Scot McKnight Baylor University Press, 236 pages Be forewarned: Anyone who reads this book will never again think of Romans in the conventional way. Scot McKnight has done a rare thing by arguing vigorously that Paul’s most famous letter is about “lived theology” rather than abstract theology. He rightly notes that Romans has influenced and shaped Western Christianity since Augustine and Calvin and Barth, all the way to the present time with contemporary scholars. McKnight is familiar with these voices, but he is determined to begin with the very specific context of Paul’s theology, namely the problem of peace between the weak and the strong. Reading Romans 12-16 as the starting point compels McKnight’s vivid pastoral theology: “Paul’s lived theology is about Peace in the empire, and it is a radical alternative to Rome’s famous Pax Romana.” The aim of this theology is primarily an alternative way of life. The early chapters of Romans set the ground for this alternative rather than … [Read more...]

Donald K. McKim Cascade Books, 158 pages Very few people will read Karl Barth at length. Barth wryly chuckled that he was not up to the task, imagining himself at the end of life pushing the wheelbarrow filled with his massive “Church Dogmatics.” Yet, Barth, like Bonhoeffer, remains an influential figure for pastors and congregants seeking theological guidance. Hence, Donald McKim has done the church a great favor by providing this brief introduction to Barth’s theology, continuing his series that includes Calvin, Luther and Bonhoeffer. McKim’s purpose is to “present insights from important theologians in a form that will be accessible and of interest to laypersons and those who have not engaged in formal theological study.” He has succeeded in that task. The method is plain: Begin with a quote of Barth and proceed to examine it more closely in a devotional format that is easily digestible. The goal is also plain: Help Christians follow Jesus Christ with joy. The book has a … [Read more...]

Jeannie DuBose Beaver’s Pond Press, 112 pages This is a lovely and wise book by a writer who knows the deep things of marriage. The beauty is that Jeannie DuBose is skilled in the art of tenderness and knows how to tell honestly the rugged journey of any marriage. Not only does she speak of what draws two people together, she describes those forces that threaten to tear them apart over time. In short, this is a book of art. One can linger a long time over the author’s finely drawn illustrations that evoke her story of a marriage. What is even more remarkable about this story is the uncanny way it evokes the experience of love’s journey in anyone who is on that path. And it does so in a way that is never maudlin or merely sentimental; the journey of her marriage is an authentic one. That’s why others will recognize themselves in it. Long-term marriages are rare these days. DuBose’s artfully told story will give you a glimpse into the challenges of sustaining love over a lifetime. … [Read more...]

Samuel Wells Eerdmans, 112 pages Samuel Wells is well known for his preaching and works of practical theology. Not as many people know of his pastoral ministry, guiding the congregation he serves to be fully present with the most vulnerable of their parish that includes the wealthy and the powerful. In this small book, Wells brings his wise counsel to those seeking to live fully alive with wonder and purpose. Wells encourages us to pay attention to our place in the universe, for that is when one discovers humility. The language here is direct. “Be a person of wonder,” he writes. “Every day, discover more about God’s goodness, truth, and beauty — in Scripture, in history, in the world, in the universe … and call that praise.” What is especially welcome is the appeal to all people, though he clearly grounds his reflections in Christianity. Wells writes with a winsome spirit that is compelling. Who would not want to discover the kind of full life that he commends? One comes away … [Read more...]

J. Dana Trent Upper Room Books, 112 pages Thomas Merton once said all Christians should be content with being beginners. Life is beginning again and again. Those in the Reformed tradition might call this sanctification: the life-long process of growing in Christ that is only complete in our death. The author of this very practical manual begins with her own experience coming to the practice of meditation as a skeptic, wary of gimmicks. She describes how she moved through reluctance to acceptance that led her to regular discipline. Few of us can escape the rattle of a noisy culture and only the wisest know the perils of a noisy world. In such noise it is nearly impossible to hear the still, small voice of God — let alone the voice of our own longing for peace and participation in God. Dana Trent has developed this manual to help Christians distinguish between prayer and meditation. She skillfully guides readers through 40 days of experimentation with five forms of meditation: lectio … [Read more...]