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The Month in Reviews: January 2026

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Cover image for "The Search for a Rational Faith" by Daniel K. Williams

The Month in Reviews: January 2026

Introduction

It has been a cold and snowy January here in central Ohio. So I am hibernating in my book fort (at least figuratively!). One result is the twenty-one reviews that appear here. There are some oldies. one title published in 2026, and a number from last year. Finally, I discovered the scholarship of Dale Allison, Jr in a collection of essays on Jesus. I’ve mentioned the discovery of Catholic theologian Gerhard Lohfink. Two of his books appear here in reviews.

I began the year reviewing a marvelous book on economics from a historical Christian perspective. Then I was inspired by by a memoir of a high school dropout who went on to earn five degrees including a doctorate. I read the first book in my Jane Austen challenge. And I enjoyed two very different books on Ohio towns–Ripley and Urbana. There’s more I could say about other books, but I know you want to see the reviews!

The Reviews

Faithful Exchange, David W. Opderbeck. Fortress Press (ISBN: 9781506467016) 2025. Economic life through biblical and historic lenses with attention to current debates on capitalism versus socialism. Review

Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen. Penguin Classics (ISBN: 9780141439662) 2003 (first published in 1811). Austen’s first novel, contrasting two sisters’ approach to love: common sense judgment versus more emotional sympathy. Review

Prayer Takes Us Home, Gerhard Lohfink, Translated by Linda M. Maloney. Liturgical Press (ISBN: 9780814688069) 2020. What Christians believe about prayer and the various ways Christians pray and experience God in prayer. Review

Nailing It, Nicole Massie Martin (foreword by Carey Nieuwhof). InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514009741) 2025. A challenge to nail “leadership as usual” to the cross, embracing Jesus’ way of suffering service, and the hope of resurrection. Review

The Study: The Inner Life of Renaissance Libraries, Andrew Hui. Princeton University Press (ISBN: 9780691243320) 2024. Traces the Renaissance study through the lives of bibliophiles, artistic portrayals, and the darker side of bibliomania. Review

Marco Polo, If You Can (Blackford Oakes, Number 4), William F. Buckley, Jr. Mysterious Press/Open Road (ISBN: 9781504018524) 2015 (first published in 1981). Blackford Oakes awaits a death sentence in the Lubyanka as a spy, part of a plot to expose a Soviet mole. Review

The Journey of God, J. D. Lyonhart. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514009246) 2025. A re-telling of the Christian story in six movements, exploring questions seekers, skeptic, and believers ask. Review

The Man Who Died Twice (Thursday Murder Club, Number 2) Richard Osman. Penguin Books (ISBN: 9781984881014) 2022. Ibrahim is badly assaulted by a teenage thug and Elizabeth’s ex-husband shows up, suspected of stealing diamonds. Review

The Reformed Pastor (Puritan Paperbacks), Richard Baxter. Banner of Truth Trust (ISBN: 9780851511917) 1974 (first published in 1656). On pastoral care, beginning with care of oneself, and then of the people, emphasizing catechesis through visitation. Review

Interpreting Jesus, Dale C. Allison Jr. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802879196) 2025. Six essays on Jesus addressing eschatology, Moses, miracles, women with Jesus, memory, and methods of attestation. Review

Beyond the River, Ann Hagedorn. Simon & Schuster. (ISBN: 9780684870663) 2004. A history of the Underground Railroad line passing through Ripley, Ohio, featuring the Rankin family and other townspeople. Review

How Did They Read the Prophets?, Michael B. Shepherd. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802885418) 2025. A study of Hebrew and Greek interpretations of the canonical prophets including Christian readings. Review

God Looks Like Jesus, Gregory A. Boyd & M. Scott Boren. Herald Press (ISBN: 9781513815510) 2025. In the life, ministry, teaching, and crucifixion of Jesus, we see the embodiment of what God is like. Review

