Marc's bookshelf: all en-US Thu, 01 May 2025 11:35:35 -0700 60 Marc's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Religious Freedom: A Conservative Primer]]> 216632419 A conservative perspective on vital questions about religious liberty
Ìę
In this timely book, historian John D. Wilsey addresses urgent questions about religious freedom in America. How have conservatives historically understood the meaning of religious freedom? How do Americans who identify as conservatives think about religious freedom in contemporary times? What are the differences between the historical and contemporary views, and why do those differences matter in the context of how conflicts relating to religious freedom are being handled today?
Ìę
Writing for fellow Americans concerned about threats to religious liberty, Wilsey draws on US history to explain why rather than weaponizing religious freedom in the context of the culture wars, today’s conservatives need to rally around religious freedom in order to increase harmony between the interests of church and state. With wisdom and acuity, Wilsey charts a path forward for thinking about and maintaining a uniquely American the harmony between liberty and religion that each generation has received as an inheritance from the generations preceding theirs.]]> 288 John D. Wilsey 0802881904 Marc 4 4.67 Religious Freedom: A Conservative Primer
author: John D. Wilsey
name: Marc
average rating: 4.67
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/05/01
date added: 2025/05/01
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]]> <![CDATA[The Price of Soul Liberty and Who Paid It]]> 7395869 116 Henry Clay Fish 1579786022 Marc 2 3.67 2008 The Price of Soul Liberty and Who Paid It
author: Henry Clay Fish
name: Marc
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2008
rating: 2
read at: 2025/04/29
date added: 2025/04/29
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]]> <![CDATA[2,000 Years of Christ's Power, Part Two: The Middle Ages]]> 31621770 2,000 Years of Christ's Power, another side of the Middle Ages shines through though: The continual workings of Christ as He built His kingdom through figures such as Thomas a Kempis and John Wycliffe, who lived and struggled during these centuries. This was far from a period of stagnation; rather it was the fire from which the Reformation was kindled.]]> 499 Nick R. Needham 1781917795 Marc 0 currently-reading 4.62 1998 2,000 Years of Christ's Power, Part Two: The Middle Ages
author: Nick R. Needham
name: Marc
average rating: 4.62
book published: 1998
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/15
shelves: currently-reading
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]]> <![CDATA[2,000 Years of Christ's Power, Part One: The Age of the Early Church Fathers]]> 18890588 This book was born out of the author's deep conviction that today's Christians can benefit enormously from learning what God has done in the past. The mighty act of Christ did not come to a halt soon after the events recorded in the book of Acts. In every century since the first, the Almighty has been at work and believers can trace his footsteps by studying the way that Christians of a previous generation faced the challenges that confronted them.


The first in a series of four volumes, which covers the history of the church from the earliest days up till modern times. Pastors and preachers will undoubtedly gain much from this series, and those who already have an interest in church history will find the four books useful additions to their library. Nevertheless, the series is written in a style that will appeal to the non-specialist and any modern Christian will find it challenging and stimulating to be introduced to men and women who loved and served the same Saviour that he loves and serves. This volume deals with the age of the Early Church fathers and includes, together with many more, the stories of martyrs such as Blandina and Polycarp, theologians like Athanasius and Augustine of Hippo, and preachers like John Chrysostom.

]]> 449 Nick R. Needham Marc 5 4.69 1998 2,000 Years of Christ's Power, Part One: The Age of the Early Church Fathers
author: Nick R. Needham
name: Marc
average rating: 4.69
book published: 1998
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/15
date added: 2025/04/15
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]]> <![CDATA[The Case for Christian Nationalism]]> 63044466 Evangelical elites and the progressive media complex want you to think that Christian nationalism is hopelessly racist, bigoted, and an idol for right-wing Christians. Is Christian nationalism the golden calf of the religious right---or is it the only way forward?Few “expertsâ€� answering this question actually know what nationalism is--and even fewer know what could make it Christian. In The Case for Christian Nationalism, Stephen Wolfe offers a tour-de-force argument for the good of Christian nationalism, taken from Scripture and Christian thinkers ancient, medieval, and modern. Christian nationalism is not only the necessary alternative to secularism, it is the form of government we must pursue if we want to love our neighbors and our country.

Wolfe shows that the world’s post-war consensus has successfully routed the United States towards a gynocratic Global American Empire (GAE). Rather than the religious right’s golden calf, Christian nationalism is the idea that people in the same place and culture should live together and seek one another’s good. The grace of the gospel does not eliminate our geography, our people, and our neighbors. Instead, it restores us to pursue local needs and local leadership freely and without apology.

If you want to be able to answer the political debate raging today, you must understand the arguments in The Case for Christian Nationalism.]]> 479 Stephen Wolfe Marc 3
Wolfe relies heavily upon what he calls Reformed tradition, and he also demonstrates a knowledge of America’s religious-historical development. One can hardly fault Wolfe for not knowing more about the theological differences between various traditions that descend from the Reformed tradition, and it’s also unsurprising that Wolfe seems unaware of at least some of the political arguments and developments (especially regarding Congregationalists and Baptists) during America’s founding. While Wolfe is certainly well-read, he lacks a more comprehensive understanding of the ecclesiological (and, therefore, political) differences between Protestants who diverge on the question of baptism.

It seems to me that there is a lot of agreement that can be found between those who disagree with some or all of Wolfe’s conclusions. Many Baptists can still agree with the substance (at least some) of Wolf’s arguments.

I think there is still much good work to be done in this field of Christian nationalism. The question remains “what kind of Christian nationalism?â€� Wolfe has described and argued for one kind, but I am unaware of any comprehensive Baptist case (i.e., comparable to Wolfe’s). I (for one) would like to see it. ]]> 3.53 2022 The Case for Christian Nationalism
author: Stephen Wolfe
name: Marc
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/15
date added: 2025/04/15
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Wolfe deserves much credit for pioneering an argument for Christian nationalism amid our current political and cultural landscape. He has presented his case with rational, historical, and theological arguments (though he denies this third category). It seems to me that any thoughtful engagement with Christian nationalism (for or against) should take Wolfe’s work into consideration.

Wolfe relies heavily upon what he calls Reformed tradition, and he also demonstrates a knowledge of America’s religious-historical development. One can hardly fault Wolfe for not knowing more about the theological differences between various traditions that descend from the Reformed tradition, and it’s also unsurprising that Wolfe seems unaware of at least some of the political arguments and developments (especially regarding Congregationalists and Baptists) during America’s founding. While Wolfe is certainly well-read, he lacks a more comprehensive understanding of the ecclesiological (and, therefore, political) differences between Protestants who diverge on the question of baptism.

It seems to me that there is a lot of agreement that can be found between those who disagree with some or all of Wolfe’s conclusions. Many Baptists can still agree with the substance (at least some) of Wolf’s arguments.

I think there is still much good work to be done in this field of Christian nationalism. The question remains “what kind of Christian nationalism?â€� Wolfe has described and argued for one kind, but I am unaware of any comprehensive Baptist case (i.e., comparable to Wolfe’s). I (for one) would like to see it.
]]> <![CDATA[Leadership and Emotional Sabotage: Resisting the Anxiety That Will Wreck Your Family, Destroy Your Church, and Ruin the World]]> 206471101
For every true act of leadership, there is an equal and monstrous act of sabotage.

Our leaders have been entirely routed by the agitated and the anxious. These emotional tyrannies manifest themselves in local libraries, HR cubicles, elder meetings, and at your Thanksgiving dinners.

In this book Professor Joe Rigney seeks to recover the nerve of old that steadied leaders to make tough calls. The nerve that braces them when sabotage comes--because it will. The nerve that has more fun than its enemies.

Cheer up, there's no way out but through.]]> 120 Joe Rigney 1591280400 Marc 4
For our particular cultural moment, however, the book is worth 5-stars. It contains a bunch of true observations and truisms that most seem to have forgotten or even aim to reject these days. For the sheer joy of reading a refreshing perspective on what makes a good man good (one that was common among many in the past), this book is a must read today. ]]> 4.43 Leadership and Emotional Sabotage: Resisting the Anxiety That Will Wreck Your Family, Destroy Your Church, and Ruin the World
author: Joe Rigney
name: Marc
average rating: 4.43
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/07
date added: 2025/01/07
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I don’t give many books a 5-star rating, and so I have stayed true to form here. This one is good, and as such it deserves a good rating. It’s a contemporary application of proverbial wisdom and principles, though Rigney uses the Apostle Paul as his exemplary model.

For our particular cultural moment, however, the book is worth 5-stars. It contains a bunch of true observations and truisms that most seem to have forgotten or even aim to reject these days. For the sheer joy of reading a refreshing perspective on what makes a good man good (one that was common among many in the past), this book is a must read today.
]]> Every Man's Conscience 216179571 138 Ryan Burton King 1774841495 Marc 3 4.00 Every Man's Conscience
author: Ryan Burton King
name: Marc
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/01
date added: 2024/11/01
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]]> <![CDATA[Mere Christian Hermeneutics: Transfiguring What It Means to Read the Bible Theologically]]> 210137399
In 1952, C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity eloquently defined the essential tenets of the Christian faith. With the rise of fractured individualism that continues to split the church, this approach is more important now than ever before for biblical hermeneutics.

Many Christians wonder how to read the text of Scripture well, rightly, and faithfully. After all, developing a strong theory of interpretation has always been presented by two enormous challenges:

A variety of actual interpretations of the Bible, even within the context of a single community of believers.
The plurality of reading cultures—denominational, disciplinary, historical, and global interpretive communities—each with its own frame of reference.
In response, influential theologian Kevin J. Vanhoozer puts forth a "mere" Christian hermeneutic—essential principles for reading the Bible as Scripture everywhere, at all times, and by all Christians.

To center his thought, Vanhoozer turns to the accounts of Jesus' transfiguration—a key moment in the broader economy of God's revelation—to suggest that spiritual or "figural" interpretation is not a denial or distortion of the literal sense but, rather, its glorification.

Irenic without resorting to bland ecumenical tolerance, Mere Christian Hermeneutics is a powerful and convincing call for both church and academy to develop reading cultures that enable and sustain the kind of unity and diversity that a "mere Christian hermeneutic" should call for and encourage]]> 448 Kevin J. Vanhoozer 0310234387 Marc 3 4.51 Mere Christian Hermeneutics: Transfiguring What It Means to Read the Bible Theologically
author: Kevin J. Vanhoozer
name: Marc
average rating: 4.51
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/23
date added: 2024/10/23
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]]> <![CDATA[Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope]]> 53008508 Growing up in the American South, Esau McCaulley knew firsthand the ongoing struggle between despair and hope that marks the lives of some in the African American context. A key element in the fight for hope, he discovered, has long been the practice of Bible reading and interpretation that comes out of traditional Black churches. This ecclesial tradition is often disregarded or viewed with suspicion by much of the wider church and academy, but it has something vital to say. Reading While Black is a personal and scholarly testament to the power and hope of Black biblical interpretation. At a time in which some within the African American community are questioning the place of the Christian faith in the struggle for justice, New Testament scholar McCaulley argues that reading Scripture from the perspective of Black church tradition is invaluable for connecting with a rich faith history and addressing the urgent issues of our times. He advocates for a model of interpretation that involves an ongoing conversation between the collective Black experience and the Bible, in which the particular questions coming out of Black communities are given pride of place and the Bible is given space to respond by affirming, challenging, and, at times, reshaping Black concerns. McCaulley demonstrates this model with studies on how Scripture speaks to topics often overlooked by white interpreters, such as ethnicity, political protest, policing, and slavery. Ultimately McCaulley calls the church to a dynamic theological engagement with Scripture, in which Christians of diverse backgrounds dialogue with their own social location as well as the cultures of others. Reading While Black moves the conversation forward.]]> 200 Esau McCaulley 083085486X Marc 2 4.42 2020 Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope
author: Esau McCaulley
name: Marc
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2020
rating: 2
read at: 2024/10/10
date added: 2024/10/10
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]]> <![CDATA[Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis]]> 59867323 315 R.B. Jamieson 1540964671 Marc 3 4.63 Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis
author: R.B. Jamieson
name: Marc
average rating: 4.63
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/07
date added: 2024/10/07
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]]> <![CDATA[Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible]]> 36751852 384 John H. Walton 1540960218 Marc 4 4.22 2006 Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible
author: John H. Walton
name: Marc
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/27
date added: 2024/09/27
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]]> <![CDATA[Learn to Read New Testament Greek]]> 22124891 272 David Alan Black 0805463852 Marc 5 4.00 1993 Learn to Read New Testament Greek
author: David Alan Black
name: Marc
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1993
rating: 5
read at: 2020/01/14
date added: 2024/09/23
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]]> <![CDATA[The Hermeneutics of the Biblical Writers: Learning to Interpret Scripture from the Prophets and Apostles]]> 37881619
A method of interpretation--a hermeneutic--is indispensable for understanding Scripture, constructing theology, and living the Christian life, but most contemporary hermeneutical systems fail to acknowledge the principles and practices of the biblical writers themselves.

Christians today cannot employ a truly biblical view of the Bible unless they understand why the prophets and apostles interpreted Scripture the way they did. To this end, Abner Chou proposes a "hermeneutic of obedience," in which believers learn to interpret Scripture the way the biblical authors did―including understanding the New Testament's use of the Old Testament. Chou first unfolds the "prophetic hermeneutic" of the Old Testament authors, and demonstrates the continuity of this approach with the "apostolic hermeneutic" of the New Testament authors.]]> 256 Abner Chou 0825443245 Marc 5 4.26 The Hermeneutics of the Biblical Writers: Learning to Interpret Scripture from the Prophets and Apostles
author: Abner Chou
name: Marc
average rating: 4.26
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rating: 5
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]]> Validity in Interpretation 228282
Mr. Hirsch, associate professor of English at the University of Virginia, is the author of Wordsworth and Schelling and Innocence and Experience: An Introduction to Blake.

