xaglen's reviews from LibraryThing

Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions (Re:Lit) by Mark Driscoll

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:31:27 -0400

xaglen's review: "The book is an expanded presentation of some sermons Mark Driscoll preached at Mars Hill Church in response to questions he solicited from the community. And they came from all across the spectrum - there's a chapter on birth control and another chapter on the regulative principle in worship. I must confess to a love/hate relationship with Driscoll. When I agree with him, I agree with him strongly. When I differ with him, I have a hard time believing we live on the same planet. Ultimately, I think he's a true gift to the Body of Christ (albeit an ornery one). All in all, the book is worth buying if you're a Mark Driscoll fan. It's worth reading if you feel ambivalent about him and see it in a library. If you don't know much about him and want to know what the hoopla is about, read Confessions of Reformission Rev first and if you're intrigued, come back to this one."
Crossway Books (2009), Hardcover, 288 pages

The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage Culture by Scott Klusendorf

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:10:58 -0400

xaglen's review: "An excellent book - very clear and readable. I have only small quibbles with it. First, he is so ruthlessly logical that at times it is a bit off-putting. I don't mean he should be less logical, but that he should turn up the charm some. Second, his section on stem cells was weaker than his others. Third, while I was glad to see that he addressed the issue of allowing abortion up until brain wave activity begins in the baby (in other words, defining life parallel to how we define death), I think his treatment of that issue needs more work. Fourth, I wish he had dealt with the theological ramifications of early miscarriages (also called chemical pregnancies or self-abortions). Fifth, I really wish he hadn't self-identified as an Intelligent Design theorist. It wasn't central to his argument and will be off-putting to some people. Abortion is divisive enough without bringing in other polarizing subjects. These quibbles aside, I will gladly recommend this book to others. It's well-written, engaging and persuasive. It's the finest thing I've ever read in the abortion debate."
Good News Publishers/Crossway Books (2009), Kindle Edition, 256 pages

Joker One: A Marine Platoon's Story of Courage, Leadership, and Brotherhood by Donovan Campbell

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 10:47:30 -0500

xaglen's review: "Joker One is among the finest military memoirs I have ever read. It reminds me of a Stephen Ambrose book, but has the advantage of being told from an autobiographical perspective. Donovan Campbell, who graduated from Princeton before entering the Marines and who went to grad school at Harvard after completing his service, has written a poignant retrospective on his time commanding a platoon in Ramadi, (capital of the Anbar Province in Iraq) during some of the fiercest fighting of the war: his battalion took more casualties than any battalion (Army or Marine) since Vietnam. The best way I describe the author's tone is one of humble and courteous candor. Humility: he tells about his mistakes as a leader, his fears, and his tendency towards second-guessing himself, and you never learn from the text itself that he graduated from Princeton - he just refers to his college days. Courtesy: the two most negative figures in the story (the executive officer and the staff sergeant) are never named, merely described by their titles. Candor: this book is very raw and real. No matter what your political persuasion, he will include at least one story that will make you rethink your attitude towards Iraq and what America has done and is doing there. The book is also surprisingly theological. The author is clearly not a fundamentalist, but the Bible is frequently cited. His platoon prays together before every mission. And he wonders how a good God can let such tragedies unfold. The way he ultimately resolves these matters was one of the highlights of the book for me. All in all, I highly recommend this book, especially to military buffs and political types who will learn valuable lessons. Preachers will also find some gripping illustrative material. Most people, though, will just be drawn into the story."
Random House (no date), Hardcover, 336 pages

Discipleship By Design by Harvey A. Herman

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:10:17 -0400

xaglen's review: "Very practical and very Biblical. Nothing flashy or trendy here. Just solid advice on helping college students follow Jesus."
Xulon Press (2008), Paperback, 204 pages

The Future of Faith in American Politics: The Public Witness of the Evangelical Center by David P. Gushee

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:48:13 -0400

xaglen's review: "Gushee's The Future of Faith in American Politics was a surprisingly quick read. Highly recommended to any evangelical Christians who have ever felt frustrated with both the left and the right. Gushee begins with a helpful overview and critique of the history of the religious right and the religious left, argues that an evangelical center is emerging that belongs in neither camps, and then moves on to give his views (representative of the evangelical center he described) on four crucial issues: torture, the family, the environment, and war."
Baylor University Press (2008), Paperback, 275 pages

