I grade books in five categories so that the maximum score is a 10. Each book can get a zero, 1, or 2 according to the grid below. My scores follow the book title in the list below.\u00a0 Under each title is a summary of the book’s main point in a sentence.<\/p>\n
Awards:<\/b><\/p>\n Scoring:<\/b><\/p>\n 0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The book was notable for lacking this category repeatedly. Non-Fiction Categories:<\/b><\/p>\n Non-Fiction Books of 2014 (29)<\/strong><\/p>\n Fiction Categories:<\/b><\/p>\n Fiction Books of 2014 (6)<\/strong><\/p>\n If you made it this far and want the chart that breaks each book’s scoring down per category, I can send it to you<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I grade books in five categories so that the maximum score is a 10. Each book can get a zero, 1, or 2 according to the grid below. My scores follow the book title in the list below.\u00a0 Under each … Continue reading \n
\n1\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The book dipped into this category at times.
\n2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The book consistently demonstrated this category.<\/p>\n\n
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\nCharismaticism is a deep well of theological errors. Filled with good bad examples and Biblical insight.<\/li>\n
\nAn American businessman tries to fight poverty for a decade in Haiti and discovers that their poverty has spiritual causes.<\/li>\n
\nComparing the culture of modernity with medievalism, the past provides a better blueprint for an ideal Christian culture than the present.<\/li>\n
\nWatts labored as a pastor and author for 50 years writing hymns as well as theology, devotion, logic, science, letters, etc. I\u2019ve read 2 of his books and a booklet of poems, but I\u2019d like all his works.<\/li>\n
\nMasculinity comes to maturity in fatherhood. His writing seems effortless with metaphors in nearly every paragraph.<\/li>\n
\nMakujina starts with mature exegesis and then discusses performer appearance, musical meaning, aesthetics, psychology, and history. Heavily footnoted, saturated with examples. 60 pages of appendices.<\/li>\n
\nA collection of sermons with a pair of introductory essays. Any element in the text that strongly moves our passions is a signpost to Jesus either positively or negatively.<\/li>\n
\nMany insights around the major topics stemming from worship, especially preaching.<\/li>\n
\nKuyper tried to apply Christianity to all areas of life, and Mouw tries to use him to support his moderate-liberal views of culture, politics, and economics.<\/li>\n
\nA retelling of Lewis\u2019 Screwtape Letters for a modern audience. Second reading.<\/li>\n
\nIn 6 lengthy lectures, Kuyper identifies Calvinism applied to every area of life as a Christian worldview and the only path for success. Not much Bible; lots of history and philosophy.<\/li>\n
\nMen don\u2019t go to church because it is effeminate these days. His solutions are marinated in pop culture and marketing studies. The Bible is not important to this book.<\/li>\n
\nTolkien\u2019s Middle Earth is classic and enduring fiction because it is based on a Christian perspective of heroes, history, and creation.<\/li>\n
\nChristian worship should be restricted to those elements that are in Scripture. Debatable points throughout the book, but plentiful references to Scripture and history.<\/li>\n
\nPink was insightful, hardworking, and lonely. The last few chapters were the best.<\/li>\n
\nThe cultural forces unleashed from 1958-1974 represent the greatest causes of decline in societal goodness, truth, and beauty. Conservative Catholic with no Scripture.<\/li>\n
\nThe Baptists are right.<\/li>\n
\nSince independence in the 50\u2019s, Africa\u2019s problems have multiplied in nearly every social, economic, and political sphere. The history implies that the African worldview cannot discover goodness, truth, and beauty.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>Good preaching comes from good studying. He also presents a method for sermon preparation that includes two tools for developing a thesis and outline: block diagramming and plural noun summary.<\/li>\n
\nA score of essays about preaching where the main goal is to teach the Bible. MacArthur\u2019s essays are the best.<\/li>\n
\nOn 6 key issues Keller’s teaching varies between mushy and dangerous. Convincing. (inerrancy, sin, hermeneutics, hell, evolution, and social ministry)<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>A guide for writing about personal interest topics like \u201cpeople and places\u201d that is overtly and repeatedly modern. Except where it is postmodern.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>The glory of Western culture springs from its Christian roots though the foundation is greatly weakened today.<\/li>\n
\n\u201c[O]thers in the castle [where Tyndale was held for his trial and execution] confirmed that if Tyndale was not a true Christian, then there was no such thing.\u201d<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>How Christians can reduce poverty around the world without evangelism or making the poor feel too bad about the culture that produced their economic misery.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>The Anabaptists were Biblical Christians who opposed the \u201cstatism\u201d of the Reformers. All of the differences between these two groups stem from their respective definitions of the church.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>The first missionaries to Madagascar were kicked out after 17 years of ministry, but the persecuted believers have stayed strong and even grown.<\/li>\n
\nSouthern slavery in the US was not always a sin, nor was it as bad as modern writers say it was.<\/li>\n
\nPop culture isn\u2019t Christian culture.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
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\n<\/strong>My seventh reading.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>South Africa\u2019s 300-year history fictionally retold from a liberal perspective. An engaging way to learn about history, especially important for us.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>Grace is more powerful and beautiful than law, but since he doesn\u2019t have a Christian perspective, the picture is often skewed. He missed a number of good chances to put down his pen.<\/li>\n
\nMy sixth reading, I think.<\/li>\n
\nThe blacks of South Africa were degraded, violent, and impoverished in 1948 largely because of the whites\u2019 colonial policies.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>Big surprise: Girls really want to get married. And guys want it too. Almost like they were designed for it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n