3.6.2017
Recent, ugly nonsense about those who supposedly cannot refrain from sinful sexual relations is pastoral cruelty disguised as kindness. The voice of Archbishop Chaput, by contrast, strikes a welcome and profound note of clarity and true compassion.
CHR Comment: A brief essay concerning the Archbishop’s recent book, Strangers in a Strange Land, reflecting also on the importance of this bishop.
Source: A Book for Me and All Protestants to Read | Carl R. Trueman | First Things
2.23.2017
Denis McNamara’s How To Read Churches is an extraordinary book. Subtitled “a crash course in ecclesiastical architecture,” it covers building types, floor plans, sections of churches (nave, […]
CHR Comment: A brief review of a 2011 publication.
Source: How To Read Churches
An interview with the author of “Assimilate or Go Home: Notes from a Failed Missionary on Rediscovering Faith”
CHR Comment: An interesting dialogue about Roman Catholic and Protestant views of mission work today.
On the scope of the church’s mission.
CHR Comment: Peter J. Leithart offers an interesting and helpful theological review of Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert’s book, “What is the Mission of the Church?” Along with Leithart’s comments, one does well to see that DeYoung and Gilbert raise an important question for the modern church.
Historically we see that when churches become focused on social justice and ecumenism, they tend to lose focus on evangelistic mission work. Their efforts and energy make them more and more like secular aid societies—which can be great and wonderful things—but they lose interest in Jesus’ goal (and the Spirit’s goal) for making disciples. This is perhaps best illustrated by the increasing emphasis on interfaith dialogues and interfaith worship services where Christians and non-Christians profess a belief in the same God while describing God in obviously different ways or by their efforts to redefine God. The mission in these cases becomes peace with other religions and even an express desire to end mission work. See, for example, the article page in the link below about “Interfaith Relations Deemed More Important than Mission Work.”
Jim Fletcher reviews Inside the Nye-Ham Debate, which took place at the Creation Museum. The debate is the latest installment in the century old dialogue between evangelicals and modernists.
Pitting evolution against creationism.
In this review Tim Grundmeier describes Mark Granquist’s new book but also notes the lack of publications on American Lutheran history compared with other groups.
Religion in American History: The Problem of American Lutheran Histor(iograph)y.
New York Times reviews of three new books, two of which have
church history themes.
M. David Litwa’s book describes how early Christians adapted imagery from Jewish and pagan art in order to depict the deity of Jesus. You can read a summary and a review at the link below. Review of Biblical Literature.
church history review 