Bible Review: “The Westminster Study Bible"

“The Westminster Study Bible (NRSV Updated Edition): With the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal Books”

Published by Westminster John Knox Press, 2024.

It is hard to summarize all of the things that I am excited about in this new Westminster Study Bible, but let me try.

First, I am excited to see the NRSV translation in another study Bible. Like any good translation, the NRSV is not without its debates and controversies. It has its strengths and weaknesses. Still, I find it to be a solid translation for any 21st Century English Bible reader. Published in 1989, the NRSV was intended to serve both devotional and scholarly needs. It was to be readable to the average person and attentive to manuscript discoveries and advances in scholarship. I have found it to be both of these things.

Of course, the Westminster Study Bible is not simply the NRSV, but the Updated Edition of the NRSV, which makes it even more exciting! As of 2021, the NRSV has done a fresh update of language, translation and important textual notes, improving upon the excellent work done in the 1989 edition. In other words, this is an accurate and modern translation for both reading and studying the Scriptures.

Second, the Westminster Study Bible is simply a fantastic study Bible. It actually happens to be the first study Bible to utilize the NRSV Updated Edition, but even as others undoubtedly follow in its path, it will continue to stand out. The explanatory notes in the bottom third of each page are some of the most consistently helpful notes that I have seen in a study Bible, providing aid for, again, both devotional and scholarly aims. The editors dig into the linguistic, historic and cultural context of the most significant, debated, and perplexing verses, while providing cross-references for each as well.

Along with explanatory notes, each book begins with at least two pages of meaningful introduction, covering the theological purposes of the book, the authorship, date and major issues, and ending with a reading guide. The reading guide is perhaps the most unique part of the introductions, and it is what I expect will be one of the most helpful tools for both new and seasoned Bible readers.

On top of the explanatory notes and the introductions, the Westminster Study Bible ends with a dense index, that includes a catalogue of mini essays on immediately relevant issues, like the Bible and Science, the Bible and Gender and the Bible in public life, as well as a massive reference list to subjects and themes throughout the Scriptures, and finally eleven of the most biblically important geographical maps.

Finally, the inclusion in this Bible of the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books, and with study notes, is for me a great thrill. It is no mystery that Judaism and the early church recognized that some of the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal writings were valuable. They are included in enough ancient lists of inspired writings, that we know even if they weren’t considered scripture, they were considered helpful to faith formation. As Jerome puts it, even if not canonical, they were edifying. This means that almost certainly the New Testament writers were influenced theologically by these books. And that means that at the very least that they are valuable books for gaining deeper insight into the hearts and minds and actions of the early Christians. So, how exciting to have those resources included in your study Bible and with study notes to better understand them! It is yet another resource that instead of having to go find elsewhere, you have included in your study Bible.

In terms of weaknesses, there are not many. One though would be the very thing I have already counted as a strength. The inclusion of the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books could be confusing to evangelical readers who are unacquainted with them. If you are passing this Bible on to a new believer, some conversation and explanation around this would be important.

But apart from that I have only positive things to say about this Bible. I am excited to continue using it, and I completely and sincerely recommend it to anyone looking for a new Study Bible. I expect this will prove to be a valuable resource in the world of Study Bibles for many years to come.

Book Review: “Come and See"

“Come and See: A History of Theology of Mission”

By Glen Scrivener and Justin Schell

Published by Union Publishing, 2022.

The aim of “Come and See” is laid out on page one: “to help you grasp what God is after in the world.” What a beautiful purpose with which to write. And what an amazing purpose to be on the receiving end of, because what Christian does not want or need a biblical reminder of what God is up to in the world?

After a brief introduction Scrivener and Schell set out to meet that purpose. Over the course of twelve chapters and one-hundred-twenty-three pages, they cover an incredible number of topics, all serving that one goal. They examine the doctrine of God and mission, the Old Testament and mission, the New Testament and mission, a history of mission, the influence of the reformation on mission, the church and mission and much more.

