Category: Editor’s Pick

Today’s Editor’s Pick is Caesar and the Lamb. This book discusses early Christian attitude on war and military service. The main premise is that early Christianity had the view that there was no real king but Christ. Therefore, we should not serve the military ambitions of Caesar. I highly recommend reading it.

Bart Ehrman, an agnostic, has generally upset conservative, evangelical Christians for some time. However, that is no reason why we shouldn’t read and digest his works. Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why is one of Dr. Ehrman’s smash hits. There are some great nuggets in this book that will certainly make those of us who are religious carefully think about our texts. While he certainly hits the Bible hard, most of the mistakes found in the texts aren’t as bad as they are presented, simply showing there is missing letter or diacritical mark that doesn’t change the text’s meaning at all. Other places, however, need further research and understanding. Every Christian should have this book in their library.

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Ever wondered how to properly study the Bible? Do you just pick it up and read it? How useful is a concordance? What Bible is the best? What tools are there and how do you use those tool? How do I know the information is reliable? Dave Burke’s Servants of the Lord: A Bible Study Handbook answers all those questions, and then illustrates how to use those tools to properly interpret the text. No library is complete without this book.

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This week’s pick may surprise readers, but The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution is one of my favorite books. While written by one of the most renowned atheists, some say an evangelical atheist, this book had the opposite effect on me. While in doubt, being skeptical of my religious beliefs, this book brought me back to being a fully dedicated theist, which was probably not Mr. Dawkins’ intent. I’m mesmerized by God’s creation, and his creative method. It is worth picking up and reading.

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Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Don’t Know About Them) breaks down some of the problems when reading the Bible. There are some apparent contradictions. As believers, this shouldn’t bother us. However, Christians should answer why the contradictions exist. This book is a great introduction as to why those contradictions are there. The book also helps the Christian critically think about their beloved text. Dr. Ehrman has greatly helped the Bible student.

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The blogger and podcaster Amateur Exegete has created one of best podcasts to listen to in his category. Production value of the podcast alone is worth a listen; in addition, he produces great material. While himself an atheist, he certainly treats the historical texts of the Bible with the respect they deserve. His work is certainly helping Christianity out by pointing out flaws in its interpretation and poor apologetics, while ensuring the craziness of New Atheists do not go unanswered. That is why he is this week’s pick.

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Many fundamentalist Christians make a fundamental mistake. According to Christian Smith’s Bible Made Impossible: Why Biblicism Is Not a Truly Evangelical Reading of Scripture, that mistake is Biblicism. Many Christians seem to worship the Bible more than the Lord, a mistake if we believe in the Judeo-Christian God. Instead, we should be God- and Christ-centric, and interpret the Bible that way too. Personally, this book has probably had the biggest impact on me, other than the Bible of course.

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Dan Abson’s great podcast and blog invites listeners to interpret the bible as a narrative, understanding how the compiler of these wonderful texts meant the stories to be interpreted. You won’t be disappointed with his podcasts. I love it, and that is why it’s this week’s pick.

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Many people knew of the troubles the Jews were suffering. However, few went to the lengths of saving Jewish children like the Christadelphian community through the Kindertransport. Part of the Family: Christadelphians, the Kindertransport, and Rescue from the Holocaust interviews these children survivors and their experience. Regardless of your faith or skepticism, the selflessness of these good people who took complete strangers in is inspiring.

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