Tag: Christian Living Page 1 of 15

DETAILS:
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication Date: March 2, 2021
Format: Paperback
Length: 202 pgs.
Read Date: January 12-19, 2025

But instead [God] made a universe filled with things. Objects. stuff Planets, weather, colors, animals, vegetables, minerals. People, complete with noses and kidneys and bodily fluids. It is Curious: an immaterial and entirely spiritual God created a thoroughly material and physical world. Perhaps it should surprise us more than it does…

For Paul in Romans 1, creation reveals God’s invisible power and divine nature. Few of us can stand in front of the Grand Canyon or see a high-definition picture of the Horsehead Nebula without wanting to praise somebody or something for the majesty of what is before us. Some of us will suppress that urge. But those of us who don’t and allow the song of gratitude to swell within us like a storm will find ourselves concluding all sorts of things about our Maker. The God of the Sahara must be vast, boundless, and expansive. The God of quarks must have an unimaginable eye for detail. The God of wombats must have a sense of humor. Everything in creation has theological implications, and one of the joys of being human is figuring out what they are.

What all of these answers have in common is the fact that creation points beyond itself. Things ‘exist not for their own sakes but to draw us back to God. In Augustine’s image, the gifts of God in creation are like a boat which takes us back to our homeland: a means of transport which we can {and should} celebrate but never mistake for the destination itself. C. S. Lewis talks about following the sunbeams back to the sun so that we enjoy not just the object of goodness but the source of good. Creation preaches to us. The things of God reveal the God of things.

What’s God of All Things About?

That extended quotation from the Introduction is basically the foundation for this whole book (he does expand it a little from there). God made things. He uses those things to point to Him in various ways. This book takes 30 of the common, everyday things in this world and shows us (some of) the ways that they pointed to God and His redemptive work in Scripture—fifteen items per testament.

I won’t list all thirty things that get a short chapter devoted to them, but to give you an idea some are: earthuqakes, tools, honey, donkeys, flowers, pots, viruses, and flowers.

An Example

I really don’t know the best way to describe how Wilson approaches these items (although I don’t want to sound like every chapter follows the outline), so here’s a paragraph and change from Chapter 3, “Pigs: The Welcome of God”:

As gentiles, by nature unclean and separated from Israel ourselves, we can feel a certain sympathy for [pigs].

That is not where the similarity between pigs and gentiles stops. The first person who ever preached the gospel to gentiles was the apostle Peter, and he did so only because he saw a vision of a sheet full of unclean animals (Acts 10:9~16)—a vision in which, we may assume, pigs played a starring roleand heard a voice telling him to eat them, since “what God has made clean, do not call common” (v. 15). Non-Jewish people like me got baptized only because Peter saw a bunch of pigs and other unclean animals, and then saw a bunch of gentiles, and then saw the resemblance. “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation,” he explained to the gentiles who had invited him over for a visit, “but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean” (v. 28). That’s a nice way of putting it. Even Peter, not always the most diplomatic of the apostles, had the good manners not to mention that his hosts were the equivalent of a sheet full of pigs, scallops, and snakes.

Not only does that give you a little hint of Wilson’s voice, but it gives a flavor of his approach. That’s from the Old Testament portion, but he’s invoking Peter and events from the New Testament. He looks at the use of whatever item throughout the canon, showing how they’re used in the primary texts he’s considering, what they say about God, they say about redemption and people.

Strengths

There are several, really. Some of the chapters (like Rainbows) seem pretty obvious in the aim and content. The chapter on the Wind, on the other hand, went in directions I wasn’t expecting. But beyond that, what he did in a few pages to describe the work of the Spirit—particularly the discussion of “being filled with the Spirit”—was so rewarding.

The chapter on Salt was also helpful—if only for the discussion of how metaphors can have several interpretations and meanings at the same time. As anyone who has ever heard more than one sermon on Matthew 5:13 knows too well, it’s ripe for interpretation. Wilson wisely encourages readers to embrace the probability that Jesus meant more than one thing by the metaphor of salt.

So, what did I think about God of All Things?

We worship a God of things. The cosmos is filled with them: everyday, mundane, quotidian, humdrum, ordinary things. Sometimes they delight, sometimes they exasperate, and sometimes they escape detection altogether, but whether quietly or loudly, they insistently point beyond themselves to the God who made physical stuff. Everything in creation tells us something about our Creator.

More than once on The White Horse Inn, I heard Rod Rosenbladt say, “God likes stuff [or matter], he made it.” It’s this notion—reflected in this quotation here, or the one that kicked off this post—that is too easily forgotten by modern Christians who (like many others in the last 100+/- years) have adopted a quasi-Gnostic attitude toward matter and spirit. So any book that seeks to remind anyone of that deserves attention.

In many ways, this reminded me of Finding God in the Ordinary by Pierce Taylor Hibbs. But where Hibbs looked at things around him and used them to launch his thoughts God-ward, WIlson looks at things around people in the Bible and uses them to take in the themes from Scripture and launch thoughts God-ward from there. Similar ends, similar means—just slightly different starting points. I’m not suggesting one is superior to the other in any way. In fact, I’m trying to work both exercises into my own life.

It’s a quick read, it’s a fun read (Wilson’s gentle wit and fairly mainstream pop culture references are nice for that), it’ll likely cause you to think of a few things you haven’t before, or will be a reminder that it’s not just the big things in nature that testify to the glory of God (the heavens, stars, and so on), it’s the little things, too (salt, lilies, sparrows, falling hairs)—and things in-between. I recommend this for your attention, it’s fit for High School (maybe younger) and up. Which probably includes you, reader.

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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The Abolition of Man by C. S. Lewis: What Can Happen When a Bad Review Copy Falls Into the Right Hands

By HCNewton

On February 23, 2025

In C.S. Lewis, Further Up and Further In, Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Further Up and Further In A Year with C.S.Lewis

The Abolition of Man: Reflections on Education with Special Reference to the Teaching of English in the Upper Forms of Schools

by C. S. Lewis

DETAILS: 
Publisher: Macmillan Publishing Company
Publication Date: September 1, 1978 
Format: Paperback
Length: 91 pg.
Read Date: February 2, 2025

This thing which I have called for convenience the Tao, and which others may call Natural Law or Traditional Morality or the First Principles of Practical Reason or the First Platitudes, is not one among a series of possible systems of value. It is the sole source of all value judgements. If it is rejected, all value is rejected. If any value ts retained, it is retained. The effort to refute and raise a new system of value in its place is self-contradictory. There never has been, and never will be, a radically new judgement of value in the history of the world.

What’s The Abolition of Man About?

