Reading and Readers

Reading and Readers is now 4 years old! And I just missed the anniversary. It's official. The romance has gone!

A letter from an apostle to a slave owner; a letter brought to the owner through his runaway slave. The apostle never asks his friend to release the slave, only to receive him as a brother in Christ. But what does that request mean for the slave, for the owner, for the rest of us?

There is an old Chinese Proverb, “化干戈为玉帛” which translates to, “Turning weapons of war into gifts of jade and silk”. It means turning hostility into friendship. That's what today's book is all about.

The Old Testament is all about the Law; the New Testament is all about Grace. That statement over-simplifies the relationship of the Law in the Christian life. If you have questions that need answering, I have a book for you.

Transcript: https://readingandreaders.com/podcast/silence-and-beauty-by-makoto-fujimura/

Transcript: https://readingandreaders.com/podcast/year-end-reflection-2024/

Silence by Shusaku Endo. Amazon.Transcript: www.readingandreaders.com

Philippians: Crossway Classic Commentaries. Amazon. Logos.

Many of us only think about God and our faith come Sunday when we pray, praise God, hear the Word then say good bye as we go back to the rest of our mundane life. But what if the mundane was revealed to be glorious? Transcript: 

Rejuvenation for the weary preacher. A siren call for sluggish Christians. The book that re-established the primacy of preaching in the church.Transcript: https://readingandreaders.com/podcast/preaching-and-preachers-by-martyn-lloyd-jones/Support Me: https://buymeacoffee.com/terencetan

What can you say to those who grieve? What can you do for those who have lost a loved one? How can you do all that without coming off as an insensitive oaf? If only they would tell us how to comfort them.Hi, my name is Terence, and I'm your host for Reading and Readers, a podcast where I review books for you. Today, I review “What Grieving People Wish You Knew About What Really Helps (and What Really Doesn't)” by Nancy Guthrie. One hundred ninety-two pages, published by Crossway in September 2016. Available in Amazon Kindle for USD 9.97 and in Logos for USD 12.98.## Grieving Mother and FriendsNancy Guthrie has published ten books on Bible studies, six on Grief and Suffering, nine devotionals and many more. In today's book, she writes as a mother who has grieved for two children, Hope and Gabriel. Both were born with a rare genetic disorder, Zellweger Syndrome, and only lived for six months.She is acquainted with grief and with others who grieve. She introduces us to the GriefShare ministry, I quote:> When your friend attends a GriefShare group, he or she will be surrounded by others who are working their way through grief too — people who understand the tears and fears, the angst and anger, the questions and frustrations of grief. It can be such an unexpected and welcome relief just to be surrounded by people who get it.GriefShare facilitators and members are prominently featured in the book. You can almost consider them co-authors or Guthrie, a curator.This comes across as a writing project from the community of the grieving who want everybody outside this circle to know how to walk alongside them. They have been helped. They have been hurt. And this is their collected wisdom.  So, let me start by telling you two ways I got grief wrong.## Call Me If You Need AnythingFirst, I thought it was good of me to say, “Just call me if you need anything.”Then I read this:> I will never forget the line of people at the cemetery. They passed by hugging my mother and all seven of my siblings as we put Daddy in the ground. All the words blur together, except that they would be there for us. I remember wondering what they meant. The following spring, after Daddy was buried, one neighbor drove up our mile drive and asked what he could do. Any fences need fixing? Any chores the boys need help with? He just came. Every time he came I remember thinking about that line of people at the graveside. They were loving people who meant well. This man did well. He just came. I don't remember if he ever actually had to do anything. But he came and offered his strength to help.  I reflected on this, and I realised that while I was sincere in my offer to help -- if I got the call, I would have dropped everything to help -- I also realised that when I gave that offer, I thought I had already done my part, my job. Now, it was up to them to take up my offer. By giving up the initiative, I was off the hook. By passing the initiative to them, I was passing on the burden to them of asking for help.## Click to Like My GriefAnother thing I got wrong is about grief on social media. I was surprised to find a whole chapter on this.When I see someone share their grief online, I don't usually comment or like the post. If it's a person I know well enough, I would write a personal message.My reason is:1. If I am not close to the person, I think it's hypocritical to show up to make a quick comment or click on a sad emoji.2. I see social media as a frivolous medium. People are flippant and shallow on social media, but grief deserves a more solemn medium.3. When I make a public comment or post on social media, I realise that I write not just to my friends but also to everybody else. So, this sense of performing for onlookers seems wrong when dealing with a tremendous personal loss.4. I am a private man and not the type to express my grief publicly. So, when I refrain from responding to social media posts, I am applying the golden rule: I am treating others as I would like to be treated.After reading this chapter, I realised it's not about me; it's about the one who has suffered loss. Love is also treating others how they would like to be treated.They have already made their grief public. That gives permission to everyone to respond publicly; that is an invitation to acknowledge their grief with a click or a comment. She writes:> to neglect or refuse to comment on a post by a friend who has poured out his or her sadness on Facebook is to see their great sorrow and look the other way.And if I excuse myself because I'm not their close friend, that's convenient because I don't have any close friends, I'm joking, I do have friends, close enough I think. Anyways, I was surprised to repeatedly read how close friends were disappointments and strangers became treasures. We don't need to be close to care, just as the Samaritan man didn't have a checklist before he decided to help people.## Everything is WrongI learnt many things from this book, and I only shared two. Some may be wondering whether I am too hard on myself. After all, some people don't like others coming over to mow the lawn; they want to do it by themselves, or perhaps they want to be left alone.Guthrie shared how gutted she was when her friend, who meant well, came to wash up her departed child's clothes. Guthrie wished she didn't because she missed her baby and her baby's scent.At one point in the book, Guthrie describes the conflict within her:> I remember in those early months that I headed to church each week with two significant fears. I was afraid that everyone would ask me about Hope. And I was afraid no one would speak to me about Hope.When I read this, I thought if she doesn't know how to feel and how to respond, then there is a good chance that whatever I do is just wrong. How can I possibly get the words right, the timing and the tone right when the grieving does not know what is right? Only everything is wrong?When I say I got it wrong, I don't mean I sinned. I just mean I didn't think much about how I could do things differently. And in hindsight, I just didn't care enough to think how I could be more helpful.Sure, I would get things wrong, but that shouldn't stop me from being a better person when helping the grieving.After reading this book, if you love to talk, you learn that the grieving can appreciate you talking less. And if you are the one who never says anything because you are scared of saying something wrong, you need to learn to open your mouth because they need to hear that you care.How do we know when to speak and when to be quiet? When to mow the lawn and when not to? That is wisdom. And Guthrie suggests we get our cue from the mourner. Let the griever set the tone and direction. That and a dose of wisdom from above.## God's WillI have shared with you two things I got wrong. Let me now share two things I got right, but most people get wrong.First is the matter of the Will of God. Is it ever appropriate to say to a widow next to the coffin, "It is God's Will"?As someone who loves the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God, if I say, “Yes, because it is true”, then it is a torturous act inflicted on someone already in unbearable pain. If I say, “No, because it is cruel, " it feels like my convictions are only valid when convenient, so maybe I don't believe them to be true after all.Guthrie offers wisdom here:> I have come to think the term is our inadequate human language trying to make divine mystery manageable and tolerable. The words themselves are simply inadequate to carry the weight of the reality—especially when used in a simplistic way.Later on, she writes:> Was it God's will for two of my children to be born with Zellweger syndrome and live very short lives? I don't think this question can be answered on these terms, nor does it need to be. We think we had two children who died because of the corrupting impact of sin on this world—the brokenness of this world has infiltrated even our genetic code so that we have defective genes. We don't think God picked us out to have two children who would die. But we would also say that nothing happens to us that is somehow outside of his control. God has ordained a world in which he accomplishes his will through secondary causes such as the laws of nature and human choice. As I've heard my friend Joni Eareckson Tada say, “Sometimes God allows what he hates to accomplish what he loves.”We know God remains in control. We just don't need to insert this profound truth at inappropriate moments.It's the same when we attend a non-Christian's funeral. We don't tell the grieving widow, "Your husband is in Hell."Nor do we, in our attempt to comfort, tell her, "Your husband is in a better place."## HeavenGuthrie tells us that Heaven cannot be assumed:> ... while our culture assumes that most people—or at least all “good” people who die—go to heaven, that is not at all what the Bible teaches. The Bible makes clear that there is not one person who is good enough to enter into the holy presence of God (Rom. 3:9–20).In this chapter, she presents the gospel. She quotes Ephesians 2:4, 8-9 and writes:> A person who has been made alive together with Christ may die physically but will never die spiritually. The person who was dead and was made alive together with Christ is as likely to die as Christ is likely to die. And Christ will never die.And she continues:> But of course we know that there are those who do not see their need to be made alive with Christ. And when those people die, the sorrow for those left behind is multiplied. We should not always assume that the grieving people we talk to are confident their loved one is in heaven enjoying the presence of God. Imagine yourself in that situation (or maybe you are actually in it). Imagine that you never saw any sign that the deceased had a desire to be joined to Christ by faith or perhaps that person flatly rejected or ridiculed the need for Christ. If someone were to bring up heaven and want to assure you that your loved one is there, it would create anxiety, not peace. It would add to your agony instead of giving you assurance.If we can't say of the non-Christian, “At least he is in a better place”, then what can we say?In this chapter, which I cannot reproduce here, Guthrie helps us navigate by showing grace and love, yet never compromising or distorting the truth.I especially appreciate this chapter because it shows us the Christian difference. When a Christian dies, when we look back and see the spiritual fruit in her life, we can confidently say that she is in Heaven.But when a non-Christian dies, we can only say, "Sorry for your loss." No mention of Heaven or Hell. No offence and also no comfort."Death where is your sting?" is a victory cry reserved for the Christian.## Too Much Of a Good ThingIf I am forced to give one criticism it's it gives too much of a good thing.Imagine you attend a talk by Nancy Guthrie. She speaks for 15 minutes, then invites one of her team members to share a few words on the topic from her personal experience. You listen, and it just hammers everything home for you. The personal sharing just makes it more real, more vivid.Then Guthrie invites the second person to share. Again, wow. Then the third, then the fourth. You start to wonder when we will move on to the next topic.In the FAQ chapter, there is this question, "There's a Bible verse I want to share. Should I?" Guthrie answers by sharing the example where her friend, without any warning, lost her husband. Guthrie writes:> So I got on the private Facebook group for couples who have attended our retreat and asked them to respond with nothing other than a verse of Scripture which Starr could take hold of, and choose to believe in those difficult hours.She then lists the responses to the request—all 31 of them.  Am I heartless to say that she could have picked ten examples that best made her point? Maybe there is a reason she wanted to show the complete picture. Maybe I am heartless and would only truly appreciate what she has done here someday in the future.Overall, the book does an excellent job of balancing Guthrie's and the contributors', so I am really just nitpicking.## What If I Get It Wrong Again?Let me close this review with the biggest encouragement I got from the book.Throughout the book, Guthrie teaches us to be better friends to those in grief, answering questions from those who want to comfort. This is the only question posed from the other side's perspective.> I'm the one who is grieving. How do I respond to all the people who say and do so many things that seem to add to my hurt instead of soothe it?Guthrie answers:> The truth is that most people are hoping to be helpful, trying to let us know they can relate in some small way to what we're going through. If we put ourselves in their shoes, we realise it's tough to know what to say to someone who's grieving. So we can be prickly and sensitive about the things people say to us that we wish they hadn't, setting very high hurdles for people around us to jump through with their words. Or we can choose to see their brains searching for a connection, their hearts wanting to show us they care—even though they may not have the words to express it well. We can extend a hand to help people around us overcome the hurdle of awkwardness.That is just grace. If these people who have gone through so much pain can say, in essence, "Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing," then I think we can do better.Ecclesiastes 7:2–3 (ESV)It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.For a long time, I never understood what that meant. But after attending a few houses of mourning and reading books like today's, I can see how sorrow is better than laughter. May the wisdom of God be with us all as we comfort the grieving around us.## OutroThis is a Reading and Reader's review of “What Grieving People Wish You Knew About What Really Helps (and What Really Doesn't)” by Nancy Guthrie.I got this book for free. It was the Logos book of the month. I downloaded it, not knowing whether I would ever read it, and I'm sure glad I did. If you want more book reviews, subscribe to the podcast or visit my website, www.readingandreaders.com. Thank you and bye-bye.## Book List* “What Grieving People Wish You Knew About What Really Helps (and What Really Doesn't)” by Nancy Guthrie. [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Grieving-People-about-Really-Helps/dp/1433552353). [Logos](https://www.logos.com/product/227267/what-grieving-people-wish-you-knew-about-what-really-helps).

