Once again, I have the honor of choosing my favorite Christian non-fiction books published in the last calendar year, my twelfth consecutive list. 2017 turned out to be the toughest year yet (and I’m sure I said the same thing last year), all fueled by an aggressive editorial push.
This year about 120 new titles caught my eye, and I read the best of them until I could make a list of my 17 favorite reads of the year. But before we get to the list, a few general comments.
You are reading: Christian books to read in 2017
Authors continue to publish new books at a brisk pace, strong in 2014 and slightly less prominent in 2015, but more strongly in 2016 and 2017. Women are now a mainstay and a growing proportion of Christian publishing.
christian publishing continues to deliver aesthetics across the board, both in cover design and interior design, illustrated by projects like crossway’s esv illuminated bible and c.h. spurgeon series (volume 1 and volume 2) by b&h.
Once again, 2017 did not deliver biblical theology or commentary like we saw in 2015, though we continue to see strong contributions in two main series: new studies in biblical theology (ivp) and short studies in biblical theology (crossway).
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closer to home, god abundantly blessed desiringgod.org and bethlehem college & seminar with seven new titles in 2017:
- john piper, reading the bible supernaturally: seeing and savoring the glory of god in scripture
- jason derouchie, how to understand and apply the old testament: twelve steps from exegesis to theology
- andy naselli, how to understand and apply the new testament: twelve steps from exegesis to theology
- andy naselli, there is no quick fix: where the theology of life came from what is it and why is it harmful
- brian tabb, suffering in the ancient worldview: luke, seneca and 4 macabees in dialogue
- marshall segal, not yet married: the search for joy in singleness and dating
- tony reinke, 12 ways your phone is changing you
It was a good year for books related to singleness, marriage and dating. Along with Segal’s gospel wise plea to those not yet married, Deepak Reju helped women stay away from male rags; David Powlison offered healing for the sexually broken and hope in Christ; Ben Stuart helped wisely navigate singleness, dating, engagement, and the early years of marriage; and lydia brownback addressed the loneliness that will find us whether we “win” or “lose” romance.
Several significant books in 2017 again attempted to dispel questions about how Christians best relate to politics and society (not an easy task). the most talked about book of the year was rod dreher’s the benedict option, a strategy of distancing oneself from culture in order to better engage with it. Also noteworthy was James K.A. Smith’s Awaiting the King: Reforming Public Theology, a call back to a robust Augustinian and Kuyperian model in all its glory. Speaking of Abraham Kuyper, Craig Bartholomew wrote a captivating book, Outlines of the Kuyperian Tradition: A Systematic Introduction (a book I reviewed for the Gospel Coalition). And 2017 marked the midpoint in Logos/Lexham Press’s ambitious effort to translate into English the 12 volumes of Abraham Kuyper’s Collected Works in Public Theology.
Over the past eighteen months, we’ve seen a tidal wave of valuable books for people who are hurting and bereaved, covering topics as wide-ranging as loneliness, depression, disability, chronic pain, terminal illness, raising children with special needs and the anguish of losing children. In 2016 we saw ten books by Eswine, Howard, The Wilsons, Ryken, Furman, Guthrie, Tada, Risner, Voskamp, and Taylor. In 2017, six more titles were added from Lydia Brownback, Russ Ramsey, Sarah Walton and Kristen Wetherell, Richard Belcher, Kelly Kapic, and Connie Dever. And two more notable titles are scheduled for release in 2018: one from counselor David Powlison and a memoir from Jack Deere. the concentration of so many uplifting titles, in such a short publishing season, is nothing less than a remarkable work of the spirit.
thank you
Putting together this list each year reminds me of the breadth of Christian content: the collection of writers and the diversity of genres that are serving the church today. Writing Christian nonfiction is hard work and mostly not for profit, for which I remain grateful to the writers, editors, editors, and designers who work so sacrificed behind each of these titles. We live in the golden age of publishing, and reading (like writing) is a way of serving others, as we link useful books to the specific needs and interests of our friends around us.
