Books

Books to Note

Short reviews of ‘Moral Apologetics for Contemporary Christians,’ ‘Beautiful Outlaw,’ and ‘The Accidental Revolutionary.’

Moral Apologetics for Contemporary Christians

Pushing Back Against Cultural and Religious Critics Mark Coppenger (B&H Academic)

Mark Coppenger believes Christians should not shy away from our ethical heritage when defending Christian truth claims. Instead, we should consider the ways in which a Christian ethic intersects with Christian apologetics. If true ideas bring life to society, one should expect life and culture to flourish where Christianity is embraced. Coppenger’s writing is feisty and persuasive as he argues for Christianity’s moral superiority.—Trevin Wax

Beautiful Outlaw

Experiencing the Playful, Disruptive, Extravagant Personality of Jesus John Eldredge (FaithWords)

The newest book from John Eldredge seeks to surprise readers with the powerful per-sonality of Jesus. Eldredge is at his best when describing the awe-inspiring nature of Christ’s incarnation and humility. Unfortunately, he tends to pit Christ’s immanence against God’s transcendence, as well as Jesus against the church. The end result is largely a “me and Jesus” Christianity.—Trevin Wax

The Accidental Revolutionary

George Whitefield and the Creation of America Jerome Dean Mahaffey (Baylor University Press)

Jerome Dean Mahaffey’s new biography is about a major Founding Father whose first name was George. No, not the man from the Mount Vernon, the one whose visage adorns the dollar bill, but George Whitefield, the British itinerant whose preaching propelled the First Great Awakening. Whitefield did not aim to rock the boat politically. Throughout his life, he pledged loyalty to the crown and the Church of England. But Mahaffey shows how Whitefield’s bold challenge to settled religious doctrines and hierarchies helped coax the colonies in the direction of independence.—Matt Reynolds

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Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

How to Read the Bible

J. Todd Billings

My Top 5 Books For Young Adults

Sara Zarr

The Messy Business of Clean Water in Africa

Excerpt

Simply Jesus

N. T. Wright

The Green Collection: Bibles and More

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Persecution Prompts Missions Agency to Transform

Tim Stafford in Secunderabad, India

The Coach in Your Head

Matt Branaugh

John Stott: Four Ways Christians Can Influence the World

John R. W. Stott

Wilson's Bookmarks

John Wilson

News

Go Figure

The 'Big Love' Strategy

Power Washed by God

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Jenell Williams Paris, Leslie Ludy, and Dennis Franck

Review

What's New Is Old: 'America's New Evangelicals'

Excerpt

A Fully Biblical Liberation Theology

Survey: Frequent Bible Reading Can Turn You Liberal

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Undoing the Famine Damage

Mark Moring

A New Bible Battle

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Marian V. Liautaud

Interview: Chai Ling on Saving China's Daughters

Interview by Timothy C. Morgan

Editorial

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A Christianity Today Editorial

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Mark Moring

Interview: Douglas Groothuis on Good Apologetics

Calling for Heroic Commitment

Steven D. Greydanus

Theological Interpretation in Action

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Passages

Review

Profiling Christians Who Have Suffered Under Chinese Communism

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Church Drops Mortgage for Expansion

Ken Walker

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Bobby Ross Jr.

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Should Pastors Perform Marriages for Cohabitating Couples?

Compiled by Ruth Moon

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Quotation Marks

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The Big Tent Initiative is building bridges across the American Church.

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