This starts off with starts off as a review of a textbook or two, “Teaching of English in the Upper Forms of Schools” (to quote the subtitle). He has strong objections to the direction (and the foundation) these books are taking. From there he shifts into English schooling/thinking in general, and the deficiencies he sees in it and what he fears it means for the nation as a whole.

This centers on the idea that English teachers and schools are abandoning objective truth, which he mounts a defense of while writing about what he thinks will happen to a society that abandons it.

English Education

This begins, as I said (as does the subtitle) by reviewing a couple of textbooks used in English classes in the upper grades. Lewis had been sent review copies of them and took issue with a lot of what he said.

Lewis (in a move I could never duplicate) doesn’t want to seem ungrateful for these copies, so disguises the authors and titles before he starts explaining the problems. I don’t know if his original audience could see through his thin disguises—or if that just became clearer later. I suspect the former.

From what he tells us about these books, I think he was being too generous in his appraisal. This was some lousy curriculum.

I’d have appreciated more along these lines—but I get why Lewis moved on to other things.

The Tao

As Lewis begins to leave the realm of English education toward looking at education—and thinking—as a whole, he begins to utilize and develop his concept of a Tao:

It is the doctrine of objective value, the belief that certain attitudes are really true, and others really false, to the kind of thing the universe is and the kind of things we are.

As the quotation that opened this post indicates, this comes in many names—Natural Law, Natural Revelation, “Traditional Morality,” and so on.

With the Tao, as assumed and/or believed throughout the world for most of human history, we get absolutes. We get objective values, objective truth. As we begin to neglect or throw off the concept of objective truth for subjectivity—or, worse yet, “pure” Reason on its own. We lose the basis of all civilization, the basis of the value of life and individual rights, and so much more.

While I think he could’ve been more thorough in his explanation of the Tao and in explaining his arguments—t’s hard not to look at the world around us today, as it’s developed (devolved?) since the early days of WWII when these lectures were delivered, and not think that Lewis was on to something.

One Issue that Troubles Me

In order to avoid misunderstanding, I may add that though I myself am a Theist, and indeed a Christian, I am not here attempting any indirect argument for Theism. I am simply arguing that if we are to have Values at all we must accept the ultimate platitudes of Practical Reason as having absolute validity: that any attempt, having become skeptical about these, to reintroduce value lower down on some supposedly more ‘realistic’ basis, is doomed. Whether this position implies a supernatural origin for the Tao is a question I am not here concerned with.

As good as this sounds—as reasonable, as open-minded, as whatever you might want to call it—I’m unconvinced that this is a position that a Christian can self-consciously hold (without trying to call into doubt Lewis’ faith, I just think he’s inconsistent on this point).

I have trouble holding that a consistent position regarding Practical Reason—or anything else, whatever “Values” you might choose—having absolute validity separate from the inspired Christian Scriptures is possible. I realize those of us who hold that kind of thinking are a minority in the history of the Church, but I can’t argue myself out of it. Lewis’ attempt to build his argument—his Tao—in this way is the part of this book that keeps me from getting super-excited about it.

The Appendix

The appendix features quotations from a variety of ancient (and less ancient) texts from around the globe illustrating that several civilizations held to certain positions on a variety of issues. This isn’t to prove the existence of his Tao (or whatever you want to call it); it’s to demonstrate that it exists in the way that “everyone” holds to something very much like each other in certain aspects.

I don’t know if I can take it as confidently as Lewis did—but I get what he’s trying to show, and can appreciate it

So, what did I think about The Abolition of Man?

I remember the first time I read this—in 1992 or 1993—and a few times since that this argument, this look toward the objective and the importance of it, while not absolutizing Science or much of anything else, hit me hard, impressed me, and really formed a lot of my thinking.

I wasn’t as impressed this time (at least a decade since my last reading)—don’t get me wrong, it’s good, and I share a lot of the concerns and convictions with Lewis. But I wonder if he goes as deeply as we need today. It’s not enough to argue for a vague absolute—we need to understand the absolute, and where it comes from. There’s also the question of what do we do when we cannot agree on absolutes in a civic society, how do we approach this with wisdom and grace. I believe Lewis would have a lot to teach us—even if I objected to some of it. I understand that given the nature of this book (written version of lectures), his cultural context, and the enemies (literal and figurative) he had in mind, why we don’t get that book here.

Also, even the English curriculum he critiqued is better than a lot of what is given today (by all sorts of stripes of schools).

That said—this is a superior work to The Problem of Pain that takes advantage of Lewis’ strengths in a way the other couldn’t while not exposing many of his weaknesses as the previous book did. He’s got better works waiting for me, and I’m eager to get to them.

3.5 Stars

The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis: His First Apologetic Work is a Mixed Bag

By HCNewton

On February 2, 2025

In C.S. Lewis, Further Up and Further In, Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Further Up and Further In A Year with C.S.Lewis

The Problem of Pain

by C. S. Lewis

DETAILS:
Publisher: HarperOne
Publication Date: April 28, 2015
Format: Paperback
Length: 159 pg.
Read Date: January 5-12, 2025

His Omnipotence means power to do all that is intrinsically possible, not to do the intrinsically impossible. You may attribute miracles to Him, but not nonsense. This is no limit to His power. If you choose to say ‘God can give a creature free will and at the same time withhold free will from it’, you have not succeeded in saying anything about God: meaningless combinations of words do not suddenly acquire meaning simply because we prefix to them the two other words ‘God can’. It remains true that all things are possible with God: the intrinsic impossibilities are not things but nonentities. It is no more possible for God than for the weakest of His creatures to carry out both of two mutually exclusive alternatives; not because His power meets an obstacle, but because nonsense remains nonsense even when we talk it about God.

What’s The Problem of Pain About?

This book is an attempt to answer the question, “Why do Bad Thing Happen to Good People?” as well as “Why do Bad Things Happen to Not-Good People, or Animals, or Pretty Much at All?” Why is there suffering among those beings and creatures that God created?

Lewis approaches these questions with a mix of Biblical wisdom, careful thought, compassion, and understanding. And the ability to not go too far (frequently) with his own insight, but to stop and say, “I don’t know.”

This is an honest, if imperfect, attempt to wrestle with these questions, put them in the right context, and assure the world and the Church that there are answers.

Some Weaknesses

This is the work of someone who is still relatively new to the Faith as he wrote it, and that shows. There’s a lot of vaguely Christian speculation. But not quite enough dealing with the text of Scripture to base this speculation on.

Chapter 5, “The Fall of Man,” is a great example of this. It contains a lot of nonsense—and by the end of the chapter, he’d lost me completely (not that I didn’t understand him, I just couldn’t stay with him). Still, I liked most of it, and given the presuppositions he started with and stated (as much as I’d want to tweak them), I could ride along with his argument and enjoy it. The last paragraph of the chapter was okay and went a good way to getting me to stick with the book.