With my gratitude for all the hard work of 2017, here is my list of the 17 best books of the year, grouped and ordered by my scientifically subjective intuition algorithm on which books I think (1) are broadly valuable to most readers. readers, (2) contribute well to a specific topic, (3) succeed in their intended goals, and (4) endure to serve the church for years to come.
the 17 best books of 2017
17. The Imperfect Disciple: Grace to People Who Can’t Get It Right by Jared Wilson
Jared Wilson has written a shelf of valuable books, but this one is his best yet. “For the sake of the cut-ups and the screw-ups, the tired and the torn-up, the weary and the wounded — how about we demystify discipleship?” Yes, and who isn’t inside these categories? Discipleship is for the cut-ups and the screw-ups, the tired and the torn-up, the weary and the wounded. Such a great sentence (worth repeating!) — and such a wise book. Few modern authors pastor my soul through prose better than Wilson.
16. the messiah is coming to middle earth: images of the triple office of christ in the lord of the rings by philip ryken
J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings series, intentionally didn’t write allegories (like Narnia). But in his letters, Tolkien tips us off that spiritual truths saturate his works. So how do we best mine out all the spiritual allusions in the intentionally de-religioned world of Middle-earth? One way is to find the threefold offices of Christ in the mix of characters that point to Christ. “The center of all joy is Jesus Christ — the word-speaking prophet, the sacrifice-offering priest, and the peace-bringing king.” From this center, Ryken works back from Christ in this beautifully illuminating volume, a capstone to what was perhaps the best twelve months in Tolkien studies and monographs I’ve ever seen, which included Eilmann on Tolkien’s “highly distinctive Romantic longing for a lost world”; Coutras on Tolkien’s supreme articulation of majesty and splendor; and Rhone on Tolkien’s “mythopoeic” worldview which connects him to Lewis, Chesterton, and MacDonald.
15. exodus by t. desmond alexander
The year was rather slow for large academic commentaries, but this volume would have been the most important and significant commentary in just about any year. An 800-page offering on Exodus from one of the best minds in biblical theology, it’s a very good conservative commentary on the text with great care given to apply this prominent Old Testament narrative into the sweeping storyline of Scripture — like few but Alexander can pull off. Also noteworthy, Andreas Köstenberger on the Pastoral Epistles.
14. The Last Adam: A Theology of the Obedient Life of Jesus in the Gospels by Brandon Crowe
Whenever I read Jonathan Edwards on the glory of Christ, I am surprised again at how much time he devotes to Christ’s humility, obedience, and demonstrations of love — the nitty-gritty acts of Christ’s life. Crowe does something similar here. Jesus is the true second Adam in every way. In his life, words, and attitudes, Christ was everything Adam failed to be, and on this basis he becomes our substitutionary atonement. The book echoes with the last words of J. Gresham Machen: “I’m so thankful for the active obedience of Christ. No hope without it.” The eternal generation of Christ was reclaimed in a bold way in 2017. May this also be known as the year that we reclaimed the active obedience of Christ — because without the life-obedience of Christ, there would be no gospel hope for him to offer us.
13. Destroyer of the Gods: Early Christian Distinctiveness in the Roman World by Larry Hurtado
To be a Christian in the first two centuries was to be weird — gloriously bizarre and odd. Christians handled marriage and sex and worship and social action so distinctly from the Roman pagans around them, it was impossible not to notice the differences. Hurtado has masterfully recreated the stark contrasts in this book. His egalitarian worldview emerges in places (especially when talking about household codes, which he sees as socially constructed, not originating in the Creator’s design). But this message of the cultural distinctiveness of Christ’s followers is especially relevant for us today. A rich and wonderful historical study! For other notable works in historical studies, see Michael Kruger on the church’s identity struggle in the second century, and Brian Wright on the place of communal reading in the Greco-Roman world, and how the practice gave shape to the New Testament and fueled gospel spread.
