The Month in Reviews: September 2025

Introduction

Wonder. Two of my books this month had wonder in the title. One was on the spirituality of reading and the other on listening to classical music. Two sources of wonder in my life. One of the other sources of wonder in my life is scripture and studies on 1 Corinthians and Isaiah 52:13-53:12 were rich sources of reflection. On a different note, I thoroughly enjoyed a biography of Earl Weaver, one of the most colorful and effective managers in modern baseball. I also spent a good part of the month in R.F. Kuang’s descent into hell, which turned out to be an academic satire.

I was challenged by books on greed, ambition, and downsizing faith. Two books I reviewed address the crisis of sexual abuse in the church. A couple books explored Genesis and Christian attitudes toward science. Want to learn about the ichthus Christogram? I reviewed a book on that. Tony Campolo completed a memoir shortly before his death last November that brought back memories of hearing him speak and his influence on many of the students with whom I worked. Finally, I enjoyed a collection of Dorothy L. Sayers short stories and finished the month with an Agatha Christie Poirot mystery.

The Reviews

The Anti-Greed Gospel, Malcolm Foley. Brazos Press (ISBN: 9781587436307) 2025. Argues that greed is the root of racism and calls the church to economic solidarity, anti-violence, and truth-telling. Review

Paul Planted, Apollos Watered, but God, Christopher Sadowitz and Jim Harries, editors, foreword by Kenneth Nehrbass. Resource Publications (ISBN: 9781666764277) 2023. A theology and praxis of mission centered on vulnerability, weakness, humility, and dependence. Review

The Last Manager, John W. Miller. Avid Reader Press (ISBN: 9781668030929) 2025. A biography of manager Earl Weaver, his baseball career, his strategic innovations, and his feisty character. Review

1 Corinthians: A Theological, Pastoral & Missional Commentary, Michael J. Gorman. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802882660) 2025. A theological, pastoral, and missional commentary designed for all wanting a careful exposition of the text. Review

New Explorations in the Lost World of Genesis (The Lost World Series) John H. Walton with J. Harvey Walton. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514004913) 2025. Reviews his work, adds new insights and clarifications, and answers frequently asked questions. Review

Year of Wonder, Clemency Burton-Hill. Harper (ISBN: 9780062856203) 2018. A guide to classical music introducing readers to one selection each day with a short introduction to the composer and work. Review

The God of Monkey Science, Janet Kellogg Ray. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802883193) 2023. An evangelical Christian science educator explores anti-science beliefs and being true to both faith and science. Review

The Cost of Ambition, Miroslav Volf. Brazos Press (ISBN: 9781587434815) 2025. Ambition diminishes us while a life of excellence with proper humility ennobles us and enriches our relationships. Review

Safe Church, Dr. Andrew J. Bauman. Baker Books (ISBN: 9781540903976) 2025. Identifies the forms of abuse and sexism toward women in the church and practices of churches where women are safe. Review

Downsizing, Michelle Van Loon. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802884626) 2025. A memoir of a fifty-year evangelical journey and the unhelpful ideas and practices to be downsized to embrace an authentic faith. Review

Hangman’s Holiday (Lord Peter Wimsey, 9), Dorothy L. Sayers. Open Road Media (ISBN: 9781453262535) 2012 (first published in 1933). Mysteries in short story form featuring Lord Peter Wimsey and wine merchant Montague Egg plus two other tales. Review

Katabasis, R. F. Kuang. Harper Voyager (ISBN: 9780063021471) 2025. Two graduate students studying Magick follow their deceased advisor on a journey through Hell, struggling to trust each other. Review

The Ichthus Christogram and Other Early Christian Symbols, J. Daniel Hays. Kregel Academic (ISBN: 9780825448218) 2025. A study of the Ichthus Christogram, showing site examples, and their use. Review

World of Wonders: A Spirituality of Reading, Jeff Crosby, foreword by Carolyn Weber. Paraclete Press (ISBN: 9781640609457) 2025. On reading as a spiritual practice and how books may transform our lives. Review

Pilgrim: A Theological Memoir, Tony Campolo, with Steve Rabey. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802884947) 2025. A memoir of Tony Campolo, popular speaker. social activist, and college professor, tracing his theological development. Review

The New Men (Strangers and Brothers, 6) C. P. Snow. Open Road Integrated Media (ISBN: 9781504097000) 2024 (First published in 1954). The tension between two brothers involved in nuclear weapons research during and after World War 2 in England. Review

Lead Boldly, Martin Luther King, Jr with Robert F. Smith (Foreword by Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King). HarperCollins Leadership (ISBN: 9781400244102) 2025. Leadership principles from seven speeches by Martin Luther King Jr. and how they may be integrated into a leadership journey. Review

Accountability, Healing, and Trust, Edited by Kimberly Hope Belcher and David A. Clairmont. Liturgical Press (ISBN: 9780814688977) 2025. Papers from a 2022 conference at Notre Dame addressing the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. Review

Thinning the Veil, Shane J. Wood. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514009222) 2025. An exposition of the Book of Revelation centered on the idea that it is “the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Review

Behold My Servant, John Calvin, translated by Robert White. Banner of Truth (ISBN: 9781800405080) 2025. Seven sermons by John Calvin on Isaiah 52:13-53:12, the fourth “Servant Song” emphasizing his death for the sins of many. Review

Hickory Dickory Dock (Hercule Poirot, 34), Agatha Christie. William Morrow (ISBN: 9780062073969) 2011 (first published in 1955). Poirot’s secretary’s sister is warden at a student hostel subject to a baffling string of petty thefts. Review

Best Book of the Month

I’ve always liked books on books and reading but Jeff Crosby knocked it out of the park. His World of Wonders articulated everything about a spirituality of reading that has knocked around in my brain, told through accounts of books that have had a transforming influence in his life. And every booklover will love his booklists at the end of each chapter.

