Testament Bible Study, and Ancient Civilizations studies. While especially and unreservedly recommended for church, seminary, community, and college/university library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, clergy, seminarians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Write That They May Read: Studies in Literacy and Textualization in the Ancient Near East and in the Hebrew Scriptures: Essays in Honour of Professor Alan R. Millard" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: The editors include: Daniel I. Block (Gunther H. Knoedler Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Wheaton College); David C. Deuel (Academic Dean Emeritus, The Master's Academy International); C. John Collins (Professor of Old Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary); and Paul J. N. Lawrence (a translation consultant for SIL International).
Rhythms for Life
Alastair Sterne
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830831975, $16.00, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Rhythms-Life-Spiritual-Practices-Made/dp/0830831975
Synopsis: For Christians, spiritual transformation is not a one-size-fits-all journey. Each of us has a particular identity, gifts, values, roles, and purpose. Thus we each need distinct spiritual rhythms that are designed to help us live out that vocation and calling.
"Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Made You to Be" is a practical book in which Alastair Sterne shows how we can craft a life of more intentionality, becoming Christlike in ways that fit who we are. First we discover who God made us to be, in all our distinctiveness. Then we enter into spiritual practices that flow out of that particular sense of identity, with fourfold rhythms that point us upward to God, inward to self, withward in community, and outward in mission.
Our vocation is our identity uniquely lived out before God, bringing our being and doing together. You can live a life that is more aligned with who you are meant to be. Discover spiritual rhythms that move at the pace of grace, and align you with your unique identity and calling in Christ.
Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Made You to Be" is very highly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community. It should be noted that "Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Made You to Be" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Alastair Sterne is the founding and lead pastor of St. Peter's Fireside in Vancouver and serves as canon of church planting for the Anglican Network in Canada. He is a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary and is currently working on a doctorate in intercultural studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. He also serves on the board of Always Forward, the church planting initiative of the Anglican Church in North America.
Sex and the Spiritual Life
Patricia Cooney Hathaway, editor
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.avemariapress.com
9781594719912, $18.95, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Spiritual-Life-Reclaiming-Integrity/dp/1594719918
Synopsis: Are sexuality and spirituality opposed to each other? To anyone who has struggled to align their sexual desires with the call to be holy these might seem in opposition, but they don't have to be.
"Sex and the Spiritual Life: Reclaiming Integrity, Wholeness, and Intimacy" by Patricia Hathaway will help you understand that you can experience fulfillment through sexual integrity -- a way of life that affirms the presence of God and the sacred in our sexual feelings and expressions. "Sex and the Spiritual Life" is comprised of a selection of Catholic men and women (married, clergy, religious, and single) whose personal stories will inspire and equip you to reclaim the joy and wholeness of sexual integrity.
Addressing sexuality across a wide range of vocations, challenges, and experiences, each of the contributors to "Sex and the Spiritual Life" reflects upon living out the Church's teachings about human sexuality with integrity as a means to achieving spiritual maturity. All those who want to experience the benefits of sexual integrity will be inspired by their witness, and benefit from their practical advice.
Under the deftly editorship of Patricia Hathaway, the contributors to "Sex and the Spiritual Life" include Patricia Cooney Hathaway; Timothy P. O'Malley; Deacon James Keating; Susan Muto; Eve Tushnet; Fr. John Riccardo; and Sr. Sarah Fairbanks, O.P.; as well as clinical specialists in addictions and marriage and family life.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Sex and the Spiritual Life: Reclaiming Integrity, Wholeness, and Intimacy" is extraordinary and highly recommended reading for all members of the Roman Catholic community. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of clergy, seminary students, and non-specialist general readers that "Sex and the Spiritual Life" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Patricia Cooney Hathaway is a professor of spirituality and systematic theology and the chairperson of the licentiate in sacred theology degree committee at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, where she has worked since 1987. She is the author of the award-winning book Weaving Faith and Experience. She also serves as the associate editor of Human Development Magazine.
Survive the Day
Ben Young
David C. Cook
c/o Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80918
https://davidccook.org
9780781414647, $22.99, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Survive-Day-Thriving-Midst-Storms/dp/0781414644
Synopsis: For the past three decades, pastor Ben Young has worked with families and individuals struggling to cope with the harsh realities of major life crisis. He also knows personally what it's like to endure an ongoing storm. Through his own trials, he has learned not only to survive each dark day, but to live every day in ways that make a person stronger, wiser, and more at peace.
Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "Survive the Day: Thriving in the Midst of Life's Storms" will be particularly appreciated by those members of the Christian community that are having to deal with the stresses, pressures, and problems during these period of pandemic, economic collapse, social justice reform efforts, political polarization, environmental catastrophes, and so much more. While especially and unreservedly recommended for church, community, and college/university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Survive the Day: Thriving in the Midst of LIfe's Storms" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Ben Young is a writer and pastor at Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. He is also an adjunct professor at Houston Theological Seminary and the author of several books, including Room for Doubt, Devotions for Dating Couples, and Why Mike's Not a Christian.
The Non-Prophet's Guide to Spiritual Warfare
Todd Hampson
Harvest House Publishers
PO Box 41210, Eugene, OR 97404-0322
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
9780736977951, $17.99, PB, 223pp
https://www.amazon.com/Non-Prophets-GuideTM-Spiritual-Warfare/dp/0736977953
Synopsis: Even as a Christian, it can be difficult to discern the facts about the supernatural nature of good and evil. How much has pop culture influenced our ideas about angels and demons? Why do we as Christians face spiritual warfare when the Holy Spirit dwells within us? What limits exist on Satan's powers?