“Here is a book that brings logic to the most unruly of disciplines, literary interpretation. Viewing this subject within the tradition of hermeneutics, Mr. Hirsch is able to trace its origins and development with brilliant insight. ÌęThe result is a lucidly systemic and authoritative account of the premises and procedures applicable to the interpretation of a literary text.Ìę Mr. Hirsch has performed a monumental service thereby that of reinstating the credentials of objectivism and defining the limits of the aesthetics of truth. ÌęThis study is a necessary took for anyone who wants to talk sense about literature.”â€�Virginia Quarterly Review

“Professor Hirsch demonstrates convincingly that objectivity is attainable in humane studies, and that it is not identified with the subject but with the evidence. A valid interpretation is not necessarily a correct one, but one which is more probably than any other on the basis of existing evidence.Ìę He makes a subtle and important distinction between a text’s ‘meaningâ€� (which does not change) and its ‘significanceâ€� (which does), and brilliantly relates meaning to understanding (the necessary preliminary to interpretation) and interpretation to explanation
â€� In short, this is a work which future students of literary theory cannot afford to neglect.”â€�Notes and Queries]]> 304 E.D. Hirsch Jr. 0300016921 Marc 1 3.74 1967 Validity in Interpretation
author: E.D. Hirsch Jr.
name: Marc
average rating: 3.74
book published: 1967
rating: 1
read at: 2024/09/15
date added: 2024/09/15
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]]> <![CDATA[Defenders of the West: The Christian Heroes Who Stood Against Islam]]> 59796964
In Defenders of the West , the author of Sword and Scimitar follows up with vivid and dramatic profiles of eight extraordinary warriors—some saints, some sinners—who defended the Christian West against Islamic invasions. Discover the real Count Dracula , Spain's El Cid, England's Richard Lionheart, and many other historical figures, whose true and original claim to fame revolved around their defiant stance against jihadist aggression. With sixteen full color pages of photos and illustrations,Ìę Defenders of the West Ìęis an instructive and inspiring read. WhereasÌę Sword and Scimitar Ìęrevolved around decisive battles, this book revolves around decisiveÌę men.]]> 352 Raymond Ibrahim 1642938203 Marc 4 4.61 2022 Defenders of the West: The Christian Heroes Who Stood Against Islam
author: Raymond Ibrahim
name: Marc
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/12
date added: 2024/09/12
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]]> <![CDATA[The Postilla of Nicholas of Lyra on the Song of Songs (Reformation Texts With Translation (1350-1650). Biblical Studies, v.3) (English, Latin and Latin Edition)]]> 423034 128 Nicholas of Lyra 0874627036 Marc 2 2.86 1998 The Postilla of Nicholas of Lyra on the Song of Songs (Reformation Texts With Translation (1350-1650). Biblical Studies, v.3) (English, Latin and Latin Edition)
author: Nicholas of Lyra
name: Marc
average rating: 2.86
book published: 1998
rating: 2
read at: 2024/08/29
date added: 2024/08/29
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]]> <![CDATA[Medieval Exegesis, Vol. 2: The Four Senses of Scripture (Ressourcement: Retrieval and Renewal in Catholic Thought)]]> 637651 453 Henri de Lubac 0802841465 Marc 1
However, the substance and conclusions of this book ought only be studied in order to know what this bad hermeneutic actually is. There are fatal flaws here, and one ought avoid embracing or employing the four-fold methodology.

See my full review here: ]]> 4.10 2000 Medieval Exegesis, Vol. 2: The Four Senses of Scripture (Ressourcement: Retrieval and Renewal in Catholic Thought)
author: Henri de Lubac
name: Marc
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2000
rating: 1
read at: 2024/08/13
date added: 2024/08/14
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This book is defines, historically exemplifies, and promotes the interpretive methodology known as the four-fold sense or quadriga of Scripture (historical, allegorical, topological, and anagogical). As an academic study of the subject, this book will serve the reader well by providing a quality Roman Catholic perspective of this subject.

However, the substance and conclusions of this book ought only be studied in order to know what this bad hermeneutic actually is. There are fatal flaws here, and one ought avoid embracing or employing the four-fold methodology.

See my full review here:
]]> <![CDATA[The Passionate Preaching of Martyn Lloyd-Jones (A Long Line of Godly Men Profile)]]> 28327782 188 Steven J. Lawson 1567696384 Marc 4 4.22 The Passionate Preaching of Martyn Lloyd-Jones (A Long Line of Godly Men Profile)
author: Steven J. Lawson
name: Marc
average rating: 4.22
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/05/09
date added: 2024/08/07
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]]> <![CDATA[Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus (9Marks: Building Healthy Churches)]]> 12797238 144 Jonathan Leeman 1433532336 Marc 4 4.42 Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus (9Marks: Building Healthy Churches)
author: Jonathan Leeman
name: Marc
average rating: 4.42
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2019/02/26
date added: 2024/08/06
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]]> <![CDATA[Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus (Building Healthy Churches)]]> 12797239 Why should you join a church?

Becoming a member of a church is an important, and often neglected, part of the Christian life. Yet the trend these days is one of shunning the practice of organized religion and showing a distaste or fear of commitment, especially of institutions.

Jonathan Leeman addresses these issues with a straightforward explanation of what church membership is and why it's important. Giving the local church its proper due, Leeman has built a compelling case for committing to the local body.]]> 142 Jonathan Leeman 1433532379 Marc 4 4.27 Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus (Building Healthy Churches)
author: Jonathan Leeman
name: Marc
average rating: 4.27
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2019/02/28
date added: 2024/08/06
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]]> <![CDATA[Behold the Thief with the Eyes of Faith]]> 212059195 "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Lk 23.42�43). This book gathers seventeen late antique and early medieval sermons centered upon the "good thief," who figured prominently in celebrations of Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Pascha. This compendium is a theological and rhetorical treasury, with contributions from early Christianity's most talented preachers in Greek and Latin, including John Chrysostom, Severian of Gabala, Proclus of Constantinople, Maximus of Turin, Fulgentius of Ruspe, Caesarius of Arles, and others. Many of these sermons appear in English for the first time.



Mark G. Bilby (Ph.D., University of Virginia) is an expert on St Dismas, the proverbial "Good Thief." His doctoral dissertation, As the Bandit Will I Confess You (published by Strasbourg/Brepols), and other scholarly works are devoted to this theme, including translations of three medieval stories of St Dismas in each volume of More New Testament Apocrypha (Eerdmans) and a Greek critical edition of a Byzantine apocryphon in Le Museon (Peeters).]]> 200 Mark G. Bilby 0881417246 Marc 3 3.80 Behold the Thief with the Eyes of Faith
author: Mark G. Bilby
name: Marc
average rating: 3.80
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/02
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]]> <![CDATA[Interpreting Scripture with the Great Tradition: Recovering the Genius of Premodern Exegesis]]> 35086548 304 Craig A. Carter 0801098726 Marc 3
However, Carter opens himself up to some worthwhile critiques as well. He argues for a new method of biblical interpretation, which he claims is a better way exemplified by Pre-Modern exegetes. He also claim that there are several meanings to the text of Scripture, which (I think rightly) provokes alarm bells for faithful biblical interpreters.

For my book summary and analysis, click here: ]]> 4.31 Interpreting Scripture with the Great Tradition: Recovering the Genius of Premodern Exegesis
author: Craig A. Carter
name: Marc
average rating: 4.31
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/24
date added: 2024/07/24
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There are many things to like about this book. Carter takes aim at the Enlightenment and its naturalistic view of history, which has affected the discipline of biblical interpretation. His criticisms for the historical-critical approach are valid, and faithful exegetes and expositors will be able to say many “amensâ€� as they read through Carter’s arguments.

However, Carter opens himself up to some worthwhile critiques as well. He argues for a new method of biblical interpretation, which he claims is a better way exemplified by Pre-Modern exegetes. He also claim that there are several meanings to the text of Scripture, which (I think rightly) provokes alarm bells for faithful biblical interpreters.

For my book summary and analysis, click here:
]]> Baptist Political Theology 62612547
Baptist Political Theology , edited by scholars Thomas Kidd, Paul Miller, and Andrew Walker, introduces readers to the full sweep of Baptist engagement with politics. Part 1 reviews the life, writings, and political activity of importantÌęfigures in Baptist history, as well as Baptist involvement in key historical eras and episodes. Part 2 presents a collective effort at applied political theology, with essays relating Baptist principles to a range of contemporary issues. This monumental volume sheds light on the history and contemporary practice of Baptists in the public square, offering context and clarity for Baptist political thought in the years to come.]]> 784 Thomas S. Kidd 1087736137 Marc 3 4.38 Baptist Political Theology
author: Thomas S. Kidd
name: Marc
average rating: 4.38
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rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[Life in the Negative World: Confronting Challenges in an Anti-Christian Culture]]> 123266429 272 Aaron M. Renn 0310155150 Marc 0 currently-reading 4.13 Life in the Negative World: Confronting Challenges in an Anti-Christian Culture
author: Aaron M. Renn
name: Marc
average rating: 4.13
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rating: 0
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date added: 2024/07/02
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]]> <![CDATA[The Founding Fathers and the Debate over Religion in Revolutionary America: A History in Documents]]> 11698901
In their personal beliefs, the Founders ranged from profound skeptics like Thomas Paine to traditional Christians like Patrick Henry. Nevertheless, most of the Founding Fathers rallied around certain crucial religious principles, including the idea that people were "created" equal, the belief that religious freedom required the disestablishment of state-backed denominations, the necessity of virtue in a republic, and the role of Providence in guiding the affairs of nations. Harris and Kidd show that through the struggles of war and the framing of the Constitution, Americans sought to reconcile their dedication to religious vitality with their commitment to religious freedom.]]> 206 Matthew Harris 0195326504 Marc 4
See my full review here: ]]> 4.00 2011 The Founding Fathers and the Debate over Religion in Revolutionary America: A History in Documents
author: Matthew Harris
name: Marc
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/09
date added: 2024/06/22
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This volume is short, only one hundred and eighty-five pages, but it provides incredible primary source documentation on matters of religion at the founding of the American nation. The debate rages on today regarding the appropriateness of referring to America as a “Christian nation,â€� but those who engage in this ongoing conversation would do very well to consult the contents of this book. It is both accessible and scholarly, and the contextual commentary provides helpful historical background that sets primary sources in an understandable format. Matthew Harris and Thomas Kidd have provided readers with a wonderfully curated and thoughtfully arranged set of primary sources so that readers may see for themselves what was the substance and development of religious establishment in America during a time when it was not at all clear which direction the new nation would go.

See my full review here:
]]> Rescuing Ambition 7263838
For some, dreams are numbed. For others, there are no dreams; life just happens. And for those who are dreaming, motives are often confused. One thing is certain: ambition needs help.

Dave Harvey is calling for a rescue. He wants to snatch ambition from the heap of failed motivations and put it to work for the glory of God. To understand our ambition, we must understand that we are on a quest for glory. And where we find glory determines the success of our quest.

Has your God-given ambition been starved and sedated for too long? Are you ambitious? It's time to reach further and dream bigger for the glory of God.]]> 224 Dave Harvey 1433514915 Marc 4 3.94 2010 Rescuing Ambition
author: Dave Harvey
name: Marc
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/19
date added: 2024/06/19
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]]> <![CDATA[A Big Gospel in Small Places: Why Ministry in Forgotten Communities Matters]]> 52430963 WORLD Magazine Book of the Year Short List - Accessible Theology
2019 The Gospel Coalition Book Award - Ministry
2019 Send Institute's Top 10 Church Planting Related Books of 2019
Kevin DeYoung's Top 10 Books of 2019
Jesus loves small, insignificant places. In recent years, Christian ministries have increasingly prioritized urban areas. Big cities and suburbs are considered more strategic, more influential, and more desirable places to live and work. After all, they're the centers for culture, arts, and education. More and more people are leaving small places and moving to big ones. As a ministry strategy, focusing on big places makes sense. But the gospel of Jesus is often unstrategic. In this book, pastor Stephen Witmer lays out an integrated theological vision for small-place ministry. Filled with helpful information about small places and with stories and practical advice from his own ministry, Witmer's book offers a compelling, comprehensive vision for small-place ministry today. Jesus loves small places, and when we care deeply about them and invest in them over time, our ministry becomes a unique picture of the gospel--one that the world badly needs to see.]]> 216 Stephen Witmer 0830841555 Marc 4
It is possible (maybe even probable) that many of the factors in an aspiring pastor’s mind ought to be questioned or even jettisoned. If an immature man places too high a value on convenience or pleasure, then he will certainly need to have such priorities challenged before he enters into ministry. This book will help many pastors shape their perspective and how they might begin to think more realistically and compassionately about ministry in small places. For that reason, I wholeheartedly encourage pastors (young and aspiring pastors, as well as seasoned and experienced ones) to read this book. It will push against many of the assumptions we are prone to embrace without thinking much about them.

Wherever we minister, Witmer does a great job of reminding the reader that our time spent in doing good among both big and small places is worthwhile, and for that I am grateful. However, I am hopeful to discover another resource that will address the hanging questions that this book does not address. Once our emotional aversion to small place ministry is countered by Witmer’s emotional plea to take a second look, we must still evaluate more objective factors that will push us in one direction or another.

See my full review here: ]]> 4.48 A Big Gospel in Small Places: Why Ministry in Forgotten Communities Matters
author: Stephen Witmer
name: Marc
average rating: 4.48
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/19
date added: 2024/06/19
shelves:
review:
Aspiring pastors must take all sorts of factors into consideration when they are deciding what ministry opportunities to pursue and which ones to leave on the table. In fact, most people who enter vocational pastoral ministry do so by way of their own efforts to be recognized and welcomed as a pastor. It is not typically young or inexperienced pastors who are being invited to open pulpits, but those pastors who have already shown themselves to be capable pastors. Therefore, young and aspiring pastors are not usually considering options that are already not the table, they are pursuing what they hope will become options for them after having made a significant effort toward them.

It is possible (maybe even probable) that many of the factors in an aspiring pastor’s mind ought to be questioned or even jettisoned. If an immature man places too high a value on convenience or pleasure, then he will certainly need to have such priorities challenged before he enters into ministry. This book will help many pastors shape their perspective and how they might begin to think more realistically and compassionately about ministry in small places. For that reason, I wholeheartedly encourage pastors (young and aspiring pastors, as well as seasoned and experienced ones) to read this book. It will push against many of the assumptions we are prone to embrace without thinking much about them.

