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.
The men of IX Marks offer reviews of Gary Gilley's books This Little Church Went to Market and This Little Church Stayed Home. Flynn Cratty says "In the end, this emphasis on the Bible as the norm for life and doctrine is the most helpful thing in these two books. Gilley constantly tests the claims of those in the church growth and emerging church movements against those of Scripture. Churches would be healthier if more pastors and church members did the same."
Greg Gilbert covers one of the books in the Four Views series: The Nature of the Atonement, expressing shock at the way three of the views diminish the gospel and delight at how the fourth affirms it. Clearly a title to read with discernment, Gilbert says, "The Nature of the Atonement is worth a read, especially if you keep your eyes open to the real argument taking place."
Finally, Andrew Davis reviews N.T. Wright's Simply Christian, a book that some see as a successor to C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity. But Davis says, "It is my earnest prayer that a better book be written, appraised, embraced and disseminated than this one. Wright’s book does have some remarkable merits. ... But for all of Wright’s laudable efforts and obvious gifts, Simply Christian clearly fails to articulate some key fundamentals of the faith: the deity of Christ, the Old Testament prophecies about his coming, God’s purposes in Israel’s history, the purpose of the Law of Moses, Christ as King over the kingdom of heaven, the substitutionary atonement in Christ’s blood shed on the cross, the perfection of the word of God, the Great Commission of gospel preaching to every tribe and language and people and nation, justification by faith alone, progressive sanctification by the power of the Spirit, Judgment Day, the personality and power of Satan and his dark kingdom, and the eternity of hell’s torments."
From Reformation21 we've linked reviews of Real Sex by Lauren Winner (reviewed by Laura Miguelez) and Reasons for Faith by Scott Oliphant (reviewed by Paul Helm). Both titles receive somewhat tentative thumbs-up from the reviewers.
