Category: Non-Fiction Page 58 of 62

God’s Glory Alone—The Majestic Heart of Christian Faith and Life: What the Reformers Taught…and Why It Still Matters

by David VanDrunen
Series: The 5 Solas Series

Paperback, 171 pg.
Zondervan, 2015
Read: March 6, 2016

VanDrunen begins by discussing the Reformers’ emphasis on the Glory of God and the way that impacted the movement, its concerns, goals and means. I don’t recall being struck by any particular insights here, but it was a pretty worthwhile overview.

The strongest section was Part 2, where VanDrunen considered the Biblical teachings on God’s glory. How God’s glory was manifested in the cloud during the Exodus and following, then how the Incarnation of the Son displayed His glory. Finally, he considered the glorification of God’s saints and how that leads to God being glorified. This part could have been more detailed and more extended to greater effect and use if you ask me, but it was a good start to one’s own investigation to the topic.

In Part 3, “Living for God’s Glory Today,” VanDrunen seeks to apply these thoughts to our daily lives — which sadly, was the weakest part of the book. He had a lot to say about the way that smartphones/social media/the Internet is affecting our minds/attention spans and therefore the way we act in worship/respond to the preached Word, etc. — and on the whole, his comments were probably sound, but the way he 1. presented his case, 2. dwelt on it, 3. kept beating this equine after it had expired made him seem like a cranky Luddite rather than a thoughtful teacher with pastoral concerns.

He did however, use Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung’s material on Vainglory from her book, Glittering Vices (and her book on Vainglory in particular) in a much more interesting way than she did — so that’s a plus.

In the end, it really didn’t do much for me, but was solid enough to recommend. A pretty easy, if sometimes dry, read (hard to imagine that this subject would lend itself to a dry book). I’m still planning on getting the rest of the series, hoping the other authors give something more engaging.

—–

3 Stars

No Problem, Mr. Walt by Walt Hackman

By HCNewton

On March 1, 2016

In (Auto)Biography

No Problem, Mr. Walt: A Memoir of Loss, Building a Boat, Rebuilding a Life, & Discovering China

by Walt Hackman

ARC
Publish Authority, 2016
Read: February 18 – 26, 2016

Walt Hackman led an interesting life — sometimes, too interesting. At the age of 55, while trying to decide how to move forward from some major life changes and recover from a great tragedy, he decides to fulfill a long-held dream and move onto a boat. The question was only: what kind of boat?

He decides on a Chinese Junk. And then proceeds to figure out how to get one built for him — not a replica, not a used Junk — but an authentic, Chinese, made they way they’ve been made for centuries, built just for him.

As mid-life crises go, it’s a lot more creative and original than a red Porsche. ^*

The process was long, involved, troubled, and confusing. Which is works out well for the reader, because it makes for an interesting story for Walt to tell. He walks us through the process involving banks, embassies, multi-national shipping, translators (professional and not), engineers, trans-pacific flights, and a whole lot of tea.

But it’s not just a story about getting his Junk built — it’s a story about Hackman learning how to get things done in China, what he learned about the culture, and how he applied that. For me, this was the most appealing part (really, as interesting as it was, the boat portion of his tale was pretty straightforward).

Hackman did a lot of research into Chinese culture and history — and shares that with his reader. You could get a quick and dirty understanding of Chinese history just by reading the little his chapter introductions. But it’s not just about the big things like the Great Wall, the history of Chinese shipbuilding, various leaders, and whatnot — he talks about culture — the need to make sure everyone saves face in a discussion (and how to ensure that), and even Chinese singing and fighting (??) crickets — which are sometimes kept as pets, in tiny little boxes.

It wouldn’t be a book about international travel, business, and misunderstandings without some travel horror stories — but wow, he had some doozies. Which is probably why those kind of stories are so ubiquitous, they’re great bits of temporary drama that everyone can relate to. They’re also great reinforcement for those of us who aren’t that into travel to stay home.

Second only to travel horrors, are stories about food when it comes to narratives about other countries/cultures. Hackman described both restaurant and home-cooked meals. He gave a lot of detail about home-cooking — both by his Chinese-American friend and her family in China. Also, thanks to an encounter Hackman had walking around and talking to strangers, I learned more about the traditional way to prepare duck than I ever wanted/needed to know.

