Bible Review

NIV Essentials Study Bible

The NIV Essentials Study Bible is a study bible that brings together content from 6 other study bibles, including the NIV Study Bible, the Student Bible, and the Archaeological Study Bible.  The spectrum of commentary includes both academic and devotional content.  It includes a variety of charts, maps and various visual aids.  Though this bible includes so much diverse content in addition to the NIV text of the bible itself, it is of comparable size and heft to that of other study bibles.

I don't like this bible at all.  Good study bible content should all be united in purpose so as not to distract or confuse the readers.  Since this bible brings together content from so many different sources, all having various purposes, it is a bit convoluted.  Moreover, in order to cram so much content into one volume, it must be extremely selective in the content from each study bible that makes it into this one.  Thus, it leaves us with a very diluted compilation of study material.  I don't think the benefit of having a helpful study tool in one volume outweighs the cost of leaving out so much content and thus leaving readers with a sparse and confusing study bible.

Bible Review

NIV ReadEasy Bible

The NIV ReadEasy Bible is a compact, large-print bible with an attractively simple faux-leather cover.  There is no additional content besides the two-column format of the 2011 NIV text.  It is designed to lay flat when open.

I really like the combination between its compact size and large-print format as large-print bibles usually are much more bulky.  However, because of its thickness, it doesn't lay flat quite as nicely as thinline bibles do.  When, preaching from this Bible, I found it was always easy to find my place in the text from the pulpit.  As a side note, I don't like that the words of Jesus are printed in red letters because it might confuse readers by leading them to believe those words are verbatim quotations and/or that they are more important than the rest of Holy Scripture.

My favorite thing about this bible is the text itself.  The NIV's translation philosophy is often criticized by those who prefer a more formal, word-for-word translation (i.e. NASB, RSV, ESV).  Critics argue that the NIV fails to stick as closely as possible to the original languages.  However, more wooden translations tend to become an obscure form of English as they try to mimic the grammar and syntax of the original languages.  The original meaning of scripture can therefore become ironically difficult to understand for the modern English-speaker.  The NIV, I think, is successful in maintaining this original meaning in the kind of English the average person uses in everyday conversation.

I would recommend this Bible to anyone.

Book Review

Passion: The Bright Light of Glory

By Louie Giglio 

With contributions from Francis Chan, Beth Moore, John Piper, Judah Smith, Christine Caine

Summary:

Passion is a collaboration of several well-known evangelical pastors and scholars involved in the Passion conference movement for college students.  The vision of the Passion movement is to 1) reach college students during the time of their lives that will most powerfully influence the trajectory of the rest of their lives, and 2) develop an intense and lasting desire to have their lives transformed by the gospel.  Throughout the book, various authors expound on aspects of the life and work of Jesus such that readers are called to faith that leads to a life of aligning their purposes with those of Jesus.  

Analysis:

Passion is a great read because of its simplicity and freshness.  The authors write in a practical and engaging way.  A common thread in each chapter is a presentation of the distinction between what most of us consider “the normal Christian life” and what Jesus considers to be the normal Christian life.  In this sense it is convicting in that young people are generally too wrapped up in consumerism, comfort and entertainment.  However, the authors present the gospel in a way that empowers the reader to realign their lives with Jesus’ purposes, namely our spiritual formation and mission to the world.  Passion would be a great gift for graduates!

Ridiculous ESV of the Day

Gal. 6:12 ESV It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be
circumcised….

Homosexuality & Evangelical Christianity

There's no doubt that the LGBT movement and Evangelicalism misunderstand each other.  Generally, from the LGBT perspective, calling homosexuality a sin is the same as calling gay people unequal and inferior.  On the other hand, from the Evangelical perspective, promoting equal rights for gay married couples is the same as religious intolerance.  Both sides make the mistake of vilifying the other to further their cause.

One well-known evangelical pastor in New York offers valuable insight into how we ought to respond to this divide.  In the context of this interview at the 2013 Faith Angle Forum put on by the Ethics & Public Policy Center, Pastor Timothy Keller says:

"He (Jonathan Rauch) says if orthodox faith does morph to the place where people still have that high view of the text, they are still people “of the Book”, and we have completely embraced the idea of homosexuality as one way of loving and marriage, if that does happen, it will take a long time, a very long time. Not the sort of thing that could happen in 20 years or 50 years, in which case we need to learn to live together. We really have got to be civil to each other on the way. 

We can’t do what we did in the civil rights movement, which is basically shame the one group out of the public sphere. Don’t do that or you are going to find it is not going to work. It is going to create terrific civil strife because that 30 percent of devout people is a big number of people. Not enough to win an election, but you certainly can’t just marginalize them and say you are beyond the pale. You’ve got to show respect. They have to show respect, too. 

So I would just plead for civility and say to Christians, because of what Miroslav Volf says about Christian identity — it is not based on difference, at least it shouldn’t be, it doesn’t have to be — therefore, in some ways, we should be the peacemakers. We should be the people who are the least threatened. We should be the people who are most willing to say, “Let’s talk” and be civil and the most gracious. And we should at least try to take the lead in that. We may not be listened to. So there are some ideas."

I agree that you can't expect evangelicals, who are marked by their faith in the authority of the Bible, to change their minds about homosexuality being a sin.  After all, this is the common sense reading of the Bible (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Timothy 1:8-11).  To expect evangelicals to change their minds is to ask them not to be faithful to their religion and to their God.  To truly be motivated by equality and tolerance means being okay with evangelicals refusing to celebrate homosexuality.

On the other hand, evangelicals ought to be the first to pursue peace and cordiality.  That is, if they are in fact marked by their faith in the authority of the Bible.  After all, one of the most significant themes in the Bible is to demonstrate love to your neighbor that is motivated by God's selfless, redeeming love for us (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 7:12, 18:21-35; Mark 12:31; Galatians 5:14; Ephesians 5:2).

If evangelicals want to be consistent with the book they hold so dear, they ought to extend the same love and grace to everyone regardless of their failures, sins, addictions, opinions, etc.  There are two things that are true of everyone according to the Bible.  1. EVERYONE is created in the image of God and equally so (Genesis 1:26-27).  2. EVERYONE is a sinner and equally so in terms of the extent to which they've offended the God of the Bible (Romans 3:9-18).  To regard anyone as inferior or to single out any one type of sinner would be to disobey the Bible.  It is possible to love someone you believe is a sinner.  If this was not a possibility, salvation for evangelicals would be impossible (Ephesians 2:1-10).  

Really ESV??? Really???

Rom. 14:22 ESV The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God.

ESV Oops of the Day

1 Tim. 3:8 ESV Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain

So glad my deacons only have one tongue.