Another sign of the holidays–the Outlook book editor compiles a sampling of books that make both good gifts for Christmas and good books to get and read for yourself. Here is the 2006 list:
Resources for Year C
Luke for Everyone, by Tom Wright. WJKP, 2004. ISBN 0-664-22784-8. Pb., 320 pp. $14.95.
Wright’s popular for Everyone series combines the diligence of his New Testament scholarship with his passion for preaching and teaching in the life of the church. Here Wright offers constructive expositions and useful illustrations for each section of Luke’s Gospel, along with his own translation of each text.
New Proclamation Commentary on the Gospels, by Andrew Gregory, David Bartlett, Morna Hooker, and Henry Wansbrough. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3752-6. b., 320 pp. $35.
A one-volume commentary on the four Gospels as they are represented in the Revised Common Lectionary. The authors represent Anglican, American Baptist, Methodist, and Roman Catholic traditions.
Preaching and Worshiping in Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, edited by Cynthia Gadsden. Abingdon, 2005. ISBN 0687352231. Pb., 248 pp. $15.
Brief commentary on lections for the first Sunday of Advent through Epiphany for Years A, B, and C; includes creative suggestions for prayers, as well as sermon briefs.
Preaching the Letters Without Dismissing the Law: A Lectionary Commentary, by Ronald J. Allen and Clark M. Williamson. WJKP, 2006. ISBN 0-664-23001-6. Hb., 268 pp. $29.95.
In this companion volume to their 2004 Preaching the Gospels without Blaming the Jews, Allen and Williamson provide helpful commentary on the Epistle readings in the Revised Common Lectionary, enabling 21st century preachers and teachers to avoid common misrepresentations of 1st century Judaism.
Provoking the Gospel of Luke: A Storyteller’s Commentary, by Richard W. Swanson. The Pilgrim Press, 2006. ISBN 0-98298-1689-5. Hb., 367 pp. $35.
Swanson’s commentary places the reader of Luke within the drama of Luke’s story itself, often from the perspective of different characters. He then moves us to our stories (“the world we think we live in”), finally considering ways Luke’s story “provokes” ours. Includes a companion DVD.
Resources for Preaching and Worship–Year C: Quotations, Meditations, Poetry, and Prayers, compiled by Hannah Ward, Jennifer Wild. WJKP, 2003. ISBN 0-664-22508-X. Hb., 320 pp., $29.95.
Ward and Wild weave together a rich tapestry of quotations, meditations, poems, and prayers by classic and contemporary writers. This volume links with lectionary readings for Sundays and for important festival days such as Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost.
Devotional Reading
A Year with Jesus: Daily Readings and Meditations, by Eugene Peterson. HarperSanFrancisco, 2006. ISBN 0-060111843-5. Hb., 390 pp. $19.95.
“The goal of spending a year with Jesus is to learn how to pray.” So begins Peterson as he draws on the Gospels of Matthew and John for a year of spiritual reading. Brief reflections are followed with questions for reflection, and prayers.
Psalms Through the Year: Scriptural Exercises for Every Day, by Marshall D. Johnson. Fortress, 2007, ISBN 0-8066-5332-9. Pb., 393 pp. $14.99.
Assigning a portion of the Psalter to each day of the year, Johnson carefully examines the text, encouraging readers to respond thankfully and prayerfully to the wonder of God’s ways with us.
The Most Difficult Journey You’ll Ever Make: The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan. Introduction and Notes by Tony Jones. Paraclete Press, 2006. ISBN 1-55725-464-8. Pb., 244 pp. $14.95. AND You Converted Me: The Confessions of St. Augustine. Introduction and notes by Tony Jones. Paraclete Press, 2006. ISBN 1-5575-463-X. Pb., 234 pp. $16.95.
Tony Jones helpfully introduces and annotates portions of Augustine’s Confessions and Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, guiding readers into these classics of Christian faith and devotion. Useful for individual reading and for group study.