In the past, many got married for sex and thus for personal fulfillment. Nowadays, many don't see a need to get married to get sex. Yet, whether married or not, people were not being personally fulfilled. How do marriage, sex, and personal fulfillment come together, if at all?Hi, my name is Terence, and I'm your host for Reading and Readers, a podcast where I review Christian books for you. Today I review “Married for God: Making Your Marriage the Best It Can Be” by Christopher Ash. 176 pages, published by Crossway in August 2016. Available via Amazon Kindle for USD10.16 and via Logos for USD10.79.Christopher Ash is Writer-in-Residence at Tyndale House in Cambridge. He is a full-time preacher, pastor, teacher, and writer. According to Amazon, he has 40 titles and there is one tantalising title I would like to read, “The Book Your Pastor Wishes You Would Read (but is too embarrassed to ask)”. But that is a book for another day.Today I review Ash's book on marriage.Anyone who intends to get married should go for a pre-marriage counselling course. I say this even to non-Christians. And if you are reluctant to sit down with a pastor, you should get a book to go through together.Marriages include arguments. I could also say many marriages end with arguments. The tragedy is some of those arguments could have been avoided. When one says, “My dream is to have children.” And the other shocked says, “But dear, I don't intend to have children.” This is a conversation they should have had before they got married.For Christians such conversations is ever more important because God does not approve of divorces. If the marriage is not working, the biblical answer is: make it work.Today's book is not just helpful for those about to get married.If you have been married long, this book will strengthen your marriage.Bizarrely, if you are single, this book will also strengthen your single life. More on that later.Let's open the book.In the introduction, the fundamental statement put to us is:> We ought to want what God wants in marriage.Ash later on continues:> ... when we ask what God wants, we are asking what is best for us. What is best for us is not what we want, but what he wants. When I ask what God wants for marriage, I am saying that I want my marriage to cut with the grain of the universe.Wow. Your love for one another, this private connection between a man and a woman is part of a cosmic design.If you have never considered marriage in that light, there is more to come. In fact whatever you think marriage is, put that aside. Make a commitment to hear from God first. So if whatever God says goes against what you think marriage is about, go with God. This is how Ash ends the introduction chapter, with a call to repentance.## Baggage and GraceBut what happens if God, who is awesome and holy, wants what I don't want? What if, in the light of his holiness, he exposes me? The part I have kept hidden from family and friends, and frankly, intended to keep hidden from my future spouse?And so Christopher Ash, theologian and pastor, right at the start has a chapter titled, “A Word about Baggage and Grace”. I will just read the section headings and you will see why you need not fear God's will for you.1. The Bible Speaks to Those Whose Sexual Pasts Are Spoiled2. Jesus Christ Offers Forgiveness and Restoration To Those With Spoiled Sexual Pasts3. God's Grace Enables Us to Live Lives of PurityThe chapter ends with six questions and discussion points. Let me read question 4.Question 4:> If you are (or may one day be) married, what kind of “baggage” do you think you bring into marriage, in your thinking and expectations?If you are reading this book on your own, that is great for your self-reflection, but what about your fiance? The temptation here is to think he or she doesn't need to know your past. But your past, whether you want to or not, in one way or another, will affect the marriage.But if you share your deepest darkest secrets, what happens if your fiance cancels the wedding? Or what if one day she takes this painful part of your life and throws it in your face?The fear bubbles up and chokes, and tempts you to do what you have always done. Hide."Hahhaha... question 4 is asking about baggage? I guess my baggage is I once forgot my baggage at the airport."The couple laughs. Love makes lame jokes funny. Quick! Let's read the next chapter before something ruins the moment.It takes courage to answer soul-baring questions. It takes wisdom to navigate this treacherous waters, which is why I encourage couples to invite their pastor into pre-marriage discussions.A good and experienced pastor will establish a safe space and frame the discussion to ensure that the couple does not dwell on the baggages but eventually move on to the next part: what comes after question 4, I quote:> Pause to bring this “baggage” quietly before God. Pray through the truth of grace in this chapter and ask God to put them deep in your heart. Claim the forgiveness and cleansing of Christ for your past.After this point, you have: 1) responded to the call to repent and 2) received the gift of grace. No matter how dirty and unworthy you think you are, you need Jesus. No matter how clean and pure you think you are, you also need Jesus. You are now ready to read Chapter 2: Married for a Purpose.Chapter 2 is a good example of what to expect from the rest of the book. So I will spend most of my time here, then quickly outline what to expect from the rest of the book, share two criticisms, and finally conclude the book review.## Married For a PurposeAsh starts each chapter with a story. This is how he starts Chapter 2.> Laura felt lonely and bitter. She and Andy had been married for four years now. She thought back to their wedding day, which had been amazing.Fast forward to the last paragraph of the story.> To be honest, marriage for Laura was really not all it had been cracked up to be. It really didn't match the description on the tin, or not the description given her by that pastor. And in her bitterness she wondered if there was really any point in keeping it all going, if the rest of her life was going to be like this. What was the point?Ash tells us the standard Christian answer: The point of marriage is to have children, to demonstrate faithfulness, and to preserve social order.Ash then does my favourite thing, which is to open up the Bible. He expounds first from Genesis 1:26-31, which includes these familiar verses: “God created man in his own image, ... male and female he created them” and “God saw everything that he had made, and it was very good.”But I bet you have never heard his interpretation before. As he unpacks the verses, he eventually reaches a conclusion. The marriage motto is sex in the service of God.“That can't be right! Marriage is more than sex!”Ash already knows what's going through our minds so I will let him deflect our indignation.> Like all mottos, this simplifies my point. I do not mean to suggest that marriage is only about sex. But it is sex that distinguishes marriage from any other friendship or partnership. By “sex” in this motto, I mean a shorthand for the whole of marriage as it develops and grows out of its heart and core of sexual intimacy and faithfulness. Sex is shorthand for the marriage relationship in all its fullness: in intimacy, friendship, partnership, fun, and faithfulness. The motto is to remind us that the whole business of marriage in all its fullness is to be lived in the loving joyful service of God, as we look outward from our marriages and as couples seek to care for God's world together.The big insight is not ‘sex'. Until recently, everyone knew that sex and marriage came as a package. The big insight is in the words ‘in the service of God', which he explains further.The next passage is Genesis 2:15-25. This contains the must read verses on marriage, “It is not good that the man should be alone” and also “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”Interestingly, Ash tells us how Genesis 2:18 is wrongly understood. The text says, “It is not good that the man should be alone” but does Adam being alone mean he was lonely?Ash makes this distinction and draws out the implication. If Adam was lonely, then this verse means God designed marriage to solve loneliness. But what does that mean for single men and women? Or even the married men and women who still feel lonely.Ash writes:> For those who are married, their marriages ought indeed to be places of fellowship that are remedies for loneliness. But marriage is not the remedy for loneliness. Wherever there is fellowship there is God's remedy for loneliness. Not all human beings are able to marry, but all human beings are invited into fellowship with God and with one another in Jesus Christ.I like how Ash puts it here:> This irony, that we expect so much of marriage but find it disappointing, is an irony the Bible understands perfectly. It calls it idolatry.But if Adam was not lonely, but was as the verse says, alone. Then, reading that verse in the wider context, we see that Adam was alone in his task to care for the garden. So God created Eve so that Adam was not alone. And they were to have children who have more children, all in order to take care of God's creation.  