"Five Views on the NT Canon" (Stanley E. Porter and Benjamin P. Laird)

TITLE: Five Views on the New Testament Canon
AUTHOR: Stanley E. Porter and Benjamin P. Laird
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2022, (288 pages).

How was the Bible put together? What are the criteria to determine which books are legitimate? What prompted the canon process? What about authorship and apostolic authority? These are some of the critical questions dealt with in this book. The canonization of the Holy Bible has become one of the most controversial issues in modern times. With rising suspicion of the institutional church and the growing intellectual climate of mistrust, it has become increasingly necessary to re-examine old assumptions and historical evidence. In the pre-enlightenment age, societies in Christendom jurisdictions mostly accepted the authority of the Church in all things religious. Today, contemporary society does not share such trust. Instead, suspicion and skepticism tend to be the default paradigm. Who gives any human being the right to canonize anything? What about perceived and actual authority? These questions are some of the issues dealt with by five different scholars and theologians from different backgrounds. With five views, readers can get a better idea of the complex issues and why they are so controversial. The five views presented are:

1. Conservative-Evangelical (Darian R Lockett)
2. Progressive-Evangelical (David R Nienhuis)
3. Liberal-Protestant (Jason David BeDuhn)
4. Roman Catholic (Ian Boxall)
5. Orthodox (George L Parsenios)

"Teach Us to Pray" (Gordon T. Smith)

TITLE: Teach Us to Pray
AUTHOR: Gordon T. Smith
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 2018, (112 pages).

One of the most popular prayers used in churches and many Christian communities is the Lord's Prayer. Many churches use them in their Sunday rituals. This prayer has also spawned many books. Almost every major preacher and theologian has written something about this famous prayer. Jesus' curious disciples must have been piqued by Jesus' constant desire to pray and to seek God. What is it that made Jesus so earnest about prayer? What can we learn from this prayer? Author and theologian Gordon T. Smith helps us to see this prayer from a community perspective which in turns helps us in our personal prayers. In the title, "Teach us to pray," the question is posed on behalf of a community. Smith hones in on the "us" word, showing us the frequency of this pronoun in the prayer itself. The power of united prayer show forth the power of togetherness under the common identity of citizens of the Kingdom of God. It is a prayer as a community to God to bless the communities on earth. He also notes the active word "participant" instead of mere observers in the prayer. Adding to this, instead of us trying to pray according to our present circumstances, why not pray to alter our lives? In other words, pray not according to our circumstances but according to how God wants us to live. The Lord's Prayer is great in forming us in this attitude. We pray as grace receivers desiring to share grace with others. We see prayer as "recalibration" our our souls to be in sync with the will of God. Praying in the Spirit essentially means abiding in Christ. He encourages us with a different take with regard to the rising secularism in our society. Instead of lamenting the lack of public prayer or the difficulty of sharing Christ in the public squares, why not see the hidden opportunities that require us to seek God's Eye rather than our own eyes? Rather than fighting the world with the weapons of the world, why not take up the spiritual armour of God? There is a powerful weapon we have: The sword of the Word of God. Letting the psalms inform us, Smith shows us the richness of Scripture and the evidence of praying in the Spirit. For when we pray in the Spirit, we cultivate character. We obtain "vocational clarity and patience." We receive joy.  The Lord's Prayer is a powerful way to focus our attention on God, to seek God fully and to have God's will manifested fully in our being and in our doing.

"Getting to Know the Church Fathers" (Bryan M. Litfin)

TITLE: Getting to Know the Church Fathers: An Evangelical Introduction
AUTHOR: Bryan M. Litfin
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2016, (288 pages).

One of the most interesting things about Church history is to study the characters who have shaped the Church and Christian thought through the centuries. There have been great accomplishments as well as terrible tragedies. Tracing the way Christianity has developed over the years will reveal many important lessons of gratitude as well as warnings. We show gratitude for our forefathers for their faithfulness and determination to uphold the truth. We learn that each generation has to fight their own theological battles and we should also do the same for our own generations. This book highlights twelve examples of courage and true allegiance to the faith. It teaches a love of history and the powerful encouragement to hold on to the tenets of our faith, many of which our ancestors have bled and died for.

