The Spiritual Dimension of Childhood (Jessica Kingsley, London 2008; 160pp; £16.99; ISBN 978 1 84310 602 9), by Kate Adams, Brendan Hyde, and Richard Woolley, argues that “spirituality is an innate and natural predisposition of humankind. All people are spiritual - and children are of course no exception” (p.144). This is more a book for educators than for Christian leaders.
The Church at the Centre of the City (Epworth, Peterborough 2008; 240pp; £19.99; ISBN 978 0 7162 0639 2), edited by Paul Ballard, contains sixteen essays on the city centre and the challenges facing city centre churches. Probably the most stimulating essay for me was by Geoff Cornell on ‘Spirituality for the City Centre’. A book to borrow rather than to buy.
The Kings and Their Gods: The Pathology of Power (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 2008; 212pp; £10.99; ISBN 978 0 8028 6043 9. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Daniel Berrigan, American poet and activist, is an unusual and thought-provoking ‘commentary’ on 1 and 2 Kings: “Open the Bible, then. Let the believing community see there the worst. More, see the worst presented as noble, virtuous, raised aloft in honor. And let conclusions be drawn - based on a later tradition, nobler icons, the prophets, Christ on the cross”.
Calvinism and Communion in Victorian England: Studies in 19th Century Strict-Communion Baptist Ecclesiology (Particular Baptist Press, Springfield, Missouri 2008; 646pp; £31 hardback; ISBN 1 888514 29 9), by retired Baptist minister Geoffrey Breed, will probably be of little interest to most readers of Ministry Today, although it will be a helpful reference work for future church historians. It tells the story of the move away from closed communion to open communion. It also contains a good deal of previously unpublished material relating to 19th century Baptist church practices.
First published in 1989, The Pastor as theologian: The formation of today’s ministry in the light of contemporary human sciences (New Library of Pastoral Care, SPCK, London 2008; 178pp; £12.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06037 5), by Wes Carr, has been completely re-written, with much of the material being re-ordered. The author seeks to integrate theology with the insights of the behavioural sciences in particular. Very much a textbook for the student, I doubt whether it has much to offer to readers of Ministry Today.
Tim Chester, a church leader and church planter in Sheffield, is becoming a prolific author. This year IVP have published two very different books by him: The Busy Christian’s Guide to Busyness (Nottingham, 2008; 179pp; £8.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 302 5); and You Can Change: God’s transforming power for our sinful behaviour and negative emotions (Nottingham, 2008; 204pp; £7.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 303 2). The books are different, not just in content, but especially in style. The former is a lively stimulating read, apparently designed for commuters in mind, whereas the latter lacks the lightness in touch and has more the feel of a ‘manual’. The former is full of sermon ideas, whereas the latter appears mundane. Why such a difference, I wonder?
First published in 1997, The Cambridge Companion to the Bible (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2nd edition 2008; 724pp; £22.99; ISBN 978 0 521 69140 6), edited by Bruce Chilton, now includes a host of new photographs as well as nine new maps. Divided into three main sections, it looks at ‘The World of the Hebrew Bible’; ‘Jewish Responses to Greek and Roman Cultures 322 BCE to 200 CE’; and ‘The Formation of Christian Communities’. Along with critical discussion of the Scriptures, space is given to the findings of archaeology as well as to material from secondary literature. More for the serious student rather than the average lay person, this will prove to be an excellent reference tool.
First published in hardback, and now available as a CD Rom, Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV - Years A, B,C (Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville 2007; £56.16. ISBN 978 0 664 23193 4. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Walter Brueggemann, Charles B Cousar, Beverly Roberts Gaventa, J Clinton McCann and James D Newsome, is a great sermon resource for preachers. Each of the four lectionary texts is treated - the Old Testament, Psalm, Gospel and Epistle - for each Sunday and the important festival days. Along with interpretation of the texts, there are also suggestions concerning the implications of the texts for today.
The Study of Evangelism: Exploring a Missional Practice of the Church (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2008; 488pp; £19.99; ISBN 978 0 8028 0391 7. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), edited by Paul W Chilcote and Laceye C Warner, offers thirty key essays on evangelism written over the years by scholars and church leaders such as William J Abraham, David J Bosch, Orlando Costas, Lesslie Newbigin, and John Stott. It will make a good student textbook.
First published in 1995, All Will Be Well (Ave Maria Press, Indiana 2008; 109pp; £5.99; ISBN 978 1 59471 151 0), edited by Richard Chilson, consists of a month of daily readings taken from the writings of Julian of Norwich. A helpful devotional resource.
