Okay, I got this book last week and know it’s going to be a while before I can talk about it intelligently—maybe in June, if not December of next year (possibly January 2025). And that seems too long to wait—also, this seemed like a good excuse to flip through it.
Book Details:
Title: Glorifying and Enjoying God: 52 Devotions through the Westminster Shorter Catechism by Victoria Williamson
Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books
Release date: October 16, 2023
Format: Hardcover/ebook
Length: 229 pages
About the Book:
For centuries, the Westminster Shorter Catechism has helped Christians young and old to know their “chief end.” Now, authors William Boekestein, Jonathan Landry Cruse, and Andrew J. Miller value this venerable catechism and winsomely introduce a new generation to its powerful message. Dividing the catechism into 52 brief devotions, they explain and apply each question and answer in a year’s worth of Lord’s Days. This valuable new resource is great for individual and family use for all who desire to “glorify and enjoy God forever.”
Read a preview here.
About the Authors:
William Boekestein is pastor of Immanuel Fellowship Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He and his wife Amy have four children.
Jonathan Landry Cruse is pastor of Community Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he lives with his wife and three children. He is the author of several books, including What Happens When We Worship.
Andrew J. Miller is the Regional Home Missionary for the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in central Pennsylvania, where he lives with his wife Rebekah and their five children.
My Initial Thoughts:
I’ve seen a handful of attempts over the years to break the WSC down into 52 weekly increments—in some sort of Heidelberg Catechism envy. This looks like a workable version of that—nice topical divisions, easy for discussion.
I’ve skimmed a few chapters here and there throughout the book—they seem to average about 4 pages long with a hint of depth, some good review of the subject, and some practical applications. There are references to and quotations from hymns, historical figures from several eras, and other statements of faith, too—with some handy footnotes. Given the length of the book (and the nature of “brief devotions”), that hint of depth is about as much as someone could expect. But it appears to be a decent way to review the catechism questions.
For the last couple of years, I’ve been reading the Heidelberg Lord’s Day by Lord’s Day—and wonder a little bit what adding this to the mix is going to do to me as the two catechisms are organized differently. But I’m pretty sure I’ll come out unscathed. The WSC was my first real exposure to a catechism, and is what I raised my kids on, it’ll be nice to get back to it.
Anyway, if you’re looking for an easy devotional for 2023, you might want to give this a peak—it promises to be worthwhile. It also would probably make a decent gift if you’re looking for that kind of thing.
