My Books


Predestination / Foreknowledge / Theodicy

Introduction to Biblical Studies

Christian Doctrine (General)

Pluralism / Revelation / Religions

'Historical Jesus'  / Paul & the Law / NT Studies

Philosophy / Apologetics

Ethics / Post-Modernism / Culture

Science

Misc.

Don't forget the Heart-Bread area. There are also some book reviews.


Latest Additions (June 2005):

·  A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren

·  A Long Way From Tipperary:What a Former Irish Monk Discovered in his Search for Truth by John Dominic Crossan

·  Derrida: A Critical Reader  (ed. David Wood)

·  4 Views of Hell by Clark Pinnock, William Crockett, Zachary Hayes, John Walvoord (ed. William Crockett)

·  Freedom & Limit: A Dialogue Between Literature and Christianity Doctrine by Paul Fiddes

·  Hell: The Logic of Damnation by Jerry L. Walls

·  Looking to the Future: Evangelical Studies in Eschatology (ed. David Baker)

·     Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity by Larry Hurtado

·  Prophets of Extremity: Nietzsche, Heidegger, Foucault, Derrida by Allan Megill

 

 

PREDESTINATION / FREE-WILL / FOREKNOWLEDGE / THEODICY

·  Between Cross and Resurrection: A Theology of Holy Saturday by Alan Lewis ('systematic theodicy' at its most passionate)

·  Divine Foreknowledge: 4 Views by Gregory Boyd, David Hunt, William L. Craig & Paul Helm (eds. James Beilby & Paul Eddy), see a response to a criticism leveled at Boyd by Lane Craig in the book

·  God of the Possible: A Biblical Introduction to the Open View of God by Gregory Boyd
  
(A short but powerful argument for the Open View of God...see review)

·  God Who Risks, The: A Theology of Providence by John Sanders (a detailed theological and philosophical presentation of relational ontology as the best way to understand the God of the Bible)

·  Grace of God, Will of Man, (ed. Clark Pinnock)
  
(Good critique of Calvinist theology...see review)

·  Kept by the Power of God by I. Howard Marshall (the Arminian classic)

·  Most Moved Mover: A Theology of God's Openness by Clark Pinnock (more or less an elaboration of his chapt.3 in Openness of God, Pinnock includes a mild lashing-out at his conservative opponents, an endorsement of divine embodiment [nowhere near developed] and pleas to reexamine the traditional view of God and learn from the strengths of openness.)

·  Openness of God, The: A Biblical Challenge to the Traditional Understanding of God by Richard Rice, John Sanders, Clark Pinnock, William Hasker & David Basinger (ed. Clark Pinnock)
    (One of the first systematic and holistic considerations of the view that the future is not exhaustively foreknown by God, generated loads of controversy...see review)

·  Predestination & Free-Will: Four Views on Divine Sovereignity & Human Freedom by John Feinberg, Norman Geisler, Bruce Reichenbach & Clark Pinnock (ed. Randall Basinger & David Basinger) (another good theological crossfire session...see review)

·  Satan & the Problem of Evil: Constructing a Trinitarian Warfare Theodicy by Gregory Boyd (sequel to God At War)

·  Searching for an Adequate God: A Dialogue Between Process and Free Will Theists (ed. John Cobb, Jr. & Clark Pinnock)

·  Together Bound: God, History & The Religious Community by Frank Kirkpatrick

 
INTRO TO BIBLICAL STUDIES

·  Bible Jesus Read, The by Philip Yancey
    (Good heart-warming intro to the genres and some specific books of the  Old Testament.  As usual, Yancey writes with lots of passion, offering thoughtful answers even as he raises many new questions.  Overall, a wonderful nudge for anyone needing inspiration to dig into the OT)

·  Hard Sayings of Jesus by F.F. Bruce

·  Hard Sayings of the Old Testament by Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.

