Looking for a good book to read?
I’ve never done a year-end ‘top ten list’ (or ‘top eight’, for that matter), but I thought it would be fun (and hopefully edifying) to join the rest of the critical crowd, so below I’ve offered my favorite publications of 2008. While I certainly don’t agree with every statement made by every author, these books have challenged, provoked, educated, and frustrated me—but I’ve come away from each one with greater clarity and conviction. Here goes:
8. The Reason for God by Timothy Keller With the wisdom that comes from two decades of ministry experience in the heart of New York City, Keller carefully responds to the sincere objections of postmodern critics of Christianity.
7. I Walked the Line by Vivian Cash Granted, this book is only for the true Johnny Cash enthusiast, but as one who has virtually every known recording of the Man in Black, I found the (sometimes maudlin) memoirs of his first wife to be enlightening, as the rockabilly pioneer’s heart and hurts were exposed.
6. A Passion for God: The Spiritual Journey of A.W. Tozer by Lyle Dorsett How about the story of an unassuming, socially awkward spiritual giant for encouragement? The devotion and tirelessness of this influential yet lonely preacher proved to be a blessing to me.
5. Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be) by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. An ESPN veteran and an outspoken (yet thoughtful) young pastor address the claims of emergent leaders that are capturing the interest of postmodern seekers. They also coin my favorite new phrase: ‘maybe’ is the new ‘yes.’ I loved this book.
4. Christless Christianity by Michael Horton From the very outset, this book by the venerable professor, Horton, is captivating. Once you pick it up, you may just carry it with you wherever you go. But be warned: Horton calls to task some of America’s most popular preachers, even the ones whose books grace our coffee tables.
3. Don’t Stop Believing by Michael Wittmer Conservative Christians regularly stress the importance of believing the right things. Emergents say it’s what you do that counts. Wittmer tries to offer a biblical balance. And does so beautifully, while answering tough and controversial questions like: are homosexuals any worse than the people who torment them?
2. Young Restless and Reformed by Collin Hansen Once I initially plunged into this journalist’s detailing of the sharp rise of Calvinism among twentysomethings I could hardly put it down. A fascinating glimpse into the sociological, theological, and relational leanings of young, tattooed Jesus-followers.
1. ESV Study Bible Since it was published in October 2008 (and I picked one up on day it was released) I have not ceased to be impressed by the comprehensiveness of this masterpiece. Incredible notes. Insightful historical analysis. Beautiful maps and charts. Spend the forty bucks and get one.
5 comments:
I'm fascinated by the emergent discussions because I'm deeply drawn to how many of the congregations structure, conduct corporate worship, and place a strong emphasis on social and political matters beyond being a two-note choir that can only discuss abortion and homosexuality. That said many of them deeply worry me with their fuzzy theology.
I found the web site for the book you mentioned. http://www.notemergent.com/
It is a handy glance for anyone interested in the book.
Well said, Mark. I, too, am very interested in the influence wielded by authors of emergent literature. There's plenty in their books that I can appreciate and applaud, but just as much that frightens me, beginning with the attack (by some) on Scripture's authority and clarity.
Thanks for the comment.
JPS
I've tried reading some of the books by emergent church leaders and found them frustrating. If one of the emergent church beliefs is that there are no opposite morals (no dialectics; no good v. evil), then it's impossible for the authors to use reasoned arguments, which does recognize that some things are true and some things are false. Instead, the emergent church turns to fiction, or faux-fiction.
In that vein, I find many of the popular novels, such as The Shack, lean toward the postmodernist or emergent philosophies. They are doctrinal discussions with the trappings of fiction; I call them faux-fiction, or post-modernist doctrinal discussions, not real novels (as we understand the term in literature studies). Of course, there is enough truth in them that any Christian can read and enjoy and be challenged by some of the concepts raised. But if "the message is the medium," as Marshall McLuhan said then these faux-fiction novels are postmodernist to the core.
So, I predict that the only responses the emergent church will give to WHY WE'RE NOT EMERGENT will be a novel.
Darcy
Insightful stuff, Darcy. And funny, as well. You're exactly right, though; faux fiction is the new way of communicating for those who have a bias against propositional truth. I was delighted to read your comments.
JPS
Books are less for information now, they are for finding agreement with our own beliefs. The more we can find authors that agree with us the more we are settled in our own mind that our view is reasonable. The Bible is taken in much the same way. People look to it to find an ally. They form it into their beliefs instead of letting it form them. Then you also have the problem with tradition. There is no greater blinder. The people that are looking for Christianity without the bondage of tradition are subject to bondage of ignorance and offense and those stuck in tradition will never see past the veil. Your ESV Bible is as useless in the hands of a modern, post-modern, emergent, traditional, tall, short, fat, thin, whatever human being as a calculator in the hands of a 2 year old. It may compute the answers correctly, but the kid doesn't have a clue.
Fiction is the perfect solution to lost souls seeking a better place to hide. It can be transformed into the very thoughts of the reader. Everyone believes the story agrees with them. Warm fuzzies all around. Even if there was a story that shared the truth it would become whatever was in the heart of the reader. Free-will is such an oppressive thing isn't it. There were some of these stories, they were called parables, told by a guy, "J" something, whatever happened to him?
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