The rise of President Barack Obama and the adulation he’s received says a lot about the way we view leaders. They inspire us. We look to them for hope and security. We believe that if we find the right leader, all will be well and we’ll be in good hands. (more…)
Every now and then, a book comes along that is a must-read. It completely changes the way you think. It changes your attitude towards God. It changes your behaviour. Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges is such a book—a must-read for all Christians. (more…)
One of the things we’re doing as we wrap up the year here at Sola Panel is to ask our contributors to share some of their highlights for the year from the world of reading and the web. Here’s Jean Williams’s contribution:
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2009 marks John Calvin’s 500th birthday. 500 years on, he is still a figure of controversy. Sure, his Institutes of the Christian Religion still stands as arguably the guide to the biblical Christian faith. (more…)
Perhaps the best book I’ve read this year is Unpacking Forgiveness by Chris Brauns. I’d like to write a full review for The Briefing. But in case I don’t get round to it, here’s a plug. (more…)
Today die-hard fans are rejoicing over the release of New Moon, the second movie in the Twilight series based on the bestselling quartet of books by American author Stephenie Meyer. For those who have been living in a vacuum and therefore don’t know what I’m talking about, the Twilight series is about the relationship between Isabella ‘Bella’ Swan, a child of divorce who goes to live with her father in Forks, Washington, and Edward Cullen, a telepathic 104-year-old vampire who feeds off animals instead of humans and who finds Bella strangely irresistible. The books, with their themes of romance, budding sexuality and forbidden love, are hugely popular—not just with teenage girls (who comprise Meyer’s core audience), but with women of all ages. Furthermore, their status in pop culture has paved the way for a host of other vampire-related literature and entertainment (e.g. True Blood, Vampire Academy, The Vampire Diaries), not to mention an increasing interest in paranormal romance. (For those interested, I’ve blogged elsewhere about Stephenie Meyer, Mormonism, love and Twilight.) (more…)
Chris Castaldo, pastor for outreach and church planting at College Church in Wheaton, has just written a fascinating new book on what it means for a Catholic to become an evangelical Christian. It’s called Holy Ground: Walking with Jesus as a former Catholic. (more…)
Not Under Bondage
Barbara Roberts
Maschil Press, Ballarat, 2008, 196pp.
Divorce and remarriage are always controversial and troubling issues for those who wish to submit to the authority of God’s word. Even for those who have given the subject some thought, it can be challenging to know where the dividing lines lie: we want to affirm the importance of the marriage relationship, yet we’re aware that marriages, like all relationships, can break down. As a result, it can be difficult to know what to teach and how to advise those undergoing marital difficulties. (more…)
If I hadn’t been asked to review this book, I may not have read it. So I’m glad I was asked. Finally Alive by John Piper is simply terrific, and I suggest you grab a copy today.