·  How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart

·  Into God's Presence: Prayer in the New Testament (ed. Richard Longenecker) (contributors include Ramsey Michaels, Wright, Bauckham; good scholarly spotlight on prayer...haven't come across many books like this)

·  Prophets, The by Abraham Heschel

·  Reflections on the Psalms by C.S. Lewis

·  Suffering of God, The (Overtures to Biblical Theology) by Terence Fretheim (a landmark book on the divine pathos and how the OT sets forth a God of and powerful and Self-giving love)

·  Survey of Old Testament Introduction, A by Gleason L. Archer

 

CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE

·  Actuality of the Atonement, The: A Study of Metaphor, Rationality and the Christian Tradition by Colin Gunton

·  Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? by Richard Gaffin Jr., Robert Saucy, Sam Storms, Douglas Oss (ed. Wayne Grudem)

·  God At War: The Bible & Spiritual Conflict by Gregory Boyd (one of the few scholarly works on the topic and almost certainly one of the best.  Puts forth the warfare worldview as Biblically central, with implications for the sovereignity of God, the problem of evil, the Christian response to the POE, etc.  Read Boyd's own write-up on what the book is about)

·  Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit by Clark Pinnock (a concise 'systematic theology' package with the Spirit as a constant focal point.  Pinnock can appear simplistic at times; this book certainly isn't for anyone looking for an in-depth study.)

·  Mangoes or Bananas? by Hwa Yung (contains a useful survey of contemporary Asian theologies)

·  Past Event and Present Salvation: The Christian Idea of Atonement by Paul Fiddes (seeks to expand on Abelard's theory, emphasizing the transforming power of the love of Christ)

·  Rediscovering the Scandal of the Cross: Atonement in New Testament and Contemporary Contexts by Joel Green & Mark Baker (this and Hengel's book on crucifixion were inspired purchases after listening to Glenn Miller's lectures on the Work of Christ on the Cross)

·  Show Them No Mercy (ed. Stanley Gundry)

·  Spiritual Theology: A Systematic Study of the Christian Life by Simon Chan

 

PLURALISM / REVELATION / WORLD RELIGIONS

·  Can Evangelicals Learn From World Religions?: Jesus, Revelation & Religious Traditions by Gerald McDermott

·  Clark Pinnock on Biblical Authority: An Evolving Position by Ray Roennfeldt

·  Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World by John Hick, Clark Pinnock, Alister McGrath, R. Douglas Geivett & W. Gary Phillips (ed. Dennis Okholm & Timothy Phillips)

·  Gospel According to Rome, The by James McCarthy (good if at times 'over-passionate' introduction of the tensions between Roman Catholicism and Scripture)

·  Tapestry of Faiths, The: The Common Threads Between Christianity and World Religions by Winfried Corduan (good overview of the major religious traditions and teachings plus comparison with Christianity; enters somewhat into the inclusivist-exclusivist debate, though IMO Corduan appears better at analyzing religion than Christian theology per se)

·  What About Those Who Have Never Heard?: Three Views on the Destiny of the Unevangelised by John Sanders, Gabriel Fackre & Ronald Nash (ed. John Sanders)

·  Who Can Be Saved? Reassessing Salvation in Christ & World Religions by Terrance Tiessen

·  Wideness in God's Mercy, A: The Finality of Jesus Christ in a World of Religions by Clark Pinnock (one of the first modern reassertions of the inclusivistic paradigm of salvation - necessary reading, even if one heavily disagrees)


THE 'JESUS QUEST' / PAUL & LAW / NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES

·  Case for Christ, The: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus by Lee Strobel (I got this mainly for the warm personal glimpses of the key figures in NT/'Jesus Quest' scholarship; a superb intro for anyone curious about the evidence for Jesus' death and resurrection, overall NT reliability, the 'biasness' of the NT writers, etc. )

·  Christology: A Biblical, Historical & Systematic Study of Jesus Christ by Gerald O'Collins

·  Climax of the Covenant, The: Christ & the Law in Pauline Theology by N.T. Wright (got this mainly to rekindle the inspiration and lessons from 5 Views of Law & Gospel, but I'm getting a lot more than I originally intended)

·  Communities of the Last Days: The Dead Sea Scrolls, The New Testament & the Story of Israel by C. Marvin Pate

·  Companions & Competitors (Marginal Jew, A: Rethinking the Historical Jesus, Vol 3) by John Meier

·  Crucifixion & the Folly of the Message of the Cross by Martin Hengel

·  Cynic Sage or the Son of God?: Recovering the Real Jesus in an Age of Revisionist Replies by Gregory Boyd
    (An absolute requirement for newcomers to the Jesus Quest...see review)

·  Did Christ Rise From the Dead?: The Resurrection Debate by Gary Habermas & Anthony Flew (ed.Terry Miethe) (the book's out-of-print for now, but it's sure worth hunting down.  The main focus of the debate was the creed of 1Cor 15:1-15, almost everyone agrees that Flew got slaughtered here; also worth reading are Habermas' responses to Pannenberg, Hartshorne and Packer at the close)

