Around the web
It’s been a happy last month, in terms of reviews and references across the web. I already linked in a previous post to the double-review of my two books on Scripture in Christian Century. Here are some other links and bits of news, gathered here, as in the olden days, on the blog, since I don’t have a Twitter or Facebook profile from which to share these things with the world:
Cole Hartin reviews The Doctrine of Scripture in the latest Scottish Journal of Theology. He’s very kind, though he doesn’t think it’s perfect. He does call the book, and I quote, “jaunty” in the opening line of the review. Jaunty!
Brandon Crowe reviews The Doctrine of Scripture in the latest issue of The Expository Times. He’s less enamored of the book, understandably so from his Reformed perspective. I do wish he might have found some virtues in the work, granted our theological disagreements. Though perhaps he didn’t find (m)any to speak of.
I have it on good authority that reviews of The Doctrine of Scripture are imminently forthcoming in Stone-Campbell Journal, co-written by C. Leonard Allen and Lauren Smelser White, and in Pro Ecclesia, written by Brett Vanderzee. Also a review of The Church’s Book in The Expository Times by Gregory Vall. I’ve heard about others through the grapevine, but nothing as concrete or imminent.
The week of Thanksgiving, Christianity Today published a short piece by Kaitlyn Schiess called “Thanks Be to God for Scripted Gratitude.” It references The Church’s Book alongside J. Todd Billings and Ellen Davis (not too shabby company, that) to talk about giving liturgical thanks for the reading of Scripture in worship. A former student of mine who follows Schiess pointed me to it. Lovely!
On Thanksgiving Day, Comment published a wonderful essay by Caitrin Keiper, an editor at Plough and The New Atlantis I’ve had the pleasure to work with before. It’s called “Heartbeat of the World,” and uses her own story of giving birth to think about natality, motherhood, Christmas, and C-sections. She graciously quotes from my essay for Christian Century a few years back called “Birth on a Cross.” Very much worth a read.
Back in April, Trevin Wax wrote a piece for The Gospel Coalition called “Bible Reading in an Age of Double Literacy Loss.” It uses my reflections on this blog about literal and biblical illiteracy as a point of departure for thinking about lay reading of the Bible today. Thanks to Trevin for a stimulating response.
Finally, I noticed that, sometime after AAR/SBL/Thanksgiving, my second book—The Church’s Book (I know, I know, writing it out like that is so clunky)—which is usually a whopping $50, is now selling for a hair under $25. Buy it today! Even if it means patronizing the Bezos Beast. I’ll give you preemptive absolution, just this one time.
