Theology wih Verve and Nerve
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Admittedly, this is review placed to counteract the injustice of a previous review entitled "difficult writing style."  Perhaps so, if by difficult one means "not boring."  Francesca Murphy's delightful romp through diverse conceptual terrain illuminates the theological landscape of the last and present century in a way that few publications have.  She manages to contextualize different currents in twentieth century Thomism, Barthianism, the New Criticism, film theory, and the meta-theology of the Yale School, somehow making sense of all of them.  Her main thrust, as the title of the book implies, is a critique of narrative theology diagnoses the dramatic (in several senses) effect of George Lindbeck's linguistic approach.

Only a speed read could conclude that Murphy is unfair to her primary target: Robert Jenson. "We have not repeatedly compared Jenson with Hegel in order to denigrate him, but to show that the problem which lends its title to this book has deep roots in the Christian tradition; rather, we honour him, because he perceives that the problem is not only an intellectual one, but an imaginative one."  Murphy's main contribution is to show how Hans Urs Von Balthasar's dramatic theology provides a better imaginative solution, being not "melodramatic," but genuinely dramatic.  Murphy thereby joins George Hunsinger, David B. Hart, Paul Molnar and many others in a critique of Jenson's theological peculiarities.  Murphy's account differs, however, in her adventurous use of film theory to illustrate what she perceives as Jenson's errors.  Unfortunately, it will be a rare reader who catches all her film references, but this is something for which Murphy can't be blamed.  Theological readings of cinema proliferate, but this is the only cinematic reading of theology of which I am aware.

Is Jenson's theology melodramatic?  No doubt he could defend himself against this charge, and Lindbeck defended himself against charges similar to those made by Murphy in a lengthy response to the queries of Avery Dulles (First Things, Jan. 2004).  Furthermore, one would have liked to see Murphy engage the critiques that have been made of Balthasar's dramatic theology, suggesting that it is itself sub-orthodox.  But these are side issues.  Murphy is a force, and one senses her overall argument would endure such pushback.  If only more theologians would engage fields beyond their own to bring new relevance and currency to their projects as she has here.  God is Not a Story leaves theology looming with a powerful question:  Are there any obvious advantages to "story Barthianism" or "story Thomism" that one cannot get from Balthasar, who offers similar, if not superior benefits, absent the obvious risks?
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Thinking and faith:

De Bono, Rhodes scholar, founder of the International Creative Forum, originator of the concept of "lateral thinking," was my logical choice for books about thinking. Since I was brought up in Alexandria where salvation is by Grace through knowledge, thinking was never stood in the way of faith. Some of the greatest Church thinkers; Origen, Athanasius, and Cyril utilized their faculty in defending Orthodoxy, after developing Saccha's Christianity compatable Neo-Platonism.

Renewing the Mind:

Jim Sire describes Intellectual Life As a Christian Calling, while John Cobb, Jr. challenging all Christians to think, in obedience of Christ. And while Cobb asks Christians to reclaim their gift of thinking, and redeem thinking about God from theologians, Williams defines the life of the mind as a Christian perspective.

In a A Review of The Life of the Mind, Learning to Think Like a Christian is the reviewer T. Moore's qualifying subtitle, he underlines with John Stott that, 'Your Mind Matters', reminds us that, 'disciplined development of the mind must be an important part of every Christian's spiritual life.'

Thinking, life of the Mind:

Dr. Clifford Williams, a veteran professor of philosophy, at Trinity College offers an examination of the life of the mind, as a Christian perspective, in seven chapters that constitute his brief, but informing book. Christians who develop their mind's life observe, think, and engage in dialogue. They are interested in the exploration of mundane knowledge (science and philosophy) and spiritual knowledge that enhances their faith.

