Books

The journals of Merton, Woolf and others encouraged me to see my birthday as a new beginning—and to live my 50th year as a year of jubilee.

How did evangelicals develop their belief in an invisible God? T. M. Luhrmann argues that they created a space in their imagination.

According to Lian Xi, radical Protestantism flourished in 20th-century China partly by distancing itself from the Western missionary establishment.

Robert Wilken's historical survey of Christianity is impressive, accessible and lively. It also leaves out a lot.

In Clearly Invisible, Marcia Alesan Dawkins explores passing—presenting oneself as a member of a racial group to which one does not belong. Dawkins argues that passing is a rhetorical act that “forces us to think and rethink what, exactly, makes a person black, white or ‘other,’ and why we care.”

Gerhard Lohfink clearly loves Jesus, and his book demands readers who share that love.

As I mentioned before, I’ve been reading this strange book called The Spiritual Meadow, written by sixth-century wandering monk John Moschos. One of the last stories in the book was as relevant to my daily existence as any story I have read in a long time. I have only the vaguest idea what it means, but I do know it’s another weird monk joke. And this one was aimed directly at me. The story goes like this: In the ancient city of Antioch, the church had various kinds of social services. “A man who was a friend of Christ” used to gather supplies and give them out to people in need.

How has Western society become so fractious, polarized and secular? Why are we powerless to curb consumerism? Brad Gregory blames the Reformation.

My first thought upon learning that Chris Haw had written a memoir about his journey to Catholicism was, Oh no—not another one.

David Swartz recovers the story of the unlikely coalition forged by progressive evangelicals in the 1960s and 1970s.

John Lennon's peace anthem "Imagine" can also be seen as an antidiversity hymn. Brian McLaren imagines something different.

Douglas Hall is likely the most influential North American theological interpreter from a Reformation perspective, especially with reference to Luther. He continues to filter his thought through his teachers Tillich and Niebuhr—but he is his own man and carries his inquiry toward the demise of Christendom.

Philip C. Kolin is one of the growing tribe of very fine Christian poets whose work has often been sequestered in the limited venues of independent publishers. His newest collection is a beautifully printed, small hardcover volume that fits comfortably in the palm of the hand. But these are not small or comfortable poems.