Category Archives: Not quite a review

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

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The God Delusion
by Richard Dawkins
Product Details
Paperback: 374 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
    Point: Belief in any supernatural god is ridiculously unscientific, unhelpful, and dangerous to fellow humans.
    Path:  Chapter 1 – religion has caused lots of problems, but no one is able to talk about it. It is off limits.
    Chapter 2 – “any creative intelligence, of sufficient complexity to design anything, comes into existence only as the end product of an extended process of gradual evolution.”
    Chapter 3 – all arguments for God fail
    Chapter 4 – Argument from improbability – basically a hyped up version of “Who created God?”
    Chapter 5 – Answering from where religion comes – a desire, a placebo, a meme? Who can say?
    Chapter 6 – “Then why are we good?” 1. We aren’t. 2. Misfiring nerves.
    Chapter 7 – The Bible is horrific in its dealings with others. Do you really want to claim that?
    Chapter 8 – fundamentalism (believing the Scriptures of your faith) undercuts science, and therefore is unacceptable
    Chapter 9 – it is child abuse to bring up a child in a religious upbringing.
    Chapter 10 – If there is a gap in every person that needs to be filled, why fill it with God? Why not science, art, human friendship, humanism, etc.?
    Sources: Websites, critics, current literature.
    Agreement: Religion – as a form of reaching God – is dangerous.
    Disagreement: The author is overly infatuated with science. He is caustic and angry. Full of misinterpretations, exaggerations and over generalizations.
    Personal App: Evidence will not argue a person into belief. Only the Holy Spirit can change a heart.
    Stars: .25 out of 5
    I couldn’t stomach most of it.

    Lost in the Middle – CG

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    Lost in the Middle: MidLife and the Grace of God

    By Paul David Tripp

    Product Details

    1. Paperback: 348 pages
    2. Publisher: Shepherd Press
    3. Language: English
    4. Date of reading: October 19, 2011

    Point: Tripp strives to help the reader understand the struggles that they are going through in the light of God’s grace and love for them. This book is so that you as the reader may see God and yourself more clearly, and that you might find the hope that you need to continue on in life.

    Path: Tripp takes the reader through a variety of Bible passages, real life stories, and biblical concepts in order that the real problems behind midlife can be shown.

    Agreement: I am not at this stage of life, and I found this book immensely helpful! I found myself forgetting that he was talking about a stage in life that I will probably not arriving to for another twenty years. Tripp talks a lot about our identity being worshippers of God and not tied to all of the other things to which our sinful natures draw us.

    Tripp shows how midlife just reveals what idols we may have had in our lives for a long time, such as: health, beauty, material possessions, family, finances, among many others. God, in His grace, loves us to much to allow us to be content with these idols. When these things are taken away, we realize that we must trust not in any of the things that were previously mentioned, but in God’s grace and we find hope in the thought of eternity.

    Personal App: I was very convicted when the book discussed dying dreams. I began to realize that sometimes we need to die to our own dreams in order to accept God’s plan that is being realized in our life. Often the disappointments in life are caused by us not accepting God as Sovereign. When we let go of our own dreams, we are able to experience something much better, contentment in our Lord.

    Stars: 4 out of 5

    It would be worth another read and I would recommend it.

    Report On The Geology Of The Henry Mountains by Grove Karl Gilbert

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    Before you read anything below, I want to ask you a question.
    Can you describe a mountain for me?
    If your description culminated with “big” or “rocky” than you should take a few tips from this book.

    Report On The Geology Of The Henry Mountains
    by Grove Karl Gilbert
    Product Details
    Hardcover: 152 pages
    Publisher: Arno Press (reprint 1978)
    Date Published: 1877

    Point: Though isolated and relatively useless for monetary value, the Henry Mountains in Southern Utah have geological significance
    Path: Following an extensive evaluation of the Henry Mountains, Gilbert submitted a report to the Department of the Interior, U.S. Geographical and Geological Survey of the Rocky Mountain Region. The main portions of the book include and introduction to the location of the mountains, their structure, a detailed description of the mountains themselves, land structures explained, and the general worth of the mountains.
    Sources: Intensive study and observation
    Agreement: Chapter three, the detailed description of the mountains, was very interesting. It captured my attention not because of something inherently exciting about the mountains themselves, such as majestic waterfalls, sheer cliffs, or deep caves, but because they were interesting to the author. His description of the Henry Mountains made me want to visit them. He described the peaks and the valleys, the cliffs and the plateaus, as though they were special. They were special, not because they were extraordinary, but because they were there.
    Disagreement: I disagree with the general presupposition of the age of the mountains, and that the past has been uniform in erosion.
    Personal App: I want to see the Henry Mountains. I want to sit and contemplate a feature of the geography which I have so quickly passed over. I want to imagine what workings are going on below the surface of this angry, shaking earth as it pushes lava upward to stain the surface.
    Favorite Quote: “Coal, building sone, gypsum, and timber have no value for lack of a market, either present or prospective; gold and silver are not found; and there is little or no land that can be successfully farmed. Only for grazing have the mountains a money value” (152). But yet he spends 152 pages describing the mountains – because they are there!
    Stars: 3 out of 5 – this is tough, because taken for the purposes written, I am sure this is valuable. But for the average reader, is this a must read? I doubt it.

