"The Courage to be Protestant"

Once in a while there comes a book that is so jam packed with critical information and dialogue that it is virtually impossible to take it all in. David Wells' book, "The Courage to Be Protestant: Truth-lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World" is one of those books. This is essentially a summary book of four other books he has written, and if they are anything like this one, it will be well worth our time.

Perhaps the greatest things about this book, besides it's content and argument, is how the author writes. The author is skilled in verbiage, vocabulary, and set up. Each paragraph opens new insight to the subject at hand. Most books ramble on, this one, however, was a nonstop tour through cultural issues that face the church. This is why I say that there is too much in this one book to take it all in.

As the title entails, Wells' attacks many so-called Protestants in Western Christianity. Such Protestants include the Emerging Church, the Seeker-Sensitive Movement, the Church Growth Movement, marketers, etc. Wells argues that to be an orthodox Protestant today, it takes great courage. Christianity is moving towards these other trends and to return to the Reformed tradition of Church and Christianity is to be left in the dark ages.

But that is precisely what Wells argues. These trends are dangerous and insufficient in meeting the needs of our day. For example, Church Marketing, the Seeker-Sensitive Movement, and others like them led to Biblical ignorance. Church members coming from such movements no less about the Bible than they did before going into them. They offer nothing but shallow, superficial spirituality, rather than hard truth that sanctifies the soul.

Wells' analysis is careful and thoughtful. He manages to pierce through each movement and reveal it's rotten core. After reading his words, one either has to be blind to ignore his warnings, or wise and heed them. Wells' theology is a return to orthodoxy. These movements are dangerous and should be avoided at all cost.

Perhaps my favorite section of the book (though this seems impossible) would be his discussion on the Self and on the Church. I felt that his chapter about the self really nailed our culture. The pursuit of personal happiness and selfishness is destroying our culture. As he writes, "we all became our own therapist" (141). And that is precisely the problem. We think we can fix ourselves. If we follow a 12 step program, as Wells argues, then we can be cured. This takes away the need for the cross or forgiveness, for we are the key to our own demise. As he puts it,

"here is salvation without sin, recovery without a gospel. All of it is, of course, humanism."

And he is exactly right.

I cannot encourage you enough to buy this book, read it, and cherish it. As a young minister, I intend on heeding it's warnings, practice it's suggestions, and impact the culture with the gospel rather than become the culture.

_________

For more on this book, the writers at the Said at Southern website is doing a series of post on this book. To read them, click here.

Also, the Emergents aren't too excited with the book and have responded with their own argument called, "Courage to be Emergent."

Recently, Mohler has added to the conversation with his own review of the book called, "On the Other Hand, Protestant Courage."

"Why?: Trusting God When You Don't Understand"

I have always admired Billy Graham and his family. It seems that almost all of his kids are involved in some sort of ministry. His daughter, Anne Graham-Lotz, is one of his children that has involved herself in ministry. I recently picked up one of her books and read it. The book is called, "Why?: Trusting God When you Don't Understand" and helps the reader overcome their struggles in the midst of heart ache.

It is a short read and easy to understand. Graham-Lotz walks the reader through the story of the raising of Lazarus and helps us understand where God is in the middle of our hard times. Overall, I must say that I was disappointed with this book. It seemed shallow throughout the book, and I never felt that Graham-Lotz really comforted her readers. What she offered was shallow comfort, not real comfort.

Therefore, I do not see this book bringing much peace to those hurting. It is a stereotypical book on the subject. God hears us, is shaping us, using us, and has our best interest in mind. These things are all true, but they don't always bring out the best comfort whenever they are dealt with in a shallow sense. Graham-Lotz offers pat answers, not real answers.

So though my respect for Billy Graham remains, I would caution the reader on picking up this book. And for those who want real comfort, maybe they should start somewhere else.

"Common Sense"

Liberty and a call to arms. That pretty much sums, "Common Sense," by Thomas Paine, which stands as one of the most important documents that led to the founding of the United States. Our founders cherished this little pamphlet, which they should have. Paine summarizes his argument for going to war with Britain and how government should be established here in America.

It is a short read and can be done in an afternoon. Paine utilizes the Bible to shape and defend many of his arguments, which is added evidence that the Bible was foundational in the minds of our founding fathers. This does not mean that they intended on creating a theocracy or anything like that, but it is critical that we know that America was founded on Biblical principles and not solely secular ones.

Perhaps my favorite quote in the book, which he repeats throughout it, is "virtue is not hereditary." This almost sounds like an affirmation of original sin (though it does not go that far).

There is much that could be said here, but the picture is clear: America's greatest attribute is freedom and whenever a nation stands in it's way, the people will united for the cause of liberty and defend herself against any foe. Paine started a revolution that I hope will continue so long as America remembers her roots and defends her liberty.

This book can be read for free online and can be listened to online for free.