The Common Rule Youth Edition, Justin Whitmel Early. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514010433) 2025. Eight spiritual habits or practices for teens and tweens to help them grow in their faith. Review

The Search for a Rational Faith, Daniel K Williams. Oxford University Press (ISBN: 9780197748039) 2026. Anglo-American efforts to make a reasoned defense of Christian faith amid the rise of Enlightenment reason. Review

The Emperor of All Maladies, Siddhartha Mukherjee. Scribner (ISBN: 9781668047033) 2025 (My review is of the 2010 edition). A biography of the disease, our understanding of its nature, and approaches to treating it. Review

Eden’s Clock (American Novels, Number 12), Norman Lock. Bellevue Literary Press (ISBN: 9781954276390) 2025. A widowed clocksmith commissioned to repair a clock in San Francisco experiences misadventures enroute and meets Jack London. Review

From Dropout to Doctorate, Terence Lester, PhD. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514011485) 2025. A personal memoir underscoring the structural obstacles for Blacks in poverty who aspire to advanced education. Review

Jesus and Community, Gerhard Lohfink (translated by john P. Galvin. Fortress Press (ISBN: 9780800618025) 1984. How Jesus fulfilled Israel’s call, first in the contrast society of the Twelve, and then in early Christian communities. Review

Formed to Lead, Jason Jensen. InterVarsity Press | Formatio (ISBN:9781514009901) 2025. Through reflection on Luke 1-4, proposes a vision of leadership rooted in formation of character and spiritual discernment. Review

Paper Girl, Beth Macy. Penguin Press (ISBN: 9780593656730) 2025. A memoir about growing up in Urbana, Ohio and how the town changed in ways that reflects the struggles of rural America. Review

Best Book of the Month

It took a bit of wrangling, but I was delighted to receive The Search for a Rational Faith by Daniel K. Williams. Williams does nothing less than give a historical account of efforts to offer reasons for believing the Christian faith. Not only that, he does this for the whole of American history, back to the English Puritans. He also suggests the intriguing idea that this has contributed to the relative vitality of Christian belief, particularly in comparison with Europe. Implicitly, it makes the case for the continuing importance of this work. For contemporary apologists, the account helps us to see how we stand on the shoulders of those who go before us.

Quote of the Month

David W. Opderbeck offers a scholarly but accessible overview of the history of Christian thinking about economics. In his conclusion, I thought he captures well the contours of truly Christian approach to economics:

“Freedom for generosity and freedom from the love of money and the lust of the eyes is offered in the waters of baptism and at the table with Jesus in the community of his people. Every -ism, including capitalism and socialism, is here exposed as unworthy of devotion. In every time and place discerning the Kairos and listening to the Spirit of Christ, we are called to act with grace and wisdom, affirming but relativizing private property rights, prioritizing the poor, emphasizing fairness, and actively waiting for the coming of Jesus, when God will be all-in-all” (p. 258).

What I’m Reading

My big reading project right now is Israel’s Scriptures in Early Christian Writings. It is a fairly comprehensive study of how Christians used Israel’s scriptures, collecting essays from top scholars in the field. I’ve got about 400 pages to go! I am also delighting in The First Nations Version of Psalms and Proverbs. The work of translating these texts into idioms of First Nations peoples carries a freshness, helping me see familiar texts in new ways. God, Where Are You by Dominique Young is written for especially for those who experience depression, and wonder where God is. She offers some great journaling prompts!

One of my Christmas gifts was Robert MacFarlane’s Is A River Alive. He writes luminously as he describes an expedition up the Los Cedros River in Ecuador (and two other rivers I’ve not yet gotten to). He makes the case that in worldview and law, we ought to see rivers, forests, and other natural elements as living beings with rights, particularly to their own flourishing. Finally, for fun, I’m enjoying one of those manor house mysteries with Inspector John Appleby, written by Michael Innes.

I wish you health, warmth and good books for these chilly nights (or warm nights if you live in the global south!).