    Slide:ology by Nancy Duarte

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    Slide:ology
    by Nancy Duarte
    Product Details
    Paperback: 261 pages
    Publisher: O’Reilly
    Date Published: 2008

    Point: Simple slides displaying clear ideas lead to effective communication.
    Path:  
    Duarte walks through the art of slide presentations from the conception of ideas to the delivery of a presentation. Chapters clarify color use, templates, fonts, and diagrams.
    The Five Theses of the Power of a Presentation:
    Treat your audience as King – how can you help them.
    Spread Ideas and move people: People should see how they can live our your idea.
    Help them see what you’re saying: don’t just settle for a speech.
    Practice Design, not decoration: be clear.
    Cultivate Healthy Relationships: in order to accept your message, they must accept you.
    Sources: Personal experience with boring and exciting presentations.
    Agreement: Slide shows can kill an idea, or spread an idea. This is a helpful manual for putting together a presentation that ignites the imagination of your audience, not their tempers.
    Disagreement: A little dull at times, but if viewed as a manual it is understandable.
    Personal App: Work at simplicity in style, slides, and speech.
    Stars: 4 out of 5
    It would be worth having and consulting when putting together a major presentation.

    Luther in His Own Words

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    Luther In His Own Words
    by Martin Luther
    Product Details
    Audio: Read by David Cochran Heath 
    Publisher: Hovel Audio, 2006
      Point: Martin Luther is known for his 95 Theses. He is also known for the religious body which bears his name. But is Luther really known? This audio book seeks to acquaint the hearer with some of the important works of Luther.
      Path:  This work is a compilation of Luther’s 95 Theses, his Tower Experience, Small Catechism of Martin Luther, and the Last Written Words of Luther. It also includes some important sermons such as “On the office of preaching”, a sermon on confession and the Lord’s Supper, and “On Faith and Coming to Christ”.
      Agreement: One either loves Luther or hates Luther. He is honored for his 95 theses and hated for his persecution of Baptists. He is venerated for his courageous stand and criticized for his faulty views of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. But what do we do with someone who God used greatly, but still was wrong in other points? I suppose we ought to thank God that He can use men – in spite of their weakness. That gives me hope.
      Personal App: It is not enough to talk about Luther, or any other men throughout history, we must listen to him. Only then may we agree or disagree. I must hear before I understand, and I must understand before I may disagree.
      Stars: 4 out of 5
      It would be worth another read and I would recommend it for anyone interested in knowing Luther.

      Has Christianity Failed You by Ravi Zacharias

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      Has Christianity Failed You
      by Ravi Zacharias
      Product Details
      Paperback: 240 pages
      Publisher: Zondervan
      Date Published: 2010
      Point: God has failed no one. People fail us. Religious institutions and leaders fail us. But God does not fail anyone.
      Path: The key questions which Zacharias answers are “Who is Jesus?” “What does it mean to be a Christian?” “Purpose driven or reason driven?” “Does prayer make a difference?” and “What difference does Christianity make?” He also takes a look at common points of tension (ch. 3) and incoherence (ch. 4).
      This book is not laid out in a question/answer format. Rather, Ravi begins by asking a question, tells several stories, includes a philosophical idea from an eastern religion, and then looks at a Bible passage.
      Sources: Conversations with skeptics, personal anecdotes, eastern thought, and examples of famous believers line the pages.
      Agreement: Ravi asks some important and relevant questions in his book and concludes with the right idea, “Christianity has not failed you; God has not failed you. It may be that the church has failed you, since it is comprised of human beings just like you, people who often fall short of their own standards and do not always live up to the beauty of their faith and of their Savior. Perhaps your expectations of Jesus and of Christianity were false” (ch. 7).
      Disagreement: The format of this book was very difficult for me to appreciate. I felt as though we were getting nowhere. I initially bought this book with the intention of using it with some of my unbelieving friends, but I am afraid it would be too confusing. If you love Zacharias’ form of speaking, this is the book for you. If you are looking for clearly defined answers to tough questions, you won’t be satisfied.
      Personal App: When dealing with disillusioned people, don’t try to fix the wrongs in the past, point to the Savior.
      Stars: 3 out of 5
      I might consult this for ideas if I were to be asked one of these questions.

