I have prepared my book reviews for the last two months but I am making a couple of changes to the way I publish them. The first is that I will post each review separately. This allows me to link to a specific book review. It also stops me rushing to finish books at the end of the month.

Also I will no longer stop rate books out of five in my reviews. This is for a number of reasons. First, I found I was rating many good books as 3/5 and some reasonable ones as 2/5 simply so I could reserve the higher ratings for really good books, but it seemed like an insult to what was otherwise a good piece of work. It probably would have been better if my scale was out of 10 rather than 5. Second, my criteria for rating a commentary are different to those for other types of book, which made it look like I recommended reading more commentaries than anything else. Finally, I make a lot of use of other people’s reviews, and what I want to know is what the book contained, what they liked and disliked and why. So my reviews from now on will hopefully give you a better understanding of what I consider to be the strengths and weaknesses. Ratings are only useful if you have exactly the same requirements for a book as the person doing the review.

You can in fact, still see my preferred ranking of commentaries by filtering on a specific book on my commentaries page, and I do intend to still mark those books that would have earned a 5/5 in some special way (perhaps an “outstanding” award).

This has been a busy month for me, not least because I have changed jobs. I now work for NICE (www.nice.com). So I haven’t read as much as I normally would (at least on theology – I have read a lot of programming books).

The Science of God (Alister E. McGrath) 3/5

Alister McGrath is undoubtedly one of the most brilliant minds of modern evangelicalism. His three volume “Scientific Theology” is highly acclaimed as a groundbreaking work bringing together theology with other disciplines (especially the natural sciences). “The Science of God” is the introductory work for those who do not have the time to read all three volumes, but don’t expect a simplified approach. McGrath expects his readers to be familiar with a number of philosophical terms and concepts which can make parts of this book inaccessible to non-specialists. What this book needed was a good editor / co-author to make this volume a bit more approachable. In places it appears that the condensation process has been rushed, with repeated phrases or whole sentences in close proximity apparently missed by the proof-readers. This is a shame, because the book itself offers some profound insights.

The book follows the exact same structure as the full work, with sections on “Nature”, “Reality” and “Theory”. In “Nature”, McGrath shows that it is far from universally agreed what “Nature” actually is. He argues that we not only can, but should approach nature from the Christian perspective of it as “creation”, seeing the Triune God as Creator. If indeed God is Creator, then an atheistic approach to nature will of necessity fall short of achieving an accurate picture of reality. Not that we should refuse to enter into meaningful debate with the wider scientific community – quite the opposite – but not to be afraid to offer a coherent system that rests on different presuppositions. Science has a track record of proposing theories that are later rejected (take the theory of light for example) – we just have no way of predicting what current understandings we have will be shortly proved wrong. So a scientific theology does not and should not expect to always exactly correlate with current theories.

In “Reality”, McGrath reviews various failed attempts to come up with one method of determining truth that can be applied across all disciplines. Sometimes mathematicians or natural scientists have claimed that they have a method of inquiry that is self-evidently correct. But this is not so easily translated to ethics, theology, history and so forth as we might have hoped, and recent mathematical discoveries have found that multiple coherent systems can be found completely independent to one another (for example non-Cartesian geometry). In other words, we have failed to agree on which, if any, propositions can be agreed upon by all rational persons.

He defends his own approach of critical realism, affirming that we can discover reality through scientific and theological methods while acknowledging our own participation in gaining that knowledge. Hence “social constructs” are to be considered “real” and valid terms for describing reality. What’s more he argues that different fields of study require differing but equally valid methods of discovering truth, without the need for a reductionist approach that boils all epistemology down to one technique. This is because of the differing ontological nature of different strands of knowledge, and he argues that this is so within theology as much as (for example) medicine.