12. God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Book of Proverbs by Tim and Kathy Keller
Following their 2015 devotional in the Psalms, the Kellers have produced a new companion devotional on the Proverbs. As you would expect, it’s a magnificent collection of bite-sized wisdom from Scripture and from their decades of cultural engagement, church leadership, parenting, and marriage. This book would be a delightful way to invest a year of reflection.
11. God’s Very Good Idea: A True Story of God’s Delightfully Different Family by Trillia Newbell and Catalina Echeverri
See Also: 4 Books About Betty Broderick To Read After Watching ‘Dirty John’
We need more brave authors willing to jump into the present racial tensions and offer Christ-centered vision and hope for ethnic unity. Trillia Newbell has written a very wise walk through creation, fall, redemption, and restoration — all highlighting God’s plan for the diversity among his image bearers, and all wonderfully explained and illustrated for children. For adults, see Matt Carter and Aaron Ivey’s historical novel Steal Away Home: Charles Spurgeon and Thomas Johnson, Unlikely Friends on the Passage to Freedom.
10. a reader’s guide to the major writings of jonathan edwards edited by nathan finn and jeremy kimble
Great old books are important for a reason, but many of the best books are also locked away from modern-day readers by ambiguities and dated debates that make them inaccessible. Helping readers ease into classics is one of the premier gifts that serious scholars offer to reading Christians. In this spirit, Finn and Kimble have edited and delivered a gift to unlock the great books of Jonathan Edwards. Every essay is solid. This year we also saw the massive 700-page Jonathan Edwards Encyclopedia edited by Harry Stout, a significant library add for any serious student of Edwards’s life, thought, and theology.
9. true feelings: god’s glorious and merciful purpose for our emotions by carolyn mahaney and nicole mahaney whitacre
The authors write, “Whatever our emotional struggle — and we should put every confusing, bizarre, and unruly feeling in this category, leaving nothing out — we will find help and hope in the Bible. There is hope for the teenage girl who wonders why her emotions feel out of control and hope for the woman whose hormones stalk her every month. There is hope for the employee trying to manage stress in the workplace and for the mom who hates that she’s always getting angry at her kids. . . . When we lose heart, when we feel helpless to change our emotions, we must remember the gospel. God, who did not spare his own Son to save us from our sins (Romans 8:32), will not leave us to drown in our emotional rip currents” (27). It’s an incredibly insightful book. Other notable books for women in 2017 include Lydia Brownback on the Psalms, Shona Murray on burnout, Jen Pollock Michel and Courtney Reissig on the dignity of the home, and Christina Fox on union with Christ and friendship.
8. Making All Things New: Restoring Joy to the Sexually Broken by David Powlison
Every one of us lives with a fallen and sinful sexuality, and every one of us is influenced by the sexual dysfunctions of others. Most books on sexual brokenness focus on one particular struggle, but leave it to David Powlison to discern patterns of similarity that we can all relate to, and to simultaneously address the gospel in two directions. “Some books are written to help people who struggle with their immoral sexual impulses. Other books are written for people who struggle with the impact of sexual betrayal, molestation, and assault. But this book will intentionally look in both directions,” Powlison writes, because “there are not two gospels, one for sinners and one for sufferers! There is the one gospel of Jesus Christ, who came to make saints of all kinds of sinner-sufferers and sufferer-sinners, whatever our particular configuration of defections and distresses.” In 2017, Powlison also released the book How Does Sanctification Work?
7. entering rest: ethics as theology by oliver o’donovan
Likely the most revered academic ethicist today, Anglican theologian Oliver O’Donovan is writing books that will be read and studied for decades to come. This year marked the completion of the third and final volume in his series “Ethics as Theology” — or “ethics after Pentecost,” as he has called it (see volume 1 and volume 2). To use the author’s dynamic explanation of the trilogy, the series is intended to explain “how the active self expands into loving knowledge, is narrowed down to action, and finally attains rest in its accomplishment” (1:103). Throughout the series, O’Donovan has shown keen awareness of the centrality of joy in ethics, making him especially valuable to Christian Hedonists. This final volume speaks of rest and discipleship within an eschatological hope, weighted with the expectations of future redemption driving our lives and loves now. It is the capstone on a magnificent trilogy I’ll be rereading for years to come.