Quote of the Month

I suspect many think Calvin sterile and stuffy. I didn’t find him so in the Institutes, nor in a book I reviewed this month, Behold My Servant. Consider this appeal to his readers:

“Accordingly, let us learn to come to this source and fountainhead, so that we may draw from him all that we lack, Our Lord Jesus Christ has sufficient to satisfy all of us. We should not fear that the fullness of grace which he possess will ever run dry; he will give us his part and portion to each one who comes seeking it in him. Let us come boldly, then to our Lord Jesus Christ” (p. 53).

What I’m Reading

My son is a Terry Pratchett fan and he recently passed along the Discworld Novels to me (all 41 in e-book format!). I’m on number One, The Color of Magic. I think I’m in the “getting acclimated” stage and find myself enjoying things more as I approach the end of the first book. Recently, I started Patrick Ryan’s Buckeye, a novel set in post World War 2 time period in a small town in northwest Ohio. Early in my work life, I lived in that part of Ohio and visited a number of those towns. Ryan captures the feel of those places.

I’m just starting The Asylum Seekers by Cristina Rathbone on what it is like to seek asylum at the U.S/Mexico border. I’ve also just begun Gary Burge’s commentary on Galatians and Ephesians in the “Through Old Testament Eyes” series, a series I’ve really liked. Finally. Ronald Rohlheiser is a Catholic author I’ve deeply appreciated. Insane for the Light explores our final years, how we navigate the dark nights of our twilight years and how we may give ourselves away in these years, both in life and death. I’ve seen a lot of books on spiritual life that seem directed to the important mid-life years but few to our elder years.

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book. Thanks for stopping by.

The Month in Reviews: August 2025

Introduction

I began August by reviewing a book on godly play and ended with a book on the magic of knowing what we want–an interesting thematic arc! Along the way were mysteries from some of my favorite writers: Christie, Krueger, Innes, and Simenon. Then there were books on religious freedom, fairness, work hurts, and the hard issues the church needs to be talking about. Turning to more academic theology, I reviewed Kevin Vanhoozer’s marvelous Mere Christian Hermeneutics, a book by Teilhard de Chardin, and a study of the interaction of Christian and Islamic history, politics, and beliefs.

The month’s big book was Chernow’s Mark Twain, which I’m not sure I liked as much as other Chernow biographies. I enjoyed Tolkien’s rendering of three fourteenth century poems I’d not read. Gliff, by Ali Smith caught me by surprise–a dystopian work I found myself thinking about long after I put the book down. Finally, I reviewed a children’s book for those afraid of going to sleep.

The Reviews

Teaching Godly Play, Jerome W. Berryman. Church Publishing (ISBN: 9781606740484) 2009. An introduction to the Godly Play approach to the Christian formation of pre-adolescent children. Review

Tamarack County (Cork O’Connor, 13), William Kent Krueger. Atria Books (ISBN: 9781451645774) 2014. A judge’s wife is missing, a dog is beheaded, and Stephen is nearly killed and Cork must connect the dots. Review

Learning to Be Fair, Charles McNamara. Fortress Press (ISBN: 9781506495095) 2024. The ancient origins of the idea of equity in western moral philosophy and the historical development of the concept. Review

The Late Monsieur Gallet (Inspector Maigret, 3) Georges Simenon. Penguin Books (ISBN: 9780141393377) 2014 (first published in 1931). Gallet’s death seems that of an uninteresting failure until Maigret discovers that nothing about him is as it seems. Review

Swing Low, Volume 2: An Anthology of Black Christianity in the United States, General Editor, Walter R. Strickland II, Associate Editors, Justin D. Clark, Yana Jenay Conner, and Courtlandt K. Perkins. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514004227) 2024. An anthology of primary source writings on Black Christianity in America from the 1600’s to the present. Review

Religious Freedom: A Conservative Primer, John D. Wilsey. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802881908) 2025. A conservative case, arguing the spirit of religion and liberty are mutually necessary and best defended by conservatism. Review

Peril at End House (Hercule Poirot, 8), Agatha Christie. William Morrow (ISBN: 9780063376014) 2024 (First published in 1932). “Nick” Buckley has several “accidents” which Poirot believes are attempts on her life by someone in her inner circle. Review

When Work Hurts, Meryl Herr. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514010242) 2025. Moving through workplace disappointments and finding healing and hope through Israel’s journey of exile and return. Review

What Happened at Hazelwood, Michael Innes. Penguin Books (ISBN: 9780140026504) 1968 (first published 1946). The master of Hazelwood Hall is murdered shortly after Australian relatives join a manor of people who hate him. Review

Why I Believe in God, Gerhard Lohfink, Linda M. Maloney, translator. Liturgical Press (ISBN: 9780814689974) 2025. A New Testament professor testifies to the reasons for his own faith in God in the form of a memoir. Review

The Phenomenon of Man, Teilhard de Chardin. Harper Perennial Modern Classics (ISBN: 9780061632655) 2008 (first published in 1957). A synthesis of evolutionary thought and teleology culminating in a collective consciousness or Omega Point. Review

If on a winter’s night a traveler, Italo Calvino. Mariner Books Classics (ISBN: 9780156439619) 1982 (first published in Italian in 1979). A reader purchases a book only to find most of it is missing and seeks the rest of the story. Review

The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us to Have, Regina V. Cates, foreword by Paula Stone Williams. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802884107) 2025. A pastor imagines what Jesus would want to talk about with Christians in the present moment. Review