Finally, in “Theory”, McGrath explains why theory (or in theology, ‘doctrine’) is necessary, as an attempt to explain reality. We cannot and should not attempt an “undogmatic” Christianity. He discusses the roles of analogies and their suitability for describing doctrines. He defends the category of revelation, arguing that “the central ideas of the Christian faith owe their origins directly or indirectly to God, rather than to unaided human reason”.
This book is by no means a systematic theology, but it proposes the basis for one that interacts with the natural sciences, and the historical developments of doctrines in a meaningful way. McGrath closes by indicating the projects he will be working on next, and while these are still a long way off, they will make fascinating reading.

The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus (John Stott) 4/5

Although this commentary does not cover all three pastoral epistles, Stott uses the introduction to discuss the arguments for and against Pauline authorship for the pastorals as a whole. He does not go into exhaustive detail, but the discussion is fuller than normal for the BST series. As he works through the book, Stott makes his usual comments on apostleship, emphasising the differences between Paul’s unique situation with the church of today. His discussion of gender issues is sensitively handled, and he argues for a creation principle of male “headship” which has varying cultural expressions. He then categorises women teaching alongside men raising their hands and women plaiting their hair – practises that will be appropriate or not in different cultures as expressions of this principle.

As he moves through the letter, Stott draws out the principles for Christian leadership Paul gives both for Timothy specifically and for all leaders in church life. The treatment of the subject of money in chapter six is particularly insightful, discussing simplicity and destitution. The book of Titus brings up many of the same themes again, and Stott describes the book as being about “doctrine and duty” – in the church, the home and the world. He brings out lots of practical application without simply repeating what he said in the commentary on 1 Timothy.

Here are some of my all time favourite books reviewed for you. If you haven’t read them you should. If you can’t afford them, I’ll lend them to you. If you don’t have time to read them then stop eating and read these instead during mealtimes.

The Cross of Christ (John Stott) 5/5

At a conference organised by John Piper, a panel of speakers was asked what their book recommendations were. One of the recommended titles was The Cross of Christ, so I dutifully went and bought it along with some other recommendations the next day. It was advice well taken and money well spent, because this book is truly inspirational. It has opened my eyes to the glories and theology of the cross at a much deeper level than I had before.

John Stott’s style of writing is easy to follow, and while he doesn’t avoid academic discussions he seeks to make them plain to understand. The book starts off by dealing with the story of the cross, starting with some very helpful insights into the Last Supper. Stott then goes on to deal with the questions of “Who killed Jesus?” and “Why did Jesus die?”.

The book then goes on to develop a solid theological understanding of the cross. This is most helpful as it is easy to grasp only part of the picture without taking in the full meaning. Stott shows brilliantly the need to understand the cross both as satisfaction for sin, and as substitutionary. He deals masterfully with the many varied pictures of the cross in providing justification, redemption, reconciliation and atonement. He provides some great insights into the difficult subject of propitiation and its crucial role in a right understanding of the cross.

Throughout the book, John Stott explains the range of alternative viewpoints held amongst different theologians, and even those held by other religions and non-believers. In each case, he clearly and consisely explains their viewpoint along with their reasons for it and then goes on to systematically show where these views are inconsistent with Scripture.

After reading this book, you will undoubtedly be led to worship God for such a great salvation that demonstrates his power, love, wisdom and justice. Many hymns and choruses will come alive as their words take on a new richness of meaning for you.

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the prince of glory died
My richest gain I count as loss
And pour contempt on all my pride (Isaac Watts)

An on the cross, as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live (Stuart Townend)

Let the Nations be Glad (John Piper) 5/5

The overall theme of this book is missions, but John Piper approaches the subject in a unique way. The book has only 5 (fairly lengthy) chapters and is gripping reading right from the opening paragraph. In fact if you simply read the first page in a bookshop I am quite sure that you will want to buy the book.

The first chapter deals with worship. Those who have read other books by John Piper will know that he has a great emphasis in all his writings that our chief purpose in life is to glorify God by enjoying Him. It is this perspective that enables Piper to show that worship is the ultimate goal of mission. “Mission exists because worship doesn’t”. He challenges us that we must be worshippers ourselves before we can call others to worship. “You can’t commend what you don’t cherish”. In this chapter he brilliantly shows by an overwhelming list of proof texts that God’s great passion is for his own glory. The chapter concludes by urging us to both commit ourselves and call others to the “white-hot worship of God”.