Wherever we minister, Witmer does a great job of reminding the reader that our time spent in doing good among both big and small places is worthwhile, and for that I am grateful. However, I am hopeful to discover another resource that will address the hanging questions that this book does not address. Once our emotional aversion to small place ministry is countered by Witmer’s emotional plea to take a second look, we must still evaluate more objective factors that will push us in one direction or another.

See my full review here:
]]> <![CDATA[Peter Pan: An Audible Original Drama]]> 49104882
The story begins at home in London during The Blitz, and Mary Darling is planning to evacuate her children to the countryside. However, her plans take an unexpected turn when a familiar face from her childhood returns...the one and only Peter Pan, the mysterious boy from Kensington Gardens. Intrigued by their mother’s friend, Wendy, Michael and John seek Peter Pan out, resulting in them being whisked off to Neverland and setting up home with Peter, Tinker Bell and the Lost Boys.

As Peter and his gang come up against the wickedly evil Captain Hook, their friendships and relationships are put to the test - can Wendy be honest with Peter about how she really feels, and will Michael and John return home without their sister?

Rupert Everett (The Happy Prince, My Best Friend’s Wedding) stars as Captain Hook alongside Adeel Akhtar (Four Lions, Killing Eve) as Smee, Gerran Howell (Catch-22, Emerald City) as Peter Pan and Eleanor Worthington Cox (Maleficent, Britannia) as Wendy alongside a full cast.

To mark the launch of this drama, Audible will be donating to Great Ormond Street Hospital, to whom J.M. Barrie unexpectedly and generously gifted his copyright of Peter Pan.

Performed Adeel Akhtar, Mariska Ariya, Catherine Bailey, Rupert Everett, Neil Frost, William Harper, Gerran Howell, Simon Kane, Mack Keith Roach, Rocco Padden, Richard Reed, Maya Shepelev, Louis Suc, Harry Tuffin and Eleanor Worthington-Cox.]]> J.M. Barrie Marc 4 3.69 1911 Peter Pan: An Audible Original Drama
author: J.M. Barrie
name: Marc
average rating: 3.69
book published: 1911
rating: 4
read at: 2020/09/17
date added: 2024/06/10
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[More Than Just a Name: Preserving Our Baptist Identity]]> 2691511 208 Stan Norman 0805420207 Marc 4
Click here for my full review: ]]> 3.50 2001 More Than Just a Name: Preserving Our Baptist Identity
author: Stan Norman
name: Marc
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2001
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/20
date added: 2024/05/20
shelves:
review:
This book is well-written, wonderfully organized, and easy to understand. For those interested in taking a further step toward better understanding distinctive Baptist doctrines and how Baptists have articulated and argued for them, this book will certainly be a helpful resource. It does deal with some theoretical issues, but this is necessary in order to provide the category distinctions and structure that Norman does here. As a summary of Baptist distinctives from the early twentieth century forward, this book is one of a kind (as far as I know).

Click here for my full review:
]]> <![CDATA[Let Men Be Free: Baptist Politics in the Early United States (1776-1835) (Monographs in Baptist History)]]> 68937319 256 Obbie Tyler Todd 1666743763 Marc 5
See my full review here: ]]> 4.75 Let Men Be Free: Baptist Politics in the Early United States (1776-1835) (Monographs in Baptist History)
author: Obbie Tyler Todd
name: Marc
average rating: 4.75
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/05/15
date added: 2024/05/15
shelves:
review:
This book is well-researched, well-written, and much needed in the current American political debate. Baptists are a major segment of the American population, having gained many converts during the nineteenth century and many more in the twentieth. Still today, Baptists are deeply interested in religious liberty and vigorously active in the political arena. Readers of all sorts may find this book a fascinating and informative dive into the historical narrative that has shaped much of what we are experiencing today. Those particularly interested in history, politics, and Baptist political theology should consider it a must-read.

See my full review here:
]]> <![CDATA[First Freedom: The Beginning and End of Religious Liberty]]> 29227943 First Freedom, leading evangelical scholars present the biblical and historical foundations for religious freedom in America, and address pressing topics such as:

* Religious freedom and the exclusivity of the gospel
* The Christian doctrine of religious liberty
* Religious liberty and the public square
* Religious freedom and the sexual revolution
* Baptist contributions to religious freedom, and much more.

The contributors equip churches, pastors, and Christian citizens to uphold this “first freedomâ€� given by God and defended by Christians throughout our nation’s history. Ìę Ìę
]]> 288 Jason G. Duesing 1433644371 Marc 3
Like all books with various contributing authors, some are better contributors than others, and some parts are of greater value than the whole. This short introduction to the topic of religious liberty is also hindered by its cultural and political moment. The challenges to religious liberty (which comprise a good portion of the substance and interaction of this book) are somewhat dated after nearly ten years. In some ways, the challenges articulated have become greater and more clearly defined with time, but the challenges themselves and the proposed strategies to meet them are inevitably limited to the priorities and structures of the moment in which they were written.

No doubt, some of the proposals and truth-claims in this book are timeless, and these shall be applicable to any audience. Because this is true, and because this book does provide some good historical background for the concept of religious liberty among the Baptists, it seems that the reader may benefit from reading it. There are better books and other resources that will give readers a more comprehensive, consistent, and historically conversant exposure to religious liberty, but First Freedom can certainly be a decent introduction. It is easy to read, it has several quality chapters, and it is a hope-filled and thoughtful call for Christians to live today as ambassadors for Christ while King Jesus is still receiving new converts into His kingdom. One day religious liberty will be no more, but until then, let us seek its true end.

See my full review here: ]]> 4.00 First Freedom: The Beginning and End of Religious Liberty
author: Jason G. Duesing
name: Marc
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/05/07
date added: 2024/05/07
shelves:
review:
Jason Duesing, Thomas White, and Malcolm Yarnell III have compiled a series of essays from various contributors that collectively offer the reader an introductory and yet wide-ranging look at the subject of religious liberty. Duesing, White, and Yarnell have done a commendable job, and the result is a helpful introduction (even if disjointed in some places) to the concept of religious liberty from a Baptist perspective.

Like all books with various contributing authors, some are better contributors than others, and some parts are of greater value than the whole. This short introduction to the topic of religious liberty is also hindered by its cultural and political moment. The challenges to religious liberty (which comprise a good portion of the substance and interaction of this book) are somewhat dated after nearly ten years. In some ways, the challenges articulated have become greater and more clearly defined with time, but the challenges themselves and the proposed strategies to meet them are inevitably limited to the priorities and structures of the moment in which they were written.

No doubt, some of the proposals and truth-claims in this book are timeless, and these shall be applicable to any audience. Because this is true, and because this book does provide some good historical background for the concept of religious liberty among the Baptists, it seems that the reader may benefit from reading it. There are better books and other resources that will give readers a more comprehensive, consistent, and historically conversant exposure to religious liberty, but First Freedom can certainly be a decent introduction. It is easy to read, it has several quality chapters, and it is a hope-filled and thoughtful call for Christians to live today as ambassadors for Christ while King Jesus is still receiving new converts into His kingdom. One day religious liberty will be no more, but until then, let us seek its true end.

See my full review here:
]]> <![CDATA[The Baptist Story: From English Sect to Global Movement]]> 23492913
This volume provides more than just the essential events and necessary names to convey the grand history. It also addresses questions that students of Baptist history frequently ask, includes prayers and hymns of those who experienced hope and heartbreak, and directs the reader’s attention to the mission of the church as a whole. Written with an irenic tone and illustrated with photographs in every chapter, The Baptist Story is ideally suited for graduate and undergraduate courses, as well as group study in the local church.]]> 368 Anthony L. Chute 1433673754 Marc 4
See my full review here: ]]> 3.94 2015 The Baptist Story: From English Sect to Global Movement
author: Anthony L. Chute
name: Marc
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/30
date added: 2024/04/30
shelves:
review:
This is an excellent introduction to the fascinating history of Baptists. It is an accessible read for most any level of skill and knowledge. The format and resources found within the book will also be a help for interested readers to explore Baptist history further. Whether you are an experienced student of Baptist history or you are just beginning to learn the basic characters and developments, this book will help you understand how the Baptist story fits together.

See my full review here:
]]> <![CDATA[Separation of Church and State]]> 1566723
Hamburger shows that separation became a constitutional freedom largely through fear and prejudice. Jefferson supported separation out of hostility to the Federalist clergy of New England. Nativist Protestants (ranging from nineteenth-century Know Nothings to twentieth-century members of the K.K.K.) adopted the principle of separation to restrict the role of Catholics in public life. Gradually, these Protestants were joined by theologically liberal, anti-Christian secularists, who hoped that separation would limit Christianity and all other distinct religions. Eventually, a wide range of men and women called for separation. Almost all of these Americans feared ecclesiastical authority, particularly that of the Catholic Church, and, in response to their fears, they increasingly perceived religious liberty to require a separation of church from state. American religious liberty was thus redefined and even transformed. In the process, the First Amendment was often used as an instrument of intolerance and discrimination.]]> 528 Philip Hamburger 0674013743 Marc 4
Here’s my book review: ]]> 3.88 2002 Separation of Church and State
author: Philip Hamburger
name: Marc
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2002
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/18
date added: 2024/04/18
shelves:
review:
This book was accessible in its content, logical and forceful in its argument, and compelling with regard to the evidence provided. I believe Hamburger has successfully demonstrated that the concept of religious liberty deserves more than the misleading, intellectually unfair, and historically inaccurate phrase “separation of church and state.â€� If you are interested in participating in a thoughtful discussion about the American principle of religious liberty, then I highly recommend that you read this book in order to know what that principle actually is and from whence it has come.

Here’s my book review:
]]> <![CDATA[Manhood: The Masculine Virtues America Needs]]> 136270732 Nationally best-selling author (The Tyranny of Big Tech), constitutional lawyer, and U.S. senator for the state of Missouri argues that the character of men and the male virtue that goes along with it is a necessary ingredient to a functioning society and a healthy, free republic.

A free society that despises manhood will not remain free.

The American Founders believed that a republic depends on certain masculine virtues. Senator Josh Hawley thinks they were right. In a bold new book, he calls on American men to stand up and embrace their God-given responsibility as husbands, fathers, and citizens.

No republic has ever survived without men of character to defend what is just and true. Starting with the wisdom of the ancients, from the Greek and Roman philosophers to Jesus of Nazareth, and drawing on the lessons of American history, Hawley identifies the defining strengths of men, including responsibility, bravery, fidelity, and leadership.

As Theodore Roosevelt declared, the “very existence of the state depends on the character of its citizensâ€�. I am for business. But I am for manhood first.â€� Hawley shows why the foolhardy assault on masculinity in education, the media, the workplace, and every level of government is an assault on freedom itself.

Practical, down to earth, and urgent, Manhood: The Masculine Virtues America Needs is required reading for every American patriot.]]> 255 Josh Hawley 1684514304 Marc 3 3.90 Manhood: The Masculine Virtues America Needs
author: Josh Hawley
name: Marc
average rating: 3.90
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/09
date added: 2024/04/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[John Leland: A Jeffersonian Baptist in Early America]]> 58588195
Leland also stood among eighteenth-century Virginia's most powerful anti-slavery advocates, and convinced one wealthy planter to emancipate over 400 of his slaves. Though among the most popular Baptists in America, Leland's fierce individualism and personal eccentricity often placed him at odds with other Baptist leaders. He refused ordination, abstained from the Lord's Supper, and violently opposed the rise of Baptist denominationalism. In the first-ever biography of Leland, Eric C. Smith recounts the story of this pivotal figure from American Religious History, whose long and eventful life provides a unique window into the remarkable transformations that swept American society from 1760 to 1840.]]> 284 Eric C Smith 0197606679 Marc 4
This book was a joy to read. Smith’s introduction was particularly well-written and substantive, and his artistic conclusion revisited and tied together various pieces of the story quite well. Those who enjoy history, especially the religious history of America, will probably find this book among the better-quality biographies on their shelves. It has earned such a status in my own library.

For my full review, go to: ]]> 4.57 John Leland: A Jeffersonian Baptist in Early America
author: Eric C Smith
name: Marc
average rating: 4.57
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/01
date added: 2024/04/02
shelves:
review:
Eric Smith has written a superb biography of John Leland. Leland was a larger-than-life character in both Baptist and American history, and he deserves this sort of historic and biographical treatment. Smith presented Leland in true form, including both his grandeur and his foibles.

This book was a joy to read. Smith’s introduction was particularly well-written and substantive, and his artistic conclusion revisited and tied together various pieces of the story quite well. Those who enjoy history, especially the religious history of America, will probably find this book among the better-quality biographies on their shelves. It has earned such a status in my own library.

For my full review, go to:
]]> The Writings of John Leland 159679957 0 L. F. Greene John Leland Marc 4 4.00 The Writings of John Leland
author: L. F. Greene John Leland
name: Marc
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/02
date added: 2024/04/02
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Demanding Liberty: An Untold Story of American Religious Freedom]]> 36899317 192 Brandon J. O'Brien 0830845283 Marc 2
Indeed, Backus experienced in his own life the movement from Congregationalist to New Light Separatist, and then from Separate to Baptist. During each of these movements, Backus also suffered within his own mind and social engagement the pains of such changes. It is precisely because of Backus’s personal development and how Backus himself engaged with the issues, theology, politics, and institutions of his day that O’Brien endeavors to lead the reader on a guided tour of some of the notable moments of Backus’s life and ministry. As a well-informed guide, O’Brien helps the reader not only to understand what he sees but also to make connections between the past and the present.

The benefit and enjoyment of this book will largely depend upon the reader and what he or she wants from it. If you want a popular-level biography of a major figure in Baptist history, then this book will probably be enjoyable to you. There is no argument sustained throughout the book, and O’Brien hits many of the highlights of Backus’s life, which is fascinating. If you haven’t read or known much about Isaac Backus, and you’d like to have someone tell you why you ought to and where you can find good resources, then you will probably benefit from this book. As I’ve said, it’s a great introduction to Backus’s life, and the resource lists are fantastic.

But if you want a short and accessible book that makes a distinctive contribution to the historical or present discussion on religious liberty, then you may leave this one on the shelf.


