Russ Allen's Blog, page 3
December 23, 2018
Book Review: “Paul: A Biography”
All that is known about the Apostle Paul exists in the few texts given to us in the New Testament. Yet N.T. Wright, in his biography of the famed religious figure, manages to fill almost 500 pages with insightful information about Paul’s life. Considering Paul’s monumental effect on world history, 500 pages may hardly be enough. And Wright’s work, although masterfully written, may hardly be adequate.
Wright’s pursuit of a historical book about Paul stands in stark contrast to the countless books...
December 6, 2018
An Incarnation Meditation
An incarnation meditation:
Before a manger sheltered him…
…He was our refuge (Ps. 46:1-3).
Before a star marked his location…
…He gave each one their name (Ps. 147:4).
Before the Angels told of his coming…
…He commanded their armies (Ps. 91:11).
Before the shepherds visited him…
…He was the Shepherd of his people (Ps. 95:7).
Before he took his first breath…
…He breathed life into us (Gen. 2:7).
Before he cried in the night…
…He heard our cries to Him (Ps. 18:6).
Before his mother consoled him…...
July 22, 2018
Book Review: “A Grief Observed”
C.S. Lewis’s A Grief Observed is a difficult book to read. It is not Lewis’s language, substance, or technicality that make the book difficult, however, but rather the way that it exposes Lewis as a man near the end of himself. Perhaps this is why the book was originally published under a pseudonym. In less than 100 pages, Lewis manages to not only express the nature of grief, but draws the reader into Lewis’s own state of grief.
Lewis, who remained unmarried for most of his life, found himself ...
June 3, 2018
Book Review: “The Glory of Christ”
R.C. Sproul’s The Glory of Christ is profoundly unoriginal and simplistic. And for these reasons, it is a fantastic book. Sproul, one of the great Reformed theologians of the modern era, allows his own thoughts and viewpoints to take a backseat to the biblical narrative. Progressing through Jesus’ life chronologically, Sproul sprinkles the New Testament stories with Old Testament connections, highlighting their significance. To Sproul, Jesus’ own glory is synonymous with the Father’s glory. Ever...
