"The Worship Architect" (Constance M. Cherry)

TITLE: The Worship Architect: A Blueprint for Designing Culturally Relevant and Biblically Faithful Services
AUTHOR: Constance M. Cherry
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021, (352 pages).

The format and style of Worship in churches have been changing over the years. The factors that spur changes include congregational size, cultural influences, renewal movements, liturgical requirements, and so on. Along with the trend, the word "worship" has also become more loosely used to include personal devotions, small group gatherings, musical events, conferences, workshops, as well as everyday living. In an effort to recover the meaning of worship, author and professor Constance Cherry has revised her 2010 volume about designing worship services with a focus on Church services. Part of the concern has to do with what the author calls "a diminishing ecclesiology and an anemic Christology." The purpose of her writing this book is: "to equip leaders to prepare and lead Christian worship services that are faithful to Scripture, historically conscious,  relevant to God, Christ-centered, context-specific, and engaging for worshipers of all ages." Using the metaphor of building a house, Cherry designates four rooms of worship as follows:

1. First Room: The Gathering of God's People
2. Second Room: The Hearing of God's Word
3. Third Room: The Response to God's Word
4. Fourth Room: The Sending out of God's Disciples

"From Daughters to Disciples" (Lynn Japinga)

TITLE: From Daughters to Disciples: Women's Stories from the New Testament
AUTHOR: Lynn Japinga
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2021, (164 pages).

Many books have been written about the prophets of old, the kings of Israel, and the twelve disciples of Jesus. Yet, in the modern era, there are increasingly many who are questioning the patriarchal nature of the Bible. Why are there more male leaders? Why are most of the key figures in the Bible male? Is God showing preferential treatment to guys? With a desire to show that God is not blind to the needs of women, author and professor Lynn Japinga continues to shed light on some of the most prominent but often neglected characters in the Bible. Plus, they are all women! After writing her previous book about women's stories from the Old Testament, she continues this orientation by writing a companion volume on the women's stories from the New Testament. Yet, the author admits that this volume is more difficult because they don't speak much. Whatever they do, not much was recorded. Thus, compared to the first volume, the author tries to put herself into these women's shoes and does her best "imaginative speculation." She does this carefully after considering the New Testament contexts and reflecting on how Jesus treated the women then. Progressing from the gospels to the letters of Paul, Japinga begins with Mary, describing how conventional views paint her as obedient, blessed, ideal, or even the model woman for the rest to emulate. This is difficult for the modern woman to follow because no woman on earth is ever good enough. The author argues instead that she is more like one who had experienced grief, loss, and joy, all wrapped in one. She writes about the woman with a tissue of blood. While not much is known about this woman, Japinga manages to trace her background to give a counter-cultural proposal that instead of ostracizing her for her menstruation, readers ought to consider that as "mysterious and powerful." Mysterious because we still do not understand why the monthly period has to happen. Powerful because the process has the power to birth new life. On the Gentile woman who needed healing, the author puts herself in her shoes and to see her deep faith in Jesus in spite of her status.  Jesus accepted her in spite of her conditions. It is a lesson to remind us not to jump to conclusions about anyone. At one point, Japinga is close to accusing Jesus of not being inclusive enough. 

"A History of Evangelism in North America" (Thomas P. Johnston)

TITLE: A History of Evangelism in North America
AUTHOR: Thomas P. Johnston
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2021, (352 pages).

