The Biblical Trinity: Encountering the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Scripture
Brandon D. Smith (Lexham Press)
God’s triune nature is a foundational Christian doctrine, yet the term Trinity appears nowhere in Scripture. Cedarville University theology professor Brandon Smith works to resolve this apparent tension in The Biblical Trinity, reflecting on a series of New Testament passages and showing how they build on the witness of the Old Testament to reveal a God who exists in three persons.
Edited by Eric Mason (Zondervan)
Urban Apologetics, a 2021 volume edited by Philadelphia pastor Eric Mason, took aim at various “Black conscious” movements that promote the distorted readings of history meant to portray Christianity as an ally of white supremacy. This follow-up book, as Mason explains in its introduction, tackles “cults, errant beliefs, and cultural ideologies that are pervasive in our world,” many of which “are brushing up against our faith commitments every day.” Some essays analyze contemporary conversations on critical race theory, Black liberation theology, white nationalism, and sexuality and gender, while others look to counter the sectarian influences of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, and prosperity preachers.
Creating the Canon: Composition, Controversy, and the Authority of the New Testament
Benjamin P. Laird (IVP Academic)
How did the New Testament come into being and cement its standing as sacred Scripture? Despite archaeological discoveries and other scholarly advances, much uncertainty remains. According to Benjamin Laird, author of Creating the Canon, “Greater clarity and insight is needed with respect to our understanding of the process that led to the composition and formation of the canonical writings.” Laird, a professor at Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, gives an accessible overview of the questions and debates preoccupying scholars and curious laypeople today.