Williams believes that people of faith has to be thinkers, and sets in a concise and systematic way the case for his theme.  While it is normal to think, developing and utilizing our mental faculties, consistently and coherency, is a matter of discipline, very much like the desert fathers toil with the Noia (thought).  While Williams argues that thinking is sought for its own merits, he argues that our minds will try their ways around issues until they can achieve solutions, and acquiring good thinking habits will motivate thinking processes and make them enjoyable. He cites the Scriptures to support his argument, of not wasting what the Lord intended in His intelligent design. He claims that knowledge on its own merits is a way of loving God (John 17:3).  The more earnestly we know Him, the deeper will be our love for Him, since, in the biblical sense knowledge is love. Hosea gives the consequences of rejecting thinking, and lack of knowledge;

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,

because you have rejected knowledge,

I reject you from being a priest to me. (Hos 4:6)

Enhancing Thinking:

It is evident that the author uses a mind technique, of enhancing focused reading and leaves memorable headings:

Making Beliefs coherent, Discovering Meaning, Sensing the Divine,

Loving God with our Minds, Finding Reasons for Believing, Discovering the need for Faith, Taming the Fat relentless Ego, The Incompatibility of Faith & Inquisitiveness/ Imaginativeness, The Incompatibility of Thought and Devotion, The marginalization of Christianity, The Crowd and the Community, The Hermit and the Explorer.
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A worthwhile book for the theologically and educationally well-informed in the combat zone of liberal vs. traditionalist Catholicism.  Keane has chosen two particularly thorny types, ultraliberal lay Catholic Boston College professor and author Thomas Groome and ultrafeminist wannabe linguist Elizabeth Sch&uuml;ssler-Fiorenza, for target practice.  He hits bull's-eye after bull's-eye.
The careful reader will discern that the undermining of beliefs of all sorts is not limited to Catholic schooling but is found at all levels of American, yea, even Western education in general.  Ever since the Revolution of '68 there have been forces at the professorial level transforming the thinking of students.  The students, in turn, have endeavored to transform society into a purely secular concept.
As a theolinguist, I paid particular attention to Sch&uuml;ssler-Fiorenza's approach.  Neither she nor Groome is a professional linguist--and it shows.  In Chapter 7 (on the Trinity) it becomes immediately obvious that neither Groome and Fiorenza nor Keane understands the crucial difference between grammatical gender and human sex differentiation.
The book examines the extent to which Groome was philosophically influenced by noted--and some not so noted--liberal theologians.  It also outlines Sch&uuml;ssler-Fiorenza's indebtedness to certain prominent feminists.
This is not a book for the uninformed.  Unlike the Anglican Communion, the Catholic Church has a magisterium and can prevent or counteract the spread of the theology of heretics and apostates run amok, like former priest Groome and Sch&uuml;ssler-Fiorenza or retired Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong.
The typesetter needs to add the umlaut to his stock of diacritics.
1097424
I listened to a sermon on 1 Peter by Dr. Daniel Doriani (prof. at Covenant Theological Seminary) and then came to read this commentary. The first thing that I noticed in regards to both is that Dr. Doriani writes how he speaks. With an engaging and humorous style, this commentary on 1 Peter reads like a sermon. In both the sermon and first pages of this commentary, we get a gifted communicator breaking down the history of the epistle and the theological context and concern of its author, Peter. Not "First Peter, but the same Peter of the first and second letters." (lecture to seminary students at Covenant).

This is not the first contribution of Dr. Doriani in the Reformed Expository Commentary series. He also wrote the commentaries on the Gospel of Matthew and the Epistle of James. I was especially impressed with the latter, as he made clear that while the apostle seemed to focus on a living faith by evident works, he also had a firm grasp on grace, which a lot of people miss. Well, Doriani exacts the same kind of careful scholarship in exegeting the texts and providing the benefits of a pastoral, applicable message without being overwhelmingly technical. This makes his contributions a welcome resource for sermon preparation, seminary essay-writing or personal Bible study--it's an "every man" resource that should not be missed.

My favorite study in this volume is the one on 1 Peter 3:13-18 on the "Right Kind of Fear" (pg 134). This portion of the letter is where we get explicit instruction on the task of giving a defense of the faith (apologetics) and how we are to respond when we encounter persecution. Dr. Doriani offers a contrast of the idolatrous fear of losing esteem and comfort and the kind of biblical fear that we should exhibit when we encounter challenges due to our faith. Of particular value is his word study on "fear" from various translations (NIV, ESV, NRSV, NASB and CEV) and the conclusion which should put fear in its proper perspective. In addition to the riches we get from the text, each entry comprises an acknowledgement of where we fall short (law) and the source of grace and strength from which to draw (gospel). This volume is not to be missed.