You can read my full review here:
]]> 3.79 Demanding Liberty: An Untold Story of American Religious Freedom
author: Brandon J. O'Brien
name: Marc
average rating: 3.79
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2024/03/26
date added: 2024/03/26
shelves:
review:
Brandon O’Brien offers the reader a popular-level summary of the development of religious liberty during the early days of the American experiment through the lens of a man who had a significant role in shaping that development. Isaac Backus was “almost [the] perfect embodiment of the evangelical spirit of his times.â€�

Indeed, Backus experienced in his own life the movement from Congregationalist to New Light Separatist, and then from Separate to Baptist. During each of these movements, Backus also suffered within his own mind and social engagement the pains of such changes. It is precisely because of Backus’s personal development and how Backus himself engaged with the issues, theology, politics, and institutions of his day that O’Brien endeavors to lead the reader on a guided tour of some of the notable moments of Backus’s life and ministry. As a well-informed guide, O’Brien helps the reader not only to understand what he sees but also to make connections between the past and the present.

The benefit and enjoyment of this book will largely depend upon the reader and what he or she wants from it. If you want a popular-level biography of a major figure in Baptist history, then this book will probably be enjoyable to you. There is no argument sustained throughout the book, and O’Brien hits many of the highlights of Backus’s life, which is fascinating. If you haven’t read or known much about Isaac Backus, and you’d like to have someone tell you why you ought to and where you can find good resources, then you will probably benefit from this book. As I’ve said, it’s a great introduction to Backus’s life, and the resource lists are fantastic.

But if you want a short and accessible book that makes a distinctive contribution to the historical or present discussion on religious liberty, then you may leave this one on the shelf.


You can read my full review here:

]]> <![CDATA[New England Dissent, 1630â€�1833: The Baptists and the Separation of Church and State, Volume II (Center for the Study of the History of Liberty in America)]]> 38650386 634 William Gerald McLoughlin 0674368649 Marc 5 5.00 New England Dissent, 1630–1833: The Baptists and the Separation of Church and State, Volume II (Center for the Study of the History of Liberty in America)
author: William Gerald McLoughlin
name: Marc
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/13
date added: 2024/03/14
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[New England Dissent, 1630â€�1833: The Baptists and the Separation of Church and State, Volume I (Center for the Study of the History of Liberty in America)]]> 38650385 This is volume one only. 716 William Gerald McLoughlin 0674368622 Marc 5 5.00 New England Dissent, 1630–1833: The Baptists and the Separation of Church and State, Volume I (Center for the Study of the History of Liberty in America)
author: William Gerald McLoughlin
name: Marc
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/02/14
date added: 2024/03/13
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Isaac Backus on Church, State, and Calvinism]]> 2206603 531 Isaac Backus 0674467507 Marc 4 4.44 1968 Isaac Backus on Church, State, and Calvinism
author: Isaac Backus
name: Marc
average rating: 4.44
book published: 1968
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/23
date added: 2024/01/23
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Diary Of Isaac Backus by Isaac Backus (1979-06-01)]]> 170992177 0 Isaac Backus Marc 4
This book is basically what you might expect of a diary. But for anyone interested in the historical development of early Baptists in America (or American religious history more generally), this book is a wonderful panorama of first-hand knowledge of the facts, characters, and experiences.

If you happen to be a historian and a local church pastor, then you will appreciate this diary all the more. As I read Backus candidly express his pastoral misgivings and longings, as I read about heartbreaking as well as joy-filled episodes in the lives of everyday people, and as I read about the unfolding of providence in the activities of one pastor and one local church (those that rippled far beyond these singular players), I was encouraged and edified concerning my own ministry today.

I highly recommend this book for the reasons stated above, but it is a long and tedious read. If you don't open it with a pretty keen interest in the subject already, and if you don't know how significant Backus and FBC Middleborough was/is, then you can still gain from the book. But you probably won't enjoy it before doing some hard work in reading to understand it.

]]> 4.00 Diary Of Isaac Backus by Isaac Backus (1979-06-01)
author: Isaac Backus
name: Marc
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/22
date added: 2024/01/22
shelves:
review:
I've just finished Volume 1.

This book is basically what you might expect of a diary. But for anyone interested in the historical development of early Baptists in America (or American religious history more generally), this book is a wonderful panorama of first-hand knowledge of the facts, characters, and experiences.

If you happen to be a historian and a local church pastor, then you will appreciate this diary all the more. As I read Backus candidly express his pastoral misgivings and longings, as I read about heartbreaking as well as joy-filled episodes in the lives of everyday people, and as I read about the unfolding of providence in the activities of one pastor and one local church (those that rippled far beyond these singular players), I was encouraged and edified concerning my own ministry today.

I highly recommend this book for the reasons stated above, but it is a long and tedious read. If you don't open it with a pretty keen interest in the subject already, and if you don't know how significant Backus and FBC Middleborough was/is, then you can still gain from the book. But you probably won't enjoy it before doing some hard work in reading to understand it.


]]> <![CDATA[Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America (America: A Cultural History, Vol. I)]]> 32081
From 1629 to 1775, North America was settled by four great waves of English-speaking immigrants. The first was an exodus of Puritans from the east of England to Massachusetts (1629-1640). The second was the movement of a Royalist elite and indentured servants from the south of England to Virginia (ca. 1649-75). The third was the "Friends' migration,"--the Quakers--from the North Midlands and Wales to the Delaware Valley (ca. 1675-1725). The fourth was a great flight from the borderlands of North Britain and northern Ireland to the American backcountry (ca. 1717-75).

These four groups differed in many ways--in religion, rank, generation and place of origin. They brought to America different folkways which became the basis of regional cultures in the United States. They spoke distinctive English dialects and built their houses in diverse ways. They had different ideas of family, marriage and gender; different practices of child-naming and child-raising; different attitudes toward sex, age and death; different rituals of worship and magic; different forms of work and play; different customs of food and dress; different traditions of education and literacy; different modes of settlement and association. They also had profoundly different ideas of comity, order, power and freedom which derived from British folk-traditions. Albion's Seed describes those differences in detail, and discusses the continuing importance of their transference to America.

Today most people in the United States (more than 80 percent) have no British ancestors at all. These many other groups, even while preserving their own ethnic cultures, have also assimilated regional folkways which were transplanted from Britain to America. In that sense, nearly all Americans today are "Albion's Seed," no matter what their ethnic origins may be; but they are so in their different regional ways.

The concluding section of Albion's Seed explores the ways that regional cultures have continued to dominate national politics from 1789 to 1988, and still control attitudes toward education, government, gender, and violence, on which differences between American regions are greater than between European nations.

Albion's Seed also argues that the four British folkways created an expansive cultural pluralism that has proved to the more libertarian than any single culture alone could be. Together they became the determinants of a voluntary society in the United States.]]> 946 David Hackett Fischer 0195069056 Marc 0 currently-reading 4.37 1989 Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America (America: A Cultural History, Vol. I)
author: David Hackett Fischer
name: Marc
average rating: 4.37
book published: 1989
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/01
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[It's Dangerous to Believe: Religious Freedom and Its Enemies]]> 27067865 Mary Eberstadt, “one of the most acute and creative social observers of our time,â€� (Francis Fukuyama) shines a much-needed spotlight on a disturbing trend in American society: discrimination against traditional religious belief and believers, who are being aggressively pushed out of public life by the concerted efforts of militant secularists.

In It’s Dangerous to Believe, Mary Eberstadt documents how people of faith—especially Christians who adhere to traditional religious beliefs—face widespread discrimination in today’s increasingly secular society. Eberstadt details how recent laws, court decisions, and intimidation on campuses and elsewhere threaten believers who fear losing their jobs, their communities, and their basic freedoms solely because of their convictions. They fear that their religious universities and colleges will capitulate to aggressive secularist demands. They fear that they and their families will be ostracized or will have to lose their religion because of mounting social and financial penalties for believing. They fear they won’t be able to maintain charitable operations that help the sick and feed the hungry.

Is this what we want for our country?

Religious freedom is a fundamental right, enshrined in the First Amendment. With It’s Dangerous to Believe Eberstadt calls attention to this growing bigotry and seeks to open the minds of secular liberals whose otherwise good intentions are transforming them into modern inquisitors. Not until these progressives live up to their own standards of tolerance and diversity, she reminds us, can we build the inclusive society America was meant to be.]]> 192 Mary Eberstadt 0062454013 Marc 2
It seems to me that Eberstadt is something of a kind-hearted, well-meaning, and careful-thinking dinner guest who is gently asking everyone to stop throwing their food at one another. But her calls for calm have gone unheard or unheeded over the last several years, and today the other people at the table are not only throwing their food but their forks and knives as well.

The reader may benefit from Eberstadt's book. She has done an excellent job of citing numerous examples of incongruity and religious hostility among those who claim to be secular in American culture and politics. Eberstadt's book is well-written, with a good mixture of information, narrative, and argumentation.

However, I've only given it two stars here, since this sort of book must face the reality of its "sell-by" date, and its relevance has begun to sour. I largely agree with Eberstadt's arguments and rationale, but 2020-2021 have ushered in an entirely new era that no one in 2016 could have imagined. I fear that the unwillingness of our society to follow Eberstadt's counsel has led us (and will continue to do) down a far more destructive and far less enlightened path. ]]> 3.75 2016 It's Dangerous to Believe: Religious Freedom and Its Enemies
author: Mary Eberstadt
name: Marc
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2023/12/21
date added: 2023/12/21
shelves:
review:
Mary Eberstadt offers the reader what must now be considered a quaint and polite request for civility and equal measures in the culture wars of 21st-century America. She embodies a classic liberal vision of American culture and politics, and she invites (maybe even pleads with) the reader to rediscover the benefits of Jeffersonian liberalism. This, Eberstadt believes, is the only good way forward, and it's the only conceivable way out of the slough of our current moment.

It seems to me that Eberstadt is something of a kind-hearted, well-meaning, and careful-thinking dinner guest who is gently asking everyone to stop throwing their food at one another. But her calls for calm have gone unheard or unheeded over the last several years, and today the other people at the table are not only throwing their food but their forks and knives as well.

The reader may benefit from Eberstadt's book. She has done an excellent job of citing numerous examples of incongruity and religious hostility among those who claim to be secular in American culture and politics. Eberstadt's book is well-written, with a good mixture of information, narrative, and argumentation.

However, I've only given it two stars here, since this sort of book must face the reality of its "sell-by" date, and its relevance has begun to sour. I largely agree with Eberstadt's arguments and rationale, but 2020-2021 have ushered in an entirely new era that no one in 2016 could have imagined. I fear that the unwillingness of our society to follow Eberstadt's counsel has led us (and will continue to do) down a far more destructive and far less enlightened path.
]]> <![CDATA[From Text to Teaching: A guide to preparing Bible talks]]> 58812587 92 David Jackman 1875245820 Marc 4
If you want to preach well, you should aim to preach expositionally. And if you want to preach expositionally, then you’re going to need to learn and practice the tools of this type of preaching.

If you can, participate in a Simeon Trust workshop (look it up!). And in the meantime, read David Jackman’s little book, which provides a great sketch and overview of the same sort of content. ]]> 4.32 From Text to Teaching: A guide to preparing Bible talks
author: David Jackman
name: Marc
average rating: 4.32
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/20
date added: 2023/12/20
shelves:
review:
This is an excellent “go-toâ€� guide for teaching and preaching preparation! I’m looking forward to buying several copies to give away to my preaching friends.

If you want to preach well, you should aim to preach expositionally. And if you want to preach expositionally, then you’re going to need to learn and practice the tools of this type of preaching.

If you can, participate in a Simeon Trust workshop (look it up!). And in the meantime, read David Jackman’s little book, which provides a great sketch and overview of the same sort of content.
]]> <![CDATA[The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place]]> 30259180
Drawing on in-depth original research from the Barna Group, Andy Crouch shows readers that the choices we make about technology have consequences we may never have considered. He takes readers beyond the typical questions of what, where, and when and instead challenges them to answer provocative questions like, Who do we want to be as a family? and How does our use of a particular technology move us closer or farther away from that goal? Anyone who has felt their family relationships suffer or their time slip away amid technology's distractions will find in this book a path forward to reclaiming their real life in a world of devices.]]> 224 Andy Crouch 0801018668 Marc 2
This book fits well into the self-help and time-management genre. It is quite short, and the reader may enjoy gaining at least one or two helpful principles, tools, or disciplines. This genre (in my opinion) would be far better published in the form of a one-page bulleted list.

Overall, the principles are aimed at improvement, the "rules" are thought-provoking, and the anecdotes are foreign and persnickety.

Andy Crouch offers the reader several "rules" for living wisely with technology. Each of the ten "rules" comes with anecdotes, explanations, and applications, and they fall under three distinct headings that provide an outline for the book: choose character, shape space, and structure time.

However, the reader ought to understand that Crouch is merely offering his own "rules" for wise living, and not distinctly Christian principles or biblical wisdom. Crouch gives no theological argument, no biblical exegesis, and no particularly pastoral counsel (as distinct from a life coach or self-help guru). So long as the reader does not expect to see good exegetical rationale or consistent biblical teaching and application (but instead pop psychology and chicken-soup parenting advice), Crouch's book can at least be a conversation starter.]]> 4.24 2017 The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place
author: Andy Crouch
name: Marc
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2023/12/04
date added: 2023/12/04
shelves:
review:
I'm giving it two stars because it's short and offers some helpful tips. But I'm giving it only two stars because its argumentation is only superficially biblical and because the tips will require a lot of consideration and contextualization on the part of the reader.

This book fits well into the self-help and time-management genre. It is quite short, and the reader may enjoy gaining at least one or two helpful principles, tools, or disciplines. This genre (in my opinion) would be far better published in the form of a one-page bulleted list.

Overall, the principles are aimed at improvement, the "rules" are thought-provoking, and the anecdotes are foreign and persnickety.

Andy Crouch offers the reader several "rules" for living wisely with technology. Each of the ten "rules" comes with anecdotes, explanations, and applications, and they fall under three distinct headings that provide an outline for the book: choose character, shape space, and structure time.

