I’ve gathered some fresh inspiration for fervent reading from the ladies over at girl talk. They included this wonderful quote from Charles Spurgeon in a recent post:
“…listen to Mr. Spurgeon go off about books in response to this verse: “When you [Timothy] come bring the cloak which I [Paul] left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments” (2 Timothy 4:13).
He is inspired, and yet he wants books! He has seen the Lord, and yet he wants books! He has had wider experience than most men, and yet he wants books! He had been caught up in the third heaven, and had heard things unlawful for a man to utter, yet he wants books! He has written a major part of the New Testament, and yet he wants books! The apostle says to Timothy and so he says to every Christian, ‘Give thyself to reading.’ The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains proves he has no brains of his own.
Right now I’m reading:
Chawkat Moucarry’s The Prophet & the Messiah: An Arab Christian’s Perspective on Islam and Christianity (IVP) – an excellent apologetic; written with great charity and thorough knowledge of the Quran, the Hadith, and Muslim theologians like Razi and Ghazali; and a book that I would be very happy to hand to my Muslim friends with an invitation to discuss.
Shayne Lee’s T.D. Jakes: America’s New Preacher (NYU Press) – a puff piece on the rise and fame of T.D. Jakes. Lee seems to think Jakes is a hero because he’s an entrepreneur, nevermind the heresies he preaches. Shows little to no regard for the harmful, gospel-obscuring effects of Jakes’ teachings.
John Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life (Crossway) – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading this with a younger Christian brother at church; it’s produced good fruit in both of our lives; thanks again John for teaching me to savor the Savior and to live zealously for His glory.
Richard Lint, Michael S. Horton, and Mark R. Talbot (eds.) Personal Identity in Theological Perspective (Eerdmans) – a collection of essays on theological anthropology. I’ve only read the first two chapters which give something of an overview of Christian anthropology. Insightful so far. But what I’m really looking for is a good anthropology that attempts to help today’s church properly understand issues of race and culture and their implications for “doing church.” I welcome all suggestions.