If you can, I recommend collecting all of the entries in this Reformed Expository Commentary series, but if you are not sure where to start, you cannot go wrong beginning with this volume on 1 Peter.

May you be richly blessed by this wholly biblical resource as I was.

**DISCLAIMER** I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. There was no obligation to provide a positive review.
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A thoughtful, personal and theologically perceptive content that brings with it much encouragement to those on the faith journey
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Stanley Grenz declares that he began as a professor of theology, but somehow has gotten "sucked into" teaching ethics.  He is at Regents College currently and teaches both theology and ethics.
This book is solidly based on God's word and theology, and reflects on the development of morality, virtues, and ethics (after a brief introduction on why we should look at ethics), as it first arises from the Greek tradition.  Various terminology are introduced, like an "ethic of being" rather than an "ethic of doing", and deontological vs. teleogical ethics.
Several Greek ethical traditions are evaluated, namely Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Stoics, and Plotinus (neo-Platonism), and what are the metaphysical backgrounds, nature of the human person, type of ethic, and conceptions of virtue.
Then the discussion moves to ethics in the Bible from Old Testament (specifically the apodidic laws, or the moral laws), Christ, and then Paul.
Then some model Christian proposals are evaluated, namely Augustine (Ethics as the Love of God), Aquinas (Ethics as the telos of human existence, or Ethics as the Fulfillment of our purpose), and Martin Luther and the Reformers (Ethics as Believing Obedience).
Some contemporary Christian proposals are raised looking at Social Order/Social Justice ("An Ethic for the Christianization of the Social Order"), Ethic of Transcedence (in Neo-Orthodoxy), Love as the Christian Norm, an Ethic of Liberation (Liberation Theology), Ethic of Character (an Ethic of Being), and Evangelicals and the Ethical Task.  (What's good about these last two chapters is that Grenz fairly well presents a number of different models and is very good about evaluating the good and bad features in each one.)
Then Grenz spends some time discussing what ethics are being discussed at the present time and talks about what Christians need to do to discuss ethics successfully.  He talks about related words like community, morals, duty, virtue, and dialogue ... especially with others who are thinking about ethics.  Yet, Christian ethics must be distinctly different, and talks about why it must be (it must being and end with God, p. 218 -- and that the basis and goal of ethical living in God).  Then Grenz apparently summarizes a good amount of his discussion of the biblical models of ethics, and then declares that Christian Ethics must be within a community-based ethic of being (in Christ)... also discussing Christian virtue-ethics, within a framework of theology.  Very impressive.  Then Grenz further discusses the foundation of a Christian ethic (discussing the famous Charles Sheldon novel "In His Steps" which inspires the ever-so-popular WWJD = What Would Jesus Do?).  In this chapter, he covers even more Christian theology that affects our ethics.
Grenz reveals himself as an agape-ist ethicist in the final chapters, as he shows that he believes that love (or the ethic of love) is one that comes from God, and shows exactly how one is to demonstrate it, first to God, then to our neighbor.  (Not just in marriage, but he does discuss this context.)  He shows some of the four loves (interacting with C.S. Lewis' work, "The Four Loves", storge, philo, agape, and eros) and how love is to manifest (in a relational sense).
Grenz ends on a tone of love, specifically of that of love for God, in celebration, aka worship (notably corporate worship in addition to individual worship).  He notes that Christian ethical life results in transformation (sanctification), and "the agent of our renewal and hence the one who authors true celebrative worship is none other than the Holy Spirit," (p. 301) which transforms us to love God.  (Again, emphasizing the agape-ethic.)
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Having studied in Bible college, and now teaching in one, it is the experience of many students and I, that theology makes better sense when set in a historical context, and told in a narrative form. Olson ought to be congratulated and highly commended for doing just that in this book.

It is no mean feat to tell the story of twenty centuries of theology in an interesting, insightful, and informative manner: capturing sufficient details of key Christian doctrines, yet without being tedious; presenting and discussing major disagreements, yet without being sectarian.