A Few Good Points

I don’t know that I have the patience to work through these ideas—and this would post would end up going in a direction I try to avoid if I did. But I rather enjoyed these quotations and like thinking through these ideas, so let me just paste them here as an example of the highs that this book can hit—and the thoughts it can provoke.

From Chapter 3, “Divine Goodness.”

We want, in fact, not so much a Father in Heaven as a grandfather in heaven—a senile benevolence who, as they say, ‘liked to see young people enjoying themselves’, and whose plan for the universe was simply that it might be truly said at the end of each day, ‘a good time was had by all’. Not many people, I admit, would formulate a theology in precisely those terms: but a conception not very different lurks at the back of Many minds. I do not claim to be an exception: I should very much like to live in a universe which was governed on such lines, But since it is abundantly clear that I don’t, and since I have reason to believe, nevertheless, that God is Love, I conclude that my conception of love needs correction.

From Chapter 6, “Human Pain”:

Confessors as well as martyrs are saved, and some old people whose state of grace we can hardly doubt seem to have got through their seventy years surprisingly easily. The sacrifice of Christ is repeated, or re-echoed, among His followers in very varying degrees, from the cruelest martyrdom down to a self-submission of intention whose outward signs have nothing to distinguish them from the ordinary fruits of temperance and “sweet reasonableness’. The causes of this distribution I do not know; but from our present point of view it ought to be clear that the real problem is not why some humble, pious, believing people suffer, but why some do not. Our Lord Himself, it will be remembered, explained the salvation of those who are fortunate in this world only by referring to the unsearchable omnipotence of God.

From Chapter 7, “Human Pain Continued” (which might be my favorite chapter, although the preceding one is close)

But if suffering is good, ought it not to be pursued rather than avoided? I answer that suffering is not good in itself. What is good in any painful experience is, for the sufferer, his submission to the will of God, and, for the spectators, the compassion aroused and the acts of mercy to which it leads.

So, what did I think about The Problem of Pain?

If any real theologian reads these pages he will very easily see that they are the work of a layman and an amateur. Except in the last two chapters, parts of which are admittedly speculative, I have believed myself to be restating ancient and orthodox doctrines. If any parts of the book are ‘original’, in the sense of being novel or unorthodox, they are so against my will and as a result of my ignorance. I write, of course, as a layman of the Church of England: but I have tried to assume nothing that is not professed by all baptised and communicating Christians.

As this is not a work of erudition I have taken little pains to trace ideas or quotations to their sources when they were not easily recoverable. Any theologian will see easily enough what, and how little, I have read.

Despite many good things Lewis wrote in this work, these two paragraphs that close the Preface might be the truest. Lewis makes some serious errors here, misreading Scripture and showing an ignorance of theology (what he says about Total Depravity is the easiest illustration of this). He’s a layman, he’s allowed (many who read this will be quick to point the same is true of me—and I assure you, I’m just as aware as Lewis was). There’s a part of me that wishes he’d continued in his efforts to not write this.

Still, he did. And I do appreciate him wrestling with so many important ideas here—if nothing else, the way he framed the questions and thought through his answers demonstrates that “The Problem of Pain” can be responded to, can be shown to not be an insurmountable problem. Best of all, Lewis demonstrates that a thoughtful believer can have questions, can struggle, can find things difficult, and yet continue to believe.

Lewis has greater works ahead (I know because I’ve read some of these), and while I ultimately find his work here to be wanting—I respect the effort. I find a lot worthy of chewing on—but sadly, there’s a lot of it that must be ignored.

I do recommend it as a tool to make yourself consider some difficult ideas, and to find some good ways to think about them.

3 Stars

Glorifying and Enjoying God by William Boekestein, Jonathan Landry Cruse, Andrew J. Miller: Heartfelt Application of the Classic Tool

By HCNewton

On January 12, 2025

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Glorifying and Enjoying God:
52 Devotions Through the Westminster Shorter Catechism

by William Boekestein, Jonathan Landry Cruse, Andrew J. Miller

DETAILS: 
Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books
Publication Date: October 16, 2023
Format: Hardcover
Length: 229 pg. 
Read Date: January 7-December 29, 2024

What’s Glorifying and Enjoying God About?

This is a devotional, as promised in the subtitle based on the Westminster Shorter Catechism. The authors, inspired by the organization of the Heidelberg Catechism into Lord’s Days, did the same here—organizing the 107 questions and answers of WSC into 52 weeks.

Each chapter begins with the question(s) for the week and then spends roughly four pages discussing the language of the answers or the topic addressed.

Strengths

Honestly, there’s at least a paragraph or two in each chapter where I could point to something and say “That right there justifies the rest of the chapter.” Not that any chapter was a miss—sure, some were stronger than others, but they were all helpful—but there was at least that paragraph that was better than the rest.

Sometimes it was a bit of insight that I hadn’t considered before or just the right bit of application to drive the point home. Either way, it really doesn’t matter.

I would say that the chapters covering the Law and the Ten Commandments might have been the strongest in the book—I thought that the authors brought a little extra clarity to their points here. Not in any sort of legalistic way or anything—I just thought they did a great job of showing how the commandments/Law revealed God’s character and pointed to the work and person of Christ in a way that they didn’t consistently achieve in other parts of the book.

Weaknesses

Not surprisingly, what I’m calling a shortcoming is actually part of the design. It’s not a bug, it’s a feature.

But the length, and therefore the depth, of each chapter just wasn’t enough for me. Now I realize many (most?) of these questions and answers could be the basis of a full-length book, and I’m not arguing we should’ve had 5200 pages or more in a devotional. But I think twice the length of each chapter wouldn’t have been that much to ask. Typically, these chapters were 3 1/2-4 pages in length—5-7 would’ve been much better.

But that would probably have taken the book out of what people expect from a devotional, and therefore would’ve hurt it. Still, I think it’d have been a stronger overall volume that way.

So, what did I think about Glorifying and Enjoying God?

Cruse and Boekestein have written books that I’ve written positively about before (I have another Cruse book to talk about soon, too), which is what drew me to this—along with the concept. I will continue to be drawn to books they author (and Miller, now, too). It’s difficult to tell who wrote what chapter (outside of the times they identified themselves)—they did a good job blending their voices (possibly they and an editor, I don’t know how the mechanics of it all worked).

The language is clear and accessible—it can be used for a family with fairly young children (with some help from mom and dad) or individuals of whatever level of education.

It is clear that the authors are pastors, the devotionals are directed for real people with real concerns, not mere theory—it might not be all “practical,” but it’s all useful.

