Books

New & Noteworthy Books

Compiled by Matt Reynolds.

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.”

Also in this issue

This issue we give special attention to the thousands of US pastors who faithfully labor unseen and who wonder how much longer they can hold themselves together. COVID-19 put unique strains on clergyโ€”a group that was already seeing rising rates of burnoutโ€”and the effects will linger long after most Americans have put their masks away. In our cover story, Kyle Rohane argues that pastors are less likely than other workers to join the Big Quit. It sounds like good news and is, in ways. But in other ways, itโ€™s a warning.

Cover Story

Our Pulpits Are Full of Empty Preachers

News

Gleanings: May 2022

Reply All

Our May/June Issue: The Cold Wind of Ministry

The Scottish Complementarians Who Teach Women to Preach

As for Me and My Household, Weโ€™ll Resist Mammon

News

Opposing Porn Isnโ€™t as Lonely as It Once Was for UK Evangelicals

News

Stained Glass Needs Saving

News

Drug Addiction Was Bad in America. The Pandemic Made it Worse.

When Doubters Declare the Glory of God

Excerpt

They Might Be Giants. (Or Angels. Or Superhuman Devils.)

News

Levites, Whores, and Demoniacs: Hereโ€™s How the New NRSV Has Changed

Testimony

I Plant Secret House Churches Because I Was Saved into One

Seven Trials, Two Dangers, and One Underappreciated Book

Tribalismโ€™s Awful Antidote

Secularism Doesnโ€™t Have to Be Bad

Review

Let the Modern World Make You Uncomfortable

Review

Donโ€™t Ignore Race. Or Alienate White People.

Excerpt

Is There a Tiny Puritan Living in Your Head? Tell Him to Get Lost.

View issue

Our Latest

Latino Churchesโ€™ Vibrant Testimony

Hispanic American congregations tend to be young, vibrant, and intergenerational. The wider church has much to learn with and from them.

Review

Modern โ€˜Technocultureโ€™ Makes the World Feel Unnaturally Godless

By changing our experience of reality, it tempts those who donโ€™t perceive God to conclude that he doesnโ€™t exist.

The Bulletin

A Brief Word from Our Sponsor

The Bulletin recaps the 2024 vice presidential debate, discusses global religious persecution, and explores the dynamics of celebrity Christianity.

News

Evangelicals Struggle to Preach Life in the Top Country for Assisted Death

Canadian pastors are lagging behind a national push to expand MAID to those with disabilities and mental health conditions.

Excerpt

The Chinese Christian Who Helped Overcome Illiteracy in Asia

Yan Yangchu taught thousands of peasants to read and write in the early 20th century.

What Would Lecrae Do?

Why Kendrick Lamarโ€™s question matters.

No More Sundays on the Couch

COVID got us used to staying home. But itโ€™s the work of Godโ€™s people to lift up the name of Christ and receive Godโ€™s Wordโ€”together.

Review

Safety Shouldnโ€™t Come First

A theologian questions our habit of elevating this goal above all others.

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