Most of us have seen enough travel shows, documentaries, etc. about China to get the idea just how foreign a land it is to Western eyes (even The Drew Carey Show sufficiently demonstrated that), and Hackman’s descriptions helped reinforce that. But more effective was his bringing things like coming home to the aftermath of the L. A. Riots (that he had no idea were happening) demonstrated the contrast with his time in China and underlined how otherworldly it can be over there (although in the age of 24-hour news cycles and smartphones, that might not be as stark now.).

It’d be easy to expect this book to be an exploration of Hackman’s dealing with the emotional and familial hardships in his life — but nope. It’s just what it promises: a story about a man trying to get a boat built. That other stuff happens, you can tell, but that’s not what this book is about — part of me would’ve like to see how his construction project helped him find the distance or whatever he needed — but I just found it refreshing that he didn’t use this story as an excuse to deal with all that in print.

Actually, now that I think of it — that’s pretty typical of Hackman — he doesn’t share his thought process (by and large) with the reader. We don’t really get an explanation for his choice of Chinese Junk, just that after some thought, he picked that. We see the results of his thinking, we see some of what his research (both via book and being around the culture) have taught him — but we get almost nothing of the process. Now, that’s a strange approach for this kind of book (at least by current standards), but it works.

The book’s subtitle is: “Building a Boat, Rebuilding a Life, & Discovering China.” Well, Walt Hackman does all three, but we really only get to see two of those. Building his boat and discovering China are enough to carry the book, and allow him to do the rebuilding. This is not the kind of book I normally read, but when Hackman contacted me about reading an ARC, something about it made me sign on — and I’m glad I did. It’s a fascinating book and an easy, rewarding read. Give it a shot, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Disclaimer: I was provided an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review – I still might end up getting a hard copy, just so I can have that cover to look at easily (can’t tell much from that thumbnail, but it’s great – click through to the website and check it out).

^* I’m not trying to make light of everything Hackman was going for, his crises were a lot worse than most.

—–

3.5 Stars

Confessions of a Clumsy Christian: Unqualified by Jennifer Wilson

By HCNewton

On February 14, 2016

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Confessions of a Clumsy Christian: Unqualified: Honest Answers to Real Questions About Being Good Enough for God

by Jennifer Wilson

E-book, 89 pg.
2016

Read:February 7, 2016

This was a tough one for me to write — in fact, I think I spent at least twice as long deciding what to write and then writing this as I did reading the book.

Jennifer Wilson had the kind of past that many of us have had — false starts with faith, personal problems, family problems, addictions, job woes, etc. — struggling from time to time with trying to be good enough to become a Christian — at some point, she realized she couldn’t and that God didn’t want someone who was good enough (who could be?), but someone “unqualified” to be a Christian. She talks about some of her problems, doubts and fears both before and after her conversion, in an effort to reassure others that “qualified Christians” just don’t exist.

Let’s get the easy stuff out of the way: Wilson writes in a charming, engaging manner — pleasant, breezy, conversational. This makes the book a quick and easy read — sometimes deceptively so, considering the topics covered. She comes across as very open and honest, very genuine.

There were plenty of typos and grammatical mistakes in the edition I read — none were too distracting, though, so you could get past it. You almost have to forgive the mistakes in the midst of an author telling you how often she has and continues to fail in various areas.

There are plenty of books I shouldn’t write — for example, novels that are supposed to go anywhere beyond the NaNoWriMo word count verification; books on care of felines; diet books — 2 of these may change in time, my fiction could improve or I could get in shape. If either happens, I’ll write those books. And at some point, Jennifer Wilson may be ready to write this book. She states, over and over again that she’s a new Christian. At one point, she describes herself as “barely an apprentice Christian.” I have to ask, why is she writing a book about it then? I’m not saying she shouldn’t ever — but maybe she should get some roots down. She wants to write about her past? Her coming to faith? Her struggles as a new Christian? Fine — more than fine, she’s helpful. But when she goes further than that, she gets herself in trouble.

John Murray once wrote, “The difference between truth and error is not a chasm but a razor’s edge.” I fear that Wilson spent so much time walking down the razor’s edge she must have really cut up her feet. For example, she advised a friend, “[God] is in pain, watching you, His precious daughter, suffer so much.” I don’t see any biblical writer speaking of God in this way. She writes, “God, my heavenly father, doesn’t want me, His daughter to suffer in pain.” Please tell that to Joseph, Job, Paul, and Jesus for starters. The Epistles are replete with instructions about suffering, about the purpose of suffering, of rejoicing in our suffering. I have to wonder, what God is she talking about?