The minutes a week I spent with this were typically helpful and edifying, and I’m going to miss this refresher in the Catechism (I’ve taken their 52 week breakdown and will be following it to keep that freshness). I look forward to returning to this devotional in a couple of years, expecting other things to jump out at me than did this time—but I expect I’ll find it as useful.

3.5 Stars

REPOSTING JUST CUZ: In the Year of Our Lord by Sinclair Ferguson: Sinclair Ferguson brings out the heart as well as the life of Church History

By HCNewton

On November 24, 2024

In History, Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

In the Year of Our Lord: Reflections on Twenty Centuries of Church History

by Sinclair Ferguson

eARC, 229 pg.
Reformation Trust Publishing, 2018
Read: August 26 – September 16, 2018
The seeds of this book were first published in a book Ferguson co-authored called, Church History 101: The Highlights of Twenty Centuries — he’s now taken those chapters, done more research (being retired has freed up some time for him to do some reading), and expanded that into this great survey of Church History.

After a stirring (yes, really) introduction that lays out the purpose of this volume, why the study of Church History is important and what can be gained from even the figures from Church History that may disagree with — Ferguson dives in to his survey. I really can’t say enough good about this introduction — which feels odd, that’s not supposed to be the best part of a book (and it isn’t, actually — but it’s good enough that it really could be). The body of the book is twenty chapters — in case you couldn’t guess, that’s one chapter for each completed century Anno Domini (and Ferguson is committed to the usage of that).

Each chapter starts with an excerpt from a noted piece of writing from the century in question — like The Martyrdom of Polycarp, On the Incarnation, Gottschalk;s Shorter Confession concerning Double Predestination, and Savonarola’s The Triumph of the Cross (noted, not necessarily commonly known, obviously). Following that Ferguson summarizes the events of that century — focusing on particular figures or movements that stand out. Most of these will be at least familiar to the reader by name, if not for activities and attributes. Then he closes the chapter with some words of application to the contemporary Church and a hymn from that century — most of those hymns I was totally unfamiliar with, and am so glad I was exposed to them.

The core of the chapters, the history of that century — as summarized as it may be — is so helpful. I’ve taken classes covering a lot of those chapters — and read enough on my own that I was pretty familiar with the material covered. But I learned something about even those eras and individuals I’ve studied extensively — maybe not a lot, but enough to justify the time. And even those things that were primarily review for me were well worth reading — the story of our family is one we should hear over and over again and this book is a prime example of what we need to hear.

But what about those who haven’t taken the classes, or haven’t had that much exposure to Church History outside of the last century — or maybe the first couple of centuries? This book is even better for them. It’s primarily intended as an introduction to Church History, and it excels at being one. First of all, it gives you the good bird’s eye view from the day after the last chapter of Acts to the present. Which is a perspective that’s all too easy to lose in the details — we’ve got to see the forest. But the trees are also important — and Ferguson gives enough detail (while remembering that these are brief summary chapters) that the reader can get a handle on a particular century and learn enough that they can pursue what they’re interested in. I know from reading that Celtic monasticism is something that I want to read more about (and not just by rereading Thomas Cahill), but that there are other things from that period that don’t spark my interest in the same way. Some people will react that way to Gregory I or Thomas Chalmers or something else — and Ferguson has provided the reader with enough to start on to feel comfortable pursuing that interest.

Whether for review or as an introduction — the meat of this book is just what the doctor ordered.

Even if the history wasn’t that helpful, Ferguson’s application and the hymn made the book worthwhile. Sometimes that application is comforting, sometimes it’s challenging — it’s always helpful. And the bonus of having that hymn? That’s a wonderful, devotional way to bring history to life — that’s the same Lord, the same faith being proclaimed in these words. Loved that. Starting the chapters with a doctrinally rich (if occasionally problematic) excerpt reminds us that our faith is first and foremost about truth, about ideas — but those find expression in the heart and life of the believer — as seen in the hymns.

Yes, it’s a weakness that this book focuses on the Western Church — particularly that represented in the English, Scottish and American branches. Ferguson admits that at the beginning, but that’s his tradition, that’s his background — and that’s the background for most of his, readers, too — so it’s what’s most relevant. To go beyond that would result in a tome unwieldy and not that handy for his audience (as great as it would be to see).

The structure of head (excerpt), life (history) and heart (hymn) is a fantastic outline for this book — and everything hung on that outline is clearly-written, helpful to the Christian and relevant (if only to say “don’t be like that.”) Ferguson knocked it out of the park with this one, and I can’t recommended it highly enough. Great for personal use, family devotion, Sunday Schools, Home Schools — you name it, there’s someone who can benefit from this book.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Reformation Trust Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for this post — thanks to both for this.

—–

4 Stars

Reformation Sunday Repost: The Freedom of a Christian by Martin Luther, Translated by Robert Kolb: A Pastoral Gem from the Reformer

By HCNewton

On October 27, 2024

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

This worked last year, might has well give it a whirl this year…It’s Reformation Sunday—a totally made-up holiday (but which one isn’t?) to commemorate the day in 1517 when Martin Luther inadvertently started a revolution/reformation/revival. So, hey, while I continue to fight off this cold, let me repost this about one of my favorite of Luther’s works:

The Freedom of a Christian: A New Translation

by Martin Luther, Translated by Robert Kolb Carl R. Trueman (Foreward)

DETAILS:
Series: Crossway Short Classics Series
Publisher: Crossway
Publication Date: February 21, 2023
Format: Paperback
Length: 86 pg.
Read Date: February 26, 2023

Some Thoughts on the Series as a Whole

The point of this series is to take classic short works—sermons, tracts, articles—package them attractively, edit a bit (modernize language, eliminate footnotes, tweak grammar, etc.), and make them widely available. Each is given a short introduction to help the reader get the context and a bit of information about the author.

They published seven books in this series last year, and I discussed them here. Two have come out this year (so far), but I’m hoping for more.

What’s The Freedom of a Christian About?

A Christian is a free lord of everything and subject to no one.

A Christian is a willing servant of everything and subject to everyone.

This is Luther (early in the Reformation) laying out his vision for good works for the believer–how they are to be performed, why they are to be performed, and their place in the life of the believer. I’m sure there’s more to say, but that’s basically it.

That quotation gives his two theses–the rest of the book is his working out the thinking behind them. It’s penetrating, it’s convicting, and it’s inspiring to watch him work. Whoops, I seem to have stumbled into the next section.

So, what did I think about The Freedom of a Christian?