"Alexander the Great"

Who doesn't know who Alexander the Great was? The name demands attention. His name and life will continue to be studied and admired for centuries to come. Unlike some (like Herod the Great), Alexander has earned the title "Great." Alexaner's conquest is legendary and no one will be able to match his accomplishments at such a young age in such a short amount of time. Despite what one thinks of his politics, philosophy, theology, or morality, one has to admit that Alexander was a tremendous commander.

I have always been interested in Alexander the Great, but I have never studied him. Of course I already knew a lot about him through my studies of Biblical history, Greek philosophy, Hellenism, and the rest, but I have never studied him specifically. And since Hellenism is what shaped the culture of the New Testament, I thought that it would be imperative for me to go back and to study this great commander.

I turned to Jacob Abbott's book, "Alexander the Great," (currently out of print) because it seemed fairly short (being that it was the first biography I would ever read on the man) and thorough. And it was both. The book did not seem short in the sense that the author simply said, "here's what happened. Next..." but rather, the author managers to combact a lot of information into a short amount of space. I would, by no means, say that this is the greatest biography I have ever read, but I would argue that Abbotts biography is a good place to start for someone wanting to study Alexander.

The author does not waste his time in petty controversies. Where such a discussion is needed, the author, instead of giving an analysis, rather points out the issue, where he stands, and then moves on. This is one of the reasons why this is a great place to start. Oftentimes, those beginning to inquire of a historical figure get distracted by modern debates over the individual and loose sight of the task at hand. Abbot manages to stay the course and walk us through Alexanders life.

At the same time, Abbott manages to chronicle the decay of Alexanders morality. When Alexander first becomes ruler, he is mildy moral and shows some mercy upon those whom he conquers. But as his campaign continues, Alexander becomes more ruthless, more of a drunk, and sexual devient. The decay of Alexander (though widely known) is always shocking to read about.

One of my biggest frustration with the book is the short remarks regarding Scripture, Jewish history, and how it relates to the story of Alexander. Abbott brings up Josephus' account of how the Jews in Jerusalem encountered Alexander. Abbott makes Josephus look like a dunce suggesting that Josephus made up his account in order to make the Jews look like their God was looking after them.

The story goes that the high priest at the time had a vision from God telling him that He would protect the city from Alexander. And so, the priest comforted the people with his dream and then proceeded to speak to Alexander who sacrificed and worshiped in the Jewish manner to Yhwh and the people were spared destruction and conquest. Whether or not this story is accurate or not is none of my concern. Josephus has earned his credibility as a historian throughout the years and this does not change that.

Abbott points out that none of the Greek authors makes mention of such a story. In fact, they seem silent on the conquest of Jerusalem. Therefore, Abbott suggests that it never happened. My problem with this is that this is how persons typically act in Greek-Roman history. Scripture, Jewish accounts and historians are dismissed automatically, while Homer and other fantasy writers are taken seriously. Many try to argue that Jesus never existed and there is no historical proof that he did (outside of Tacitus and many others of course). But what about the New Testament? The New Testament was written in the 1st century and contains pages of historical accounts about Jesus. Why do we have to write them off?

And so, my complaint isn't just against Abbott, but against much of the scholarship of this time period. Why do we take the fanciful writings of Homer and other poets seriously, which are full of references to the gods, and discount the New Testament, Josephus, and others as proposterous because it is full of monotheist language and intent? Do they not describe the time? Are they not sources as well?

Other than this, this book is a fine read, and I recommend it to anyone interested in Alexander. Though the book is out of print, one can read the book for free online and can even listen to an audio version of the book for free as well.

Letters To A Young Conservative

Since the release of Dinesh D'Souza's "What's So Great About Christianity?" a book I have read multiple times, I have become an avid fan of D'Souza's. His skill in writing and his ability to debate in a way that makes his opponents look stupid and their arguments even dumber is profound. D'Souza has become, in essence, the evangelist to the atheist, so to speak. But before the release of his latest book, D'Souza wrote another excellent book, "Letters to a Young Conservative."

The book is precisely what the title implies, it is a collection of letters D'Souza wrote to a young apprentice, Christ, who was inquiring on various aspects of conservatism. Chris' letters are not included in this book, only D'Souza's response and defense of political and social conservatism.

In a sentence, I would say that this is a perfect book for Advance Introduction to Conservatism. One must not be deep into conservatism to understand it, however, it is deeper than most introductory work. Each chapter is only about several pages and hits all of the major issues surrounding that topic. D'Souza manages to pack a lot into just a few pages. I couldn't put the book down.

Every major issue surrounding conservatism is mentioned in this book: small government, Ronald Reagan, multiculturalism, affirmative action and race, economics, Reaganomics, combating liberalism, being a conservative on university campus, politics, cultural engagement, the constitution and judges, guns, Abraham Lincoln, political correctness, education, gay marriage, immigration, Republicans, abortion, morality, self-esteem, and so on. Overall, there are 31 chapters covering virtually every major topic.