Wilson’s clear that she doesn’t know the Bible very well — that right there should give her pause before weighing in on Biblical concerns, no?

I know she’s trying to be amusing in her writing — and she usually succeeds — but I think a little more care surrounding God, His works, and the ways He’s revealed Himself would be helpful. Self-deprecating humor, humor at the apparent vicissitudes of life, absolutely fair game. But there are some things that we ought to treat reverently even in the midst of irreverence.

There is a lot to be commended about this book — particularly when she describes her own struggles past and present. But the solutions suggested are frequently problematic, when not downright unbiblical. It’s written-well enough, I’m just pretty sure it shouldn’t have been written at this time. I wish Wilson’d waited until she was past the apprentice stage to write this. I’m not just saying that, I want to like this book — I’d like to recommend it to others, but I just can’t. Aimee Byrd (not just her, but she’s a good starting point) has been writing recently about the deplorable nature of Christian books marketed for and by women, sadly, this book is evidence that she knows what she’s talking about.

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. She probably had something else in mind.

—–

2 Stars

Lessons from Tara by David Rosenfelt

By HCNewton

On January 28, 2016

In (Auto)Biography, Authors, David Rosenfelt, Dogs, Humor, P-U

Lessons from Tara: Life Advice from the World’s Most Brilliant Dog

by David Rosenfelt

Hardcover, 227 pg.
St. Martin’s Press, 2015

Read: January 23 – 25, 2016

One of my resolutions this year was to read more Non-Fiction — I’m going to try for 1 a month, in addition to “whenever I see something that catches my eye.” So, I marched up to the New Release shelf at the Library and started browsing — hope sinking fast, a whole lot of diet, productivity and political books. Ugh. Just not in the mood, then I got to the 600’s and David Rosenfelt’s name jumped out at me. Had to do it, Rosenfelt talking about Tara (the inspiration for Andy Carpenter’s dog) might be cheating a little, but it was good enough.

I was expecting a little Marley & Me-ish type story about the Rosenfelts and Tara. I couldn’t have been more wrong — thankfully (this meant I sniffled far less than I would’ve otherwise). This is a collection of short (no more than 5 pages), mostly humorous, essays about their life and work with Rescue Dogs. Tara is mentioned frequently, as the work they do with Rescue Dogs was inspired by her, but she’s not the focus of this book. It’s their entire menagerie, those they’ve rescued that aren’t part of their pack, the humans they’ve worked with — and even a few they decidedly haven’t — and the lessons Rosenfelt has learned from them.

While every chapter has a joke or two, some are pretty serious — Rosenfelt talks earnestly about the way people treat dogs — particularly older dogs. The focus of The Tara Foundation is on older/senior dogs who aren’t that likely to be adopted from shelters. I know that he’s made me rethink what dogs I look at when we go to adopt next.

Fans of the Andy Carpenter series will be happy to hear that Andy’s voice is Rosenfelt’s — the book at times feels like an Andy Carpenter book without all the muss and fuss of a plot, murder, or trial. I laughed, I chuckled, I learned a thing or two, and I even got misty more than I wanted to. All in all a really strong read. If you’re a dog lover, or just someone who likes to read good things, find some time for this one.

—–

4 Stars

Songs of a Suffering King by J. V. Fesko

By HCNewton

On January 24, 2016

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Songs of a Suffering King: The Grand Christ Hymn of Psalms 1–8

by J. V. Fesko

Kindle Edition, 123 pg.
Reformation Heritage Books, 2014

Read: January 17, 2016

This is a “small survey” (his words) of the first 8 Psalms, looking at them as testifying of Christ — His experiences, His heart, His prayers, His praise. Fesko doesn’t ignore the original author or context, but his focus is reading them through the filter of John 5:27/Luke 24:27. With that filter, it’s easy to see how the first 8 Psalms (as a microcosm of the Psalter as a whole) testify to Jesus Christ.

This book was just “oooohkay.” Maybe I came in with too high of expectations. I get that Fesko was writing for a more popular audience than some of this other work — but this seemed very shallow. There wasn’t a whole lot to sink my teeth into. I’m glad he made this material very accessible — it’s the kind of thing the Church needs more of. I’m just afraid he didn’t hit the right balance of content and ease of understanding.

