Mondays are for Book Ramblings….

It is another Monday, my face looks like I got beat up because of a nice case of poison ivy, my mind is still a little tired from Easter, and the world has almost too much going on for me to know what to comment on. So today I am going a bit differently and I am going to share some quick book reviews for what I have been reading lately.

Sin: A History by Gary Anderson

This is a sublime book. It traces the history of sin, the metaphors that we have used to talk about sin, and the imagery associated with it from ancient times to our own. His discourse shows how our understanding of sin has shifted amidst religious upheaval and reformation. This is a scholarly work, but beautiful literature at the same time. It is a great help to preachers and theologians, especially, as we try to understand sin and find ways of communicating our need for salvation.

Embracing Grace by Scot McKnight

This book, published back in 2005 has been sitting on my shelf for a couple of years. I finally picked it up and found that I had been missing out on an wonderful book. I love just about everything that Scot writes, but this book in particular is one of the most well written examinations of the gospel that I have encountered. This is a book that lay people and pastors alike can truly enjoy and benefit from.

Man and Woman, One in Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Paul’s Letters

Wow! This book is thorough, in depth and completely amazing. If you want to unpack Paul’s theology of women and their role in ministry there isn’t really another book I could recommend above this one. It is no quick read and it is not written for the casual theologian, but it is a gift to the church concerning a vitally important issue.

The Kingdom Experiment: A Community Practice on Intentional Living by Bruce Nuffer, Liz Perry, and Rachel McPherson

This is the first book from a Nazarene publisher that I have ever reviewed on this blog. If there was going to be a first, this is the one it should be. This book is a great study of how to live out the kingdom of God as a community. It is a Bible study, a rule for community living, and something really unique. I was really impressed by this book and would recommend it as a small group study, for personal use, or for a family to walk through together. It is written by a group called House Studio that is doing some really creative work in writing and spiritual development. Check out their site here.

I, Sniper by Stephen Hunter

Stephen Hunter is my favorite writer of thrillers and his latest installment, I Sniper is another classic. Somehow the greatest sniper of the Vietnam War is still getting into trouble and making sure that he has the final word. If you are a fan of thrillers you really need to read the entire series, it is quite simply my favorite fiction series ever.