The Twelve Days of Christmas: Opening the Gifts, by Curtis G. Almquist. Cowley, 2006. ISBN 1-56101-293-9. Pb., 101 pp. $13.95.
Here is a book to pick up and read from December 26 through January 6, as a means of reflecting on such divine gifts as love, joy, peace, redemption, forgiveness, companionship, name, blessing, and more.
Gift Books
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Life in Pictures, edited by Renate Bethge and Christian Gremmels. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3811-5. Hb., 160 pp. $25.
Bonhoeffer’s life is briefly narrated, and richly illustrated with photographs of Bonhoeffer, his family and friends, his correspondence, and the places where he lived and died. This is a fantastic introduction to Bonhoeffer’s life.
Great Couples of the Bible, by Herbert Haag, Helen Schüngel-Straumann, Christoph Wetzel, Katharina Elliger, Marianne Grohmann, and Dorothee Soelle. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3831-X. Hb., 191 pp. $29.
God is love, and God’s love sets the course for human love. However, within the pages of Scripture (as in our own time) human love is a complicated reality, which biblical writers unashamedly disclose. “Biblical Family Values” are herein exposed by telling portraits of love and lust, sex and sin, jealousy and grief. A wonderfully illustrated portrait of families within the Bible.
Great Women of the Bible in Art and Literature, by Dorothee Soelle and Joe H. Kirchberger. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3557-4. Hb., 160 pp. $29.
The biblical stories of women such as Eve and Sarah, Ruth and Abigail, Mary and Martha, and more are helpfully illuminated by historic works of art, and by Soelle’s marvelous prose.
Redemption, by Alistair McGrath. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3702-X. Hb., 87 pp. $15.
The third volume in the Truth and the Christian Imagination series, Redemption offers McGrath’s reflections on the significance of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Several historic works of art are also depicted, leading the reader into greater understanding of the mystery of divine compassion.
Especially for Children
Behind the Scenes Christmas, by Su Box. Illustrated by Jo Blake. Abingdon, 2006. ISBN 0-687-49121-5. Hb., 29 pp. $14.
Written for older elementary children, Box’s book looks at the Christmas stories of the gospels, helping children better to understand the meaning of the special events surrounding Jesus’ birth.
The Christmas Star, by Paloma Wensell. Illustrated by Ulises Wensell. Liturgical Press, 2006. ISBN 0-8146-3155-X. Board book, 16 pp. $7.95
Two children follow the star to Bethlehem in this retelling of the Christmas story for young children (ages 4-7). They give gifts to the baby Jesus, and receive gifts of light and love from him.
Have You Seen Christmas? by Vicki Howie. Illustrated by Caroline Peddler. Abingdon, 2006. ISBN 0-687-49678-0. Hb., 30 pp. $18.
A cute story for younger children about a lost puppy named “Christmas,” his homeless owner Luke, and a children’s search that leads them to the real meaning of Christmas.
Other Good Reads
Christ Is the Question, by Wayne A. Meeks. WJKP, 2006. ISBN 0-664-22962-X. Pb., 166 pp. $19.95.
Meeks suggests that the most important aspect of Jesus’ identity is in his ongoing place in the lives of his followers, rather than as the object of historical investigation.
Conversations with Barth on Preaching, by William H. Willimon. Abingdon, 2006. ISBN 0-687-34161-2. Pb., 324 pp. $22.
Bishop Willimon reflects on Barth’s life and work, challenging preachers to engage their task with Barth’s boldness and passion. Willimon’s text intentionally reflects the style of much of Barth’s writing, including small-type excursuses reminiscent of the exegetical comments in Barth’s Dogmatics; his sermons are a reminder that Barth’s work always was done with an eye toward proclamation in the life of the church.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Conspiracy and Imprisonment, 1940-1945. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Volume 16. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-8316-1. Hb., 882 pp. $49.