From Midterms to Ministry: Practical Theologians on Pastoral Beginnings (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2008; 348pp; £13.99; ISBN 978 0 8028 4002 8. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), edited by Allan Hugh Cole, consists of 24 essays in which ministers, scholars and theological educations reflect on the transition from being to ‘seminarian’ to becoming a minister. An ideal gift for a newly ordained friend.
‘The Responsibility of the Church For Society’ And Other Essays by H Richard Niebuhr (Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville 2008; 155pp; £13.99; ISBN 978 0 664 23048 7. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), edited by Kristine A Culp with an Introduction, enables a fresh generation to enjoy some of the writings of the American theological ethicist, Richard Niebuhr (1894-1962).
The Joy of Ministry (Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville 2008; 136pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 0 664 23109 5. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Thomas W Currie, an American professor of theology, is an interesting theological guide to Christian joy, but the specific references to Christian ministry come strangely from an author who has left pastoral ministry for academia!
Holiness and Ministry: a Biblical Theology of Ordination (Oxford University Press, Oxford 2008; 158pp; £34.99 hardback; ISBN 978 0 19 536733 1), by Thomas Dozeman, Professor of Hebrew Bible at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, seeks to fashion a biblical theology of ordination that will be able to serve as a springboard for ecumenical dialogue among different traditions. My difficulty is that Dozeman takes the Mosaic office as prophetic teacher and priestly mediator as the basis for such a theology. However, the author fails to make the case that Moses is the role model for the New Testament understanding of leadership within the church.
Reading The Old Testament: An Inductive IntroductionPeabody, Massachusetts 2008; 367pp; £16.99 hardback; ISBN 978 1 56563 953 9. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Michael Dick, Professor of Biblical Studies at Siena College, is an academic textbook, which, presupposing no particular knowledge about the Bible on the part of the reader, sets out to engage the reader with the Bible. The book includes a CD featuring an interactive PDF study guide containing questions and other class assignments. (Hendrickson,
After McDonaldization: Mission, Ministry and Christian Discipleship in an Age of Uncertainty (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2008; 166pp; ISBN 978 0 232 52654 7), by John Drane, described as “a spiritual consultant to both traditional and emerging churches in the UK and internationally, and a professor of practical theology at Fuller Seminary, California”, is something of a curate’s egg. Recognising that “to continue as we are may be comfortable, but could also be institutionally suicidal”, Drane set out to “think outside the box of what we now know, and to imagine what the Christian future might look and feel like”. I’m not convinced that Drane comes up with the right solutions. Having said that, he has all sorts of challenging things to say. For example, when writing of mission, he rightly notes that “if the Gospel really is as important as we say, and if God is truly at work”, then we need to think on the grand scale. In his section on ministry, he draws attention to the many ministers who “are hanging on by their fingertips, aware of the need for change, yet desperately hoping they themselves reach retirement age, and after that it will be someone else’s problem”. He quotes a survey of church leavers who said that “the problem was not the seating, or the music, or the sermons, or the liturgy, but with the acrimonious way in which church people related to one another”. He writes perceptively that “in our enthusiasm for trying to make the Gospel relevant to a changing culture, we have overlooked the fact that our calling is not to be relevant, but to be incarnational.... Many churches (especially, though not exclusively, at the evangelical end of the spectrum) offer a diet that is spiritually damaging, serving up religious junk food that leaves people bloated and self-satisfied, but still under-nourished in such a way that they never do find the angel trapped within, and have no opportunity to grow as fully integrated persons and disciples”. On reflection, Drane’s major contribution is his high-lighting of the problems. The book left me wanting to debate further with Drane. Perhaps that is a mark of a good book!
In Church Is a Team Sport: a championship strategy for doing ministry together (Baker Books, Grand Rapids, Michigan 2008; 249pp; £8.99; ISBN 978 0 80107162 1), Jim Putnam, Senior Pastor of Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, Idaho, one of the fastest growing churches in America, writes about how to coach believers so that they become a team of Christians and leaders. This is a book about transforming believers into disciples and is worth reading for that reason. The only snag is that few of us have the advantage that the author had of starting a church from scratch.
I’m the leader of a church with three generations largely missing. Somewhere along the line, children who grew up in the church just stopped coming. I wish I could go back in time and give all the parents whose children no longer come to church a copy of Helping Our Children Grow in Faith (Baker Books, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008; 156pp; £7.99; ISBN 978 0 8010 6829 4) by Robert J Keeley. This is a useful guide to doing what the title tells us. Useful to give to parents of toddlers.
Vince Antonucci is an American Christian with a Jewish mother and a professional gambler for a father. Needless to say, his discovery of Christian faith was - well, let’s say it was unusual. Perhaps as a result of that unusual start, he’s a brilliant storyteller, weaving his own journey of faith with those of others to inspire his readers to discover an “authentic spiritual passion”. If you want to laugh on your spiritual journey as much as Jesus did, get your own copy of I Became A Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-shirt (Baker Books, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008; 206pp; £6.99; ISBN 978 0 8010 6818 8). It’s a brilliant read, with a powerful message. Ideal for giving to unchurched seekers.