As an introductory text, the author takes nothing for granted and spells out the meaning of the standard terminology. He defines the 'Church Father' like a regular father who guides his children and teaches the way in wisdom and spiritual thought. This terminology includes females like "Church mothers" as well. He highlights the misconceptions and tells us why they are wrong. He then lists the reasons why we should study the Church Fathers.

"In God's Holy Light" (Joan Chittister)

TITLE: In God's Holy Light: Wisdom from the Desert Monastics
AUTHOR: Joan Chittister
PUBLISHER: Cincinnati, OH: Franciscan Media, 2015, (144 pages).

Much have been written about the wisdom of the desert monks. Known for their short pithy sayings and simple stories, in the early common people from the urban centers would often make their way to the desert to learn from these desert fathers. Beginning in the third century, after the Edict of Milan which made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, many pious and religious individuals make their way to the deserts in order to escape the corruption and materialism happening at urban religious centers. In seeking a life of simplicity, they have abandoned worldly pursuits in order to seek God more intently. Many of them literally obeyed Jesus' call to the rich young man to sell all his possession, give away to charity, and to follow hard after Jesus. As the world dominates the church, many people especially the disillusioned would go to the desert fathers for spiritual advice.

In this book, a collection of 35 stories have been put together with a commentary from Joan Chittister, a Benedictine monk who has written a lot on all things spirituality and a respected voice for justice and peace. Each chapter can stand on its own. There is no necessity to read straight through from cover to cover in order to be touched by the wisdom in the pages. Imagine a room with thirty five doors in front of us. It does not matter which door we opened for every door opened will shine light on the path ahead and behind us. More importantly, it shines into our hearts to reveal our weaknesses and the need for us to remain humble. Here is how I would recommend the use of this book.

At the start, read the short story and pause. Do not be distracted by technicalities or words that you are not familiar with. Some of the things may appear quite bizarre like Serapion who gave away everything including the Word. It is not the things he did outside but what is motivating his outward actions that matter more. Slowly but surely, the unassuming and gentle advice given by the desert fathers help us see ourselves more clearly. When ready, go ahead to read Chittister's commentary on the story. There are lots of gems and insights which should stretch our mind and our learning. If we think we have understood the sayings of the desert monks, let Chittister show us another perspective or more. The stories and the lessons are easy to read. Letting the truth sink into our hearts is not so easy.


Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Franciscan Media and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Basil of Caesarea" (Marvin Jones)

TITLE: Basil of Caesarea: His Life and Impact (Biography)
AUTHOR: Marvin Jones
PUBLISHER: Ross-shire, Scotland, UK: Christian Focus Publications, 2014, (434 pages).

During the late fourth century, one man dared to stand against the Emperor Valens. Refusing to work with Arian bishops over theological grounds, this man confronted the political establishment with courage and eloquent scholarship. The period was the early years of Christendom in Europe. The man was Basil of Caesaria (329-379 AD). In a land that has the Church and State increasingly integrated, the fight includes theological battles. One such fight was Orthodox Christianity vs the rising influence of Arianism. As one of the famous Cappadocian Fathers, (the other being Gregory of Nyssa, his brother, and Gregory of Nazianzus), Basil led the fight which led to the gathering of the Council of Nicea, and the formation of the Nicene Creed, which is a particular emphasis to re-affirm the divinity of the Holy Spirit.