Mark Twain, Ron Chernow. Penguin Press (ISBN: 9780525561729) 2025. Beyond literary greatness, the complicated, brilliant, tragic, and sometimes eccentric life of one of America’s greatest writers. Review

Charlie Can’t Sleep!, Rachel Joy Welcher, illustrated by Breezy Brookshire. IVP Kids (ISBN: 9781514010013) 2025. A child’s bedtime fears prevent him from sleeping until his mom reminds him that God never sleeps and will care for him. Review

Mere Christian Hermeneutics, Kevin J. Vanhoozer. Zondervan Academic (ISBN: 9780310234388) 2024. Amid a variety of interpretations and reading cultures, articulates essential principles for reading scripture. Review

Gliff, Ali Smith. Pantheon (ISBN: 9780593701560) 2025. Two “Unverifiable” children meet up with a horse slated for rendering in a courageous attempt to find their way in a dystopian world. Review

Global Christianity and Islam, Wafik W. Wahba. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9780830851959) 2025. A study of the history, political relations, and beliefs of the two religions and how they’ve intersected. Review

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with Pearl and Sir Orfeo, Anonymous, translated by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien. William Morrow (ISBN: 9780358724209) 2021 (first published 1975). Tolkien’s translation of three 14th century poems, retaining rhyme, meter and alliterative schema. Review

The Magic of Knowing What You Want, Tracey Gee. Revell (ISBN: 9780800746223) 2025. A guide to identifying, clarifying, and embodying your desires, turning them into action. Review

Best Book of the Month

Gerhard Lohfink’s Why I Believe in God was my best book of August. This was his last book. He wrote not only of his belief in God as a scholar but as one who loved God. The book closes with these words:  “But above all I look at Jesus. To him I hold fast. In him I will die.” One of the marks of a good book is it makes me want to buy other books by the author. And so I did with Lohfink!

Quote of the Month

Sing Low, Volume 2: An Anthology of Black Christianity in the United States is a wonderful collection of writings of Black Christians throughout the history of the United States. This quote, from William Pannell’s “My Friend, The Enemy” describes the challenge for our majority culture in moving beyond our aspirations to transcend racism:

“No, this man is a friend. He’s against the KKK, abhors violence, supports the Constitution and is for Negro voting rights. We read the same version, believe the same doctrines, probably have the same middle class tastes, but all he knows about me–or cares to know–is what he sees on the 6 o’clock news.… I wear a suit as good as his, yet he sees me looting a clothing store in Watts. He knows something of my temperament as its mirrored in the behavior of my sons, yet he identifies me with the muggings in Washington or Buffalo. To him, the cause of brotherhood, the disintegration of human relations–civil rights!–is my problem. Mine, because I created it and I perpetuate it.”

What I’m Reading

I’ve just begun R.F. Kuang’s new Katabasis. In it, a couple of graduate students descend into Hell, which so far looks a lot like academia! New Explorations in the Lost World of Genesis by John Walton with his son, J. Harvey Walton reflects the development and revision of Walton’s ideas fifteen years after he began the “Lost World” series. Janet Kellogg Ray is a Christian who is a science educator who explores the roots of the anti-science attitudes of American evangelicals around evolution, vaccines, and climate science. The book is provocatively titled, The God of Monkey Science, a pejorative someone applied to the work she does.

Then I have been reveling in the riches of Michael J. Gorman’s commentary, I Corinthians: A Theological, Pastoral, and Missional Commentary. Lastly, Year of Wonder by Clemency Burton-Hill is a kind of devotional for classical music lovers, with a daily selection of classical music with a brief, chatty commentary on the composer and the composition. I like that she includes a number of women and lesser known composers.

Today is Labor Day in the United States. I hope it will be a good chance to catch up on some reading. If not, the earlier sunsets and cooler nights of early autumn invite us to cozy up with a good book.

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book. Thanks for stopping by.

The Month in Reviews: July 2025

Introduction

Looking over the books I read this past month is a bit like looking at a wildflower planting in full bloom. There is such a wide variety represented, among which are a number of books to engage the mind and delight the heart. My reading ranged from American intellectual history to oral histories of early major league baseball players. I began the month with a marvelous history of Black Christianity in America and finished it with an exquisitely illustrated children’s book on the theme of caring for God’s creation.

My readings explored both a narrative of someone who remained a Christian while interviewing numerous skeptics and of a pastor who has come to doubt orthodox Christian beliefs. I read biographies of John Hancock and St. Teresa of Avila. Then I reviewed a couple of well-researched and written books on marriage and sexuality. While reading some longer books, I appreciated a concise commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians, a booklet on faith and science, and a novella by Graham Greene. So walk with me through this garden of reviews!

The Reviews

Swing Low, Volume 1: A History of Black Christianity in the United States, Walter R. Strickland II. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514009369) 2024. A history of African-American Christianity tracing stories of social uplift and the lives of faithful Black Christians. Review

Kingdom through Covenant, Peter J. Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum. Crossway (ISBN: 9781433553073) 2012, 2018. (My review is of the first edition, the link to the 2nd edition with revised and updated content.) A biblical-theological exploration of covenants, how they are related and unfold the reality of God’s kingdom. Review

1 & 2 Thessalonians: A Life in Letters, Johannes W. H. van der Bijl. Langham Global Library (ISBN: 9781786410962) 2025. A narrative commentary based on Acts and 1 and 2 Thessalonians, on the first half of Paul’s second missionary journey. Review

John Hancock, Willard Sterne Randall. Dutton (ISBN: 9780593472149) 2025. A biography going beyond the flourishing signature to the critical role Hancock played in the American Revolution. Review