However, the reader ought to understand that Crouch is merely offering his own "rules" for wise living, and not distinctly Christian principles or biblical wisdom. Crouch gives no theological argument, no biblical exegesis, and no particularly pastoral counsel (as distinct from a life coach or self-help guru). So long as the reader does not expect to see good exegetical rationale or consistent biblical teaching and application (but instead pop psychology and chicken-soup parenting advice), Crouch's book can at least be a conversation starter.
]]> <![CDATA[The Gospel & Religious Liberty (Gospel For Life)]]> 37827728 Russell Moore and Andrew T. Walker of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) assemble leading voices to frame the issues with a gospel-centered perspective. The Gospel for Life series gives every believer a biblically-saturated understanding of the most urgent issues facing our culture today, because the gospel is for all of life.]]> 113 Russell D. Moore 1433692201 Marc 3
The Gospel & Religious Liberty is part of a series (The Gospel for Life) of short books published by B&H Publishing Group in 2016 and 2017. The series editors, Russell Moore and Andrew Walker, aimed to create concise and accessible resources for Evangelicals on a wide range of topics, including pornography, work, marriage, and racial reconciliation. Moore and Walker were both Southern Baptists at the time of these publications, but they have collected a pretty wide range of authors to contribute to these short books. The authors might collectively be described as broadly Evangelical, though they are clearly writing from a baptistic perspective in this particular book on religious liberty, but there is not a specific reference in the book to a distinctively Baptist ecclesiology or political theology.

Overall, this book is an easy to read and light introduction to the topic of religious liberty. There is nothing in this book that is not stated more comprehensively, consistently, and/or precisely in other books, but it was not published as comprehensive, consistent, or precise book. The Gospel & Religious Liberty was published as an introduction to the topic from a variety of perspectives within the Evangelical tradition. And it was published for a reading audience already within that same Evangelical tradition, especially Southern Baptists. With such an aim in mind, one might find this book to be a helpful conversation starter among fellow church members who are rethinking their own perspective of religious liberty in an American culture and political scene that has changed so much since the publication of this book.

Critiques of this book can fit under three headings: 1) diversity among the authors; 2) silence on areas of major disagreement; and 3) the lack of connecting ecclesiology to political theology.

If you already know a good deal about the meaning and practice of religious liberty, as we have it in America today, and you want to start a conversation with a fellow Christian who knows nothing on the subject, then this book is an unintimidating resource that might help. But if you want to learn the meaning of religious liberty, then I recommend First Freedom, edited by Jason Duesing, Thomas White, and Malcolm Yarnell. If you want to learn more about how religious liberty was debated in the founding of America, then I recommend The Founding Fathers and the Debate Over Religion in Revolutionary America, edited by Matthew Harris and Thomas Kidd. If you want to learn about how Baptists argued for religious liberty in the American colonies when the Congregationalists and Anglicans still maintained compulsory religious establishments in the land, then I recommend Let Men Be Free by Obbie Tyler Todd.]]> 4.00 The Gospel & Religious Liberty (Gospel For Life)
author: Russell D. Moore
name: Marc
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2023/11/09
date added: 2023/11/17
shelves:
review:
See my full review here:

The Gospel & Religious Liberty is part of a series (The Gospel for Life) of short books published by B&H Publishing Group in 2016 and 2017. The series editors, Russell Moore and Andrew Walker, aimed to create concise and accessible resources for Evangelicals on a wide range of topics, including pornography, work, marriage, and racial reconciliation. Moore and Walker were both Southern Baptists at the time of these publications, but they have collected a pretty wide range of authors to contribute to these short books. The authors might collectively be described as broadly Evangelical, though they are clearly writing from a baptistic perspective in this particular book on religious liberty, but there is not a specific reference in the book to a distinctively Baptist ecclesiology or political theology.

Overall, this book is an easy to read and light introduction to the topic of religious liberty. There is nothing in this book that is not stated more comprehensively, consistently, and/or precisely in other books, but it was not published as comprehensive, consistent, or precise book. The Gospel & Religious Liberty was published as an introduction to the topic from a variety of perspectives within the Evangelical tradition. And it was published for a reading audience already within that same Evangelical tradition, especially Southern Baptists. With such an aim in mind, one might find this book to be a helpful conversation starter among fellow church members who are rethinking their own perspective of religious liberty in an American culture and political scene that has changed so much since the publication of this book.

Critiques of this book can fit under three headings: 1) diversity among the authors; 2) silence on areas of major disagreement; and 3) the lack of connecting ecclesiology to political theology.

If you already know a good deal about the meaning and practice of religious liberty, as we have it in America today, and you want to start a conversation with a fellow Christian who knows nothing on the subject, then this book is an unintimidating resource that might help. But if you want to learn the meaning of religious liberty, then I recommend First Freedom, edited by Jason Duesing, Thomas White, and Malcolm Yarnell. If you want to learn more about how religious liberty was debated in the founding of America, then I recommend The Founding Fathers and the Debate Over Religion in Revolutionary America, edited by Matthew Harris and Thomas Kidd. If you want to learn about how Baptists argued for religious liberty in the American colonies when the Congregationalists and Anglicans still maintained compulsory religious establishments in the land, then I recommend Let Men Be Free by Obbie Tyler Todd.
]]> <![CDATA[The Early English Baptists, 1603-49]]> 10414282 288 Stephen Wright 1843831953 Marc 0 3.33 2006 The Early English Baptists, 1603-49
author: Stephen Wright
name: Marc
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at: 2023/09/09
date added: 2023/11/16
shelves:
review:

]]> The John Leland Story 128321976 - 123 Don M. Fearheily Marc 0 0.0 The John Leland Story
author: Don M. Fearheily
name: Marc
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2023/11/16
date added: 2023/11/16
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Matter of Conviction: A History of Southern Baptist Engagement with the Culture]]> 8218587 532 Jerry Sutton 0805449671 Marc 0 currently-reading 4.33 2008 A Matter of Conviction: A History of Southern Baptist Engagement with the Culture
author: Jerry Sutton
name: Marc
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/11/10
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism]]> 1754113
Now available again and featuring a new foreword by Richard J. Mouw, The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism offers a bracing world-and-life view that calls for boldness on the part of the evangelical community. Henry argues that a reformation is imperative within the ranks of conservative Christianity, one that will result in an ecumenical passion for souls and in the power to meaningfully address the social and intellectual needs of the world.]]> 112 Carl F.H. Henry 080282661X Marc 0 3.99 1947 The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism
author: Carl F.H. Henry
name: Marc
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1947
rating: 0
read at: 2023/10/16
date added: 2023/10/20
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Life and Writings of Thomas Helwys (Early English Baptist Texts)]]> 10214444 328 Joe Early 0881461466 Marc 5
Helwys was arguing against what he believed were damnable errors on every side. He argued against the false theology of some Anabaptists, against the false practices of his fellow English Separatists, and against the undue persecutions of his own countrymen.

For the student of Church history, and especially one interested in Baptist history, this is a must read volume. ]]> 3.92 2009 The Life and Writings of Thomas Helwys (Early English Baptist Texts)
author: Joe Early
name: Marc
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/21
date added: 2023/09/21
shelves:
review:
I loved reading this book! Helwys is not the best writer, and his arguments are often repetitive, but I find in him a quality and courageous Baptist ancestor. He was most certainly a man of his time, and I would not speak in the same tone or from the exact same perspective as he did, but I could not help a strong desire to join my heart and arm with his.

Helwys was arguing against what he believed were damnable errors on every side. He argued against the false theology of some Anabaptists, against the false practices of his fellow English Separatists, and against the undue persecutions of his own countrymen.

For the student of Church history, and especially one interested in Baptist history, this is a must read volume.
]]> <![CDATA[Baptist Theology: A Four-Century Study]]> 6164690 743 James Leo Garrett Jr. 0881461296 Marc 0 currently-reading 4.16 2009 Baptist Theology: A Four-Century Study
author: James Leo Garrett Jr.
name: Marc
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/09/05
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Anabaptist Story: An Introduction to Sixteenth-Century Anabaptism]]> 19168726 395 William R. Estep 1467420905 Marc 4 3.87 1963 The Anabaptist Story: An Introduction to Sixteenth-Century Anabaptism
author: William R. Estep
name: Marc
average rating: 3.87
book published: 1963
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/23
date added: 2023/08/23
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Reformations: The Early Modern World, 1450-1650]]> 30331545 914 Carlos M.N. Eire 0300220685 Marc 4 4.44 2016 Reformations: The Early Modern World, 1450-1650
author: Carlos M.N. Eire
name: Marc
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/03
date added: 2023/08/03
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Baptist Foundations: Church Government for an Anti-Institutional Age]]> 25855850 427 Mark Dever 1433681056 Marc 0 4.50 2015 Baptist Foundations: Church Government for an Anti-Institutional Age
author: Mark Dever
name: Marc
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at: 2019/06/16
date added: 2023/07/31
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Word-Centered Church: How Scripture Brings Life and Growth to God's People]]> 32332796 192 Jonathan Leeman 0802415598 Marc 0 4.38 2017 Word-Centered Church: How Scripture Brings Life and Growth to God's People
author: Jonathan Leeman
name: Marc
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2019/02/01
date added: 2023/07/27
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Rule of Love: How the Local Church Should Reflect God's Love and Authority (9Marks)]]> 38530827 God Is Love vs. Love Is God

Our culture's view of love--with no boundaries or judgments or conditions-- justifies whatever our hearts want and whatever our hearts feel, rejecting any authority that gets in the way. Falsely heralded as the only path to true selfexpression and self-realization, this kind of love diminishes--if not completely redefines--the holy love of God revealed in the Bible.

In this book, Jonathan Leeman directs us toward a biblical definition of love by answering critical questions: How is love commonly misunderstood? What is God's love like and why is it offensive? And how does all of this relate to the church? In an age of consumerism, individualism, and tribalism, Leeman demonstrates how God showcases his holy love and authority to a watching world through the lives of his people living in true community with one another as the church.]]> 176 Jonathan Leeman 1433559633 Marc 0 4.20 The Rule of Love: How the Local Church Should Reflect God's Love and Authority (9Marks)
author: Jonathan Leeman
name: Marc
average rating: 4.20
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/26
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[America's Religious History: Faith, Politics, and the Shaping of a Nation]]> 46100934
America's Religious History is an up-to-date, narrative-based introduction to the unique role of faith in American history. Moving beyond present-day polemics to understand the challenges and nuances of our religious past, leading historian Thomas S. Kidd interweaves religious history and key events from the larger story of American history,

The Great AwakeningThe American RevolutionSlavery and the Civil WarCivil rights and church-state controversyImmigration, religious diversity, and the culture warsUseful for both classroom and personal study, America's Religious HistoryÌęprovides a balanced, authoritative assessment of how faith has shaped American life and politics.]]> 310 Thomas S. Kidd 0310586186 Marc 4 4.25 America's Religious History: Faith, Politics, and the Shaping of a Nation
author: Thomas S. Kidd
name: Marc
average rating: 4.25
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/24
date added: 2023/07/24
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Darkness Falls on the Land of Light: Experiencing Religious Awakenings in Eighteenth-Century New England (Published by the Omohundro Institute of Early American Histo)]]> 29725776
The 1740s and 1750s were the dark night of the New England soul, as men and women groped toward a restructured religious order. Conflict transformed inclusive parishes into exclusive networks of combative spiritual seekers. Then as now, evangelicalism emboldened ordinary people to question traditional authorities. Their challenge shattered whole communities.]]> 607 Douglas L. Winiarski 1469628260 Marc 4 4.29 2017 Darkness Falls on the Land of Light: Experiencing Religious Awakenings in Eighteenth-Century New England (Published by the Omohundro Institute of Early American Histo)
author: Douglas L. Winiarski
name: Marc
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/23
date added: 2023/07/14
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Seven Black Preachers Tell What Jesus Means to Me]]> 57202343 128 0805485066 Marc 3 4.00 Seven Black Preachers Tell What Jesus Means to Me
author: Emmanuel Lemuel; Wilson Nelson H.; McCall
name: Marc
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2023/06/27
date added: 2023/06/27
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Male and Female He Created Them: A Study on Gender, Sexuality & Marriage]]> 122775855 190 Denny Burk 1527110265 Marc 3 4.38 Male and Female He Created Them: A Study on Gender, Sexuality & Marriage
author: Denny Burk
name: Marc
average rating: 4.38
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2023/03/30
date added: 2023/06/02
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Democratization of American Christianity]]> 53661916
Ìę

"Rarely do works of scholarship deserve as much attention as this one. The so-called Second Great Awakening was the shaping epoch of American Protestantism, and this book is the most important study of it ever published."—James Turner, Journal of Interdisciplinary History

Ìę

"The most powerful, informed, and complex suggestion yet made about the religious, political, and psychic 'opening' of American life from Jefferson to Jackson. . . . Hatch's reconstruction of his five religious mass movements will add popular religious culture to denominationalism, church and state, and theology as primary dimensions of American religious history."—Robert M. Calhoon, William and Mary Quarterly

Ìę

"Hatch's revisionist work asks us to put the religion of the early republic in a radically new perspective. . . . He has written one of the finest books on American religious history to appear in many years."—James H. Moorhead, Theology Today

Ìę

The manuscript version of this book was awarded the 1988 Albert C. Outler Prize in Ecumenical Church History from the American Society ofÌęChurch History

Ìę

Awarded the 1989 book prize of the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic for the best book in the history of the early republic (1789-1850)

Ìę

Co-winner of the 1990 John HopeÌęFranklin Publication Prize given by the American Studies Association for the best book in American Studies

Ìę

Nathan O. Hatch is professor of history and vice president for Graduate Studies and Research at the University of NotreÌęDame.ÌęÌę

Ìę]]> 330 Nathan O. Hatch Marc 0 currently-reading 4.47 1991 The Democratization of American Christianity
author: Nathan O. Hatch
name: Marc
average rating: 4.47
book published: 1991
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/05/23
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity (Future of Christianity Trilogy)]]> 19221842 Acclaim for previous editions of The Next Christendom:
Named one of the Top Religion Books of 2002 by USA Today
Named One of the Top Ten Religion Books of the Year by Booklist (2002)
Winner of the Christianity Today Book Award in the category of "Christianity and Culture" (2002)
"Jenkins is to be commended for reminding us, throughout the often gripping pages of this lively work...that the history of Christianity is the history of innovative--and unpredictable--adaptations."
--The New York Times Book Review
"This is a landmark book. Jenkin's thesis is comprehensively researched; his analysis is full of insight; and his projection of the future may indeed prove to be prophetic."
--Baptist Times
"A valuable and provocative look at the phenomenon widely ignored in the affluent North but likely to be of enormous importance in the century ahead.... The Next Christendom is chillingly realistic about the relationship between Christianity and Islam."
--Russell Shaw, Crisis
"If the times demand nothing less than a major rethinking of contemporary global history from a Christian perspective, The Next Christendom will be one of the significant landmarks pointing the way."
--Mark Noll, Books & Culture]]> 364 Philip Jenkins 0199911533 Marc 3 Broaden your perspective of what is called Christianity in the modern world

This book offers the reader a world-wide perspective of Christianity. The reader will learn much about where the religion has been and where it may possibly be going.