6. living life backwards: how ecclesiastes teaches us to live in the light of the end by david gibson
If the author of Ecclesiastes could behold the raw tonnage of commentaries on Ecclesiastes on the market today, he would surely face-palm in the regret of an unheeded sage. Didn’t he warn us about the overabundance of books? Yes, he did (Ecclesiastes 12:12). So this book would at least have to be a superior offering to warrant the paper it’s printed on. And it is. In the words of Don Carson, “The past two decades have witnessed quite a number of popular expositions of Ecclesiastes — and this one by David Gibson is the best of them.” Consider the mic dropped.
5. practicing power: receiving the gifts of the holy spirit in your life by sam storms
Continuationism, as a conviction, is alive and well in Reformed circles, signaling a great victory over several years of theological opposition. But now what? Now that we have defended the spiritual gifts, how do we pursue them in practice? This is the hard work, the daunting task, and the somewhat awkward and uncomfortable practice of moving out from the safety of theological debates and into the rather unpredictable work of the Holy Spirit. Sam Storms has been preparing for this moment for years, and we have been long awaiting a book like this one. In the words of pastor Matt Chandler, in his foreword, “It is not an exaggeration to say I have been waiting for this book for close to fifteen years.” Chandler speaks on behalf of many pastors and believers of this new openness, this new eagerness, not merely open to the gifts of the Spirit, but now in earnest pursuit of those gifts in practice, for ourselves, for the spread of the gospel, and for the health of our local churches (1 Corinthians 14:1). Writes Storms, “we are responsible to actively and energetically pursue spiritual gifts” (40). The rest of the book explains how.
4. Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Tasting God’s Glory in Scripture by John Piper
This is the second book in Piper’s major new trilogy. Book 1, A Peculiar Glory, released in the spring of 2016, offered Piper’s account of Scripture’s self-attesting authority. Book 2, Reading the Bible Supernaturally, launched in the spring, explains how Piper goes about reading and studying to find meaning in Scripture, which requires both supernatural and natural mechanics. Finally, Book 3, Expository Exultation, launches in the spring of 2018, and there Piper will explain how preaching is an act of worship. That’s the trilogy: authority, meaning, heralding. This new book in the middle is loaded with practical help for approaching the Bible, especially in part 3, pages 225-390, principles which no Bible reader will want to miss. To hear Piper himself explain the architecture of his new trilogy, see Ask Pastor John episode 1047.
3. martin luther: the man who rediscovered god and changed the world by eric metaxas
It was the year of Martin Luther and the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. Luther was a master at preaching and publishing and convincing masses. And he was also a haunted man with demons in his past that we must reckon with today. But of all the books published in 2017 on Luther and the Reformation, this 500-page version of Luther’s life is most filled with cultural detail, wit, prose verve, and creative energy — as we have come to expect from the pen of Metaxas.
2. katharina and martin luther: the radical marriage of a fugitive nun and a renegade monk by michelle derusha
The Protestant Reformation reclaimed a lot of things — including the beauty and value of marriage. The Luthers enjoyed a sweet marriage in many ways, but it was not without challenges. Katharina, the runaway nun, carried incredible domestic responsibilities, but was not meek, and often displayed a very strong will. Martin, the renegade monk, respected women, but made disparaging comments about them too, at times, even once making it clear that his ideal wife would be chiseled from stone as a quiet and obedient woman (cringe). Needless to say, marriage did not come naturally to either of them, but in the end, “Luther found the best possible partner in Katharina, a woman who deeply loved and respected him, yet also managed his volatile moods and his difficult personality and offered him intellectual stimulation and companionship. Luther undoubtedly understood how challenging and difficult he was. Feisty and strong, courageous and smart, industrious and utterly devoted, Katharina was, in fact, the perfect match for Martin Luther, and he knew it” (212). They do complement one another in a beautiful way. In her foreword to this book, Karen Swallow Prior writes, “Luther’s decision to marry Katharina von Bora specifically contributed to the Protestant understanding of marriage because of the particular ways these two particular people shaped one another and the life they created together. . . . [In our own time] — when marriage seems to be at once despised and idolized, both within the church and outside it, and when the very definition of marriage has been challenged, chastened, and changed — the radical marriage of Katharina and Martin Luther serves as a timely remembrance for the church.” Amen. May the 500th anniversary of the Reformation be a celebration of the value and dignity of marriage, and the preciousness of the home and domestic life — a mash-up of daily chores, messy struggles, spousal tensions, sacrificial love, wholehearted commitment, and transcendent joys and glories. Lastly, I should say this book makes for a fascinating look at one of the most unique couples in church history, but it’s not necessarily a reliable blueprint for every Christian marriage. (Hang tight — books that explain the design of marriage from Scripture will headline 2018.)
