book review – L. J. Anderson – Author and Blogger

Book Review: Salvation by Allegiance Alone by Matthew W. Bates

Summary

Salvation by Allegiance Alone by Matthew W. Bates can be summed up with one of his early questions: “When the Apostle Paul says, ‘for it is by grace you have been saved through faith’ (Eph. 2:8), what if Paul’s idea of ‘faith’ (pistis) differs from typical contemporary understandings?” (p. 3). The book revolves around that single question, arguing that the Greek word pistis (typically translated as “faith”) ought instead to be rendered “allegiance” or “fidelity.” The title makes this clear. In fact, that sort of blunt clarity is one of the book’s strengths. Whether you agree with him or not, you can’t miss what he’s trying to say.

Book Review: Transformational Teaching by Coley, MacCullough, and MacCullough – A Biblical Approach to Instructional Design

Transformational Teaching: Instructional Design for Christian Educators. Kenneth S. Coley, Deborah L. MacCullough, and Martha E. MacCullough. Brentwood, TN: B&H Academic, 2023. 498 pp. $59.99, paper.

Reviewed by Logan Anderson, Ph.D. Student, Theological Studies, Liberty Theological Seminary, Lynchburg, VA.

Book Review: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas – A Classic Romance With Surprising Depth

by L. J. Anderson

I recently finished reading The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, and I have a lot of thoughts. This is a book I’ve wanted to read for years—mainly because I’m a big fan of the 1993 movie adaptation. I’ve watched that version more times than I can count, so I figured the book would be just as enjoyable, if not more.

But surprisingly, that wasn’t quite the case for me.

Christian Higher Education: Faith, Teaching, and Learning in the Evangelical Tradition. David S. Dockery and Christopher W. Morgan, eds. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018. 576 pp. $50.00. paper.

Review by Logan Anderson, Ph.D. Student, Theological Studies, Liberty Theological Seminary, Lynchburg, VA.

Dockery and Morgan have edited an excellent foundational work for new or prospective higher education teachers. It is sufficiently broad as to be applicable in any discipline within higher education and specific enough that it gives very pointed help to a Christian educator in the evangelical tradition. Christian Higher Education is a “multiauthored, symphonic, and theologically shaped vision for the distinctive work of Christian higher education” (13). One important thing to note regarding this book is that the editors acknowledge differences of opinion and methodology between the authors. They specifically left many of these differences as they hoped it would give a glimpse into academic and student life from a variety of angles within the evangelical tradition (13). Each author brings a unique perspective to the discussion and the editors sought to preserve that in many instances. Despite the fact the chapters are written by different authors and address different topics, this review will primarily address the major sections of the book rather than individual chapters for the sake of brevity since this book is twenty-seven chapters long.

Kingdom’s Hope. The Kindom Series Book Two. Chuck Black. New York: Multnomah Books, 2006: Book Review by L. J. Anderson

Kingdom’s Hope by Chuck Black is a fast-paced action and adventure book based on many Old Testament stories. It is an easy read designed primarily for kids; however, adults can find value in it, especially when reading with kids, as it includes discussion questions and presents biblical stories in a new way. As this is part of a series where the story builds directly off of the last book, this review will be more truncated than the last one. I will link to the previous review so you can go back and look at it if you so like.

Kingdom’s Dawn. The Kindom Series Book One. Chuck Black. New York: Multnomah Books, 2006: Book Review by L. J. Anderson

Kingdom’s Dawn by Chuck Black is a book that I grew up with as a high schooler. As a kid, I was only sort of interested in following God and reading the Bible, but I was very much interested in knights, swords, and the battle of good versus evil. This made the Kingdom Series an excellent series for me as it engaged my mind with Scriptural ideas while being entertaining. Below is my review of the book and an engagement with its theology now that I have read it again as an adult.

Surviving and Thriving in Seminary: An Academic and Spiritual Handbook. H. Daniel Zacharias and Benjamin K. Forrest. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2017: Book Review by L. J. Anderson

Summary

Surviving and Thriving in Seminary is a book focused on, well, surviving and thriving in seminary. Shocking, I know. But do not let the title deceive you. It is a worthwhile read even if you do not plan on going into seminary. That said, the book is intended for seminarians or soon-to-be seminarians. It goes over three distinct areas. Initially, it focuses on preparing your mind, heart, and family for the rigors ahead. This section is highly valuable even for non-seminarians as it applies across the gamut of ministry contexts. Any time you or I begin a ministry, even as a layperson, we need to recognize what is to come.

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