However, the reader should also be prepared to engage with the author’s use of the term “Christianâ€� in a very broad sense. The author purposefully rejects making the necessary judgments about what actually forms the essential beliefs and practices of Christianity.

In short, the book is valuable as an informative and globally-minded perspective of Christianity as a social, a religious, and even a political movement. But the book is greatly lacking in its attempt to draw out the distinctions between what merely claims to be Christian and what actually is Christian in the world.]]> 3.87 2002 The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity (Future of Christianity Trilogy)
author: Philip Jenkins
name: Marc
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2002
rating: 3
read at: 2023/04/15
date added: 2023/04/15
shelves:
review:
Broaden your perspective of what is called Christianity in the modern world

This book offers the reader a world-wide perspective of Christianity. The reader will learn much about where the religion has been and where it may possibly be going.

However, the reader should also be prepared to engage with the author’s use of the term “Christianâ€� in a very broad sense. The author purposefully rejects making the necessary judgments about what actually forms the essential beliefs and practices of Christianity.

In short, the book is valuable as an informative and globally-minded perspective of Christianity as a social, a religious, and even a political movement. But the book is greatly lacking in its attempt to draw out the distinctions between what merely claims to be Christian and what actually is Christian in the world.
]]> God's Long Summer 232450

The book's central figures are Fannie Lou Hamer, who worked for Jesus in civil rights activism; Sam Bowers, the Imperial Wizard of the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan of Mississippi; William Douglas Hudgins, an influential white Baptist pastor and unofficial theologian of the closed society; Ed King, a white Methodist minister and Mississippi native who campaigned to integrate Protestant congregations; and Cleveland Sellers, a SNCC staff member turned black militant.


Marsh focuses on the events and religious convictions that led each person into the political upheaval of 1964. He presents an unforgettable American social landscape, one that is by turns shameful and inspiring. In conclusion, Marsh suggests that it may be possible to sift among these narratives and lay the groundwork for a new thinking about racial reconciliation and the beloved community. He maintains that the person who embraces faith's life-affirming energies will leave behind a most powerful legacy of social activism and compassion.

-- "Publishers Weekly"]]> 288 Charles Marsh 0691029407 Marc 3 4.04 1997 God's Long Summer
author: Charles Marsh
name: Marc
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1997
rating: 3
read at: 2023/04/10
date added: 2023/04/10
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Black Fundamentalists: Conservative Christianity and Racial Identity in the Segregation Era]]> 58012867
As the modernist-fundamentalist controversy came to a head in the early twentieth century, an image of the “fighting fundamentalistâ€� was imprinted on the American cultural consciousness. To this day, the word “fundamentalistâ€� often conjures the image of a fire-breathing preacher—strident, unyielding in conviction . . . and almost always white. But did this major religious perspective really stop cold in its tracks at the color line?

Black Fundamentalists challenges the idea that fundamentalism was an exclusively white phenomenon. The volume uncovers voices from the Black community that embraced the doctrinal tenets of the movement and, in many cases, explicitly self-identified as fundamentalists. Fundamentalists of the early twentieth century felt the pressing need to defend the “fundamentalâ€� doctrines of their conservative Christian faith—doctrines like biblical inerrancy, the divinity of Christ, and the virgin birth—against what they saw as the predations of modernists who represented a threat to true Christianity. Such concerns, attitudes, and arguments emerged among Black Christians as well as white, even as the oppressive hand of Jim Crow excluded African Americans from the most prominent white-controlled fundamentalist institutions and social crusades, rendering them largely invisible to scholars examining such movements.

Black fundamentalists aligned closely with their white counterparts on the theological particulars of “the fundamentals.â€� Yet they often applied their conservative theology in more progressive, racially contextualized ways. While white fundamentalists were focused on battling the teaching of evolution, Black fundamentalists were tying their conservative faith to advocacy for reforms in public education, voting rights, and the overturning of legal bans on intermarriage. Beyond the narrow confines of the fundamentalist movement, Daniel R. Bare shows how these historical dynamics illuminate larger themes, still applicable today, about how racial context influences religious expression.]]> 269 Daniel R. Bare 1479803294 Marc 4 4.25 Black Fundamentalists: Conservative Christianity and Racial Identity in the Segregation Era
author: Daniel R. Bare
name: Marc
average rating: 4.25
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/03/28
date added: 2023/03/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fundamentalism and American Culture]]> 22553439 372 George M. Marsden 0199741123 Marc 4 4.20 1981 Fundamentalism and American Culture
author: George M. Marsden
name: Marc
average rating: 4.20
book published: 1981
rating: 4
read at: 2023/03/21
date added: 2023/03/21
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Holy Baptism of Fire and Blood: The Bible and the American Civil War]]> 56681197
As James P. Byrd reveals in this insightful narrative, no book was more important to the Civil War than the Bible. From Massachusetts to Mississippi and beyond, the Bible was the nation's most read and respected book. It presented a drama of salvation and damnation, of providence and judgment, of sacred history and sacrifice. When Americans argued over the issues that divided them -- slavery, secession, patriotism, authority, white supremacy, and violence -- the Bible was the book they most often invoked. Soldiers fought the Civil War with Bibles in hand, and both sides called the war just and sacred. In scripture, both Union and Confederate soldiers found inspiration for dying-and for killing-on a scale never before seen in the nation's history. With approximately 750,000 fatalities, the Civil War was the deadliest of the nation's wars, leading many to turn to the Bible not just to fight but to deal with its inevitable trauma.

A fascinating overview of religious and military conflict, A Holy Baptism of Fire and Blood draws on an astonishing array of sources to demonstrate the many ways that Americans enlisted the Bible in the nation's bloodiest, and arguably most biblically-saturated conflict.]]> 386 James P. Byrd 0190902817 Marc 4 An excellently written and well-researched account of the use of the Bible during the Civil War

James Byrd deserves much credit for doing the hard and artful work of compiling and presenting this historical narrative of the Civil War in America. He has done a great service to students who want to learn about the war, about American religion, and about the way Americans spoke the language of the Bible during this momentous history of America.]]> 4.12 2021 A Holy Baptism of Fire and Blood: The Bible and the American Civil War
author: James P. Byrd
name: Marc
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/03/10
date added: 2023/03/11
shelves:
review:
An excellently written and well-researched account of the use of the Bible during the Civil War

James Byrd deserves much credit for doing the hard and artful work of compiling and presenting this historical narrative of the Civil War in America. He has done a great service to students who want to learn about the war, about American religion, and about the way Americans spoke the language of the Bible during this momentous history of America.
]]> <![CDATA[A Jonathan Edwards Reader (Yale Nota Bene)]]> 19056979 382 Jonathan Edwards 0300145640 Marc 4 3.67 1995 A Jonathan Edwards Reader (Yale Nota Bene)
author: Jonathan Edwards
name: Marc
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1995
rating: 4
read at: 2023/03/03
date added: 2023/03/03
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Great Awakening: The Roots of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America]]> 8289798 416 Thomas S. Kidd 0300148259 Marc 4 3.95 2007 The Great Awakening: The Roots of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America
author: Thomas S. Kidd
name: Marc
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2023/02/20
date added: 2023/02/20
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Come Shouting to Zion: African American Protestantism in the American South and British Caribbean to 1830]]> 25690169 296 Sylvia R. Frey Marc 1 Interesting, Heart-wrenching, and Often Confusing

Wood and Frey offer the reader a perspective of the historical development of Christianity in the Americas during the latter eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Wood and Frey provide many details, some of which are heartbreaking and infuriating, as those who claimed the name of Christ spoke and acted with such anti-Christian displays. The reader may benefit from exposure to these records, at least as an informative reminder of the terrible depths of human depravity.

More positives could be mentioned regarding the authorsâ€� historical references, but (it seems to me that) all of these are overshadowed by their pervasive ignorance of Christian theology and their confusion of the social, cultural, and theological matters at hand. Furthermore, the authors even contradict themselves when their own biases are exposed - a bias for “traditionalâ€� African culture and religion and a bias for an egalitarian and doctrinally-nebulous form of Christianity.

The authors do not understand Christian conversion or the distinct expressions of ecclesiology among congregationalists and episcopalian models. The authors also seem completely ignorant of any notion that an individual or group might well be glad to sacrifice worldly pleasures for the reward of eternal life and glory. All historical and religious developments in this book are presented from a merely naturalistic and pragmatic perspective.

As a modern, biased, and historically documented perspective of the developments of Christianity among enslaved people in the American South and British Caribbean during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, this book (in my opinion) is terribly wanting. I don’t recommend it unless the reader simply wants to know how modern academics without a basic knowledge of Christian doctrine view these developments today.]]> 2.00 1998 Come Shouting to Zion: African American Protestantism in the American South and British Caribbean to 1830
author: Sylvia R. Frey
name: Marc
average rating: 2.00
book published: 1998
rating: 1
read at: 2023/01/12
date added: 2023/01/12
shelves:
review:
Interesting, Heart-wrenching, and Often Confusing

Wood and Frey offer the reader a perspective of the historical development of Christianity in the Americas during the latter eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Wood and Frey provide many details, some of which are heartbreaking and infuriating, as those who claimed the name of Christ spoke and acted with such anti-Christian displays. The reader may benefit from exposure to these records, at least as an informative reminder of the terrible depths of human depravity.

More positives could be mentioned regarding the authorsâ€� historical references, but (it seems to me that) all of these are overshadowed by their pervasive ignorance of Christian theology and their confusion of the social, cultural, and theological matters at hand. Furthermore, the authors even contradict themselves when their own biases are exposed - a bias for “traditionalâ€� African culture and religion and a bias for an egalitarian and doctrinally-nebulous form of Christianity.

The authors do not understand Christian conversion or the distinct expressions of ecclesiology among congregationalists and episcopalian models. The authors also seem completely ignorant of any notion that an individual or group might well be glad to sacrifice worldly pleasures for the reward of eternal life and glory. All historical and religious developments in this book are presented from a merely naturalistic and pragmatic perspective.

As a modern, biased, and historically documented perspective of the developments of Christianity among enslaved people in the American South and British Caribbean during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, this book (in my opinion) is terribly wanting. I don’t recommend it unless the reader simply wants to know how modern academics without a basic knowledge of Christian doctrine view these developments today.
]]> <![CDATA[Conversion: How God Creates a People (9Marks: Building Healthy Churches)]]> 35438261 Does what a churchÌębelieves about how people become Christians change how we doÌęevangelism? In this concise book, Michael Lawrence explains the doctrine of conversion and helps us consider the relationship between what we believe about how people are saved and our approach to sharing the gospel in the context of the local church. Readers of this book will understand how the local church should participate in the conversion process through ordinary means, such as biblical preaching and intentional relationships.

]]> 124 Michael Lawrence 1433556510 Marc 5 4.76 2017 Conversion: How God Creates a People (9Marks: Building Healthy Churches)
author: Michael Lawrence
name: Marc
average rating: 4.76
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2022/11/25
date added: 2022/11/25
shelves:
review:

]]> Affirming the Apostles� Creed 6266998
In Affirming the Apostlesâ€� Creed, an excerpt from Growing in Christ, noted Bible scholar and author Packer explains the meaning and implications of each phrase of this great creed. Each concise chapter serves as an invitation to dive further into the creed—and as a result, into the essentials of the Christian faith—by concluding with discussion questions and Bible passages for further study.]]> 160 J.I. Packer 1433502100 Marc 3 4.06 2008 Affirming the Apostles’ Creed
author: J.I. Packer
name: Marc
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2022/11/25
date added: 2022/11/25
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Apostles' Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits]]> 49659611 256 R. Albert Mohler Jr. 1400214807 Marc 3 4.00 The Apostles' Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits
author: R. Albert Mohler Jr.
name: Marc
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2022/11/25
date added: 2022/11/25
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture]]> 535494 288 Francis A. Schaeffer 0891072926 Marc 5 4.16 1975 How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture
author: Francis A. Schaeffer
name: Marc
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1975
rating: 5
read at: 2022/11/21
date added: 2022/11/21
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals]]> 54785515 The average human lifespan is absurdly, insultingly brief. Assuming you live to be eighty, you have just over four thousand weeks.

Nobody needs to be told there isn’t enough time. We’re obsessed with our lengthening to-do lists, overfilled inboxes, work-life balance, and ceaseless battle against distraction; we’re deluged with advice on becoming more productive and efficient and life hacks to optimize our days. But such techniques often end up making things worse. The sense of anxious hurry grows more intense, and still the most meaningful parts of life seem to lie just beyond the horizon. Still, we rarely make the connection between our daily struggles with time and the ultimate time management problem: the challenge of how best to use our four thousand weeks.

Drawing on the insights of both ancient and contemporary philosophers, psychologists, and spiritual teachers, Oliver Burkeman delivers an entertaining, humorous, practical, and ultimately profound guide to time and time management. Rejecting the futile modern obsession with “getting everything done,â€� Four Thousand Weeks introduces readers to tools for constructing a meaningful life by embracing finitude, showing that many of the unhelpful ways we’ve come to think about time aren’t inescapable, unchanging truths, but choices we’ve made as individuals and as a society—and that we could do things differently.]]> 271 Oliver Burkeman 0374159122 Marc 3 4.20 2021 Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
author: Oliver Burkeman
name: Marc
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2022/11/16
date added: 2022/11/16
shelves:
review:

]]> How to read a book 58056417 How to Read a Book, originally published in 1940, has become a rare phenomenon, a living classic. It is the best and most successful guide to reading comprehension for the general reader. And now it has been completely rewritten and updated.