From all of this comes the conclusion that a Christian lives not in himself but in Christ and in his neighbor, in Christ through faith, in the neighbor through love. Through faith he rises above himself in God, from God he descends under himself through love, and remains always in God and in divine love. It is as Christ said in John 1[:51]: “You will see heaven standing open and the angels ascending and descending over the Son of Man.” Behold, that is the proper, spiritual Christian freedom, which liberates the heart from all sins, laws, and commands. This freedom exceeds all other freedoms, as high as heaven is over the earth. May God grant us that we truly understand that and retain it.

I wasn’t sure about reading this–it’s one of those works I’ve read so much about. I’ve seen it cited, heard descriptions of it in lectures, and read about it, but I haven’t gotten around to reading it. A lot of the times I read something that I know about like this, it doesn’t work out (I’ve never been able to get past page 40 of Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death, for example). But this is exactly what it should’ve been.

Martin Luther being pastoral is just great. Luther coming alongside those believers so often neglected in the Church and saying, here’s what to do–free of burden, free of guilt, free to live and love as they ought, as they’ve been called to.

This little read is a gem. I’m glad I took the chance on it and so glad that Crossway’s series brought it to us.

4 Stars

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Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the World like the Early Church by Stephen O. Presley: How Our Fathers and Mothers Walked

By HCNewton

On July 14, 2024

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

As usual, this is not an examination of the nitty-gritty of this book. I’m not equipped by education, background, or temperament for that. I wish I was…I think this book should get that.

Cultural Sanctification:
Engaging the World
Like the Early Church

by Stephen O. Presley

DETAILS:
Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Publication Date: March 26, 2024
Format: Paperback
Length: 169 pg.
Read Date: June 2-9, 2024

Christians and non-Christians carried on regular every day interactions, in the marketplace and conversations at social gatherings in public places. Pagans “came in contact with the movement in a number of casual ways,” Nock says in his classic work on conversion, because “there was little, if any, direct preaching to the masses.” The church was not distinguished from the culture by anything in their outward appearance, especially since they were not typically found among the upper crust of society and thus blended in even more with those around them. What did distinguish them was their distinctive doctrine and practice. Christianity came on the scene with “very distinctive roots and, though fully embedded, was never fully enmeshed in the culture.”

What’s Cultural Sanctification About?

In the West, the Church finds itself in an increasingly Paganized culture, a post-Christiandom—Presley (and countless others) asserts. In response to this, several responses have been proposed, and can largely be lumped into two categories—some sort of Culture-War response where various and sundry methods and tools are used to push back against this, with the goal of re-establishing some sort of Christendom 2.0; the other is some sort of retreat into virtual, or literal, monasteries—communities of faith, separated from the rest of the culture.

Presley has another idea—why not look to the Early Church, the pre-Constantinian believers who were in a situation very similar, but a pre-Christendom. How did they go about interacting with the culture? This book explores that idea by looking at the way Christians believed, taught, and acted (generally speaking, recognizing outliers and sins along the way) in the spheres of: Identity, Citizenship, Intellectual Life, Public Life, and Hope.

Essentially, he places the Christians effort along two paths, as these two quotations summarize:

In an age when cultural Christianity is waning, there is no doubt that now is the time to revive our basic commitments to discipleship and regular worship together that will testify to the beauty of the community of faith. Living faithfully in a secular world will most certainly require Christians to take their Christian identity more seriously and the specific ecclesiological structures they take.

Before we start complaining about outside worldliness, we need to do some healthy self-examination and consider the doctrines and morality by which we actually live to better know how to offer true light in the darkness. Cultural engagement begins in the hallowed hall of the church with good instruction in the contours of Christian faith and practice.

His position is, to over-simplify: through a focus on catechesis (or, if you prefer, discipleship) and liturgy (or, if you prefer, worship) the Church was able to build identity and community, able to live out the lives they were called to and to impact—slowly and organically—the culture around them.

The Indexes

There are two indexes for this book—”Index of Names and Subjects” and “Index of Scripture and Other Ancient Sources.” While I’ve frequently found it difficult to discern what makes a “good” index over a “mediocre” or even “bad” index, sometimes quality just jumps out at you. Such is the case here—top-notch indexing.

So, what did I think about Cultural Sanctification?

…a Christian vision of cultural sanctification must begin with crafting Christian identity through catechesis (or discipleship) and liturgy (or worship). If Christians do not know the basic contours of Christian doctrine and morality, how can we expect them to live Christianly in a pagan world? Unfortunately, much current literature on cultural engagement begins with discussions of methods rather than formation. We are often concerned with how to respond to culture without considering the very basis upon which that response must proceed. Methods are essential, but without the right Christian assumptions informing them, we will be tossed about and finally prove ineffectual.

I know, I know…this is the third book* I’ve talked about this year focusing on the Early Church, Her approach(es), and relation to the culture and those individuals around her, with at least some application for the contemporary Church. At this point, I have no plans to add a fourth (but I won’t turn up my nose at one). There’s a lot of overlap in these three—they might not be entirely on the same page in application, but their descriptions of the Early Church in various contexts overlap a great deal. I find that pretty encouraging, honestly.

* The other two were Cultural Christians in the Early Church: A Historical and Practical Introduction to Christians in the Greco-Roman World by Nadya Williams and Strange Religion: How the First Christians Were Weird, Dangerous, and Compelling by Nijay K. Gupta

The other two, however, were more about describing the Early Church first and then looking at our circumstances secondarily. Presley’s goal is to find lessons and guidance for today (and the near future) from the Early Church. The difference in approaches and overall aims does color this a good deal. But since he’s clear about it from the outset (as were Williams and Gupta), so it doesn’t take you off-guard.

I was talking to a friend about it while working through the book and told him at the mid-point (or a little later) that I wasn’t sure I liked it because Presley was so good, insightful, and helpful or if it was because he was serving up a heaping plate of confirmation bias. This is, in very many ways, exactly what I wanted to read in a book with this aim—just with many more details and facts—and better argued than I could’ve offered. So, while I do think it’s a solid and helpful book—do know that I was primed to like it from page one.

As Williams shows and Gupta affirms (as does Presley), there’s a danger in relying too much on the Early Church—just because they were pre-Constantine (or pre-whatever mark you want to use), doesn’t make them infallible. They’re just as human, just as fallible, just as prone to wander as we are. However, we can look at how they responded to the culture around them and see how that culture responded. Can we assume that our results will be the same? No. But we can definitely see what didn’t work—and learn from what did in a culture that increasingly looks like theirs.

There are some things I wish he’d given us more detail on, a few notes that I think he struck too often, and a few things that I’m not sure I think he proved. But when it comes to almost all of those points, I’ve forgotten them (and/or can’t read my handwriting in my notes—which tells me I didn’t care enough to write clearly), so we’re talking about minor points. So I’m going to call this very helpful, solid, and pastoral work on a tricky subject.

