Being Human Rowan Williams Eerdmans, 112 pages Rowan Williams’ recent small books “Being Christian” and “Becoming Disciples” have been helpful in describing foundational Christian belief and practice. Here, Williams turns his attention to what makes us human and how we can sustain what is humane when it is being increasingly threatened. Taken with the other two, it makes a trilogy worth reading together. By the author’s admission, these essays are perhaps more intellectually challenging. Yet they are worth the effort. As Williams says, “Unless we have a coherent model of what sort of humanity we want to nurture in our society, we shall continue to be at sea over how we teach, how we vote … how we think about the beginning and end of life.” It concludes with a sermon on the ascension of Jesus. Anxious to Talk About It Carolyn B. Helsel Chalice Press, 128 pages Helsel wants ordinary white folks to engage the conversation about race in a way that propels them forward into … [Read more...]

Joseph D. Small Eerdmans, 224 pages Reviewed by Linda Lanam The “Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms” defines “ecclesiology” as “the study of the church as a biblical and theological topic.” Too often, however, as Joseph D. Small notes in the preface to his new book, “Flawed Church, Faithful God,” this study has been dominated by “the church’s proclivity to justify itself, to promote itself as a virtuous, holy enclave in sinful world.” Small’s goal, which he is fairly successful in achieving, is to shatter and rebuild (reform, if you prefer) that self-image to focus on being a witness to God’s grace rather than a provider of religious goods and services. Small opens by considering what the church was intended to be and how it became what it is. The application of biblical study and church history to an examination of both church doctrine and commonly held connections is effective in showing what convictions we share as believers, even when divided by denomination and … [Read more...]

Anna Carter Florence Eerdmans, 224 pages Reviewed by Sharon K. Youngs “Discovering God’s Word in community is one of the best adventures you’ll ever have,” writes Anna Carter Florence in her latest book, “Rehearsing Scripture.” Drawing on her background in theater studies, Florence, the Peter Marshall Professor of Preaching at Columbia Theological Seminary, invites readers of Scripture to move from examining biblical texts solely with our heads – and alone – to exploring texts together, feet-first, as the “repertory church.” In theater, a repertory company is a group of resident actors that performs a variety of productions over time. They each take on various roles, depending on the needs of a performance. By learning to trust and work in concert with one another, they provide, in Florence’s words, “a powerful witness of what it means to work together on a common vision over the long haul.” Florence applies that image to the church as a way to “breathe new life” into … [Read more...]

Karl Barth Baker Academic, 192 pages To call this a commentary on Ephesians would certainly be accurate. It would also barely scratch the surface of Karl Barth’s extraordinary theological reflections on this epistle. What is even more astonishing is the contemporary relevancy of Barth’s theological interpretations written in 1921-22 while he was teaching at the University of Gottingen. (This is the same period during which Barth composed his shattering-all-things commentary on Romans.) The reader is led deeper and deeper into the depths of Paul’s letter with line-by-line, word-by-word exposition. (Yes, Barth takes the contrary position that Paul is the author of Ephesians.) Occasionally, one is left breathless by the interpretation and compelled to rethink everything in light of it. While it’s accurate to say that Barth stays close to the text, it’s more like turning an infinite kaleidoscope to reveal the theological treasures of God that he finds laden in Scripture. Along the … [Read more...]