Olson's genius is shown in both the breadth and depth of the topics covered. All the major theological doctrines and issues through the twenty centuries are covered - from Christology to Trinitarian theology, Socinianism to Calvinism, Liberal to Fundamental. All the major figures were as well: from Athanasius to Luther to Zinzendorf. I enjoyed most his treatment of the rise and decline of liberal theology, where he demonstrated his depth of understanding through linking its pedigree back to Schleiermacher, Kant, and Spinoza.

In his effort to be even and fair, there sure will be some readers who would quibble with perceived lack of clarity in some cherished doctrine or tradition, or particular Christian era. Some may even protest the focus on human action, at the expense it seems of God's. Would these excise the book of Esther from the Bible for its lack of the word "God"?

I commend this book to lecturers and students of theology and church history. I believe this book will greatly open Christian theology to a wider audience, further enquiry, and greater appreciation for Christ.
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I was intrigued when I got a copy of Living Genly in a Violent World. I had heard of Jean Vanier's work in founding the L'Arche communities, in which individuals with mental disabilities live together in community with those who don't have such challenges. Stanley Hauerwas, meanwhile, has long been a literary and theological conversation partner for me, and while there are many areas about which I would disagree with him, he is reliable in his ability to challenge the way I think. This book, part of the Resources for Reconciliation series put out by InterVarsity Press and Duke Divinity School's Center for Reconciliation, was an intriguing read.

The book is formatted as a set of four essays, two by Jean Vanier and two by Stanley Hauerwas. In some ways, it almost feels like two books with a shared theme: Vanier spends his chapters reflecting upon life among the mentally disabled and how it should shape us, while Hauerwas uses the example of L'Arche as a launching pad for a larger argument about rest, servant-leadership, gentleness and peace theology.

The essays are all relatively short, with the book weighing in at around 100 pages. Those looking for a systematic argument for the views it espouses will be disappointed. Indeed, there were many times when I found both authors making side comments and following rabbit trails which seemed to have little bearing on the overall discussion. Add to this the fact that I'm sure many (including myself) will find ample cause for theological disagreement with some of the authors' underlying ideas, and many would probably dismiss the work as rubbish.

However, I cannot do so because of one simple fact: agree or disagree, almost every page of this little book is beautifully and thrillingly provocative. I found this especially true while reading Vanier. His theology leaves plenty to be desired, but his rich experience spending his life among those who are truly the "least of these" in a society which idolizes knowledge and productivity leave him with deep insights that are rare in many more theologically rigorous authors. His wisdom about rest, into what Christian love really looks like, and about how to really learn to celebrate life all set me back on my heels. Hauerwas as well supplies some challenging thoughts, especially when he discusses our modern understanding of time and how it is antithetical to true biblical rest.

The fundamental question which these authors are wrestling with this: is there room in our Westernized Christian understanding of holiness and life for those who are mentally broken in ways the rest of us often discount? If there isn't, perhaps it's time to rethink just what it means to be a follower of Jesus in the first place. When the gospel is not for the least of these, it's probably just something we've concocted for our own comfort.
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In Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life, Ed Cyzewski offers a welcoming introduction to how laity should begin to work out theology and doctrine in a postmodern context.  Providing a succinct and fast-paced introduction to the cultural changes that have shifted the way Americans think from The Modern Age to the plethora of possibilities that make up our current cultural context, Cyzewski navigates the turbulence of contemporary philosophical discussions and misinformation and enters into a stirring discussion of how every member of the Church must do theology and not know theology.

At the center of this book is the shift from "knowledge" to "understanding." Whereas the Scientific Method has influenced our culture to think in terms of data, knowledge and absolute Truth the postmodern age does not question the veracity of these claims but instead the knowability of such claims---in other words, Cyzewski works out the "postmodern age" much like the postmodern philosophers since the 1950s would want it to be: a realization that we cannot know everything so we must be humble.  When we do theology contextually, that is by being humble enough to realize that we are biased by our culture and our traditions and that there are different biases and different traditions in other cultures, we move from the battle of knowing doctrine and to a conversation like one would have in a coffeehouse (civil, polite, understanding, and loving).  As Cyzewski notes,

  "Doing theology in a postmodern context challenges us to read Scripture with an awareness of how our culture influences who we are and how we see the world, while dialoguing with Christians from history and around the world.  This process involves reading Scripture, and then rereading Scripture in light of what our traditions and global believers teach us."

