Andy Naselli

Thoughts on Theology

Book review

Dan McCartney on James

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The Spring 2010 issue of The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology is available, including a PDF of twelve books reviews that conclude the issue. I contributed this one:

Review of Dan G. McCartney, James [Amazon | WTS Books]. The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 14:1 (Spring 2010): 84–85.

My conclusion:

McCartney evidences a firm handling of the text as well as the secondary literature, and he writes clearly and thoughtfully. His book joins Moo, Bauckham, George H. Guthrie (2006, revised EBC), and Craig L. Blomberg and Mariam J. Kamell (2008, ZECNT) as one of the volumes that preachers, teachers, and students will consult first and with most profit when studying the book of James.

Here are those other four books on James:

Amazon | WTS Books

Amazon | WTS Books

Amazon | WTS Books

Amazon

Update:

  1. Interview with Chris Morgan on the Theology of James
  2. James: The Latest Volume in B&H’s Exegetical Guide to the Greek NT Series

Ten New Book Reviews

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The November 2009 issue of Themelios, which came out this morning, includes ten book reviews I contributed:

1. Review of Barry J. Beitzel, The New Moody Atlas of the Bible. Themelios 34 (2009): 367. [Amazon]

Beitzel

2. Review of Douglas Bond, The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin. Themelios 34 (2009): 409. [Amazon | WTS Books]

3. Review of John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress: From This World to That Which Is to Come (ed. C. J. Lovik; illustrated by Mike Wimmer). Themelios 34 (2009): 409–10. [Amazon | WTS Books]

4. Review of Kevin DeYoung, Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will: or, How to Make a Decision Without Dreams, Visions, Fleeces, Open Doors, Random Bible Verses, Casting Lots, Liver Shivers, Writing in the Sky, etc. Themelios 34 (2009): 451–52. [Amazon | WTS Books]

5. Review of Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck, Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion. Themelios 34 (2009): 457–58. [Amazon | WTS Books]

6. Review of C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters: First Ever Full-cast Dramatization of the Diabolical Classic (produced by Focus on the Family Radio Theatre). Themelios 34 (2009): 453–55. [Amazon]

Screwtape

7. Review of The New International Commentary on the Old and New Testamentst (40 vols.) in Logos Bible Software. Themelios 34 (2009): 455–57.

8. Review of Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters. Themelios 34 (2009): 452–53. [Amazon | WTS Books]

9. Review of Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith. Themelios 34 (2009): 458. [Amazon | WTS Books]

10. Review of Gregory A. Wills, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1859–2009. Themelios 34 (2009): 403–5. [Amazon]

Wills

Three Related Book Reviews

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I contributed three related book reviews to the latest issue of Themelios.

1. Review of The Story: Read the Bible as One Seamless Story from Beginning to End. Themelios 34 (2009): 106–7.

“The Story is an edifying tool for a variety of situations: a supplemental textbook for students (junior high, high school, or college), an introduction to the Bible’s storyline for non-Christians or young Christians, and a creative refresher for mature Christians.”

2. Review of The Books of the Bible: A Presentation of Today’s New International Version. Themelios 34 (2009): 108–9.

“The Books of the Bible is ingenious. The way it presents the Bible as a library of literature is unique, simple, and elegant, and it naturally encourages better Bible reading.”

3. Review of Christopher R. Smith, The Beauty Behind the Mask: Rediscovering the Books of the Bible. Themelios 34 (2009): 109–10.

“Smith clearly and persuasively argues that visually presenting the Bible in a single column without chapter or verse references encourages reading that is more informed and engaged.”

Jenni Naselli Reviews “The Gospel of Ruth”

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The fall 2008 issue of the Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is now available, and five of the articles or reviews are available online now. One of the reviews available now is written by my wife:

Jennifer J. Naselli, “Is This Good News for Women? A Review of Carolyn Custis James, The Gospel of Ruth.” Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood 13.2 (2008): 79–81.

She wrote this review in June during a small window of time right after she completed four years of full-time teaching and then gave birth to our first child. No doubt I am biased, but I must say that the (controversial) review is well done!

Summary and Outline of J. I. Packer’s “Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God”

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J. I. Packer, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1961. 126 pp.

Packer1Packer2

Above are a couple cover designs for reprints of this classic book. Below is a summary and outline of the book that I prepared on March 1, 2003. [Read more…] about Summary and Outline of J. I. Packer’s “Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God”

Review article: PNTC, BECNT, and NIGTC in Libronix

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In August 2007 I reviewed three New Testament commentary series (28 volumes) in a single, 8,300-word article: “PNTC, BECNT, and NIGTC: Three New Testament Commentary Series Available Electronically in Libronix,” Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal 12 (2007): 81–99. This review is now available in two formats:

  1. The PDF appears exactly as the review is printed in the fall 2007 DBSJ.
  2. The plain text adds some hyperlinks.

PNTC

 

BECNT

 

 

NIGTC

Content:

  1. Part 1 (about 1,750 words) make a case for using electronic commentaries in Libronix.
  2. Part 2 (about 600 words) compares the three commentary series in general.
  3. Part 3 (about 5,500 words) comments briefly on each of the 28 volumes (and mentions the authors for the forthcoming volumes).

Outline:

  1. Advantages of Using Electronic Commentaries in Libronix
    • 1.1. Searchability
    • 1.2. Versatility
    • 1.3. Cost
  2. General Comparison of PNTC, BECNT, and NIGTC
  3. Brief Comments on Individual Commentaries in PNTC, BECNT, and NIGTC
    • 3.1. PNTC (8 vols.)
    • 3.2. BECNT (8 vols.)
    • 3.3. NIGTC (12 vols.)
  4. Conclusion

Related:

  1. my review of Scholar’s Gold
  2. “Adding a Second Screen to a Personal Computer“

Review of Layton Talbert’s “Beyond Suffering: Discovering the Message of Job”

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Layton Talbert. Beyond Suffering: Discovering the Message of Job. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 2007. 378 pp.

beyondsuffering.jpg

Last summer I reviewed the above book, and the review is now available here:

Review of Layton Talbert, Beyond Suffering: Discovering the Message of Job. Trinity Journal 28 (2007): 298–300.

[Read more…] about Review of Layton Talbert’s “Beyond Suffering: Discovering the Message of Job”

Review of “Hearing the Old Testament in the New Testament,” ed. Porter

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Stanley E. Porter, ed. Hearing the Old Testament in the New Testament. McMaster New Testament Studies 8. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006.316 pp. $29.00.

porter.jpg

In fall 2006 I reviewed the above book, and the review—now available here—was published in spring 2007:

Review of Stanley E. Porter, ed., Hearing the Old Testament in the New Testament. Trinity Journal 28 (2007): 153–54.