1. martin luther: a spiritual biography by herman selderhuis
I first met Selderhuis by way of his 2009 biography of John Calvin. This new work of Luther’s life is similar — a Dutch biography translated into English, using sentences that are short, punchy, and precise. I don’t know of another theologian or historian who labors more diligently to make his works accessible like Selderhuis. No doubt we have lost something of him in the translation, but what we have in this biography is a rich gift to English readers. As Metaxas writes long-windedly and often seems to intrude into the narrative, Selderhuis writes with the subtle touch of brevity and precision of a man trying to paint with bright colors while keeping his own fingerprints out of the portrait. He gets details right, as you would expect from a scholar of his repute. (Of all the books I read on the Reformation this year, none better laid out the subtle historical transformation of Roman Catholic indulgences from a rather harmless certificate, originally, to something that became increasingly bold, dangerous, and finally thoroughly heretical.) Selderhuis’s skills — his readability, style, nuance, and focus on the interior of Luther’s spiritual life — combine to make this work my favorite read of 2017, the year of Martin Luther.
honorable mentions
the new city catechism devotional: god’s truth for our hearts and minds edited by collin hansen. it was a very good year for our friends at the gospel coalition, but this new catechism put catechism back on the map. not only did it get back in status, but the gospel coalition delivered an easy-to-use catechism (in print and on the app) to help us all get back in the habit. Well designed and delivered, it’s flexible enough to be useful for a variety of ages.
exalting jesus in hebrew by albert mohler. for all his notoriety as a seminary reformer and worldview commentator on the daily news, mohler’s preaching often goes unnoticed. this new expository commentary through the Hebrews, developed from his ministry from the pulpit, is a good reminder of his exegetical skill. Beautifully exalting Christ, this book is a solid expository commentary to inspire preachers and a feast on the glory of Christ for any hungry soul.
This Changes Everything: How the Gospel Transforms the Teenage Years by Jaquelle Crowe. Written from one teenager to another, this book is bold, compassionate, and articulate about what it means to live for Christ. and build on a local church. on my endorsement, I wrote, “wise teens need to speak frankly, speak boldly! — the kind of advice that is sharp enough to help them get past the false promises and lies of our culture and forceful enough to push back against all the old, tired stereotypes of teens. . . . These precious years are not the time to slack off; It’s time to stand out.”
A Little Book About a Big Problem: Meditations on Anger, Patience, and Peace by Edward Welch. Packed into a fifty-day devotional, Welch’s latest book is a short weapon, sharp and direct to war against personal struggles with anger in all its root causes. the reader will learn to love again by getting rid of critical spirits, complaints, jealousy, selfishness and shifting blame. By relinquishing control over others, readers can find the freedom and joy of a life of selfless love for others and humility in the eyes of God.
the tech-wise family: daily steps to put technology in its right place by andy crouch. technology books are all the rage these days, specifically to help us limit and resist ubiquity of digital media that wants to saturate our teens, our homes, and our lives 24/7. this was one of the best schemes of the year on how to bring balance and digital sanity to household habits and routines. It is a noble and rational account of why Christian families must resist the intrusions of the digital age, although I think in the end, Crouch underestimates the relevance of scripture in speaking to the impulses and desires of the heart captivated by the digital age (only a dozen bible quotes). “Our devices continually push us toward a set of options,” crouch writes. “The question is whether those choices are leading us to the life we really want. I want a life of conversation and friendship, not distraction and entertainment; but every day, many times a day, I am pushed in the wrong direction. a key part of the art of living faithfully with technology is setting better nudges for ourselves” (35). is a book of useful suggestions.