The final volume in this Bonhoeffer Works series is a monumental collection of Bonhoeffer’s letters, essays, and sermons, providing fascinating and invaluable insight into Bonhoeffer’s faith and witness amidst the complexities of the Confessing Church and the decline of the Nazi regime.
Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading, by Eugene H. Peterson. Eerdmans, 2006. ISBN 0-8028-2948-1. Hb., 186 pp. $20.
The second of Peterson’s projected five-volume work on spiritual theology, Eat This Book is a passionate exhortation for “fast food” readers of Scripture to slow down, to chew on the text slowly and deliberately, to let the text work on us, and to rise from the table with lives of obedience.
Encountering Ecclesiastes: A Book for Our Time, by James Limburg. Eerdmans, 2006. ISBN 0-8028-3047-0. Pb., 141 pp. $14.
Ecclesiastes is truly a book for our anxious, despairing days; Limburg’s book is a helpful guide, drawing on insights from sources ancient and modern.
Ending Poverty: A 20/20 Vision: A Guide for Individuals and Congregations, by Nancy Maeker and Peter Rogness. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8066-8003-2. Pb., 112 pp. $10.99.
Intended as a brief study guide, Ending Poverty significantly challenges individuals and congregations to take seriously their calling to challenge, and even eradicate, the poverty around us. Filled with Bible study suggestions, questions for reflection, and strategies for action.
Engaging News Media: A Practical Guide for People of Faith, by Mark Kelley. Cowley, 2006. ISBN 1-56101-276-9. Pb., 168 pp. $14.95.
A veteran news reporter, anchor, and now teacher, Kelley seeks to help people of faith analyze the news with an eye toward discerning the truth amidst the many biases that exist on both sides of the camera (or the page/screen).
God’s Life in Trinity, edited by Miroslav Volf and Michael Welker. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3823-9. Pb., 262 pp. $24.
An impressive array of contributors reflects on the enduring legacy of Jürgen Moltmann’s Trinitarian writings. The implications of God’s triune life for humanity, for religious traditions, for God-talk, and for historical theology, are carefully considered.
God’s Potters: Pastoral Leadership and the Shaping of Congregations, by Jackson W. Carroll. Eerdmans, 2006. ISBN 0-8028-63220-5. Pb., 296 pp. $28.
An in-depth analysis of the results of the Pulpit & Pew survey, followed by suggestions for strengthening pastoral leadership in light of the survey’s findings.
Gracious Christianity: Living the Love We Profess, by Douglas Jacobsen and Rodney J. Sawatsky. Baker Academic, 2006. ISBN 0-8010-3139-7. Pb., 140 pp. $12.99.
A helpful articulation of the Christian life as an embodiment of the grace that lies at the heart of the gospel.
Hagar, Sarah, and Their Children: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives, edited by Phyllis Trible and Letty M. Russell. WJKP, 2006. ISBN 0-664-22982-4. Pb., 211 pp. $24.95.
This collection of essays considers biblical and historical foundations for these three religious traditions and their inter-relatedness, turning to contemporary means of understanding and conversation.
Having Men for Dinner: Biblical Women’s Deadly Banquets, by Nicole Wilkinson Duran. Pilgrim, 2006. ISBN 0-8298-1710-7. Pb., 144 pp. $18.
With humor and insight, Duran brings the stories of Jael, Judith, Esther, Herodias, and Abigail before the reader to help us see how these biblical women use the banquet table to bring about men’s deaths. Each chapter includes questions for group discussion.
The Heart Has Reasons: Holocaust Rescuers & Their Stories of Courage, by Mark Klempner. The Pilgrim Press, 2006. ISBN 0-8298-1699-2. Hb., 235 pp. $24.
Himself the son of an immigrant who barely escaped the Holocaust, Klempner interviews Dutch rescuers, asking why they took the extraordinary risks they did to save Jewish children from the Holocaust; he also reflects with them on the shape of their lives in the present.
