One of Discerning Reader's faithful reviewers, currently an itinerant Toronto-area preacher who goes by the name of Ian Clary, observantly pointed out that both he and I had used the phrase "warts and all" in our respective reviews posted this week. That's enough to make me use it as a post title.
Ian reviewed a recent biography of one of the Reformed movement's major twentieth century figures, Cornelius Van Til of Westminster Theological Seminary. Entitled Cornelius Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman, author John Muether seeks to portray Van Til as the Christ-follower he was as well as the legendary controversialist he was.
Meanwhile, I (Mark Tubbs) also reviewed a twentieth century church history volume on the opposite side of the denominational spectrum: The Shepherding Movement: Controversy and Charismatic Ecclesiology. Number 27 in the esteemed publisher T & T Clark's Pentecostal Theology Supplement series, it is the first complete and evenhanded history of the controversial charismatic movement.
Speaking of controversy, controversy, and more controversy, Trevin Wax recently reviewed George Barna's reworked BarnaBooks edition of Frank Viola's (not the pitcher of Minnesota Twins fame) book Pagan Christianity: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices. Barna and Viola do more exploding than exploring, taking aim at virtually every aspect of the institutional Church. Trevin thinks they overstate their case and greatly exaggerate the demise of the Church as we know it - much like I viewed Barna's 2005 book Revolution.
Believing he may be among the few young, evangelical church leaders not to have read a book by Erwin McManus, Trevin also read and reviewed McManus' brand-new book Wide Awake: The Future Is Waiting Within You. Apart from featuring a somewhat creepy, New Age, Science Fiction sounding title, Trevin is concerned about the dearth of sound theology and careful thinking in this book.
Always the history maven (blame it on his bachelor's degree), founding editor Tim Challies offers two reviews of books revolving around the events of September 11, 2001. Two unique, illuminating, and riveting must-reads are journalist Michael Yon's Moment of Truth in Iraq, and airline pilot Lynn Spencer's Touching History: The Untold Story of the Drama That Unfolded in the Skies Over America on 9/11.
A less riveting read, but still worth a perusal nonetheless, is Esquire editor A.J. Jacobs' novelty title The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. Tim finds the author's quest to live a loosely biblical year to be amusing and tiresome by turns.
Finally, Tim ingested the informative contents of Al Mohler's sophomore release, Atheism Remix: A Christian Confronts the New Atheists. With its critique of the so-called 'New Atheists' who are merely trotting out age-old anti-God arguments, Tim bills it as a useful and accessible book.
Ainsi, more summer reading for you. Enjoy!