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. and feel free to share this with others!

The Month in Reviews: December 2025

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Cover image of "Loving to Know" by Esther Lightcap Meek

The Month in Reviews: December 2025

Introduction

Happy New Year 2026! This is the last retrospective post for 2025. Beginning tomorrow, I will post my first review of the new year. And so we’re off on another year of reading. I began the month with a review of a wonderful book on Advent. And I finished it with a review of a book on Classical Christian Education, a growing movement. A few other highlights of the month included the backlist book that was my book of the month, on the idea of covenant epistemology, a posthumously published book of Gordon Fee’s lectures on New Testament theology, a book on how Dallas Willard read the Bible, and a collection of essays on the popular series, The Chosen.

I also reviewed Rick Atkinson’s latest installment on the Revolutionary War and Louise Penny’s latest Gamache, a scarily prescient book. In addition, I read two environment-related books, one on food supply and one on alternatives to the idea of environmental stewardship. There’s lots of other good stuff here, so without further ado, here are the reviews!

The Reviews

Advent: The Season of Hope, (Fullness of Time series), Tish Harrison Warren. IVP Formatio (ISBN: 9781514000182) 2023. Explores how we may wait with hope around the three advents of Christ, offering themes, prayers, and helpful practices. Review

Preaching in a New Key, Mark R. Glanville, IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514010990) 2025. A guide to engaging in Christ-centered expository preaching that is culturally resonant in Post-Christian settings. Review

Am I a Better Christian on Zoloft?, Mark Tabb. Revell (ISBN: 9780800746285) 2025. Mark Tabb asks questions we might hesitate to admit having to other Christians. Review

Brave Companions, David McCullough. Simon & Schuster (ISBN: 9781668003541) 2022 (first published in 1991). Short profiles of exceptional American men and women from biologist Louis Agassiz to writer Harriet Beecher Stowe. Review

The Fate of the Day (The Revolution Trilogy), Rick Atkinson. Crown (ISBN: 9780593799185) 2025. A history of the Revolutionary War covering the period between 1777 and 1780, from Ticonderoga to Charleston. Review

Loving to Know, Esther Lightcap Meek. Cascade Books (ISBN: 9781608999286) 2011. A proposal for covenant epistemology, bridging the subject-object divide with the idea that knowing is a personal, loving act. Review

Experiencing Scripture as a Disciple of Jesus, Dave Ripper. InterVarsity Press | Formatio (ISBN: 9781514013106) 2025. How the approach of Dallas Willard to reading scripture may transform us as disciples. Review

Watching The Chosen, Robert K. Garcia, Paul Gondreau, Patrick Gray, Douglas S. Huffman, editors. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802885463) 2025. Essays exploring the imagination, storytelling, Christology and treatment of persons, especially women, in “The Chosen.” Review

Eating with Jesus, Robert D. Cornwall. Cascade Books (ISBN: 9798385213450) 2025. An argument against restrictions or “fences” around the Lord’s table, welcoming all who will to come and encounter Christ. Review

The Black Wolf (Chief Inspector Gamache, 20), Louise Penny. Minotaur Books (ISBN: 9781250328175) 2025. Having arrested the “Black Wolf” trying to poison Montreal, Gamache realizes this was but a prelude to a greater threat. Review

The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories, Agatha Christie. William Morrow (ISBN: 9780062094391) 2012 (first published in 1997). Nine early short stories, including a Poirot and the title story, an encounter with Harley Quin. Review

Equal Rites (Discworld Number 3), Terry Pratchett. Harper (ISBN: 9780063385542) 2024 (first published in 1987). A dying wizard gives Eskarina his staff by mistake and she wants to become a wizard despite no girl ever having been a wizard. Review

Beyond Stewardship: New Approaches to Creation Care, edited by David Paul Warners and Matthew Kuperus Heun. Calvin Press (ISBN: 9781937555382) 2019. Essays exploring alternative ways to define the relationship with the non-human creation beyond stewardship. Review