The second chapter deals with the subject of prayer. Piper uses the picture of a war-time walkie-talkie to explain that prayer is not for us to request refreshments but a strategic weapon in spiritual warfare. He gives an extensive list of things that people prayed for in the Bible and challenges us to consider the subject and goal of our praying.

The third chapter is even more inspiring and provocative. It touches on the difficult subject of suffering. He proves, again with a long list of scriptures, that we are called to suffer. He presents many moving testimonies from church history. This is perhaps the most challenging of the chapters in this book.

The remaining 2 chapters of this book are given over to proving 3 points of doctrine. Again, in his typical style, Piper attempts to put these questions beyond all reasonable doubt by quoting numerous Scripture references. The first two of these points, though controversial in some circles, are broadly accepted by evangelicals. These are, firstly, the eternal conscious punishment of hell and secondly, the impossibility of being saved apart from through faith in Jesus Christ. When put together these two sobering truths provide us with a theological basis for the urgency of mission.

The final point of doctrine Piper seeks to establish is a somewhat surprising one. This is that the goal of mission is not to save as many people as possible, but rather to reach as many peoples as possible. I must admit that this initially seemed a rather novel idea to me at first, but Piper argues very persuasively. After all, why send missionaries to evangelise in foreign countries and cultures when there is so much work to be done here, that doesn’t require learning languages and coping with difficult climates? It is because God will be most glorified by a redeemed community made up of every tribe, nation, language and people.

Communion with God (John Owen) 5/5

The writings of the Puritans have been somewhat neglected over recent years for two main reasons. Firstly, the stereotyped image many people have of them as being self-righteous legalistic kill-joys. Secondly, their writings are difficult to read due their use of old English and their long-winded arguments. If these two reasons are all that has kept you from reading Puritan writings then this little book is for you.

The book has been modernised and abridged, but vocabulary has only been updated where absolutely necessary so the book retains an authentic John Owen feel. Shining through the pages is John Owen’s vibrant personal faith and in places he breaks out into beautifully phrased praise to his Beloved. You can’t help but be inspired and humbled as you read these devotional and honest writings.

The book focuses on our personal ‘communion’ with God. Owen deals with our communion with each of the three persons of the Trinity but the main focus is on our fellowship with Christ. He defines our communion with God as “Our communion with God lies in his giving himself to us and our giving ourselves and all that he requires to him”.

John Owen draws heavily on the imagery from the Song of Songs to demonstrate the beauty of the character of Christ. Many of the chapters are simply devoted to focusing on Jesus. This approach is extremely helpful for personal devotion as you can simply work through the book in private worship. Most of the paragraphs are short and to the point, making it easy to read this book in short chunks.

There are also some very challenging passages on the need to examine ourselves and to live righteous and pure lives. Yet the grace of God is never out of sight and Owen is quick to condemn the legalistic spirit.

In conclusion, I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to you. If you have never read any Puritan writings before, I am sure you will be delighted to have found these treasures.

Showing the Spirit (D A Carson) 5/5

This book is an exposition of 1 Corinthians 12-14. As you may know, chapters 12 and 14 of 1 Conrinthians deal mainly with the gifts of the Spirit, tongues and prophecy in particular. Chapter 13 deals mainly with love and so rarely do you hear anyone speak on all three chapters at once. However, Don Carson clearly brings out a continuity in these chapters and a progression of argument running through them.

The book will be of great interest to those Evangelicals who are from the “open but cautious” when it comes to charismatic issues. Don Carson probably cannot be described as a charismatic but he does not take a hard-line cessasionist stance. Those who have been careful to avoid the use of these gifts in church life will find gentle encouragement not to be so antagonistic towards them. Those who attend charismatic fellowships will find the teaching on how these gifts are to be used in love and humility most practical.