This Is Our Time: Everyday Myths in Light of the Gospel by Trevin Wax. Trevin Wax continues to display his polymathic wisdom, here by looking at the ways scripture helps us navigate culture. This is a comprehensive book, analyzing major trends with captivating audacity, all aimed at pointing us to where we can find the joy that Apple and Hollywood will never bring: in the face of Jesus Christ. As Marvin Olasky writes in the foreword, “Trevin Wax is thirty-five years old, he is young by the standard of theologians who tend to be in their seventies, but he has an old head.” yes, and a big heart and an engaging writing style.
See Also: Mike Omer – Book Series In Order
The Gospel According to Paul: Accepting the Good News at the Heart of Paul’s Teachings by John MacArthur. It was a big year for MacArthur, with a new 1,000-page systematic theology published in January. But in the year of the Reformation, and the celebration of the reclaimed Gospel, this title was especially relevant and valuable: a classic MacArthur revolving around the glories of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “In all the universe, there is nothing higher or more important than the glory of the Lord. God’s glory constitutes the entire purpose for which we were created. in fact, this is the ultimate reason for everything that has happened, from the dawn of creation until now” (170). therefore, “[God’s] righteous indignation and his perfect justice require an appropriate punishment for sin, because to forego punishment would be to allow his holiness to be trampled underfoot by agents of evil. for god to do so would be to abdicate his authority over his own universe” (161). These cosmic realities set the proper context for contemplating the glories of the gospel in Paul’s epistles, which fill the other pages of this solid book.
I live in him: how being embraced by the love of christ changes everything by gloria furman. furman’s new book is a rousing study of ephesians’ newly created themes and a very ambitious attempt of translating cosmic Christology to the dishwasher level of everyday domestic life. if anyone could pull it off, it’s furman. hee. packer’s invaluable foreword to this volume says it all: “digging into ephesians had thrilled mrs. furman took my socks off, just like deep down he had taken mine off two generations ago (and, for the record, he still does),” he said, recalling his teaching days. “Paul’s concentrated design in Ephesians on the glory of God’s grace—the father’s love that gives life and pays the price, the mediation of the son that reforms life, and the ministry of the holy spirit that transforms life—is impressive ; Gloria Furman feels it, as do I, and of course we agree that every healthy Christian will feel the same, now and for all eternity.”
the sermon on the mount and human flourishing: a theological commentary by jonathan pennington. no 2017 book challenged more of my biblical assumptions than this one. I now read the Sermon on the Mount with new eyes, seeing it less as a series of “nonchalant conditional statements” (you do this and I’ll reward you with that), and more specifically as a “Christocentric, flourishing exhortation of eschatological wisdom geared toward the expectation of the end.” kingdom” (15). That’s a loaded phrase, and this comment explains it well. This highly detailed book certainly needs to be researched and debated within the academic community, but it also serves as a striking example of what we need more of: men and women who have given their lives to isolated sections of scripture, writing with delight to share their findings with the rest of us (technically speaking for a moment: if pennington is ultimately right on the protasis/apodosis of the macarisms in the sermon, this book will be a game changer for years to come).
genesis 1-11: a new ancient translation for readers, scholars, and translators by samuel bray and john hobbins. a law professor (bray) and a pastor and hebrew scholar (hobbins) met to re-translate the first eleven chapters of Genesis. it rarely brings to mind translators as they struggle to find the right words and phrases to address ambiguities and convey meaning to the reader, and that’s exactly what we get in this book. Initially skeptical about whether I’d like to read two translators justifying their decisions, my doubts were dispelled fairly soon in the drama of their translation struggles. This is a new English translation, with a strong explanation of translation decisions, ultimately to enrich our appreciation of Genesis 1-11. I can only hope that Bray and Hobbins continue to translate the rest of Genesis, the Psalms, Job, and perhaps the entire Old Testament. I would be looking forward to reading it! To learn more about this volume and its overall strategy, check out this interview with the authors.