The content was good, I do think each chapter helped me understand the Psalm in question a little better (more than that at least twice). The conclusion is very strong — probably the best chapter in the book. I just wish he’d brought some of that strength to bear on the earlier chapters.

The book contained some great insights, but it was primarily surface-level material. I just wanted more from the book. Maybe I wanted too much, but I don’t think so. There were a couple of “wow!” moments for me that lead me to rate this at 3-stars rather than 2 1/2 (but if he’d developed those ideas for more than the one or two sentences he gave them I’d have gone with 4). It’s a nice, quick easy read with some good devotional material, but it could’ve been more without making it too technical.

—–

3 Stars

Reread Project: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

By HCNewton

On January 15, 2016

In Douglas Adams, Fiction, Humor, Reread Project, Science Fiction, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

by Douglas Adams
Series: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy, #1

Mass Market Paperback, 216 pg.
Del Rey Books, 1995 (originally, 1979)
Read: January 14 – 15, 2015

If I’m not really careful, this will be the longest thing I ever post here. Let’s see how much restraint I have, shall we?

I think I read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for the first time in 1987 (maybe 1988), and have read it countless times since then. I quote it all the time (frequently unconsciously and unintentionally) — I think I’ve even plagiarized it a couple of times (really unintentionally). The only reason that my PIN isn’t 4242 is because it seems to be too obvious. I love this book. Rereading it is still fun. Even though I have paragraphs committed to memory, I can hear large portions of it in the voices of the original radio play actors, still the act of reading it is enjoyable, it’s like coming home after a long day at work.

The fixation on digital watches seems so quaint. It starts in the first paragraph and doesn’t really let up until late in the book. I so wish Adams was with us to see what he’d do with our smartphone addictions.

So much of what Adams does here has been repeated by others that he inspired, it’s tough to see some of it as fresh anymore, but he didn’t so much break the mold as ignored it and accidentally created a new one.

The Vogons are fantastic creatures. From the description of their evolutionary process — abandoned though it may be — their anatomy, their inherent meanness, to the commentary on civil servants. Just a fun alien race to read about. But is Adams satisfied with that? No. He adds the monstrosity that is their poetry (and the swipe at the old schoolmate) and they near perfection.

The Babel fish, what can you say about that? They are inspired. They take care of a problem that every space-bound Science Fiction story has to deal with in a way that’s actually more believable than technology-based solutions (Doctor Who does the same thing a bit less convolutedly, but less amusingly, too).

The Python-esque dialogue of the representatives of the Amalgamated Union of Philosophers, Sages, Luminaries and Other Thinking Persons. Is just a delight and picks up what could be a lull in the story.

Another little bonus that’s easy to over look is cop ex machina appearance of the Blagulon Kappa police officers — they’re a great commentary on law enforcement, notions of masculinity, depictions of both in the media — and how all three were undergoing a change at the time.

Strip away all the laughs, the jokes, the satire, the general zaniness and you still have a decent story — not a great one, mind you, but a decent one. There’s some good character work here, too — but it’s hard to see. The reactions of both Arthur and Trillian to the destruction of Earth are a lot deeper and real then Adams needed to make them. Unfortunately, that’s about all the good that Adams does with Trillian. Arthur still has some good treatment in his future.

It’s not perfect, don’t get me wrong — there are some problems with the characters (see Trillian), it being an adaptation of the radio program makes things a bit episodic with clunky transitions, and other hiccups (like the multiple introductions of Ford Prefect). Still, the highs are higher than the lows are low and there are a lot more of them.

“Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.”
“This must be Thursday. . . I never could get the hang of Thursdays.”
“You’d better be prepared for the jump into hyperspace. It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.”
“What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?”
“You ask a glass of water.”
(I’m not sure why, but this has always made me chuckle, if not actually laugh out loud. It’s just never not funny)
“He had found a Nutri-Matic machine which had provided im with a plastic cup filled with a liquid that was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea.”
“In those days spirits were brave, the stakes were high, men were real men, women were real women and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real small furry creatures from Alpha Centuari. And all dared to brave unknown terrors, to do mighty deeds, to boldly split infinitives that no man had split before . . . “
“Look,” said Arthur, “would it save you a lot of time if I just gave up and went mad now?”
Slartibartfast
(okay, not technically a line, but that name…c’mon)

It’s a classic, you just need to read it if you haven’t. If you have, is it time for a re-read?