Corridors of Power (Strangers and Brothers, 9), C. P. Snow. Open Road Media (ASIN: B0DCPBFBZT) 2024 (first published in 1964). An ambitious member of Parliament challenges Britain’s nuclear policy in the aftermath of the Suez crisis. Review

The Marriage You Want, Sheila Wray Gregoire and Dr. Keith Gregoire. Baker Books (ISBN: 9781540903761) 2025. Building a rich marriage partnership marked by balance, affection, responsibility, and emotional connection. Review

The Glory of Their Times, Lawrence S. Ritter. Harper Perennial (ISBN: 9780061994715) 2010 (first published in 1966). Oral histories by twenty-six former players from the early days of baseball, playing from the 1900’s to the 1940’s. Review

Sexuality and Sex Therapy, Second Edition, Mark A Yarhouse and Erica S. N. Tan. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514010976) 2025. A resource for Christian therapists, counselors, and the church affirming the blessing of our sexuality. Review

The Life of the Mind in America: From the Revolution to the Civil War, Books One Through Three, Perry Miller. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (ISBN: 9780156519908) 1965. The first three books of an intellectual history of the influences that shaped the American mind. Review

Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese. Vintage Books (ISBN: 9780375714368) 2010. Twins Marion and Shiva were born amidst tragedy involving their mother’s death and father’s flight. Review

Why I’m Still a Christian, Justin Brierly. Tyndale | Elevate (ISBN: 9781496466938) 2025. After two decades of interviews with atheists and skeptics, the author explains why he still follows Christ. Review

Black Coffee, (Hercule Poirot 7.5), Agatha Christie (stage play), Charles Osborne (novelization). William Morrow (ISBN: 9780061739323) 2004 (Stage play, 1930; Novelization, 1998). Poirot is too late to help Sir Claud, who has been fatally poisoned and his secret formula stolen by someone in his household. Review

Becoming the Pastor’s Wife, Beth Allison Barr. Brazos Press (ISBN: 9781587435898) 2025. Examines the connection between the decline of female ordination and the rise of the role of pastor’s wife. Review

The Divine Milieu, Teilhard de Chardin. Harper Perennial Modern Classics (ISBN: 9780060937256) 2001 (first published in 1957). How we grow into godlikeness in our active work and our passive diminishment, toward the uniting of all things in Christ. Review

Black Knight in Red Square, (Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov, 2), Stuart M. Kaminsky. Mysterious Press/Open Road Media (ISBN: 9781453269589) 2012 (first published in 1984). Rostnikov’s team races to stop a terrorist organization from causing mayhem at an international film festival. Review

True Conservatism, Anthony T. Kronman. Yale University Press (ISBN: 9780300277036) 2025. A call to a humane conservatism that embraces enlightenment ideals without enlightenment prejudices or oversimplification. Review

Doubting Faithfully, Keith Long. Independently published (ISBN: 9798553814663) 2020. A memoir by a pastor who came to doubt Christianity and how he has proceeded from there. Review

Loser Takes All, Graham Greene. Penguin Classics (ISBN: 9780140185423) 1993 (first published in 1955). On a honeymoon in Monte Carlo, Bertram’s gambling successes force a choice between love and money. Review

Paul, Apostle of Grace, Frank Thielman. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802876294) 2025. An introduction to the life and world of Paul based on Acts, his letters, and other sources including archaeology. Review

Does Science Make God Irrelevant? (TGC Hard Questions Series), Hans Madueme. Crossway (ISBN: 9781433597978) 2025. Proposes that science and faith may coexist as allies and that Christian assumptions make science possible. Review

The Life of Saint Teresa of Avila (Lives of Great Religious Books), Carlos Eire. Princeton University Press (ISBN: 9780691164939) 2019. An account both of St. Teresa’s life and of her autobiography recounting her encounters with the divine. Review

Abigail and the Waterfall, Sandra L. Richter, illustrated by Michael Corsini. IVP Kids (ISBN: 9781514008928) 2025. Abigail’s family hikes to a waterfall, sees the creatures that live there, and learns to care for their home. Review

Best Book of the Month

I chose Abraham Verghese’s Cutting for Stone, a book from 2010. I loved his more recent The Covenant of Water. This story involves tragedy, betrayal, and redemption, set in Haile Selassie’s Ethiopia. Verghese has a distinctive “voice” and an ability to evoke a sense of place.

Quote of the Month

After coming across him most of my adult life, I’m finally reading some Teilhard de Chardin. I came across this quote in The Divine Milieu:

“God, in all that is most living and incarnate in him, is not far away from us, altogether apart from the world we see, touch, hear, smell and taste about us. Rather, he awaits us every instant in our action, in the work of the moment. There is a sense in which he is at the tip of my pen, my spade, my brush, my needle – of my heart and my thought.”

What I’m Reading

Speaking of de Chardin, I’ve moved on to his The Phenomenon of Man, his effort to integrate evolution and Christian eschatology. I’ve just begun, but I sense I will find this less “orthodox” than The Divine Milieu. I’m also reading a new book by Meryl Herr, on When Work Hurts. Specifically, she discusses various workplace struggles and disappointments and how we might think Christianly about work and calling in light of them. I’m also reading a couple of mysteries: Agatha Christie’s Peril at End House (Poirot and Hastings!) and Michael Innes’ What Happened at Hazelwood.

Finally, my BIG reading project is Ron Chernow’s Mark Twain. I’m 400 pages into this 1000+ page work. I had not realized the grief Twain brought on himself and his finances in his various business ventures, something he would have better avoided. Nor had I realized how significant his part was in the publication of Grant’s autobiography. I expect I’ll be reviewing this book late in August.