From Stone to Living Word (Brazos Press, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008; 222pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 1 58743 190 6), by Debbie Blue, founding pastor of House of Mercy, Minnesota, is a superb read. Her writing style is a delight, mixing current stories and experiences with retelling of Bible stories, and in so doing, she makes us question so much that we take for granted. This is the sort of book I would take on retreat or read as part of a Lenten study.
Entirely different in almost every way is The Missional Church in Context: Helping Congregations Develop Contextual Ministry (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids/Cambridge, 2007; 243pp; £10.99; ISBN 978 0 8028 4567 2), edited by Craig Van Gelder, professor of congregational mission at Luther Seminary, St Paul, Minnesota. This book arose from the first Missional Church Consultation (the USUK) in 2005 and is a serious and scholarly attempt to answer the question posed originally by Lesslie Newbigin: “What would be involved in a missionary encounter between the gospel and ... modern Western culture?”. For those who need to approach these issues from a scholarly perspective, there is some excellent material here. For a minister working at the coal face of local ministry, I doubt whether this book would tell them anything they don’t already know. version of the Gospel and our Culture movement in the
Dr John Preston is the Church of England’s National Stewardship Officer. His daily work is about encouraging and developing Christian giving. But he has a much bigger vision than that. In The Money Revolution: Applying Christian Principles to Handling Your Money (Authentic Media, London 2007; 64pp; £1.00-£3.00 (depending on size of order); ISBN 978 1 85078 754 9), John has done a valuable service to the whole Christian community by helping us to see that Christian stewardship is as much about how we deal with the money we don’t give to the church as it does with our Christian giving. It’s an excellent little survey of the theology and principles, full of biblical examples, practical common-sense and applications. There are huge discounts available for bulk orders, so why not buy one for everyone in your church? To the best of my knowledge, there is nothing better currently available.
The Iona Community has a knack of producing highly creative, provocative and unusual resources for worship. Bare Feet and Buttercups - Resources for Ordinary Time (Trinity Sunday to the Feast of the Transfiguration) (Wild Goose Publications, Glasgow, 2008; 270pp; £14.99; ISBN 978 1 905010 50 9), edited by Ruth Burgess, is no exception. It consists of page after page of poetry, liturgy, prose, stories, reflections and meditations for the summer season. Not much of this excellent material would fit naturally into a formal service, but for a more meditative and reflective act of worship, or for a small group meeting, this is a superb resource.
And similarly with We Walk His Way (Wild Goose Publications, Glasgow, 2008; 142pp; £10.99; ISBN 978 1 905010 55 4), which has an accompanying CD available at £12.99. This is the third such collection of short, simple songs for worship (the others are Come, All You People and There Is One Among Us) and comes with the usual uncompromising advice from John Bell about how to get people to sing, leave the guitar in its case and just enjoy! Anyone who has experienced an Iona Community ‘Big Sing’ at Greenbelt will want to buy and use this resource.
In The Peacemaker (Student Edition): Handling Conflict without Fighting Back or Running Away (Baker Books, Grand Rapids, 2008; 175pp; £7.99; ISBN 978 0 8010 4535 6), Ken Sande of Peacemaker Ministries and his co-writer Kevin Johnson offer a ‘how-to’ manual for young people faced with bullying, awkward parents, difficult peers or nasty teachers. I liked the idea of a spectrum of behaviours which can be peace-breaking, peace-making or peace-faking (how many churches, I wonder, are damaged by the latter?), but readers will have to do a lot of translating from an American context to a UK for this book to be of real value.
When Skeptics Ask: A Handbook on Christian Evidences (Baker, Grand Rapids 2008; 348pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 0 8010 7164 5) by Norman L Geisler and Ronald M Brooks, is a reprint, apparently unchanged, of the book of the same title published in 1990. A useful reference book (especially at the low price), but now rather dated in its approach to apologetics.