What is evangelism like in the past in North America? How could the past shed light on how we could do evangelism in the future? What can we learn about evangelism that we could use today? Scanning the past centuries in North American evangelism efforts, author Thomas Johnston brings together 21 professors to write on "evangelistic movers and shavers" who had influenced the North American cultural landscape. More importantly, it showcases how the Great Commission had been practiced by many in the past. Using a chronological progression, readers will learn about the history of key evangelists from the 18th Century to the 21st century. From Jonathan Edwards to Billy Graham; Bill Bright to John Piper's Reformed movements, the purpose of this book is to provide us a "biographical approach to evangelism," that the practice of evangelism is connected intimately to the personal lives of the evangelists. We learn of how Jonathan Edwards preached so passionately to convert rather than instilling fear. We see how David Brainerd, who lived for only 29 years, dedicated his life to minister to the Native American Indians. His perseverance in spite of great discouragement ought to provide a glimmer of hope for many modern evangelistic efforts. The 18th Century First Awakening was also impacted by the preaching efforts of two persons: George Whitefield and John Wesley. After John Wesley, Francis Asbury was instrumental in spearheading the Methodist movement in North America. While Asbury was not as eloquent as Wesley, he was an organizational genius, showing us that evangelism is more than speaking via the pulpits. In the 19th Century, we read about the Camp Meeting Revival Movement, in particular, in Cane Ridge Church where many churches and Christian communities started praying for revival to be just like Cane Ridge Church. That revival has been hailed as the greatest outpouring of God's Spirit since the first Pentecost in the Early Church. We see the impact of the Bible societies in America, laying the foundations for the Second Great Awakening. In the 20th Century, the key figures include John Mason Peck (and Rock Springs Seminary), Henrietta Mears (and the Sunday School movement), Dawson Trotman (and the Navigators), Billy Graham (and YFC), Bill Bright (and Campus Crusade), James Kennedy (and Evangelism Explosion), the Jesus Movement, and many more. 

"Creating Community" (Andy Stanley and Bill Willits)

TITLE: Creating Community, Revised & Updated Edition: Five Keys to Building a Thriving Small Group Culture
AUTHOR: Andy Stanley and Bill Willits
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah, 2021, (193 pages).
 

Times have changed. Society and people too. Yet the need for relationships does not change. Technology may have changed the way we communicate, but there is no substitute for connection. We all need to be connected beyond just an Internet group. We need small groups to create a community.  According to authors Andy Stanley and Bill Willits, people everywhere still have the same need for community. They wrote this book back in 2004 and have updated this book for a new economy. Observing the trends that are happening today, the need for community could not have been greater. We might be technologically connected. We might have the latest means to keep in touch. We might also be able to do more things with less time. Yet, that does not necessarily translate into meaningful living. Living alone or doing things independently does not negate the need for true community. Recognizing the need is one thing. How to get there is another. Stanley and Willits give us five strategies to go about doing that. The five "keys" for real growth are classified in terms of needs, namely:

1. People Need Community
2. Leaders Need Clarity
3. Churches Need Strategy
4. Connection Needs Simplicity
5. Processes Need Reality

"A More Christlike Word" (Bradley Jersak)

TITLE: A More Christlike Word: Reading Scripture the Emmaus Way
AUTHOR: Bradley Jersak
PUBLISHER: New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2021, (288 pages).

How do we read the Bible? What do we mean by the Bible as the Final Authority for our faith? How do we apply the Truths revealed? These questions might seem elementary but they are important questions that need to be asked frequently. The Bible is the revealed Word of God and the more we understand the Word, the better for Bible believers and practitioners. Like the two disciples struggling to understand the Scriptures when they were on their way to Emmaus, author and professor Bradley Jersak brings us back to the Emmaus experience in Luke 24, how Jesus helped shed light on interpretation. He does this by following Peter Enns's five words for biblical interpretation. 

• Genre-Calibration: Be aware of the genre of the text concerned;
• Christotelic: Reframe the story of Israel toward the Person of Jesus Christ
• Incarnational: Read the Bible both as God's Word and Christ the Living Word;
• Ecumenical: Be open to the different readings and interpretations from the different Christian faith traditions;
• Pilgrimage: Be humble to learn on the way.

"The Gap Decade" (Katie Schnack)

TITLE: The Gap Decade: When You're Technically an Adult but Really Don't Feel Like It Yet
AUTHOR: Katie M. Schnack
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2021, (224 Pages).

What do I want to do with my life? The immediate answer is: That depends. It depends on are our life circumstances. It depends on our dreams and aspirations. Most crucially, it depends on what stage of life we are in and how God is speaking to us. Waiting is one of the most difficult things we will face. In an increasingly distracted and impatient world, many people find waiting a chore. This is especially at the life stage of a young person moving toward adulthood. In a heartwarming, honest, and humorous manner, author Katie Schnack shares her many moments of waiting. Calling it the ten years between young adult and adulthood, these are the transitional years of waiting and working out on what one needs to do with one's life. She shares how she got to meet her future husband. One major challenge was the school years when their schools were at two different places. Her boyfriend's at South Dakota while hers was in Florida. Despite the challenges, they got married at 21 years of age in Minnesota even before they finish school! Life after that was filled with more questions surrounding graduate studies, careers, housing, starting a family, etc. The big shock of all was the question of calling never stops being asked. She describes seven major transitional phases in terms of her dating life; work choices; paying taxes and other adult duties; moving across states (5 states for her!); marriage; mental health matters; and parenthood. While each of them are unique challenges, the common denominator is in terms of what the best decision needs to be made with regard to one's calling and God's guidance. 