At its worse, the framework for theological conversations since the Reformation has not been ecumenical but divisive, and Cyzewski is right to call the Church to task for conducting its theological discussion as a fight and not as a coffeehouse conversation.  Cyzewski reminds us that, "if love for God and for one another guides us while we form theology, then we will be wary of accumulating knowledge as a matter of pride."  This forms the paradox of theology in the postmodern context as opposed to The Modern Age, and gets to the heart of the shaking science-based foundations on which Modernism approached theology:

  in the Modern Age more theology meant more knowledge and more divisiveness.
  in the Postmodern age more theology means more understanding and more love.

As the belief that man can obtain all knowledge is slowly thrown into the wastebasket of intellectual history, we are reminded that in our humility we should look at theology not as a finite project, one that will lead us to all knowledge concerning God and the Church, but as an infinite project where "contextual theology ends up being an ongoing process, a conversation we have between the Bible and the influences of our culture, traditions, and global Christians."

Informally written, well paced, and easy to digest, I sincerely recommend Coffeehouse Theology as an excellent introduction to theology in a postmodern context and especially for book clubs or small group meetings.  It is sure to spark excellent conversations about how to have theological conversations!
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I am tempted to fear that I would be struck with lightening if I gave this any less than five stars, given the subject. But I have given other theology readers less than five and I am around to tell about it. This reader deserves five stars with a bullet, for at least four sound reasons.

First, it is BIG. If necessary, it could provide material for two semesters, if necessary. And the subject is so broad that one feels shortchanged if it is done in one. This was the text for the 1 semester course I took, and unlike the stated object of the course, no one theologian, with the possible exceptions of Augustine and Luther got the full treatment.

Second, there are selections of works in here which are simply not available anywhere else. They were translated, probably, by McGrath's army of graduate assistants. That alone may be worth the price of admission. My only reservation is that some theologians, such as Albrecht Ritschl, who wrote several bit, multivolume works, is represented by only a short selection.

Third, on the other side of the coin, non-theological writers whose work influenced Christian theology are included such as Wittgenstein and Dorothy Sayers.

Fourth, it is organized so that one could approach matters either topically or chronologically, as we did in our class.

