How I Changed My Mind About Evolution: Evangelicals Reflect on Faith and Science
Edited by Kathryn Applegate and J. B. Stump (IVP Academic)
Organized by the BioLogos Foundation (which promotes an evolutionary understanding of Creation), this book gathers testimonies from evangelicals who see no fundamental conflict between the science of evolution and the Bible’s account of human origins. Contributions come from prominent scientists (like Francis Collins) but also from pastors, scholars, and theologians, including N. T. Wright, Scot McKnight, John Ortberg, and James K. A. Smith. “Some questions,” say the editors, “are obviously scientific, and some are obviously religious. The difficulty comes when both seem relevant, as in the question of humanity’s origin. For cases like this, the best way forward is to allow science and faith to dialogue with each other. Learn the best science. Talk to religious thinkers you trust. Give grace to everyone.”
Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis
Stephan Bauman, Matthew Soerens, and Issam Smeir (Moody)
With civil war convulsing Syria and chaos sweeping the Middle East, refugees are entering Europe at unprecedented rates. Across the globe, an estimated 60 million are fleeing their homes. The authors of Seeking Refuge (who work with World Relief) exhort churches to warmly welcome refugees, and they address recurring fears about terrorism, cultural tension, and burdens placed on local communities. “Many Christians,” they write, “feel torn between the natural desire to protect themselves and their families, and the desire to minister compassionately to the vulnerable. Given the scope of this crisis, how Christ followers respond to this tension could define the church for a generation or more.”
What Christians Ought to Believe: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Through the Apostles’ Creed
Michael F. Bird (Zondervan)
“If you ask me,” writes Bird, an Australian theologian and Anglican priest, “the Apostles’ Creed is probably the best syllabus ever devised for teaching basic Christian beliefs. It is succinct, easy to read, yet immensely profound.” But many churches fail to mine its riches out of “a mixture of skepticism toward tradition, a rank biblicism that ignores historical theology, and a certain arrogance that all who came before us were either incomplete or erroneous in their theology.” By walking readers through each element of the creed, Bird makes the case for weaving it (and other ancient teachings) into the church’s worship, preaching, and teaching.