The Kingdom of God is Among You, Gordon D. Fee and Cherith Fee Nordling, foreword by Craig S. Keener. Cascade Books (ISBN: 9781666732924) 2025. A New Testament theology drawn from lectures emphasizing the kingdom of God as a framework. Review

We Are Eating the Earth, Michael Grunwald. Simon & Schuster (ISBN: 9781982160074) 2025. Summary: The sustainability of our food system, feeding earth’s population, and the impact it has on our climate. Review

Athens and Jerusalem, Gerald Bray. Lexham Press (ISBN: 9781683597728) 2025. An in-depth survey of the parallel histories of philosophical tradition and Christian theology and their interactions. Review

Grieving Wholeheartedly, Audrey Davidheiser. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514010839) 2025. Grieving well can lead to healing and hope as we make space for all our grieving parts to express themselves. Review

You Are Not Your Own, Alan Noble. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514010952) 2025. Challenges the modern understanding of identity as autonomous self-belonging and what it means to belong to Christ. Review

Manitou Canyon (Cork O’Connor, 15), William Kent Krueger. Atria Books (ISBN: 9781476749273) 2017. A man disappears during a camping trip and the grandchildren hire Cork to find him days before Jenny’s wedding. Review

Passing the Torch, Louis Markos. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514011300) 2025. An argument for Classical Christian Education based on its aim to produce virtuous, morally self-regulating citizens. Review

Best Book of the Month

Have you ever had a book that sat on your “to read” stack for several years? Then, when you finally got around to reading it, you wondered “where have you been all my life?” That was the case with Esther Lightcap Meek’s Loving to Know. It’s a book on epistemology. She interacts with a number of profound thinkers and makes an argument that knowing is a personal, loving act. I really wish I’d read this book back in 2011 when it was published, while I was working in collegiate ministry. But I hope to use some of this material in March when I speak to the grad group I helped start!

Quote of the Month

Cherith Fee Nordling edited her father’s, Gordon Fee’s, lectures in New Testament Theology, published after his death. This is a gem. Everything but dry and sterile. It pulses with Fee’s passion for the glory of Christ and the coming of his kingdom. This quote gives a flavor of that:

“I suggest to you that the church could be effective once again in the world. This is the passion that infuses these lectures. If I could somehow communicate, inculcate, and instill one passion into our Christian lives in the present age, it would be to stop being in step with our own age, and to live fully as eschatological people. I’m not here with you merely as an academic exercise but with a desire to recapture the theology of the early church, the eschatological hope of the Spirit given already in Jesus and his kingdom that set the church ablaze. Jesus’ coming set the future in motion. The coming age has dawned. With the early Christians, may we await the consummation of his second coming as active participants in that future even now” (pp. 36-37).

What I’m Reading

In the next day, I’ll finish reading William F. Buckley’s Marco Polo, If You Can, in which his version of James Bond, Blackford Oakes, deliberately lands a U-2 in Russian territory, facing a possible death sentence. I’m also thoroughly enjoying Richard Osman’s The Man Who Died Twice, the second of his Thursday Murder Club mysteries. Ron, Ibrahim, Elizabeth, and Joyce make such a fun team of sleuths!

J.D. Lyonhart’s The Journey of God retells the story of the Bible in six acts. Great for people trying to understand the big picture of what scripture is about, written with wit in contemporary language. Interpreting Jesus is a fascinating essay collection by this distinguished New Testament scholars. He explores questions like the skepticism over Jesus’ miracles and whether women accompanied him during his itinerant ministry. Finally, Richard Baxter’s The Reformed Pastor is a Puritan classic exploring the pastoral calling. It is a bracing call to “walk the talk” and what it means to care for God’s people. He pulls no punches!

In addition to these, I have a whole stack of books that arrived over the holidays that I’m eager to get into. I look forward to our adventures together in books in 2026! By the way, you might enjoy my Bob on Books Best of 2025 and my Bob on Books 2026 Reading Challenge. To another year of exploring the good, the true, and the beautiful in books and life!

