A World Ablaze by Craig Harline

A World Ablaze by Craig Harline ISBN-13: 9780190275181 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Oxford University Press Released: Oct. 26, 2017

Source: Review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Amazon:
October 2017 will mark 500 years since Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenburg, launching the Protestant Reformation. At least, that's what the legend says. But with a figure like Martin Luther, who looms so large in the historical imagination, it's hard to separate the legend from the life, or even sometimes to separate assorted legends from each other. Craig Harline aims to do just that. He tells the riveting story of the first crucial years of Luther's fame, from 1517 to early 1522.


My Review:
A World Ablaze focused on Martin Luther's life between Oct. 31, 1517 (when his 95 theses were posted on the church door in Wittenberg) to the Diet of Worms, his "exile" at Wartburg, and his return to Wittenberg in the spring of 1522. There was also a chapter summarizing Luther's life before this time and a chapter on what happened afterward (until his death).

The author summarized the gist of what Luther wrote and believed during this period, but the focus was equally on the political situation surrounding Luther. We got details about the various meetings that Luther went to and short biographies about the major players, like Frederick the Wise and the Pope. The book wasn't really about the theological issues (why Luther believed what he believed) but rather the impact those ideas had. The author wrote for the average person, and he tried to inject humor into the subject. Unfortunately, that humor usually had me rolling my eyes rather than laughing, but it may appeal to other people. Overall, I enjoyed this book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Martin Luther by Herman Selderhuis

Martin Luther by Herman Selderhuis ISBN-13: 9781433556944 Hardcover: 288 pages Publisher: Crossway Released: Oct. 31, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from NetGalley:
Martin Luther is well known for initiating one of the most influential movements in church history—the Reformation. But this fascinating nonconformist, praised as a hero or criticized as a heretic throughout history, was first and foremost a man searching for God. This new biography by leading Reformation scholar Herman Selderhuis digs deep into the heart and mind of Luther, following him on his spiritual journey and revealing the many facets of his powerful personality, from loving husband and father, to serious monk, to feared opponent, to compelling preacher and writer. Selderhuis supplements his work with Luther's own words to help us see him as a man of flesh and blood, full of faith and full of faults, with a deep longing to live for God.


My Review:
Martin Luther is a biography on Martin Luther. The author described Luther's life from birth to death while focusing on his developing theology. The author summarized and quoted Martin Luther's own letters and writings. He also noted what people who knew Luther at the time said about him and some of what was going on in the world that influenced what he wrote about (actions by the Pope, Emperor, Turks, etc.). I thought that the author did a good job of showing the good along with the bad in a way that showed Luther as human but remained respectful of all the positive that Luther did. You get to know the man, not the legend.

The author covered where Luther went, what he experienced, his family life, and his health issues. But mainly he focused on what Luther's beliefs were, why he believed these things, and how these beliefs changed over his lifetime. Initially, this was handled by explaining what types of debates Luther was dealing with, what he said, and who influenced his thinking. Near the end, this became more topical--for example, what did Luther say about Jews (or Muslims, death, etc.), how did that change, and why did it change?

I found this book very interesting and informative. I felt like the author explained the various theological concepts clearly so I could easily understand the points being made. Overall, I'd highly recommend this biography to anyone interested in Martin Luther or the Reformation.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Prayers for Hope and Healing by Sarah Forgrave

Prayers for Hope and Healing by Sarah Forgrave ISBN-13: 9780736971515 Hardcover: 160 pages Publisher: Harvest House Publishers Released: Oct. 1, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Serious or chronic medical issues bring a litany of painful and confusing feelings that only someone else who's been in a similar situation could possibly understand. Sarah Forgrave has walked the difficult road you find yourself on. No matter the road ahead, you don't have to face it alone. Even in the depths of your worst emotional and physical pain, God is right there beside you, offering His comfort, love, and peace.

As you read these heartfelt prayers and devotions, let this book be your manual to help navigate the difficult set of emotions that come with health issues. Read it front to back or go directly to the devotion addressing how you feel at any given moment...when you need it the most.


My Review:
Prayers for Hope and Healing is a prayer book covering 44 topics. You go to the issue(s) you're dealing with to read that entry. Most of the prayers seemed targeted at people who have to stay in the hospital, make many doctor's visits, have surgeries, and the like. For example, there's a prayer about difficulty sleeping in a hospital room and a prayer about difficulty sleeping due to medication, etc. There were also prayers about feeling bored, having too many visitors, or feeling lonely because no one is visiting. She has prayers asking God to help you continue to follow doctor's orders or continue to take pills that are hard to take or have bad side effects. Some prayers had a wider audience, like when you're angry with God for not healing you or you're losing your faith or you feel far from God.