Presley does indicate that there are times to back off (a la the Benedict Option)—at least in areas—and sometimes we need to approach something like a Culture War footing on a temporary basis. But neither of those ought to be the primary mode of interacting with our culture, neighbors, and government. Instead, we ought to follow in the faithful paths laid down before us—faith and practice, discipleship and worship, catechesis and liturgy. Presley’s book can help point us in the right direction.

Disclaimer: That section on the Indexes is a little tongue-in-cheek. I happen to be friends with the gentleman who prepared the Indexes. I do think they’re good and useful tools, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not sure they’re really worth mentioning (like all indexes). You’d probably have to offer an inaccurate or insufficient one to find a reason to talk about one, right?

4 Stars

Divine Providence by Stephen Charnock, edited by Carolyn Whiting: A Classic Reworked

By HCNewton

On July 7, 2024

In Theology/Christian Living

Divine Providence

by Stephen Charnock, edited by Carolyn Whiting

DETAILS:
Publisher: P&R Publishing
Publication Date: September 1, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length: 268 pg.
Read Date: June 16-30, 2024

What’s Divine Providence About?

Question and Answer 11 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism are:

Q. What are God’s works of providence?
A. God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.

In this classic work (updated for modern readers), Charnock does his best to explain that idea. It’s something that verges on the inexplicable—but something clearly taught in Scripture—and so Charnock seeks to help his readers (originally, hearers) understand it. He doesn’t really engage in debate about it, or defend it against attacks—he does tackle some objections or hard parts to grapple with. But he’s not doing that in a polemic way, mostly he seems to work from the assumption that if he clarifies the doctrine and clears up misconceptions, that’ll be enough. (also, he’s not really trying to engage with naysayers)

That’s basically the first 13 chapters—133 pages or so, almost half the book. The second half is applying that to the Church and individual believers. I remember a former pastor of mine saying that this (and related) doctrines in Scripture weren’t used in the way most contemporary people use them—to beat up on believers who don’t quite agree with us on providence, predestination, election, and whatnot. Instead, the inspired writers used them to comfort, encourage, and give confidence to believers. And that’s just what Charnock does in the second half.

He starts by describing how Providence is an expression of care and protection for the Church and how we see that. Then he focuses on individual Christians, and how we can find comfort and encouragement in all things from these teachings. Even the last chapter here, “The Duty Providence Requires,” is made up of items like “believe in God’s work,” “remember what He as done,” “wait patiently for Him.” and so on—things that really call for the confidence I mentioned earlier to be expressed.

Bonus materials

Before the introductions, prefaces, etc. the reader is presented with a nine-page outline of the work—which is a great bonus and will be very helpful for students and other readers really wanting to dive into the nitty-gritty of this work.

The editor has also broken this down into clearer chapters (see below) and added summary paragraphs to each chapter to help the reader (I’m not sure how helpful those ultimately were and stopped reading them pretty quickly).

There are also study/discussion questions provided at the end of every chapter. They don’t seem too bad—but again, I didn’t spend much time looking at those. But I think they’ll be a strong selling point for many.

The Modernizing of it All

In the Editor’s Preface, Carolyn Whiting states that

I sought to retain the author’s meaning while updating the language and style, sentence by sentence, to make it more accessible for today’s reader. The original volume, which was a compilation of a series of Charnock’s sermons, had no chapters or subheads and few paragraphs. In addition to adding these features, I have inserted the occasional transition, updated spelling and pronouns for a contemporary audience, replaced archaic vocabulary with modern equivalents, and updated Scripture to the English Standard Version except where noted.

Now, I get updating pronoun use, changing to ESV, and most of the other changes (although typically “language” means changing archaic words that have changed meanings, shortening sentences, etc.). The chapters and subheads idea is great—the original edition is tough to read just because of the organization. I have no issues with what Whiting stated there.

But then I started seeing (and I don’t know how often, but it happens a few times) footnotes saying “Charnock goes on to say…” and giving us a phrase or two beyond that. Why those phrases couldn’t be added above I didn’t once understand. But it tripped me up—just how much was Whiting doing to make Charnock accessible to the modern reader? I spent too much of my mental RAM wondering about that while reading and likely didn’t get as much out of it as I should’ve.

To give you a flavor here are the first few paragraphs of the book (and no, I don’t know why the line spacing is that way…I assure you, I’ve tried to stop it).

This Edition
In the beginning of 2 Chronicles 16, we find Baasha, king of Israel, building and fortifying Ramah. Situated on the road between Jerusalem and Samaria, Ramah is about twelve miles from Jerusalem, the metropolis of Judah and the seat of its king, Asa. Baasha intends to isolate Asa and to prohibit anyone from crossing the border between the two nations (v. 1).

Baasha is probably afraid that the people of Israel will revolt and flee to Judah because Asa has reformed the practice of religion there. Therefore, Baasha fortifies Ramah to hinder and intercept any who try to pass by on that account. “For great numbers had deserted to [Asa] from Israe| when they saw that the Lorp his God was with him” (2 Chron. 15:9).

When Asa realizes what Baasha is doing, he is afraid, and in his fear he sins by seeking help through worldly means rather than by turning to God. He enters into a covenant with Ben-hadad, king of Syria, who is a neighbor and an idolatrous prince, and purchases his assistance for the sacrilegious price of silver and gold from the temple treasury. His plan is for Ben-hadad to invade Israel’s territories and distract Baasha from fortifying Ramah. The large payment easily persuades Ben-hadad to break his covenant with Baasha, and his armies successfully take several cities, including all the store cities of Naphtali (2 Chron. 16:2-4). Baasha is forced to abandon Ramah in order to save his country, and Asa seizes the materials Baasha has left behind and uses them to build two cities, Geba and Mizpah (vv. 5-6).

Original Text
In the beginning of the chapter you find Baasha king of Israel raising walls about, and fortifying Ramah, a place about twelve miles from Jerusalem, the metropolis of Judah, intending by that means to block Asa up, because Ramah lay just upon the road between Jerusalem and Samaria, the seats of the two kings, ver. 1.

Baasha was probably afraid of the revolt of Israel to Judah, upon that reformation of religion wrought by Asa, and therefore would fortify that place, to be a hindrance, and to intercept any that should pass upon that account; and to this purpose makes great preparation, as appears ver. 6, for with the provision Baasha had made for the fortification of Ramah, Asa, after the seizing of the materials, builds two towns, Geba and Mispah.