Ash writes:> Surprisingly, the key to a good marriage is not to pursue a good marriage, but to pursue the honor of God. We need to replace this selfish model of marriage with one in which we work side by side in God's “garden” (that is, God's world), rather than gaze forever into each other's eyes.## The Rest of the BookLet me read the titles for the remaining chapters along with my short comments.Chapter 3: What is the Point of Having Children? Many couples who struggle with this will find an answer here.Chapter 4: What is the Point of Sex and Intimacy? A good read for soon-to-be married for those long married and also for singles.Chapter 5: God's Pattern for the Marriage Relationship. It's not obvious what this chapter is about so let me quote something from this chapter. I quote:> I was reading a book of marriage services for Christians from different denominations and noticed that the list of suggested Bible readings omitted the only three readings in the New Testament which are directly addressed to husbands and wives (Eph. 5:22–33; Col.3:18–19; 1 Pet. 3:1–7). This would have struck me as curious, except that all three Bible passages tell wives to submit to their husbands, and I am sure were omitted because the compilers simply could not stomach this teaching.As a young man, I too could not stomach this teaching because, you know, equal rights. God's command for the wife to submit has been used by abusive husbands to abuse their wives. But when I learnt to read it in context in consideration with what the Bible as a whole says about submission, I can see God's design for marriage. But it wasn't easy to overcome years of social programming. Hence, the call to repentance; to make a commitment to God's Word first.As one man against the world, Ash has to clearly show submission in marriage is truly God's pattern. And we need to break out of what we think it looks like and consider what it truly looks like. It is not God's design for the husband to be a tyrant and the wife a mouse, nor is it God's design for the wife to be bossy and the husband to abdicate his responsibility. If you think otherwise, repent!Chapter 6 is titled “What is the Point of the Marriage Institution?” It answers the wider society questions like, “Why marry when you can just live together?”Chapter 7 is a pleasant surprise in a book about marriage. It's  not a question a pastor would obviously ask in a pre-marriage counselling: “Is it Better to Stay Single?” If the couple is a high-risk for cold feet, this question could make one (or both) run. On the other hand, this much needed perspective on marriage could help both make an informed decision with a happier outcome.Chapter 8 asks, “What is the Heart of Marriage?” Oh, what would be your answer? God, Jesus? Ah, the safe Sunday School answer. Not wrong, but not what Ash has here. Love? Close.As Christopher Ash puts it beautifully:> ... the reason that faithfulness lies at the heart of marriage is that faithfulness lies at the heart of God, and therefore at the heart of the universe. Those of us who are married are called to keep the covenant promises of marriage, because God keeps his covenant promises.With that whirlwind run through the book, let me mention two criticisms to round up the review.## CriticismsThe first is from Chapter 3, “What is the Point of Having Children?” Here, he makes a strong and powerful biblical case for children. I am just not sure whether he has over-reached. I quote:> If you regard children as a curse and don't want them, don't get married!From a Christian perspective, whether married or not, obviously we must not see children as a curse.I just wonder whether if a couple comes to him and do not to have children, not because of exceptional circumstances, but simply as a matter of choice, would Ash tell them not to get married?My second criticism is from Chapter 6, “What is the Point of the Marriage Institution?” In arguing against co-habitation, does he over-simplify his analysis? I quote:> ... sex outside marriage is always sex “under law” (as it were): always seeking to prove, always striving to do well enough to keep the other one in the relationship, always anxious lest at any time the other may decide there is not enough in it for him or her, always under trial.For context, Ash is making the contrast with sex within marriage which is “sex under grace”. There is no pressure to keep the relationship going with good sex because the relationship is secured by a vow to God and to one another.But when Ash says that sex outside marriage is always seeking to prove, always striving to do well, always, always, always, I can imagine a co-habitating couple scrunching their forehead saying, “No. That is not true.”They go on to describe their sexual relationship as a give-and-take, learning to love one another with their bodies, in language and tones similar to a married couple's. So while I completely agree with Ash's distinction between “sex-under-grace” vs “sex-under-law”, I think some co-habitating couples would not recognise his description as valid since they practise a resemblance of sex-under-grace.And so, I think Ash missed an opportunity to present a more nuanced commentary here. Could he have angled his comments so that some of those co-habitating couples who think whatever they have is good and great, sees that what they have is merely a resemblance, not the reality of what is good. Good as in God is good. Good as in Grace is good.Before I conclude, I have to tell readers what you don't get in this book. You don't get an in-depth discussion on how to manage financials as a couple. Or how to effectively communicate. Or how to resolve conflicts. Or despite the motto being "sex in the service of God", there is no how to have great sex. For that, you have to look at other books.This is not a criticism of Ash's book. What he set out to do, he achieved them brilliantly. This book explains how marriage is for God. And truly, while everything else is important, none is more important than knowing marriage is for God.Let me end this review by quoting my favourite passage in the book. This passage reminds me of the purpose of my own marriage and makes me want to do better for God.I quote:> ... I like to think that men and women may say to themselves as they watch a Christian marriage: “I have never seen God. Sometimes I wonder, when I look at the world, if God is good, or if there is a God. But if he can make a man and woman love one another like this; if he can make this husband show costly faithfulness through sickness as well as health; if he can give him resources to love when frankly there is nothing in it for him; well, then he must be a good God. And if he can give this wife grace to submit so beautifully, with such an attractive gentle spirit under terrible trials, then again he must be a good God.” If you are married or preparing for marriage, pray that others may be able to say this of you in the years ahead.## OutroThis is a Reading and Reader's review of “Married for God: Making Your Marriage the Best It Can Be” by Christopher Ash. 176 pages, published by Crossway in August 2016. Available via Amazon Kindle for USD10.16 and via Logos for USD10.79.Thank you for listening. Bye bye.## Book List* Married for God by Christopher Ash. [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Married-God-Making-Your-Marriage/dp/1433550784). [Logos](https://www.logos.com/product/168264/married-for-god-making-your-marriage-the-best-it-can-be).