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book. Thanks for stopping by

The Month in Reviews: June 2025

Introduction

I reviewed a number of books of note, both current and backlist during June. In addition to Bauckham’s magisterial work which I will discuss below, I reviewed several books of import in the church context. One was on safeguarding from abuse, a second was on a Christian conception of family, and a third discussed faith deconstruction. Then there was a wonderful, interdisciplinary collection on justice and rights, and a study of the working homeless through a study of five Atlanta families.

Turning to more literary works, I delighted in a collection of the prayers of mystics translated by Scott Cairns. At last, I read Roger Lundin’s now classic biography of Emily Dickinson. And I read one of the few Wallace Stegner works I’ve not read. Of course there are the usual mysteries and a recent edition of Tolkien’s writings on the rise and fall of Numenor. And so much more…

The Reviews

Walking Through Deconstruction, Ian Harber, foreword by Gavin Ortlund. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514008560) 2025. What it is, why it happens, the phases of deconstruction and walking with someone through this process. Review

How the World Made the West, Josephine Quinn. Random House (ISBN: 9780593729793) 2024. An argument that Western civilization reflects a 4000 year history of the mixing of global cultures. Review

There Is No Place for Us, Brian Goldstone. Crown (ISBN: 9780593237144) 2025. The plight of the working homeless through the experience of five Atlanta families. Review

Justice and Rights, Edited by Terence C. Halliday and K.K. Yeo. Langham Publishing (ISBN: 9781786410023) 2024. Nicholas Wolterstorff in an inter-disciplinary conversation on the salience of justice and rights in Christian scholarship. Review

The Spectator Bird, Wallace Stegner. Vintage (ISBN: 9780525431879) 2017 (first published in 1976). A postcard from a Countess leads a retired literary agent and his wife to revisit the time they’d spent with her. Review

Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, 2nd Edition, Richard Bauckham, foreword by Simon Gathercole. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802874313) 2017. Argues from both early church fathers and internal evidence that the gospels are based on eyewitness testimony. Review

The Saint-Fiacre Affair (Inspector Maigret, 14) Georges Simenon (translated by Shaun Whiteside). Penguin (9780141394756) 2015 (first published in 1932). [Publication link is to American edition currently in print] Maigret receives an anonymous note of a crime to take place in his home town, and though present, cannot prevent it. Review

Love’s Immensity, Scott Cairns. Paraclete Press (ISBN: 9781640605886) 2020 (first published in 2007). Reflections and prayers of mystics from St. Paul to Julian of Norwich translated and rendered in verse. Review

Skills for Safeguarding, Dr. Lisa Compton and Taylor Patterson. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514010730) 2024. A guide for religious organizations to prevent abuse, act appropriately when it occurs, and care for survivors. Review

The Little Book of Data, Justin Evans. HarperCollins Leadership (ISBN: 9781400248353) 2025. Stories of how people have used data to solve big problems and how that might apply in one’s own work. Review

Emily Dickinson and the Art of Belief, Revised Edition (Library of Religious Biography), Roger Lundin. Wm B. Eerdmans (ISBN: 9780802821270) 2004 (My review is based on the first edition, published in 1998). A biography of Dickinson focused on her life and faith drawing upon poetry and letters. Review

Households of Faith, Emily Hunter McGowin. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514000069) 2025. Instead of blueprints of the biblical family, casts a vision of families as apprentices in love together. Review

The Fall of Númenor, J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Brian Sibley, illustrated by Alan Lee. William Morrow (ISBN: 9780063280687) 2022. The collected writings of Tolkien on the Second Age of Middle Earth, covering the rise and fall of Númenor. Review

Passions of the Soul, Rowan Williams. Bloomsbury Continuum (ISBN: 9781399415682) 2024. An exploration of Eastern Christian writing on the passions that may be distorted into sin, paired with the Beatitudes. Review

Trickster’s Point (Cork O’Connor, 12), William Kent Krueger. Atria Books (ISBN: 9781451645712) 2013. When Jubal Little, candidate for governor is killed by an arrow while bowhunting with Cork, Cork becomes a murder suspect. Review

Footsteps of Faith, John D. Roth, editor. Herald Press (ISBN: 9781513815169) 2025. A 40-day devotional on what it means to live in Jesus’ footsteps, published for the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism. Review

In Praise of Good Bookstores, Jeff Deutsch. Princeton University Press (ISBN: 9780691207766) 2022. A tribute to bookstores, their importance, and what makes them great from a veteran bookseller. Review

Curtain, (Hercule Poirot, 44) Agatha Christie. William Morrow (ISBN: 9780062074096) 2011 (first published in 1975). In Poirot’s last case, he and Captain Hastings reunite at Styles to catch a murderer involved in but unsuspected in five murders. Review

The Problem and Promise of Freedom, Steven Félix-Jäger. Baker Academic (ISBN: 9781540968142) 2025. A critical and constructive theology of freedom, basing true freedom in covenantal relationship with God. Review

Honeybath’s Haven, Michael Innes. Penguin Books (ISBN: 9780140048858) 1979 (out of print). Little does artist Charles Honeybath think that yielding his place in a senior home will lead to an artist friend’s death. Review

Best Book of the Month

As I alluded to in my Introduction, Richard Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. I thought this was an example of path-breaking scholarship. It was thorough, engaging other theories and objections. He makes the strong case that our canonical gospels either were written by an eyewitness to Jesus, or represent eyewitness testimony. That’s not absolute proof of the truth of these accounts but strengthens our confidence in their credibility.

