Words from The Problem of Pain

When we merely say that we are bad, the ‘wrath’ of God seems a barbarous doctrine; as soon as we perceive our badness, it appears inevitable, a mere corollary of God’s goodness.

The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis, p. 52.

February 2007 Summary and Reviewlets

The Doctrine of Repentance by Thomas Watson – Watson begins his exploration of repentance by detailing what true repentance is not. True repentance is not mere terror (which can be caused by guilt), it is not resolution against sin, and it is not leaving many sinful ways (many may still remain). Watson then identifies six elements of repentance – all of which, he maintains, must be present in true repentance. These elements are 1) sight of sin, 2) sorrow for sin, 3) confession of sin, 4) shame for sin, 5) hatred for sin, and 6) turning from sin. I found the sections on confession of sin and turning from sin to be of particular instruction in my life, but this entire book is valuable to believers who find themselves struggling either to understand or engage in true repentance.

The Immortal Game by David Shenk – Three major threads are braided through this book. The title refers most directly to a famous game played between two top chess players in 1851. Although they were in London for a tournament, this game was an informal one renowned for its ingenuity. Adolf Anderssen, playing white, prevailed despite the sacrifice of huge amounts of material. Shenk also relates the history of chess and the development of chess strategy. Although this book did not strengthen my game, the move by move analysis of the immortal game was fascinating to even a weak player like myself.

The Gospel Blimp and other Modern Parables by Joseph Bayly – This slim book is a collection of “modern parables” Bayly wrote for publication in a magazine column he authored. Much of the book is the story of the Gospel Blimp – an effort by some friends to share the Gospel. Bayly caricatures the complex, impersonal, wrong-headed, and often futile nature of “evangelism.” But, he’s not simply a critic. The end of the story highlights an evangelism that is Christ-centered and built on personal relationships. Other stories similarly identify weaknesses in the modern church and give the reader reason to consider whether our methods match Scripture.

The Emperor’s Children by Clarie Messud – There’s no need to provide much detail on one of the most widely praised novels of the last couple of years. It is, of course, beautifully written with nicely developed characters. The plot is engaging even as the reader is carefully prepared for the climax. But it’s not the craft that stays with you – it’s the way Messud so fully captures the spirit of my generation

Life in Christ by John Stott – Stott looks at the believer’s relationship to Christ as seen through several descriptive prepositional phrases that reflect New Testament teaching. Chapters are titled “Through Christ our Mediator”, “On Christ our Foundation”, “In Christ our Life-giver”, “Under Christ our Lord”, “With Christ our Secret”, “Unto Christ our Goal”, “For Christ our Lover”, and “Like Christ our Model”. I did find this to be a good little book, though it’s message hasn’t really stayed with me beyond these chapter titles. It’s fair to assume that the deficiency is mine rather than Dr. Stott’s.

The Resurrection of Jesus: John Dominic Crossan and N.T. Wright in Dialogue edited by Robert B. Stewart – This book compiles the title dialogue with papers presented at a symposium that attended the dialogue at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Although the syposium seems to have been intended to present a range of beliefs, it appears to present instead a range of emphases. Most, though not all, of the papers included seem to largely support Wright’s perspective – an imbalance I appreciated given my theologically conservative convictions. In all, this book is an accessible introduction to Jesus studies, and it was helped set my expectations and frame my understanding before I jumped into Crossan’s Birth of Christianity.