Reclaiming Wonder: Transcendent Faith in a Disenchanted World by Mike Cosper. Our secular, technological culture pragmatically collapses all things into what they can do and what we can do with them, and we grow by completely incapable of thinking about what things are. that is, in the secular age of efficiency, productivity, and technique, what we need more than anything else is a heavy dose of wonder and awe injected directly into the soul. but there is no app for that! this kind of anti-do-it-yourself book to push against the thinking of the time is the kind of book most people see no purpose for, making it a risky endeavor for both authors and users alike. editors. But Mike Cosper took a chance and succeeded, celebrating amazing and wonderful things as well as they can be done on paper, and all in his signature style. Related books on secularism and wonder include barnabas piper on curiosity and the gospel coalition is our secular age (see cosper’s contribution there as well).
faith. expect. love.: the christocentric way to grow in grace by mark jones. the bibliography of books written by mark jones is impressive in both quantity and quality. everything you write, I read, and for good reason, tested here. In this book, Jones has set out to show that the triplet of virtue (faith, hope, and love) is very often united in scripture (see Romans 5:1-5; Galatians 5:5-6; Ephesians 4:2). ). -5; Colossians 1:4-5; 1 Corinthians 13:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 5:8; Hebrews 6:10-12; 1 Peter 1:3-8). he then expounds each virtue in the form of a catechism, focused on the application of the heart, and always with an ear open to the most pastorally astute ideas of the greatest pastors of the eighteenth century. jones channels edwards when he writes stunning sentences like these: “[god’s] attributes, all of them, satisfy us, because the knowledge of his being is the chief source of our joy, blessing, and glory. God is also pleased with us, because he delights in the good that is in us, which ultimately comes from him. he cannot help but love those gifts that he himself gives us” (155). Also to be commended this year is the other book published by Jones, God Is: A Devotional Guide to the Attributes of God.
Recovering the eternal generation edited by fred sanders and scott swain. a tornado tag team match consists of six fighters fighting on the same canvas, at the same time, divided into two teams. This is what the theological world looked like in 2016 on the hotly debated eternal generation of Christ. This book is the final fruit of those debates and the vindication of the eternal generation of Christ by a new generation. it is a doctrine worth defending, and one that most of us never seriously thought about, even until a few years ago. Personal highlights for me include essays by matthew emerson on proverbs 8, don carson on john 5:26, and christina larsen on jonathan edwards: “for edwards, eternal generation is central to the church’s confession because, in a way, or another, the eternal happiness of the father in his glorious son is at the beginning and at the end of all things.” Amen. it’s an important debate, and sanders, swain and company. they have delivered a book worth reading with care and delight.
previous books of the year
2016: the esv reader’s bible in six volumes (crossway)
2015: randy alcorn, happiness (tyndale)
2014: tim keller, prayer: experiencing awe and intimacy with god (dutton)
2013: Tom Schreiner, The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments (Baker)
2012: steve dewitt, eyes wide open: enjoying god in everything (creed)
2011: Greg Beale, A Biblical Theology of the New Testament: Unfolding the Old Testament in the New (Baker)
2010: Don Carson, Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus (Crossway) and the God Who’s There: Finding Your Place in God’s Story (Baker)
2009: Bruce Gordon, Calvin (Yale)
2008: the esv study bible (crossway) and herman bavinck, reformed dogmatics (baker)
2007: Bruce Waltke, An Old Testament Theology: An Exegetical, Canonical, and Thematic Approach (Zondervan)
2006: Joel Beeke and Randall Pederson, Meet the Puritans: With a Guide to Modern Reprints (Reformation Legacy)
See Also: Preschool Books About Balls