Basil's Theological Impact
While many were unable to withstand the onslaught of Arianism and Alexendrianism, Orthodox Christianity had the Cappadocian Fathers to thank for. Of all the challenges, Arianism was perhaps the most formidable. Serious doubts were cast on the divinity of Christ, the Holy Spirit, and ultimately on the Trinity. Basil of Caesarea, together with a few others were also tempted to just avoid the controversies of the day, and to spring toward an ascetic lifestyle, to get away from the world. After all, it is easy to run away, and troublesome to fight the Arians. Fortunately, Basil chose to fight the huge heresy, moving from a "homoiousian theologian" to the orthodox "homoousian" theologian. The former argues that Jesus is "similar to or like" the Father, while the latter insists that Jesus is of the "same substance" as God the Father.In doing so, Basil began a tough journey to unify the Eastern and Western Church. Other theological battles include the fight against Sabellianism (modalism that effectively denies the Orthodox Trinity position); Anomoeans (that the Son was a different substance than the Father); and his most well-known contribution: "On the Holy Spirit."

"A Reader's Lexicon of the Apostolic Fathers" (Daniel B. Wallace)

TITLE: A Reader's Lexicon of the Apostolic Fathers
AUTHOR: Daniel B. Wallace
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2013, (256 pages).

It is one thing to be able to read the Apostolic Fathers. It is yet another to be able to read the ancient texts in their original languages. It is even better to be conversant in both the Greek as well as the English, in particular, for contemporary eyes and ears. Enters the lexicon that enables modern readers to better appreciate the meaning of the texts in their original. Designed to accompany "The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations," readers with some knowledge of Greek will benefit greatly from this lexicon, which gives alternative renderings of the original Greek in plain English. Some readers of the Bible, especially the New Testament Greek will find the AF very fascinating, and see a stark familiarity in the language used. Like many lexicons, several assumptions frame the scope of the lexicon.

• The words are limited to those that occur 30 times or less;
• The text based upon is on the Baker Academic 3rd edition of the AF: Greek texts with English translation;
• The notation needs some getting used to; like in {First Clement ἐπίσκοπος, ὁ [2] 4 • 76} essentially means: The word 'episkopos' occurs in chapter 42 of 1 Clement twice in the same verse; four times in the chapter; and 76 times in the AF.
• The Apostolic Fathers covered include: 
• First and Second Clement;
• Letters of Ignatius;
• Letter of Polycarp to the Philippians
• Martyrdom of Polycarp
• The Didache
• The Epistle of Barnabas
• The Shepherd of Hermas
• The Epistle to Diognetus and the Fragment of Quadratus
• Fragments of Papias
• Verbs used are in their infinitives form in order to distinguish them from the nouns; while nouns are introduced with their articles

With a vocabulary stock of nearly 80% of the New Testament, students of Koine Greek will find reading the AF rather familiar territory. There are three observations I want to make. First, the counting of words occurring within a verse, within the chapter, and within the AF, is an extremely helpful guide to the understanding of the importance of the message being stressed. Very often, the more something is used or stressed, the more readers need to pay attention to the point the writer is making. For example, in 1 Clement 1:3; {ἄμωμος 7 • 17 blameless} is used to describe character. Clement was writing to sanctified living, purity of conscience, and the faithful relationships expected within the family.  Second, the lexicon provides expanded meanings for many of the words used. It is almost like the way the Amplified Bible translates the Bible, where a word is given multiple descriptions in order to nuance the meanings as much as possible. For example, in the Didache is translated as "sexual immorality" in the Michael Holmes's text, but given additional explanations in the lexicon to illuminate the root meaning of the word porneia {πορνεία, ἡ 2 • 5 prostitution, unchastity, fornication} Third, the lexicon is written with the words semi-parsed to enable readers to know the tense and mood. For example, where the words are in the imperative, the lexicon states so.

Indeed, this lexicon cannot be read by itself. It will be most beneficial for those with some knowledge of Greek plus having access to the "Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations" Baker Academic, 2007 edition. Without these two requirements, the lexicon will not be very useful. I find myself transported back to the days I was doing Greek and reading the Greek New Testament with a lexicon. If you are a student of Greek, and feel that the New Testament alone is not enough, try the Septuagint. If the Septuagint is still not enough, try the Apostolic Fathers.