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: November 2025

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Cover image of "The Gales of November" by John U. Bacon

The Month in Reviews: November 2025

Introduction

Cornucopia would be a good description of the books I reviewed this month. For example, there were new novels by Ian McEwan and Wendell Berry. Then I ranged the extremes from Paul Kingsnorth’s ominous Against the Machine to Charlie Mackesy’s reassuring Always Remember. I explored weighty matters like liberal education (written by a conservative arguing in its favor) and a natural law vision of property rights. Of course, I found time for a George Simenon mystery and a Terry Pratchett Discworld novel.

Then on the Christian book front, I read a book on racial change in the church, Dorothy L. Sayers and cinema, a book that I thought broke new ground on matters of faith and science, a study of the Psalms, and a book about “mid-faith crisis.” I also read a biography of George Whitefield and a memoir of a Palestinian Christian family over five generations. Lastly, I read a wonderful new history of the Edmund Fitzgerald published in time for the fiftieth anniversary of its sinking in 1975.

The Reviews

What We Can Know, Ian McEwan. Albert A. Knopf (ISBN: 9780593804728) 2025. A researcher in 2119 seeks a lost poem read at a famous dinner in 2014, reconstructing the circumstances of the dinner. Review

Pietr the Latvian (Inspector Maigret, 1), Georges Simenon. Penguin Books (ISBN: 9780141392738) 2025 (first published in 1930). Maigret tracks an international criminal appearing in a number of guises, not always sure he is tracking the real Pietr. Review

The Wages of Cinema (Studies in Theology and the Arts), Crystal L. Downing. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514008805) 2025. A Christian aesthetic of film in conversation with Dorothy L. Sayers’ ideas on creativity and artistic integrity. Review

Let’s Be Reasonable, Jonathan Marks. Princeton University Press (ISBN: 9780691193854) 2021. An conservative argument for liberal education rooted in John Locke’s idea of the cultivation of reason. Review

The Gales of November, John U. Bacon. Liveright (ISBN: 9781324094647) 2025. A new history of the Edmund Fitzgerald, its final voyage, crew and captain, and the possible reasons for its sinking. Review

The Sacred Art of Slowing Down, A. C. Seiple, foreword by Chuck De Groat. Tyndale | Refresh (ISBN: 9798400506321) 2025. Explores ways to become aware of our inner state, to tune into our bodies, and tend our souls. Review

The Light Fantastic, (Discworld, 2) Terry Pratchett. HarperCollins (ISBN: 9780063373679) 2024 (first published in 1986). Saved from falling off Discworld, Rincewind, Twoflower, and the Luggage try to avert its destruction by a red star. Review

One Star, Three Kings, Rebecca Grabill, illustrated by Isabella Grott. Paraclete Press (ISBN: 9798893480122) 2025. Imagining the journey of the Magi, blending scripture and history as they follow the star and seek the newborn King. Review

Beyond Church and Parachurch, Angie Ward, foreword by Jerry E. White. InterVarsity Press | Missio Alliance (ISBN: 9781514009574) 2025. A proposal that moves beyond siloed, competitive relationships to a collaborative model of missional extension. Review

The Earth is the Lord’s (Emory University Studies in Law and Religion), Liam de los Reyes. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing (ISBN: 9780802885203) 2025. Property rights in view of natural law over against Lockean theory, and its application in Catholic Social Teaching. Review

Marce Catlett: The Force of a Story, Wendell Berry. Counterpoint Press (ISBN: 9781640097759) 2025. A story spanning three generations beginning Marce’s disastrous experience of selling his tobacco at a loss in 1906. Review

Beyond Evolution, Sy Garte. Tyndale | Refresh (ISBN: 9798400501364) 2025. Rather than evolution hindering belief, observes a reluctance in biology to follow evidence warranting belief in a Creator. Review

