When I previously said that the postings to the blog would come unevenly, I had no idea that it would be almost two months in between entries! But, summertime is a busy time in ministry. So, I'm glad to be back online.
Here is a list of the books I've read over the last three months. I'm providing links so that you can read what others have to say about them. I'll attempt to review some of them over the coming weeks.
Books I've recently read:
Not Like Any Other Book by Peter Masters.
Changed Into His Image by Jim Berg. This is probably the best book I've read in two years. Very helpful in one's personal walk and in discipling others.
Why Men Hate Going To Church by David Murrow.
Healing The Masculine Soul by Gordon Dalbey.
Crushed: The Perilous Journey Called Ministry by Gary Pinion.
Raising A Modern-Day Knight by Robert Lewis.
Unveiling Islam by Ergun Caner and Emir Caner.
Chosen But Free by Norman Geisler.
The Creative Leader by Ed Young.
Only God by David Ralston. Most inspiring missionary book I've read recently. Bro. Ralston was our pastor at Southside in the late '80s/early '90s.
Books I'm in the process of reading:
Lectures To My Students by Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Come Let Us Reason by Norman Geisler and Ronald Brooks.
Set Apart by R. Kent Hughes.
Books on my shelf that are "on deck":
The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman.
The Powell Principles by Oren Harari.
Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences by Norman L. Geisler.
The Way of the Master by Ray Comfort.
Have fun in your reading. I welcome your comments and insight.
6 comments:
Pastor Ed,
I see you have been very busy reading. I am completely jealous. But then, you are a pastor. :-)
I have read both of the Norman Geisler books and thought I'd throw in my two cents worth.
I have read - Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences by Norman L. Geisler.
As an internet geek for many years now, I have witnessed to and debated with Roman Catholics. My formative years as a Christian were heavily influenced by Geisler's works. I have simply been blessed by him.
Geisler however is a philosopher first. I would simply not consider him an theologian exegete primarily. His book has many good things in it that helps the average evangelical. His conclusion in the end seems to be that evangelicals may come together with RCs socially but not ecumenically. He is right and I fully agree.
The tone of his book however just seems to be that although RCs have a different Gospel, coming back together with them in communion someday is possible. This sounds like he has not debated any modern RC apologists. Perhaps he has, and I am completely unaware.
Overall the book is a benefit to any Christian's library.
If one is truly going to interact with RCs on any level, I would recommend Eric Svendsen's works such as "Evangelical Answers", "upon This Slippery Rock", and "Who Is My Mother?".
I would also recommend William Webster's The Matthew 16 Controversy. Webster goes through all of the major church fathers in showing that what is taught by Rome today about Peter being the "Rock" was not what was believed for atleast the first several centuries.
I would also recommend James White's "The Roman Catholic Controversy" as well as "Mary Another Redeemer".
These other books are by far better for one who engages in the substantial issues both exegetically and theologically.
God Bless
"Chosen But Free by Norman Geisler."
I thought I'd make a separate post for this one.
I'll be as straightforward as possible. This book was written as a response to R.C. Sproul's "Chosen By God". It was Geilser's first attempt to delve into an area he truly does not understand, and it showed.
This book shows Geisler is primarily a philosopher and not a theologian exegete. He heavily relies upon three verses throughout his work, Matthew 23"37, 1Tim 2:4, and 2Peter 3:9.
These three verses are NEVER exegeted. They are simply assumed. To write an entire rebuttal to the Reformation's work against Roman Catholicism's false gospel while using verses that are never exegeted is simply arrogant. This book was simply beneath Geisler's ability.
The book claims to clarify philosophically God's foreknowledge and His way of election. He says, "More properly, we should speak of God as knowingly determining and determinately knowing from all eternity everything that happens, including all free acts..."
If anyone thinks that philosophical mumbo jumbo is clarifying anything, I beg him to explain it.
Geisler spends a great deal of time redefining definitions that are historical. How anyone thinks he can do this is beyond me.
What troubled me at one point was his dismissal of John Owen's work, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ. It is a work that has stood unrefuted for several centuries on the perfect work of Christ. Yet Geilser accuses Owen of “retranslating” John 3:16’s “world” to “elect”. This is clearly mean spirited. Owen spent 10 pages of his book arguing for the sense and meaning of the word “world”. Owen never added to or had taken away from the text at all.
Geilser has refused to interact with White’s rebuttal, The Potter’s Freedom. He has refused to publicly debate the matter. Strange for an apologist to run and hide after describing Reformational theology in negative terms that are found nowhere in his book on Roman Catholicism. Perhaps he thinks they are closer brothers than Calvinists?
I end with a couple of endorsements from the beginning of White’s book:
“Piece by piece, James dissects the flawed arguments of Geisler’s misnamed “moderate Calvinism,” which is in fact a very common breed Arminianism. I am under no illusion that Geilser will wave the white flag on this one, but every honest reader of this book will know he should.”—Jim Elliff
“Many of us, who have otherwise profited from the writings of Dr. Geisler, have been grieved by his hapless attempt to harmonize Calvinism and Arminianism.”—Dr. Erwin Lutzer
Ed.
I just finished reading "For Men Only" by Jeff and Shaunti Feldhahn. Great book. I am in the process of reading "Love and Respect" by Emerson Eggerichs. I recommend both books to every pastor.
Jerry Burton
Excellent! Thanks, Jerry. We're about to start a couples class. These will be great background reading for me, I'm sure.
Ed
Howard,
Thanks for the RC book recommendations! I'll look forward to getting to them.
Also, I already knew your thoughts on Geisler from our private correspondence! ;) I appreciate your being a faithful champion of your team's viewpoint.
Ed
"I appreciate your being a faithful champion of your team's viewpoint."
That's just it. I hate being on the other team. Geisler uses very harsh language against those who should be on his side. Yet his desire to get along with RCs seems something he would rather do.
His philosophy of love and his view of man and God are far more akin to Rome's than the Reformers and sound exegetically derived theology. Perhaps that gives reason reformed theology as being the "other team".
I truly wish that there could be more Mohler and Patterson type discussions going on throughout Evangelicalism. Perhaps then there would not be such a dividing wall.
I realize you probably don't see me as the other team. Just wondering why Geisler does.
Post a Comment