·  Doctrine and Practice in the Early Church by Stuart Hall

·  Five Views on Law & Gospel by William vanGemeren, Greg Bahnsen, Walter C. Kaiser Jr.,  Wayne Strickland & Douglas Moo (ed. Wayne Strickland)  (Detailed but disappointing...see why)

·  Irony of Galatians, The: Paul's Letter in First-Century Context by Mark Nanos (exhaustive in its scrutiny of the key issues and the prevailing views, critically creative in its new proposal; on the heels of 'Mystery of Romans', this is another sure landmark by Nanos)

·  Jesus & the Restoration of Israel: A Critical Assessment of N.T. Wright's 'Jesus & the Victory of God' (ed. Carey C. Newman)

·  Jesus & the Victory of God: Christian Origins and the Question of God, Vol.2 by N.T. Wright (widely - and rightly, IMO - hailed to be the definitive work on the historical Jesus)

·  Jesus, Paul & the Law: Studies in Mark and Galatians by James Dunn (pioneering work on the 'New Perspective' of the law)

·  Jesus the Miracle-Worker: A Historical and Theological Study by Graham Twelftree

·  Jesus the Radical by R.T. France

·  Mystery of Romans, The: The Jewish Context of Paul's Letter by Mark Nanos (fresh new proposal for understanding the 'weak' and 'strong' in Romans 15, with heavy implications for Paul's view of the Law)

·  New Testament & The People of God, The: Christian Origins & the Question of God, Vol. 1 by N.T. Wright

·  Paul: Follower of Jesus or Founder of Christianity? by David Wenham

·  Paul & the Law: A Contextual Approach by Frank Thielman

·  Paul Quest, The: The Renewed Search for the Jew of Tarsus by Ben Witherington III

·  Resurrection of the Son of God, The: Christian Origins & the Question of God, Vol. 3 by N.T. Wright (not as powerful than JVG, but intellectually breath-taking nonetheless...Wright, in his trademark intellectual strength and 'sovereignity', examines and gives strong insights on every relevant passage on the Resurrection)

·  What Saint Paul Really Said: Was Paul of Tarsus the Real Founder of Christianity? by N.T. Wright

·  Who Was Jesus? by N.T. Wright (his brief scholarly dismissal of Thiering, Wilson and Spong)


PHILOSOPHY / EPISTEMOLOGY / APOLOGETICS

·  Can Man Live Without God? by Ravi Zacharias (absolutely deserving of his 'title' as the new C.S. Lewis)

·  Classical Apologetics: A Rational Defense of the Christian Faith and a Critique of Presuppositional Apologetics by John Gerstner, R.C. Sproul & Arthur Lindsley (details the ontological, cosmological and teleological argument, and devotes about 60% to demonstrate the internal incoherency of the work of Cornelius van Til; one serious issue I have with the book is how dependent its arguments seem to be on the view that divine miracles have ceased in the post-apostolic age, failing which they lack holisticness.   Check out Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? to see how vulnerable such a  theology is.)

·  Disappointment with God by Philip Yancey (still one of the most engaging and moving apologetics cum reflection-on-Life books I've ever read; Yancey's work overflows with sincere compassion, intense empathy, non-stop self-questioning and honest humility.)

·  Divine Disclosure: Philosophical Reflections on the Claim that God Speaks by Nicholas Wolterstorff

·  Epistemology: Becoming Intellectually Virtuous by W.Jay Wood

·  Five Views of Apologetics by William Lane Craig, Gary Habermas, Paul Feinberg, John Frame & Kelly James Clark (ed. Steven Cowan) (top scholars seek to establish the method/approach for apologetics; it's not always clear that they're keeping their eyes on the same ball, but it's still an excellent five-way debate)

·  God-Talk: An Examination of the Language & Logic of Theology by John MacQuarrie (no longer in print, but still widely used/quoted)

·  God in the Dock (and other essays) by C.S. Lewis

·  Irrational Man: A Study in Existential Philosophy by William Barrett

·  Letters From A Skeptic by Edward Boyd & Gregory Boyd (popular apologetics at its warmest and finest)

·  Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

·  Miracles by C.S. Lewis

·  Mormon Defenders, The: How Latter-Day Saint Apologists Misinterpret the Bible by James Patrick Holding

·  Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton (wanna read the online version?)