Kingdom Racial Change, Michael A. Evans, David L. McFadden, and Michael O. Emerson. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing (ISBN: 9780802883728) 2025. Three men tell their stories, analyze them using sociology, and propose strategies for Christians pursuing justice. Review

The Divine Dramatist (Library of Religious Biography), Harry S., Stout. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing (ISBN: 9780802801548) 1991. A biography of George Whitefield focusing on the drama of his preaching and his impact on American religious life. Review

Mid-Faith Crisis, Catherine McNeil and Jason Hague. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514010365) 2025. When the foundations of one’s faith are shaken, it appears an endpoint, but may be a transforming experience. Review

Daughters of Palestine, Leyla R. King. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing (ISBN: 9780802884992) 2025. A memoir of five generations of daughters of a Palestinian Christian family and a journey from Shafa ‘Amr to Texas. Review

Against the Machine, Paul Kingsnorth. Thesis (ISBN: 9780593850633) 2025. An account of the rise of techno-capitalism and the threat it poses to humanity and to the Earth. Review

Always Remember, Charlie Mackesy. Penguin Life (ISBN: 9780593994825) 2025. The boy, the mole, the fox, and the horse continue their journey together and learn what it takes to get through storms. Review

The Message of the Psalms, Walter Brueggemann. Augsburg Fortress. (ISBN: 9780806621203) 1985. Provides a framework of orientation, disorientation, and new orientation as a rubric for reading the Psalms. Review

Best Book of the Month

John U. Bacon’s The Gales of November not only tells the story of the tragic final voyage of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Bacon also researched the stories of the twenty-nine men on the boat, it’s reputation as the “Queen of the Great Lakes.” He helps the reader understand the terror of a Lake Superior storm. While not landing on a cause for the sinking, he explores the factors that could have contributed to it. In addition, he tells the story of Gordon Lightfoot, the song that captured the imagination of so many, and what it meant to fam0ilies of those who died. Summing up, Bacon’s telling lives up to the greatness of Edmund Fitzgerald, honors those who died, and keeps its story alive for a new generation.

Quote of the Month

I suspect people will either think Paul Kingsnorth’s Against the Machine over the top Luddism or a prescient warning. I probably lean toward the latter camp. I think there is something worth considering in this subheading and opening sentence in one of his chapters:

“What Progress wants is to replace us.

“Perhaps the last remaining question is whether we will let it.”

What I’m Reading

I just began reading Beyond Stewardship, an edited collection of articles. Many recent Christian writers on the environment (including Pope Francis) argue that the idea of stewardship is inadequate to encompass our calling to care for God’s world. I look forward to what new ideas this collection of essays proposes. Then, Watching the Chosen, another essay collection, got me to watch The Chosen. I am heartened to find that a number of the contributors came to this series with the same skepticism I did, and like me, most changed their minds from the first episode on. One aspect of The Chosen is the depiction of a Jesus who welcomed all to his table. In Eating with Jesus, Robert D. Cornwall raises questions about the “fences” we put around the Lord’s Supper Communion or the Eucharist depending on your church. He wonders if we should place restrictions on who may partake when Jesus was so open.

On the fiction side, I’m about halfway through Louise Penney’s Black Wolf which picks up where The Grey Wolf left off. Gamache’s team wonders if they were mistaken in identifying and charging the person who they thought the Black Wolf. Is the Black Wolf still out there? Is there something far worse than the poisoning of Quebec’s water supply in the offing and could it go beyond Canada’s borders? Those are all questions at this point. Finally, I’m enjoying The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories by Agatha Christie. These are early short stories, written as she was perfecting her craft–a feast for Christie fans.

In the next couple weeks, I’ll be putting together my ‘Best of the Year” post, but there are several on this list that might make good gifts for the booklover in your life!