One of the things that stuck in my mind was the suggestion that Paul is, in these chapters, responding to some questions that the Corinthians had sent him. In particular, they possibly asked the question “What are the signs of a spiritual (pneumatic) person?”. Was it speaking in tongues, or performing miracles? Perhaps it was great generosity or an act of martyrdom. Paul responds to this question by speaking rather of a “charismatic” person – someone who has been given gifts by the grace of God. The most important thing for a spiritual person is to live a life of love and so any gifts that God gives them should be exercised in love.

Don Carson is an expert in New Testament Greek and sometimes you may find his arguments hard to follow if your knowledge in this area is limited. Whether you’re cessasionist, charismatic or even “open but cautious” you will find things in this book to disagree with, but more importantly many things to think about and I certainly think you will have a much better overview of the unity of the three chapters this book covers.

Paul’s Letter to the Philippians (Gordon Fee) 4/5

This is a commentary in the NICNT series published by Eerdmans. It is aimed primarily at ministers and students of theology who are interested in carefully examining the Greek text and drawing out not only the meaning of each verse, but the flow of thought throughout the book. The footnotes are extensive and assume that the reader has the ability to read Greek text without transliteration. The main text however, doesn’t require this.

The book starts off with an introduction to Philippians as a letter along with a fairly extended discussion on exactly what genre of letter the book should be placed in. Don’t be put off by this section if you find it boring because things get a lot better later on!

The book of Phillipians has been boken up into 6 sections by Fee. With each section he provides a brief introduction to that section and then breaks it up again into smaller chunks. With each of these groups of verses he first carefully examines the translations (and possible alternatives). The NIV text is discussed in particular. These analysis of the Greek text can sometimes seem tedious but I found them particularly helpful for understanding the context and progression of thought throughout the book. After examining the text and explaining what Paul meant by each phrase and sentence, Fee provides some excellent insights into application for church life, our individual Christian walk and the more broad theological implications.

After reading this book, I found myself appreciating passages in Philippians much more than I had before. It took a long time to read but it was certainly worth it. I highly recommend this commentry to anyone who wants to seriously study Philippians. Gordon Fee obviously has an outstanding grasp of Greek and great knowledge of Pauline theology, but also his passion for that knowledge to be worked out in godly living shines through.

This brings me right up to date. At the moment I’m working my way through some fairly long-term books (NICNT commentary on Acts by F F Bruce, Pillar commentary on Mark by Edwards, Jesus & the Victory of God by N T Wright).

Here’s what I finished during August:

Judges – Focus on the Bible (Dale Ralph Davis) 4/5
Just as good as his Joshua commentary, here is more of the same. He really brings the stories to life, filling in historical details where necessary. He doesn’t shy away from addressing the distaste we may feel for some of the Judges actions, and as usual bridges the gap to the 21st century with some relevant application.

Making Sense of the New Testament (Craig Blomberg) 3/5
This book sets out to answer “3 crucial questions”, each of which Craig Blomberg is well placed to answer. First, “Is the New Testament historically reliable”. Here he answers excellently, but perhaps too briefly. He has written a book on the Gospels, and one on John separately addressing the issue in much more depth. Second, “Was Paul the true founder of Christianity?” answers an accusation that has been very fashionable to throw at Christianity in recent years. His answer here is again consise, but should be enough to convince all but the most ardent skeptics. Finally, “How is the Christian to Apply the New Testament to Life?” is indeed a crucial question, but would be better served by a whole book on hermeneutics (e.g. How to read the Bible for all its worth by Fee & Stuart). Having said that, in the space available he crams a lot in, so if you are looking for answers to these questions and don’t want to read too much, this is the book to get.

