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Dear Reader,
According to some critics, we need to look beyond the Reformed tradition for resources on spiritual formation. That’s the explanation given for the rising popularity of spiritual directors, mysticism, and various liturgical practices among younger Christians.
As someone who has read theologians in the Reformed tradition like Jonathan Edwards, John Owen, and Herman Bavinck, I’ve never really understood that critique. Their content is often heady, but I’ve been transformed by their vision of God’s glory.
Matthew Bingham’s book A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation is a welcome answer to critics of the Reformed tradition. We need not ignore the best practices of other traditions, but there’s a deep well of early Reformed and Puritan piety to draw from.
As Nicholas Weyrens argues in his review, “Reformed spiritual formation is centered on the Word, marked by simplicity, and committed to engaging the heart through the mind.” This reflects Paul’s admonition for Christians to “be transformed by the renewal of [our minds]” (Rom. 12:2). Bingham’s book will help readers along their way toward that transformation.
Happy Reading!
Andrew Spencer
Associate Editor
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New from TGC
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Book Review
Nicholas J. Weyrens
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“This book was written for people who have grown ‘frustrated by a religious culture that, at its worst, can seem superficial, shallow, and almost wholly disconnected from the ancient faith that once inspired men and women to bravely go to the lions.’ However, rather than looking outside the Protestant tradition, Bingham argues we can find the robust devotional tools many of us long for by looking to the reformers and the Puritans.” Read the review.
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Book Review
Steve Bateman
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“When I finally preached through Ecclesiastes in my 31st year of pastoring, I had many good exegetical resources to draw on. Unfortunately, I didn’t have Bobby Jamieson’s book, ‘Everything Is Never Enough: Ecclesiastes’ Surprising Path to Resilient Happiness.’ Jamieson offers an engaging exposition of Ecclesiastes that will help many people pursue happiness in a broken world. His framework brings clarity to an important book of the Bible in a difficult genre.” Read the review.
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Book Review
Seth Troutt
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Book Review
Caleb Morell
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Book Review
Ginger Blomberg
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Links for the Reading Life
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| 1. |
Jeremy Linneman, “How Richard Lovelace Shaped a Generation of Reformed Pastors” (The Gospel Coalition)
“In his 1985 book, Renewal as a Way of Life, Lovelace demonstrates that the dynamics of spiritual death (sin, the world, and the devil) distort our relationships with God and others. But a continuous state of spiritual renewal will lead to restored relationships to God (prayer), with those in the church (community), and with those outside the faith (mission).”
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Candice Watters, “A Hopeful Warning” (World)
“‘Postman, Postman, Postman.’ That was one commentator’s response to yet another report about the growing harms caused by social media. He was referring to media ecologist Neil Postman whose book Amusing Ourselves to Death predicted our ‘descent into a vast triviality’ and ‘dangerous nonsense’ 40 years ago.
“In honor of this classic that has proven prophetic, the Gospel Coalition editors Ivan Mesa and Brett McCracken released Scrolling Ourselves to Death, a collection of essays by various authors revisiting Postman’s warnings about the Age of Television to apply them to our tech-driven turmoil. They also go a step further, applying Postman’s wisdom to the Church.”
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“Book Recommendations on Missions” (9Marks)
“9Marks asked two missions-minded pastors and one head of a missions organization for book recommendations to equip missionaries and sending churches to obey the Great Commission. Some of their recommendations are entry-level while others are intermediate or even academic. We hope this range of books means there is something useful for every reader.”
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Stephen O. Presley, “The Silence of God in Our Suffering” (Religion & Liberty Online)
“In the modern world, Hansen knows that the Holocaust transformed our standards for evil. ‘Before the war,’ Hansen writes, ‘Jesus Christ was the most potent moral figure in Western culture.’ Then, citing the work of historian Alec Ryrie, he concedes: ‘The overwhelming tragedy of the war displaced Jesus as the fixed reference point for good and evil.’ With extreme evil made plain before the world, silence in the face of injustice became unacceptable, with God’s own apparent silence raising lingering issues about His goodness.”
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TGC25 Conference: On-Demand Content Access
If you joined us TGC25, but missed a specific breakout or simply want to rewatch one of the conference keynotes, those videos are available now. If you weren’t able to join us at the conference, you can access hours of high quality content for a small fee.
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The Gospel Coalition
8520 Allison Pointe Boulevard, Suite 220, Indianapolis, IN, 46250
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