Each prayer started with one or two Bible verses related to that topic. The author made a few "I know how it is" comments and invited the reader to trust God. Then there's a prayer for you to read. My overall impression was that the author looked to doctors for healing and to God for the hope, peace, and strength to make it through. As God made the universe (including my body), knows how everything works, and can heal with a word (and can heal me when the doctors can't), I was disappointed that God seemed relegated to a more emotional-support role.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Renegade: Martin Luther by Andrea Grosso Ciponte, Dacia Palmerino

Renegade: Martin Luther by Andrea Grosso Ciponte, Dacia Palmerino ISBN-13: 9780874862072 Paperback: 160 pages Publisher: Plough Publishing House Released: Oct. 9, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Five hundred years ago a brash young monk single-handedly confronted the most powerful institutions of his day. His bold stand sparked the Protestant Reformation and marked one of the great turning points in history. Martin Luther, a spiritual and historical giant, is loved and hated to this day – and for good reason.

The anniversary of the revolution he helped start has produced a spate of doorstop-sized biographies. Luckily, today there exists a more accessible format that does justice to such a colorful, complex character and his tumultuous life and times – the graphic novel. Each chapter of Luther’s life comes vividly to life thanks to cutting-edge graphic techniques, meticulous historical research, and compelling writing.


My Review:
Renegade is a graphic novel biography of Martin Luther's life. I assume the intended audience is protestant Christians, so I was surprised by the gore and use of bad language. A couple bad guys say things like "D*mned stubborn idiots!" and even Luther says, "Who the h*ll does she want?"

I understand that life and war back then were pretty cruel, but I was surprised by the focus on gore when the graphic novel format limits how much information can be included. Why not focus more on what Luther did and said rather than panel after panel of scenes of people dying horribly or him being bored during a time when he was hiding? Some pages showed people impaled on a tree, a woman slowly burning to death, and rows of hanged people with broken necks. We even get three panels focusing on a severed head that's impaled on a large hook.

The novel started with Luther as a youth and followed him until he died. It also showed how other people used the sentiments that Luther stirred up in the peasants to start a war. There were several pages with Luther in old age preaching against the Jews and blaming them for his sickness, plus some scenes after his death. I'll accept that Luther's marriage might not have been a love match, but he's shown as not even respecting her even as he agrees to marry her. I don't know--maybe Luther wasn't such a great guy, but I would have liked more on what he preached and did that lasted. It's what lasted that I'm interested in.

Update: After reading this book, I read two text-based biographies about Martin Luther. This is a case where a picture was not worth a thousand words. Some of the pictures in the graphic novel have meaning if you know Luther's story but meant little to me when I didn't. Also, the graphic novel didn't always accurately portray Luther. Sometimes it was due to pacing, like Luther bad mouthing Kate and considering marrying her within the same scene. Sometimes it was going with legend, like the inkpot and the devil before inkpots were used. Sometimes, it just wasn't accurate, like how he's shown as paranoid against the Jews. While he did write some unfortunate things regarding Jews, both text-based biographies said it was because he was frustrated that the Jews weren't converting to Christianity.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt:

Enjoying God by R. C. Sproul

Enjoying God by R. C. Sproul ISBN-13: 9780801075483 Paperback: 240 pages Publisher: Baker Books Released: Sept. 19, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Confused, angry, and hurt after the death of his father, a young R. C. Sproul began his personal search for ultimate truth with these piercing questions: Who are you, God? And why do you do the things you do?

In Enjoying God, readers journey with R. C. Sproul to discover the attributes of God through the questions many of us have asked: Where are you, God? Can I trust you, God? and more. Dr. Sproul communicates deep truths in a fresh and easy-to-understand style as he shares his passion to know God and urges the reader to dig deep and seek the God who is alive, who is real, and who loves each one of us.


My Review:
Enjoying God looked at several of God's attributes, like omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, infallible, truth, justice, love, unity and diversity. Though written for the lay person, it's more an exercise in logic and philosophy than worshipful contemplation. For example, he tried to explain infinity (though he admits that finite beings have trouble with this concept). He delved into what is a being and how this shows that God is the Supreme Being. He explained how God is present in all places, yet He's not creation. He talked about how omnipotence means that God has complete power over His creation, not that He has the power to do things that go against His nature.