"Where Prayer Becomes Real" (Kyle Strobel and John Coe)

TITLE: Where Prayer Becomes Real
AUTHOR: Kyle Strobel and John Coe
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2021, (224 pages).

The human heart can be one of the most, if not the most difficult thing to change. That is why there are many change specialists who show us different strategies to change the systemic environment that we live in. For instance, top change management specialist, Kurt Lewin popularized the change management paradigm called the "Unfreeze-Change-Refreeze" model. In simple terms, in order to make change more permanent, we need to undo the old, to inject the new, and then freeze it. Just like using super-glue. We clean the surface, apply the adhesive, and then wait for the glue to set. In the same way, if we need to change our own habits, we can learn a thing or two from such change paradigms. As the saying goes, old habits die hard. When it comes to prayer, there are many old habits that simply are hard to change. In this book about learning to pray more authentically, we learn about several habits that could become impediments to prayer. Habits like wandering minds; avoiding truth when it hurts; learning to embrace Gods expectations instead of ours; and how our prayers could be impeded by sin and pain; and others. So authors Kyle Strobel and John Coe give us tips on how to unlearn (unfreeze) our prayers. In fact, the desire to want to "pray correctly" might in itself make our prayers less real than intended. When prayers become performance, it would entail focusing on aesthetics and synthetics more than our organic self. When prayers become a place where we try to hide our vulnerability, we will not be able to present all of ourselves to God. When our prayers are filled with doubts about whether God can really answer us, we limit our faith and as a result, limit God. When we anticipate God only to be a God of good news and nice feelings, we would refrain from presenting our fears, concerns, pain, and heartaches to God. Thankfully, Strobel and Coe didn't stop there. They help us along with a way to pray honestly without ceasing. With guidance from the Lord's Prayer and many other teachings from Scripture, they show us a path forward. Their starting point for us is critical. For any prayer to be real, we need to deal with two temptations:

"The Way of the Father" (Michael W. Smith)

TITLE: The Way of the Father: Lessons from My Dad, Truths about God
AUTHOR: Michael W. Smith
PUBLISHER: Rocklin, CA: K-Love Publishers, 2021, (208 pages).
 

It has been said that our views about God the Father are connected intricately to our relationships with our earthly fathers. Sharing intimate details about his late father, the popular musical artist and performer hail his father as his hero, devoted supporter, coach, diligent worker, his father, and how his life empowers his faith with his Heavenly Father. Smith opens up with how his father would bring his team to a Dairy Queen despite losing 30-0 in a baseball game. While some people celebrate with special treats when their team wins, his dad celebrates with the team regardless of the result. This demonstrated his dad's grace to see the team bigger than any game results. He was a deacon in Church, heading up many leadership roles from pastoral search to layperson's roles. His decision-making with regard to promotions or job opportunities always centers around God and family. Not surprisingly, he gives up promotional moments for the sake of his priorities. This is not something that a lot of people could do. Even though his dad was often tough, he had tender moments like during the aftermath of the Marshall football team air crash. Smith learns that the strength of a person is not defined by how much grit one has but how caring one is. Smith's dad checks out all the boxes. The rest of the book contains many powerful lessons about the impact of his father on him. Lessons such as:

"A Habit Called Faith" (Jen Pollock Michel)

TITLE: A Habit Called Faith: 40 Days in the Bible to Find and Follow Jesus
AUTHOR: Jen Pollock Michel
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2021, (256 pages).

Don't just think your way to faith. Practice it. This is the crux of this book about spiritual formation via the practice of faith. Practice it regularly enough until it becomes a habit. This is the way of faith. For repetition is one of the most proven ways to cultivate memory. What better way than to use 40-days as a memory forming benchmark. The use of "40 days" has been well-documented in both Scriptures as well as popular literature. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness. Stephen the first martyr told the story of Moses in three 40-year segments. Rick Warren's famous book about purpose-driven was based on 40 days on intentional purpose forming. Written like a devotional, there are 40 days of exercises with daily readings, Bible verses, the author's reflections, and two questions. Designed more for individual and to some extent for group use, the key advice the author gives to any reader is to simply finish the book. The fruit is sweetest if this is practiced to the fullest. Michel divides the book into two parts. The first 20 days are based on the book of Deuteronomy while the other 20 days are reflections on the gospel of John. Interspersed every five days are testimonies of faith from different people. Mark Lawrence talks about his habits of church attendance and Sunday School. Ian Cusson's experience of Church is very much liturgical. In spite of his indigenous background of the pains of residential schools, he aims to be a bridge between "indigeneity and Christianity."