Now, if that sounds like a lot of different aspects of mission to cover in one book, it is. Through the years I have found a lot of reward in studying the mission of God and the missionary movements. By my own slow reader standards, I have read a lot of books on mission. Books about the history of mission, books about the Bible and mission and books about the different philosophies of mission. But I have rarely found a book like this one, that puts so many aspects of mission into the same book binding.

Of course, Scrivener and Shell are not able to go into the same kind detail that many of those single aspect books do. For example, they don’t have the space to examine the history of mission in the same detail as Stephen Neill does in a book like, “A History of Christian Missions.” Still, the detail that they are able to go into is beyond impressive, making for an exceptionally well-rounded book.

On top of that, they write in ways that exude experience, knowledge and white-hot passion for the subject at hand, and furthermore for the author of that subject. You cannot read what they write without catching their excitement on every page, for God and His mission.

Whatever you end up paying for “Come and See,” its worth it. You will get your money’s worth simply because of how much solid biblical content on such a variety of aspects of mission is packed into a short book. You will also get your money’s worth because they really do accomplish what they set out to accomplish. When I finally put this book down, I did so with a fresh, overflowing excitement for exactly what God is after in the world.

Another book I recommend to… every Christian (and non).

Book Review: “The God of the Mundane"

“The God of the Mundane: Reflections on Ordinary Life for Ordinary People”

By Matthew B. Redmond

Re-Published by Cruciform Press, 2021.

Equally convicting and encouraging.

I will be honest, I did not go into this book expecting too much. I am generally drawn to titles like “Radical,” “Crazy Love,” “Don’t Waste Your Life,” etc. Books that I expect are going to call me to some new and gnarly heights. Not ones that sound like they are aimed at comforting me in my normality. Well, 1) the aim of this book was definitely not to comfort me in my normality, and 2) this was truly the most radical book I have read in a long time.

I can’t remember the last time I finished a book and felt so laid bare, and yet so stoked at the same time. “The God of the Mundane” exposed so much of the unhealthy and ungodly ambition that has lived in me for so long. It also stirred up in me a new excitement for all that God has done and can do through the ordinary activities of my life and through all of the mundanity of my days.

The book is quite perfectly titled. Redmond’s mission in this book is, as the title suggests, is to talk about the God of the Mundane; to talk about how God is concerned with, involved with, and working in the things that take up most of our time on earth. He is not only involved with extraordinary accomplishments, as our ambitions often suggest, but He is also the God of the the diaper changes, the lawn mowings, the friend hangouts, the meal preps and the long drives. He is present and active in the big stuff, and He is right there in the little stuff.

This simple truth was so unbelievably reassuring to me. My sights are most often set on the crazy and the radical. So much so, that at times I forget that God even cares of about the quieter parts of my life, much less is active in them!

All this to say, I loved this book. I will repeatedly read this book. And I highly recommend this book.

My guess is that most of us get to focused at times on the radical and forget how much God cares about the mundane. Because of that, I think this this book will resonate will almost every Christian. And since its only 130 pages, it is accessible to almost every Christian too.

I seem to keep recommending every book I review lately, but I just keep reading books that are worth recommending. This is another one.

Halloween and Christians: What Matters Most?

Everytime October rolls around, the church’s age-old dispute over Halloween begins all over again. Christians everywhere step up to the microphone and take to arguing back and forth about whether or not they should be participating in the activities. One group reminds everyone of the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, and the evil origins of carvings, costumes and candy. The other group tries to point to Halloween’s more Christian roots and the transformation of Samhain to All Saints Day and All Souls Day, to All Hallows Eve and eventually to Hallowe'en.

Every year October 31st passes and November 1st arrives and nothing really changes, except that one group has a little more sugar in their blood and both groups are a little more annoyed and even angry at the other.

