Book Review: Rhetoric
Rhetoric by Aristotle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The western classic on argument and persuasion. Several sections give insight into human character and what motivates, or persuades men. Several sections deal more formally with the shape and content of arguments, the use of metaphor, introductions, narrations, etc. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Book Review: Grandpa’s Box: Retelling the Biblical Story of Redemption
Grandpa’s Box: Retelling the Biblical Story of Redemption by Starr Meade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is written for children and is excellent for reading aloud together. The book goes through the major stories of the Bible in a thematic fashion.
Book Review: A Peculiar Glory: How the Christian Scriptures Reveal Their Complete Truthfulness
A Peculiar Glory: How the Christian Scriptures Reveal Their Complete Truthfulness by John Piper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the first book in a trilogy of books about the Scriptures, the Bible. Piper accomplishes a lot of objectives in this book. He set out to show how the Scriptures are self-authenticating and can be read and understood as the divine word of God by laymen as well as by scholars. He defends the confessional position of Scriptures being inspired, infallible, inerrant, and supremely authoritative. He gives an explanation of the canon that is accessible to the ordinary Bible reader. Throughout the book he drives at God’s glory and how it is peculiarly revealed through the Bible to those who read and understand with faith. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Book Review: Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You
Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me by Kevin DeYoung
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a brief, readable book on the authority, clarity, necessity, and sufficiency of Scripture. DeYoung writes for the normal Christian to help understand what the Bible says about the Bible. Overall, it’s a helpful look at the most important book.
Book Review: Charity and its Fruits
Charity & Its Fruits by Jonathan Edwards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is a thorough exposition of 1 Corinthians 13, which is an extensive description of Christian love. I had some quibbles here and there, but overall a very good book. Edwards did not make much of the overall context of the chapter being in the assembly of the local church in Corinth. Chapter 13 is written to a church and is about the corporate life of a church. Jesus said that the world would know his disciples by the Christ-like love they have for one another, and 1 Corinthians 13 is a thorough description of that one-another love. Edwards is well worth reading and this book is no exception.