Everyone wants to know how to make money, how to lose weight, how to make friends and influence people. But before all that, more importantly, the first thing we got to know is how to think -- and as people who live our lives before God -- specifically, it is knowing how to think theologically.Hi, my name is Terence and I'm your host for Reading and Readers, a podcast where I review Christian books for you. Today I review “How to Think Theologically” by Howard W. Stone and James O. Duke. 142 pages, published by Fortress Press in 2006. 2006 is the second edition. The fourth edition, published in 2023 is available in Amazon Kindle for USD14.99.Reviewing the 2nd not the 4th EditionWhy am I reviewing the 2nd edition and not the 4th edition? Because I got the 2nd edition for free. Even though I was not reviewing books for the past 6 months, I still made sure to get the Logos free book of the month. For June, the free book was “How to Think Theologically”.You might be wondering whether it's worth listening to a review of the second edition when, if you do read the book you would get the latest edition. In any case, my review is still helpful in your buying, reading, decision.First, whatever is good in the 2nd edition will be in the 4th edition. That is why there is a 4th edition.Second, when you hear all the good things I have to say about today's book, you might resolve, like I have, to never miss a free book deal. And if you did get the Logos free book for June, this review might just persuade you to read it.I Could Not Help You... Until TodayThe book resonates with me because it describes the one thing I have been trying to excel in all these years.When I was a young Christian I did not know what thinking theologically meant. I knew it was imperative for us to think biblically but what does that mean?I only understood after I read books like Don Carson's “Showing the Spirit”, a commentary on 1 Corinthian 12-14. That book fundamentally transformed my thinking process.Now, many good books later, I try to bring the Bible to bear in everything, to understand God and his work in myself, the people around me and the world across space and time.If you ask me, “Terence, I want to learn how to think theologically too, can you help? Can you do what you do best and recommend a book?”A few weeks ago, my answer would be, “I wish I had a simple guide for you. Everything I practise, I learnt it the hard way through many books, by many writers, on many diverse issues, over many years. You could read Don Carson's book but you would learn by observing the master. The master is not explaining what or why or how. He is busy doing the thinking through the Bible on the topic. In Don Carson's case, thinking through 1 Cor 12-14 on the topic of the Holy Spirit. I wish I have that one book to recommend to you.”And today, I have!Buy this book. Read this book: “How to Think Theologically” by Howard W. Stone and James O. Duke.Dynamic DuoHoward Stone is a psychologist, marriage and family therapist, theologian ,and professor emeritus at Texas Christian University. James Duke is Professor of the History of Christianity and the History of Christian Thought at Brite Divinity School.They have put together this concise how-to guide for Christians who never knew they were theologians and don't know where to start.So let me share my thoughts on the book.Embedded vs. DeliberativeFirst, I found the distinction between embedded theology and deliberative theology to be immensely helpful.This is the way I understand it. Embedded theology is what you grew up with in church; it's the air you breath. It's instinct, reflex, it's how you do the faith.Deliberative theology is questioning your growing up years; it's putting the air you breath into a mass spectrometer. It's inquisitive, reflective, it's asking why you do faith in this way and not that.Deliberative theology is the theology I tend to force unto the people around me. Embedded theology is what they wish we could all do instead.When we make a distinction, we are drawing a line, we are pointing out differences. Sometimes, often times, that leads to quarrels. Other times, making that distinction helps people to reconcile.We recognise that embedded theology is what everyone practises and it is good enough until it isn't. And then deliberative theology becomes necessary. Christians who are able to do deliberative theology within the faith are less likely to deconstruct themselves out of the faith.They are more equipped to handle crisis. In this book, the authors use many real world examples. But two stick out the most.First is the Great Hymnal Controversy. The church wrestles with whether to buy new and different hymnbooks to replace the ones falling to pieces. You can replace this controversy with the one you have in your church.The second crisis moves away from the religious assembly to the personal home. Tom's mother has terminal cancer and the doctor suggests removing life support. Tom doesn't know what is the right thing to do. All of us have faced devastating dilemmas before. And if you have not, you will.Do you know what to do? Do you know how to think theologically?The Reason You Read This Book: How-ToStone and Duke are here to help. They will teach us in a systematic way.The first three chapters of the book sets up the motivation and principles. Then the next four chapters show us how to do it, and lastly the final two chapters describes how thinking theologically works in the Christian community and in spiritual formation.When we come to the how-to chapters, the authors give us a template to work from. Three sets of diagnostic exercises covering three areas: The Gospel, the Human Condition and Vocation.I quote:Each question in turn (though not necessarily in order) can be applied to every issue that calls for our theological deliberation. The exercises surely will not cover all that could be said about the meaning of the Christian message of God. But they strike near the very heart of the concerns of Christian faith. In exploring these questions, something is disclosed of the breadth and depth of the Christian message. They provide a staging area for later, more complete, reflection.Let's look at the questions in the first set, the Gospel set.What is the gospel?How does the gospel reach the people?How do people receive the gospel and its benefits?Hmm... the questions are not ground-breaking. A bit basic. And that's the point, to go back to basics and re-evaluate our situation in light of the basics, the gospel!This is how it works, I quote:For the church council debating the purchase of new hymnals, a clearer understanding of the church's role in promulgating the gospel might have facilitated the discussion. Tom, who is already searching the Scriptures on his own for help in dealing with his mother's imminent death, might be prompted to seek more help from the church: as a companion to the Scripture in making the gospel of Jesus known and as a potential source of guidance and strength in making his hard decision regarding life-support removal.We now turn to the chapter on Human Condition. The questions are:What is the basic problem with the human condition? (What is Sin?)What is the resolution to that problem in the human condition? (What is Salvation?)How is the problem resolved? (What is the means of Salvation?)This chapter reminds me of another book I read, “Gospel Fluency” by Jeff Vanderstelt. Vanderstelt makes this audacious claim: “For every problem, the gospel is the solution.”When I first heard it, I thought, "That couldn't possibly be true."But as Vanderstelt explains, I begin to realise that, indeed, underlying every quarrel, addiction, fear and anger, is sin. And once I saw the True Enemy, it was easier to see The Solution, because there is only one solution to Sin, and that is Jesus Christ.So far we have only looked at two sets of questions. You can do so much with these questions.Find a quiet place to sit. Reflect on the questions that Stone and Duke ask in their book. Don't give the Sunday School answers. See the issue as a Christian.And when you do some reflections, you can be surprised at how an incidental reading leads to unexpected assurance.That was what I got.What is Sin is Not IncidentalIt all started when someone told me, “Nobody is born with a sin nature. We are all born as a blank slate.” In theology, this means a denial of Original Sin.I believe we are all born with Sin. But I went back to study why I believe so. Along the way, I read Augustine's Anti-Pelagian writing, which became a podcast review. I searched for Christian books that deny Original Sin, I couldn't find any. There are books that deny Original Sin, but they were not within the broad spectrum of the Christian faith.But the biggest pushback I faced seems to not be whether to affirm or deny Original Sin, but whether it even matters. The issue is not veracity, but practicality or necessity.Some say: “Why don't we accept both interpretations as equally valid? After all, many Christians hold different interpretations on many parts of Scripture and have learnt to look past these differences to unite on the main thing, the Gospel.”So I have been questioning