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: October 2025

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Cover image of "Insane for the Light" by Ronald Rolheiser

The Month in Reviews

Introduction

This month I explored strange new worlds including Discworld and learned about loving a forest. I read memoirs a pastor who led his village in sheltering Jews from the Holocaust and of a football player from my home town and the wonderful surprises he discovered when learned who his biological parents were. On consecutive days I read works on the peaceable kingdom from indigenous and pacifist traditions. I reviewed books on believing, intimacy, wisdom, and giving away our deaths. I considered the development of doctrine from Reformed and Catholic perspectives. Finally, I savored one more David McCullough book, a collection of articles and lectures titled History Matters. And I enjoyed a novel set in a fictional northwest Ohio town

The Reviews

Star Trek and Faith, Volume 1, Mark S. Hansard, foreword by Michael W. Austin. Wipf & Stock (ISBN: 9798385235193) 2025. How various iterations of Star Trek explored religious and philosophical ideas vis-à-vis a Christian worldview. Review

Windigo Island, (Cork O’Connor, 14), William Kent Krueger. Atria Books (ISBN: 9781476749242) 2025. Cork, Jenny, and Henry join in a search for a missing Ojibwe girl when her friend’s body washes up on a sinister island. Review

The Future of Synodality, Kristin M. Colberg and Jos Moons, SJ. Liturgical Press (ISBN: 9798400800160) 2025. An account of the effort of Catholicism to move to a more open, participative and inclusive ecclesiology. Review

Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious, Ross Douthat. Zondervan Books (ISBN: 9780310367581) 2025. A case for committing to a religious faith, illustrated by the author’s belief in Christianity. Review

History Matters, David McCullough (edited by Dorie McCullough Lawson and Michael Hill, foreword by Jon Meacham). Simon & Schuster (ISBN: 9781668098998) 2025. Essays and lectures on the importance of history, biographical vignettes, influences on the writer, and writing process. Review

Shalom and the Community of Creation (Prophetic Christianity) Randy S. Woodley. Wm. B. Eerdmans (ISBN: 9780802866783) 2012. The “Harmony Way” of the indigenous and biblical shalom between peoples, with creation, and the Creator. Review

The Peaceable Kingdom, Stanley Hauerwas. University of Notre Dame Press (ISBN:  9780268015541) 1991. A Christian ethic centered in the character of the rule Jesus inaugurated, lived by the church in nonviolent service. Review

Insane for the Light, Ronald Rolheiser. Image (ISBN: 9780593736463) 2025. The spiritual journey of our final years, learning not only how to relinquish one’s life but to give away one’s death. Review

The Color of Magic (Discworld, 1) Terry Pratchett. (HarperCollins (ISBN: 9780063373662) 2024 (first published in 1983). A failure at wizard school is compelled to protect a rich but naive traveler with a most unusual luggage chest. Review

Galatians and Ephesians Through Old Testament Eyes, Gary M. Burge. Kregel Academic (ISBN: 9780825445187) 2025. A commentary drawing out the Old Testament allusions and references Paul makes. Review

The Asylum Seekers, Cristina Rathbone. Broadleaf Books (ISBN: 9798889832010) 2025. A priest lives with asylum seekers in Juarez, learning about what they fled, the community they built, and their faith. Review

Buckeye, Patrick Ryan. Random House (ISBN: 9780593595039) 2025. Two couples in a small, post-war Ohio town have secrets between them that will shake their lives and the son who connects them. Review

Walking the Way of the Wise (Essential Studies in Biblical Theology), Mitchell L. Chase. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514010914) 2025. Traces the idea of wisdom in scripture and how integral it is to walking well with God in covenant relationship. Review

How to Love a Forest, Ethan Tapper. Broadleaf Books (ISBN: 9798889830559) 2024. A forester buys a piece of Vermont forest that had been mismanaged and implements restorative practices. Review

Paul Through the Eyes of the Reformers, Stephen J. Chester. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802878489) 2025. Challenges misconceptions of Reformation readings of Paul and proposes constructive approaches. Review

