Yet More Recommended Reading

Here is another in an irregular series on new books which I am happy to recommend. This time it features a mix of titles by both Christian and non-Christian authors. Topics covered include theology, politics, ethics, Islam and history.

Arranged roughly by topic, here are 20 new books which are worth adding to your library. Many of the Christian titles can be picked up in Australia at Koorong, while other titles can be purchased at online bookstores such as amazon. Happy reading.

The Complete Thinker: The Marvelous Mind of G. K. Chesterton by Dale Ahlquist. Ignatius, 2012. Ahlquist has already penned a number of great books on Chesterton, and his newest does not disappoint. It covers various aspects of his thought, such as the problem of evil, politics and patriotism, the nature of truth, sickness and health, war and peace, and much more. If you are not yet a fan of GKC, this volume should help bring you around.

John Wesley’s Teachings by Thomas Oden. Zondervan, 2012. If you are a Wesley fan, or simply want to study further his thought, this quite substantial set offers you everything you may want to know about his theology. It is a four-volume set, with the first three now available. The four cover, in order: God and providence; Christ and salvation; pastoral care; and ethics and society. An invaluable resource.

The Scriptures Testify About Me edited by D.A. Carson. Crossway, 2013. In this collection of essays eight Christian leaders discuss how we can preach Christ and the gospel from the Old Testament. The expositors include Tim Keller, Al Mohler, Matt Chandler and Carson.

Gospel Truth by Paul Barnett. IVP, 2012. Here the Sydney-based New Testament scholar looks at how the new atheists seek to undermine our confidence in the reliability and authenticity of the Gospels. In 200 pages he offers a wide-ranging defence of the Gospels, and dismantles the various atheist objections to them.

Turning Points by Mark Noll. Baker, 2012. Every believer should know something about church history, and this volume highlights a dozen decisive moments in the history of Christianity. These include the Council of Chalcedon, the rise of monasticism, the Reformation, the conversion of the Wesleys, and the French Revolution. This book first appeared in 1997, and is now in its third expanded edition.

Getting the Marriage Conversation Right by William May. Emmaus Road, 2012. This brief booklet (just 70 pages) lays out some helpful pointers in how to engage in the homosexual marriage debate. He shows us what the real nature of marriage is, why it is so important for children, and how it can never be compatible with non-heterosexual relationships.

Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church by Gregg Allison. Crossway Books, 2012. This is the fifth volume in the very important series on systematic theology begun in 1997, Foundations of Evangelical Theology, edited by John Feinberg. Its 500 pages offer a very thorough and comprehensive treatment of ecclesiology.

Puritan Portraits by J. I. Packer. Packer has been a lifelong student of the Puritans, and this brief volume offers us a nice introduction by focusing on nine major Puritans. Their thought, work and pastoral contributions are nicely examined. A quite helpful little volume.

A Puritan Theology by Joel Beeke and Mark Jones. Reformation Heritage Books, 2012. If the volume by Packer has whetted your appetite, this volume will certainly deliver the goods. It is a monumental volume of over 1000 pages, and is the first and most complete one-volume compendium on the theology of the Puritans. All things theological are to be found here: the Puritans’ views on the attributes of God, the Trinity, Christology, law and grace, sin and salvation, demonology, eschatology, ecclesiology, practical theology, and so on.

What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur’an by James White. Bethany House, 2013. This 300-page volume offers a lot of vital information not only about Islam and the Koran, but how they differ so considerably from Christianity and the Bible. A very helpful guide to understanding what Islam is really all about.

Sharia Versus Freedom by Andrew Bostom. Prometheus Books, 2012. In this important collection of essays the famous expert on Islam continues to put the spotlight on the war we are in, and how our freedoms are being snatched away from us. Over 40 substantial essays in over 700 pages offer more than enough information and insight into the leading battle of our time.

Image of Not Peace But a Sword: The Great Chasm Between Christianity and Islam
Not Peace But a Sword: The Great Chasm Between Christianity and Islam by Robert Spencer (Author) Amazon logo

Not Peace but a Sword by Robert Spencer. Catholic Answers, 2013. Islam expert Spencer here shows the glaring differences between Christianity and Islam. He discusses many topics, including Jesus, jihad, sharia and interfaith dialogue. Also included is a very important debate he had with Catholic philosopher Peter Kreeft on the issue of the real nature of Islam, and how much common ground can be found between the two faiths.

The Case for Islamophobia by Walid Shoebat. Top Executive Media, 2013. Shoebat is a former Islamic terrorist, but is now a Christian who knows firsthand the dangers of stealth jihad and creeping sharia. In this wide-ranging collection of essays he covers all sorts of territory, including the situation in the Middle East and the Arab Spring, the infiltration of the churches, the Nazi connection, Western geopolitical concerns, and the Muslim Brotherhood. An incisive and eye-opening volume.

Recall Abortion by Janet Morana. Saint Benedict Press, 2013. Abortion is a totally defective and dangerous product which demands an immediate recall. Here we learn how abortion hurts everyone, not just babies, and women especially are the major victims of all this. The book includes the testimonies of many women who have suffered because of their abortions.

Bullies by Ben Shapiro. Threshold Editions, 2013. Shapiro is a young rising star in the conservative movement and here he offers an in-depth look at how the left operates: by bullying, intimidation, thuggery and persecution. What the left lacks in sound argument, moral clarity, and intellectual strength, it makes up for in pure nastiness and strong-arm tactics. The 300 pages worth of examples here should convince anyone with an open mind.

Control: Exposing the Truth About Guns by Glenn Beck. Threshold Editions, 2013. Gun control is not really about controlling guns – it is about controlling us. Beck lays out the case for the importance of the Second Amendment, and shows with plenty of research and evidence why we must resist the controllers. An important volume offering rational light on a topic usually run on emotion and feelings.

America the Beautiful by Ben Carson. Zondervan, 2012. Many think that Carson would make an excellent choice for the Republican Presidential candidate in 2016. In this book he shows us why. He deals with a number of important social, cultural, moral, political, spiritual and public policy issues impacting America. He reminds us of her past greatness, her present degradation, and a way ahead for the future. His amazing story is told in the book and the film, Gifted Hands.

What to Expect When No One’s Expecting: America’s Coming Demographic Disaster by Jonathan Last. Encounter Books, 2013. While dealing primarily with the American situation, this important new book certainly takes into account the global situation. His thesis is this: “The ‘population bomb’ never exploded. Instead, statistics from around the world make clear that since the 1970s, we’ve been facing exactly the opposite problem: people are having too few babies. Population growth has been slowing for two generations. The world’s population will peak, and then begin shrinking, within the next fifty years.”

Turn Back the Battle by Elizabeth Kendal. Deror Books, 2013. In this careful biblical, theological, exegetical and pastoral study Elizabeth Kendal uses the book of Isaiah to offer hope and comfort to believers the world over, especially the persecuted church. Kendal has mined Isaiah deeply to bring us its treasures, and we all owe her our heartfelt thanks for doing so.

What Jesus Started by Steve Addison. IVP, 2012. Melbourne couple Steve and Michelle Addison have spent decades involved in church planting work and discipleship. In this his second book he continues looking at Christian movements, and how the church grows and multiplies. It examines in detail the examples of Jesus and Paul as missionaries and disciple makers.

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