Tag: Michael J. Kruger

Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church by Michael J. Kruger: A Needed Call to Arms

DETAILS:
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication Date: November 8, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length: 145 pg.
Read Date: November 20-27, 2022

The Back of the Book

Are churches looking for the wrong kind of leaders?

The last decade has witnessed a rising number of churches wrecked by spiritual abuse—harsh, heavy-handed, domineering behavior from those in a position of spiritual authority. And high-profile cases are only a small portion of this widespread problem. Behind the scenes are many more cases of spiritual abuse that we will never hear about. Victims suffer in silence, not knowing where to turn.

Of course, most pastors and leaders are godly, wonderful people who don’t abuse their sheep. They shepherd their flocks gently and patiently. But we can’t ignore the growing number who do not. We have tolerated and even celebrated the kind of leaders Jesus warned us against.

We need gentle shepherds now more than ever, and in Bully Pulpit, seminary president and biblical scholar Michael J. Kruger offers a unique perspective for both church leaders and church members on the problem of spiritual abuse, how to spot it, and how to handle it in the church.

The Approach

Kruger is writing to defend the Church—all of it. Congregations and other organizations need to be aware of what to look for—both in leaders they are about to call, and those already called—both the attributes we want to see and the warning signs we should be aware of. We need to be able to take appropriate steps to protect the victims of abuse while investigating the claims, and part of that is recognizing the duty of leaders to do that. Yes, there’s an obligation to investigate thoroughly, to presume innocence, and to follow the existing ecclesiastical and accountability structures in place—but we shouldn’t set the well-being of a bruised reed up against those.

We—as individual believers and corporately—need to understand what spiritual abuse is, the damage it can do, and how we can inadvertently help abusers to get away with it. More than that, we need to look at the whole of Scripture to see the very consistent message that God has given when it comes to those leaders who would cause his people harm. Recognizing the seriousness of the problem from eternal and temporal perspectives ought to be the starting point.

Kruger knows his ecclesiology, he knows leadership of Christian organizations, he understands the warnings of the Bible—and he’s taken steps to learn from the abused. He puts these together to shape and inform the discussions here.

So, what did I think about Bully Pulpit?

The biggest problem with this book is that it’s an introductory volume. Kruger’s starting the conversation for many (for others, he’s continuing it, and hopefully bringing more into it). As it’s just an introduction, some of the suggestions are too vague. Also (and he admits this more than once), most of what he suggests would work best in larger congregations and organizations—which leaves out many/most of those in this country alone. Yes, most of this can be scaled down to meet a medium/small congregation’s needs, but that will present problems.

Those are really the only drawbacks I saw here. And they’re pretty minor—Bully Pulpit should serve to initiate people to the issue and prompt more people from the confessional and conservative wings of Protestantism to start addressing this problem. It’s not only an introduction in that it’s basic and a beginning—it’s introducing the topic to a whole lot of people.

Kruger is clear about the issues, he’s clear about the responsibility of the Church and her leaders to address them. This is a significant problem, and it appears to be growing (I think it’s really our being exposed to it that’s growing—as Kruger shows, we’ve seen it in the Church from the beginning). I hope that Kruger’s call to action is heeded.

Picking this up yourself or giving it away, would be a good step in that direction.

3.5 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.

Surviving Religion 101 by Michael J. Kruger: Letters to a Christian College Sudent

By HCNewton

On May 9, 2021

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Surviving Religion 101: Letters to a Christian Student on Keeping the Faith in College

by Michael J. Kruger

Paperback, 241 pg.
Crossway, 2021

Read: April 18-25, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s Surviving Religion 101 About?

The book is structured as sixteen letters to Kruger’s daughter, a college freshman at UNC (his own alma mater). Kruger remembers the challenges he had to deal with at the school in terms of faith and knows that things haven’t gotten easier for college students in the years since then.

