We have added several new Bookworm Reviews to the site this week. Bookworm Reviews are reviews written by writers who are not affiliated with Discerning Reader but whom we have noted for their discernment and for their ability. We link to them from the appropriate page at this site.
Gary Gilley reviews To Own a Dragon by Don Miller. He points to some of the book's flaws and says, "this is what happens when a man who 'does not know the Bible' (p. 96) tries to teach others how to live the Christian life."
At Reformation21 is a review of Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church by D.A. Carson. Derek Thomas writes, "An admirable summary of the Emergent Church then, commendable in its spirit and rigor; but beware when he smiles for he wields a knife!"
Also writing for Reformation21, David Filson reviews Stephen Nichols' Heaven on Earth: Capturing Jonathan Edwards's Vision of Living in Between and says "This fine little book would be excellent for personal devotional reading, group study, Sunday School discussion, etc. I especially think it would be good for young people (youth, college age), as it would help center them in their sometimes-confusing stages of life."
The site also features two reviews of Is the Reformation Over by Mark Noll and Carolyn Nystrom. In the first, Carl Trueman writes, "When I finished reading the book, I have to confess that I agreed with the authors, in that it does indeed seem that the Reformation is over for large tracts of evangelicalism; yet the authors themselves do not draw the obvious conclusion from their own arguments." In the second Gregg Allision says, "I am both fascinated with and suspicious of the Roman Catholic Church and the current evangelical-Catholic dialogue; similarly, I am both fascinated with and suspicious of this book. On both accounts, Is The Reformation Over? is must reading for scholars, seminarians, pastors, and educated lay people who pose that question in light of the contemporary thawing of tensions between Protestants and Roman Catholics."
Writing for IX Marks Ministries, Paul Alexander calls Graeme Goldsworthy's Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture "a must read. It is theologically rich, intellectually stimulating, spiritually engaging, and practically helpful. But even more, it is absolutely exhilarating in its panoramic display of the Christ-centeredness of all Scripture. Read this book, and you’ll not only want to re-read it, you’ll want to re-read your Bible." Writing about Edmund Clowney's Preaching Christ in all of Scripture Alexander says, "Preachers are called to expound Christ in a way that exalts Christ, no matter what biblical text we’re preaching on Sunday. Clowney can show you how to expound Christ from the Old Testament in a way that will help both you and your congregation exalt him more faithfully together in the preaching and hearing of his word."