By one of the same authors is The Big Book of Bible Difficulties (Baker, Grand Rapids 1992; this edition 2008; 615pp; £14.99; ISBN 978 0 8010 7158 4), by Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe. Again it’s a paperback re-issue of an earlier volume. Unfortunately it falsely claims on the cover blurb to be “a comprehensive volume” offering “clear and concise answers to every major Bible difficulty. I’m afraid it’s really only a book full of questions to which the authors could find answers, for it contains no reference to the difficulty presented by John 7.38, where Jesus quotes something from “Scripture” which is not to be found anywhere in the Old Testament. Ah well, perhaps that’ll be in the next edition.Recruiting Volunteers (Abingdon Press, Nashville 2007; 64pp; £4.99; ISBN 978 0 6874 6641 2. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Methodist Dan Entwistle, is based on the conviction that what is called for are “people who are invited into ministry, connected to a significant role, equipped for service, and sustained in their efforts”
Nick Fawcett, a Baptist minister, has proved over the years to be a gifted wordsmith. In 2000 Prayers for Public Worship (Kevin Mayhew, Stowmarket 2008; £39.99; ISBN 978 1 84867 021 1), he has gathered together prayers from his previous books and has arranged them thematically for the key seasons of the church year and all the areas of Christian discipleship. A useful resource.
From Members to Disciples: Leadership Lessons from the Book of Acts (Abingdon, Nashville 2007; 100pp; £7.99; ISBN 978 0 687 46730 3. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Michael Foss, an American Lutheran pastor, is a somewhat subjective guide to the Book of Acts. The underlying argument is that, in the past, membership carried with it both an expectation of privilege as well as responsibility. Today, however, the element of responsibility has gone: hence the need for membership to be defined in terms of discipleship.
The Gospel of Matthew (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2007; 1233pp; $60; ISBN 978 0 8028 2501 8. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by R T France, now Honorary Research Fellowship in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies in Bangor, is a magnificent contribution to the New International Commentary on the New Testament. Scholarly, and yet pastoral, this is a great commentary from which every minister and preacher would benefit.
The Christian Handbook of Abuse, Addiction and Difficult Behaviour (Kevin Mayhew, Stowmarket 2008; £29.99; ISBN 978 1 84867 033 4), edited by Brendan Geary and Jocelyn Bryan, is divided into two parts. The larger first section has articles on such matters as child sexual abuse, alcohol addiction, gambling addiction, sexual addiction, dealing with difficult people, adult bullying and violence in the workplace. The second section looks at ‘caring for yourself’; ‘practical theology’; and contains some concluding reflections. Well written and easy to read, ministers will find this a helpful pastoral resource.
Reading Paul (British edition, Paternoster, Milton Keynes 2008; 196pp; £8.99; ISBN 978 1 84227 603 7), by Michael J Gorman, a professor at St Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, is a great introduction to Paul for lay readers. Each of the thirteen chapters is followed by questions for reflection and discussion.
The Emergence of Evangelicalism: Exploring Historical Continuities (Apollos, Nottingham 2008; 432pp; £19.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 254 7), edited by Michael A G Haykin and Kenneth J Stewart, is a collection of scholarly essays on evangelical origins written in response to David Bebbington’s Evangelicalism in Modern Britain: A History from the 1730s to the 1980s (Unwin Hyman, London 1989), with a response from David Bebbington himself. Of interest to the church historian, this book has very little to say to today’s ministers.
Fanny Cohen Herlem, a child psychiatrist, has written two excellent guides, both published by Jessica Kingsley: Great Answers to Difficult Questions about Adoption: What Children Need to Know (London 2008; 112pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 1 84310 671 5), and Great Answers to Difficult Questions about Divorce: What Children Need To Know (London, 2008; 96pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 1 84310 672 2).
The Eucharist and Ecumenism: Let Us Keep the Feast (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2008; 350pp; £15.99; ISBN 978 0 521 71917 9), by George Hunsinger, Professor of Systematic Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, is an exercise in ecumenical theology. It examines four issues: the real presence, eucharistic sacrifice, eucharist and ministry, and eucharist and social ethics, and seeks to find a way forward for churches standing in the Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed, and Roman Catholic churches. The study alas ignores Baptists and the more independent and/or charismatic churches.
Now in its twentieth anniversary edition, Too Busy Not to Pray: slowing down to be with God (IVP, Nottingham 3rd edition 2008; 206pp; £8.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 303 6), by Bill Hybels, has now established itself as a classic on prayer. This edition contains a new introduction as well as a new chapter on prayer and compassion for the world.
The Rhythm of Discipleship (Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville 2008; 86pp; £8.99; ISBN 978 0 664 50929 6. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Presbyterian minister Luther D Ivory, is written with lay people in mind. He argues that the Christian life cannot be lived apart from community, and that disciples of Jesus must confront the injustices of this world by living ‘a life of engaged piety’.
An Introduction to World Anglicanism (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2008; 276pp; £15.99; ISBN 978 0 521 61866 3), by Bruce Kaye, a former General Secretary of the Anglican Church of Australia, is an authoritative guide to Anglican practices today. Published just a matter of a week or so before Lambeth 2008, it concludes: “In a world that is increasingly divided and fractious, as the intensity of the occupation of the planet increases and we struggle to find a way past the primordial individualism of modernity, the absence of a more manifest Anglican witness to the Christian God would be a sadness hard to bear, and a loss to humanity and to the gospel hard to sustain” (p.259).
