Discovering Dispensationalism, Tracing the Development of Dispensational Thought from the First to the Twenty-First Century
Discovering Dispensationalism seeks to correct the many misconceptions that some have of dispensational theology (p. 6) and present a clear and accurate understanding of its teachings. Editors Cory Marsh and James Fazio, both professors at Southern California Seminary, have formed a team of a dozen dispensational scholars who trace dispensational ideas from the first century […]
Dispensational Hermeneutics, Interpretation Principles That Guide Dispensationalism’s Understanding of the Bible’s Storyline
Michael Vlach is currently a professor at Shepherds Theological Seminary and is one of the leading promoters and defenders of dispensational theology. In this slim but packed volume, he skillfully outlines the hermeneutical approach used by dispensationalists (chapters 1-4) and contrasts that approach to the ones used by non-dispensationalists (chapters 5-6). His stated purpose is […]
Enjoying the Bible, Literary Approaches to Loving the Scriptures
Matthew Mullins is a professor of English and history of ideas at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and this book reflects his literary background and expertise. He believes that many do not read the Bible because they approach it as an instruction manual and soon get bored. This hermeneutic of information should be replaced, or at […]
God’s Battle Plan for the Mind, the Puritan Practice of Biblical Meditation
This small volume touts the importance of biblical meditation as practiced and promoted by the Puritans. The book is filled with scores of quotes from the writings of the Puritans, all chosen to either instruct or inspire the reader to a deeper level of mediation. The author’s goal is to “convince God’s people of the […]
A Primer on Biblical Literacy
Cory Marsh is a professor of New Testament at Southern California Seminary. He is concerned about biblical literacy, what it is, why Christians should be biblically literate, and how they can become biblically literate (pp. vii-viii). Starting with the premise that the Bible can and should be understood (p. xv), Marsh makes a case for […]
Mysteries of the Messiah, Unveiling Divine Connections from Genesis to Today
Jason Sobel, a Messianic Jewish rabbi, believes he has found a secret, encoded, cryptic messages from the Bible. His method is primarily the use of numerology, a branch of knowledge that ascribes numerical value to words and letters and then attempts to reveal hidden insights. Numerology, when applied to Scripture, has been called “Bible codes” […]
Crash Course, Forming a Faith Foundation for Life
Crash Course is a 100-day devotional manual targeting teenagers. The author wants to help his readers become followers of Christ by discussing five critical areas: doctrine, decisions, direction, devotion and delight. Each of these areas is addressed in 20 two-page devotionals, complete with an introduction, bottom line summary, application, prayer and passage of Scripture. The […]
Final Word, Why We Need the Bible by John MacArthur
This short work is vintage MacArthur, as he expounds on his favorite subject: truth as found in Scripture. There is nothing new here if you have read MacArthur previously. As a matter of fact, I had the distinct impression throughout that I had read all of this before, especially his excellent exposition of Psalm 19. […]
The History of God Speaking and what God is Saying Today
by Les Martin (Meadville, PA: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc., 2021) 228 pp., $18.95 In this finely crafted volume, Dr. Les Martin traces the revelation of God to mankind throughout the entirety of Scripture. The ultimate aim of the book is to determine if God continues to speak today, and, if so, how. The final chapter […]
The Origin of the Chapters and Verses in the Bible by Laurence M. Vance
Laurence M. Vance’s short but scholarly booklet traces the origin of chapter and verse insertions into the biblical text. While these divisions have been maligned by some (p. 5), they have proven to be extremely beneficial to the readers of Scripture. As might be suspected those who first thought of dividing the Bible in this […]