Quote of the Month

Emily Hunter McGowin’s Households of Faith challenges the “blueprints” for biblical families propounded by many authors. She writes:

“With this book, I hope to speak a word to Christian families of all kinds that is neither a rigid, unattainable ideal nor an uncritical, feel-good placebo. I am not promoting a particular blueprint of family to which all Christians are expected to conform, nor am I trying to obliterate the notion of family as outmoded and useless. Instead, I am seeking a new paradigm for the family within the framework of the church and the kingdom of God, rooted in the Scriptures and the best of the church’s traditions, that I hope will be empowering and encouraging as we learn to live as households of faith today” (p. 10).

She goes on to propose that families are places where we are joint apprentices learning to love as followers of Jesus.

What I’m Reading

It seems that July is the month for reading up on sex and marriage. Having marked our 47th anniversary recently, you’d think we have this down. But the two books I’m reading right now are both worthwhile. The Marriage You Want by Sheila Wray Gregoire and Keith Gregoire makes the point that our teamwork in all of life is connected with the intimacies of the marriage bed. Sexuality and Sex Therapy is written for Christians who are engaged in helping couples with sexual issues. It provides solid information, which is much needed because of the bad counsel sometimes offered by Christians in this area.

On a different note, Why I’m Still a Christian by Justin Brierly reflects two decades of conversations with atheist and those of other faiths and gives his reasons for still believing in Christ through it all. I loved Abraham Verghese’s The Covenant of Water and am finding myself totally engrossed in his earlier Cutting for Stone. Which is better? I can’t yet say. Finally, I try to read a baseball book every summer. This year, I’m reading The Glory of Their Times by Lawrence S. Ritter. The book consists of oral histories from some the greats from the early 1900’s. While the positions and rules haven’t changed much, so much else has!

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book. Thanks for stopping by!

The Month in Reviews May 2025

Introduction

While spring time is the season of planting, this month of reading has been a veritable harvest of interesting books. One of these was Gabrielle Zevin’s, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, a sweet-sad love story set in a bookstore. It’s been a month of learning about the life of Jakob Hutter, an Anabaptist forebear, the art of Georges Roualt, the poetry of Luci Shaw, and the wonders of marine biology. Early in the month, I enjoyed a fine biography of theologian Markus Barth and a book on Christian discipleship by Luke Timothy Johnson. Finally, I finished the month with six reviews of children’s books, courtesy of IVP Kids. Believe me, these books are not just for kids, though I list them in a separate section below. With that, here are the reviews!

The Reviews

Tucker’s Last Stand (Blackford Oakes, 9), William F. Buckley, Jr. MysteriousPress.com/Open Road (ASIN: B0116EBXKY) 2015 (first published in 1990). Blackford Oakes teams up with mercenary Tucker Montana to block troops and arms flowing from North to South Vietnam. Review

An Incremental Life, Luci Shaw. Paraclete Press (ISBN: 9781640609792) 2025. Poems celebrating the daily moments offering glimpses of joy, growth, insight, and the quiet presence of God. Review

Imitating Christ: The Disputed Character of Christian Discipleship, Luke Timothy Johnson. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802883100) 2024. Contends our understanding of Christian discipleship has shifted in recent centuries from personal sanctification to social justice. Review

Markus Barth, Mark R. Lindsay. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514001622) 2024. The first biography of Markus Barth, drawn from access to his letters and papers, highlighting his theological legacy. Review

Judea under Greek and Roman Rule, David A deSilva. Oxford University Press (ISBN: 9780190263256) 2024. Covers the period from 334 BCE to 135 CE, Hellenizing reforms, revolts, Herods, and Roman domination. Review

The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel van der Kolk. Penguin Books (ISBN: 9780143127741) 2015. An account of the growing understanding of the effects of trauma on the brain and the body and promising treatments. Review

The Lawless Roads, Graham Greene. Open Road Media (ISBN: 9781504054263) 2018 (first published in 1939). Greene’s journey through Mexico to the states of Chiapas and Tabasco where Catholicism was most severely repressed. Review

Writing and Rewriting the Gospels, James W. Barker, foreword by Mark Goodacre. Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802874528) 2025. Drawing on ancient compositional practice, argues for for a “snowballing” process of gospel writing. Review

Until the Last One’s Found, Curt Parton. Wipf & Stock (ISBN: 9798385225439) 2024. An evangelical pastor argues that God will ultimately reconcile and restore all to himself through Christ. Review

Northwest Angle (Cork O’Connor, 11), William Kent Krueger. Atria Books (ISBN: 9781439153963) 2012. A family vacation is disrupted by a derecho, casting Jenny onto a remote island where she rescues an infant sought by killers. Review

Jakob Hutter: His Life and Letters (Classics of the Radical Reformation, 14), edited by Emmy Barth Maendel and Jonathan Seiling. Plough Publishing (ISBN: 9781636080901) 2024. Biography, letters by Hutter, chronicles of Hutterites, testimony, and Hutterite and government letters. Review

A Prophet in the Darkness, Wesley Vander Lugt, editor. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514011058) 2024. An exploration of the work of Georges Roualt and his identification of human suffering with Christ’s sufferings. Review

Third Girl (Hercule Poirot, 40), Agatha Christie. HarperCollins (ISBN: 9780062073761) 2010 (first published in 1966). A young girl disturbs Poirot’s breakfast claiming she may have murdered someone, then leaves, telling Poirot “You’re too old.” Review

The Last Romantic (Hansen Lectureship Series), Jeffrey W. Barbeau with contributions from Sarah Borden, Matthew Lundin, and Keith L. Johnson. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514010518) 2025. The influence of Romanticism on C.S. Lewis in terms of imagination, subjectivity, memory and identity, and the sacraments. Review

