This is a summary of recent books read by Martin Davie, compiling his evaluations and the commendations of others. In this edition:
The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old and Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity Again by Justin Brierley.
This is a book which needs to be read by all Christians who want to understand our current cultural moment and what it may mean for the future of the Church in this country. The book also makes useful suggestions about how the Church needs to prepare.
The Last Twelve Verses of the Gospel According to S. Mark by John Burgon
A very strong case can be made that the last twelve verses of Mark are authentic. This means that the prevailing consensus about the matter should not be simply accepted and that students of the Gospels should read Burgon before making a decision about the matter.
Artificial Intelligence – A Guide for the Perplexed by Simon Cross
This is an excellent short Christian introduction to the subject of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It explains what AI is and is not and what its potential benefits and dangers are, and it sets out a Christian framework for evaluating AI’s use and further development.
Crisis of Confidence: Reclaiming the Historic Faith in a Culture Consumed with Individualism and Identity by Carl Trueman
This is a book that should be read by anyone who wants to know why the creeds and the classic Protestant confessions of faith still matter today. All ministers should buy a copy and then share it widely with others.
Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies by N T Wright and Michael Bird
Not everyone will agree with everything that Wright and Bird write, but no one will be able to read through this book without being forced to think hard about what a Jesus centred politics should look like. It is a very important contribution to contemporary Christian political thinking and consequently need to be widely read.
The full reviews can be accessed here.
_________
Martin Davie is a Latimer Trust Research Fellow. He teaches at Wycliffe Hall and is the author of various books, some of them can be found here. He writes regularly on his blog Reflections of an Anglican Theologian.
Views expressed in blogs published by the Latimer Trust are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Latimer Trust.