Now here’s the thing. At the end of the day I think that there is validity to both arguments. Both groups are right. Halloween probably does have pagan roots and ties to Samhain, and it also probably can be traced back to All Hallows Eve. That being said, I think the issue of participating in it or not is a little more complex than either of these arguments make it. I don’t think it is as simple as calling Halloween an evil holiday and throwing it all out, or calling it a Christian or even neutral holiday and taking it all in.

Forget about the pagan and/or Christians roots for a second and think about Halloween from some other angles. What about the commercial aspect of Halloween and the fact that its revenue in America is second only to Christmas? What about the imaginative part of it that reeks of people wanting to escape the weariness and boringness of life and find some sense of adventure? What about Halloween’s obvious emergence out of an anxiety that people felt or feel between summer and winter, between life and death? Or what about the focus of many communities to make Halloween “a safe day for our children” in response to the vandalism that has so often overtaken it?

There is so much more to this single October evening than we often realize, both good and bad. There are evil roots and beautiful roots. There is violence and vandalism. There are smiles and laughter. There are opportunities to be salt and light and opportunities to be consumed by the darkness. It is a complex day, and the decision to participate or not is a complex one. So complex that I do not believe the church will ever be totally agreed on it. And frankly I think that is OK. God has allowed us the freedom to think biblically about complex cultural issues and to not always completely agree on them.

In fact, I would say that agreeing about Halloween is not what matters most. Here is what I think matters most when it comes to using discernment on complicated and divisive matters like this one: Having grace for your fellow believer.

No matter how we interpret and engage with Halloween, are we willing to have grace for other Christians? To not judge, but to have the humility to say, “This is what I have discerned. This how I am going to respond. But I know that I could be wrong.” Wouldn’t it be something if instead of unbelievers recognizing how much Christians fight about Halloween, they saw how much grace we had for another and how much we loved one another even when we disagree?

All cards on the table. I am going trick or treating in a few hours with a lion, a cow and a little fireman. I cannot wait. I know others in my congregation have come to different conclusions, and they will be at home enjoying the evening doing something completely different. And that is OK! What matters most tonight is that that my participation is based on me trying to think biblically about Halloween, and my engagement with and my speaking about other Christians who disagree me is saturated in the kind of grace that reflects the Savior that we will together gather to worship this coming Sunday, side by side.

Book Review: “Weakness Our Strength"

BOOK REVIEW

“Weakness Our Strength: Learning from Christ Crucified”

By John Hindley

Published by Union Press, 2024

I started this book during a six-week sabbatical from my role as Pastor. I went into both the sabbatical and the book a little tired, a little worn out, and longing for some rejuvenation. As I sit today in my office typing, I am three days away from the end of my sabbatical, and honestly, I don’t feel too different than I did six weeks ago. Still tired, still worn out. And yet, I am excited to return to the pulpit. I am ready to go, like a horse in the starting gate. Not because my weakness has been suddenly turned into strength, but because I have been reminded through these six weeks that my weakness is a chance to witness and experience HIS strength.

That may seem like an obvious truth, especially for a pastor, but somewhere along the way I forgot it. Thankfully God is in the business of reminding us of the important things that we too often forget, and thankfully there are people like John Hindley writing honest and Christ-centred books that become tools in God’s hands.

All that to say, I have found “Weakness Our Strength” to be a tremendous book for several reasons. Right from the beginning John writes in such a transparent and relatable way that every paragraph feels like a coffee with a friend, and with a friend who is going through what I am going through. He also writes about biblical truths in such a simple, straightforward and Gospel saturated way that every chapter feels like its own devotional experience. It is not a long book, but it took a six-week sabbatical for me to read, having to keep setting it down in order to pray and open up the Scriptures.

I came away from “Weakness Our Strength” with one simple revelation. One that is all over the pages of the Scripture, and yet one that I forget so quickly. One that has made my sabbatical everything I prayed it would be. Simply this, that God is my strength.

Weakness proves to be a beautiful thing when it brings us to, “rely not on ourselves but on God” (2 Corinthians 1.9). Because then and only then can we know true strength. God’s strength. As the apostle Paul so perfectly wrote, “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12.10).