The forewords and afterwords to each section are illuminating and go far to place the reading in its time and place. It is possibly the only reasonable alternative to buying twelve books, one for each of twelve major theologians, let alone the dozens represented in this edition. One warning. It seems that McGrath and Blackwell put out new editions every two or three years, which changes the order and number of things. If you need it for a class, pay close attention to which edition is being assumed (That is especially important for instructors as well.)
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This book is part of a series to mediate to the theological thinker the work of other segments of the academic community.  A great undertaking.  Lakeland, chair of the Religious Studies Department of Fairfield University, authors this key volume on the important but amorphous topic of postmodernity.  He discusses its salient characteristics in terms of a breakdown of the coordinates of time, space, and order.  He describes a range of postmodern thinkers from the radical postmodernist children of the coming age who cannot get enough of it, to the late moderns critical of but still committed to the project of modernity, to the countermoderns who really hanker for the good old premodern days.  He looks at how various representatives of each of these positions approach three key problems: the disappearance of the subject, ethical relativism, and the character of otherness.  In chapter two he looks at how a similar range of postmodern thinkers approach the three related religious problems of, respectively, the reconceptualization of God, the Christian community in a pluralistic age, and the relation of Christianity and Christ to other religious traditions.  Then Lakeland points out the agenda for Christian theology in the postmodern world.  The intrachurch self understanding of the Christian community will continue to be the work of systematic theology.  But if a true interfaith dialogue with and within the postmodern world is to take place, it will devolve upon a Christian apologetics located somewhere between a philosophy of religion and a fundamental philosophical theology to do the job.  And that will be the difficult job of seeking ways to present Christianity in categories amenable to the age, but not unfaithful to the tradition, to enter the discussion with one's faith behind rather than in front, as the context out of which one speaks rather than the condition of dialogue within which one speaks.  In his final chapter Lakeland suggests, given what he has already shown postmodernity to be capable of comprehending, how the three issues of God, church, and Christ might be approached by such an apologetics.  The book gives an excellent overall view of postmodernity specifically in terms of interest to the Christian theologian, and it is well and wittily written.  Since it is meant principally for other scholars and draws on and critiques the work of some two dozen thinkers, usually using the vocabulary unique to each, it will probably be more or less accessible to general readers depending on their familiarity with the authors cited.
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This book belongs in every pastor's and seminary student's library, irrespective of  one's position on Calvinism, Arminianism, or Free Grace soteriology.  It is also a most suitable text for the layperson, with readable language and liberal use of  illustrative analogies. Dr. Badger states the purpose of his work is "to suggest real, reasonable, and biblical answers to the questions Dortian Calvinsim has posed.  It will examine Calvinsim and the opposing Arminian beliefs, analyze them, and present a solution to the confusion.".  He later notes "This book will attempt to accurately demonstrate the inadequacy of the two major Protestant positions of salvation and lead the reader into a biblical solution compatible with the nature of God, the nature of man and the message of God to man as revealed in His Word. .... The purpose here is not to defend any system regardless of how "sacred" it might be to someone.  It is to discover and understand the truth of God's plan for mankind in the realm of soteriology."  In a frank but fair manner Dr. Badger has succeeded, following his lofty objectives in crafting an invaluable resource.  More than once he urges the reader to set aside preconceived  ideas or "systems" and carefully examine the biblical text and context.  Thus, while not a difficult read, the book demands that the reader be engaged and think.  One may reread passages several times to fully absorb the content.  Dr. Badger's formulation and logical presentation deserves serious consideration.

As to structure and content, the book follows an outline-like format, with each chapter containing an introduction (I.), several additional headings (II., III. etc), and subheadings (A., B., etc.) under these.  This convention allows the reader to more easily follow the inescapable logic and flow of the text. To assist, incorporated in every chapter (except history) are useful tables summarizing and comparing the various positions/issues under examination.  The introductory chapter includes the challenge/confrontation, theological motivations for the Reformation, the definition of TULIP (five points of Calvinism), some personal insights on the author, key issues, and plan for the text. Subsequent chapters present a brief summary of Reformation history,  the Free Grace understanding  of Sin and Guilt,  and chapters covering the five points individually and associated Free Grace responses/positions.  Two alternative Free Grace solutions are presented for the doctrine of eternal election, with one preferred. Those conversant with the original languages will not be disappointed, as key biblical texts are individually examined., but not excessively such that those without such skills miss the broader argument. A concluding chapter summarizes the findings, noting the shortcomings/failures of  both Arminianism and Calvinism and what the Bible explicitly states.  Six useful appendices contain key doctrinal conventions/statements and two excurses by the author covering biblical ethics/interpretation and perseverance of the saints and carnal Christians.

Together with Dr. Badger, I encourage the reader to evaluate the logical results when one objectively approaches the biblical text and its context, apart from any pre-conceived bias, imposed interpretive template, or system.  His prayerful presentation is worthy of serious consideration.

Roger Kadeg, M.S.; M.S.E.
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Janes Denney's The Atonement and the Modern Mind makes for brisk and profound reading. Albeit short, it is jammed with the musings of a first rate theological mind. Not a whiff of stuffiness here; inside are the critical thoughts of a man concerned to connect the reality of the atonement with the deepest searchings of the modern mind. Throughout, Denney shows how, ultimately, only a cross centred vision of the world makes sense of the conundrum of evil and human complexity. Although penned some years ago, this study remains fresh and piquant. And, what's more, it comes free of charge!
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For anyone with a basic back ground in scripture and in need of succinct yet solid theology of the gospel of Mark, Donald Senior's book might be the best. The book commences appropriately by alerting the reader that in Mark's gospel the unfolding of all events are deliberately mirrored and building up to the passion of Jesus. In substantiating this hypothesis, Donald Senior acutely infers to the symbolism of John the Baptist's fate (his death) and how it intertwines with Jesus' fate - the very nature of Jesus' ministry marked with forgiveness, love, and compassion which intentionally puts Jesus at odds with the religious authorities and the first hand predictions from Jesus about his dreadful fate at the hands of his opponents. All these, according to Donald Senior, are events tactfully woven together by Mark in such a way that his audience is prepared in advance for the passion of Christ and conversely for their own passion.