You are told about the various levels of reading and how to achieve them � from elementary reading, through systematic skimming and inspectional reading, to speed reading, you learn how to pigeonhole a book, X-ray it, extract the author's message, criticize. You are taught the different reading techniques for reading practical books, imaginative literature, plays, poetry, history, science and mathematics, philosophy and social science.

Finally, the authors offer a recommended reading list and supply reading tests whereby you can measure your own progress in reading skills, comprehension and speed.

]]> 322 Mortimer J. Adler Marc 5 A book I wish I’d wanted to read 15 years ago

This seems a must read resource for those who want to read well and to understand what that means. Here’s to reading better with the years I have remaining. ]]> 3.90 1940 How to read a book
author: Mortimer J. Adler
name: Marc
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1940
rating: 5
read at: 2022/01/25
date added: 2022/09/23
shelves:
review:
A book I wish I’d wanted to read 15 years ago

This seems a must read resource for those who want to read well and to understand what that means. Here’s to reading better with the years I have remaining.
]]> <![CDATA[Advocates of Reform, From Wyclif to Erasmus]]> 59309990 408 Matthew Spinka 1014960037 Marc 4 4.33 Advocates of Reform, From Wyclif to Erasmus
author: Matthew Spinka
name: Marc
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2022/09/14
date added: 2022/09/14
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Shepherding God's Flock: Biblical Leadership in the New Testament and Beyond]]> 22522795 A biblical, historical, theological, and practical foundation for pastoral leadership

Pastors have been entrusted with leading the people of God. The shepherds of God's flock must protect them from and guide them through the many dangers believers face. Although ultimately the Church is led by Christ, pastors are to provide godly examples of what it means to be a follower of the Lord. Consequently, who leads the church, the type of authority they are given, how they relate to one another, to whom they are accountable, and how they are selected are of utmost importance to the life and health of God's people. This book provides the biblical, historical, theological, and practical foundation of the crucial task of leading God's people.]]> 352 Benjamin L. Merkle 0825442567 Marc 4 3.88 2014 Shepherding God's Flock: Biblical Leadership in the New Testament and Beyond
author: Benjamin L. Merkle
name: Marc
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2022/07/17
date added: 2022/07/17
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Believer's Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ (New American Commentary Studies in Bible & Theology, #2)]]> 274555
Indeed, Believer’s Baptism begins with the belief that believer’s baptism (as opposed to infant baptism or other faith proclaiming methods) is the clear teaching of the New Testament. Along the way, the argument is supported by written contributions from Andreas Kostenberger, Robert Stein, Thomas Schreiner, Stephen Wellum, Steve McKinion, Jonathan Rainbow, Shawn Wright, and Mark Dever.

Users will find this an excellent extension of the long-respected New American Commentary.]]> 400 Thomas R. Schreiner 0805432493 Marc 5 4.06 2007 Believer's Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ (New American Commentary Studies in Bible & Theology, #2)
author: Thomas R. Schreiner
name: Marc
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at: 2022/07/14
date added: 2022/07/14
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Lord's Supper: Remembering and Proclaiming Christ Until He Comes (New American Commentary Studies in Bible & Theology Book 10)]]> 19037376 431 Thomas R. Schreiner 143367338X Marc 5 A great summary of and plea for a more biblical understanding and practice of the Lord’s Supper

Every church leader and member will benefit from reading through this marvelous resource. The contributors do not all agree on everything, and I do not agree with some of the conclusions either, but the survey of biblical texts, historical views, theological realities, and pastoral applications is fantastic.

Read what’s here, consider the validity of the claims, and then develop and solidify your own convictionsâ€� but whatever you do, think more deeply about the Lord’s Supper. This book will certainly help you do that.]]> 4.03 2011 The Lord's Supper: Remembering and Proclaiming Christ Until He Comes (New American Commentary Studies in Bible & Theology Book 10)
author: Thomas R. Schreiner
name: Marc
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2022/06/30
date added: 2022/06/30
shelves:
review:
A great summary of and plea for a more biblical understanding and practice of the Lord’s Supper

Every church leader and member will benefit from reading through this marvelous resource. The contributors do not all agree on everything, and I do not agree with some of the conclusions either, but the survey of biblical texts, historical views, theological realities, and pastoral applications is fantastic.

Read what’s here, consider the validity of the claims, and then develop and solidify your own convictionsâ€� but whatever you do, think more deeply about the Lord’s Supper. This book will certainly help you do that.
]]> The Iliad 31215544 469 Homer Marc 0 3.88 -800 The Iliad
author: Homer
name: Marc
average rating: 3.88
book published: -800
rating: 0
read at: 2020/07/18
date added: 2022/06/25
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[After Our Likeness: The Church as the Image of the Trinity (Sacra Doctrina: Christian Theology for a Postmodern Age (SACRA))]]> 215329 After Our Likeness, the inaugural volume in the Sacra Doctrina series, Miroslav Volf explores the relationship between persons and community in Christian theology. The focus is the community of grace, the Christian church. The point of departure is the thought of the first Baptist, John Smyth, and the notion of church as "gathered community" that he shared with Radical Reformers.

Volf seeks to counter the tendencies toward individualism in Protestant ecclesiology and to suggest a viable understanding of the church in which both person and community are given their proper due. In the process he engages in a sustained and critical ecumenical dialogue with the Catholic and Orthodox ecclesiologies of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and the metropolitan John Zizioulas. The result is a brilliant ecumenical study that spells out a vision of the church as an image of the triune God.]]> 326 Miroslav Volf 0802844405 Marc 3 3.80 1997 After Our Likeness: The Church as the Image of the Trinity (Sacra Doctrina: Christian Theology for a Postmodern Age (SACRA))
author: Miroslav Volf
name: Marc
average rating: 3.80
book published: 1997
rating: 3
read at: 2022/06/21
date added: 2022/06/21
shelves:
review:

]]> Church 87150 Hans KĂŒng 0860121992 Marc 3 3.91 1967 Church
author: Hans KĂŒng
name: Marc
average rating: 3.91
book published: 1967
rating: 3
read at: 2022/06/18
date added: 2022/06/18
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[One Assembly: Rethinking the Multisite and Multiservice Church Models]]> 52891071
--Ryan Kelly, Pastor of Preaching, Desert Springs Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Maybe you have been there: you're running late to church, and you know it will be hard to find an empty seat. This is an all-too-frequent experience in a growing church. For churches experiencing this dilemma, a common solution is to add another service or location. This seems like a cost-effective fix. Besides, no one wants to turn away non-Christians. But is it the best option?

Jonathan Leeman presents a series of biblical, theological, and pastoral arguments to help reorient our minds to a scriptural definition of church. He makes the case that maintaining a single assembly best follows the Bible, fulfills the Great Commission, and furthers our partnership with other churches.]]> 176 Jonathan Leeman 1433559595 Marc 5 4.18 One Assembly: Rethinking the Multisite and Multiservice Church Models
author: Jonathan Leeman
name: Marc
average rating: 4.18
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2022/06/17
date added: 2022/06/17
shelves:
review:

]]> Church 26266687 This accessible introduction to the church from an evangelical perspective explores ecclesiology through the lenses of church history and doctrine to reveal what it means for us today. Bray discusses the church as a living reality, offering practical ways churches and individuals can cooperate and live together.]]> 288 Gerald L. Bray 0801030862 Marc 3
Bray offers the reader a comprehensive and informative answer to these questions in the form of this survey. Bray has indeed written a thorough history and theology of visible Christianity.

However, Bray has also left the reader a good deal of room to answer the main questions for himself or herself. Throughout the book, Bray seems to offer more uncertainty and obstacles to overcome than he does any confident way forward.

If you’re looking for a wonderful and thorough survey, then this is a great book. If you want a thoughtful and positive argument for a particular ecclesiology, then read “The Churchâ€� by Mark Dever.

Or you can always visit a good Baptist church nearby and ask the senior pastor to join you for lunch and to tell you why he’s a Baptist. If you’re ever in East Texas, look me up!]]> 3.88 2015 Church
author: Gerald L. Bray
name: Marc
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2022/05/23
date added: 2022/05/23
shelves:
review:
What is the Church, with regard for both its universal and local iterations? And how are its many manifestations in the world (past and present) meaningfully expressing oneness, universality, holiness, and apostolicity?

Bray offers the reader a comprehensive and informative answer to these questions in the form of this survey. Bray has indeed written a thorough history and theology of visible Christianity.

However, Bray has also left the reader a good deal of room to answer the main questions for himself or herself. Throughout the book, Bray seems to offer more uncertainty and obstacles to overcome than he does any confident way forward.

If you’re looking for a wonderful and thorough survey, then this is a great book. If you want a thoughtful and positive argument for a particular ecclesiology, then read “The Churchâ€� by Mark Dever.

Or you can always visit a good Baptist church nearby and ask the senior pastor to join you for lunch and to tell you why he’s a Baptist. If you’re ever in East Texas, look me up!
]]> <![CDATA[The Church: An Introduction (Short Studies in Systematic Theology)]]> 54101427 What comes to mind when you think of the word church?

In this volume, Gregg R. Allison helps define the church and its mission by presenting an overview of the specific doctrines and practices of different churches and denominations. He lays a basic foundation for better understanding the common practices among local church communities ("mere ecclesiology") and the ways that they diverge from one another ("more ecclesiology"). Through this systematic primer, you will come away knowing not only how various churches differ but also how they're ultimately united as the body of Christ and the temple of the Holy Spirit.]]> 192 Gregg R. Allison 1433562464 Marc 2
However, readers might also potentially be misled regarding just how stark the differences truly are, especially between Protestants (including Evangelicals) and Roman Catholics. His concluding statement even implied that there is no ultimately meaningful distinction between Protestants and Rome. The informed reader will know otherwise.

As a Baptist, I was also disappointed with the author’s unwillingness to present the Baptist views of the ordinances and polity in a more preferred or favorable way. He did argue positively about his views of women in ministry and of the continuation of the sign gifts, but offered no argument on more fundamental subjects.

If you are looking for an incredibly brief and surface-level introduction, then here it is. But, whatever you do, don’t stop reading about ecclesiology after you finish this book.
]]> 4.02 The Church: An Introduction (Short Studies in Systematic Theology)
author: Gregg R. Allison
name: Marc
average rating: 4.02
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2022/05/21
date added: 2022/05/21
shelves:
review:
Generally, this book is a good summary of the main doctrines under the category of ecclesiology. The ignorant reader may benefit from this concise introduction to the subject matter.

However, readers might also potentially be misled regarding just how stark the differences truly are, especially between Protestants (including Evangelicals) and Roman Catholics. His concluding statement even implied that there is no ultimately meaningful distinction between Protestants and Rome. The informed reader will know otherwise.

As a Baptist, I was also disappointed with the author’s unwillingness to present the Baptist views of the ordinances and polity in a more preferred or favorable way. He did argue positively about his views of women in ministry and of the continuation of the sign gifts, but offered no argument on more fundamental subjects.

If you are looking for an incredibly brief and surface-level introduction, then here it is. But, whatever you do, don’t stop reading about ecclesiology after you finish this book.

]]> <![CDATA[Baptists in America: A History]]> 23462872 In Baptists in America, Thomas S. Kidd and Barry Hankins explore the long-running tensions between church, state, and culture that Baptists have shaped and navigated. Despite the moment of unity that their early persecution provided, their history has been marked by internal battles and schisms that were microcosms of national events, from the conflict over slavery that divided North from South to the conservative revolution of the 1970s and 80s. Baptists have made an indelible impact on American religious and cultural history, from their early insistence that America should have no established church to their place in the modern-day culture wars, where they frequently advocate greater religious involvement in politics. Yet the more mainstream they have become, the more they have been pressured to conform to the mainstream, a paradox that defines--and is essential to understanding--the Baptist experience in America.
Kidd and Hankins, both practicing Baptists, weave the threads of Baptist history alongside those of American history. Baptists in America is a remarkable story of how one religious denomination was transformed from persecuted minority into a leading actor on the national stage, with profound implications for American society and culture.]]> 352 Thomas S. Kidd 0199977534 Marc 4 4.12 2015 Baptists in America: A History
author: Thomas S. Kidd
name: Marc
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2022/05/02
date added: 2022/05/02
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties]]> 43015073
In 1999, when Tom O'Neill was assigned a magazine piece about the thirtieth anniversary of the Manson murders, he worried there was nothing new to say. Weren't the facts indisputable? Charles Manson had ordered his teenage followers to commit seven brutal murders, and in his thrall, they'd gladly complied. But when O'Neill began reporting the story, he kept finding holes in the prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi's narrative, long enshrined in the best-selling Helter Skelter. Before long, O'Neill had questions about everything from the motive to the manhunt. Though he'd never considered himself a conspiracy theorist, the Manson murders swallowed the next two decades of his career. He was obsessed.

Searching but never speculative, CHAOS follows O'Neill's twenty-year effort to rebut the "official" story behind Manson. Who were his real friends in Hollywood, and how far would they go to hide their ties? Why didn't law enforcement act on their many chances to stop him? And how did he turn a group of peaceful hippies into remorseless killers? O'Neill's hunt for answers leads him from reclusive celebrities to seasoned spies, from the Summer of Love to the shadowy sites of the CIA's mind-control experiments, on a trail rife with cover-ups and coincidences.

Featuring hundreds of new interviews and dozens of never-before-seen documents from the LAPD, the FBI, and the CIA, CHAOS mounts an argument that could be, according to Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Stephen Kay, strong enough to overturn the verdicts on the Manson murders. In those two dark nights in Los Angeles, O'Neill finds the story of California in the sixties: when charlatans mixed with prodigies, free love was as possible as brainwashing, and utopia-or dystopia-was just an acid trip away.