·  Philosophy & The Christian Faith: A Historical Sketch From The Middle Ages To The Present Day by Colin Brown (I found the 'sketches' just a little too brief, but it's still a good place to go for an intro to philosophy and how it integrated with, challenged or aided the development of the faith over the centuries)

·  Problem of Pain, The by C.S. Lewis

·  Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth & Apologetics by William Lane Craig (very detailed introduction)

·  Wittgenstein by Anthony Kenny (a concise but detailed introduction to Wittgenstein's earlier and later philosophy, focusing on the philosophy of language and other minds)

·  Wittgenstein: A Critical Reader (Blackwell Critical Reader Series) ed. Hans Johann Glock

·  Wittgenstein: A Religious Point of View? by Norman Malcolm (includes a critique of Chomsky - by Malcolm - and one of Malcolm, by Peter Geach)

·  Working Through Derrida (ed. Gary B. Madison) (contributors include Rorty, Willard, Searle and Caputo)

 

 


ETHICS / POST-MODERNISM / CULTURE

 

·  After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory by Alasdair MacIntyre (the classic on narrative ethics)

·  Abolition of Man, The by C.S. Lewis

·  Beyond Foundationalism: Shaping Theology in a Postmodern Context by Stanley Grenz & John Franke

·  Christian Ethics: Options & Issues by Norman Geisler

·  Christians in a .Com World: Getting Connected Without Being Consumed by Gene Edward Veith, Jr. & Chris Stamper

·  Church in Emerging Culture, The: Five Perspectives by Andy Crouch, Michael Horton, Brian McLaren, Frederica Matthews-Greene, Erwin Raphael McManus (ed. Leonard Sweet)

·  Church on the Other Side, The: Doing Ministry in the Postmodern Matrix by Brian McLaren

·  Deliver Us From Evil by Ravi Zacharias

·  Four Loves, The by C.S. Lewis (try to enjoy this book the way you enjoy a Mozart symphony, by allowing its beauty and delight to flow through your whole being...Lewis' works are like music which you have to listen to)

·  Millenium Myth, The by N.T. Wright

·  Money, Sex & Power by Richard Foster (a necessary 'readme' for all disciples, no less in this age than those before)

·  Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought & Culture by Gene Edward Veith, Jr. (very useful introduction to the movement)

·  A Primer on Postmodernism by Stanley Grenz

·     Readings in Christian Ethics Vol 1: Theory & Methods (ed. David Clark & Robert Rakestraw)

·  Readings in Christian Ethics Vol 2: Issues & Applications (ed. David Clark & Robert Rakestraw)

·  SoulTsunami by Leonard Sweet

·  Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis (his autobiography)

·  Twilight Labyrinth, The: Why Does Spiritual Darkness Linger Where It Does? by George Otis, Jr. (evangelist and occult expert travels the globe to investigate dark and mysterious forces at work.  If God At War can be themed after 'The Bible says we have real cosmic enemies' then this book can be labeled, 'This is what I'm talking about!'...one complaint I have: it leans quite a bit on the 'speculative' side)


SCIENCE / BIOLOGY / PHYSICS

·  Battle of Beginnings, The: Why Neither Side Is Winning the Creation/Evolution Debate by Del Ratzsch
    (I benefited most from the sections explaining the issues and historical milestones in the philosophy of science; Ratzsch recommends theistic evolution which, to me, seems to be the only downside in this otherwise insightful and provocative overview of the Creation/Evolution debate.  Read the superb review by Stephen Meyer and Paul Nelson)

·  Biology Through the Eyes of Faith by Richard T. Wright (a balanced introduction to issues on Christianity and Science)

·  Dancing Wu-Li Masters, The: An Overview of the New Physics by Gary Zukav
    (Non-scientific minds - like mine/me? - may fine this a little tough-going but should nevertheless be delighted with this introductory elaboration of quantum mechanics, theory of relativity, etc.  Be careful, though, of Zukav's inclination towards Eastern mysticism by way of the New Physics... try to read something like this if you find yourself doubting your own essential existence, *grin*)

·  Darwin's Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution by Michael J. Behe
   (The book that launched to stardom the concept of 'irreducible complexity' and molecular machines.  Wanna check out some examples?)