The Resurrection Effect: Transforming Christian Life and Thought (Orbis, Maryknoll, New York 2008; 205pp; £16.99; ISBN 978 1 57075 770 9. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Redemptorist theologian Anthony J Kelly, argues that the resurrection of Jesus is the focal event affecting all Christian faith and theology.
All the People in the Bible: An A-Z Guide to the Saints, Scoundrels and Other Characters in Scripture (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2008; 586pp; £14.99; ISBN 978 0 8028 2454 7), by Richard R Losch, a retired Episcopalian rector, is a lively popular work of reference, and as such is to be commended.
I was disappointed with Living with Bereavement (Lion, Oxford 2008; 128pp; £7.99 hardback; ISBN 978 0 7459 5295 6), by Sue Mayfield. True, it is a well-written guide to bereavement, full of helpful quotations, and beautifully illustrated. Yet even though the author speaks of coming from a Christian tradition, she fails to make explicit the difference that the resurrection of Jesus makes to living and to dying for those who believe. The impression is given that she does not want to upset people from other faiths. So, for instance, “Christians, in common with many people of other faiths, believe that there is more to life than what we see”.
Do This in Remembrance of Me: A Ritual Approach to Reformed Eucharistic Theology (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2008; 184pp; £10.99; ISBN 978 0 8028 6244 0. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Martha L Moore-Keish, a teacher in theology at Columbia theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia, began life first as a doctoral dissertation, and examines the Reformed teaching about the Lord’s Supper in the light of the way the Supper is celebrated within the life of local churches in the USA. This is not the easiest of ‘reads’.
A Short World History of Christianity (Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville 2008; 312pp; £16.99; ISBN 978 0 664 22686 2. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Robert Bruce Mullin, a Professor of Modern Anglican Studies, does not exactly inspire when the history of one’s own denomination (Baptist) is dealt with cursorily and even wrongly (e.g. the Baptist World Alliance, not Conference, was founded in 1905). The claim to be a ‘world’ history is too ambitious - the history of the church in Africa is brief beyond acceptability.
But is it real? Answering 10 common objections to the Christian faith (IVP, Nottingham 2008; 136pp; £6.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 301 8), by Amy Orr-Ewing, Director of Programmes for the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, deals with such objections as “Your ‘experience of God’ is delusional, not real”, “Your relationship with God is just a psychological crutch”, and “If God is so loving and relational, why did he go ahead and create when he knew people would end up in hell”. This high readable popular introduction to Christian apologetics is a good book to lend to seekers.
Wesley the Preacher: The Definitive Biography of John Wesley (first published by Lion in 1989) and Newton The Liberator: The Dramatic Story of a Man Gripped by Amazing Grace (first published by Hodder and Stoughton in 1981), by John Pollock, have been brought together by Kingsway under the new title: Christians Classics for a New Generation (Eastbourne 2008; 490pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 1 842913 87 1). Both books are a great read!
The Toxic Congregation: How To Heal The Soul Of Your Church (Abingdon, Nashville 2007; 157pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 0 687 33224 3. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by G Lloyd Rediger, a Presbyterian church consultant, is a popular guide to health for sick churches.
The Eye of the Needle: No Salvation outside the Poor. A Utopian-Prophetic Essay (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2008; 96pp; £9.95; ISBN 978 0 232 52739 1), by Jesuit priest Jon Sobrino, is essentially a protest against the iniquities of global capitalism.
The Day Is Yours. Slow Spirituality In A Fast-Moving WorldIan Stackhouse, former Ministry Today board member and currently the ‘pastoral leader’ of Guildford Baptist Church (‘Millmead’), is a deeply moving protest against the culture of speed both in the culture at large, but in particular in the church. The very titles of each main ‘part’ speak for themselves: (1) ‘This is the day that the Lord has made’; (2) ‘The liturgy of the hours’; and (3) ‘Glimpses of the day’. In this wide-ranging book, Stackhouse challenges many aspects of present ministry. For instance, he argues strongly for ministers to respect the Sabbath - and to make their day off “a day when you do something you really enjoy”. He advocates praying the Psalms on a daily basis - five Psalms a day. Instead of beginning the day by listening to the radio, he suggests that ministers begin the day with God! Yes, this is a truly challenging book - every minister should read it! (Paternoster, Milton Keynes 2008; 158pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 1 84227 600 6), by
The Psalms for Today (Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville 2008; 93pp; £7.99; ISBN 978 0 664 22935 1. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Old Testament teacher Beth LaNeel Tanner of New Brunswick Theological Seminary, consists of an introduction to the Psalms followed by nine studies, with questions for discussion, on selected Psalms. A thoughtful resource for small groups.
