Book Reviews

The Future of Christian Learning: An Evangelical and Catholic Dialogue by: Mark A. Noll and James Turner
It is refreshing to read a book that is looking at two different views with some similarities but for the most part is talking about two separate perspectives and be able to have this discussion in a positive dialogue that will hopefully enhance both of the views and be able to bring them closer together to work for a common cause. Both Mark Noll and James Turner help to do this within the discussion of Christian educations. Noll represents the evangelical side while Turner represents the Roman Catholic view.

This is a good read working with the university level of Christian education. Their call to be about the process of learning in a faith based institution with an array of ideas, principles, and beliefs but set with the foundation of the Christian faith is something that all Christian educational institutions should be aiming for. However, for someone like me that is working with education and spirituality on a secular campus, this book has some good insight into the role of faith in our modern university settings.
This book is put out by Brazos Press which is a division of Baker Publishing Group.

New Monasticism by Jonathan Wilson- Hartgrove
This book gives good insight into the movement and really helps to draw churches and Christians back to a reforming idea of what it means to be a Christian in this day and time. This book is a good introduction into the new monasticism way of life and will inspire to live out the calling of the kingdom of God in your communities that you live in now. This was a refreshing book but also a challenging book on how we live our lives in this day and time. Some of the ideas are radical but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing at all 

This book is again put out by Brazos Press which is a division of Baker Publishing Group.

I Became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-shirt by: Vince Antonucci
This was a good book that was a simple read but enjoyable one. There is some good humor in it with some thought provoking ideas on living out an authentic life. There is nothing earth shattering in this book, however Antonucci is personal and straight forward with stories and ideas and what kind of life Jesus is calling us to. This is a refreshing book that was an enjoyable summer read. This book is put out by Baker Books.

The Faces of Jesus by: Frederick Buechner
This short book was a great meditation for me. These are six simple chapters about the life of Jesus (split up as Annunciation, Nativity, Ministry, Last Supper, Crucifixon, and Resurrection). He takes these stories and combines them with a historical view to help give a human view of who Jesus was.
He also uses artwork to help bring alive the stories which he tells throughout the book. Buechner really gives great insight to the stories that brings the life of Jesus to life for the reader. A great read for focus and meditation. This book is published by Paraclete Press.

Signs of Emergence: Book Review

Signs of Emergence by Kester Brewin is another book put out by the “emersion” resources with Baker Books. Personally, I feel this is the best work yet.

The front cover is eye catching and gets you interested by the sub-title of “A Vision for Church that is organiz/networked/decentralized/bottom-up/communal/flexible/always evolving”. So if your into that sort of stuff you are pretty interested. However, he begins this books unlike others like this by starting with a chapter called “Advent”. In this chapter he begins like this: “…But before the church can change, before I can change, before anything changes, comes waiting. A pause. A rest.” These are some of the wisest words I have heard out of a emergent voice recently. We talk about change in the church so much and in a fast pace society it is refreshing to hear the advice to stop…to meditate…to see really where God wants His church to go. Brewin uses other writings, poems, and liturgies throughout the book but none as appropriate as the words of waiting (which you will have to get the book to read the liturgy). He also talks about Christianity being evolutionary and not just revolutionary, which to me is a wonderful way to discuss following Christ and gives a good balance to the revolution idea (which I think is a great way to describe what Jesus was doing, however it does not end at the revolution but continues to be a life changing process that continues to evolve).

From there Brewin goes into a great description of the emerging conversation and the idea of church in this time and culture. In part 2 of his book he looks to a narrative approach and gives a great narrative of who God is and what his mission in the world is. At the end, Brewin shows God comes into the dirt and mess of the world with the emergence of Jesus and gives a beautiful link of the first part of the book to the narrative talked about in the 2nd. This book reminds me a lot of Pete Rollins’ book “How (Not) to Speak of God” (which makes sense since Pete and Kester are friends…good enough that Kester can post something on Pete’s blog about how great “Signs of Emergence” is).

I highly recommend this book whether you are into the emerging conversation and discussing church and how it looks in this day and culture but also for the casual reader as well. His first chapter on Advent is worth the regular price of the book. The linking of the whole book together is worth reading the book to the end and the information inbetween it is insight and study that you will want to have for your spiritual walk. But again, the first chapter called “Advent” is one dramatic change for a book on the church and a direction that needs to be made…to wait and earnestly seek the voice of God.