I appreciated the author's theology and enjoyed what he wrote. He did a decent job of explaining concepts that most people have trouble grasping. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

I'm Not a Scaredy-Cat by Max Lucado

I'm Not a Scaredy-Cat: A Prayer for When You Wish You Were Brave by Max Lucado, Illustrations: Shirley Ng-Benitez ISBN-13: 9780718074913 Hardback: 32 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: Oct. 3, 2017

Source: Review copy from the publisher through BookLook.com.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
I’m a big cat. I’m a strong cat. I’m not a scaredy-cat . . . except when . . .

From New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado comes I’m Not a Scaredy-Cat, a hilarious new picture book to help kids manage their fears and worries and learn to trust God.

Follow a silly series of misadventures as scaredy-cat faces his worst fears: an appalling abundance of (gulp!) yellow and pink sprinkles on his donut, an elephant on the verge of a ginormous sneeze, and the terrifyingly loud chime of a clock. For each of the fears, Max provides this reassuring prayer for children:

“God, you are good.
God, you are near.
God, you are here!
And, God, you love me.”

A fun read for children and parents, I’m Not a Scaredy-Cat will open doors for important conversations about fear in a nonthreatening way and help you instill godly bravery in your kids.


My Review:
I'm Not a Scaredy-Cat is Christian juvenile fiction that suggests praying when you're afraid. It's a short, hardback book which follows a cute young cat that gets frighten by things like loud noises or unexpected things. They're generally things which kids can relate to but exaggerated so that they're funny rather than fear-inspiring. The illustrations are charming and make the cat engaging.

There are four sections that start with the "I'm not a scaredy-cat" sequence and end with the "Then I pray: 'God, you are good. God, you are near. God, you are here! And, God, you love me.' And I feel better" sequence. The fears range from scary noises to things that make you feel uneasy (like falling leaves or going down a slide) to times when you don't know what to do (like an elephant about to sneeze on you or a caterpillar on your foot) to when you feel skittish and tearful (like getting soaked in the rain or when a bunch of clocks chime).

I'm not sure how well the book would work by itself, but it certainly provides jumping-off points for discussing the fears that child has (some of which may not be rational) and how praying and trusting that God loves you and is near (to protect you, I presume) can help. Overall, I'd recommend this fun children's book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Four Birds of Noah’s Ark: A Prayer Book from the Time of Shakespeare by Thomas Dekker

Four Birds of Noah’s Ark: A Prayer Book from the Time of Shakespeare by Thomas Dekker, Robert Hudson (Editor) ISBN-13: 9780802874818 Paperback: 176 pages Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company Released: Oct. 1, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from NetGalley:
As the Black Death ravaged London in 1608, the theaters closed, many people moved out of town for safety, and playwrights scrambled to find other outlets for their talent. While Shakespeare retreated to his hometown of Stratford, Thomas Dekker wrote Four Birds of Noah's Ark, a book containing fifty-six prayers for the people of London and all of England.

Dekker's prayers bear witness to his deep faith and profound understanding of human psychology with a power and poignancy that few written prayers in English literature achieve. Bringing this devotional classic back into print for the first time since 1924, editor Robert Hudson has included a fine introduction, annotated the prayers, and modernized the language without sacrificing any of its beauty and simplicity.

This lovely book at once surprises and enchants with its literary voice, devotional heart, and accessible writing.


My Review:
Four Birds of Noah’s Ark is a prayer book written in 1608 during an outbreak of the Black Death. Unsurprisingly, the author (a playwright) worked the thought that death could happen at any time into many of his prayers.

The prayers were divided into 4 sections. The first section had prayers for common laborers, like sailors, midwives, women about the give birth, apprentices, servants, and farmers. The second section contained prayers for the more upper class people, like the clergy, lawyers, king, and nobles. The third section had prayers about the seven deadly sins. The fourth section had prayers thanking God for our salvation through Jesus Christ. The final section was a collection of sayings by early church fathers, like Augustine, Jerome, and Gregory.

This version has updated the language of the original prayers so that modern readers can understand his meaning. The prayers give a unique perspective on the thoughts and beliefs of the time period, or at least of Thomas Dekker. The prayers were based off of Scripture and had sentiments even modern readers can relate to. Overall, I'd recommend this book if you find old prayer books interesting.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.