February 2023 MBR The Christian Studies Shelf

The Christian Studies Shelf

The Book of Common Courage
K. J. Ramsey
Zondervan
https://www.zondervan.com
9780310461333, $19.99, HC, 224pp

https://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Courage-Prayers-Strength/dp/0310461332

Synopsis: With the publication of "The Book of Common Courage: Prayers and Poems to Find Strength in Small Moments", author and therapist R. J. Ramsey presents a collection of prayers, poems, and blessings to help you find a flicker of strength in the small and hard moments of life. Ramsey invites you to journey word-by-word through Psalm 23 to experience how the Good Shepherd is with you and for you, especially in the valleys of life. When you struggle to find the words to hold your pain or trauma, be encouraged to cultivate the compassion and courage to believe that your story will, in fact, end in joy.

Through K. J.'s lyrical and emotive writing, you are invited to: Surrender your anxiety and your tears to a faithful God; Validate your emotions and embrace them as the gift they are; Slow down and remember that good will come again; Replenish your soul with the life of Christ and the promises of God; Refresh your faith with a peace that lasts; Experience newfound confidence in prayer; Remember that even when pain is not past-tense, God is still present

Courage is a common hope that we can cultivate together. The prayers and poems comprising "The Book of Common Courage: Prayers and Poems to Find Strength in Small Moments" can be read in group settings (among friends, families, and worshipping communities) and are also ideal for personal reflection.

Critique: Of special appeal to readers with an interest in Christian Rites and Ceremonies, Inspirational Poetry and Prayer, and enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of colorful still life and nature photography and a ribbon marker, it should be noted that "The Book of Common Courage: Prayers and Poems to Find Strength in Small Moments" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and is highly recommended for clergy, seminary students, and all members of the Christian community.

Editorial Note: K. J. Ramsey (www.kjramsey.com) is a trauma-informed licensed professional counselor and author whose work offers space to see every part of our souls and stories as sacred. She holds degrees from Covenant College and Denver Seminary and is the author of This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers. K.J. writes at the intersection of theology, psychology, and spiritual formation to guide readers in recovering the rhythm of resilience through nervous system regulation and the wonder of communion with God. She can be followed on social media: @kjramseywrites

Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation
Collin Hansen
Zondervan
https://www.zondervan.com
9780310128687, $26.99, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Timothy-Keller-Spiritual-Intellectual-Formation/dp/0310128684

Synopsis: Millions of Christians have read books and listened to sermons by Timothy Keller. But which people and what events shaped his own thinking and spiritual growth? With unfettered access to Keller's personal notes and sermons (as well as exclusive interviews with family members and longtime friends), with the publication of "Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation ", Collin Hansen gives you unprecedented understanding of one of the 21st century's most influential church leaders.

With this informative biography of Timothy Keller, you will learn what he's reading, what he's learning, what he's seeing. The story of Timothy Keller is the story of his spiritual and intellectual influences, from the woman who taught him how to read the Bible to the professor who taught him to preach Jesus from every text to the philosopher who taught him to see beneath society's surface.

For the first time, Hansen introduces readers to Keller's early years: the home where he learned to tell stories from the trees, the church where he learned to care for souls, and the city that lifted him to the international fame he never wanted.

Readers will also discover how to: Understand the principles and practices that allowed Keller to synthesize so many different influences in a coherent ministry; Take the best of Keller's preaching and teaching to meet emerging challenges in the 21st century: Develop their own historical, theological, and cultural perspectives to shape their leadership.

Critique: Revealing the previously untold story of the people, the books, the lectures, and ultimately the God who formed and shaped the life of Timothy Keller, Collin Hansen's biography, "Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation" is especially commended to the attention of Keller's legions of appreciative admirers. While highly recommended for personal, seminary, academic, and church library Christian Church Leadership & Pastoral Biography collections, it should be noted that "Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Editorial Note: Collin Hansen (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/profile/collin-hansen) serves as vice president of content and editor in chief for The Gospel Coalition. He hosts the Gospelbound podcast and has written and edited many books. He earned an MDiv at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and an undergraduate degree in journalism and history from Northwestern University. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Apologetics and co-chair of the advisory board at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama.

Great American Prophets
Daniel Cosacchi
Paulist Press
997 MacArthur Boulevard, Mahwah, NJ 07430
www.paulistpress.com
9780809155729, $29.95, PB, 192pp

https://www.amazon.com/Great-American-Prophets-Franciss-Christian/dp/0809155729

Synopsis: Using the examples of the "Great Americans" cited by Pope Francis during his visit to the United States, with the publication of "Great American Prophets: Pope Francis's Models of Christian Life" Daniel Cosacchi discusses how prophecy can be manifested in our own time.