      The Spirit Of Early Christian Thought by Wilken

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      The Spirit Of Early Christian Thought: Seeking the Face of God
      by Robert Louis Wilken


      Product Details
      Paperback: 321 pages with post material
      Publisher: Yale University Press
        Point: The era of the early Church fathers was not an age of darkness, nor even a stepping stone on the path of faith. These men were deep thinkers who sought to know God.
        Path: The author traces a variety of topics through the Fathers in order to expose their beliefs.
        Sources: He cites many of the fathers but focuses on Origen (3rd century), Gregory of Nyssa (4th century), Augustine (5th century), and Maximus the Confessor (7th century).
        Agreement: This is a helpful survey on the early Church and her thoughts.
        Disagreement: The author comes from a Catholic background so there is obvious factors which he stresses. The composition was not as easy to read as Ferguson’s “Early Christians Speak.”
        Personal App: I need to read Augustine’s “City of God.”  The early Church fathers did not possess a refined understanding of everything we have today, but we do not possess near the devotion they had.
        Stars: 3.5 out of 5
        It would be worth another read. I would recommend Ferguson first.

        Crystal’s First Book Review

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        Seth has been trying to encourage me to write about the books I am reading, so here is one.


        Feminine Appeal: Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother

        Carolyn Mahaney

        Product Details

        1. Paperback: 188 pages
        1. Publisher: Crossway Books
        1. Language: English
        1. Date of reading: 9/21/11


        Point: The Gospel should transform the woman’s life in order to glorify our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. The Gospel affects her interactions with her husband and children, her self-control, her purity, her kindness, her submission, and her work at home.


        Path: Using Titus 2 as her foundation, Mahaney explains the character traits and actions of a godly woman. She combines Biblical teaching with daily experiences.


        Agreement: Theologically sound, ends with a helpful and practical example of a godly woman. Good view on how to view godly womanhood.


        Personal App: Great encouragement to honor God through being a joy filled woman.


        Stars: 4 out of 5


        It would be worth another read and I would recommend it.

        The Chestnut King by N.D. Wilson

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        The Chestnut King
        by N.D. Wilson
        Product Details
        Hardcover: 512 pages
        Publisher: Yearling
        Point: Henry moves farther into his adventure to find that he does have a purpose and a path. Running from those may mean a few more days of life, but he would not be truly living. Facing them may mean death, but this is the reason for which he was created.
        Path: Henry’s fast paced adventure rushes through cupboards faster than the reader can keep up. His path leads him into the fire, through the tree of the Chestnut King, and into Witch’s stronghold.
        Agreement: Wilson’s progression as an author can be seen in this final book. It was exciting and fast paced. Although he still seems overly detailed at time, his book kept moving.
        Stars: 4 out of 5
        It would be worth another read and I would recommend it.

        The Canon Of The New Testament by Metzger

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        The Canon Of The New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance
        by Bruce Metzger
        Product Details
        Hardcover: 326 pages
        Publisher: Clarendon Press
          Point: The canon of the New Testament was recognized after several hundred years, around the Roman Empire, amidst the battle for orthodoxy. This book traces the paths taken in order to arrive at the collection of authoritative books that we have today.
          Path:  Restating the questions posed in the recent centuries concerning the canon, Metzger begins to answer them through a study of what the apostolic fathers believed concerning the Scriptures. Various heresies and the responses they evoked helped to clarify what the early Church believed. He also walks through the progression which took place in the East and the West as they understood the canon. The final portion of the book is dedicated to problems faced by the Church in reference to the canon.
          Sources: Metzger plunges into the study with primary sources and addresses secondary sources.
          Agreement: This is an excellent introduction to the topic. I also appreciated his reasoned and fair response to the question, “Is the canon still open today?” 
          Personal App: The Scripture that we have today has been passed down because of its orthodoxy, apostolicity, and consensus among the churches. I thank God for His Word.  
          Stars: 4.5 out of 5
          Excellent resource for anyone interested in understanding canonicity.