If you want to walk on the water, you’ve got to get out of the boat (John Ortberg)
4/5
OK, I’ll admit I was prejudiced against this one from the start. Another lightweight Christian “best-seller” to tell you the 7 steps to a prosperous life. But I was wrong. Ortberg isn’t just an excellent communicator, he’s actually got something worth communicating. The book tackles the issue of whether we will “step out” and do something that seems risky but we know its right, or stay where we are, content with a safe second-best option. Following the story of Peter walking to Jesus on the water, he takes us through each step in the process. There are plenty of hilarious and fascinating illustrations that makes it a joy to read, and each chapter concludes with some well chosen questions to help you apply the teaching to your own situation. This is a good book to read if your life tends to be nice but a bit dull, and you’re wondering what the next step should be.

The Incomparable Christ – John Stott 4/5
This is vintage Stott, talking about his favourite subject – Jesus Christ. It is essentially a transcription of a series of lectures he gave. “The Original Jesus” goes through every book of the New Testament and shows how it brings out a particular aspect of his character. “The Ecclesiastical Jesus” explores 12 ways (good and bad) that the church has presented Jesus throughout history. “The Influential Jesus” describes the radical influence Jesus had on 12 people who themselves made great impacts on history. Finally, “The Eternal Jesus” looks at how the book of Revelation presents Jesus. The first three sections in particular are excellent, with the fourth a little bit harder to work through because of the difficult nature of the book of Revelation. However, if you want to “see Jesus” and to “see his glory”, then this book will help you to do just that. We need to see Jesus for who he really is, to appreciate all aspects of his character, and to rid our minds of any misconceptions of him.

During June & July I tried to finish some of the books I had bought at the previous year’s New Wine, so that I could buy some more this year with a clear conscience.

The Message of Isaiah – The Bible Speaks Today (Barry Webb) 3/5
Isaiah is a long book that is easy to get bogged down in. This BST volume acts as a guide, helping you to recognise the beginnings and ends of sections, to fit in the prophecies with the relevant historical events and to see some of the big themes. It also provides a beginners introduction to the question of multiple Isaiahs (deutero-Isaiah etc), giving reasons why this reconstruction of authorship does not necessarily need to be accepted.

Joshua – Focus on the Bible (Dale Ralph Davies) 4/5
This commentary is a breath of fresh air. Ralph Davies has a great writing style, and after reading the chapter of Joshua each day, I found myself looking forward to see what his comments would be on it. He writes with humour, and while he clearly has a lot of excellent background knowledge, never introduces it in a dull and technical way. He never takes his eye off the need for practical application either.

Healing and Deliverance – Thinking Clearly (John Woolmer) 2/5
In many ways this book was a fascinating read. Woolmer clearly has researched well and there are lots of interesting anecdotes. I couldn’t help thinking that his theology was more influenced by experience than Scripture, although he did try to find confirmation of those experiences in the Bible. He did not address the difficult issue of the possibility of fraudulent healing claims, and while discussing death in a helpful way, did not really say much on the themes of God using suffering or illness for his own purposes.

Don’t Waste Your Life (John Piper) 4/5
Here is a book to shake you out of your apathy. We all know that we have only got one life and that we ought to make it count. But if we buy into the world’s value systems we can end up living for things that have no lasting worth. John Piper, in characteristic style urges a war mentality on us – we’re in a battle, which means willingly making sacrifices to see the victory. Doubtless some will feel that this creates a secular / sacred divide where people are to feel guilty about having “recreation” time, because it is not frontline service of God. But wherever the true balance lies, one suspects that many of us need this wake-up call.

From Orphans to Heirs (Mark Stibbe) 3/5
This book deals with the often neglected theme of adoption as a Biblical description of our salvation. Important themes like relating to God as our Father, his choosing of us, our acceptance and inheritance as his children are all dealt with. If your status as a child of God is not something that you think of very often, then have your horizons expanded by reading this book.