Hebrews: A Commentary, by Luke Timothy Johnson. The New Testament Library. WJKP, 2006. ISBN 0-664-22118-1. Hb., 402 pp. $49.95.
A thorough, insightful, helpful, and readable treatment of the Letter to the Hebrews, interpreted with significant insight from early writers and thinkers in the Church.
In Good and Generous Faith: Christian Responses to Religious Pluralism, by Kenneth Cracknell. Pilgrim, 2006. ISBN 0-8298-1721-2. Hb., 265 pp. $35.
A useful resource for shaping a multifaceted approach to interfaith conversation for Christians and others, considering issues such as salvation history, Christology, ethics, spirituality, and missiology.
Jesus’ Family Values, by Deirdre Good. Seabury, 2006. ISBN 1-59627-027-6. Pb., 159 pp. $15.
A useful summary of the complexity of family portraits within the witness of Scripture, which challenges the narrower versions of “family values” often touted today.
Leading Lives That Matter: What We Should Do and Who We Should Be, edited by Mark R. Schwehn and Dorothy C. Bass. Eerdmans, 2006. ISBN 0-8028-3256-3. Hb., 545 pp. $40.
Schwehn and Bass bring together voices from across the millennia that seek to answer fundamental questions of human identity and purpose. Contributions range from Homer, Aristotle, and Jesus to John Milton, Dorothy Day, Annie Dillard and Wendell Berry. An excellent resource.
Like Fire in the Bones: Listening for the Prophetic Word in Jeremiah, by Walter Brueggemann. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3561-2. Hb., 255 pp. $35.
Much of Brueggemann’s ministry has focused on challenging the church to listen carefully to the call of the prophets–particularly Jeremiah. These collected essays witness to God’s sovereignty in human history, simultaneously soothing and stinging as Jeremiah’s voice speaks clearly through Brueggemann’s reflections.
Middle Church: Reclaiming the Moral Values of the Faithful Majority from the Religious Right, by Bob Edgar. Simon & Schuster, 2006. ISBN 0-7432-8949-8. Hb., 258 pp. $25.
A clarion call for moderate-to-progressive Christians to reclaim the public role of Christian faith in the face of environmental, social, and international concerns.
Modern Christian Thought: The Enlightenment and the Nineteenth Century, by James C. Livingston. Second Edition. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3795-X. Pb., 430 pp. $29. AND Modern Christian Thought: The Twentieth Century, by James C. Livingston, Francis Schussler Fiorenza, et al. Second Edition. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3796-8. Pb., 544 pp. $29.
These two volumes offer a helpful, scholarly introduction to the major movements and contributors to Christian thought since the time of the Enlightenment, from Kant through modern and postmodern trajectories. Offers useful summaries and analysis of major contributors in this period of Christian thought.
On Prayer: Conversation with God, by John Calvin. WJKP, 2006. ISBN 0-664-23022-9. Pb., 146 pp. $17.95.
Book 3, Chapter 20 of Calvin’s magisterial Institutes is reproduced here; this section is introduced by John Hesselink, who helps readers see the pastoral heart of John Calvin both in Calvin’s prayers (a few are included), and in his teaching on prayer.
Preaching and Teaching the Psalms, by James L. Mays. WJKP, 2006. ISBN 0-664-23041-5. Pb., 189 pp. $19.95.
This collection of essays is a rich resource for anyone interested in the use of the Psalms in the life of the church today. Mays is a trusted guide, and his work here is pastoral, biblical theology at its best.
Red and Blue God, Black and Blue Church: Eyewitness Accounts of How American Churches are Hijacking Jesus, Bagging the Beatitudes, and Worshipping the Almighty Dollar, by Becky Garrison. Jossey-Bass, 2006. ISBN 0-7879-8313-6. Hb., 177 pp. $22.95.
A humorous, insightful critique of American church culture wars from a senior contributing editor of the Wittenberg Door; the subtitle says it all.