"Joshua" (Paul R. Hinlicky)

TITLE: Joshua (Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible)
AUTHOR: Paul R. Hinlicky
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2021, (320 Pages).

Dogma should clarify rather than obscures. This is the conviction of the publisher who has chosen to let this series of commentaries be based on "Christian doctrinal tradition," such as the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed. Creeds help unite Christians. They provide a common platform for understanding. They give us a concise explanation of our common faith in God.  In a largely fragmented interpretive community, we need creeds to remind Christians that they still have many things in common. Calling it "textual ecumenism," the central premise of this commentary series is that "doctrine provides structure and cogency to scriptural interpretation." It is also hoped that the commentary will provide an additional platform for Christians and Jews to recognize their common heritage. This is not an exegetical but a theological commentary. That means focusing on the theological themes of Joshua. That means looking at Joshua from a big picture angle rather than a laser beam focus on particular verses. It means reading it with a literary lens rather than a literal interpretation. In doing so, we will be less prone to wrongful applications such as using Joshua to justify war or to support the teachings of triumphalism. Moreover, with doctrine and theology as our lens, we will avoid subjectivism that could turn readers into arrogant dogmatic interpreters. 

"From Widows to Warriors" (Lynn Japinga)

TITLE: From Widows to Warriors: Women's Stories from the Old Testament
AUTHOR: Lynn Japinga
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2020, (217 pages).

Through the years, I have heard comments from various people, especially women that the Bible is too patriarchal for their comfort. With the gradual activism of feminism and groups that advocate for gender equality, women's rights have formed a big part of Western society. Many people could readily remember key Old Testament characters like Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, David, Elijah, Elisha, and so on. Yet, when asked about women characters, they might recall relatively less. Of course, the books of Esther and Ruth are named after female leads, but in terms of time and space allocated to various gender leads, most of the prominent biblical characters are male,. This might explain the general perception about ancient society being more patriarchal than in our times. The thing that spurs author and professor Lynn Japinga into action is when she saw so many people who miss out on women in the Old Testament. Plus, stories about women were often deemed uninteresting or mainly about sex and violence; or stories that paint women in a negative light. This is Japinga's contribution to correct that. She offers a way for us to discern how God uses these women in spite of their weaknesses. At the same time, she offers us another way to "dive deeper" into these stories not only to see them in another light, but also to see them for who they are. With over 46 female characters, the book categorizes them as follows:

"Servants for His Glory" (Dr. Miguel Núñez)

TITLE: Servants for His Glory: Cultivating Christlikeness in a World of Performance
AUTHOR: Dr. Miguel Núñez
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2021, (299 pages).

How do we serve in the Church? Why do we serve? What exactly are we trying to accomplish when we serve? In this marvelous handbook for anyone wanting to serve, author Miguel Núñez goes back to the fundamentals of being before doing. In a world where we like to see action first, we have used performance as the primary measure of our success. As Jesus has said, good fruit comes only from good tree. Núñez helps us go back to the foundations of what it means to be a good tree as we serve God. Based on his own experience as a medical professional, a pastor, and a counselor, he cautions us repeatedly about running ahead of God's work in our inner selves. We do not let our works define us. We let Christ in us to define us. Núñez writes that before we can truly serve God's family, we need God's sanctification, which also means the need to let God heal us from the inside, that we can grow up well. Otherwise, we become vulnerable to our sinful nature to let the world outside deceive our sense of identity and worth. He debunks some erroneous measurements of success before giving us several important ways to evaluate ourselves. Instead of being one who depends on approval from the external world, he assures us that as long as we get our inner house in order, we will not easily fall prey to the temptations of perfectionism, insecurity, and fear.

"Elements of Biblical Exegesis" (Michael J. Gorman)

TITLE: Elements of Biblical Exegesis
AUTHOR: Michael J. Gorman
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020, (352 Pages).