myself over and over again, whether am I being unnecessarily difficult. Yet, over and over again, as I study Scripture, I cannot see how one church can hold two opposing interpretations on what Sin means.Stone and Duke's chapter on the Human Condition just reinforces my conviction that this matter is of critical importance.To be clear, this is not a book written to affirm or deny Original Sin. But I note that one of the questions they ask is: What is the basic problem with the human condition? In other words, What is Sin?How you answer this question affects how you understand salvation. What did Jesus do? He saved us from our sins. But what is Sin?And as the book makes clear, answering these questions affects how we live life. The authors do not see Sin as something out there, something that lives in the books of dead theologians to be dissected by theologians who have too much time in their hands.Sin is the basic problem with the human condition. Just this fact demands our every effort to get what it is right. We should not just sweep distinctions aside and claim all interpretations leads to Jesus.Not Just a Series of QuestionsI have only discussed two sets of the diagnostic exercises. The third set covers Vocation. The questions are:What deeds are Christians called to do?What are the reasons for performing a service or action?Why is one course of action the most fitting in a given situation?You could say, "If I knew how to answer those questions in the first place, I wouldn't be in a dilemma!"That is why we have to understand, the book is not just a series of questions. If it was, it would be two pages long and not 142 pages.There is more to the practise of theological reflection and the authors do a good job explaining them. Except when they don't.More Explanations Would Be BetterSome parts could be better explained.In chapter 3, the authors quote theologian David Kelsey. Kelsey lists four ways theologians draw biblical texts into theological reflections. According to Kelsey, the Word of God is identified in:Propositions about divine truthSymbolic expressions of faith experiencesRecitals of God's identityInvitations to existential possibilities for new lifeThen without further explanation the authors challenge the reader, I quote:Try listening for Kelsey's categories in the next sermon you hear. When the minister quotes Scripture, ask yourself: What is this speaker using the Bible to ask me to do? Or, put the same question to a sermon or lesson that you deliver: What are you asking your hearers to do when you quote the Bible?Challenge not accepted. I don't understand what Kelsey means by those four ways. I could guess but I should not have to.In chapter 8, the authors ask us to think critically using a process that includes description, analysis, framing a view, judgment and response.They explain what description means. They explain what analysis means. But they explain framing a view by describing how a camera frames the subject. I like photography. I know how to frame a subject. But I don't know how to transfer my photography skills into theological thinking.What is the difference between analysis and framing a view? The authors do not explain. I could guess but I should not have to.I appreciate how the authors want to keep the book short. They succeeded in doing that. But I wish they could have a few more extra pages so that they can explain things properly. And I guess many other readers thought so too because the 4th edition has 40 more pages. The book must be good if people want more of it right?Two Starting Points and One CorrectionHowever there was one part of the book that I felt needed correction.In the authors' introduction to the theological method, they describe two starting points. I quote:Christian theology is reflection on the faith in the Christian message of God in Jesus Christ. The connection between faith and God's message is an invitation to reflect either on the human side of the connection (faith) or on its divine side (God's message).These two tracks have given rise to a distinction between theologies with an anthropological or human starting point and those that begin with divine revelation.They then proceed to explain the merits and risks of each starting point. They give the impression that both are equally valid starting points. I disagree. I believe we should always start with divine revelation.When preparing for a sermon or bible study, we must start with the text. We mustn't allow the congregation's felt needs direct where the text wants us to go.When a preacher is doing a book series, preaching verse by verse, how much more amazing it is when we hear how the Word of God speak to the people's needs without the preacher ever knowing about them.The problem with the church today is our tendency to put us, our wants and needs, first and not God. We think we know better, but we don't. I could rant about this for hours but let's just skip to the part where I changed my mind.As I was preparing for this book review, I read up on the authors. Stone describes himself as psychologist, marriage and family therapist first, then theologian. So I started thinking from his perspective.And I realised I was framing the discussion wrongly. I was interpreting the two approaches strictly from a preaching or bible study point of view.In preaching, I still hold strongly to everything I just said. We start with the text.But when it comes to counselling, if I have Tom in front of me, and he has all these questions. If he agrees to the medical experts to withdraw life support for his mother, is it euthanasia or is it allow nature to carry its course? Is he honouring God or participating in the culture of death?As I listen to him, obviously my starting point is him. I would be scrambling to pick from my mind anything from Scripture that deals with his issue. So in counselling, the Word of God is responding to the believer's confusion, pain, doubts and fears.Then when I zoom out, reframe this conversation I am having with myself, I remind myself that the point of the book, is for everyone to think theologically about all parts of life. I was so zealous to establish divine revelation's primacy that I had tunnel vision.So instead of correcting the authors, I found myself corrected. And this is good. That means I am growing.Every Christian should experience correction. If a Christian never finds himself or herself corrected in the Christian walk, then humanity has just found the next perfect person after Jesus Christ.The People Who Should Read This Book and Don'tSpeaking of correction, I can think of many categories of people who should read this book but won't.Those who think theology is for overly-intellectual people. That is not true, the authors refute that from the get go.On the other extreme, those who think they already know how to think theologically. They are seasoned fighters in theological MMA. Bashing people online over doctrine is not theological thinking. You should read this.In an ideal world, everybody would read this book. In an ideal world, this book would be required reading to graduate from elementary school. Okay that's a bit exaggerated. Required reading to graduate from high school.This is because theology needs to be done in community. I quote:[Indeed,] theological reflection is insufficient if it is done in isolation. Theological reflection occurs in the context of community. Because it is communal, it is also collaborative and dialogical. Even though we eventually come up with our own unique operational theology, its formation occurs in testing, sharing, talking, and listening to others.If you and I both read this book, when we have a dispute, maybe over hymnbooks or something else, then if we say let's look at this biblically. We understand each other. Naturally, we each want to prove that we are right, but we now engage in a process of exploration and discovery.Even if I totally disagree with you, it is edifying for me that we looked at the issue through the Gospel, the Human Condition and Vocation, and went further from there. Although we have different answers to the questions, I could, in the years to come, reflect on your answers and eventually it might make sense to me and the process leads to my correction.So the experience is not of two warriors grappling in the octagon, trying to bash the other senseless, but it is of two seekers continually exploring the divine landscape in search of truth. Sharing what they have found in hopes that the other will join them on the correct path.OutroIn conclusion, this book is not the only way to learn how to think theologically. But it might be the most concise and practical guide for all Christians in that process.This is a Reading and Reader's review of “How to Think Theologically” by Howard W. Stone and James O. Duke. 142 pages, published by Fortress Press in 2006, which is the second edition. The fourth edition, published in 2023 is available in Amazon Kindle for USD14.99.For more book reviews and contact details, you can visit readingandreaders.com. Thanks for listening. Bye bye.Book ListHow to Think Theologically by Howard W. Stone and James O. Duke. Amazon 4th Ed. Logos 2nd Ed.