Introducing Theological Interpretation of Scripture: Recovering a Christian practice (Apollos, Nottingham 2008; 221pp; £11.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 311 7), by Daniel J Treier, associate professor of theology at Wheaton College, looks at the way in which the hermeneutical movement labelled the ‘theological interpretation of Scripture’ seeks to bridge the gap between biblical studies and theology
IVP are to be congratulated on producing yet another magnificent Bible dictionary at such a reasonable price! Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry and Writings (IVP, Nottingham 2008; 967pp; £32.99 hardback; ISBN 978 1 84474 306 3), edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Ems, lives up to the cover blurb: “A compendium of contemporary biblical scholarship”. Full of good things, this work of reference should be on the shelves of every minister.
Old Testament Theology: a Thematic Approach (Apollos, Nottingham 2008; 384pp; £16.99 hardback; ISBN 978 1 84474 286 8), by Robin Routledge, a Baptist minister who teaches Old Testament at Mattersey Hall, aims to bridge the gap between the academic and popular introductions to Old Testament theology by providing a substantial overview of the chief issues in the main body of the text, with more detailed discussion in the footnotes. This is an admirable textbook for undergraduate students.
New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ (IVP, Nottingham 2008; 990pp; £24.99 hardback; ISBN 978 1 84474 309 4), by Thomas R. Schreiner, professor of New Testament Interpretation at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky, is a tour-de-force. The author states that the first three drafts were written without reference to secondary literature, although the 36 pages of bibliography and the many footnotes later introduced indicate that this work arises from scholarly study. It is divided into four parts: 1) The fulfilment of God’s saving purpose: the already/not yet; 2) The God of the promise: the saving work of the Father, Son and Spirit; 3) Experiencing the promise: believing and obeying; and 4) The people of the promise and the future of the promise. Although primary a thematic theology, the author does recognise the variety of contributions made to the New Testament by its different writers.
Faith as a Way of Life: A Vision for Pastoral Leadership (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2008; 151pp; £8.99; ISBN 978 0 8028 6231 0. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Christian Scharen, a professor of worship at Luther Seminary in St Paul, Minnesota, encourages pastors in their preaching and teaching to link faith with every aspect of their people’s lives, at home, in the work place, in their times of leisure.
Re-Emerging Church: Strategies for reaching a returning generation (Bible Reading Fellowship, Abingdon 2008; 170pp; £7.99; ISBN 978 1 84101 492 0), by Roger Standing, tutor for Mission, Church Planting and Evangelism at Spurgeon’s College, London, is a down-to-earth practical guide to evangelism today. It is designed to be used by small groups.
The Eight Blessings: Rediscovering the Beatitudes (Abingdon, Nashville 2007; 147pp; £6.99; ISBN 978 0 687 64224 3. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Methodist pastor Shane Stanford, is a popular exposition of the beatitudes, which could be used by small group leaders (it includes a ten-page study guide) or alternatively by preachers!
Quiet Spaces: Noon. The Prayer and Spirituality Journal (Bible Reading Fellowship, Oxford 2008; 63pp; annual subscription for three issues £16.95; ISBN 978 1 84101 541 5) continues a series of short reflections by a variety of distinguished authors on the idea of ‘noon’. Previous volumes in this series include Fire, Water, Rock, The City, The Wilderness, The Garden, The Feast, The Journey and Creation and Creativity. A highly readable and stimulating devotional resource.
Two new additions to the IVP series of ‘John Stott Bible Studies’ are Revelation: The Triumph of Christ (IVP, Nottingham 2008; 64pp; £3.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 324 7), and Jesus Christ: Teacher, Servant and Saviour (IVP, Nottingham 2008; 64pp; £3.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 323 0). The former contains 12 studies, and the latter 18. Great study guides for small groups!
First published in 1991, Biblical Interpretation: An Integrated Approach (Hendrickson, Peabody, Massachusetts, 3rd edition 2008; 380pp; £16.88; ISBN 978 1 59856 080 0. Available in the UK from Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Randolph Tate, Professor of Humanities at Evangel University, Springfield, Missouri, is a guide to the wide variety of biblical interpretation. This technical handbook to the discipline of hermeneutics is essentially for the student.
First published in 2002, The Provocative Church (SPCK, London 3rd edition 2008; 192pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06006 1), by Graham Tomlin, Principal of St Paul’s Theological Centre, based at Holy Trinity Brompton in London, comes with a study guide. It is one of the best books on evangelism currently on the market - a book to buy and to lend!
