On average, we publish around 150 book reviews a year at The Gospel Coalition. Ecclesiastes 12:12 rings true: “Of making many books there is no end.” It’s impossible to read, let alone review, each one. But in addition to our steady line of reviews, we want to highlight other books you should know about. Today we begin a new monthly installment of brief book notices from Fred Zaspel. You can check out more book notices, reviews, author interviews, and book summaries at Books At a Glance.
The Essential Trinity: New Testament Foundations and Practical Relevance
Brandon D. Crowe and Carl R. Trueman, eds.
P&R, 2017
320 pages
If you were hoping this book would enter the fray of the 2016 Trinitarian debates, you’ll be disappointed. But if you’re hoping for solid exegetical grounding for this great Christian distinctive, you’ll be gratified. The contributors present the many and varied strands of thought that form the basis of Trinitarian theology—this doctrine is grounded in a wider range of concepts than you might have thought. Part Two (about half the length of Part One) presents a systematic summary of the doctrine and explores its relevance to such areas of Christian life as worship, prayer, and preaching. An excellent resource and most helpful contribution to Trinitarian discussion.
Knowing the Trinity: Practical Thoughts for Daily Life
Ryan M. McGraw
The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, 2017
142 pages
All Christians acknowledge that the doctrine of the Trinity is essential to Christianity itself, but what bearing it has—or should have—on Christian living and piety is not always recognized. John Owen’s Communion with God stands out as the classic exploration of the devotional dimensions of the doctrine, and Ryan McGraw seeks to do the same more briefly and on a more popular level. McGraw begins by pointing us to Ephesians 2:18—“Through him we both have access to the Father, by one Spirit”—and then spends the rest of his time unpacking the related implications. A worthy introduction to a theme often overlooked.
1, 2, and 3 John (The Story of God Bible Commentary)
Constantine R. Campbell
Zondervan, 2017
272 pages
Perhaps it’s because the structure of John’s letter is notoriously difficult to identify, but I have often found commentaries on 1 John less rewarding than hoped. Constantine Campbell’s new commentary is a delightful exception: He tracks, explains, and applies the apostle’s thought clearly, simply, and effectively. Exegesis, exposition, theology, and application are brought together with eminent precision and clarity (even though I wish he’d taken a different turn on the famously disputed question of the extent of the atonement in 1 John 2:2!). This commentary makes for enjoyable reading for any Christian and will doubtless prove to be an immense help to busy preachers in their sermon preparation.
Paul Copan, Tremper Longman III, Christopher L. Reese, and Michael G. Strauss, eds.
Zondervan, 2017
704 pages
It would be difficult to find a more controversial topic among Christians than the Bible and contemporary science, so this volume is designed both to please and frustrate you many times over! The contributors address important terms and issues belonging to this broad category, the most controversial of which are treated from multiple viewpoints. All the perspectives represented here fall somewhere within the “evangelical” camp (although some push the limits, in my view), and yet all the issues are represented clearly and concisely. The subtitle may seem boastful (“the definitive reference”), but it’s likely accurate: This is a reference work students of the subject will want to have close at hand to find your own and opposing viewpoints laid out in a helpful way. You may want to go elsewhere for more depth, but this will be a starting point for most of your Bible-science inquiries.