From Eden to Exile: Unraveling Mysteries of the Bible by Eric H. Cline

Tue, 20 May 2008 20:40:34 -0400

xaglen's review: "Eric Cline's cleverly-titled book, <a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/3371440/book/30731597">From Eden To Exile: Unraveling The Mysteries of the Bible</a> is structured around seven puzzling stories from the Old Testament. He presents the consensus of modern researchers as well as popular amateur theories (the sort you frequently hear espoused in televised documentaries). He critiques these "enthusiast" theories solidly, which I very much appreciated. Given that he consistently engaged both the scholarly world and the popular world, I'm puzzled that he so rarely engaged the world of contemporary evangelical scholarship. He's clearly aware of it (he references evangelical scholars several times), but he doesn't often present evangelical perspectives or arguments (not even to critique them). This weakness seriously undermines the usefulness (and credibility) of the book for a significant segment of his potential audience, many people interested in the archeology of the Old Testament are either pious believers or ardent skeptics. Both groups are quite interested in the arguments of evangelical scholars. He summarizes his conclusions on page 182, "While we may not have located Noah's ark, I believe that we have successfully documented that the Ten Lost Tribes weren't lost after all, that the Ark of the Covenant was most likely destroyed during the obliteration of Solomon's Temple by Nebuchadnezzar and the Neo-Babylonians, that Jericho was probably not destroyed by Joshua and the Israelites, that we can neither confirm nor deny the biblical account of the Exodus, that Sodom and Gomorrah are still missing, and that the Garden of Eden is most likely to have been located in Mesopotamia." It's a fun little volume, but don't let it be the only book you read on the cultural background of the Old Testament."
National Geographic (2007), Hardcover, 256 pages

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 17:43:21 -0400

xaglen's review: "Mere Christianity, originally given as a series of radio lectures, is an intelligent, popular-level overview of basic Christian teachings. If you're looking for academic philosophy, look elsewhere. If you're looking for what you'd get from a conversation with an articulate friend, dig in. Lewis is particularly good at helping unearth the assumptions that underlie and the implications that flow from our everyday beliefs about life, particularly about morality. The book is from another generation and is dated in places, but it nonetheless resonates with many readers today. Highly recommended."
HarperSanFrancisco (2001), Edition: Harper, Paperback

Golf Unplugged by Jim Apfelbaum

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 11:08:50 -0500

xaglen's review: "I got this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program expecting a book about how to play golf better interspersed with anecdotes about famous players. I got half my wish: it's not for the beginner looking for tips from the pros - it's for the aficionado who wants to learn stories about the giants of the game. If you're a rabid consumer of all things golf, you should definitely get a copy. There are stories here I haven't seen anywhere else. But you should only get it if you're a rabid consumer of all things golf. It's not for the casual player."
Tatra Press (2007), Paperback, 240 pages

Off-Road Disciplines: Spiritual Adventures of Missional Leaders (J-B Leadership Network Series) by Earl Creps

Sat, 21 Oct 2006 13:14:43 -0400

xaglen's review: "http://glenandpaula.com/archives/2006/10/21/as-the-worlds-number-one-speaker-on-the-subject-of-humility/"
Jossey-Bass (2006), Hardcover

5 Rare Gems for Reaching High School and College Students by Donny Roberson

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 19:34:06 -0400

xaglen's review: "http://glenandpaula.com/archives/2006/09/16/5-rare-gems-for-reaching-high-school-and-college-students/"
New Life Publications, Peachtree City, GA

The Revelation to John: A Commentary on the Greek Text of the Apocalypse by Stephen S. Smalley

Wed, 23 Aug 2006 20:28:26 -0400

xaglen's review: "http://bookreviews.org/pdf/4937_5162.pdf"
InterVarsity Press (2005), Hardcover

Breaking the Missional Code: Your Church Can Become a Missionary in Your Community by Ed Stetzer

Wed, 16 Aug 2006 18:52:27 -0400

xaglen's review: "http://glenandpaula.com/archives/2006/08/19/suckerpunched/"
B&H Publishing Group (2006), Hardcover