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

Copyright © 2011 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

Christianity Today has more music, movies, books, and other media reviews.

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

News

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

News

Catholic Hospitals Not Exempt From Contraception Rules, Hungary Severely Redefines 'Church,' & More News

Is Online Dating for Christians?

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

Aaron B. Franzen

News

Undoing the Famine Damage

Mark Moring

A New Bible Battle

Review

Half the Sky Is Falling

Marian V. Liautaud

Interview: Chai Ling on Saving China's Daughters

Interview by Timothy C. Morgan

Editorial

Unexpected Political Hero

A Christianity Today Editorial

News

Sherwood Baptist Partners with a Black Church to Bring Racial Healing

Mark Moring

Interview: Douglas Groothuis on Good Apologetics

Calling for Heroic Commitment

Steven D. Greydanus

Theological Interpretation in Action

News

Passages

Review

Profiling Christians Who Have Suffered Under Chinese Communism

News

Church Drops Mortgage for Expansion

Ken Walker

News

Online Boycotts Separate Corporations from Christian Groups

Bobby Ross Jr.

News

Should Pastors Perform Marriages for Cohabitating Couples?

Compiled by Ruth Moon

News

Quotation Marks

News

Tanzanians Throng to Miracle Cure

Tom Osanjo in Nairobi, Kenya

View issue

Our Latest

News

Amid Fear of Attacks, Many Nigerians Mute Christmas

Emmanuel Nwachukwu

One pastor has canceled celebrations and will only reveal the location of the Christmas service last-minute.

A Time of Moral Indignation

CT reports on civil rights, the “death of God” theology, and an escalating conflict in Vietnam.

A Heartwarming Book on Sin

Three books on theology to read this month.

The Bulletin

Brown University Shooting and The Last Republican

Mike Cosper, Clarissa Moll

Violence at Brown, and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger talks about Jan 6, courage, and global affairs.

Come, Thou Long-Expected Spirit

W. David O. Taylor

The Holy Spirit is present throughout the Nativity story. So why is the third person of the Trinity often missing from our Christmas carols?

Who Writes History When There Is No Winner?

Lebanon’s civil war is a taboo subject. A group of Christians and Muslims is broaching it.

Review

Review: Angel Studios’ ‘David’

Peter T. Chattaway

Artistically, it’s ambitious. Narratively, it works. But it’s no “The Prince of Egypt.”

My Son’s Last Christmas at Home

Christmastime comes with its own losses and longings. God understands them.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube