Stephen J. Nichols. For Us and for Our Salvation: The Doctrine of Christ in the Early Church. Crossway, 2007. 176 pp.
The belief that Christ is the God-man is definitive of Christian orthodoxy and imperative to a right understanding of the gospel. By the middle of the fifth century, the church had wrestled with many challenges to the biblical portrayal of Christ and, in response to those challenges, had formulated the doctrine of Christ that remains the standard to this day. This look to the past helps as Christians contend with present-day challenges and seek to answer Christ’s question—“Who do people say that I am?”—for those living in the twenty-first century.
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C. J. Mahaney. Christ Our Mediator: Finding Passion at the Cross. Multnomah, 2004. 96 pp.
What’s the Key to Having More Passion for Christ, the Cross, and the Gospel?
The answer is to look at the death of Christ not from our point of view, but from God’s. That’s what this book helps you do in a profound, strategic, and life-changing way.
Author C. J. Mahaney exposes our human tendency to look at the Savior’s death (and at everything else!) through our own subjective feelings and impressions, rather than from the standpoint of objective truth. By nature we always begin with ourselves rather than with God. But by following the God-first “Divine Order” in how we think—and by asking “What do I believe?” instead of “How do I feel?”—we’re freed up to embrace the right truth in the right way. The right feelings quickly follow, and they’re reliable because they’re anchored in truth.
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N. T. Wright. The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is. IVP, 1999. 202 pp.
Today a renewed and vigorous scholarly quest for the historical Jesus is underway. In the midst of well publicized and controversial books on Jesus, N. T. Wright’s lectures and writings have been widely recognized for providing a fresh, provocative and historically credible portrait.
Out of his own commitment to both historical scholarship and Christian ministry, Wright challenges us to roll up our sleeves and take seriously the study of the historical Jesus. He writes, “Many Christians have been, frankly, sloppy in their thinking and talking about Jesus, and hence, sadly, in their praying and in their practice of discipleship. We cannot assume that by saying the word Jesus, still less the word Christ, we are automatically in touch with the real Jesus who walked and talked in first-century Palestine. . . . Only by hard, historical work can we move toward a fuller comprehension of what the Gospels themselves were trying to say.”
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James K. Beilby & Paul R. Eddy, eds. The Nature of the Atonement: Four Views. IVP, 2006. 208 pp.
A long history of biblical exegesis and theological reflection has shaped our understanding of the atonement today. The more prominent highlights of this history have acquired familiar names for the household of faith: Christus Victor, penal substitutionary, subjective, and governmental.
Recently the penal substitutionary view, and particularly its misappropriations, has been critiqued, and a lively debate has taken hold within evangelicalism. This book offers a “panel” discussion of four views of atonement maintained by four evangelical scholars.
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G. Campbell Morgan. The Crises of the Christ. Wipf & Stock, 2005. 478 pp.
Over the years many books based on the Life of Christ have been published. Of these, some have emphasized the facts of His humanity, others the truth of his Deity. While these volumes, therefore, present the Person of Jesus, this work—by the “Prince of Expositors”—examines His Life as the accomplishment of a Divine work.
With rare insight, accuracy of definition, and countless illuminating strokes, G. Campbell Morgan devotes these thirty-three chapters to the pivotal events in Christ’s life. The seven “crises” are: the Birth, the Baptism, the Temptation, the Transfiguration, the Death, the Resurrection, and the Ascension. Included is a preliminary chapter, “The Call for Christ—Man Fallen,” and a concluding chapter, “The Answer for Christ—Man Redeemed.” Four indexes complete the volume.
Author: Wipf & Stock Bio | Theopedia
Overview: Amazon | Wipf & Stock | Google Books
Reviews:
Seminary/Ministerial Students
- Phil Gons at PastorBookshelf (04/04) Review
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Steve Jeffery, Mike Ovey, & Andrew Sach. Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution. IVP, 2007. 368 pp.
The doctrine of penal substitution states that God gave himself in the person of his Son to suffer instead of us the death, punishment and curse due to fallen humanity as the penalty for sin. The belief that Jesus died for us, suffering the wrath of his own Father in our place, has been the wellspring of the hope of countless Christians through the ages.
However, an increasing number of theologians and church leaders are questioning this doctrine, claiming, for example, that it misunderstands the nature of God’s judgment; that it divides the Trinity; or that it misreads crucial texts such as Isaiah 53 or Mark 10:45. The doctrine has been pro-vocatively described as ‘a form of cosmic child abuse.’ In recent years, the criticisms—including some from within the evangelical constituency—have intensified. Furthermore, the debate is no longer confined to the academy, and has now found its way into popular Christian books and magazines.
In response, Jeffery, Ovey and Sach offer a fresh articulation and affirmation of penal substitution. In Part 1 they make the case that the doctrine is clearly taught in Scripture; that it has a central place in Christian theology; that its neglect has serious pastoral consequences; and that it has an impeccable pedigree in the history of the Christian church.
In Part 2, the authors then engage systematically with over twenty specific objections that have been brought against penal substitution. Their clear exposition and analysis, and charitable but firm responses, are accessible to all with a serious concern for the issues.
Authors:
Overview: PiercedforOurTransgressions.com | IVPBooks | Amazon (also UK)
Excerpts: TOC | Foreword by John Piper
Reviews: Amazon | Amazon (UK) | Endorsements (PDF)
Pastors/Church Leaders
- N. T. Wright at Fulcrum (04/07) Review (PDF)
- Sam Storms at EnjoyingGodMinsitries (06/07) Review: 1 | 2
Laymen/Unknown
- Tim Challies at DiscerningReader (ND) Review
Extras:
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John Stott. The Cross of Christ. 20th Anniversary Edition. IVP, 2006. 380 pp.
From one of the foremost preachers and Christian leaders of our day comes theology at its readable best, a contemporary restatement of the meaning of the cross. At the cross Stott finds the majesty and love of God disclosed, the sin and bondage of the world exposed.
More than a study of the atonement, this book brings Scripture into living dialogue with Christian theology and the twentieth century. What emerges is a pattern for Christian life and worship, hope and mission.
Destined to be a classic study of the center of our faith, Stott’s work is the product of a uniquely gifted pastor, scholar and Christian statesman. His penetrating insight, charitable scholarship and pastoral warmth are guaranteed to feed both heart and mind.
Author: IVP Bio | JohnStott.org | Wikipedia | Theopedia
Overview: IVP | Amazon | Google Books
Excerpts: TOC | Forward | Ch 1 | Ch 12 | Browse in Amazon
Reviews: Amazon | IVP | Endorsements | LibraryThing
Professors
- I. Hull in Irish Biblical Studies (02/87): 86.
Pastors/Church Leaders
- Eric Kuykendall (03/07) Review: 1, 2, 3
Seminary/Ministerial Students
- Scott Mackay at Deep(ish) Thoughts (08/06) Review
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(7 votes, average: 3.71 out of 5)