  Eruditely, Donald Senior presents Mark's portrayal of Jesus' journey from Galilee to Jerusalem as "...a basic theological symbol" (p 30). He argues that the narrative in the gospel of Mark is patent with three determinant phases: the Galilean mission that is characterized with the pinnacles of Jesus' ministry such as his miracles, the call of the disciples, the post-resurrection encounter, and the announcement of the kingdom; the Jerusalem phase that is characterized with the burden of the cross which entails Jesus' arrest, his betrayal, the conflict with religious authorities, and his crucifixion; and the last phase which Senior upholds to be the journey between Galilee and Jerusalem serving as the hinge linking the two former phases.

  In the context of these three phases, amongst other aspects, Donald Senior presents an extensive elucidation of three recurring themes in the gospel of Mark; the meaning of authentic discipleship, which Donald exposes via the various ironies in the gospel in which Jesus' disciples, his inner circle of friends, constantly failed to grasp the true meaning of discipleship, which is to give one's life for others; the theme of the suffering just one, where Donald presents Jesus in conjunction with the Old Testament prophesies of the suffering servant, especially as seen in the books of psalms and prophet Isaiah. By forging this connection between Jesus and the suffering servant of the Old Testament, Donald brings into light a balanced Christology of Mark's gospel where the Messiah, even though he is set to be vindicated and triumph at the end, is still identified with suffering as being "son of man". The last theme developed extensively in this book is the meaning of the cross as a redemptive act in Mark's gospel. Donald does a splendid job of exploring the misconception of the disciples concerning Christ's identity and his fate of death on the cross which proved to be conflicting with their expectations of the messiah.

  The lineal structure of this book, following the outline of Mark's gospel, makes it affable for any reader. The themes developed in the book have applications beyond the realm of Catholicism, Christianity, and academics at large making it a useful tool for a wider audience of readers.  Donald Senior's constant reference to scripture made the basis of the developed themes sound and rooted in the teachings of Dei Verbum.
  On the other hand, Donald Senior's numerous blank references to the Old Testament may make it cumbersome for readers who are unfamiliar with the Old Testament to apprehend the full sense of the book. In addition, the vast spelling errors in the book may lead to peevish reactions, especially from a fastidious audience.

  With all aspects considered, Senior's The Passion of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark, is a book worthy of reading for both scholarly endeavors as well as for lay persons looking for a Markan firm theological enrichment.
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Keith L. Johnson is Associate Professor of Theology at Wheaton College. Johnson has an M.Div. from Baylor University, a Th. M. from Duke Divinity School, and a Ph. D. from Princeton Theological Seminary. Johnson has authored or co-authored a number of books, including Karl Barth and the Analogia Entis (T&T Clark, 2010), and published numerous articles related to various theological topics. Most recently, Johnson has published this timely and important volume, Theology as Discipleship (IVP Academic, 2015), that seeks to build a bridge between the study of theology and the Christian life.

Theology as Discipleship argues, that the discipline of theology and a life of discipleship to Jesus Christ are integrally related because the practice of theology is one of the ways we participate in the life of the triune God (p. 12) The goal of Theology as Discipleship is to show how the study of theology actually enriches the Christian life and how faithful obedience to Christ rightly enables the learning of theology. Thus, it is a reciprocal relationship that functions best when both aspects are equally involved.

Johnson rightly recognizes the contemporary dilemma that characterizes most Christians today. For Johnson, the study of theology has become so divorced from the everyday endeavors of the Christian life that it has become difficult, even for intelligently committed Christians, to figure out how the two relate. Accordingly, Theology as Discipleship opens with an important chapter that helps the reader identify what went wrong and how it can be effectively reconstructed. It is this reconstruction process that dominates the following chapters of the book.

