Kevin Bauder’s “Baptist Distinctives and New Testament Church Order”

September 14, 2012 by Andy Naselli

This book explains Baptist principles and some related issues:

Kevin Bauder. Baptist Distinctives and New Testament Church Order. Schaumburg, IL: Regular Baptist, 2012.

As usual, Kevin is clear, logical, and (usually) compelling.

A Roundtable Discussion with Michael Licona on “The Resurrection of Jesus”

September 12, 2012 by Andy Naselli

Good article:

Daniel L. Akin, Craig L. Blomberg, Paul Copan, Michael J. Kruger, Michael R. Licona, and Charles L. Quarles. “A Roundtable Discussion with Michael Licona on The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach.” Southeastern Theological Review 3 (2012): 71–98.

Some context:

Michael Licona published The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach in 2010.
Norman Geisler vocally criticized Licona’s view on inerrancy (e.g., here and here) because Licona proposed interpreting Matt 27:52–53 as an apocalyptic genre rather than as recounting literal historical events.
Albert Mohler also criticized Licona’s view on inerrancy.
Licona resigned his two SBC positions (North American Mission Board and Southern Evangelical Seminary).
CT reported on the controversy.
Michael Patton defended Licona.

This round-table discussion exemplifies how to directly address controversy in an edifying way.

Update: Cf. Raymond M. Johnson, I See Dead People: The Function of the Resurrection of the Saints in Matthew 27:51–54, Reformed Academic Dissertations (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2019).

Keller on the Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness

September 10, 2012 by Andy Naselli

This booklet is (apparently) a sermon on 1 Cor 3:21–4:7:

Timothy Keller. The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness: The Path to True Christian Joy. Chorley, England: 10 Publishing, 2012. 46 pp.

(The 24-page sample PDF includes half the booklet.)

Why do people do the bad things they do?

The traditional answer is that people do bad things because they have too high a view of themselves. That is, they are proud and need a lower view of themselves.
The contemporary answer is that people do bad things because they have too low a view of themselves. That is, they lack self-esteem and need a higher view of themselves.

Keller argues that Paul’s “approach to self-regard” utterly differs from both the traditional and contemporary answers (p. 12). [Read more…] about Keller on the Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness

The New Go-to Book on the NT Canon

September 7, 2012 by Andy Naselli

Michael J. Kruger. Canon Revisited: Establishing the Origins and Authority of the New Testament Books. Wheaton: Crossway, 2012. 368 pp.

58-page (!) PDF sample

7 glowing endorsements (including Michael Horton, John Frame, and Charles Hill)

4 lectures by Kruger on the canon

3-minute video by Kruger on the canon [Read more…] about The New Go-to Book on the NT Canon

Four Views on the Apostle Paul

September 5, 2012 by Andy Naselli

Another fascinating volume in the Counterpoints series:

Michael F. Bird, ed. Four Views on the Apostle Paul. Counterpoints. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012.

Here’s the lineup: [Read more…] about Four Views on the Apostle Paul

Biblical Hermeneutics: Five Views

September 3, 2012 by Andy Naselli

Another helpful debate-book:

Stanley E. Porter and Beth M. Stovell, eds. Biblical Hermeneutics: Five Views. Spectrum Multiview Books. Downers Grove: IVP, 2012. 224 pp. 20-page sample PDF.

It’s not a typical debate-book format because the five views are not mutually exclusive. They overlap. Thus, Craig Blomberg writes,

As I suspected when I saw the lineup of contributors and viewpoints for this book, I found much more to agree with than to disagree with in these chapters. As I noted in my position essay, I do not wish to argue for a historical-critical/grammatical approach to the exclusion of all other approaches but for the historical-critical/grammatical approach as the necessary foundation for these other approaches. Various comments each of the other four contributions makes suggest that they either agree or should agree with this assertion, if they are consistent with what they have written. I can happily support much of what each additional perspective contributes on top of this foundation, although there are a few places where I must demur. (p. 133) [Read more…] about Biblical Hermeneutics: Five Views

Kevin DeYoung’s “The Hole in Our Holiness”

August 31, 2012 by Andy Naselli

This book is as good as advertised:

Kevin DeYoung. The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness. Wheaton: Crossway, 2012. 159 pp. | 20 pp. sample PDF

DeYoung emphasizes what some who hold a Reformed view of sanctification tend not to emphasize: effort (i.e., Spirit-powered, gospel-driven, faith-fueled effort). And it helps that he can flat-out write.

I ordered the audiobook for my wife (who found Kevin’s T4G sermon so helpful that she listened to it three times). [Read more…] about Kevin DeYoung’s “The Hole in Our Holiness”

Tim Keller’s “Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City”

August 27, 2012 by Andy Naselli

This book comes out early next month:

Timothy Keller. Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012.

It’s large (9.4 x 7.5 x 1.2 inches) and long (400 pp.).

The book is a strategic manual for developing a church’s theological vision. I read the introduction carefully and read the rest more quickly. It’s obvious that Keller has thought deeply about theological vision for a long time.

This graphic shows how important theological vision is (p. 19):

(Tim Keller drafted TGC’s theological vision for ministry.) [Read more…] about Tim Keller’s “Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City”