A very busy couple of months of reading, during which I finished a lot of really good books

Does the Future have a Church (Terry Virgo) 4/5
This book basically contains a series of expositions of Ephesians 2-4, describing what church life is supposed to be like. It addresses head on the problem that large parts of the church are declining in the West. Having heard Terry preach a number of messages on this subject, reading the book is like hearing him speak. He talks about our salvation, grace, being the people of God, unity and apostolic giftings.

The Message of Eccelsiastes – Bible Speaks Today (Derek Kidner) 3/5
Ecclesiastes is a refreshing and fascinating book of the Bible, and this commentary really helps bring it alive. Particularly good is the way Kidner helps us to get a feel for Qoheleth, the author of the book, and the unique outlook on life that he offers.

James – Pillar New Testament Commentary (Douglas Moo) 4/5
The Pillar commentaries are excellent for people who want to go into a bit more depth than your typical paperback commentary, but not to get bogged down in too many technicalities. This volume contains the full text of James and is full of insightful comments and interesting findings from historical studies. Relevant cross-references to other ancient wisdom literature are discussed where appropriate. He deals clearly and calmly with the controversy concerning “salvation by works” ably demonstrating that the text does not in fact contradict salvation by faith.

Pursuit of God (A W Towser) 4/5
There are numerous places where you can read this book online – in PDF or HTML format, so launch google, and have a read. Its not too long, but deeply challenging. Simply put, this is a call to radical discipleship and total devotion to God. It will drive you to your knees in prayer. Its the type of book that you should come back to every now again and re-read one or more of the chapters. If you are going through a “dry period” spiritually, then this book can ignite a fresh passion for following after God.

The Discipline of Intimacy (Charlie Cleverley) 4/5
This is a great book on prayer, full of practical suggestions. Cleverley uses a number of examples of prayer in the Bible to teach on different aspects of prayer. I found I often had to stop reading and schedule some time for prayer. Rather than necessarily giving profound new teachings, often we just need reminding of what we already know – we should be giving more time to prayer, and the down to earth advice on what to say.

Seductions Exposed (Gary L Greenwald) 2/5
While this book has many good and practical pieces of advice concerning demonic influences that can come into your lives through occult practises, sexual immorality and so on, I can’t recommend it wholeheartedly. Firstly, he has some very highly developed theories concerning the supernatural realm that rest solely on one or two verses. Secondly, the approach can tend to legalism – rather than encouraging believers to exercise discernment he lists various objects and activities that are not permitted. But the book does at least bring up some issues that are often left undiscussed, so it may be worth reading just to inspire you to come to your own conclusions on these matters.

The Glory of Christ (John Owen) 4/5
This volume in the “Puritan Paperbacks” series is focused on helping believers set their eyes on Jesus, to appreciate his glory and respond in adoration. It has been abridged and slightly modernised, although it still can feel a bit archaic in places. Not quite as inspiring as “Communion with God” by the same author, but a must read for anyone who is interested in the Puritans. Owen works his way through the many different ways we can behold the glory of Christ, before directly challenging us as to our attitude towards him.

The Passion of Jesus Christ (John Piper) 4/5
Timed to coincide with the similarly named film, this book contains 50 reasons why Christ suffered and died. It is ideally laid out to read one page a day as part of your daily devotions. As you would expect from Piper, each reason is clearly justified from Scripture, and he doesn’t shy away from the more ‘difficult’ verses. The net effect is to leave you with a well rounded Scriptural understanding of the reason for the cross which will do more than improve your theology – it will inspire you to worship.

February and March weren’t quite such busy reading months. I won’t comment in detail as they’re not fresh in my memory any more.

The Message of Mark – Bible Speaks Today (Donald English) 3/5
As usual with the BST series, a good amount of attention is given to examining the big themes that run through the gospel, leaving you with the feeling that you know what the book “is about” when you’ve finished.

The Message of Proverbs – Bible Speaks Today (David Atkinson) 3/5
Interestingly approaches the book by categorising its themes rather than tackling each proverb individually. This actually proves quite helpful as you get to consider the full weight of each subject addressed, and prevents the commentary from becoming too longwinded.