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Books I’m Reading

It’s spring break at the university, and I’m catching up on my reading. Actually, I’ve been reading off and on since Christmas. Here are the books that have caught my attention in the last few months.

I should say I’ve finished some of these, am in the middle of others, and have only started a few. So I’m not offering full-scale reviews of each. And I offer these in no particular order…

1.      The Language of Science and Faith: Straight Answers to Genuine Questions, by Karl Giberson and Francis Collins. This book delivers what its subtitle foretells. It’s written in very accessible prose and addresses some of the central questions asked in the science and theology debate. I wouldn’t be surprised if it became the “go to” book for helping Christians answer questions about faith with contemporary science. It’s really that good!

2.      Begat: The King James Bible and the English Language, by David Crystal. With the 400^th anniversary of the publishing of the King James Version of the Bible, I thought I’d pick up this book. The author explores common words and phrases, such as “skin of one’s teeth,” “my brother’s keeper,” and “out of the mouths of babes.” The book has 42 chapters dealing with specific phrases. I found many chapters interesting, but it’s not the kind of book that makes you eager to read the next chapter.

3.      The Crucible of Life: The Role of Experience in John Wesley’s Theological Method, by Timothy Crutcher. This is a well-reasoned dissertation on the subject described in the book’s subtitle. Crutcher not only explores the breadth of Wesley’s writing on experience. He also points toward how experience might play a role in theological construction in our day. This work will prove a valuable resource in my own ongoing work in Wesleyan theological method.

4.      Science and Religious Anthropology: A Spiritually Evocative Naturalist Interpretation of Human Life, by Wesley Wildman. The author addresses in academic prose research and ideas pertaining to religion and the human person. This book won’t make the bestseller list, because its writing style is methodical and dense. But it offers a strong naturalist account of religion – although I don’t personally find it convincing in the end.

5.      The Power of One: A Sermonic Sojourn into a Pluralistic World, By Oliver Phillips. This collection of sermons addresses a myriad of subjects, with at least one goal of making sense of the gospel in our pluralistic world. The sermons prove provocative and insightful!

6.      Genesis, Evolution, and the Search for a Reasoned Faith, by Mary Katherine Birge, Brian G. Henning, Rodica M. M. Stoicoiu, and Ryan Taylor. Meant to be an introduction to issue of science and Christian faith, this multi-authored little book explores succinctly key scientific, philosophical, and theological issues. One chapter explores Genesis. A second looks at science and evolutionary biology. The third takes on the place of humans in evolutionary history. And the last explores theology – from a decidedly Roman Catholic perspective – in light of science.

7.      From Grace to Grace, by Mark Quanstrom. This tome on holiness weaves together pastoral stories and serious theology to argue for the relevance of holiness in our contemporary world. I was impressed by the ample references to the thought of John Wesley. But the book also draws from creeds and confessions, hymns and narrative, and my denomination’s articles of faith. Quanstrom emphasizes several neglected or at least underemphasized ideas in the heart of the holiness witness. I’m excited about how this book should positively influence the conversation on sanctification.

8.      The Hidden Gifts of Helping: How the Power of Giving, Compassion, and Hope Can Get Us Through Hard Times, by Stephen G. Post. Filled with stories, reports on findings in stories, and personal anecdotes, Post preaches the virtues of helping others. I’m thinking of giving this book to my mother to read, because it’s so inspiring.

9.      The Bible as Word of God: In a Postmodern Age, by Terence Fretheim and Karlfried Froelich. This book has been out several years, but I recently reread Fretheim’s contribution. I have reduced Fretheim’s material to a short essay, and it will appear in a book I’m coediting with Richard Thompson called, The Bible Tells Me So. Look for it in the fall of 2011.

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Posted in 2011 under ...and the Kitchen Sink

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