The Roman Empire and the New Testament: An Essential Guide, by Warren Carter. Abingdon, 2006. ISBN 0-687-34394-1. Pb., 148 pp. 16.
Carter introduces the reader to the dynamics of Roman rule, enabling us to see how the biblical writers aided their readers in living and serving faithfully in such a context.
The Sense of the Call: A Sabbath Way of Life for Those Who Serve God, the Church, and the World, by Marva J. Dawn. Eerdmans, 2006. ISBN 0-9028-4459-6. Pb., 315 pp. $16.
Dawn persistently calls for church leaders to embody in themselves what they (ought to) encourage in the lives of their parishioners: a holy, un-busy, Christ-centered rhythm of working and resting.
Theology Today: Reflections on the Bible and Contemporary Life, by Patrick D. Miller. WJKP, 2006. ISBN 0-664-22992-1. Pb., 137 pp. $16.95.
Drawing from his introductory essays in the journal Theology Today, Miller offers profound reflections on the Bible, politics, culture, and more.
Traveling Together: A Guide for Disciple-Forming Congregations, by Jeffrey D. Jones. Alban, 2006. ISBN 1-56699-319-9. Pb., 206 pp. $18.
Jones urges churches to reconsider their understanding of the congregation in a “post-“ world, moving the formation of disciples to the forefront of every aspect of the church’s life.
Understanding Islam: An Introduction, by C. T. R. Hewer. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3791-7. Hb., 256 pp. $35.
A balanced portrait of the faith of a billion persons today, focusing on history, theology, practices, and other aspects of the Muslim tradition.
Willing the Good: Jesus, Dissent, and Desire, by Paula M. Cooey. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3664-3. Pb., 220 pp. $20.
Cooey calls her readers to a life of sharing in God’s boundless love, which leads to a dissenting, reforming, courageous stance against all that stands over against God’s good way.
The Wit of Martin Luther, by Eric W. Gritsch. Facets. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3803-4. Pb., 134 pp. $7.
An accessible introduction to the life and work of Martin Luther, who considered himself a ‘court jester’ in the presence of German politicians, and whose humor shaped his reading of Scripture, as well as his encounters with friend and foe alike.
A Woman’s Place: House Churches in Earliest Christianity, by Carolyn Osiek, Margaret Y. MacDonald, and Janet H. Tulloch. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3690-2. Hb., 346 pp. $20.
Carefully investigating literary, archaeological, and other data, the authors situate biblical depictions of women in the larger framework of first-century society. The picture that emerges transcends the “dutiful wife” of the Ephesians household code: women as leaders and teachers, wives and mothers, and practitioners of hospitality in the early days of the church.
The Word that Redescribes the World: The Bible and Discipleship, by Walter Brueggemann. Fortress, 2006. ISBN 0-8006-3814-X. Hb., 237 pp. $35.
Brueggemann’s collected essays challenge dominant cultural images of aggression and consumption, offering a re-description of the world that is rightly narrated in the witness of Scripture that challenges the church to live faithfully in our time.
Barth for Armchair Theologians, by John R. Franke. WJKP, 2006. ISBN 0-664-22734-1. Pb., 183 pp. $14.95.
Part biography, part summary of Barth’s theology (including an extended summary of Barth’s massive Church Dogmatics) Franke’s work will be a very helpful introduction (or a good refresher) for the life and work of this major theologian.
The Bonhoeffer Phenomenon: Portraits of a Protestant Saint, by Stephen R. Haynes. Fortress, 2004. ISBN 0-8006-3652-X. Pb., 280 pp. $22.
Who was Dietrich Bonhoeffer? A radical seer? A liberal prophet? A conservative apostle? A universal bridge? Or perhaps a Protestant saint? Haynes considers the complexity of Bonhoeffer’s witness, and the multifaceted ways that Bonhoeffer’s life and work have found expression in more recent theological and ethical works.