Asa seeing Baasha so busy about this design, and fearing the consequence of it, hath recourse to carnal policy rather than to God; and therefore enters into league with Benhadad, a neighbour, though an idolatrous prince, and purchaseth his assistance with the sacrilegious price of the treasure of the temple, ver. 2, 3; and hereby engageth him to invade the king of Israel’s territories, that he might thereby find work for Baasha in another part, and so divert him from that design upon which he was so bent: ver. 3, ‘Go, break thy league with Baasha, that he may depart from me.’

Benhadad is easily persuaded by the quantity of gold, &c., to break his league, and make an inroad, and proves victorious, and takes many cities where the magazines and stores were laid up, ver. 4.

Baasha now, to save his country, and make head against his enemies, is forced to leave Ramah; whereupon Asa, who watched his opportunity, seizeth the materials he had left for the fortifying of Ramah, and puts them to another use, ver. 5, 6.

I can’t say the Whiting version is bad…but I don’t know that Charnock needed that much help. My son said it reminded him of copying something (encylopedia entry, article, etc.) for a report in school, but changing just enough of it so as not to be accused of plagiarism.

I do wonder if the wrong name is on the cover/title page, however.

So, what did I think about Divine Providence?

When I could stop focusing on the issues in the above section, I really appreciated the book. The first half was clearly the same kind of thinking seen in The Existence and Attributes of God.

Parts 2 and 3, the application of the doctrine to our lives and the Church? I absolutely loved that and was so encouraged it. There was so much there that was so good to see and be reminded of. It’s truly worth reading the book to get those parts (but you do need to read the first part—you can’t just jump into these sections, you need the foundation).

I can’t be as happy with this as I’d like—I just can’t get over the paraphrasing (for lack of a better term) bothers me more than it maybe should. I do think this is a lot easier to read than the non-modernized version (if only because mostly those are printed with tiny typefaces), and will reach more people. But the purist in me worries we lose too much of Charnock.

The important thing, however, is that Charnock is being brought to readers in a digestible manner. I do encourage people to pick it up because of that.

3 Stars

The Hijacked Conscience by Debra Peck: An Obsession for Assurance and Certainty

By HCNewton

On June 30, 2024

In Literary Locals, Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

The Hijacked Conscience:
An Informed and Compassionate Response to Religious Scrupulosity

by Debra Peck

DETAILS:
Publisher: SacraSage
Publication Date: February 10, 2023
Format: Paperback
Length: 158 pg.
Read Date: June 9-16, 2024

What Exactly is RSOCD?

This book focuses on Religious Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (RSOCD) and I want to be sure that I describe it carefully and accurately. The best way to do that is to let Debra Peck do the honors (obviously, she goes into more depth, but this’ll do for starters):

The International OCD Foundation describes it as “A form of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) involving religious or moral obsessions. Scrupulos individuals are overly concerned that something they thought or did might be a sin or other violation of religious or moral doctrine.”’ In simplest terms, people with Scrupulosity OCD see sin where there is none.

Those who suffer from Scrupulosity usually have an overly sensitive moral conscience which causes their faith to be experienced as anxiety and fear instead of as peace. The French call it “the doubting disease.” People with Scrupulosity hold themselves to a rigorous level of spirituality and practice, not out of love or even out of obligation, but out of deep-seated fear and anxiety that not doing so imperils their eternal soul.

Like all forms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Scrupulosity is marked by unwanted and intrusive thoughts (obsessions), overwhelming anxiety that demands resolution, and either outward or internal rituals (compulsions) that relieve the anxiety for a time.

What’s The Hijacked Conscience About?

Peck tries (fairly successfully, I think) to introduce RSOCD to believers, pastors, counselors, and others to the concept. Using her own life and experiences she walks the reader through the struggles she endured (with help and hindrances from family, friends, and fellow Christians) until she was diagnosed. And how having this diagnosis—and the better treatments that came from it—have helped, and how it hasn’t (enough).

Throughout, there’s an attempt to generalize from her experience—or at least show how things she went through can be similar to things others go through.

She also brings in some of the research she and others have done about the disorder alongside her own experiences—which is essential.

I Can’t Help But Wonder…

Early on, Peck describes things that people say in response to questions and concerns raised by people with RSOCD. I’ve heard some of these given to questions by people without it—and I found them just as troublesome and almost as damaging. I put in my notes around that time—these people need a good dose of the Heidelberg Catechism (and the rest of the Three Forms of Unity/Westminster Standards). And, yes, I know—that is not a panacea here, and there’s a lot more going on than bad theology. However…it’s sure not helping them.

Peck herself says,

For those from a Wesleyan-holiness position which emphasizes that the heart can be completely cleansed from sin and living a sin-free life is the expectation of those who are “sanctified,” this can be especially debilitating.

I’ll leave it to others to deal with Wesleyen perfection and the myriad problems it has and that stem from it. But I absolutely see where it’d be debilitating to anyone honest with themselves about their spiritual condition—for someone who is compelled to be “overly concerned” with spiritual matters, debilitating seems like an understatement.

Now, people in the Wesleyan-holiness traditions don’t have a monopoly on this tendency—R. Scott Clark talks about many Evangelical strains affected by what he calls the QIRC and the QIRE—RSOCD really seems like a super-powered version of the Quest for Illegitimate Religious Certainty (with a dose of Quest for Illegitimate Religious Experience, too). Clark defines the QIRC as “the pursuit to know God in ways he has not revealed himself and to achieve epistemic and moral certainty on questions where such certainty is neither possible nor desirable.” The QIRC is problematic for anyone—you add OCD to it? And forget it—you need to fight this with medication, therapy, and better theology.

I don’t for a second believe that Reformed believers can’t struggle with this—the Heidelberg isn’t an inoculation against it. But I do wonder how it would present itself from someone within the Reformed tradition. (I’m curious about Muslims, Universalists, or Wiccans struggling with RSOCD, too).

So, what did I think about The Hijacked Conscience?

This is clearly Peck’s story—or, better, a look at RSOCD through Peck’s story. And as such, it’s good. What would’ve made this better is seeing a few other people’s stories—not the whole thing, but more. Sure, we’re told that there are others—given a couple of historical examples that are likely true, or at least possible—but as it is, it’s harder to get an idea about how RSOCD affects people who aren’t Debra Peck. It’d also be nice to see things others have done to help themselves.

Again, I know that’s not the design or intent of the book. I just think it’d have made this a stronger book—maybe that’s what a future sequel holds? (I don’t know if Peck has plans/intentions for a follow-up, I’m just spitballing here)

But as for the book we do have? It was good—it’s a solid introduction to the concept of RSOCD, a good look at how undiagnosed/untreated it can affect a person, and how—with help—someone can cope (for lack of a better term) with it. There’s even a nice little discussion on the use of medications for this, and similar, afflictions.

The writing is clear and approachable—frequently engaging and pleasant. There’s nothing to be daunted about here, just a good primer to help you weep with those who weep.