]]> 504 Tom O'Neill 0316477575 Marc 0 4.04 2019 Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties
author: Tom O'Neill
name: Marc
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2022/04/12
date added: 2022/04/12
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology: A Comparison Between Seventeenth-Century Particular Baptist and Paedobaptist Federalism]]> 23827777 230 Pascal Denault Marc 5 4.56 2013 The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology: A Comparison Between Seventeenth-Century Particular Baptist and Paedobaptist Federalism
author: Pascal Denault
name: Marc
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2022/03/24
date added: 2022/03/24
shelves:
review:

]]> The Invitation System 2041831 39 Iain H. Murray 0851511716 Marc 4 4.34 1967 The Invitation System
author: Iain H. Murray
name: Marc
average rating: 4.34
book published: 1967
rating: 4
read at: 2022/03/22
date added: 2022/03/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father]]> 32712072 256 Thomas S. Kidd 0300217498 Marc 0 4.15 Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father
author: Thomas S. Kidd
name: Marc
average rating: 4.15
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2022/03/15
date added: 2022/03/15
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The History of the Negro Church]]> 39866902 256 Carter G. Woodson 1469641852 Marc 0 currently-reading 4.00 1921 The History of the Negro Church
author: Carter G. Woodson
name: Marc
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1921
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/03/04
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[From Topic to Thesis: A Guide to Theological Research]]> 29357691 161 Michael Kibbe Marc 4 4.24 2016 From Topic to Thesis: A Guide to Theological Research
author: Michael Kibbe
name: Marc
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/28
date added: 2022/02/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation]]> 53121662 A scholar of American Christianity presents a seventy-five-year history of evangelicalism that identifies the forces that have turned Donald Trump into a hero of the Religious Right.

How did a libertine who lacks even the most basic knowledge of the Christian faith win 81 percent of the white evangelical vote in 2016? And why have white evangelicals become a presidential reprobate’s staunchest supporters? These are among the questions acclaimed historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez asks in Jesus and John Wayne, which delves beyond facile headlines to explain how white evangelicals have brought us to our fractured political moment. Challenging the commonly held assumption that the “moral majorityâ€� backed Donald Trump for purely pragmatic reasons, Du Mez reveals that Donald Trump in fact represents the fulfillment, rather than the betrayal, of white evangelicalsâ€� most deeply held values.

Jesus and John Wayne is a sweeping account of the last seventy-five years of white evangelicalism, showing how American evangelicals have worked for decades to replace the Jesus of the Gospels with an idol of rugged masculinity and Christian nationalism, or in the words of one modern chaplain, with “a spiritual badass.â€� As Du Mez explains, the key to understanding this transformation is to recognize the role of culture in modern American evangelicalism. Many of today’s evangelicals may not be theologically astute, but they know their VeggieTales, they’ve read John Eldredge’s Wild at Heart, and they learned about purity before they learned about sex—and they have a silver ring to prove it. Evangelical books, films, music, clothing, and merchandise shape the beliefs of millions. And evangelical popular culture is teeming with muscular heroes—mythical warriors and rugged soldiers, men like Oliver North, Ronald Reagan, Mel Gibson, and the Duck Dynasty clan, who assert white masculine power in defense of “Christian America.â€� Chief among these evangelical legends is John Wayne, an icon of a lost time when men were uncowed by political correctness, unafraid to tell it like it was, and did what needed to be done.

Trump, in other words, is hardly the first flashy celebrity to capture evangelicalsâ€� hearts and minds, nor is he the first strongman to promise evangelicals protection and power. Indeed, the values and viewpoints at the heart of white evangelicalism today—patriarchy, authoritarian rule, aggressive foreign policy, fear of Islam, ambivalence toward #MeToo, and opposition to Black Lives Matter and the LGBTQ community—are likely to persist long after Trump leaves office.

A much-needed reexamination, Jesus and John Wayne explains why evangelicals have rallied behind the least-Christian president in American history and how they have transformed their faith in the process, with enduring consequences for all of us.]]> 356 Kristin Kobes Du Mez 1631495739 Marc 3
This book dismisses the reality that many Evangelicals have debated (for years now) whether or not to continue using the label because it has become so nebulous that it’s largely useless as a distinguishing term. The author also piles all complementarians, misogynists, and abusers into one testosterone-fueled pit of toxic masculinityâ€� such that I wonder just exactly how the author would positively define terms such as “masculineâ€� and “feminine.â€�

These and other criticisms notwithstanding, I think this book should give many Christians sufficient pressure to consider the real-world implications of one’s doctrine and theology.

The author seems to think that Evangelicals simply don’t emphasize or live consistently with the theology they claim, and (contradicting the first idea) at the same time that Evangelical theology must necessarily lead to Christian nationalism, misogyny, and patriarchal abuse. It seems to me that the truth is a mixture of bothâ€� that all Evangelicals do actually live out their theological convictions. Only some do this with more biblical accuracy and fidelity, while others do this with theological convictions comprised largely of political talking points from their favorite news outlet.

May God grant genuine Christians increasing wisdom and grace as they aim to serve Christ faithfully� even if others around them disparage the Savior they claim to love and serve. ]]> 4.27 2020 Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation
author: Kristin Kobes Du Mez
name: Marc
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2022/02/26
date added: 2022/02/26
shelves:
review:
An informative look from one perspective of American Evangelicalism.

This book dismisses the reality that many Evangelicals have debated (for years now) whether or not to continue using the label because it has become so nebulous that it’s largely useless as a distinguishing term. The author also piles all complementarians, misogynists, and abusers into one testosterone-fueled pit of toxic masculinityâ€� such that I wonder just exactly how the author would positively define terms such as “masculineâ€� and “feminine.â€�

These and other criticisms notwithstanding, I think this book should give many Christians sufficient pressure to consider the real-world implications of one’s doctrine and theology.

The author seems to think that Evangelicals simply don’t emphasize or live consistently with the theology they claim, and (contradicting the first idea) at the same time that Evangelical theology must necessarily lead to Christian nationalism, misogyny, and patriarchal abuse. It seems to me that the truth is a mixture of bothâ€� that all Evangelicals do actually live out their theological convictions. Only some do this with more biblical accuracy and fidelity, while others do this with theological convictions comprised largely of political talking points from their favorite news outlet.

May God grant genuine Christians increasing wisdom and grace as they aim to serve Christ faithfully� even if others around them disparage the Savior they claim to love and serve.
]]> The Craft of Research 32492030 With more than three-quarters of a million copies sold since its first publication, The Craft of Research has helped generations of researchers at every level—from first-year undergraduatesÌęto advanced graduate studentsÌęto research reporters in business and government—learn how to conduct effective and meaningful research. Conceived by seasoned researchers and educators Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams, this fundamental work explains how to find and evaluate sources,Ìęanticipate and respond to reader reservations, andÌęintegrate these pieces into an argument that stands up to reader critique.



The fourth edition has been thoroughly but respectfully revised by Joseph Bizup and William T. FitzGerald. It retains the original five-part structure, as well as the sound advice of earlier editions, but reflects the way research and writing are taught and practiced today. Its chapters on finding and engaging sources now incorporate recent developments in library and Internet research, emphasizing new techniques made possible by online databases and search engines. Bizup and FitzGerald provide fresh examples and standardized terminology to clarify concepts like argument, warrant, and problem.



Following the same guiding principle as earlier editions—that the skills of doing and reporting research are not just for elite students but for everyone—this new edition retains the accessible voice and direct approach that have made The Craft of Research a leader in the field of research reference. With updated examples and information on evaluation and usingÌęcontemporary sources, this beloved classic is ready for the next generation of researchers.]]> 334 Wayne C. Booth Marc 4 4.02 1995 The Craft of Research
author: Wayne C. Booth
name: Marc
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1995
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/24
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The New Reformation: Finding Hope in the Fight for Ethnic Unity]]> 55777859 240 Shai Linne 0802423205 Marc 5
It seems to me that this book is not merely about racial reconciliation, but about God’s grace in Christ and the practical outwork of the gospel in the lives of believers. The application primarily in view is our current cultural moment of ethnic disunity and confusion, but the doctrines and principles are the very core and lifeblood of Christianity.

I cannot overstate my recommendation of this book. And I also commend Shai’s album Lyrical Theology to anyone interestedâ€� especially the Atonement Q&A (it’s a catechism rap!). ]]> 4.52 The New Reformation: Finding Hope in the Fight for Ethnic Unity
author: Shai Linne
name: Marc
average rating: 4.52
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2022/02/15
date added: 2022/02/15
shelves:
review:
Christian, your soul will rejoice, your assumptions will be challenged, and your resolve to live as a humble and hopeful servant of Christ will be built up when you listen to this audiobook. I enjoyed every minute of it, and I’ve come to appreciate and respect Shai Linne far more than I already did (which was a lot to begin with!).

It seems to me that this book is not merely about racial reconciliation, but about God’s grace in Christ and the practical outwork of the gospel in the lives of believers. The application primarily in view is our current cultural moment of ethnic disunity and confusion, but the doctrines and principles are the very core and lifeblood of Christianity.

I cannot overstate my recommendation of this book. And I also commend Shai’s album Lyrical Theology to anyone interestedâ€� especially the Atonement Q&A (it’s a catechism rap!).
]]> <![CDATA[Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World]]> 25980294
In Deep Work, author and professor Cal Newport flips the narrative on impact in a connected age. Instead of arguing distraction is bad, he instead celebrates the power of its opposite. Dividing this book into two parts, he first makes the case that in almost any profession, cultivating a deep work ethic will produce massive benefits. He then presents a rigorous training regimen, presented as a series of four "rules," for transforming your mind and habits to support this skill.]]> 287 Cal Newport 1455586668 Marc 3 4.33 2016 Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
author: Cal Newport
name: Marc
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2022/02/11
date added: 2022/02/11
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth: 12 Questions Christians Should Ask About Social Justice]]> 54503953
Social justice is not optional for the Christian. All injustice affects others, so talking about justice that isn't social is like talking about water that isn't wet or a square with no right angles. But the Bible's call to seek justice is not a call to superficial, kneejerk activism. We are not merely commanded to execute justice, but to "truly execute justice." The God who commands us to seek justice is the same God who commands us to "test everything" and "hold fast to what is good."

Drawing from a diverse range of theologians, sociologists, artists, and activists, Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth, by Thaddeus Williams, makes the case that we must be discerning if we are to "truly execute justice" as Scripture commands. Not everything called "social justice" today is compatible with a biblical vision of a better world. The Bible offers hopeful and distinctive answers to deep questions of worship, community, salvation, and knowledge that ought to mark a uniquely Christian pursuit of justice. Topics addressed

RacismSexualitySocialismCulture WarAbortionTribalismCritical TheoryIdentity PoliticsConfronting Injustice without Compromising Truth also brings in unique voices to talk about their experiences with these various social justice issues,

Michelle-Lee BarnwallSuresh BudhaprithiEddie ByunFreddie CardozaBecket CookBella DanusiarMonique DusonOjo OkeyeEdwin RamirezSamuel SeyNeil ShenviWalt SobchakIn Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth, Thaddeus Williams transcends our religious and political tribalism and challenges readers to discover what the Bible and the example of Jesus have to teach us about justice. He presents a compelling vision of justice for all God's image-bearers that offers hopeful answers to life's biggest questions.]]> 272 Thaddeus Williams Marc 4 An excellent address of one of the most pressing needs for Justice-seekers today!

Whichever side you tend to take, Williams will challenge your preconceived notions and urge you toward seeking true justice in the world. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to strive toward confronting injustice and aiding the oppressed. ]]> 4.53 2020 Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth: 12 Questions Christians Should Ask About Social Justice
author: Thaddeus Williams
name: Marc
average rating: 4.53
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2022/01/15
date added: 2022/01/15
shelves:
review:
An excellent address of one of the most pressing needs for Justice-seekers today!

Whichever side you tend to take, Williams will challenge your preconceived notions and urge you toward seeking true justice in the world. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to strive toward confronting injustice and aiding the oppressed.
]]> <![CDATA[How to Get Unstuck: Breaking Free from Barriers to Your Productivity]]> 37508892 Many people with great, world-changing ideas aren't able to make them happen. Most people are trying to make a difference where they are, yet they feel overwhelmed, overloaded, and far too busy. How do you get "unstuck" - without resorting to complex systems that take more time to keep up than they actually save?

How to Get Unstuck answers this question by introducing readers to ten core principles that are at the heart of becoming an effective person for the glory of God. These principles are flexible enough for people to adapt and apply them to their own life and context. Also included is a plan for getting started in using these principles and applying them to real life.

This book is more than just good ideas that you read and never apply. How to Get Unstuck walks you step-by-step through the core principles that free you to be more effective in everything you do. How can we learn the discipline of personal effectiveness? Starting with the Scriptures and drawing on the best research How to Get Unstuck shows Christians how to live integrated lives. True effectiveness is doing something in God's way and for God's glory, and this book will show you how.

]]> 275 Matt Perman 0310526825 Marc 4 4.01 2018 How to Get Unstuck: Breaking Free from Barriers to Your Productivity
author: Matt Perman
name: Marc
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2022/01/05
date added: 2022/01/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time]]> 34207317 The international bestselling guide to managing time and prioritizing tasks—in a fully revised and updated edition featuring 2 new chapters!There's an old saying that if the first thing you do each morning is eat a live frog, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you're done with the worst thing you'll have to do all day. For Brian Tracy, eating a frog is a metaphor for tackling your most challenging task—but also the one that can have the greatest positive impact on your life. Eat That Frog! shows you how to organize each day so you can zero in on these critical tasks and accomplish them efficiently and effectively.In this fully revised and updated edition, Tracy adds two new chapters. The first explains how you can use technology to remind yourself of what is most important and protect yourself from what is least important. The second offers advice for maintaining focus in our era of constant distractions, electronic and otherwise.]]> 145 Brian Tracy Marc 4 Very practical and action oriented

Tracy provides the reader with 21 action steps toward being more focused, more productive, and more successful at life. The reader can immediately apply some or all of these methods in virtually any career, arena, or aspect of life.]]> 4.14 2001 Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
author: Brian Tracy
name: Marc
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2001
rating: 4
read at: 2022/01/04
date added: 2022/01/04
shelves:
review:
Very practical and action oriented

Tracy provides the reader with 21 action steps toward being more focused, more productive, and more successful at life. The reader can immediately apply some or all of these methods in virtually any career, arena, or aspect of life.
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