Book Beat:  Past and Future

My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.^[1]

When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.^[2]

There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.^[3]

A room without books is like a body without a soul.^[4]

In 2024 I read – and I mean read, not heard^[5] – about 50 books.  Some were thick dense legal texts comprised of thousands of pages and judicial ramblings.  Others were “mind candy” providing sheer entertainment.  Others provided worldview formation and theological rigor. I offer this glimpse at some of the books that impacted me as well as what’s “on deck” God-willing for 2025.  Let’s get to the gist.

A reading of the scriptures amply depicts God’s actors being familiar with the ambient culture as well as with the culture’s extant literature – from fiction to the philosophical:  Solomon,^[6]Daniel,^[7] Paul,^[8] John,^[9] and Peter.^[10]  These scriptural examples inspire me to digest material – outside the scriptures – that pertain to “seeking first the kingdom of God.”^[11]  Afterall, “all truth is God’s truth.”^[12]

2024 – Select Highlights

Chapman & McConnell, Agreeing to Disagree – How the Establishment Clause Protects Religious Diversity and Freedom of Conscience – In an era of noisy rancor and divisiveness, this book, penned by preeminent constitutional (and Christian) scholars, explains how the constitution protects religious liberty as well as dissent in the public order.  This was THE societal question presented to the budding church in the book of Acts:  How does Christian obedience operate in the presence of pagan civil authorities?  Far too often, Christians opt for a false binary, preferring “piety” (just be personally holy and don’t get involved) instead of “politics” (become a rabid activist that identifies God’s Kingdom with partisanship) or vice versa.  A legal framework actually exists which helps navigate this false dichotomy.  

Godawa, Cruel Logic – This book’s genre is “theological thriller.”  The author, an award-winning screen writer and novelist (and friend), is steeped in cultural apologetics.^[13]  Here, he presents the clash of worldviews in which the villain is a philosophy professor who presents his victims with a opportunity to explain why they should not be murdered – based on their own non-Christian worldviews.  This is applied apologetics in living (and at times gory) color.^[14]

Reilly, Hate Crime Hoax – How the Left is Selling a Fake Race War – One of the casualties of rejecting the Biblical doctrine of creation is factions among people created in the image and likeness of God.  Lazy and unserious men, often animated by animus, categorize humans based on ethnicity, kinship, skin pigmentation, or some other non-biblical criteria.^[15]  The Left has taken this one step further under the influence of Critical Theory (wokeism) and weaponized these divisions.  This book demonstrates with fact after fact that much of the so-called “hate-crimes” painted in headlines are simply false and lack factual support.

Bahnsen, Full Time – Work and the Meaning of Life – This book, penned by a TxC Scholar, presents a robust, biblically faithful case for the goodness – and continuing necessity – of work and labor. Our work is not imposed because of the Fall. Rather, it’s part and parcel of what it means to image the Creator God.  Here, Bahnsen graciously shatters, the well-intended, though erroneous notions often advanced by the “faith/work” industry.^[16]

Bigger, Colonialism – A Moral Reckoning – Critics of the Christian faith lived publicly often sling the notion of “colonialism” against the West.  This is a favorite barb of the Left, notwithstanding that the United State never colonized any land or nation.^[17]  With nuance and realism Bigger tells the real story of the British Colonial era – warts and all.  His conclusion clashes with what’s commonly peddled today by political pundits.

Wright and Bird, Jesus and the Powers – A Brit and an Aussie walk into a bar . . . in this case we see them engage in fresh ways examining what Jesus, the Ascended King of kings and Lord of lords, means with respect to “earthy” powers and authorities.  If Jesus has “all authority,” what does Caesar have?  Should Christians unflinchingly obey worldly political powers?  What about resisting political bullies?  How may Christians fruitfully and faithfully navigate between totalitarian tyrants and dysfunctional democracies?

Shrier, Bad Therapy:  Why Kids Aren’t Growing Up – This author, though a non-Christian, had previously shown that the emperors leading the gender transition industrial complex have no clothes.^[18]  With this volume, she exposes the deep harm caused by counseling and adjacent therapies which drug our children or malform them using “Social Emotional Learning” and “gentle parenting.”  This book presents a blunt, eye-opening, well-researched, yet popular presentation, which every parent should read.

Schaeffer, A Christian Manifesto – This classic text “holds up” after 40+ years – rereading it confirmed the author’s prescience – perhaps the most important observation he makes is noting that the evangelical churches for the past century “have seen things in bits and pieces instead of totals.”^[19]  It’s still a problem today.

Vallier, All the Kingdoms of the World – On Radical Alternatives to Liberalism – In the past few years, the Christian-influenced political theory of Classical Liberalism – the philosophical basis animating American constitutionalism – has become a favorite pinata of the New Right.  We have seen a renewed interest in Catholic Integralism as well as so-called Christian Nationalism – both of which have become quite cozy with, not suspicious of, State power.  Vallier outlines a cogent case for Integralism, setting forth its best-case scenario from history and the Catholic encyclicals.  Then, he systematically dismantles it as a viable system.  His critiques work equally well against the New Right’s Christian Nationalism.