—–

5 Stars
(only because I don’t have time to make a 6-star graphic) 6 out of 5 stars, easy.

The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs

By HCNewton

On December 28, 2015

In Non-Fiction

The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction

by Alan Jacobs

Hardcover, 150 pg.
Oxford University Press, USA, 2011

Read: December 21 – 25, 2015

A while back my teenage son drifted into the room where I was reading, tilting his head to catch the title of the book in my hands. It was that venerable classic How to Read a Book, by Mortimer Adler and Charles van Doren. “Oh man, he said, “I had to read that in school last year. Maybe I learned something about how to read a book, but after that I never wanted to read a book again.”

Oh, I hear ya, brother! I endured Adler/van Doren for a graduate-level course and thought it was one of the most pointless books I’d ever read. Now, Jacobs finds more profit in the tome than I do, but he’s clearly not a fan.

The book starts with a call to read what you want, reading based on whim, rather than thinking of it as a self-improvement program (which it is, in a way, but it doesn’t have to be followed like one). In fact, Alden, Harold Bloom, etc. turn

reading into the intellectual equivalent of eating organic greens. . . That sort of thing is not reading at all, but what C. S. Lewis once called “social and ethical hygiene.”

Instead, Jacobs calls for people to:

Read what gives you delight–at least most of the time–and so without shame. And even if you are that rare sort of person who is delighted chiefly by what some people call Great Books, don’t make them your steady intellectual diet, any more than you would eat at the most elegant of restaurants every day.

Jacobs is a Professor of the Humanities at Baylor University, and author of many books and articles on books, reading, and authors. He’s one of those guys I’ve seen the name of everywhere, and associated with insight, but if push came to shove, I couldn’t tell you why. But now he’s the professor I wish I had (nothing against most of the early ’90s English department at the University of Idaho, most).

Reading on a whim doesn’t mean you can’t stretch yourself, read above your comfort level, or to better yourself — but you do it because it interests you, because you want to (and when you want to), rather than subjecting yourself to someone’s checklist.

After that, Jacobs moves into trying to understand how reading works, how it captures so many imaginations — and sure, he cites some studies that explain how we take black marks on paper and make them ideas in our head, at some point even the professionals have to stop and say, “it just works.” (but Jacob puts it better).

We also get discussion about the “iron-clad Law of Diminishing Returns” regarding rereading too soon (and yet, why we should reread). An interesting defense of/encouragement of fanfic. I was surprised, quite surprised, at his advocacy for e-Readers — I fully expected him to be solidly Dead Tree Edition Only, whoops — I don’t use my Kindle the way he does, but I can see where it’d work for him (or Nook, either). Why a lot of the doomsayers about the state of reading/publishing are wrong.

But mostly this is advice and guidance for the reader trying to recapture the same joy that he had before (or never had), encouragement for the active reader to keep at it, the person who still can’t get poetry, etc., etc.

I can’t resist another quotation. Towards the end of the book, he talks about the joy of finding a book by Serendipity:

serendipity is the near relation of Whim; each stands against the Plan.

Plan once appealed to me, but I have grown to be a natural worshiper of Serendipity and Whim; I can try to serve other gods, but my heart is never in it. I truly think I would rather read an indifferent book on a lark than a fine one according to schedule and plan.

Charmingly written, full of allusions (that most of us can get even without reading the works), witticisms and research — a book to entertain and edify. This one really speaks to me as a reader — it’s practically a mission statement for this blog. I expect I’ll come back to this one soon (maybe even annually). Still, for this time, I’m rating it 4-Stars, though I expect it’s a 5-Star book. I think it’s because I read it in 2-5 page spurts (one of those weeks, y’know?) after I got to page 70. Which doesn’t do the thing any favors. Towards the end of the book, Jacobs says:

All books want our attention, but not all of them want the same kind of attention.

I didn’t give this the right kind, and I’ll regret that for awhile.

If you like this blog, you’ll dig this book.

—–

Big Thanks to Aman Mittal for pointing me to this book — I haven’t read his take on it in a couple of months, so I don’t know how much we agree, but I know his post made me look for the book.

