Book Reviews

Firth’s volume is an implicit clarion call for readers of all stripes to continually build a proper catholic church: orthodox in belief, yet unimaginably diverse in participation. One does not need a slimmed-down, New Testament⁠— only Bible to come to such a conclusion⁠— it is a foundational element of Israel’s entire history. 

In Boss’ book, the scarcity and cold that characterizes the lives of animals in the peak of winter is held in tension with the promise that the sun will begin to shine more each day, that the snow will melt, spring ephemerals will bloom, trees will bud, and bugs will emerge. Animals are one guide God gives us to see how to live in that tension without fear.

Jantzen’s careful work is a model for how theological recovery can be liberating: by joining theologians of the past in the ongoing work of discerning God’s action in the past and present.

This collection functions more like a book of daily prayer than a traditional poetry collection, and in fact, many of the poems included were originally intended for liturgies and worship services. The reader would be best served picking the book up daily to read and pray one of the poems.

If you are looking for an easy, how to negotiate the land minds of the current political polarization, this book will be a disappointment. But if you are willing to do the hard work of reading deeply and listening carefully, this is a discerning book for how Christian leaders and churches can effectively thrive during this current time of national division.

Unlike many books in the same vein, Chasing after Wind gives a startlingly honest, yet hopeful review of a life spent in pastoral ministry.

Lifting the Veil is a wondrous bridge between matter and meaning. Its message is pertinent to anyone who wants to find more meaning in the world around them.

The headlines these days tell us that history—and especially the teaching of history—is a major front for the culture wars. In his new book Small Wonders, James Calvin Schaap illustrates a way to diffuse that war before it begins: practice local history.

Overall, fans of Pollan will find much to interest them in This is Your Mind on Plants, and new readers will likely be inspired to explore his work further.