Runs in the Family, Sarah Spain and Deland McCullough. Simon Element (ISBN: 9781668036280) 2025. An adopted child in difficult circumstances rises to coach in the NFL before finding his biological parents. Review

Knowing and Being Known, Erin F. Moniz. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514010037) 2025. Explores elements of healthy relationships. the complexities of intimacy, and how the gospel relates to intimacy. Review

The Memoirs of Andre’ Trocme’, André Trocmé, Edited by Patrick Cabanel, translated by Patrick Henry and Mary Anne O’Neil. Plough Publishing (ISBN: 9781636081595) 2025 (published in French 2020). His childhood, formative years, pacifism, and leadership in sheltering of Jews during the Holocaust. Review

The Idol House of Astarte (Miss Marple short stories), Agatha Christie. Open Road Integrated Media (ISBN: 9781504082297) 2024 (originally published in 1928, 1932). Miss Marple solves a murder occurring before witnesses with no obvious assailant and no weapon found. Review

Old Testament Wisdom & Poetry (Scripture Connections), Norah Whipple Caudill. B & H Academic (ISBN: 9781087746449) 2025. Introduces the six books: outlines, author, date, message, biblical connections and application. Review

An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, John Henry Cardinal Newman (foreword by Ian Ker). University of Notre Dame Press (ISBN: 9780268009212) 1994 (first published in 1845). Shows that doctrine has undergone development and provides marks of genuine doctrines. Review

Best Book of the Month

Many of the spiritual books I’ve read are written for young adults or those at midlife. But aren’t their new aspects to our formation as we age? In Insane for the Light, Father Ronald Rolheiser argues that our formation here not only involves giving away our lives but also our deaths. He writes, “Giving our deaths away as a gift to our loved ones means that at some point in our lives, we need to stop focusing on our agenda and begin to focus on our obituary, on what kind of spirit we will leave behind.” A profound book and much needed.

Quote of the Month

It is a sad thing for me to witness the attempts to erase history taking place in American society and the contempt for history more generally. David McCullough said this about why history matters:

“But, I think, what it really comes down to is that history is an extension of life. It both enlarges and intensifies the experience of being alive. It’s like poetry and art. Or music. And it’s ours, to enjoy” 

To ignore and denigrate history is to rob oneself according to McCullough.

What I’m Reading

When I wrote last month, i mentioned beginning to read the Discworld novels of Terry Pratchett. Well, I’m on to number two, The Light Fantastic. I love the tongue in cheek way he pokes fun at many of our pretensions.

Then in non-fiction, I’m reading The Gales of November by John U. Bacon. The Edmund Fitzgerald sank in November of 1975, my senior year in college. Gordon Lightfoot’s song etched the story in my mind forever. We lived in Toledo in the late ’70s and met people who knew crew members. A number were from Toledo, including the captain. We also traveled to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan during many summers and got up to the Soo Locks, hoping to see a big freighter go through. Bacon gives a history of the Fitzgerald, it’s crew, the last fateful voyage, and possible reasons why the ship sank, though under “the best captain with the best crew.”

On the Christian side, Beyond Church and Parachurch addresses the tension between the church and ministries like the one I once worked with. Angie Ward does a great job on connecting the dots on intuitions I’ve had about how the two may walk together. The Earth is the Lord’s is a deep dive into the Natural Law theory of property, addressing why all should not be held in common. Finally, Mid-Faith Crisis explores how we navigate these crises, whether from tragedy or hardship in our lives, to the failures of the church and its leaders, to the dark nights of the soul.

Speaking of dark nights, Daylight Savings Time has ended. We’re in the season of early sunsets and lowering temperatures. What a great time to curl up with a book. I hope I’ve given you a few ideas.

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: September 2025

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Cover image of "World of Wonders" by Jeff Crosby

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

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Cover image of "Why I Believe in God" by Gerhard Lohfink

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.