Articles Roger Williams & the Creation of the American Soul
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I have just finished reading John Barry's remarkable book about Roger Williams, the American Soul, and religious liberty. It was difficult to put it down. My esteem for Williams, already huge, is now immense. The attached review by a Rhode Island church historian is positive but less so than the book deserves. However, it is better than the ones I have seen in major newspapers. Roger Williams' work on behalf of separation of church and state has timeless relevance, but it is also timely in the world right now. His rivals in early New England days, chiefly John Winthrop and his vision of a city set on a hill, saw the separation of church and state as very much the opposite of what they envisioned. They made Williams suffer harshly for his views and might have killed him. Williams' views are also relevant to current views of Islam and other religions. In Norway, four hundred years after Roger Williams, the state is still the nursing father (or mother) of the church, and the clergy of the state church is salaried by the government. I highly recommend this book.
Blessings,
Dr. Sigve Tonstad
Stricken by God
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"I wish that every defender of the penal substitution view of the atonement would read this book. Stricken by God? is as fine a collection of scholarly essays on the atonement as one can find in print. This book offers insightful, compelling and refreshing alternatives to penal substitution and is a must-read for all who care deeply about how Jesus' death saves us." - Gregory A. Boyd, Ph.D. Princeton Theological Seminary
The Lost Meaning of the Seventh Day
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Hot off the press, Dr. Sigve Tonstad's latest book, "The Lost Meaning of the Seventh Day" provides a refreshing look at the Sabbath. Some might be surprised at the title. Does the Sabbath have a meaning? Isn't the Sabbath merely an arbitrary test of obedience to God's command? Dr. Tonstad opens up the spectacular message of the seventh day and beautifully relates it to the character of God. Here is just a glimpse:
"On the cross, the script of the Gospel retraces the steps of the Creation account. As the Sabbath draws near, Jesus's life is fast ebbing. At that point His voice rings out in a final announcement, 'It is finished!' (John 19:30). These words, a single word in Greek, signify completion, not the end in an absolute sense. It is significant to hear Jesus cry out, 'it is finished' at that specific point in time. The resurrection and Sunday morning will come, but Jesus will not wait to say 'it is finished' until then. He has reasons to say it at that point in time, on Friday night. The Sabbath that is about to begin is not a theological no-man's land.
Finding the Father
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Herb Montgomery has just released a new book on God's character entitled, "Finding the Father."
We have really appreciated the opportunity to listen to Herb preach at two of the Good News Toursconferences. His message about God's character is powerful and convicting. Here is a description of the new book:
"Finding the Father is a revolutionary new book like none other. As each page is traversed you will truly begin to experience the truth of our God's character of love, as it unfolds for you right before your heart. Within these pages Herb addresses topics ranging from the atonement, the "why" of human suffering, as well as misunderstandings regarding God's forgiveness and the final fate of the lost. Each subject is approached from a refreshingly practical perspective, making sense intellectually, but also moving you deeply at your heart level as well, making this volume truly like none before it. Discover a new God's love as you’ve rarely encountered it before. We feel deeply grateful to be able to offer this volume for your advancement in your own spiritual journey and know you will be genuinely blessed."
A New Kind of Christianity
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Our friend Nick Loyd has had a great series of articles about the latest book by Brian McLaren, A New Kind of Christianity. He has had a number of articles and video clips about the book:
McLaren Q1: The Narrative Question
McLaren Q2: The Authority of the Bible
If there is any doubt about this book being worth a look, here is a tantalizing quote from Nick's review:
"I was especially drawn to McLaren’s focus on the supremacy and centrality of Christ in our understanding of God. This is something that I have argued for many times, especially in our discussion of non-violence.
Here is how McLaren explains it:
“The Quaker scholar Elton Trueblood approached the Bible this way. One of Trueblood’s students told me that he often heard his mentor say something like this: “The historic Christian doctrine of the divinity of Christ does not simply mean that Jesus is like God. It is far more radical than that. It means that God is like Jesus.”