These letters are written as encouragements for her regarding some specific challenges he expects that she will have to deal with because of things professors or peers will say—directly or indirectly—that will challenge her thinking and faith. As well as he may have tried to prepare her before she left for college, it’s different when it’s no longer a matter of preparation, but of daily experience.

Kruger’s aim is to help Emma—and other readers—know that there are intellectually satisfying defenses to the challenges thrown her way. Believing isn’t about shutting down the mind to thinking, rather, it’s about loving God with our mind.

…I am not under the impression that merely reading this book will answer every possible question a college student may have. Nor do I think any single book (or even many books) could prepare students to go toe-to-toe with their college professor. No, the intent here is much more modest. Like any complex task, eventually, you have to take the first step, even if it’s a little one. This volume is designed to be that first step, an initial orientation for Christian students about the challenges they face and (hopefully) a reason for them to be confident that there are answers to their questions, even if they don’t yet have them.

Or as the title suggests, this book is about surviving—with faith intact—one’s university experience. Now, that may seem like a strange goal, perhaps one that is far too modest. Don’t we, as Christians, want to do more than survive? Don’t we want to make an impact and change the world while in college? Sure, but that’s not where one starts. Instead, you start by not stopping. By not giving up. By surviving. You can’t “change the world” for Christ if you no longer believe in Christ or walk with Christ.

He deals with things like belief in miracles (in particular, the Resurrection), the so-called problem of evil, the exclusivity of Christianity, Christian sexual ethics, pitting science versus religion, the reliability of the New Testament (in light of Bart Ehrman’s position at UNC, this is of particular importance). Kruger sets out to show that yes, Christians have been answering these/similar challenges for centuries, these are not things that need to shipwreck a believer’s faith but can be faced head-on.

Highlights and Concerns

I thought every chapter in the book was solid and helpful—there’s not a disappointing one in the bunch. Kruger is good to show both the thinking behind the challenge to the faith represented by the various topics and the answers (or at least the beginning or answers) needed to push back. But he shows why the challenge is important, why it matters what the Christian response is (first to the believer dealing with the objection/challenge, and then to the one outside the faith), and offers encouragement to persevere in light of the issue.

I did think that Kruger perhaps focused too much on the reliability of the Scriptures and similar topics—given that three chapters when everything else gets one. Still, given Kruger’s specialty in textual and canon studies, it makes sense—particularly when you add in the importance of the topic, and the lack of exposure most Christians (of all ages) have to these ideas.

At the end of the day, however, for this reader, it all comes down to the Postscript, “What Do I Do If It Feels Like Christianity Just Isn’t Working for Me?” Setting aside the focus on the mind, he turns to the affections, concentrating on the affections the believer has for the person of Christ first and foremost, with the details of all the other issues covered in the book before this point (and more) coming in second.

Here is where many believers miss the point of the Christian life. Some are part of the church because they are excited about being involved in a “good cause” or because they love helping people or because they resonate with the idea of Christianity. But in the end, that’s not the heart of the faith. We are not Christians so that we can be part of a cause; we are Christians so that we can know a person: Jesus Christ. Don’t forget, he’s a real person, not just a concept And it is only our affection, our love, our adoration for him as a person that will keep us faithful to the end. If we are concerned only about a cause, that will fade as soon as difficulty and suffering come. Causes come and go. Jesus is forever.

So, what did I think about Surviving Religion 101?

When I left high school for college in the last century, I remember getting a couple of books along these lines and saw them all the time, too. How to secure your child’s faith during college, how to help them avoid the moral failings the surround them, etc. Memorize these facts (in a very Josh McDowell-esque fashion), stay away from booze and sex, and you might end up ushering in a revival at your college. Kruger’s approach is more of a, “it’s okay, let’s talk and help you deal with these.” Not to emerge victorious, but to emerge intact and ready to try again the next day.

There’s no fear in these pages, instead, there’s a quiet confidence, a trusting in the acre of the Father—encouragement to keep on keeping on and a reminder that the Son has redeemed his people, and they should live with humble boldness ready for with answer for the hope that liest within.

