Some forthcoming titles from both Eerdmans and IVP Academic.

Eerdmans has put up their fall schedule (HT: Nijay Gupta). Among the many notable titles are a book by Miroslav Volf on the use of scripture and theology, a new Pillar commentary on 1 Corinthians, and two notable additions to the NICNT series, John (which I noted a month or two ago) by J. Ramsey Michaels and James by Scot McKnight. It's hard to say what will find its way onto my shelves, but both of the NICNT volumes have some interest, and Volf is one of those writers I hate to neglect. McKnight is the same, and James has been an area of growing interest for me. But sure to be some good books forthcoming.

IVP Academic also has some notable books on the way. First, worth mentioning is the second volume of Ben Witherington's massive NT theology, The Indelible Image, released recently. I've been loving the first volume, and look forward to digging into his synthesis in the second volume. They also have some forthcoming titles worth noting. Alister McGrath has a book coming out on discipleship and the mind, and the prolific N. T. Wright has a small book titled Small Faith Great God slated for November.

Paul Copan, "True for You but Not for Me"

Thanks to Bethany House for the review copy. In this second edition of "True For You But Not For Me," philosopher Paul Copan lays out a very clear and readable exposition of the philosophical foundations for Christian belief. The book is oriented around responses to common objections, with each chapter focusing on a particular slogan or objection, such as "It's all a matter of perspective," or "Christianity is arrogant and imperialistic." The chapters are divided up into five parts, which move in progression from the general concept of truth (looking at relativism and moral relativism in parts one and two), to the basic truth of a God-centered worldview (religions relativism, part three), to the centrality of Christ (parts four and five). This organization mirrors Copan's overarching method for apologetics, what he calls "Truth-God-Jesus," asserting that an understanding of the existence and importance of truth will provide the foundation for a genuine belief in God, which will in turn provide the necessary framework for recognition of Jesus Christ as the only way to be saved.

A few notes about the content, which I won't otherwise attempt to summarize here because of the breadth of the treatment. First, he emphasizes over and over (to good effect) the exclusivity of supposed "relativist" philosophies, whether in regard to truth, morality, or religion. He also engages John Hick in extended dialogue in part three regarding religious pluralism. Also worthy of note is that part five consists of an extended discussion of the fate of the unevangelized, with a number of live evangelical options presented and considered (he seems to lean toward a middle-knowledge view, which he ends with).

Copan argues very clearly, and lays out complex issues in a helpful and accessible way. Each chapter is concluded with a bullet-point summary of the important arguments made in the chapter, making the book a ready reference. Copan also demonstrates broad familiarity with the biblical text and up-to-date knowledge of a good range of contemporary biblical studies (with well-placed references to, for example, Richard Bauckham, N. T. Wright, Douglas Moo, Ben Witherington, etc.).

In all, I would say Copan's book achieves its aims admirably. It will serve Christians well who want to better understand their faith and who want to know how to respond to or how to maintain their faith in the face of many common and often vexing objections.

Steve Sonderman, How to Build a Life-Changing Men's Ministry

Thanks to Bethany House the review copy. I am involved in leadership of the adult ministries area at my church, and we have been looking to expand our men's ministry, so it was with great interest that I delved into this book. Sonderman passes on a lot of experience in this informative book about building a men's ministry. A few major emphases come across. One is the need to proceed slowly and deliberately, taking time to build a leadership team and bathing the effort in prayer, surveying the men in your church to gauge interest and needs, and building up incrementally from a foundation. A second emphasis is on having a mission statement for the ministry, and likewise always remaining cognizant of the mission and purpose of each event (does this fit in with our mission?). A third emphasis is on the importance of small groups to real life change. A last emphasis is on the need for careful planning and delegation, bringing many men into the preparation for and conduct of ministry events.

It is obvious, as you read this book, that Sonderman has learned many lessons from his years of experience, both in his own church and in his networking and speaking across the country, and those lessons are passed along as he goes. I also appreciate the balance of both practical wisdom and strategic thinking that comes across in these pages. He helps you both to think big picture about what a men's ministry is as why to do it, as well as how to have a Saturday morning breakfast that works. In all, I found this to be a great resource for thinking about and planning a men's minsitry.

Commentary Recommendations by John Walton

BestCommentaries.com had a link on their blog recently to the Wheaton College website of Professor John Walton, a professor of OT there, and the author of The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate (which incidentally was a really fascinating book which I hope to review in due course). At the bottom of his page you will find a link to a PDF of recommended commentaries. I always enjoy seeing what learned people recommend in the way of commentaries and commentary series. I recommend perusing it at your leisure, especially if you will find yourself in the marked for an OT commentary in the near future.

Eerdmans new release schedule

Nijay Gupta points out that Eerdmans has put out their summer release schedule here. I'm always excited to see what they've got coming down the pike. Especially noteworthy over the next few months is the NICNT volume on John, which will be getting an update by J. Ramsey Michaels. That is certainly a volume to anticipate.