—–

4 Stars

Do More Better by Tim Challies

By HCNewton

On December 20, 2015

In Theology/Christian Living

Do More Better: A Practical Guide to Productivity

by Tim Challies

PDF, 114 pg.
Cruciform Press, 2015
Read: December 11 – 12, 2015

Abraham Lincoln reportedly said about someone’s book, ” People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like.” If it were chronologically possible, he might have been talking about Do More Better. I am not the person who likes this sort of thing, but I have profited from reading some productivity-improvement books — this does not fit into that category. Could it help some people? I don’t see why not, but there’s a lot of people who won’t see their lives fitting into his mold (count me as one of them).

But honestly? I was turned off by the book before he started the practical section. I’m not going to give a detailed analysis, this isn’t the type of blog to do that, but I can give a thumbnail.

The first few chapters, the theory, or groundwork for his productivity guidelines are pretty questionable. Despite Challies’ proof-texting, I’m not convinced that any apostle or prophet encouraged anything along these lines (you could make the case that Solomon’s Proverbs could be used to these ends, not that I see Challies appealing to them). It looks so much like the kind of schemes we Americans (and, I suppose, Canadians) like — if I just do X, Y and Z, I can be whatever I want to be. If I eat all my veggies, especially the gross tasting ones, I can grow up big and strong. If I implement Method Q with Style R and Teaching S on a consistent basis, I’ll have well-adjusted, successful kids. And so on.

Chapter 5 on are so programmatic, so specific to his own scheme, that it’s restrictive (I’m sure he’d argue these aren’t hard-and-fast rules, only guidelines, but to implement them as he suggests, you’d pretty much have to treat them as hard and fast for however long it takes to set them as habits). I’d spend so much time for the first few weeks with his book in one hand and my Galaxy Note in the other, just making sure I was doing what I was supposed to be doing as far as my Tasks, Calendar and Information were concerned — even before my weekly Reviews. How would I get anything else done? Good question. As an example — I’ve been an Evernote junkie for 4 years now (this was composed on Evernote), but to use it the way he wants me to would take a focused readjustment.

Lastly, this is the kind of book that can only be produced in the affluent West. More than one author/speaker has talked about “The Cave Test” when it comes to evaluating worship “styles” — if it can be duplicated in a cave while meeting in secret, it’s fitting for Christians. While reading this, I wondered just how many countries (or parts thereof) in this world, where practicing Challies’ principles would be possible. The fact that a large percentage of the Church could not (and has not) been able to think in these terms — much less put this into practice — says a lot about their role in the Christian life.

I suppose I should say something about the writing — it’s certainly competent, clear and succinct. But it’s not at all interesting. Can you write about productivity/time management/etc. in an interesting, even entertaining fashion? Sure — see Chris Hardwick’s The Nerdist Way (not at all Rated G) as one example — but that’s not saying you have to. I don’t need to be entertained every second of the day, but if you want me to stay with a book (even a short one), you need to be more interesting than my microwave’s Instruction Manual. This was just so bland it was hard to keep focused.

I’m not suggesting that no one read this book, if reading the product description makes you think it could help you, I’m not going to argue. But I’m certainly not going to to suggest anyone go out and grab a copy — or even to borrow one. Do I think it’d be better if he removed his purported theological underpinnings from this? Yes. I’m also convinced it wouldn’t make a lick of difference to Chapters 5-10 in application (which speaks volumes).

—–

I received this book from the kind people of Cruciform Press for this review, I hope they don’t regret it.

—–

1 1/2 Stars

Messy Grace by Caleb Kaltenbach

By HCNewton

On December 13, 2015

In Theology/Christian Living

Messy Grace: How a Pastor with Gay Parents Learned to Love Others Without Sacrificing Conviction

by Caleb Kaltenbach
Trade Paperback, 203 pg.
WaterBrook Press, 2015
Read: December 6, 2015

Straight off, I could tell Mr. Kaltenbach and I approach things very differently. There is a looseness to his language that I can’t tolerate on theological matters — I, like the noted Richard Rogers, serve a precise God^*, and it gives me hives to read people who don’t — though I readily acknowledge (and lament) that he’s speaking in the Evangelical Vernacular. By page 5, I was grimacing at his phraseology. Particularly his use of “messy” and it’s connection to grace, and his insistence that there’s a “tension” between grace and truth — but I’ll return to that in a bit.