Rosen, The Extinction of Experience – Being Human in a Disembodied World – Rosen ponders how life spent mediated online or otherwise impacts humanity.  Her treatment ranges wide and far, addressing patience, virtual tourism, AI, GPS reliance, facial proximity or the lack thereof, empathy, et al.  While she seems to rely on Darwinian conceptions at some points, the questions she asks and matches to extant data remain profound and inspired several Dicta editions in 2024.  Bottom line:  living in an increasingly disembodied way smacks of Gnosticism, whether intended or not.

2025 – Coming Attractions

The following books – along with probably 50 others in the stack – will likely be “first in line” for my study this year.  I have “previewed them”^[20] and anticipate great benefit considering their perspectives and arguments:

Wright, The Challenge of Acts – Rediscovering What the Church Was and Is – This short work contains great depth.  This is not a run-of-the-mill “commentary,” nor does it attempt to be one.  Rather, Wright provides a grand overview of what the church is and how the story of Jesus, the Messiah, continues following His Ascension.

Brendsel, Answering Speech – The Life of Prayer as Responses to God – Prayer can be difficult or non-existent.  This work comes highly recommended by people I respect.  He addresses prayer as speech that answers God – fascinating.

Trueman, To Change All Worlds – Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse – Trueman’s works are as readable as they are incisive.  This new work provides an historical lineage for Critical Theory, telling the story through its cultural conductors, theorists, and champions.

Presley, Cultural Sanctification – Engaging the World like the Early Church – This book carefully considers how the early church engaged the culture and the extant political powers – what can the church today learn from those early disciples who literally “turned the world upside down”^[21] – neither falling prey to the Scylla of pietism, nor the Charybdis of partisan politics?

Poythress, Making Sense of Man – Using Biblical Perspectives to Develop a Theology of Humanity – Professor Poythress utilizes the tri-perspectival approach to develop and elucidate a theology of humanity.^[22]  Reading Poythress is always like consuming a great feast: nutritious, delicious, beautiful, memorable, diverse, and satiating.  ENJOY!

Hunter, Democracy and Solidarity:  On the Cultural Roots of America’s Political Crisis – Hunter is a leader in understanding and explaining how cultures change – spoiler alert:  it’s not by grass root activism – Hunter here turns his thinking to America’s torn social fabric – its causes and possible solutions.

May your 2025 provide ample time to consider and reflect with books – starting, of course, with THE book, the Holy Bible.

^[1] Eccel. 12:12

^[2] 2 Tim. 4:13

^[3] Joseph Brosky, https://prowritingaid.com/quotes-about-reading

^[4] Marcus Tullius Ciero, https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/festivals/happy-world-book-day-2024-30-powerful-quotes-by-renowned-authors-to-celebrate-world-book-and-copyright-day-101713800146897.html#:~:text=%22A%20room%20without%20books%20is%20like%20a,a%20uniquely%20portable%20magic.%22%20%2D%20Stephen%20King

^[5] For those interested in the debate between reading and listening, consider Jessica Schrader, Why Listening to a Book Is Not the Same as Reading It – It’s Better.  But only in certain cases, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendly-interest/201812/why-listening-book-is-not-the-same-reading-it – the books I consume require reading and rereading and outlining, and indexing, which cannot be efficiently accomplished by listening.

^[6] 1 Kings 4:29-34 describes the breadth and depth of Solomon’s learning coupled with wisdom.

^[7] Dan. 1:4 reflects formation and education in the ways of Babylon by the Jewish captives.

^[8] Acts 17 and Titus 1:12, Paul’s teaching reflects Greek philosophical categories as well as familiarity with its poets.  Consider also his contrasting the Christian faith with Greek and Jewish musings in 1 Cor. 1:22

^[9] John’s Gospel commences with a parallel to Genesis 1 (the Hebrew torah) using Greek philosophical terms, like logos, but in a subversive way.

^[10] In his Pentecost address, Peter quotes the Hebrew scriptures extensively (Ps. 16, 110, Joel 2) and cites a non-biblical proverb elsewhere in 2 Peter 2:22b

^[11] Matt. 6:33

^[12] https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/all-truth-gods-truth-sproul

^[13] https://godawa.com/brilliant-new-60-second-ad-for-thriller-novel-cruel-logic-the-philosopher-killer/ and also see his brilliant, Hollywood Worldviews – Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment (2009).  Godawa penned the screen play for the award-winning film starring Kiefer Sutherland, To End All Wars (2002)

^[14] Peter’s command is not simply to know about apologetics and apologetic theories or traditions, but rather to DO apologetics, that is, actually defend the faith.  1 Peter 3:15

^[15] Shamefully, some professing Christians of the New Right are embracing Kinist ideology as well as a crabbed form of Christian Nationalism.  In this move, they are simply mirroring the Left, not following Christ.

^[16] For a taste of this analysis, see Bahnsen’s keynote presentation at the TxC 2024 Every Square Inch gathering:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P0eXPqwAOo

^[17] President Obama invoked this notion in crafting policies during his time holding public offices. https://www.baltimoresun.com/2010/09/30/obama-raging-anti-colonialism-or-just-raging-ambition/

^[18] Abegail Shrier, Irreversible Damage – The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters (2020)

^[19] Francis A. Schaeffer, A Christian Manifesto (1981), 17

^[20] Mortimer J. Adler, How to Read a Book – The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading (1940)

^[21] Acts 17:6

^[22] John M. Frame, A Primer on Perspectivalism, https://frame-poythress.org/a-primer-on-perspectivalism/