Review of "The Christian Lover"

In The Christian Lover, Michael Haykin surveys the love lives of some of the most important theologians in post-Reformation, Christian history. To be sure, not all of these letters are positive. This collection includes letters that depict the pain of unrequited love as well as the troubles of separation. Apart from the sappy nature of stereotypical romance letters, this collection features letters founded on solid Theology. One notable characteristic of each segment is the preaching of the Gospel. Many of the lovers warn their spouse/"significant other" not to prize them over the Lord. They consistently strive to fight idolatry as they grow in love and care for one another. Dr. Haykin is a brilliant historian and theologian who currently teaches various classes at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. I am currently about to move to Louisville, KY to enroll in the seminary and look forward to having many classes with Dr. Haykin.

John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology

As this year is the 500th anniversary of John Calvin's birth, the people at Reformation Trust publishers have compiled a series of essays in his honor from an all-star list of authors, scholars, and pastors. The book offers current and historical reactions to the man and his work. One of the great things about this book is that, while it focuses on his work and contribution to theology (there are many great quotes!), it is also biographical in that it does not separate his doctrine from his life. One of the main lessons that can be gained from Calvin's life is his humility. This is often overlooked in many biographies. It is also important for the "neo-Calvinists" to learn humility so that they can clearly communicate their beliefs to those who differ with them. The only things about this book that were lacking were the slim treatment of Calvin's shortcomings (which I believe that he would have wanted us to learn from) and the annoying end notes (it is quite frustrating to have to turn to the end of the chapters to find reference information). This would be a fantastic introduction to Calvin for those who do not know a lot about him. I also hope that it will clear up some misconceptions about the man and his interpretation of the Bible. This should cause readers to want to purchase and read Calvin's work.

Review of "This is Your Brain on Joy"

I just finished reading This is Your Brain on Joy by Dr. Earl Henslin. In many ways, this was unlike any other book that I have ever read. It fits into the “psychological self-help” category. The book is mainly about the various problems in brain chemistry that affect our daily lives. At the beginning of the book, there is a quiz to help determine which category the reader fits into. From there the reader is encouraged to go to their individual chapters. Each chapter ends with a variety of creative ways of dealing with various disorders. Movies, music, prayers, and Scripture references are included for each disorder. Unfortunately, there are a few problems with the book a whole. The author is not fond of using Scripture, the book as a whole does not resort to Scripture very often and the few verses that are quoted are usually taken out of context. Another problem is that the author seems to give too much leniency to sin, choosing to blame it instead on brain dysfunction. There also seemed to be a great deal of overlap in the questions – it made me wonder whether the data collected would be skewed. Finally, the book seems to be a large advertisement for a particular medical test called a SPECT Scan. In my opinion, the advice in this book should not be followed until it has been reviewed by your personal doctor.

Review of The Great Eight

I just finished The Great Eight by Scott Hamilton (Thomas Nelson Publishers). This book is a combination of biography and self-help. Hamilton, along with his co-author, mixes the two genres so that the events of his life serve as examples for the eight principles that he tries to communicate throughout the book. From the first page to the last, Hamilton preaches the gospel of happiness. It almost seems as if every situation of our lives can be fixed by being positive and “not taking anything too serious.” While the idea of mixing life lessons with biographical snippets is intriguing, this book was not organized very well. The events are not in chronological order and the book has a very random flavor to it. There is nothing new in the principles that Hamilton offers. Most of them are old adages about never giving up and being positive. There is not much spiritual content to this book. With key endorsements from William Shatner and Donald Trump, the reader immediately knows what kind of book he is dealing with. One of the best aspects of the book is Hamilton’s confirmation of the complete sovereignty of God in all things, including his suffering. The average reader may not find The Great Eight to be very edifying. Two exceptions to this general statement are those who really enjoy figure skating and those who have survived cancer (or who have had a loved one survive cancer).

Review of "For These Tough Times"

I recently finished reading "For These Tough Times" by Max Lucado. I was impressed with the over-all effort on Lucado's part to fight the so-called prosperity gospel. He showed that everyone goes through tough times - and as Christians, we are guaranteed that we will suffer for the Gospel. Overall this was an easy read. This was both good and bad. While the book went quickly and could be easily read in one day, its 79 page frame does not lend itself to in depth interaction. In my opinion, there are very few writers in America that can paint an illustration as well as Lucado. This book is no exception. While this was a pretty good book, there were some weak points. It seemed as if Lucado was too lenient on sin. More than one his reply to the sin in Christians was that "nothing can separate us from the love of Christ." Which is true, yet an oversimplification of the battle with ongoing sin. He also tended to show the cross as merely a way that God showed His love to us. While this again is true, the main point of the cross was to satisfy the wrath of God against the sins of believers - not to merely show love. From reading other Lucado books, I know that he feels this way as well. Overall, I would only have to give this book three stars out of five. The subject matter with which Lucado was dealing warranted a longer book. I would have liked to have seen Lucado deal with some of the deeper philosophical and theological issues surrounding suffering. I would have also like to have seem him interact with more scripture - as the quotes in this book were few and far between. Although I know that the economy is rough and the price of just about everything is going up, I could not see myself paying the full suggested retail value of $10.99. Luckily, many bookstores and websites will have coupons or sales programs which will relieve some of the cost.