The first few chapters outline the problems between the perceived (and, sadly, sometimes real) destructive attitudes of Christians towards LGBT people and the perceived (and, sadly, sometimes real) combative stances and attitudes of LGBT people towards Christians. Kaltenbach illustrated this with episodes from his own childhood and what he’s seen in the pastorate. Sadly, he’s too impressed with generalizing from his autobiography (it’s not a totally improper strategy, but Kaltenbach doesn’t bring in anything to buttress his arguments). He also displays an over-reliance on platitudes and catch-phrases. Worst of all, he’s good at using stereotypes and generalizations when calling for those he’s stereotyping/generalizing to stop stereotyping and using generalizations about LGBT people.

I admit I was thoroughly annoyed with him by the time I got to chapter 6, when he (largely and temporarily) put aside the anecdotes and actually got around to explaining the Scriptural view on the topic at hand by brief glances at various texts, responses to critics, and so on. Could this chapter have been better? His explanations less open to criticism by theological opponents? Yes. That said, it was pretty good — and a very good introduction to the ideas he offered (his “More Reading” list at the end of the book contains much that would do a better job on this point).

I have several reservations and problems with Kaltenbach doctrinally and theologically. Actually, despite frequent use of the word “grace,” I’m not sure what he means by the term, but I’m pretty sure it’s not what the biblical writers mean by χαρις. In a fallen world, plagued by sin (a term Kaltenbach avoids), the favor of God, the goodwill of God towards undeserving sinners because of Christ’s work on their behalf (my quick and dirty definition of grace) will be messy, it will be found in messy situations with messy people — because there are no other kinds of people. Calling grace “messy” is like saying it’s “undeserved.” There is no other kind. Kaltenbach also spends a good deal of time talking about a tension between grace and truth, and I don’t see that where he locates it in the Scriptural witness, or anywhere else. In fact, throughout the Old and New Testaments, the two go hand in hand.

Both his dependence upon the Pericope Adulterae (John 7:53-8:11) for his approach to those who differ from him and his indictment of Imprecatory Psalms make me worry about his view of scripture. I can’t help but wonder, built on such an unstable foundation, how much of Kaltenbach’s arguments can stand.

That said, from Chapter 6 on, there is little I flat-out disagreed with — the differences ranged from minor quibbles to exceptions — but he said nothing that I’d say was entirely wrong or baseless, and I could appreciate what he said and where he was coming from. Both his understanding of the biblical teaching on sex, and the way that Christians should interact with, think about, and treat those with whom they disagree on sensitive issues is commendable and spot-on. As this is the point of the book, however sloppily he goes about it, I have to like that.

It’s a good 101 book (maybe a 080?), but one should grab his “More Reading” list and work through it — Champagne Butterfield’s book would be the best to start with if you like the memoir aspect of this book.
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^* If you’re unfamiliar with the story, see DeYoung’s quotation of Packer here.

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I received this book from the ever-so-nice people at Blogging for Books for this review.

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3 Stars

Dear Mr. You by Mary-Louise Parker

By HCNewton

On December 1, 2015

In (Auto)Biography, Non-Fiction

Dear Mr. You

by Mary-Louise Parker
Hardcover, 225 pg.

Scribner, 2015

Read: December 1, 2015

I’m not sure what I expected from this, but this wasn’t it. But whatever this was? It was a real treat to read.

I guess it’s basically, Alanis Morissette’s “Unsent” in book form. The book is a compilation of letters to a wide assortment of men in her life — or adjacent to it — some named, some nicknamed (“Blue”), some described (“Cab Driver”).

The style varies from letter to letter, a little bit, but on the whole the voice is consistent, it’s the content and audience that drives the mood. Seemingly very honest and candid, this carries all sorts of situation — the doctor who saved her life, the uncle of the girl she adopted, her grandfather, her daughter’s future significant other, a few former paramours, a few total strangers. The strongest material involves her immediate family — her father, her son, her daughter, especially her father.

Given Parker’s acting ability and the personal nature of this material, if she does the audiobook for this, I think it’d be more effective than the dead-tree version. But that’s just a guess.

Sure, not every letter is gold — a few bored me. But the majority kept me reading, entertaining me, making me chuckle, giving the occasional “aww” moment, and even jerking a few tears. Anyway you slice it, this lady can write.

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3 Stars