One of the first things I learned in Bible School is the danger of reading our thoughts into the text, a process called eisegesis. The solution: Exegesis. This is about reading the Bible for what it is, reading in the context of the passages concerned, and appreciating the original cultural and historical contexts. In many seminaries, bible exegesis is a core curriculum for all students. By helping students engage the text for what it says instead of reverting to what we feel or want it to say, we will be better expositors and teachers of the Bible. Books like this form an important part of the learning of exegesis. In this third edition, the author has included a new emphasis on interpretation from present social and ecclesiastical contexts, especially from the indigenous and Majority World. He provides additional material from both the interpreter's as well as the text's canonical contexts.  Part One of the book sets the stage by explaining to readers the basics and tools of exegesis. Gorman explains that exegesis is essentially an investigation or scholarly reading. This process includes examining the text for authorial intent, for contextual meaning, for genre awareness, and for details on meaning. It is also an opportunity for conversation. This reminder is important so that students will not see the study of the Bible too individualistically, but to be aware that the Holy Spirit illuminates God's Word in more ways than one. Exegesis is also more an art rather than mere science. That is because while we can learn of all the methodologies, content, and techniques, it takes art to put them all together. Gorman is also convinced that any exegesis needs to consider the readers' context too. That is why this third edition includes additional material on the four contexts: historical, literary, theological, and contemporary. He also helps us look at exegesis from diachronic and more so on synchronic approaches. The former examines the world behind the text while the latter on the world within the text. Gorman does a good job in describing many of the basic terms which makes this book not only a primer but a refresher for those who had previously done exegesis. Some of the key features here are:

"John Through Old Testament Eyes" (Karen H. Jobes)

TITLE: John Through Old Testament Eyes: A Background and Application Commentary
AUTHOR: Karen H. Jobes
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2021, (376 pages).

How do we read and interpret the gospel of John? Some recommend that for beginners, it is the best gospel to read first due to the simplicity of language. For theologians, that is not so. The gospel of John has been said to be shallow enough for one to wade in and also deep enough to drown an elephant. Simply put, the language in the fourth gospel is simple but theologically profound.  Many commentaries work on an inductive verse-by-verse format, exegeting the Greek to find out the key meaning of the text. This has been one of the most popular formats because it lets Scripture speak for itself. Other commentaries adopt the deductive format to guide us through themes such as the seven signs, the seven I AM's, and other prominent symbolism mentioned in the gospel. As the gospel contains many Old Testament allusions, why not let the Old Testament guide our reading and interpretation? This is exactly what this new addition to the "Through Old Testament Eyes" series seeks to do. Readers not only get to understand the background of John with new insights from the Old Testament, but they also have a competent Bible Professor who had spent many years marinating in the gospel of John to guide us. The central conviction is that the gospel writer is steeped in Old Testament literature. When we understand the contexts of John, we see the Truth according to what the original author sees. Readers would then be able to appreciate the deeper meaning of the gospel with Old Testament "eyes." From feasts to festivals, rituals to religious teachings, the author's singular concern is to use the Old Testament lens as her interpretive framework. She leaves the literary analysis, the Johannine tradition, the extra exegetical work aside so that she could focus on the parts that relate to the Old Testament and Second Temple Jerusalem. The general framework comprises four key segments:

"Covenant" (Daniel I. Block)

TITLE: Covenant: The Framework of God's Grand Plan of Redemption
AUTHOR: Daniel I. Block
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021, (656 Pages).
 

How do we understand the Bible from Genesis to Revelation? Is there a common theme throughout the two testaments? How do we understand God's will in the Bible for mankind? How do we read the Old Testament in a New Testament era? Answer: We understand God's revelation via a series of covenants. In fact, there is great value in understanding biblical theology that is grounded in the Old Testament (or in the author's view, First Testament). Unlike typical conventions by many biblical scholars, Canadian/American theologian and Professor Daniel Block adopts several unique terms in this expression of covenant theology:

• Consistent use of YHWH as the personal name of God;
• Using First Testament instead of the conventional term Old Testament;
• Using his own translations instead of relying on the readily available published ones;
• Avoiding the use of conditional/unconditional covenants in favour of the missional-communal and administrative covenants.
• Understanding the historical and literary background of how the biblical authors developed this covenance.