·  Darwin on Trial by Phillip E. Johnson
    (A landmark book and one which all responsible evolutionists should look into closely...but hey if you don't wish to buy it you should still check out some of Johnson's superb articles)

·  Fearfully & Wonderfully Made by Paul Brand & Philip Yancey (see some random scribblings insipired by this marvelous book)

·  Ghost In The Atom, The (ed. Paul Davies and Julian Brown) (discussion on issues in quantum physics; extracts from a BBC radio broadcast featuring a number of prominent scientists, including Aspect and Bell )

·  Gift of Pain, The by Paul Brand & Philip Yancey
    (Dr. Brand's stirring account of his life and work among leprosy patients in India)

·  In His Image by Paul Brand & Philip Yancey

·  Intelligent Design: The Bridge Between Science and Theology by William Dembski

·  Mere Creation: Science, Faith & Intelligent Design (ed. William Dembski)

·  Non-Local Universe, The: The New Physics & Matters of the Mind by Robert Nadeau & Mefas Kafatos (continuing my fascination with the world of quantum physics)

·  Not By Chance! Shattering the Modern Theory of Evolution by Lee Spetner
   (
Spetner explains how information theory and what we know about the genome predicts the impossibility of random genetic variations being the source of macro-evolution, contra Neo-Darwinism.  This guy is great with numbers!).

·  Schrodinger's Kittens & the Search for Reality: Solving the Quantum Mysteriesby John Gribbin

·  Science & Christianity: 4 Views by Wayne Frair, Gary Patterson, Jean Pond, Howard van Til and Stephen Meyer (ed. Richard Carlson)

·  Seven Sins of Memory: How The Mind Forgets and Remembers by Daniel Schacter

·  Theories of the Mind by Stephen Priest

·  Three Views on Creation/Evolution (ed. J.P Moreland & John Mark Reynolds)
    (Get this for the discussion/debate over epistemology, what constitutes 'science', the 'weightage' given to Biblical as opposed to 'scientific' evidences for origins, etc.; Moreland's introduction clears up a fair bit of confusion over the issues)

·  Undiscovered Mind, The: How the Human Brain Defies Replication, Medication & Explanation by John Horgan


MISC.

·  A History of Israel from the Bronze Age through the Jewish Wars by Walter C. Kaiser Jr

·  Between Two Horizons : Spanning New Testament Studies and Systematic Theology (ed. Joel Green & Max Turner)

·  Beyond Death: Exploring the Evidence for Immortality by Gary Habermas & J.P. Moreland

·  New Horizons in Hermeneutics: The Theory & Practice of Transforming Biblical Reading by Anthony Thiselton (major landmark work on the topic; highly recommended by N.T. Wright)

·  Pentateuch in its Cultural Environment, The by George Herbert Livingston (recommended by Glenn Miller)


HEART-BREAD (for those beating after God...)
(The selection below also includes good theological material, but I decided to 'set them apart' for their primary focus, which was less to perform a thorough analysis of the God's Word as it was to pour His love, wisdom and inspiration into our everyday lives...)

·  A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis (written after the death of his wife; gut-wrenching, 'blasphemous', beautiful...for the love of God don't miss this one.)

·  Authentic Christianity by Ray Stedman (or download the book instead)

·  Business of Heaven, The by C.S. Lewis (good collection of excerpts from Lewis' writings, organised in daily-devotion format)

·  Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster (the classic work; visit Renovare, Foster's non-profit organisation)

·  City of Joy, The by Dominique Lapierre (real life, real pain, real love...see review)

·  Cries of the Heart: Bringing God Near When He Seems So Far by Ravi Zacharias

·  Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship by N.T. Wright

·  Jesus I Never Knew, The by Philip Yancey

·  Mother Teresa: A Complete Authorised Biography by Kathryn Spink

·  Practice of Godliness, The by Jerry Bridges

·  Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home  by Richard Foster

·  Pursuit of Holiness, The by Jerry Bridges (one of the key texts for all newbies in Christ, *smile*)

·  St. Francis of Assisi, by G.K. Chesterton

·  Screwtape Letters, The by C.S. Lewis

·  Soul Survivor: How My Faith Survived the Church by Philip Yancey (could be titled 'In Search of Excellence in Showing Grace'; continues the firm rebuke of fundamentalist grace-less churches; beautiful chapters on Annie Dillard, Martin Luther King, Frederick Buechner, etc.)

·  Spirit of the Disciplines, The: Understanding How God Changes Lives by Dallas Willard

·  Spiritual Secrets of Hudson Taylor, The by Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor (I read this whilst hunting for my first job after college; my oh-so-mighty corporate ambitions were unveiled for the pitiful rags they were in the light of Taylor's incredible life, which proved that persistent hardship and tragedy can be endured, that our mournings can become dancing again...)

·  Way of the Lord, The by N.T. Wright

·  What's So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey

·  Where is God When it Hurts? by Philip Yancey
 


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