The Art of Helping Others: Being Around, Being There and Being Wise (Jessica Kingsley, London 2008; 175pp; £16.99; ISBN 978 1 84310 638 8), by Heather Smith and Mark Smith, looks at the qualities which need to be developed if we are to help others. Interestingly the authors argue for “a move beyond ways of working currently prized as ‘professional’ to embrace more local and improvisational helping”. The sad fact is that “words like boundary, client, delivery, intervention and outcome replace the discourse of friendship, association, relationship and faith”.
So That All Might Know: Preaching That Engages The Whole Congregation (Abingdon, Nashville 2008; 138pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 0 687 65238 9. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Thomas Troeger and Edward Everding, looks at the way in which people learn and then use those findings to reshape it for use in the pulpit. An unusual approach which does not entirely convince this reviewer.
Our Life Together: A memoir in letters (Darton, Longman and Todd, London 2008; 565pp; £19.95; ISBN 978 0 232 52740 7), by Jean Vanier, contains over four decades of Vanier’s letters to friends and to both L’Arche and Faith and Light communities all over the world. It is a great record of human compassion.
Get a Life: Winning Choices for Working People (IVP, Nottingham 2008; 188pp; £8.99; ISBN 978 1 84474 217 1), by Paul Valler, a former finance and Human Resources Director of Hewlett Packard, looks at the issues of work-life balance. An excellent study book for young singles.
Mass Culture: The interface of Eucharist and mission (Bible Reading Fellowship, Abingdon 2008; 202pp; £7.99; ISBN 978 1 84101 580 4), edited by Pete Ward, with the help of contributors such as Stephen Cottrell, Graham Cray, Jonny Baker and Martyn Lazell, looks at the relationship between communion, mission and contemporary culture. Unfortunately, from the perspective of the ordinary church, the ten essays offer very little of practical relevance. I was, however, struck by the observation of Sam Richards that “The informal ‘breaking of bread’ styles of ‘new’ and house churches may not be enough to enable people to appropriate the meaning of the story. These churches are often excellent in performing the sacrament of baptism is such a way that those present are aware that the experience itself is a landmark in the stories of those being baptised, and also an obedient action that joins their stories to that of Jesus” (p.150). Similarly, Martyn Lazell notes how non-liturgical styles of corporate worship can devalue “the place of communion in our gatherings and services, because of a real or perceived aversion to formality” (p.180). With the increasing disappearance of the ‘words of institution’ and even the ‘prayer of thanksgiving’ in many independent charismatic churches, here is food for thought.
Creating Gardens in the Desert: A journey through chronic illness (Kevin Mayhew, Stowmarket 2008; 114pp: £8.99; ISBN 978 1 84867 028 0) is an unusually good and constructive book on ME. Helen Warwick suffered from ME for seven years and providentially kept a journal chronicling not only her physical journey, but also her learning about how God had been part of that process. The creative exercises at the end of each chapter are relevant and stimulating. This is a book to lend and recommend.
Christianity and Law: An Introduction (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2008; 343pp; £17.99; ISBN 978 0 521 69749 1), edited by John White and Frank S Alexander, both from the Center for the Study of Law and Religion, Emory University, consists of sixteen very diverse essays. The first two look at Law in Judaism and Law in Christianity. Another two essays deal with Western canon law and modern church law. Other essays deal with such matters as contract law, family law and property. Although this is more a collection of essays for lawyers than for pastors, nonetheless I appreciated in particular the essay on ‘Christian love and punishment’.
William Willimon, formerly chaplain at DukeUniversity, and now a Bishop in the AmericanUnitedMethodistChurch, has been named as “one of the twelve most effective preachers in the English-speaking world”. Readers of Ministry Today can test that judgement in part by reading Who Will Be Saved? (Abingdon, Nashville 2008; 155pp; £8.99; ISBN 978 0 687 65119 1), which appears to be a collection of racy sermons on the theme of salvation. Also this year, his earlier book, previously published in 1984 as Preaching and Leading Worship (Westminster, Philadelphia) has been re-published, apparently without any alteration, as A Guide to Preaching and Leading Worship (Abingdon, Nashville 2008; 108pp; £9.99; ISBN 978 0 664 23257 3) - a basic guide for first year seminary students. Both books are available from Alban Books of Edinburgh.
Attentive to God: Thinking Theologically in Ministry (Abingdon, Nashville 2008; 138pp; £8.99; ISBN 978 0 687 65162 7), by Charles M Wood and Ellen Blue, seeks to help young ministers to reflect theologically on their ministry and, in doing so, offers a wide range of case studies.
Ain’t Too Proud To Beg: Living Through the Lord’s Prayer (Eerdmans 2007; 276pp; £8.99; ISBN 978 0 8028 0393 1. Available in the UK through Alban Books of Edinburgh), by Telford Work, an associate professor of theology at Westmont College, California, is a racy yet reflective commentary on the Lord’s Prayer, with all kinds of ideas for preachers.