One of the things I appreciated about this book was the advice and the examples he gave of how to survive as a conservative on a secular university campus. We must realize that the university is hostile to conservatism and Christianity. Though they claim to be beacons of freedom, they are anything but. D'Souza shares with Christ how he dealt with it at Dartmouth and how he wasn't satisfied with dealing with it, rather, he engaged it.

D'Souza repeatedly tells of his days serving on the Dartmouth Review student newspaper, which was a clone of National Review. It's purpose was to combat the luny liberalism rampaging the campus. The papers strategy was simple: expose liberals by quoting them and then...mock them with their own words, actions, and beliefs. And they did just that.

I found myself laughing my head off by some of the things they did. Perhaps my favorite was their response to the university supporting a homosexual group. The Dartmouth Review responded by forming a bestiality group by setting up a president, vice president, secretary, treasure, and of course, a zoo keeper. They then proceeded to present their case before the university and were immediately denied their request. When challenged, they simply gave the same responses that the homosexual group did. The purpose? To show the inconsistencies of liberalism. The same argument that was made for homosexuality can be made for any other abomination. And in a very graphic way, they made their point clear.

This is only one example of this. One would have to read the book for more. But I will warn you, be prepared to laugh your head off!

But this is a helpful point to make. D'Souza repeatedly points out that the best way to engage liberals, is to quote them. Use their arguments against them. Liberalism is so ridiculous that one can use their one arguments against them. No need to do anything else.

In the realm of politics, D'Souza is a typical conservative. He loves Reagan (in fact, he served int he Reagan Whitehouse for a while). He believes in small government. He believes in the 2nd amendment, and argues that more guns in the answer, not less. Warns of illegal immigration. And he isn't libertarian. With each, and other, of these issues, he goes into why conservatism is right. He not only defends such positions, but goes on the offense. Conservatism has a record of working. Not to mention that our country was founded on conservative principles.

In the realm of cultural engagement, D'Souza is equally effective and fits the mold of the typical conservative. He is against abortion. He is against homosexuality. He argues that feminism is dangerous. Warns of the dangers of multiculturalism. Affirms the dangers of affirmative action and how it does the opposite of what it was to accomplish. Points out the hoax of the self-esteem movement and how it has failed. He stands for traditional morality. He fights off the environmental wackos, etc. With each subject, he brings forth powerful arguments that liberals must deal with. He is thoughtful, careful, and accurate. He always seems to nail it and puts conservatism on the pedestal it belongs.

I cannot emphasize this book enough. Again, for those wanting an advance introduction to conservatism, this is the book to read. For a clearer understanding of what conservatives believe and why the believe it, this is the place to start. And for a helpful guide, with humor thrown in to illustrate, on how to engage a liberal, secular culture, this is certainly one book you will want to read for yourself.

John MacArthur Study Bible

When I was a teenager, I had a Teen Study Bible that I really loved. But quickly, I outgrew it by the time I finished middle school. The truth is, we expect too littel out of our young people, and it is evident in the Bibles we label for teens. My youth pastor quickly realized that te Teen Study Bible, though helpful, stumped my growth in the faith, and so he suggested I get a real study Bible, namely, the MacArthur Study Bible.

I haven't looked back sense!

MacArthur is a well known Bible scholar and pastor and has produced a Bible with helpful notes thorughout the entire Bible to help the reader understand the text better. I cannot encourage Christians everywhere to go out and get this Bible and thank me later. It is excellent, and I have continued to use it for years now.

The Bible is available both New King James and New American Standard versions. I have both!

"The Practice of the Presence of God."

Humility and a kick in the pants.

That is how I would describe the infamous Brother Lawrence book, "The Practice of the Presence of God." I have heard about others reading it, and so I finally decided to give it a try, and it really kicked me in the pants.

Brother Lawrence is, of course, a monk. His every waking moment consisted of meditating on God, praying to God, reading from God's Word, and serving God. And so, who else could give us inside into what it is like to live in the presence of God?

I say humility because if anyone couldn't be more humble it would have to be Brother Lawrence. Throughout the book he offers to pray for his original reader, though, he admits, they may not do any good. This is not pessimism, but an honest reflection on how insignificant he is. He is not deserving of God's favor, nor is he deserving that God listens to him. Oh that we might recover such an attitude in our prayer.

Similarly, Brother Lawrence finds his humility in the cross and in the gospel. He says that he reflects on hell, damnation, and sin often for those are the things that he deserves. He has not earned salvation, and no good works can redeem him. He even points out that mutilating he body isn't enough to redeem one's soul. Rather, it is the cross and only the cross that we must put our faith in. Therein lies humility! The cross is the greatest breaker of pride in the world!

I really enjoyed this book, and I don't know if I will ever be able to read it without a lump in my throat. I am a wimp, as we all are. And this is one of those books that humbles me by reminding me of that fact.

If you would like to listen to the book for free, click here.

Mohler: Ten for the History Books -- Summer Reading [Part 1]

Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has done another post of top 10 books for [blank]. This time it is his top 10 books on history, Part 1. To read his list, click here.