Doug Bond's "Crown and Covenant" Series
If you are looking for a great series of books to read to your children, Douglas Bond's Crown and Covenant series (Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing) is wonderful. The trilogy traces the story of the M'Kethe family in Scotland during the 17th century, when many Protestants experienced brutal oppression from the governing authorities. These stories are well-told, grounded in history, and wrestle with questions of citizenship, when to obey civil authority and when not to, when is force necessary, etc. The three books (in order) are: Duncan's War, King's Arrow, and Rebel's Keep. We are now eager to move on to Bond's "Faith and Freedom" series, which appears to pick up the M'Kethe family in the colonies. Recommended highly!
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- Category: Recommended Reading Recommended Reading
- Published: 15 December 2009 15 December 2009
- Hits: 3975 3975
Tom Oden's "Agenda for Theology: After Modernity . . . What?"
For all of my students past and present, I would recommend Tom Oden's book, Agenda for Theology: After Modernity . . . What? (Zondervan, 1990). Tom Oden--in his own words--was for many years a "movement theologian." He embraced whatever fad was in vogue (feminism, marxism, freudianism, etc.). Then, over time he began to read Evangelical theology as well as the Church Fathers. Slowly Oden made the trek back to orthodoxy. In God's good providence I discovered this book while a student at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky (some 20 years ago). Reading Oden's Agenda for Theology was like drinking cold water during a drought. I knew I would never be the same. It was one of the most meaningfuly reads of my time in Louisville. I made it a goal to meet Tom Oden--and did. If you are or were my student, please read this book. If you are thinking of pursuing graduate work in theology, or are doing so: read this book.
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- Category: Recommended Reading Recommended Reading
- Published: 14 December 2009 14 December 2009
- Hits: 3642 3642
How Should Man Relate to the Creation?
For virtually all of my adult life the culture and times in which I live have been concerned with the question of "the environment." Various trends come and go, and the latest is "global warming." It is essential that Christians think long and hard about who man is (particularly as revealed in Holy Scripture), and how man is related to, and should relate to, the rest of the created order. It is striking to me how otherwise sane and sober-minded persons can get rather odd when it comes to "the environment." I am appreciative of the work of the Cornwall Alliance, an organization which offers some good thinking--theologically, scientifically, and economically. Their web page is: www.cornwallalliance.org
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- Category: Recommended Reading Recommended Reading
- Published: 06 December 2009 06 December 2009
- Hits: 4168 4168
The Manhattan Declaration
The world is sometimes filled with many official pronouncements and "declarations" on this or that. It is easy to get cynical. However, I am pleased to have signed "The Manhattan Declaration," an important and timely document dealing with some of the most pressing moral issues of the day.
It addressess the following issues:
- the sanctity of human life
- the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife
- the rights of conscience and religious liberty.
I would encourage you to look at it: www.ManhattanDeclaration.org
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- Category: Recommended Reading Recommended Reading
- Published: 02 December 2009 02 December 2009
- Hits: 3992 3992