Torrey Gazette is the combined work of everyday Christians blogging on books, family, art, and theology. So pull up a seat and join us. Family Table rules apply. Shouting is totally acceptable.
The month of October was pretty crazy. I constantly felt behind on my reading schedule (Sorry IVP, I've got a ton coming your way in November!). I probably felt behind because I was constantly involved with good books. That said, this huge book list had reviews published during the month of October despite a couple of them being read with reviews written prior to the month of October. So buckle up, this one is long (as always, book titles are links to full length reviews).
Sam Storms’ Kingdom Come does not top Kim Riddelbarger’s A Case for Amillennialism in defense of the amillennial “alternative” but it is certainly a more comprehensive work on eschatology and better suited for individuals questioning their premillennial background.
The thesis of Generous Spaciousness does not promote a specific position/viewpoint on homosexuality and Christianity. Instead it is a thesis that demands grace throughout discussions, questions, hermeneutics, and particular texts when they occur within the church.
Christians should participate in Halloween. But not only Halloween. Christians should be teaching the world in everything. Christians should drink because the world doesn't know how. Christians should celebrate Christmas with trees and lights and gifts because the world doesn't know how. Christians should celebrate sex within marriage because the world doesn't know how. It is part of our priestly duty (as a kingdom of priests) to show the world how to live and so win them over to Christ.
I remain convinced that Storms needs to tone down the rhetoric against premillennialism (all of which I agree with) for the sake of the book's readability. That said, Kingdom Come is an outstanding piece of work that will get addressed often.
The Books of the Bible is truly a delight to read. Lacking reference materials make this unsuitable for study and congregational use. However, it is well suited for personal study and extensive reading. While leaving room for improvement, The Books of the Bible remains the gold standard on “reader Bibles.”
As the body of Christ, the church should look to emulate Jesus' model. If Jesus is the resurrection and we are his body then we should look to see the ways in which we can expand the world of the resurrection in the worlds that we inhabit.
Much like God’s Great Creation, I am surprised and increasingly satisfied with the accuracy and focus of Moses Leads the People.
Churches and households need to take the time to evaluate what discipleship they're doing and how they're doing it. The church isn't called to perform discipleship in "their style" and let the chips fall where they may. No. Churches and households must seek to be servants in their accommodations.
Pictures from our weekend at Lake Toxaway, NC!
The coming chapters are no easier as they span the gulf that is the book of Revelation from the amillennial perspective. No book has caused more trouble to Christians throughout the history of the church. What Storms puts forth is not new but certainly a valuable element of his systematic presentation of amillennialism.
Like all parts of the liturgy, music is both unavoidable and massively impactful. Whether we like it or not the words and rhythms we sing as a congregation are shaping us into a teleological people (a people facing a certain kingdom). Considering the weight of this proposition we should be increasingly concerned with which kingdom our songs are pointing us.
So, Michael Hansen's series opener on liturgy got me to thinking. I'm not committed to a series on catechizing but I am going to let myself explore the topic a little bit in the upcoming weeks. I'd like to start with the general nature of catechizing.
The Bible Tells Me So is a valuable example of hermeneutical criticism with an equally faulty hermeneutic. Enns, alongside the conservative Christians who refuse to commune with him, remains a puzzling example of enlightenment thinking that continues to tell people what the Bible must say and do.
Our daughter, who is familiar with the creation account, loved the story. Aware of the Heidelberg Catechism’s answers concerning “Adam and Eve in paradise” she instantly recognized the depiction of “our first parents” and their fall and disobedience. Admittedly, she calls it her “coronation book” (thanks Frozen) but God’s Great Creation has been an excellent addendum to our family worship and Biblical education.
There is nothing contained in this volume that is not found in a higher criticism commentary on the book of James. Even the “messianic focus” of the material seems timid in its depth and will prove to be short on insights for those familiar with technical scholarship on James.
Wisdom incarnate (Jesus), spoke in parables and hid the things of the kingdom of God from the wise and revealed them to innocent babes (Luke 10). Again, as the apostles went out into the kingdom of Rome armed with the story of the Gospel their ultimate aim was a subversive one. Everywhere they went they started a riot because of the story they were telling: "Jesus is Lord, not Ceasar." & "You are now citizens of Heaven, not Rome." To us these often serve as empty words on the pages of an ancient text. In the first century these words were telling the story of a conflicting narrative to the story so many inhabited. Moreover, these words were telling the story of the emergence of a new world (the world of the New Adam) and the decaying of an old one (the world of the Old Adam).
“Yet the question remains: Why include a Roman Catholic in a series of biographies on Reformational heros?”
Well I just keep cranking all along. As of my writing tonight this delightful book is now finished. That said, I have a couple more detailed posts coming before I put forth the effort for a concise and rather limited review.
