Rowan Williams Cowley Publications, 244 pages During the surreal time of COVID-19, I’ve turned to this classic collection of sermons by the former Archbishop of Canterbury written when he was pastor in Wales. It’s remarkable how these sermons continue to hold up after more than 20 years. They are rich in theological depth that probes human experience in the light of the gospel. For instance, his sermon “The Dark Night” speaks directly to personal questions about religion and God’s apparent absence. “Christians who claim to find God uniquely and definitively in Jesus are claiming that the roots of their faith are in a massive and total negation of false God-images and religious securities.” These sermons also address concerns of poverty, human sexuality, social justice, spirituality and the purpose of mission. To each of these subjects Rowan Williams brings pastoral insight and challenge. The church that continues post-coronavirus will need to learn from history how the church … [Read more...]

Everyday Prayer with John Calvin P&R Publishing, 136 pages Conversations with Calvin Cascade Books, 186 pages Donald K. McKim  Donald McKim has developed the art of condensing the insights of theologians into “conversations” for ordinary people — this time with John Calvin. Previously, McKim wrote about Karl Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the same format. And there is more to come! That’s good news, because Lord knows we need to linger longer with theology that is good for the mind and strengthens the spirit. The church is showing signs of decline in so many places, with worship attendance erratic at best, depending on sporting events and other “pressing” matters. Yet faithful pastors continue to preach the gospel and seek to lead the people in prayer and courageous service.  These books, focusing our attention on the best of Calvin, will help pastors and the people they serve by reminding us of the sovereignty of God and the centrality of prayer. How often have you … [Read more...]

Gil Rendle Rowman & Littlefield, 304 pages Gil Rendle has a distinguished reputation for outstanding consultation with churches and religious institutions. His books have long been essential for pastors and leaders seeking guidance for how to navigate change. None is more valuable than this collection of essays for what Rendle calls a “non-aberrant time.”  Ironically, this non-aberrant time in which we are living is “normal” in contrast to the aberrant time of the earlier era of the ‘40s and ‘50s in which most churches thrived. What is necessary now? Leaders with quiet courage willing to change in order actually to lead communities in this period. The old lessons of that well-known aberrant time no longer work. Leaders are called not to improve what they know. They are called to step into “unknowing” and learn what is needed in this radically shifting culture. This is difficult and demanding work; hence, courage is the virtue most needed. Rendle has an astonishing grasp of … [Read more...]

Thomas B. Slater Abington, 126 pages Any book that causes Christians to reconsider the importance of the Book of Revelation for contemporary discipleship is worth noting. Thomas B. Slater, an ordained elder in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and professor of New Testament language and literature at McAfee School of Theology, is convinced that faithful witness to Jesus Christ is the core practice described in John’s apocalypse. Witness, according to Slater, is central to the entire vision. Christians undergoing suffering and persecution resisted evil by daring to follow Jesus and bear public witness against all odds. This persistent witness, by its very nature, led to civil disobedience by those early Christians. Slater argues the same is true today, even though contemporary Christians fail to acknowledge this point. He presses both the left and the right to reject the violence in the Book of Revelation. It is resistance literature for Christians who are pressured to … [Read more...]