Book Blurbs (January – April 2019)

[special]Book Blurbs is a segment on the blog where I list books I’m reading along with a brief blurb about each book. The aim is to help you identify new authors and potential books of interests. Maybe I didn’t read every word of every page, but I read enough to mention them. You can find what I read in January – April of 2019 below. You can find all the Book Blurbs posts here. [/special]

1. Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.

This is a book on hamartiology (the study of sin). It’s a really good book. At times it will turn your stomach. But it’s worth reading to give you a better understanding of sin and how it affects our world.

2. The Doctrine of the Christian Life  by John Frame

This is a book on Christian ethics. This is my first John Frame book and won’t be my last. No, I have not read the whole thing, but then again the book is over 1,000 pages. I doubt I’ll read every word but this is a good resource to have on the subject of ethics.

3. Old Testament Ethics for the People of God by Christopher J.H. Wright

Everything Christopher J.H. Wright writes is worth perusing, including this volume.

4. The Westminster Confession of Faith

Love it. Obviously, I don’t agree with everything in it (I’m not sure I know anyone who does), but 95%-ish of this book is gold. The old stuff is (usually) the best stuff. My favorite chapters are the chapters on God’s decree and providence. I don’t have this exact copy, but I couldn’t find the one I own on Amazon. It would be helpful to get one with the larger and shorter catechisms included, along with Scripture proofs.

5. The Wisdom of Proverbs, Job & Ecclesiastes by Derek Kidner

Derek Kidner. That’s a name you want to know when looking for books on the OT. This book goes in depth on parts of the wisdom literature of the Bible and reminds us that our wisdom is finite and we need the wisdom of God.

6. Don’t Just Send a Resume: How to Find the Right Job in a Local Church by Benjamin Vrbicek

If you’re looking for a job — or a “call,” as the spiritual folks like to say — in the local church (or broader areas of Christian ministry), this is the book to check-out.

7. For a Continuing Church: The Roots of the Presbyterian Church in America by Sean Michael Lucas

If you like history and care about the PCA, this book will intrigue you. I like Lucas’ other volume, On Being Presbyterian: Our Beliefs, Practices, And Stories, a little better (and no, I’m not Presbyterian, although I have a deep appreciation for the PCA).

8. On the Incarnation by Athanasius

The sentences are really, really long. But I think that’s just how everyone wrote back then. They say this book is a classic. I say I like it and am grateful to learn how the incarnation affects others doctrines. Stated differently, this is not just a book on the incarnation, but on multiple Christian principles.

9. Why I Am Not an Arminian by Robert A. Peterson and Michael D. Williams

Outstanding. This book is polemical (i.e., shows why the opposing view is wrong) and academic. And yet, it is still accessible. It’s the kind of book you need to read a few times because the content is so meaty. Worth checking out if you’re interested in the Calvinist vs. Arminian debate.

 

10. The Freedom of a Christian by Martin Luther

I like Luther’s thesis statement (at least I think this is what it is), that the Christian is free in the gospel and yet bound to his neighbor. This is not original to Luther, of course, and he makes his argument from Scripture.

You may also like: 

  1. 10 Christians Books to Look Out for in 2019
  2. 7 Best Theology Books for Beginners 

 

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