After You Believe
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It is often implied that as Christians we are just "hanging out on this earth, waiting to get to heaven." The latest book by N.T. Wright, After You Believe, highlights the importance of living out the life of Christ on earth - here and now - and to "join the revolution." Listen to the description:
From the author of the acclaimed Simply Christian and Surprised by Hope comes a book that addresses the question that has plagued humans for centuries—what is our purpose? As Christians, what are we to do with that ambiguous time between baptism and the funeral? It's easy to become preoccupied with who gets into heaven; the real challenge is how we are going to live in the here and now.
Wright dispels the common misconception that Christian living is nothing more than a checklist of dos and don'ts. Nor is it a prescription to "follow your heart" wherever it may lead. Instead, After You Believe reveals the Bible's call for a revolution—a transformation of character that takes us beyond our earthly pursuit of money, sex, and power into a virtuous state of living that allows us to reflect God and live more worshipful, fulfilling lives.
No Longer Naked and Ashamed
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highly recommended!
This book describes the problem of sin and salvation in terms that relate to real life. Using the metaphor of abuse and recovery from abuse, the book outlines what sin as abuse is and the steps to recovery from it so as to make it clear that God is not an Abuser. Once we learn this truth--that God is entirely trustworthy, loving, and freedom-giving, we can be transformed and live in healthy relationships with others.
Jean Sheldon is professor of religion at Pacific Union College in Northern California. With a Ph.D. in ancient Near Eastern Religions from the Graduate Theological Union and the University of California in Berkeley, she currently teaches Old Testament studies.
Saving God's Reputation
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In his book Saving God’s Reputation: The Theological Function of Pistis Iesou in the Cosmic Narratives of Revelation, Dr. Sigve Tonstad pursues the conviction that the cosmic conflict imagery is the primary and controlling element in Revelation's narrative.
Such a reading puts the war-in-heaven theme in the foreground, calling on interpreters to pay far more attention to the illustrious heavenly being whose attempt to subvert the truth about the divine government is the unremitting concern in Revelation.
Justification
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"For some time now, I have watched in puzzlement as some critics, imagining themselves as defenders of Paul's gospel, have derided Tom Wright as a dangerous betrayer of the Christian faith. In fact, Paul's gospel of God's reconciling, world-transforming grace has no more ardent and eloquent exponent in our time than Tom Wright. If his detractors read this book carefully, they will find themselves engaged in close exegesis of Paul's letters, and they will be challenged to join Wright in grappling with the deepest logic of Paul's message. Beyond slogans and caricatures of 'Lutheran readings' and 'the New Perspective,' the task we all face is to interpret these difficult, theologically generative letters afresh for our time. Wright's sweeping, incisive sketch of Paul's thought, set forward in this book, will help us all in that task." ----Richard B. Hays, Duke University
The Myth of a Christian Nation
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Jesus came to establish a kingdom that is "not of this world." Kingdoms of the world seek to acquire and exercise power over others, whereas Jesus incarnated and demonstrated a kingdom that advances by exercising power under people. Author Gregory Boyd makes a compelling case that whenever the church gets too close to any political or national ideology, it is disastrous for the church and harmful to society. The American Evangelical Church has allowed itself to be co-opted by the political right (and some by the political left). Boyd exposes how this alignment undermines the church's unique calling and greatly compromises the kingdom of God, not only in America but throughout the world.
Could It Be This Simple?
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Could It Be This Simple? A Biblical Model for Healing the Mind is a breakthrough in understanding the mind and provides real answers for regular people.
Dr. Jennings describes in simple language how our mental faculties are designed to work, what happens when they don’t, and provides straightforward methods for reestablishing the mind in a healthy balance.
Who's Afraid of the Old Testament God?
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This book is for those who have serious questions about the meaning and relevance of the Hebrew scriptures, and strikes at the heart of Christian teaching and our understanding of God. With his characteristic insight, wisdom and enthusiasm, Dr. Thompson takes on some of the most difficult passages and finds in them the love and care of God, along with an understanding of the humanness of the authors of scripture.
The discussion includes such passages as Judges 19-21 and Psalm 137. You will come away from this book with a new appreciation for the whole Bible both as it stood in its own world, and as it can be applied today.