I recommend this book, and encourage readers of the right age (or beyond) give this a shot.

3.5 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, opinions are my own.

Catch-Up Quick Takes None Greater by Matthew Barrett; Alive by Gabriel N.E. Fluhrer; The Song of Songs by G. I. Williamson; The Ten Commandments of Progressive Christianity by Michael J. Kruger

By HCNewton

On May 31, 2020

In Theology/Christian Living

The point of these quick takes post sto catch up on my “To Write About” stack—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.
—

None Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of God

by Matthew Barrett
Kindle Edition, 304 pg.
Baker Books, 2019
Read: December 22-29, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
This is a popular-level, very approachable introduction to the Attributes of God—Incomprehensibility, Aseity, Simplicity, Immutability, Impassibility, Eternity, Omnipresence, Omnipotence, Omniscience, Omnisapience, and a few others. He does so using the works of Augustine, Anselm,— and Aquinas to define Classical Theism—with help from Charnock and Bavinck.

Tackling all that in 300 accessible pages is no mean feat. I cannot tell you how many times I thought as I read this that this is the book that R.C. Sproul would have written about the Attributes of God. Sure, the illustrations aren’t the ones that Sproul would’ve used—but they’re of a kind. In my books, that’s a high compliment—we need someone who can communicate like Sproul. Barrett will do fine if he continues to put out this kind of work.

This is a really helpful and useful work—I recommend it strongly to everyone.
4 Stars

Alive: How the Resurrection of Christ Changes Everything

by Gabriel N.E. Fluhrer
Kindle Edition, 167 pg.
Reformation Trust, 2020
Read: April 5-12, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
The book starts with a look at the evidence for the Resurrection of Christ, and why it’s important to wrestle with it and to be ready to defend it in our current culture. Then Fluhrer moves on to looking at the way the Resurrection was foreshadowed in the Old Testament, described in the Gospels, preached in Acts, explained in the rest of the New Testament, and serves as the basis for our sure hope. He covers all the bases and does so well.

Fluhrer has an apologetic goal for this book, it’s not as compelling as he seems to think it is. Which really describes the book as a whole. In the end, it’s too surface-level. It’s helpful, the theology behind it is the kind of thing we need more of—a robust Redemptive-Historical approach à la Vos and Gaffin—and it’s approachable. I just couldn’t sink my teeth into it. I liked it, I just wanted to like it more.

3 Stars

The Song of Songs

by G. I. Williamson
Kindle Edition, 112 pg.
P&R Publishing, 2020
Read: April 26, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
This is a great and helpful collection of sermons. This particular book of the Bible is often misinterpreted, so having someone bring careful clarity to the text is valuable. It’s not the final word—Williamson would never claim to be. But it’s helpful.

It’s also Christ-centered. Something far too often neglected when approaching this text. Yes, there’s a focus on love, marriage, sexuality. But with the goal of bringing glory to God through that.

I really appreciated this book and will be returning to it.
3.5 Stars

The Ten Commandments of Progressive Christianity

by Michael J. Kruger
Paperback, 54 pg.
Cruciform Quick, 2019
Read: May 24, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
There’s part of this that’s a tribute to Machen and Christianity & Liberalism, while being an update to it, too. To see how Liberalism is alive and well (running under the moniker of “Progressive” now), he uses two contemporary works to respond to. He stresses repeatedly that the tenents taught in these books aren’t wholesale departures from the faith. However, these half-truths are so misleading they amount to the same. Being half-truths, they’re all the more dangerous and will easily fool some.

The analysis and critique are sharp, spot-on, and easy to read. Well worth your time.

But…

I know that the point of this imprint is “quick,” but this was just too brief to be really valuable. I’d have liked some more depth, for Kruger to use more than just the two works he’s critiquing, that sort of thing. It was an appetizer—and it turns out that after a couple of bites, I wanted a meal.
3.5 Stars

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from any of them, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.