Taking Jesus at His Word by Addison Hart

Hart writes that he has spent years meditating on the Sermon on the Mount. He shares the impact on him, a man who has lived a while. “I would like to just listen, think, ruminate, and take notes.” (3)

However, this book is much more scholarly than just his ruminating and taking notes. He quotes the Didache, for example.

I was disappointed to read that Hart says Gehenna is not a real place nor a state of being. Its use is figurative, he says. (47) Nor is it an everlasting place of torment. It is not to be taken literally. Hart wants to avoid the “exaggerated concepts of a fairy-tale 'hell'...” (48)

Hart believes the Sermon on the Mount can be lived, partly because he not not believe humanity is “totally depraved” and incapable of any true goodness. (44)

So, theologically, Hart and I are miles apart.

Hart has an understanding of turning the other cheek (Matt.5:39) that I had never read before. He writes that it is, “in fact, a defiant act.” (62) The “other” cheek is the left cheek, associated with dishonor. “To turn the left side toward one who strikes you is bold and resistant, but nonviolent. It shows lack of respect, an unyielding stance, but also a refusal to hit back.” (62)

Hart sees the Sermon on the Mount as a call to examine our lives at the deepest level and to work on our own transformation. It is a handbook for disciples who want their lives to remain consistent with the character of God's kingdom and righteousness. (131)

Just a word of caution as conservative evangelical Christians will not agree with Hart's theology regarding sin, judgment, and hell.

An extensive discussion guide has been included.

Fr. Addison Hart was apparently an Anglican priest who left that fellowship in 1999 and joined the Catholic Church. In 2011 he apparently left the Catholic Church to go back to the Anglicans. Some say he is still in Catholic communion although he has retired from active ministry as a parish priest and university chaplain. He lives and writes in Norheimsund, Norway. (That the publisher describes him as a retired pastor is, I think, misleading since the term is usually used within Protestantism.)

Eerdmans, 176 pages. 

The Pawn by Steven James

How have I missed this great suspense author and am now just reading the first in his Patrick Bowers series?

Bowers is a FBI profiler, but of a different kind. He looks at geographical locations of the murders (or where the bodies end up) and similar details to pinpoint the murderer.

He is called to work on a case in North Carolina – a serial killer outsmarting the FBI. The situation really becomes suspenseful when the killer targets Bower's daughter.

I really liked this novel. What a page turner. But, this is not a cozy mystery. The killer is a gruesome murderer. If gruesome fictional murder scenes keep you awake at night, skip this book. But if you like psychological suspense, put this series at the top of your list.

Steven James has written more than thirty books, everything from psychological thrillers, to youth fantasy to children's Bible story books. He received Christy Awards in 2009, and 2011. His most recent Patrick Bowers novel, Queen, won the 2012 Christy Award for Best Suspense Novel, the 2012 ECPA for Best Christian Novel, and was a finalist for an International Thriller Award.

Jesus a Theography by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola

So why another biography of Jesus? This one is different. The authors call his book a theography. They tell the story of God's interaction with humanity through the life of Jesus. They do not write about the details of Jesus' life. They write about the narratives, symbols, metaphors, and signs that are pictures of God touching humanity through Jesus.

Sweet and Viola believe all sixty-six books of the Bible are woven together by a story line – the story of Jesus Christ. So their theography begins with creation and ends with the consummation. They suggest that reading the Bible through a christological lens changes the way we see and approach the entire Bible.

The authors use a great deal of symbolism in this book. Some of it, I think, is be beyond normal literary use. They write, “Jesus refers to Himself as a bird.” (26) The reference is Luke 13:34, “...how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings...” I think the simile is gathering and protecting, not that Jesus is likening Himself to a chicken!

They frequently have uncommon interpretations of Scripture (at least ones I've never heard before). They say Eve was formed on the eighth day. They then relate Eve to the church (as Adam prefigured Jesus). She is a new creation. She came out of Adam, as the church came out of Christ.

The garden of Eden is compared to the temple of Israel, with much imagery related. They have relied heavily on Hebrew tradition for this, “...in the Hebrew tradition the temple and the garden are different ways of talking about the same reality.” (207)

They suggest that Canaan (the Promised Land) does not represent heaven but the kingdom of God (warfare required).

The section I found the oddest was that on stones as metaphors. They list several places where stones were used, the first: “to guard the entrance to the garden of Eden: a stone.” (79) They then relate that to the resurrection account. “When Mary found the empty tomb in the garden, she found the stone had been rolled away (metaphorically, the stone guarding the garden of Eden)...” (83) They list no footnote so where they got this idea is beyond me. Later, they write, “In Genesis God told Cain that a sin offering would be placed at the door of the garden.” (83) The footnote is to Gen. 4:7. They must be reading a Bible vastly different from any I have. Mine says “sin is crouching at your door” and nothing about the door of the garden. (NIV)

And then something else that just seems beyond normal was the short section on aroma. “The psalmist said that God can smell a proud person from a long way away: 'The proud He knows from afar,'” (232) The reference is Psalm 138:6. The NIV says He “sees them from afar” and says absolutely nothing about smell.