Michael Bird, The Saving Righteousness of God

It is a sad irony that some of the books I enjoy the most are the ones that languish on my to-be-reviewed shelf the longest. I think it's partly that I want to do them justice. And this one by Bird has been on my shelf since last fall—a testimony to its value, not its unimportance. And because I can't stand to see it sit there any longer, I offer instead this short inadequate notice to say it was truly a great book. I've been greatly enjoying, over the past year or so, delving deeply in to the world of Pauline theology, but that joy has been often tempered by frustration or even angst at the fragmented world of Pauline scholarship: so much seems contested these days, with many scholars working at cross purposes. And much of the debate is far too acrimonious. But Bird's offering in the Paternoster Monographs series is truly a gem. It offers great exegetical insight into Paul's letters, a clear-headed appraisal of what is important to the Apostle, and a constructive proposal that integrates the fruit of both the "traditional" reading of Paul and an open but critical inclusion of the "new perspective" on Paul and other contemporary approaches and estimations of the Apostle. In short, even beyond the great wealth of knowledge on Paul and his understanding of God's saving righteousness, Bird's book gives me great hope that especially the divide between old and new perspectives on Paul will be transcended as we move forward. This book is truly a must-read for anyone interested in Paul, the new Perspective, Romans, or even the New Testament more generally.

Pistis Christou and the Law

I'm reading through Galatians as I work my way through Frank Thielman's Paul and the Law. And I have been overwhelmed by Paul's logic in Galatians 3 in regard to Christ and the Law. In verse 22, Paul writes that everything was "locked up" under sin so that the promise could be given "through faith in Jesus Christ . . . to those who believe." I am well aware that the debate surrounding the various constructions and uses of pistis Christou as objective or subjective genitive is far from settled at this juncture, it has at least provided the impetus for me to look with new eyes at this passage, and to discover what is plainly there with regard to Paul's logic for why the law is in place (and in fact the reading doesn't seem to change substantively with subjective or objective renderings of the genitive construction). Paul seems to be saying that the law isn't opposed to the promise, but is in fact the necessary precondition of, and instrument through which Christ's faithfulness accomplishes our justification. The law provides in a sense the mechanism through which justification on our behalf by Christ occurs, as Christ's faithfulness under the law yields forth in God's abundant gift of life. The law is thus fulfilled and the promise is then extended to all people without the the constraint of the law, which has fulfilled its purpose in Christ. In a sense, instead of thinking of Christ as circumventing the law to bring salvation by faith (a type of theology that may at times rest just beneath the surface in my own thinking), Christ brings that salvation precisely through the law, which was God's ordained mechanism to bring blessing and life from death, even as the gift is now offered apart from that same law.

David Murrow, The Map: The Way of All Great Men

Thanks to Thomas Nelson for the review copy. In The Map, David Murrow, the author of Why Men Hate Going to Church, uses the metaphor of a map, along with a creatively told fictional tale of its discovery, to describe the spiritual journey of a man. He begins with a ten-chapter tale of the map's discovery in an ancient manuscript in a Grecian monastery by the monk Gerasimos, and of his own involvement in the project as a journalist and writer who could popularize the discovery. But things aren't so simple when he discovers he is being pursued by a mysterious group with unclear motives. Someone must want the map for personal gain. David goes to the monastery to meet with Gerasimos, and he is taught by the monk about the journey the map describes. He is then finally introduced to the map.

The map itself, described in an ancient document entitled "The Three Journeys of Jesus," is actually a key to understanding Jesus own life as depicted in the Gospel of Matthew as three journeys, submission, strength, and sacrifice—three journeys that all men are to emulate in a life of discipleship.

In the second half of the book, following on this interesting fictional account, Murrow fleshes out these three journeys he finds in Matthew's gospel. The first, submission, is found in the early part of the Gospel (chs 1–7). It entails a journey toward the feminine, and is characterized by submission to God. The second is strength, and is found in Matthew 8–25. It is a journey of assertion and strength, a journey toward the masculine. The final journey is sacrifice (Matt 26–28), a journey back in the feminine direction, focused on handing over control, passing on responsibility, training up the next generation.

I found much of value in Murrow's creatively shaped handbook on male discipleship. I think he has indeed picked up three important themes of discipleship and described them well. His assertion that he has found a hidden map in the Gospel of Matthew is more tenuous, I would think, though that doesn't totally undermine the key insights. I also found his description of these stages or journeys in terms of masculine and feminine as a mixed bag. In some senses, it is helpful to see how these stages relate to typical tendencies or traits aligned with one gender, and to warn of the pitfalls that might be typical of especially men, means it has its use. Though in a more absolute way I don't think they were necessary for the book's key insight. In terms of a book directed toward men, and the vision of male discipleship it forms, I think Murrow's book has much value. It is a helpful corrective to some male-directed books that seem to glorify masculine traits and tendencies at the expense of important biblical themes like submission and sacrifice. It also takes a swipe at visions of Jesus (and of the Christian life) that are only meek and mild. So there is no doubt the book has great value in striking out against those two extremes.

In all, I found a few points on which to quibble, but I clearly think Murrow has identified three important themes in the life of the disciple, packaged them creatively with a fictional tale and a helpful map, and directed them well to a male audience. I hope this book is read widely and that it engenders a dialogue about the shape and purpose of the Christian life, especially the Christian life of a man.