Abundance, Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. Avid Reader Press (ISBN: 9781668023488) 2025. A vision of an American future where we invent and build what’s needed and for government that enables rather than hobbles growth. Review

Reading the Margins, Michael J. Gilmour. Fortress Press (ISBN: 9781506469355) 2024. How reading literature may enhance empathy for those on the margins, illuminating the advocacy of scripture for them. Review

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry, Gabrielle Zevin. Algonquin Books (ISBN: 9781616204518) 2014. A widowed bookseller’s life changes when a rare book disappears and an orphaned child is left in his care. Review

Knock at the Sky. Liz Charlotte Grant, foreword by Sarah Bessey. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802883759) 2025. After losing faith in biblical inerrancy, the author returns to Genesis with all her questions, seeking God in the story. Review

Gutta Percha Willie, George MacDonald. Rosetta Books (ASIN: B07KX64ZB3) 2018 (first published in 1873). The story of a young boy who gives himself to discover his own work within God’s work and how he finds his vocation. Review

Makers by Nature, Bruce Herman. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514009802) 2025. Letters to students, artists, and friends on calling, making, and process, with reproduced works by the author. Review

If the Ocean Has a Soul, Rachel G. Jordan. Tyndale Refresh (ISBN: 9798400505843) 2025. Meshes marine biology and biblical insights, exploring the integration of science and faith. Review

Reviews of Children’s Books

Jesus Loves the Little Children, All the Children of the World, Tara Hackney. IVP Kids (ISBN: 9781514010495) 2025. A board book with a fresh version of this song and images representing all the children of the world. Review

Kaylee Prays for the Children of the World, Helen Lee, illustrated by Shin Maeng. IVP Kid (ISBN: 9781514009161) 2025. Kaylee and her grandfather learn of needy children in the news and struggle for words to pray. Review

Not Finished Yet, Sharon Garlough Brown, illustrated by Jessica Linn Evans. IVP Kids (ISBN: 9781514007952) 2024. While “painting prayers” with Gran, Wren discovers she can honestly share all her feelings with God. Review

Zion Learns to See, Terence Lester and Zion Lester, illustrated by Subi Bosa. IVP Kids (ISBN: 781514006696) 2024. Zion goes to work with her father at the community center and learns how those experiencing homelessness matter to God. Review

Birth of the Chosen One, Terry Wildman, illustrated by Hannah and Holly Buchanan. IVP Kids (ISBN: 9781514007020) 2024. An account of the birth of Jesus based on the First Nations Version reflecting Native oral storytelling. Review

Penny Preaches, Amy Dixon and Rob Dixon, illustrated by Jennifer Davison. IVP Kids (ISBN: 9781514008584) 2024. A young girl loves the big ideas she hears in Sunday sermons, aspires to preach, but friends discourage her. Review

Best Book of the Month

Makers by Nature is a combination of a theology of artistic practice and the wisdom of a master artist on various challenges of artistic work. All of it is presented in the form of a series of warm letters to former students and friends. Each “chapter” is introduced with some of the artist’s work in full color reproductions. This book was a feast for my eyes and heart!

Quote of the Month

I deeply appreciated A Prophet in the Darkness on the work of Georges Roualt. Roualt’s deep empathy with human suffering intersected with his faith. This quote gives a flavor of that:

“Paul Klee says ‘Art does not reproduce the visible; rather it makes visible.’ This is what the art of Georges Roualt (1871-1958) has done; his images have penetrated deeply into the human dilemma to find meaning and offer hope, helping us to see light in the darkness, making visible the invisible.”

What I’m Reading

I’m just coming to the end of Richard Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. Bauckham marshals extensive material to demonstrate that our four canonical gospels are based on eyewitness testimony rather than communal remembrances of the ministry of Jesus. Love’s Immensity by poet Scott Cairns translates the works of mystics throughout church history, a journey into loving contemplation of God. Skills for Safeguarding explores abuse within the church and other Christian contexts and the best practices to safeguard against abuse and to deal with it in a way that cares for survivors and properly deals with perpetrators. Every church and ministry needs to read and implement the practices in this book!

Justin Evans offers an entertaining and informative book on data and how the data revolution impacts us all in The Little Book of Data. It’s chilling how much data we give up about ourselves everyday, often without being aware of it. Finally, there never seems an end of Tolkien books! The Fall of Numenor covers the second age of Middle Earth, which preceded The Lord of the Rings.

If you’ve read this far, thanks! I hope your summer reading bears a rich harvest and hope these reviews help!

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book.

Introduction

This edition of The Month in Reviews for April 2025 includes 21 reviews–about as many as I can cram into a month. There were some long books including the biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer and a book on the next Jesus Quest. There were some short books as well including a book on Easter, one on reading by C.S. Lewis and Robin Wall Kimmerer’s newest. All were candidates for my best of the month. Between the long and the short were my usual collection of mysteries, novels, and books on theology. Some standouts included Mark Noll’s classic Turning Points, a recent book on recovering from purity culture, and a history of the bookstore in America. All in all, it’s a long list, so let’s get to it!

