favourite books of 2008
Posted by Paul | Filed under uncategorised
No more train rides this year, so it seems an appropriate time to list my favourite books read in 2008. It’s from memory, so in no particular order…
1) The Reason for God, Tim Keller
Generous and understanding of those who might disagree. Clear and fresh on the essentials of Christian belief. All round great.
2) Culture Making, Andy Crouch
Many good things could be said about this. Excellent on why we need to move on from analysing culture to making it. Important in relating cultural engagement to everyone, not just the elites & full-blown artists.
3) Everyday Theology, ed. Kevin Vanhoozer, Charles Anderson, Michael Sleasman
Vanhoozer’s initial chapter on ‘cultural hermeneutics’ is easily worth the price of the book. The following chapters work well as examples but are also enjoyable and interesting in their own right.
4) Resounding Truth, Jeremy Begbie
This book does so many things: a fresh look at theology using musical analogies, music within a Christian ‘ecology’, lessons applicable to culture more generally. Likely to return to the reading list in 2009. The only negative is the lack of accompanying CD…
5) Political Visions and Illusions, David Koyzis
A great look at politics and key ideologies from a Christain perspective. Not sure there are many other books that give this kind of overview. Very informative for an amateur like me…
6) Violence, Hospitality and the Cross, Hans Boersma
I’m going to have to read this again, but I really appreciate the way Boersma faces up to the big issues for our culture: why violence appears so prominently in Christianity and in the atonement particularly.
7) A Community Called Atonement, Scott McKnight
Welcome for his expansive view — bringing in multiple ‘atonement theories’ and expanding the atonement beyond just the cross — as well as moving onto how we should act as a result.
Eat this Book, Eugene Peterson
Taking the Bible seriously while making room for the poetry, imagination, lived-ness, etc. that is involved…
Tags: books
A random walk over culture, art, christianity, etc. with occasional photographs...