Women of Grace and Guts

This historical work by Juila Jones covers a fairly little known aspect of mission in India at the beginning of the twentieth century. I suppose this is pretty ordinary and unspectacular work but it has produced fruit that continues to this day. The unusual aspect of what is presented is that it concentrates on the the work of women who, as the title suggests, are marked by grace and guts (Winifred Booth, Ruth Morling, Olive Elliot and others, including the many Indian Bible women). The story deserves to be rescued from the yellowing pages of the SBM Herald and presented in this way. This well reasearched, well illustrated work is well worth seeking out. (One or two typos but no-one is perfect).

Thomas Bilney: Forgotten Reformer

This brief little book seeks to rehabilitate the little known martyr Thomas Bilney. Information about Bilney is limited but Stuart Fisher has done a very thorough job in gathering what there is and presenting the material in a warm and devoted way. Two appendices show that Foxe's history can be relied on and that although Bilney recanted once he did not do so a second time. The timeline and the many illustrations add to the attractiveness of the book, part of an excellent Day One series.

Shapers of Christianity

These twelve biographies originally appeared in the Banner of Truth Magazine. Some of the material can also be found in Nick Needham's church history series. They have value, however, as a collection and I enjoyed reading them all in one session. They give a sweep through the length and breadth of Christian history and are wrtitten succinctly, knowledgeably and judiciousy. Each one is brief and to the point but guarded in what it commends. A great book for anyone with no church history and anyone with a vast knowledge too. Great book.

The Child is Father to the Man by Tom Nettles

On reflection, this 2021 book about Spurgeon by Tom Nettles could be better titled. The reason it has the title it has is because Dr Nettles works through ten themes or keynotes that were part and parcel of Spurgeon's life from his youth onwards (Calvinism, being a Baptist, preaching, evangelism, poor physical and mental health, a helpful self-centredness, contending for the faith, being slandered, the Bible). It is intended to be a companion to the much larger biography Nettles produced in 2013. To be frank, that work rather collapsed under its own weiht and so this companion volume is worth doing and most will be wisest to begin here.

Day Off Week 27 2024

I managed to have a traditional day off this week. That is to say I did some reading (a small paperback - a biography of Leslie Land by Ian Shaw and a large hardback - Unruly by David Mitchell). I also went out for a coffee. There was also time to further one or two projects I am working on. I enjoyed the day.

10 Shapers of Christianity

Spending the week listening to Nick Needham has reminded me that in 2022 and 2023 Nick did a series of articles in the Banner of Truth Magazine on Shapers of Christianity. I think there were 12 all told. Here are ten

1. 705 Irenaeus of Lyons (fl 175-195)
2. 706 Gregory of Nazianzus (AD 330-390)
3. 707/8 Anselm of Canterbury (AD 1033-1109)
4. 709 Theophylact of Ochrid (1050–1109)
5. 710 John Wycliffe (c 1320-1384)
6. 711 Peter Martyr (1499-1562)
7. 712 Tikhon of Zadonsk (1724–83)
8. 713 J Gresham Machen (1881-1937)
9. 716 Frances Turretin (1623-1687)
10. 717 John Wesley (1703-91)

(The other two were - 719/20 Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield 1851–1921 and 721 Philip Schaff 1819-1893)

Christmas Books 2020

 

One of the joys of Christmas is getting presents and one of the joys of presents is getting books. These eight have come to me over the last few weeks from my sons and other relatives. Inevitably, one or two I already had, which can't be helped. One or two I bought myself for my wife t give me (!). Over the holiday I have read The Hitler Conspiracies and The Chieftains and have just started on Matthew Parris's biographical work Fracture.

My oldest son often buys me books on Hitler. This one by one of the premier historians in the field is very timely in that it explores five conspiracy theories connected with Hitler (including why Hess flew to Britain and whether Hitler survived the Berlin bunker) and so inevitably discusses the whole phenomenon of such theories, increasingly a part of modern life. It also served as a reminder to me that one of the many reasons why I could never have been an academic (despite its attractions) is that you have to spend time dealing with cranks and their crazy ideas. Here Evans is very gracious as he works away what are sometimes the dumbest theories. It makes the book a little long but there is no other way of dealing with a fool apart from ignoring them. Anyway the Hitler book was great and very stimulating.. The Chieftains book is 25 years old. It only goes up to 1995. it was good to have the background, however, and to discover I am not so unusual in liking Ireland's premier musical outfit. It is an official biography so a bit pedestrian and riddled with proofing errors as all these books tend to be.

I am enjoying Moby Dick in this beautiful Chiltern edition and hope to get to the others I've not read soon. Aren't people kind.