Recent Grove booklets from Cambridge, all 28pp in length and £2.95 each (unless otherwise indicated), include:
The Bible Through Muslim Eyes and a Christian Response (Biblical 47, 2008; ISBN 978 1 85174 681 1), by Colin Chapman, an excellent study which can be used not only to help Christians understand Muslims, but also to provide a basis for discussion and dialogue between Muslims and Christians.
Establishing a Bereavement Team (Pastoral 113, 2008; ISBN 978 1 85174 682 8), by Helen Thorp, tutor at Cranmer Hall, which gives some very practical suggestions as to how busy ministers can release the gifts of church members to provide effective after-care for the bereaved.
Empowering Young People In Church (Youth 10, 2008; ISBN 978 1 85174 683 5), by Steve Emery-White, a Methodist minister who currently lectures in youth ministry and pastoral theology at Trinity Theological College, Singapore, who argues that young people need to be empowered to be “theologians, interpreters, and liturgists”. However, I confess that none of the many illustrations used really set me on fire!
I experienced the same reaction on reading Tenants in God’s Land: Earth-keeping and people-keeping in the Old Testament (Ethics 148, 2008; ISBN 978 1 85174 676 7), by Iain Provan, Professor of Biblical Studies at Regent College, Vancouver - scholarly, earnest, but frankly irrelevant as far as I was concerned.
Transforming Renewal - A Global Perspective (Renewal 32, 2008; £3.50; ISBN 978 1 85174 686 6), by Don Brewin, gives an overview of renewal in the Anglican Church. For non-Anglicans the most interesting section is where the author raises a number of issues for consideration. For example:
Mapping Common Worship (Worship 195, 2008; ISBN 978 1 85174 684 1), by Phillip Tovey, lives up its sub-title: ‘Mind maps to find your way round all the volumes of Common Worship’.
The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony (Biblical 48, 2008; £3.50; ISBN 978 1 85174 689 7), by Richard Bauckham, is a popular summary of the author’s earlier ‘magnum opus’, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 2006).
Restorative Justice: Reconciliation for a Hurt Generation (Youth 11, 2008; £3.50; ISBN 978 1 85174 691 0), by Fran Wright and Rob Humphreys, shows how restorative justice can be used as “an introduction to the Christian faith, offering real life examples of forgiveness and reconciliation for young people who may find it difficult to engage with these issues from a theological perspective”.
Employed by God? Theological and Practical Implications of the new Church of England Clergy Terms of Service Legislation (Pastoral 114, 2008; £3.50; ISBN 978 1 85174 690 3), by Nigel Rooms and Jane Steen, makes clear that the days of ‘independent professional’ clergy are numbered - from now on clergy will have to give an account of their ministry, with the result that ministry development reviews will become compulsory.
The Four Generations: Finding the Right Model for MissionJohn Finney, is an excellent overview of the variety of ways in which churches can and should engage in mission today, and should be in the hands of every reader of Ministry Today. (Evangelism 82, 2008; £3.50; ISBN 978 1 85174 687 3), by retired Bishop
Vocation: Exploring Call and Identity (Spirituality 105, 2008; £3.50; ISBN 978 1 85174 688 0), by spiritual-director Margaret Magdalen, is a highly stimulating essay, where quotable quotes abound. For example: “We are not often reminded that one of the greatest sins is the unlived life. But how tragic it would be to come to the end of one’s days never having reached one’s potential as the person one was mean to be”.
Hanging on to God: sustaining ministry in the renewal tradition (Renewal 33, 2008; £3.50; ISBN 978 1 85174 693 4), by John Witcombe and John Leach, contains the reflections of how two ministers, who would call themselves ‘charismatics’, responded to and resolved the experience of God ‘not showing up’ at key times in their lives. This extraordinarily honest and moving booklet should be essential reading for every minister with links to charismatic renewal. Alas, far too much charismatic teaching is focussed on success - and success now.
Caring for Creation: Part of our Gospel Calling? (Ethics 149, 2008; £3.50; ISBN 978 1 85174 685 9), by Stella Simiya and Peter Harris, both professional environmentalists, is a thoughtful exposition of why conservation and environmental action should be part of Christian mission.
The Human Genome Project (Ethics 150, 2008; £3.50; ISBN 978 1 85174 692 7), by Mark Bratton, is divided into four sections: The human genome - in the laboratory; in the Bible and theology; in law, ethics and society; in the clinic and in the future. It outlines a Christian understanding of what it is to be human, and from this identifies some clear criteria by which developments in genetic engineering might be evaluated.You are reading Short Notes by Paul Beasley-Murray and Alun Brookfield, part of Issue 44 of Ministry Today, published in September 2008.
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