3 Stars

Literary Locals logo

Strange Religion by Nijay K. Gupta: People Say I’m Strange, Does It Make Me A Stranger…

By HCNewton

On June 9, 2024

In History, Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Strange Religion:
How the First Christians Were Weird, Dangerous, and Compelling

by Nijay K. Gupta

DETAILS:
Publisher: Brazos Press    
Publication Date: February 27, 2024
Format: Paperback
Length: 216 pg.
Read Date: May 12-19, 2024

I set out to spend a few years studying ancient religions in general and Roman religion in particular, and I came to a clear conclusion: by and large, early Christians were weird and were dangerous to many, and yet clearly some found this religion attractive and compelling.

This book is not a handbook for how to be Christian today or how to create a “weird” church. Largely, I see the work I have done as descriptive—these are the first Christians, warts and all. They were not bucking conventions and pop religion to be special or different. In their best and most genuine moments, they were simply following Jesus, like mice blindly chasing after the pied piper. As they did so, they deviated from the norm of religion, and, whether they were intend. ing to or not, they stood out in society. This deviation from the norm is one way of defining what it means to be “weird. Another way is simply to say that “weird” things belong in another category. l am hoping that an extended investigation of the belies, practices, and ethos of the early Christians will clarify their origins and foundations, and provide insight into authentic Christianity today.

What’s Strange Religion About?

Gupta’s observation/conclusion is that early Christians were strange or weird when compared to others in their culture—thanks to their beliefs, ways of acting, and ways they wouldn’t act (for starters). They didn’t set out to be strange, to rebel against the culture, or anything like that. Actually, their goals involved being good citizens and living quiet lives—but their religious convictions set them outside the norm, and they stayed there for a good long time.

While Gupta doesn’t shy away from the occasional application to the contemporary Western (particularly American) Church, by and large, this is a descriptive book. He just talks about Roman culture in certain areas and then talks about how Christians were oddballs in the midst of all that. As he says above—this isn’t an attempt to make Christianity weird again, or anything like that—just to remind us how out of touch with the culture we were at one point.

Some of the areas he covers are: how the Romans of the first couple of centuries saw Christianity as a superstition; some early Christian beliefs—like believing they were possessed by God’s Spirit, their reckoning of the meaning of Time, and wanting to be associated with a horrible criminal in the first place (only the worst of the worst were crucified, who’d want to be associated with someone like that?); worship practices; family practices; and the way they treated others.

Belief

Romans sometimes argued about the gods—not over personal “beliefs” but over what they thought was true of the gods, But the Christians took their views to a whole other level, “believing” things that seemed absurd, disturbing, and even impossible. This may be one reason that Christians originally referred to themselves as “believers.” Today, we take for granted that religion is all about “faith” and “belief.” We have “faith” statements, “faith” traditions, and “interfaith” dialogue. But in the ancient world, there wasn’t this natural association between religion and faith language.

This is one of the biggest differences—one that shapes a lot of the rest. The book as a whole comes from Gupta’s students asking, why early Christians called themselves “believers,” what did the other followers of other religions call themselves? And well, one of Gupta’s findings was that Christians were more than a little strange by focusing on faith and belief. It was just foreign to the status quo.

The priests of public Roman religion were not chosen for their piety. They were expected to be experts in performing rituals. In fact, they had to be masters of religious arts so as to maintain the pax deorum*. It was a bit like being a professional bomb-disposal expert. It really doesn’t matter what you believe about government, law enforcement, or justice as long as you are good at defusing bombs. French historian and archaeologist Robert Turcan refers to Roman ritual worship as “Taylorism”—a form of scientific management. Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856-1915) developed a theory of management that was meant to produce efficient and effective workflow. Taylor offered a kind of mathematical formula to get the most out of human and industrial resources. Turcan argues that this was the mentality of the Romans—efficient and “successful” ritual performance to keep the gods content and happy. Roman priests and other cultic personnel had to provide meticulous observance of time-honored rituals.

He goes further:

There was a pervasive Roman understanding that persona beliefs, best intentions, and heartfelt emotion did not enhance religion. What mattered was what the gods actually called for—sacrifice and compliance. The early Christians had ther own practices and rituals, of course…But one thing we learn when we read the New Testament is that these Jesus people were absolutely obsessed with belief.

Now, Gupta spends twenty pages making that case, I just gave a brief overview—but even here, you can get an idea of how he goes about talking about each topic addressed.

* “Keeping Peace with the Gods.” Gupta describes the function of the sacrifices and rituals as maintaining this peace. It’s most of the content of the first chapter, and the basis for most of the rest of the book.

Pobody’s Nerfect

The last chapter* is entitled “The Christians Were Not Perfect”—some of this covers similar ideas as Nadya Williams’ book, Cultural Christians in the Early Church, but not all of it.

I really appreciated this chapter for a couple of reasons: 1. It’d be easy to take Gupta’s material and walk away with the idea that the early Christians had it all together (something that Williams and Gupta really wanted to counter), and 2. Gupta hits on some things that a lot of people don’t cover along these lines.

That said, it’s not a perfect chapter—and maybe it’s the most obviously imperfect chapter—I’m not sure I’m willing to buy into all of his examples from the Scriptures showing those imperfections (actually, there are some I’m sure I don’t buy).

But the chapter as a whole is a nice, refreshing reminder about the feet of clay that even the best of us possess.

* There is a conclusion following it, but it’s not long enough (or something) to be considered a chapter—at least not a numbered one. I wanted to stress that because I’ve complained recently about too many books not having a conclusion.

So, what did I think about Strange Religion?

One thing I haven’t talked about yet is that one of the things that Gupta focuses on is that despite—or maybe because of—the strangeness of Christianity to the Romans of the first and second centuries is that it was attractive to them. The “freaks” kept drawing more and more people to them, converting them to the weirdness. Again—not because they were strange, but because following Jesus Christ made them that way.

As a reader, not only did I appreciate the material, but the way that Gupta presented it. He built his arguments carefully and clearly (and one assumes accurately). Throughout all of this Gupta’s sense of humor shines through—keeping the text engaging as it educates. I’m always going to say good things about a book that does that (as long as the humor doesn’t detract from the serious material), and Gupta got this part right.

This is really one of the better books that I’ve read this year. From the thesis to the conclusion, and most points in between, Gupta painted a much-needed picture of early Christianity and Christians and how they related to the culture around them. It’s encouraging to remember that’s the natural state of the Church and one that we shouldn’t find ourselves overly-worried to be in again. I encourage Christians and those curious about our early history to give it a read.

I know that my wife has another book by Gupta on her shelves, I’m probably going to have to borrow it soon.

4 Stars