This is a summary of recent books read by Martin Davie, compiling his evaluations and the commendations of others. In this edition:
God’s Relational Presence: The Cohesive Center of Biblical Theology
by J Scott Duvall and J Daniel Hays
Duvall and Hays offer a fresh way of looking at the Bible as a whole. They propose that the ‘mega-theme’ of the Bible is God’s desire for relationship with his people, and they argue that this enables us make sense of the Bible as a whole. Scholarly and readable.
The Servant of the Lord and his Servant People
by Matthew Harmon
This book aims to help readers understand our identity as human beings by considering the biblical theme of the ‘servant of the Lord’ from Genesis to Revelation – Jesus first and foremost, but also Adam, Moses, Joshua, Paul, etc, and believers today. Helpful.
The Essential Karl Barth: A Reader and Commentary
by Keith L Johnson
Best introduction for anyone beginning their study of Karl Barth’s life and work – a helpful overview of the development of Barth’s thought, a good summary of the key ideas in the Church Dogmatics, and a clear indication of how Barth applied his theology in his engagement with 20th-century politics.
Bioethics: A Primer for Christians
by Gilbert Meilaender
An excellent basic, reliable Christian guide to bioethics written by an expert. Covers topics such as genetics, prenatal screening, suicide and euthanasia, organ donation, human medical experimentation, etc. Ideal for theological students, Christian medical students, or other Christians faced with these issues either personally or professionally. Read it and then lend it to others.
Purposeful Sexuality: A Short Christian Introduction
by Ed Shaw
A short introduction to sexuality from a Christian perspective, looking at why we find it difficult to talk about sexuality, what sexuality is for, how this understanding of sexuality helps us, and what God does to help us. A really excellent book – clear, biblically based, and addresses the key issues that people need to understand in order to see why Christianity has good news to proclaim with regard to human sexuality. Read yourself and then lend/give it away to others.
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Martin Davie is a research fellow with the Latimer Trust. He is the author of several books some of which you can find in our website. Click here to see Martin's books.