Jonathan’s Comments (group member since Aug 27, 2011)

Jonathan’s comments from the Challenge: 50 Books group.

21) Ancient Israel in Sinai: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Wilderness Tradition by James K. Hoffmeier

20) Orthodox and Wesleyan Spirituality, edited by S.T. Kimbrough Jr.

19) Church Administration Handbook, edited by Bruce P. Powers

18) Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers by Christian Smith

Bryan wrote: "I think you set the bar too low with 70 books!"

Here's hoping! I'm hoping to be appointed to a church this year (*fingers crossed*), so I decided to lowball my reading estimate just in case I am and in case it results in a significant reduction in my reading time.

17) In the Footsteps of Judas and Other Defectors: Apostasy in the New Testament Communities, Volume 1: The Gospels, Acts, and Johannine Letters by B.J. Oropeza

16) G. K. Chesterton: A Biography by Ian T. Ker

15) unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters by David Kinnaman

14) Shepherds After My Own Heart: Pastoral Traditions and Leadership in the Bible by Timothy S. Laniak

13) Early German-American Evangelicalism: Pietist Sources on Discipleship and Sanctification by J. Steven O'Malley

12) Garden Spot: Lancaster County, the Old Order Amish, and the Selling of Rural America by David Walbert

11) The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power by D. Michael Quinn

10) The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Its History, Doctrine, and Spiritual Culture by John Anthony McGuckin

That's a good question, Tima! Academically, I'd say that #7 has definitely been a highlight. Very hefty work, quite thorough. I didn't care much for #6, in spite of my general agreement with the author's ultimate conclusion. I valued #2 a great deal, but found the bulk of it exceptionally repetitive.

Pragmatically, #1 was a highlight. I will definitely have to return to it at some point and work through it in greater detail.

Spiritually, definitely #8. It was thoroughly refreshing, and I hope to keep its lessons in mind. Buchanan is beautiful as a writer.

I can now add another to the list:
9) Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind by Mark A. Noll

8) Spiritual Rhythm: Being with Jesus Every Season of Your Soul by Mark Buchanan

7) Justification and Variegated Nomism, vol. 2: The Paradoxes of Paul, edited by D.A. Carson, Peter Thomas O'Brien, and Mark A. SeifridMark A. Seifrid

6) Evolutionary Creation: A Christian Approach to Evolution by Denis O. Lamoureux

5) What Evangelicals Believe by Samuel P Spreng

4) Whose Offering Plate Is It?: New Strategies for Financial Stewardship by J. Clif Christopher

3) When Moses Meets Aaron: Staffing and Supervision in Large Congregations by Gil Rendle and Susan Beaumont