Review of UNDERSTANDING BIBLICAL THEOLOGY by Edward W. Klink III, Darian R. Lockett

When it comes to "biblical theology," there are varying opinions on exactly what that term is describing. There have been varying approaches to biblical theology, so it's important to grasp the different ways this term is understood. UNDERSTANDING BIBLICAL THEOLOGY by Edward W. Klink III and Darian R. Lockett seeks to shed some light on the confusion presented by doing biblical theology. The authors begin by tracing the history of the term itself, then outline five ways biblical theology has been approached. The five ways are:

Biblical Theology as Historical Description
Biblical Theology as History of Redemption
Biblical Theology as Worldview-Story
Biblical Theology as Canonical Approach
Biblical Theology as Theological Construction

The authors spend each of the chapters breaking down each of the models of biblical theology. The concepts that are broken down for each of the models are the same in each chapter, which is very helpful for study. The authors use a specific theologian for each model to show their adherence to the approach. The models differ in how much they appeal to either the academy or the church. 

I've always been interested in biblical theology, but I didn't realize the varying opinions of what biblical theology was until I picked up this book. This book does a great job of outlining the similarities and differences between the approaches and is great for readers interested in theology and study of the Bible.

Review copy provided by Zondervan Academic through AcademicPS

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Review of JUDGES FOR YOU by Timothy Keller

Timothy Keller garners a lot of respect from many people in the evangelical community for the way that he takes biblical concepts and applies to real life. In JUDGES FOR YOU he tackles one of the most difficult books of the Bible, one that we would be hard-pressed to find any sign of hope in because of its content. The book of Judges records a dark time in Israel’s history when everyone did what they wanted, and Keller says that this couldn’t be more relevant to our modern times.

Keller draws the ultimate hope out of this dark book. The book is obviously full of flawed people, and Keller looks at those people, but he shows that in the book of Judges there is only one hero. It’s not Samson. It’s not Gideon. It’s not Deborah. God is the hero of this book. Keller shows God moving in the midst of his flawed people, and it’s an incredible picture.

JUDGES FOR YOU is a perfect book for personal Bible study or for use with teaching others. It’s not a technical commentary on the book of Judges, but it does provide some great insight.

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Review of CHRISTIAN HISTORY by Alister McGrath

CHRISTIAN HISTORY by Alister McGrath takes readers on a journey through the history of Christianity from its inception to modern day. McGrath is quick to point out that this book isn't simply a history of the church, but a history of Christianity, its development, and its impact throughout the various cultures human history has gone through.

The book looks at the spread of Christianity into various areas. The spread of Christianity is of particular interest, and the way that McGrath writes is compelling and, almost as if you were reading a novel, keeps you turning pages. Another area of significance is the period of the Reformation and time leading up to it, as well as the implications following it. I enjoy how McGrath paints a picture for us of the cultures he is describing.

CHRISTIAN HISTORY is a great introduction to the story of Christianity and its spread over the last two thousand years. I don't know of a writer who handles the subject of Christianity's history better than Alister McGrath. This book, ideal for seminarians but also for the non-professional Christian, is an incredible resource for helping Christians understand where our faith comes from, how it has developed and spread and survived as long as it has. Ultimately, this book is a great picture of the story of God working to advance his kingdom in the midst of broken humanity.

Review copy provided by Wiley-Blackwell

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Review of HISTORICAL THEOLOGY by Alister McGrath

Alister McGrath has a significant way of taking theological topics, which could easily be dry and unengaging, and make them leap off the page. His way with words makes him one of the best writers to go to in the areas of theology and the relationship between science and faith. In HISTORICAL THEOLOGY, McGrath brings his writing skill to the area of the development of theological thought throughout Christian history.

McGrath begins with an overview of the different ways to approach theology with emphasis on the importance of historical theology. While theology comes from a study of what the Bible teaches, some of the foundational doctrines within Christianity weren't spelled out explicitly in the pages of the Bible. Concepts such as the trinity were wrestled with by various theologians for the first couple hundred years of Christian history before the orthodox doctrine we know today was officially landed on.

McGrath's book traces the key theological developments of Christian history. He covers four periods: the Patristic period, the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the pre- and post-reformation periods, and the modern period from 1750 to today. He discusses the key theologians of each of these periods and the theological developments that took place. An especially helpful part of the book is the case studies at the end of each section.

HISTORICAL THEOLOGY is a great book for seminary students or any just interested in theology. McGrath covers a lot of material in a relatively short book, and he keeps it interesting throughout.

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Review of FIGHT by Preston Sprinkle

FIGHT by Preston Sprinkle is a frustrating and challenging book. It challenges many of the assumptions that some Christians have when it comes to things like violence, war, self-defense, and the death penalty. I've never had any strong opinions about these issues. At least that's what I thought until I started getting pretty far into this book.

Sprinkle looks at the issue of violence throughout Scripture, and despite the often violent context of the Old Testament, Sprinkle effectively shows that nonviolence is God's ideal for people in the world, especially those that follow him. He shows the very radical nature of loving our enemies as Jesus did. This challenges the idea that it's okay to kill in self-defense or kill the attacker that's breaking into your house to kill your family. I couldn't help but get frustrated as I read what the Bible clearly points to. But I do come away believing that we have a responsibility to fight to prevent evil as much as we can, and I think this means stopping a killer with nonlethal means. It raised the question for me of it would be considered violent to shoot an attacker in the leg or the shoulder or some way that disarms him, but doesn't kill him.

The book faces some very difficult questions, and I'm glad Sprinkle had the courage to face them head-on and with Biblical integrity. You might not agree wity everything he says, but every Christian should read this book to at least engage in thr conversation.

Review copy provided by David C. Cook

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Review of THE JUDGMENT STONE by Robert Liparulo

In THE THIRTEENTH TRIBE, Robert Liparulo told a thrilling story of immortal vigilantes who believed they were doing God's will by killing sinners. Now, in THE JUDGMENT STONE, Jagger Baird, the protagonist of THE THIRTEENTH TRIBE, must face a new, more ruthless group of immortals called The Clan. The Clan hates God and want nothing more than to cause him pain. Enter the Judgment Stone, a piece of rock broken off of the original Ten Commandments broken by Moses. The stone reveals a blue beam radiating from Christians praying to God, and gives the Clan ample opportunity to cause God pain by killing his faithful. Jagger must find a way to stop the Clan.

I loved the first book in this series, and Liparulo has created another compelling premise with this book. Jagger learns to deal with his own immortality, but struggles with a deep need to protect his wife and son. The Clan is an interesting and formidable antagonist. The book also looks deeper into the back stories of some of the most interesting characters of the first book.

Robert Liparulo knows how to tell a thrilling story that wrestles with deep questions of faith. THE JUDGMENT STONE is another great page-turner by a great author.

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Review of BOUNDARIES FOR LEADERS by Dr. Henry Cloud

Dr. Henry Cloud is one of my favorite writers when it comes to leadership. His insights are incredible. In his newest book BOUNDARIES FOR LEADERS, Dr. Cloud draws from some important insights in neuroscience. Cloud seeks to help leaders be great leaders of people and be intentional about tapping into what drives people to do things.

Cloud talks a lot about the responsibility of leaders to shape the culture of the organizations they lead, and this requires interacting with people in our organizations in ways that drive them to give their best. Leaders need to foster unity among their people and inspire people to action. If leaders want results, they must do what it takes to drive healthy environments that produce results.

BOUNDARIES FOR LEADERS is another great leadership book from Dr. Henry Cloud. It is one that anyone who sees themselves as a leader of people should work their way through.

Review copy provided by HarperBusiness through BookSneeze

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