In "The Non-Prophet's Guide to Spiritual Warfare", author, illustrator, and Christian, Todd Hampson gets to the heart of common questions about spiritual battles, angels, demons, the nature of evil, and more. With Todd's signature combination of light-hearted illustrations and thoughtful applications of Scripture, this guide is both easy to understand and deeply informative.
"The Non-Prophet's Guide to Spiritual Warfare" will show the reader how to: Discern between cultural myths and biblical facts about the supernatural; Recognize the real threats you face while remaining grounded in God's truth; Understand why being ready to stand against demonic influence is more important now than ever before.
Regardless of their denomination affiliations, "The Non-Prophet's Guide to Spiritual Warfare" will give Christians the resources needed to champion spiritual battles, while inspiring them to dive deeper into God's Word to equip themselves with truth.
Critique: Laced with humor and offering impressive insights, "The Non-Prophet's Guide to Spiritual Warfare" is as entertaining as it is inspiring. While especially and unreservedly recommended for church, seminary, community, and college/university library Christian Angelology & Demonology, Christian Prophecies, and Christian Apologetics collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Non-Prophet's Guide to Spiritual Warfare" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Todd Hampson is a speaker, illustrator, animation producer, and the author/illustrator of The Non-Prophet's Guide" book series. His award-winning animation company, Timbuktoons, has produced content for many well-known ministry organizations.
Manhood is a Mindset
J. Colin Trisler
Resource Publications
c/o Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401-2960
http://wipfandstock.com
9781725262270, $38.00, HC, 196pp
https://www.amazon.com/Manhood-Mindset-J-Colin-Trisler/dp/1725262274
Synopsis: A boy doesn't become a man by accident. The truth is, it takes a special kind of father (or father-figure) to teach his son the practical wisdom he needs to build the mindset of a real man.
In "Manhood Is A Mindset: Fatherly Instruction from the Wisest Man Who Ever Lived", pastor and father J. Colin Trisler points his son to the example of Solomon, and instructs him in the fatherly wisdom Solomon taught his son in Proverbs 1-9. "Manhood Is A Mindset" is a text-driven exposition that follows Solomon's lead and reads as a personalized discourse--as a series of letters from a father to his son.
Trisler wrote these letters to instruct his son in the wisdom he needs to grow into a man who is prepared to go out into the real world and earn a good life for himself. He has now published these letters to support all those other fathers who are working just as hard to mold their inexperienced boys into strong and capable men who are prepared to meet their responsibilities to God, their families, their neighbors, and themselves.
Critique: An invaluable and welcome addition to parenting books from a Christian and Biblical perspective, "Manhood Is A Mindset: Fatherly Instruction from the Wisest Man Who Ever Lived" is impressively informative, inspiring, and ideal, recommended reading for all men seeking to raise a child in today's traumatically troubled times. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Manhood Is A Mindset" is also readily available in a paperback edition (digital book format (9781725262263, $23.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Critique: J. Colin Trisler has more than ten years of ministerial experience as a lead pastor and youth pastor. He holds an MDiv with a concentration in Christian ethics from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, an MMC from Louisiana State University, and a BA in English from Louisiana Tech University.
How to Read Theology for All Its Worth
Karin Spiecker Stetina
Zondervan Academic
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
www.zondervan.com
9780310093824, $16.99, PB, 224p
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Theology-All-Worth/dp/0310093821
Synopsis: Too many Christians avoid reading theology for fear they won't understand it or out of a misconception that it's only meant for the academic elite. Similarly, students in introductory theology classes can feel overwhelmed by the concepts and terminology they encounter. Yet theology can be read with enjoyment and discernment.
In "How to Read Theology for All Its Worth: A Guide for Students", Karin Stetina (Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at Biola University) introduces students of all ages to the basic skills of intelligent reading, applied especially to theological works. Anyone who'd like to read theology well, whether a formal student or interested layperson, will benefit from the simple steps Stetina outlines.
Those steps include: Identifying genre; Becoming acquainted with the author and the context out of which he or she wrote; Determining a thesis and main arguments.
"How to Read Theology for All Its Worth" will equip readers not only to understand theology but also to insightfully engage theologians ideas. With the basic tools in hand, everyone can read with confidence and enjoy "conversations" with theological works.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "How to Read Theology for All Its Worth: A Guide for Students" is a unique, informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking DIY study guide that is unreservedly recommended for all members of the Christian community. It should be noted for students, academia, clergy, seminarians, and non-specialist general readers that "How to Read Theology for All Its Worth: A Guide for Students" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, 9.99).
Into His Presence
Napoleon Burt
Christian Faith Publishing
9781645159711, $22.95, PB, 374pp
https://www.amazon.com/Into-His-Presence-Encountering-Patriarchs/dp/164515971X
Synopsis: For all dedicated Christians, the God of the Bible is not a concept to be studied but a divine person each of us can and should encounter personally. "Into His Presence: Encountering the God of the Patriarchs" by Napoleon Burt uses historically documented experiences of a number of important people with God over thousands of years as the lens through which to help you understand the character of God as a person. In this study the God of the Bible is seen as a divine person encountered by the men and women of the Bible. The approach to the study of the Bible here presented will completely change how we read the Bible and how we will perceive the divine author of the Bible.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, impressively informed and informative, thoughtful and thought provoking, inspired and inspiring biblically based study of the Judeo-Christian deity, "Into His Presence: Encountering the God of the Patriarchs" is especially and unreservedly recommended and instructive reading for all members of the Christian community -- regardless of denominational affiliations. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Into His Presence 1: Encountering the God of the Patriarchs" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
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