If your love for Greek is re-ignited or if your understanding of the AF is increased, then this lexicon would have worth every penny.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Kregel Academic in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Awakening Faith" (James Stuart Bell)

TITLE: Awakening Faith: Daily Devotions from the Early Church
AUTHOR: James Stuart Bell
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013, (400 pages).

I have come across many devotionals by popular authors, selected snippets from reputed modern theologians, thematic kinds of daily devotionals, and so on. Many of the popular devotionals center around works that have been done around the recent few centuries. Not many reach out far back to the first 500 years of Christian history, and focus on writings of the Church Fathers, or Patristics. This book bucks the trend. Spanning the first eight centuries, 366 devotions are collected from a wide range of theologians, scholars, teachers, pastors, and respected leaders from both the Eastern and the Western hemisphere. The rationales for learning from the Church Fathers are as follows:

• They are significant shapers of the paths to faith that we proclaim regularly in the creeds;
• They are not only knowledgeable about the doctrines and theologies, they care deeply for the flock under their jurisdictions;
• Their teachings provide much needed correctives against heresies and sluggish faith during their time, and can inform us on how to appropriately address the problems in our times;
• They are committed to the Word and will not budge from trusting in the Scriptures;
• They are committed to personal virtues and Christlikeness, preferring to take care of the inner being and not be distracted by what is happening outside. 
• They emphasize a lot of what evangelicals of today need;
• They provide a rich resource for spirituality and growth.

There are famous names like Athanasius, Origen, John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, Cyprian of Carthage, Augustine, Gregory of Nyssa, Leo the Great, Tertullian, and others. There are also desert fathers like Antony the Great, John Cassian,  Benedict of Nursia, as well as some unknown writers from the second to the sixth centuries. Each day begins with a title, a Bible passage followed by a page of wisdom. Just putting this book together is challenging. While the writings belong to the Early Church fathers and teachers, the title and the selection of the Bible passages are the works of the author who collected them. This is no easy feat. Considering that the author himself is a compiler and editor of more than 140 books, that gives him a key to unlock the treasures stored within the writings of the Early Church.

At the top of each day is the theme of the devotion such as "Jesus," "service and stewardship," "holiness," "Church," "Prayer," "Salvation," "Our spiritual inheritance," "Father and Spirit," "Thorns and Thistles," and others. This gives readers a general idea of where the devotion is going. Next comes the Day number which is a day from 1 to 366. Then there is the title of the devotion and a Scripture text. At the bottom of each devotion is the name of the Early Church writer. Do not be misled by the brevity of the one-page devotion. There are lots of rich and eloquent thoughts within. For example, on the topic of giving, Leo the Great links it with love, saying: "If God is love, charity should know no limit, for God cannot be confined" (Day 227). In the age of prosperity and a constant thirst for wealth, we need Augustine's exhortation for pastors to be bold: "What sort of pastors are they who, for fear of offending their congregants, not only fail to prepare their sheep for temptations, but even promise them worldly happiness?" (Day 53). Polycarp utters the powerful words to leaders not to easily give in to anger and judgment: "They should refrain entirely from anger, partiality, and prejudice; greediness should be wholly alien to them" (Day 192). Basil the Great reminds us about the temporal nature of our bodies: "Today a man is vigorous in body, fattened by luxury, and in the prime of life, with a handsome face, strong and powerful and energetic; tomorrow he will be an object of pity, withered by age and exhausted by sickness" (Day 251).

The book itself is compelling as I can get a feel of vintage wisdom that has stood the test of time. Despite the ancient beginnings, the relevance is timeless and very appropriate for a technological culture that prefers the latest and the greatest. This book reminds us once again that there is much value in the earliest and the oldest. What we need are humble hearts and willing ears to listen. The benefits are all ours for the taking and for the sharing.

If you are thinking of a Christmas gift for anyone, this book certainly is a highly recommended one.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.


conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Zondervan and Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.