The authors include a great deal of conjecture and imagining. They imagine all the things Jesus remembered while carrying the cross (pp. 234-236). To me, that is the height of presumption and arrogance, to think they know what was in the mind of Jesus during that time. The very idea of a human putting thoughts into the mind of Jesus makes me tremble.

Ultimately, I had trouble with this book. I thought the initial idea, that the entire bible was Jesus' story, was great. But as I read through the book, there were just too many odd ideas, too many conjectures, too many connections imagined in the minds of the authors where none appears on the surface. I didn't like their relying so much on Hebrew tradition, as if non-biblical Hebrew writers were as inspired as the writers of the Old Testament. I don't think Hebrew tradition should carry the same weight as the biblical text.

But I do like their conclusion: “In short, the message of the gospel is this: Jesus Christ is Lord (world ruler), Savior, the fulfillment of the entire First Testament (including the Adamic commission, the prophets, the priests, the kings, the sages, the temple, the sacrifices, the land, the Law, the promises, and the entire story of Israel), and the Resurrection and the Life.” (307)

I just wish they had done a better job of presenting the evidence for their conclusion.

To read a free sample chapter, go to nelsonfree.com/theography. (Offer ends Dec. 31, 2012.)

Leonard Sweet is the E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism at Drew University (NJ) and Distinguished Visiting Professor at George Fox University (OR). He contributes to online resources and is rated highly influential in the world of social media. He has written numerous articles and more than fifty books. See more leonardsweet.com.

Frank Viola is a popular conference speaker and the best-seller author of numerous books. He also writes a popular blog. See more at frankviola.org and frankviola.net.

Thomas Nelson Publishers, 419 pages (including 83 pages of footnotes).

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

Bad Religion by Ross Douthat

America has problems. The Christian right says it is because we have fallen away from the faith of our fathers. (They say America was founded as a “Christian nation.”) Others insist the problem is that America is excessively religious. (They make Christian beliefs the problem.)

Douthat says America's problem is not too much or too little religion. It is bad religion, a collapse of traditional Christianity and rise of a variety of pesudo-Christianities in its place.

America remains the most religious country in the developed world. But it is also a place where traditional Christian teachings have been warped.

Heresies are not new. There have always been heresies. “What's changed today, though, is the weakness of the orthodox response.” (8)

He notes that Christianity needs heresy, at least the threat of it. That is what keeps Christianity from being merely a set of doctrines. In the past orthodoxy would come alive. But now, orthodoxy is slowing withering while heresy endures.

How this came to be is what this book is about.

Douthat looks at Christianity after World War II and how it gave way to a Christian “civil war.” He then reviews Christianity today, focusing on heresy's increasing dominance. His is an analysis of how and why American Christianity has changed over the last fifty years and what those changes mean.

I found this book very insightful.

I also found it frightful. He brings us to the end result of the heresy of nationalism we see today on the Christian right. For example, “now that waterboarding has become a right-wing litmus test, polls show that frequent churchgoers are more likely to voice explicit support for torture than other Americans, and that both conservative Catholics and (especially) Evangelicals are the most pro-torture groups of all.” (273)

This book should be read by anyone who cares about the future of the country, Christian or not.

Ross Douthat is an op-ed columnist for The New York Times. Before joining the Times he was senior editor for The Atlantic. He has written (or co-authored) two books and appears regularly on national television programs. He lives with his wife and daughter in Washington, D.C.

Free Press (a division of Simon & Schuster). 337 pages.

Jesus Pure and Simple by Wayne Cordeiro

Maybe you feel overwhelmed with programs and ministries. Maybe you've been doing all kinds of religious activities and still do not feel fulfilled.

Cordeiro calls you back to Jesus, pure and simple. The devil would have you believe that devotion to Jesus is complicated – weekly Bible activities, following rules. “Don't let the devil lead you astray from what is pure and simple about walking with Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 11:3).”

I had such high hopes for this book. It started out so promising. And then Cordeiro began to write about all of the activities we need to be doing. He emphasizes we need to be doing what God has asked us to do. We will be held accountable for it.

Cordeiro writes about the actions we should be doing (beginning with chapter 5). We should be tithing. We should be giving gifts anonymously. “Do you want to get closer to Jesus? Then follow in the footsteps of hidden service.” (66) He writes that we should be praying and fasting.

And then he writes about Mary and Martha: “Getting back to Jesus is recognizing that you are, right now, in the presence of Christ.” But then he says we should be in the Word, should regularly take time for solitude, we should be immersed in gratefulness, should be taking time for reflection. We should be leading others to Christ. We should be keeping our hearts clean. We should be content and thankful. We should be effective.

So, it seems like there are lots of activities Cordeiro suggests for getting back to Jesus, pure and simple. It is not so simple after all!

Cordeiro gives many of his own personal stores as examples of what God is doing. Did I really need to know that when he turned over that royalty check to ministry God rewarded him by selling his house for twice what he paid for it? Do I really need to know Cordeiro has a beautiful house on a ranch in Oregon as well as a condo in Hawaii?

If you are looking for a pure and simple way of getting back to Jesus, I suggest you look elsewhere. If you are looking for a refresher on the various disciplines that will help you grow in your spiritual walk, this is the book for you.