It has been said that all of us are theologians. We all have a picture of God in our heads. But is your picture of God correct? Keep listening to find out. Hi, my name is Terence and I'm your host for Reading and Readers, a podcast where I review Christian books for you. Today I review “Portrait of God: Rediscovering the Attributes of God through the Stories of His People” by Jack Mooring. 224 pages, published by David C. Cook Publishing in August 2024. Available in Amazon Kindle for USD9.99 and in Logos for USD10.79. I received a free review copy but the publisher has no input to my review. ## Systematic Theology Through BiographyToday's book promises to explain the Attributes of God through the lives of Christians. But wait, someone says, “If you really want to know the Attributes of God, you should get a good book on Systematic Theology. The bigger the better.” So grunts the theological egghead. Nope. If the size doesn't scare people off, the title “Systematic Theology” would. Then someone says, “Just get J.I. Packer's ‘Knowing God'.” That's a great book. A classic. But today's book gives us a different way to know God's attributes and that is through stories. Bible stories have helped children know God. Much of the Bible consists of stories of God and His People. So we could say that today's book is not inventing a new approach but rather adapts the biblical way of knowing God: through the stories of him interacting with his people. ## Art Class with a Divine SubjectIn this book, Jack Mooring wants us to paint a portrait of God. If this sounds a bit artsy-fartsy to you, maybe it's because Mooring was an artist. More, accurately, a musician. If his name sounds familiar, it's because he is the former band member with the Grammy Award-nominated group Leeland. Mooring is also the founding pastor of a church, Celebration of Life Church in Nashville. So he is not the typical professional theologian who writes a book on the attributes of God. He is just a passionate Christian who wants everyone to know God. And he takes hold of artistic license to separate himself from the professional theologians. We will do a portrait of God. Using the lives of God's people as the brushstrokes. ## A Brushstroke of JoyConsider this: Whose life do you think best reveals God's joy? Think of all the great men and women who have served God through the ages. Who would best demonstrate the joy of the Lord? Mooring chooses C.S. Lewis. The chapter starts with Lewis as a young man arriving at Oxford University. But then, the Great War happened. I quote:> The war was a brief but horrific interlude in his life. He saw unbearable things. His closest friend in his company was killed. While raised in a Christian home in Ireland, he'd been brought up on the teachings of the church, but early on he had decided God couldn't be real. His mother had died when he was only nine years old. He remembered praying that God would save her life, but his desperate request seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.>> His childhood angst at God had turned into full-blown atheism as a young man. And if his journey away from God needed any more help, his traumatic experiences in the war had seared his mind. Later, Mooring writes:> There were cracks in Lewis's armor. For all his resistance against God, he had a weak spot for joy. Deep joy. The joy that aches in your belly when you see something truly beautiful. You reach for it but can't grasp it. You try to recreate the same feeling the next day, only to find it missing. This haunted Lewis.>> He began to do what he always did to find answers: He read books and talked deeply with his friends. Famously, one of his friends was J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien and others encouraged Lewis in his search for answers. I quote:> Lewis raised a challenge to his friends: “What separates Christianity from any other myth? After all, there are other stories about a god ‘saving' his people.”>> His friends responded with an idea that changed his life. “Yes, Christianity is a myth,” they said. “But it is the only true myth.”>> Suddenly, he realized that the Norse mythology he loved was never the real source of the joy he felt. It was God. Every good and beautiful myth was simply pointing to the one true “myth”. The chapter interleaves episodes of Lewis' life with Mooring's own comments and reflections. A YouTube video about a ten-million-dollar mountain chalet sends Mooring through a whirlwind of emotions from curiosity, awe, desire and lust, to disappointment, jealousy, embarrassment and resignation. Everybody who has watched an influencer boasting of cars, food or travel knows what Mooring felt. Mooring shows us YouTube-addicts that our desire is a reminder that God is our true desire. Just like C.S. Lewis, we are searching for the real source of joy: God. And that's how every chapter goes. He shares a story then a reflection to bridge the story to you, the reader today. On top of that, every chapter in the book ends with “Final Brushstrokes”. Let me quote: > C.S. Lewis's life teaches us that the greatest joys in life are simply signposts pointing us to the ultimate joy that is God. And that when we find Him, we find peace even in deep pain and suffering.>  > So our portrait of God gets another color: the vibrant hues of joy! We learn that God is not on a mission to stop people from having fun. Actually, the fun begins with Him. We think that worldly pleasures will fulfill us, but they let us down every time. God Himself is the author of everything good, true, and beautiful! And when we find Him, we can truly enjoy the world He made and find an unfading joy that comes from His nature. I repeat, “the story of C.S. Lewis gives our portrait of God another colour, the vibrant hues of joy.” And so every story in this book gives another brushstroke, giving us a better, more complete look of God each time. Or does it? The thing about brushstrokes is that it can either reveal or distort the subject it portrays. ## God Still Heals TodayChapter 5 is titled, “The Healer” -- God of Power. It is the story of Kathryn Kuhlman. I quote:> I chose the story of Kathryn Kuhlman because her life is an irrefutable example that God heals today. He can even work through people who, like her, were imperfect and in need of God's grace. Because those are, in fact, the only people He can use. And Mooring needs an irrefutable example because some people do refute it. Those pesky cessationist who believe the spiritual gifts have ceased. Mooring writes:> I believe this [cessationism] is one of the most damaging ideas the church has ever adopted. It has caused so many to miss out on one of the things Jesus died to give them.> I don't have the space in this chapter to make a complete argument refuting cessationism. I point to you to Jack Deere's superb book Surprised by the Power of the Spirit. He is right. He doesn't have the space to make that argument but he goes for it anyways. Let me summarise the three problems I see with this chapter. ### Healing and Gift of Healing Are DifferentFirst, Mooring assumes that cessationists do not believe God heals today. In the conclusion to the chapter, he writes:> People like Kathryn Kuhlman showed the world that God is still active in healing the sick. There is a problem here because cessationists also believe God is still active in healing the sick. John MacArthur, the poster child for cessationists, writes in his book Strange Fire:> While the Lord still answers prayer and works in providential ways to heal people according to his will, there is no evidence that miraculous healings are occurring today as they did during the apostolic age. Mooring should have written, “People like Kathryn Kuhlman showed the world that God is still active in *giving individuals healing power today*.” When Mooring conflates “God heals today” with “God gives individuals healing power today”, as if one means the same as the other, it causes misunderstandings. Readers walk away thinking, "Those Reformed fellows don't believe God heals! And they call themselves Bible believing Christians?" Now that I have clarified the cessationist position, does Mooring's point on healing still stand? The purpose of the chapter is to highlight the Power of God. I ask: "Is the Power of God only demonstrated through healing rallies?" No. Would the Power of God also be demonstrated if I prayed for someone, and that someone got healed? Yes. Should the church teach Christians that God heals today? Yes.That is what Mooring is getting at. But he could have made that point more powerfully, getting more agreement if he told the readers about God's power through healing instead of God's power in giving some individuals the power of healing. ### Character of the Healer and the Healed.My second criticism: Mooring makes a big push for healing but over-promises the impact. He writes:> Praying for the sick is an act of divine love, and love never fails! So no matter what happens, the compassionate act of believing for someone's healing is itself a success.