When Pope Francis visited the United States in 2015 and addressed a joint session of Congress, he cited several examples of "Great Americans": Abraham Lincoln, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr, Thomas Merton, and Dorothy Day. "Great American Prophets" draws the line between the prophetic stance of these four (as well as others) and the role of the prophet from the Old Testament to the present day.

Critique: As informed and informative as it is thoughtful, thought-provoking, "Great American Prophets: Pope Francis's Models of Christian Life" is an extraordinary study and one that will be of special interest to seminary students, parish priests, and all members of the Catholic community. A unique and invaluable contribution, "Great American Prophets" is also highly recommended as church and community library Christian inspirational reading collections and personal reading lists.

Editorial Note: Daniel Cosacchi (https://www.scranton.edu/ministries/about-us.shtml) is vice president for mission and ministry at the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania. He received his PhD in Christian ethics from Loyola University of Chicago and has taught at a number of Catholic colleges and universities.

The True Origins of Jesus
Geoff Roberts, author
Colm Holland, editor
Christian Alternative
c/o John Hunt Publishing
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781789049046, $19.95, PB, 248pp

https://www.amazon.com/True-Origins-Jesus-myth-behind/dp/1789049040

Synopsis: With all the evidence compiled in "The True Origins of Jesus: The myth behind the man" by Geoff Roberts (including some which has only come to light relatively recently), readers can draw their own conclusions from a story which will look very different to the one they learned at Sunday school. Was Jesus Christ a mythical figure who was never intended by the early founders of the religion to be a walking, talking historical person? By examining the earliest historical sources referred to in "The True Origins of Jesus" with an open mind, readers will be free to decide who Jesus is for them today.

Critique: Of special appeal to readers with an interest in Christology, religious philosophy, and the history of Christianity, "The True Origins of Jesus: The myth behind the man" is an inherently fascinating, informative, and occasionally iconoclastic study that is highly recommended for personal, community, seminary, church, and academic library Christian Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of clergy, theologians, seminary students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The True Origins of Jesus" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).

Editorial Note #1: The late Geoff Roberts was a respected freelance photographer and columnist from Merseyside, England, who worked in regional press for more than three decades. After spending many years researching the early origins of Christianity, he dedicated the final years of his life to collating his findings to present an honest and unbiased historical perspective. Like many, Geoff was an intelligent, non-academic who wanted to conduct his own research into the evidence available to all of us, regarding the origins of "the greatest story ever told", and to ask the question of whether it can be supported by any historical evidence outside the pages of the Bible.

Editorial Note #2: As an editor Colm Holland (https://www.colmholland.com/) spent twenty-five years working in sales and marketing in the publishing industry. He was a member the Harper Collins team which published Paul Coelho's The Alchemist in 1993. Colm teaches the art of alchemy in everyday life, and he has devoted his life to true empowerment through inner transformation. He lives in Somerset, UK.

Arranged With Love
Tracy L. Smoak
http://www.tracysmoak.com
Redemption Press
https://redemption-press.com
9781951310387, $39.99, HC, 76pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/arranged-with-love-tracy-l-smoak/1142904592

Synopsis: From swirls of petals to sturdy stems and stars, God has created a vast array of shapes and patterns to surprise and delight us. Such beauty daily testifies of his great love for each one of us. Explore God's gardens and his Word to find joy.

With the publication of "Arranged with Love", Tracy L. Smoak has combined thirty full-color, original photographs of God's artwork with Scripture, prayer, and encouragement to help the reader to rest in the Father's love.

Critique: The deft pairing of lovely images with an inspirational combination of Bible quotes and commentary, "Arranged With Love" will have a very special and enduring appeal for anyone who enjoys nature, needs comfort, or desires spiritual renewal. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), "Arranged With Love" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal and community library collections -- and is an ideal gift book for friends and family as a Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, or any celebratory occasion.

Editorial Note: Tracy Smoak (www.tracysmoak.com) is a licensed English teacher with a master's of Education. Her debut title, "Employed by God: Benefits Packaged with Faith" is a memoir based on Psalm 23 with chapters about working in a maximum-security prison and a medical mission to Outer Mongolia. Another nonfiction based on her experience as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence is "Break the Cycle: Healing from an Abusive Relationship". Smoak's photography with musical videos is available from YouTube playlists at: https://www.youtube.com/@tracysmoak/playlists

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