A Concise Guide to the Life of Muhammad: Answering Thirty Key Questions
Ayman S. Ibrahim (Baker Academic)
What can we know about the Islamic prophet Muhammad—about his historical profile and his religious teachings? In a follow-up to his 2020 volume A Concise Guide to the Quran, Ayman S. Ibrahim—an Egyptian-born scholar who directs the Jenkins Center for the Christian Understanding of Islam at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary—points curious Christians to the range of answers given by Muslims themselves. “It is imperative,” he writes, “to understand and evaluate the life of the man [Muslims] revere. This one man directly influences the lives of one-fifth of humankind and, indirectly, a significant portion of non-Muslims all around the world.”
The Discerning Life: An Invitation to Notice God in Everything
Stephen A. Macchia (Zondervan)
Perhaps without intending it, many believers treat spiritual discernment as a skill to call upon only as needed: at a crossroads in life, say, or at times of confusion and uncertainty. By contrast, Stephen A. Macchia, who directs the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, views spiritual discernment as an all-encompassing way of life. “It’s the choice of the bold and courageous to know God intimately,” he writes in The Discerning Life. “It’s an invitation to all who desire a lifestyle that continuously seeks God’s presence, power, peace, and purposes … in good times, hard times, major inflection points, and everyday moments too.”
50 Ethical Questions: Biblical Wisdom for Confusing Times
J. Alan Branch (Lexham Press)
If you’ve ever wondered what Christians should say or think about an especially tricky moral or political quandary, chances are you’ll find your question addressed here. In 50 Ethical Questions, J. Alan Branch, ethics professor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, walks readers through a biblically grounded process of ethical reasoning before applying its precepts to the most challenging dilemmas related to marriage, sexuality, medicine, and the sanctity of life. As Branch reminds us, “Christians must not forget that ethical questions are fundamentally spiritual questions. The process of ethical reflection both affects and is affected by our relationship with Jesus Christ.”