The Reviews

Habits of Hope, Todd C. Ream, Jerry Pattengale, and Christopher J. Devers, editors, foreword by Amos Yong. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514010709) 2024. Essays by educators on six key practices and how they may cultivate hope among faculty and students. Review

Religious Freedom in a Secular Age, Michael F. Bird, afterword Bruce Riley Ashford. Zondervan Reflective (ISBN: 9780310538882) 2022. Distinguishes types of secularism, opposes dismantling religious freedom, and proposes a new apologetic. Review

The Serviceberry, Robin Wall Kimmerer, illustrations by John Burgoyne. Scribner (ISBN: 9781668072240) 2024. A day of picking serviceberries leads to an extended reflection on natural abundance, reciprocity, and gratitude. Review

Easter (Fullness of Time Series), Wesley Hill. IVP Formatio (ISBN: 9781514000366) 2025. Explores the history and significance of Easter, not only as a day but as a season of celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Review

Finding God Along the Way, Christine Marie Eberle. Paraclete Press (ISBN: 9781640609891) 2025. An account of hiking with a group whose average age was 67 on the 300 mile Ignatian Camino. Review

Vermilion Drift (Cork O’Connor, 10) William Kent Krueger. Atria Books (ISBN:  9781439153871) 2011. The discovery of six bodies in an underground iron mine leads to facing uncomfortable truths about Cork’s father. Review

John of History, Baptist of Faith, James F. McGrath. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802883995) 2024. A historical-critical study of New Testament and Mandaean sources, developing a historical portrait of John. Review

Citizenship Without Illusions, David T. Koyzis. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514008621) 2024. How Christians may engage politically without giving idolatrous devotion to parties or ideologies. Review

How to Get Along with Anyone, John Eliot and Jim Guinn. Simon & Schuster (ISBN: 9781668033074) 2025. An approach to conflict resolution based on the five ways people respond to conflict. Review

Tending Tomorrow, Leah Reesor-Keller. Herald Press (ISBN: 9781513813356) 2024. Facing an uncertain ecological future by drawing on one’s faith and learning from creation, to re-vision how we may live. Review

Bring Back Your People, Aaron Scott. Broadleaf Books (ISBN: 9781506494555) 2025. A blunt discussion of how to reach out to those who have embraced Christian nationalism. Review

American Prometheus, Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. Vintage Books (ISBN:  9780375726262) 2006. A biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, focused on his leadership of the atomic bomb program and security clearance trial. Review

Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity. Mark A. Noll. Baker Academic (ISBN: 9781540964885) 2022 (the link and publication info is for the 4th edition of the book. My review and the cover image are of the 1997 first edition). Twelve decisive moments in Christian history along with twentieth century events that may be turning points. Review

Martyr!, Kaveh Akbar. Vintage Books (ISBN: 9780593685778) 2024. A young immigrant poet in recovery struggles to find meaning in a life after his mother’s plane was shot down and his father died. Review

Three Act Tragedy (Hercule Poirot, 11), Agatha Christie. William Morrow (9780063376045) 2006, (first published 1934). Two deaths after a drink, with most of the same guests present on both occasions, sets Poirot to investigating murder. Review

Recovering from Purity Culture, Camden Morgante. Baker Books (ISBN: 9781540904263) 2024. Exposes the myths and harms of purity culture and how to reclaim both healthy sexuality and faith. Review

The Reading Life, C. S. Lewis. Harper One (ISBN: 9780062849977) 2019. Essays and brief readings from his books, essay collections, and letters on the joys of reading. Review

The Bookshop, Evan Friss. Viking (ISBN: 9780593299920) 2024. A history of bookstores in America through the lens of fourteen bookstores or bookselling venues. Review

The Next Quest for the Historical Jesus, edited by James Crossley and Chris Keith. Wm. B. Eerdmans Co. (ISBN: 9780802882707) 2024. A prospectus for a new round of “historical Jesus” research: both foundations and research topics. Review

The Open House (Sir John Appleby, 26) Michael Innes. Penguin (ISBN: 0140036636) 1972 (out of print, link is to used copies available at ABE Books). When his car breaks down, Sir John Appleby walks up a drive. The mansion at the end is suddenly lit with its front door open. Review

John Henry Newman: A Life Sacrificed, Ida Friederike Görres. Ignatius Press (ISBN: 9781621646983) 2024. A study of Newman focused on the cost of his conversion to Catholicism and how it formed his character. Review

Best Book of the Month

Robin Wall Kimmerer’s The Serviceberry is a wonderfully concise lesson in ecology, the abundance our earth often produces, and the virtues of reciprocity and gratitude that calls forth. The illustrations and the typography makes this book a feast to both eyes and heart.

Quote of the Month

On Reading is a delightful collection of the essays, and shorter pieces C.S. Lewis wrote on reading. He makes this observation about why we read and why stories enthrall us:

“We want to see with other eyes, to imagine with other imaginations, to feel with other hearts, as well as with our own.” 

What I’m Reading

The Lawless Roads is the first non-fiction work of Graham Greene’s that I’ve read. It his his account of traveling through Mexico to chronicle Catholic persecution under the Calles regime. I find myself wondering how he will survive at times. Markus Barth is a biography of the son of Karl Barth, a first-rate biblical scholar overshadowed by his more illustrious father. I’ve enjoyed learning of his passionate anti-semitism as well as his distinctive ideas on baptism and eucharist. I’ve finally gotten around to reading Until the Last One’s Found by Curt Parton, an argument for evangelical universal reconciliation and restoration. It is well-argued, although I have not so far been persuaded.

Bessel van der Kolk’s The Body Keeps the Score is the sourcebook for many advocating trauma-informed therapy for those suffering from wartime and abusive PTSD. I’ve appreciated his stance as a learner from his patients and care for them. I’m also just starting out on a biography and collection of the writings of Jakob Hutter, after whom the Hutterites are named. He is one of our Anabaptist forebears and I’m eager to learn more of that history, often on the margins of most church history accounts.

I find reading more challenging to get during in this time of the year as I get my yard in shape, and tend our flower and vegetable beds. But I get to practice some of what Robin Wall Kimmerer writes of!

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book.