> What if we lived this way? Thought this way? A dying world would be shocked back to a God reality that has been gone for decades. We would see millions saved! Millions coming into direct contact with the God who loves them and sent His only Son for them! Would we really see millions saved? Jesus healed ten lepers, only one came back to give thanks to Jesus. In Matthew 11:21, Jesus says, "“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes." In Matthew 12:39, Jesus answered those seeking a sign from him, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." So if Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had a 'bad' conversion rate from healing, I'm not confident that all those who were healed by Kathryn Kuhlman and her fellow healers came to saving faith. You say, "Even if it's 10%, that's still a good reason to promote healing rallies." But Jesus rejected those who called for signs. Isn't that a clear sign for us on the place of miracles today? Consider this: when Paul wrote his final letter to Timothy, he charged Timothy to do many miracles, teach other faithful men how to receive the gifts and how to promote these gifts so that people will come to Jesus through healing and miracles. No, Paul did not. This is what Paul wrote. 2 Timothy 2:2.> and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Keeping the main thing the main thing is to keep the Gospel central. In the climax of the letter. 2 Timothy 4:1-2.> I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the Word... From my criticisms on this chapter, you would think that I am a cessationist. Actually I am not. From my own study, I don't see a biblical reason to conclude that the gifts have ceased. I have no problems with the spiritual gifts being in operation today. So I am sympathetic to his position. I just disagree with how he frames it, which brings me to my last point on this chapter. ### Bill Johnson and Not Sam StormsMy third criticism: Mooring lost me at Bill Johnson. He would have had me if he said Sam Storm. I have read Bill Johnson's “When Heaven Invades Earth” and am familiar with the practices of his church, Bethel Redding. I compared Johnson's own words and his church's practice against Scripture, and I conclude that  Bill Johnson distorts Scripture to fit his theology and practice. So when I read a quote from Bill Johnson, all the alarm bells in my head just rang out. Mooring might protest and say that in the whole book, he just makes one mention of Bill Johnson. It's just a side remark, a throwaway quote, and it shouldn't put the whole chapter into doubt. Well, if he is frustrated so am I. I share many of his positions and outlook on healing and gifts of healing. He could have elevated his argument by quoting Sam Storm. Or Craig Keener. But not Bill Johnson. I don't like it when someone twists Scripture for their own ends. ## Other BrushstrokesLet's step out of this healing chapter and consider the rest of the book. So far, we have a story of C.S. Lewis and Kathryn Kuhlman. Their lives are brushstrokes that describe God's joy and power. There are others: Augustine, William and Catherine Booth, Thomas Chalmers, Fanny Crosby and Athanasius that in their lives describe God's holiness, compassion, good news, faithfulness and truth. The last two chapters of the book bring out the story of you. Who are you? How do you relate to God? In his conclusion, Mooring writes that we are:> to use our gifts to ‘paint God' for a world that is desperate to know what He is really like. ## Overall ThoughtsAnd yes, the world is desperate to know what God is really like. Does this book tell us? The book aims to tell us the attributes of God through the stories of his people. In that sense, it is a success. Mooring has picked, for the most part, individuals that Christians would agree are exemplary. And in whose lives we can see a portrait of God. But after finishing this book, it has also made me realise the big flaw in using other believers' stories to know God. Let's imagine an evil version of Jack Mooring, who also wants to tell the attributes of God through God's people. But instead of choosing a blind hymnwriter, he picks a pastor convicted for sexual assault. He picks murderous crusaders, child molesters, embezzlers, a villains gallery of self-professing Christians. Then this evil version of Jack Mooring concludes the book to say, “These are Christians, and so God.” Christians will rightly argue that those crooks pervert the true portrait of God. As God himself has put it, “My name is blasphemed among the nations because of evil doers.” When we pick individuals that best fits our idea of God, our choice reveals more about what we think God is like and not necessarily how God is really like. We could have a situation where we are supposed to have a painting of the Mona Lisa but instead get a Lisa Simpson. “Does that mean reading biographies of Christian men and women is a useless enterprise?” No! The reading principle behind that is Paul's call, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” We follow Paul knowing that he is the imperfect following the perfect. So we read the biographies to know imperfect creatures. But when it comes to knowing the Perfect Creator, the attributes of God, we risk adopting the principle behind Philip's request, “Jesus, show us the Father,” which Jesus replied, “When you see me, you see the Father.” This is something that only Jesus can say. When you see me, Terence, you don't see the Father. You think that's obvious? It should be. But if it was then why do so many people lose faith in God when the people they admire fall from grace. I don't want you to misunderstand me. I am not knocking on Jack Mooring's book. I just want to point out how reading Mooring's book reminded me again how wonderful is our Bible. We can actually know God because the Perfect has revealed himself to us. To know the attributes of God, to know God, absent the Bible is a speculative and confusing mess. But with the Bible, we can know God and know how well his people reflect who he is. ## Would I recommend it?Would I recommend this book? For Christians who like Bill Johnson and the type of Christianity he represents, they would not give someone like me a chance to question their beliefs. For them I would definitely recommend this book. Mooring's chapter on Kathryn Kuhlman will affirm everything they believe in. They will consider Mooring as  "one of us.” Then two chapters later, they will read Fanny Crosby, the blind hymnwriter, and read:> It is far easier to say that God doesn't heal anymore. It is also easy to say the opposite, that God always heals and that something is wrong with you if you are still sick. The truth is that both statements are wrong.>> God does still heal, and we should actively pursue His healing. But God also sits with us in our suffering and promises to be our reward, even when it seems like our prayers are not being answered. If you are a Christian who does not know Bill Johnson and the type of Christianity he represents, I would still be happy to recommend you this book. It is a light and easy way to learn about the attributes of God and introduce you to good books down the road. But I would warn you. I would tell you the three points I have against chapter 5. ## ConclusionSo in conclusion, does the book give us a portrait of God through the stories of his people? Yes. It is a portrait of God from a selected palette of colours that reveals Jack Mooring's concept of God, which would be recognisable as the God Christians worship. I think that when it comes to the details, for certain brushstrokes, some correction is needed. But that's art. And we all have an imperfect portrait of God in our heads. The important thing is as we study the Bible, we trust that God will reveal more of who he is. And just as looking at beautiful portraits inspire artists to paint better, so pondering at the portrait of God Mooring has given us inspires us to know God better and to live better for him. This is a Reading and Readers review of “Portrait of God” by Jack Mooring. 224 pages, published by David C. Cook Publishing in August 2024. Available in Amazon Kindle for USD9.99 and in Logos for USD10.79. I received a free review copy but the publisher has no input to my review. Thank you and bye bye. ## Book List* Portrait of God by Jack Mooring. [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Portrait-God-Rediscovering-Attributes-through/dp/0830786031). [Logos](https://www.logos.com/product/300988/portrait-of-god-rediscovering-the-attributes-of-god-through-the-stories-of-his-people).