"Opening to God" (David G. Benner)

TITLE: Opening to God: Lectio Divina and Life as Prayer
AUTHOR: David G. Benner
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2021, (208 pages).

Prayer is more than conversation or communication. It is more than simply words uttered out from our mouths. Prayer is a deep relationship with God toward communion. At the heart of prayer is love and longing to be with God more. For many of us, prayer is has been reduced to merely asking for things. If prayer is a relationship of longing, surely we need to learn to listen first. For prayer is much less about doing and more about being. It is about an encounter with Love. Prayer is that journey into Love. In describing this journey, author and psychologist David Benner reminds us that listening is a big part of prayer. It is in fact a crucial part of prayer that many of us had unwittingly left out. Benner makes several poignant observations about the conventional prayer practices many of us do. 

• Seeing prayer as an obligation rather than spontaneous desire;
• Observing spiritual discipline instead of earnest devotion;
• Prayer as doing instead of being;
• One-way instead of bi-directional;
• Prayer beginning with mouth instead of from the heart;
• Monologue instead of dialogue.

"Rich Thanks to Racism" (Jim Freeman)

TITLE: Rich Thanks to Racism: How the Ultra-Wealthy Profit from Racial Injustice
AUTHOR: Jim Freeman
PUBLISHER: Ithica, NY: Cornell University Press, 2021, (308 pages).

Mention the name "George Floyd" and immediately people would think of systemic racism, social injustice, Black Lives Matter, and protests against any form of inequality and inequity. The trouble is, when the demonstrations are active and widespread, public media pay attention and join in the chorus against hate and systemic inequity. Once the demonstrations die down, many revert to the "normal" they are used to. So, what is the point of protesting if the results are mere short-term? Is it even possible to eradicate systemic racism? Can BLM provide enough impetus to ensure all races and all ethnic groups can be treated fairly? This book aims to look at how we can join in this long-term effort at rebuilding society into a fair and just one. The phrase "systemic racism" cannot simply be left to anybody's imagination. It needs to be defined clearly and that expectations are communicated justly. More importantly, we need to know the root of it all. As a justice advocate and a long-time civil rights lawyer, author Jim Freeman learns that systemic racism that most of us are saying comes from something far more sinister: "Strategic racism." Many of the efforts to bring about greater equality and eradication of poverty fail eventually. That is because programs alone are never bigger than policies. Solutions alone are not any bigger than strategies. If reforms are only made after vigorous demonstrations and protests, such reforms too are not sustainable. The Freeman starts noticing several patterns. Behind the bad policies are the same few hands that feed the problem. These organizations are profiting from the policies that are encouraging systemic racism in the first place! These are the ultra-wealthy, the powerful, the influencers, and the profiteers. Seeing such things made the author reconsider the words of the late civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr who famously said that "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." After examining the contexts of systemic racism, Freeman laments that current contexts point to this moral "was being forcibly bent toward injustice." Strong words. How could that be? How is that so? What could one do about it? These questions are dealt with in this remarkable book about a perennial problem in American society, and maybe many others too. 

"Free to Believe" (Luke W. Goodrich)

TITLE: Free to Believe: The Battle Over Religious Liberty in America
AUTHOR: Luke W. Goodrich
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah, 2019, (288 pages).

Religious Freedom is not something to be taken for granted. We see it in some communist countries where governments persecute religious people. We see it in secular states that continue to jettison matters of faith outside public circles. We are seeing religion being pushed to the margins in many parts of the world, including the traditionally religious West. With Western Europe mostly secular today, the issue of religious freedom is becoming more urgent each day. The interesting question is this: If the freedom of religion has already been enshrined in the constitution, why do we still need to battle over religious liberty? In order to deal with this question, author and senior counsel Luke Goodrich explains why this problem has become more acute over the years. Beginning with a real case of a Christian School Teacher suing the Church affiliated with the school over wrongful dismissal, we see how secular civil law meets with a Church claiming to follow religious instruction. Can a Church be sued for discrimination if she was just observing their religious obligations? What about gender selection that pits biblical obedience against secular laws? Then there is the baker refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. These are some of the examples of how religious freedom as we have known from the past is no longer the same in the present and the foreseeable future. In writing this book, the author aims to answer three key questions:

1. What is Religious Freedom?
2. What are the Most Serious Threats to Religious Freedom?
3. What Can We Do About It?