As an educator in the context of the local church, I understand that the problem that Johnson seeks to address in Theology as Discipleship is more prevalent than many are willing to admit. In fact, I actually just taught a six-week course that aimed to address the very issue raised by Johnson here, and I wish I had his book prior to that endeavor for a number of reasons. First, Johnson is consistently Christ-centered in his approach and application. Second, his approach does more than provide a hypothetical solution to the problem. Third, his approach and solution are beneficial to both scholars and students.

Theology as Discipleship concludes, appropriately so, with nine characteristics that distinguish the life of the Christian who practices theology faithfully within the context of Gods saving work in Christ and the Spirit (p. 156). For example, Johnson rightly argues, we practice theology as disciples, when our thinking stays within the limits of our faith in Jesus Christ (p. 158), and, when we pursue both truth and unity (p. 176). This last chapter practically and carefully shows the necessity of theology for the Christian life, and why as Christians we should be quick to engage frequently in theological dialog and thinking.

It is difficult to correctly articulate the importance of Theology as Discipleship by Keith L, Johnson. Not only is the book well-written and engaging, but the content is challenging and intentionally aimed. In fact, to say that this book is necessary for the contemporary church would run the risk of being an understatement. Johnson has produced a timely and important volume that exemplifies a personal pursuit of faithfulness in the discipline of theology. If you are a Christian educator, pastor, or simply a Christian seeking to live faithfully in all aspects of your life, Theology as Discipleship is a must read booksooner than later.

I received a review copy of these books in exchange for and honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
1106394
A deep theological read that is funny, incise, and self-revelatory!  Great!!
4236437
The tendency towards polarization in our society is rampant. We see it perhaps most clearly and prominently in political debates, but it happens all over the place, not the least of which being debates within and about the church. While polarizing voices do tend to get a lot of attention, it's debatable whether they're really all that helpful in any positive, constructive sense.

For that reason, I'm thankful for thoughtful people who know where they stand, but who aren't intentionally or flippantly divisive about it. Tim Morey, author of Embodying Our Faith: Becoming a Living, Sharing, Practicing Church, is one of those thoughtful voices.

Morey is a pastor and church planter in California, and this book is a reworking of his dissertation from Fuller Seminary. What I so appreciate about the book is that while Morey asks a lot of penetrating questions ("Is a church really a church if it exists only for itself?") he goes about the task humbly, without any apparent axe to grind. He seems genuinely concerned with helping the church - his own and the North American church more broadly - to become, as the subtitle says, a living, sharing, practicing church. His is a high ecclesiology without ever slipping into the realm of wishful thinking.

Morey writes as one who at one point walked away from the church before coming back to make pastoring and church planting his life's work. This gives his perspective and insight some added legitimacy, in my opinion. He understands and empathizes with those in our "post-Christian" culture who have left the church or simply see no reason for it, but he is also deeply committed to help bring them back. Or, perhaps more accurately, he is committed to helping the church go to them. He takes up Lesslie Newbigin's plea for the necessity of being a missionary church to our own Western culture and urges us to develop an "embodied apologetic" rather than a merely rational one.

Importantly, while urging us to embrace the "whole" gospel through an embodied apologetic including both compassion and evangelism as the fabric of our life, he warns that we run the risk of losing sight of the simple core of Christ's teaching: discipleship. Highly rational, propositional evangelistic approaches - arguably the norm in evangelical churches - have tended to de-emphasize the importance of what's supposed to happen between conversion and death. Many of us are guilty of a sort of bait-and-switch evangelism in which we offer a fire insurance policy for free and only later share the fine print about what is expected of us as Christians, disciples of Jesus. Alternately, others of us have tended to focus on compassion but never get around to what it is that's uniquely Christian about our activity.

Morey comes to basically the same conclusion I have been coming to of late: discipleship entails a life in which compassion for others (regardless of need) and a call to conversion (most often a process rather than an event) are but two parts of a seamless whole.

Though he might have turned more heads and sold more books by taking sides in the hot-button theological debates of today, Morey has chosen the better way. He engages these pressing issues in a smart yet humble way and, through his example, urges us to move beyond reactionary rhetoric and towards the building up of a more Christ-like community of faith that truly embodies the good news for our neighbors.

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