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Anti-intellectual Evangelicalism
The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark Noll was published in 1995 when I graduated from seminary. Being exhausted from extensive reading, I missed its publication. Over the years, I have had it on my reading list, but it never rose to the top as new books vied for my attention. Recently, I borrowed
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Prophecy
I have read all of the Lost World books by John Walton. Dr. Walton studies the Old Testament and the Ancient Near East culture. His books make serious biblical scholarship accessible. I highly recommend the Lost World books. In The Lost World of the Prophets: Old Testament Prophecy and Apocalyptic Literature in Ancient Context, John
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What is the Gospel?
Courtesy our library’s Hoopla app, I listened to Gospel Allegiance by Matthew W. Bates. The book sheds light on how many Gospel presentations are constructed by extracting verses out of context, resulting in a message that diverges from the clear Gospel presentations made by biblical figures like Peter, Stephen, and Paul. Bates challenges transaction-based Gospel
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Know The Theologians
Christianity has a rich history of theologians who delve deeply into the Bible and tradition, seeking to better understand God and His relationship with creation. Unfortunately, many preachers assume they know enough based on their brief personal study each week, confidently pronouncing truths without wrestling with them. Often, their exposure to theologians is limited to
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The Lord and His Prayer
Yesterday, Kristin met with some friends after our church service. Since we only have one car, I decided to leave it with her and walk home. Our Florida church sanctuary is 5 miles away from our home. During the walk, I listened to The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright, courtesy of our library’s
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Reading Revelation Responsibly
I just finished listening to the book, Reading Revelation Responsibly: Uncivil Worship and Witness: Following the Lamb into the New Creation by Michael J. Gorman. I listened to it on Hoopla from our library. I highly recommend this book for understanding how to read Revelation. It is an overview, not a commentary. It challenges our
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Is the End Near?
(picture was AI generated by Microsoft Co-Pilot) When we observe great signs and wonders from creation and hear rumors of wars, disease and famine, we often think the end is near and that our generation is the last generation before the end. With the war in Gaza and the eclipse in the USA, I heard
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Celtic Christianity Research
I have been researching Celtic and Roman Christianity in Great Britain around the 600s to prepare for a trip later this year. The above books are part of my research material. When Jesus was roaming the shores of Galilee, there may have been discussions about this far off land called Britain or Britannia. In 55
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The Wood Between The Worlds
During Lent, I read The Wood Between the Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross. by Brian Zahn. Brian explores the theological interpretations of what happened on the cross. Last year, during Lent, I read The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ by Fleming Rutledge which also explores the theological interpretations of what happened
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New Testament Translations
Simultaneously, I recently read through these two newer translations of the New Testament. I believe that both were translated well. The styles of translation are starkly different. The New Testament for Everyone, translated by Tom Wright is similar to the NIV in style. The Second Testament: A New Translation, by Scot McKnight is a different