Hi, my name is Terence and I'm your host for Reading and Readers, a podcast where I review Christian books for you. Except I have not been reviewing any books for nearly two months now. Have I quit the podcast? No. I am still looking forward to the 100th episode of Reading and Readers. I have a special book in mind for that one. So if I do end this podcast, and I don't have any intention of doing so, I would definitely do it after the 100th episode.

Today's book could be the most important book of the year. Hopefully not the decade. Because I would really hate to talk about Critical Theory again. If everybody in the world read today's book, we would never have to talk about it ever again.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The Apostles Creed. What does it mean?

Everyone knows John Calvin was a great theologian but did you know he was more than a theologian? Do you know how he has influenced our schools, governments and our very way of life?

It's a nightmare that never ends. A nightmare of rape, murder, of unspeakable evil to the young, to the old, to pregnant women and babies. A nightmare that is all too real. What does the Bible say about the Israel-Palestine conflict? Or more specifically, what does the New Testament say about the Christian's posture towards the Holy Land?

Hi, my name is Terence and I'm your host for Reading and Readers, a podcast where I review Christian books for you. Except today, I don't review a book. Instead I do my annual Year End Reflection where I look back and consider what are the books that have, thus far, made a lasting impression on me.

A theologian writes a critical response to a popular teaching. He destroys it. The teaching and teacher are irredeemably branded as heresy and heretic. Augustine vs. Pelagius, the battle of the ages. Today I read what nobody else wants to read to find out was Saint Augustine correct? Is Pelagianism a heresy? Is Pelagius a heretic?"

Every good book or movie or TV series ends with closure for the characters. After so many years, Rachel and Ross finally got together. After so many doubts, Chandler finally accepts he is going to be a father. But the Bible does not give us such closures. What happened to Peter? He just disappears halfway through Acts. What happens to Paul? We left him in house arrest. We expect to turn the page to find out what happens next and it just ends like a canceled Netflix series.

Evangelism. The Great Commission is so important which is why people get upset when it's done differently or wrongly or not according to what the Bible teaches. Sovereignty of God. Arguably the greatest of all the great doctrines. And people do argue about it, what it means and how it changes our lives. Put Evangelism and Sovereignty of God together and it's like the fusion of two atoms. You get a tremendous release of energy that can either power up or destroy your faith.

In every church you will hear that the most important thing is discipleship. "Get discipleship right, and you get everything else right", "Christians are disciples of Jesus" and so on. Is discipleship a trending buzzword or is it rooted in Scripture?

While others collect seashells, I collect interpretations. And I seem to have a growing collection of interpretations on Romans. And today's book offers a different definition of righteousness, a different understanding of election and more.

If you need a guide to navigate through mental illness for yourself or someone you know. Today's book is for you.

9/11 was a singular event. For a moment it united America like nothing else did. It shaped America in politics, war and religion. Today's book was written within a year of the event. Now 20 years later, are the words written for America then helpful for all Christians today?

Do you know what are the Doctrines of Grace? If you are not a Calvinist, you might fumble and try to recall your pastor's sermon on grace. If you are a Calvinist, the Doctrines of Grace means something specific. Whether you are a Calvinist or not, this book has something to offer, and today's episode will give you one tidbit to take home.

Have you read those letters from John? He seems to repeat himself over and over again, love, truth, love, truth. Is it because he is old and can't remember what he just said or wrote? Or maybe, there is something deeper here that I don't get. It would be nice if someone could help me get into the meaning, help me understand the context so that I can apply it in my own life.

When you read the Book of Acts, you can't help but think, "Why isn't the church today like that?" Well, maybe it can and it should.

If ever there was a category called the Theologian's Favourite Mystery Novelist, a serious contender would be Dorothy Sayers for her Lord Peter Wimsey series.

I know that Christ saved me. That happened 10, 20, 30 years ago. I know that Christ will save me. That may happen tomorrow, next year, or the next millennia. What I need to know is Christ is with me now. And he is because Jesus declared, "I AM". How do these two words, "I AM", assure us of his presence?

As you listen to my voice, how do you know the real you is not hooked up to a machine feeding reality into your brain? Or when you go to bed at night how do you know that the world did not switch off and that when you woke up, the world switched back on. Today, dead philosophers tell us what is and what is not.

"When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." That chilling -- or is it sobering -- quote comes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer and today we will learn more about the man and more importantly, what he believes and why we must listen.

The way we read the Bible can affect what we get from the Bible. And since there are five ways to read the Bible there are five ways to feast on what the Bible offers. Find out more in today's episode.

If you are a Christian, have you ever wondered how life would be if you chose to an Atheist or if you were born in a Muslim family? If you are not a Christian, what would change if you had embraced Jesus as Lord and Saviour?

The loudest alarm clock, the most inspiring motivation speaker, even a world-ending earthquake can do nothing to get a tired, overwhelmed, sad soul out of bed. What all of them can't do, a humble, gentle, book can.

Do you know how to pray? In one of his books, A.W. Tozer wrote: "Some of the churches now advertise courses on how to pray. How ridiculous! That is like giving a course on how to fall in love." And I got that quote from his book on prayer! How ridiculous!

Today, according to the BBC, "There are currently around three to four million podcasts internationally, but just over half of those have more than three episodes, with only 720,000 podcasts comprising more than 10 episodes." Well, not to brag, but the podcast you are listening to has 70 episodes and is today two years old!

The Whole Gospel of Mark in a Single Verse. That's the title of Chapter 1 of today's book but it could just as well be the title for the whole book. Intrigued? Keep listening.

After nearly two thousand years, finally the answer we have all been waiting for arrives. The question is, "What is Paul's thorn in the flesh?" And the answer is found in today's book.

A man comes home from work and flops on the coach. His children runs and jumps all over their father, but he remains motionless. His lovely wife comes over and asks, "Dead tired?" And the man says, "Dad tired." Fathers everywhere, how is fatherhood going for you?

In a world that celebrates individuality and autonomy, too many of us struggle to form deep, meaningful relationships. Loneliness is the norm, rich friendships are rare, and the church is no exception. We long for real community but often don't know how to get there. What will it take to develop healthy friendships? That's the description from today's book.

Before I became a Christian, I thought Christians were not free to have fun. After I became one, I've been having the fun of my life. Somehow, strangely, as a Christian I have freedom to have fun. And in today's book, the author brings out the funhouse mirror so that we can poke fun and laugh at ourselves.

The future King David is foreshadowed in the ending of the book of Ruth. Thousands of years later, a blind man calls out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." Who is David? Why is this name so important in the Bible and in my life and yours? Find out in today's book.

What was the most important battle in history? Would you say a battle in Ancient Rome, or Ancient Egypt, or perhaps a battle in World War 1 or 2. What if I told you that the most important battle in history was a battle not fought with swords and spears or guns and tanks but it was a battle fought with words. The battle for the person of Jesus Christ.

Do you love the Lord of the Rings? Doesn't everyone? Do you love Systematic Theology? Of course! Then today's book is perfect for you.

Hi, my name is Terence and I'm your host for Reading and Readers, a podcast where I review Christian books for you except for today. Today, I ask the question, "How did I get here?" I look back at the books that I have reviewed that have influenced my worldview, my actions, my affections, my life.

Whoever subtitled this book, "Faithful, Flawed and Fruitful", said more than he knew. For he was not only describing the saints in this book, he was also describing the book itself.

If you were on a deserted island, what one book would you bring with you (other than the Bible)? Think about it, if it's only one book, it should be a big, big book cause you might be spending a long time on the island. Seeing that you will have no friends on the island, you should bring some spiritual friends. How about bringing exactly 27 spiritual friends?

"Do you want to be possessed by a Spirit that is like Jesus -— a Spirit that is pure, gentle, sane, wise and loving?" That's a quote from A.W. Tozer. And if you want to take him up on his offer, keep listening.