Wayne Cordeiro is senior pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Oahu, Hawaii. He has been a pastor for ten years in Oregon and twenty-eight years in Hawaii. He is also chancellor at his alma mater, Eugene Bible College, now known as New Hope Christian College. He has contributed to may leadership magazines and has authored twelve books. Wayne and his wife reside in Oregon and Hawaii.

Bethany House Publishers, 202 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from Bethany House for the purpose of this review.

The Hunted Hare by Fay Sampson

I love mysteries from across the pond, and this is a good one.

At the head of a mountain valley in North Wales is Pennant Melangell. The remote hamlet is one of the “thin places” and has long been a pilgrimage site. The church is a shrine for the medieval Saint Melangell, and is visited by those desiring healing.

One of those desiring healing is Jenny Davison. Jenny and her husband Aiden had been to the place before and have now brought their seven-year-old daughter, Melangell. Jenny has advanced cancer and is seeking what God might have for her at this place.

New since their first time there is new hotel, The House of the Hare. The facility was designed with the needs of the sick in mind. It is to be a place where pilgrims in search of healing can stay.

But death, rather than healing ensues as the owner of the hotel is found murdered. He was killed with an arrow to the eye. Those known to have used the archery range are under suspicion, including Jenny.

Besides being a well written mystery, readers are introduced to some of the lore of North Wales. Many believe Pennant Melangell is a sacred place for Christians while others promote an ancient pagan goddess. Sampson notes that the shrine church at Pennant Melangell is real and worth a visit. She has added the fictional hotel and cottages. For someone who has never been to Wales, it was fun reading about the area.

This is the first in a series featuring Aidan Davison set in the “thin places” of the Celtic world. I'll be looking for the next one.

Watch the trailer for the book here.

Fay Sampson is a widely published author with an interest in fantasy and Celtic history. She has been shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize on three occasions and is a winner of the Barco de Vapor award. Find out more at www.faysampson.co.uk.

Monarch Books, distributed by Kregel Publications, 280 pages.

Publisher's product page.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

Soul's Gate by James L. Rubart

What an amazing novel. Every once and a while one comes along that just takes your breath away. This is one of those novels.

What would it be like if we Christians lived today with the same strength and power we read the early Christians had? What if we entered into spiritual warfare, if we lived in a spiritual realm we generally ignore?

That is what Rubart writes about in this novel.

Reece Roth is a veteran at spiritual warfare. He was a warrior thirty years ago, but then stepped away from battle when he faced personal tragedy. Now he is back in the war and is to train others in the ways of battle. The danger is immediate. There are evil beings who are out to stop Reece and his friends. These demons have destroyed before and now set their sights on Reece.

This novel brings to our attention the seriousness of spiritual warfare and battling for the soul of another. Reece trains his friends to travel in the Spirit, to sense the spirit realm, and to enter into another's soul to do battle. Rubart admits at the end of the novel that he does not believe entering into another's soul is actually possible (this is fiction, after all).

But the rest – such as paying attention to the spiritual realm so we can sense what is happening in others... Is that the level of Christianity we can and should be living?

This novel is very thought provoking. I was glad to see an extensive Reading Group Guide because this novel would make for lively discussion.

I highly recommend this book. Read it and then discuss it with a friend.

You can see a video promoting the novel here.

I am taking part in a blog tour of this book.  You can find more reviews here.

James Rubart is a professional marketer, speaker and writer. He is an ECPA best-selling author and has won several book awards. Rubart lives with his wife and sons in the Pacific Northwest. You can find out more about him at www.jimrubart.com.

Thomas Nelson, 400 pages.

Please visit your local Christian bookstore to buy this book.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

At Every Turn by Anne Mateer

The plot was not all that exciting. A young woman, Alyce, hears a visiting missionary at church and is moved to pledge money for their support – a large amount of money. When her wealthy father will not come through with the money, she has to come up with an idea to gather the amount in just a few weeks. Even when she does acquire a few hundred dollars for the cause she ends up giving it away to someone in need.

Then she has an amazing idea. It's 1916 and not many women drive. But Alyce loves to drive, and drive fast. Her father has a mechanic who is building a racing car. She convinces the mechanic to let her be the driver in the upcoming race. She'll have to hide her identity because women, drivers or not, are not allowed on the racing track.

So the plot was not so exciting. Just the plot would have made for a novella or short story. In fact, I thought the plot development was slow much of the time.

The strength of the novel was the character portrayal. The characters are developed well. There is some built in antagonism as two men want Alyce's affection. The one thing I didn't like about Alyce as a character was that, even though she is very adventurous, she was kind of dumb when it came to figuring out people. Perhaps there were too many hints, but I knew who the bad guy was long before Alyce did. I don't like it when I am smarter than the heroine. It is frustrating to continue reading.

I found the second half of the book was better than the first half. And one does learn a bit about early car racing.

It is an OK read, nothing fantastic.

Anne Mateer has a passion for history and writing historical fiction. You can find out more about her at www.annemateer.com.

Bethany House (a division of Baker Publishing Group), 317 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House for the purpose of this review.