Humble Orthodoxy: A Book Review

Humble Orthodoxy: Holding the Truth High without Putting People Down. By Joshua Harris (with Eric Stanford). Colorado Springs, Colorado: Multnomah Books. pp. 96. 2013. (List Price $9.99 Paperback | $9.99 Kindle)

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4 out of 5 stars

In today’s world there is a growing market for short, simple, low-cost books on specific topics. Humble Orthodoxy is one of these. At 96 pages and about five inches long, the book could easily fit in your pocket. As a hardcover, its likely that the publisher thought its readers would be carrying the book around in a backpack or purse.

Joshua Harris, who I first encountered in the early 2000s via I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Boy Meets Girl, is now a pastor. In that role he’s very aware of the importance of caring for truth and caring for people. In an age and culture where certainty and conviction about the truth the the Bible and the exclusivity of salvation through faith in Christ are rejected as self-righteous and arrogant, Harris points out that uncertainty and a lack of conviction where the Bible is clear proves to be the more arrogant position.

If we’re truly humble, we’ll acknowledge that we need truth from God. We won’t think that we can invent or create our own ideas about who God is. Humility will lead us to accept God’s words and his explanation for the world and our need for salvation.

More than just confronting a lack of conviction on biblical truth under the guise of humility, what he calls “humble heterodoxy,” Harris’ real target is on “arrogant orthodoxy.” As Paul warned his readers in 1 Corinthians, “knowledge puffs up.” Humble Orthodoxy seeks to take the focus off of everyone else and put it squarely on ourselves. Do I measure up to the truth that I proclaim? If not, am I confronting my sin and placing my trust in Christ? While there is a need to confront error, Harris reminds his readers that there is a reason the Bible emphasizes holding on to truth with love.

In all, Harris’ book is a welcome one. It wasn’t too shocking or surprising, but it was a good reminder about the importance of being both humble and orthodox in our teaching and actions. I hope to see the message of humble orthodoxy getting more air time on Christian blogs and in conversations, that we might embody the truths we proclaim.

I received this book for the purposes of writing a review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: Are We Together? #RomanCatholicism

Are We Together? A Protestant Analyzes Roman Catholicism. By R.C. Sproul. Sanford, Florida: Reformation Trust Publishing. pp. 125. 2012. ($17.00 Hardcover)

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Five Stars | Highly Recommended!

The Roman Catholic Church claims more than one billion adherents. As a Protestant, that’s not something I can overlook. Are we all of one faith, with our own particular differences and idiosyncrasies, but a common gospel? The Reformers who birthed Protestantism came to the conclusion that Rome had departed from the biblical gospel. Are things different today?

R.C. Sproul sets out to answer that question with his book Are We Together? A Protestant Analyzes Roman Catholicism. It’s no surprise that Sproul doesn’t think we are together, and each of his chapters address the six main points of difference between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. This is probably his biggest service to readers, focusing on the main issues and not addressing each and every point of difference ad nauseum.

His chapters are:

1. Scripture
2. Justification
3. The Church
4. The Sacraments
5. The Papacy
6. Mary

It is in the chapter on Mary (which was also the most interesting chapter) that Sproul summarizes the greatest difference between the Roman Catholic Church and Protestantism:

The biggest issue in the whole Mariology debate is the sufficiency of Christ. In truth, this is the issue with Roman Catholic theology from beginning to end. It is the issue with Rome’s doctrine of Scripture, its doctrine of justification, and even here, with its doctrine of Mary. Is Christ alone our perfect sacrifice? Does He offer Himself for the sins of His people or is He offered by His mother? Does He alone achieve our redemption or does He have to depend upon the cooperation of His mother? Protestants believe that Christ alone is our justification. (p.115)

It is vitally important that Protestants like myself really understand what the sufficiency of Christ really means and how this differs from Roman Catholic teaching. Although any random person who self-identifies as Roman Catholic may or may not know or believe the official doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, Protestants should be aware of what they themselves believe. This is a good introduction to this very important issue, and I highly recommend it, especially for those who work with and minister to those who claim to follow Rome.

I received this book from the publisher for purposes of review.

Cipriano de Valera: A Spanish Reformer, Part 2

This is the second post in a series. Access prior posts below:

Cipriano de Valera: A Spanish Reformer, Part 1 published September 20, 2011

Apart from the Reina-Valera Bible (1602) and his one-volume work Two Treatises on the Pope and on the Mass (1588), it appears his third most popular work was A Treatise to Confirm the Captives of Barbary (1594). The short biography I found on Valera had this to say about it:

In 1594 he printed a treatise addressed to the Spanish prisoners in Berbery, among whom there had been an evangelical revival. Valera, wishing to strengthen their faith against Popery [Roman Catholicism] and Mahometanism [Islam], expounds to them the doctrine of the Bible, and also refers to the three œcumenical symbols. He exhorts them to show a model life to the heathens. And pray for Spain, he says at the end. (153).

During this time Spain was under constant threat both from the Ottoman Empire and from Barbary (or Berbery) Pirates. Some Spaniards had been captured by the Muslims and Valera heard of their plight. He wrote to them to encourage them in the midst of their current suffering at the hands of both the Papists and Islamists.

The three ecumenical symbols Valera refers to are the Apostles’ Creed (called simply “the Creed”), the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. This section of his letter deals with Trinitarian themes and he calls them to appropriate the faith as their own, unlike their enemies who simply state “we believe what the Church believes” without really knowing or holding to such doctrines.

As I looked for the reference about praying for Spain I became enamored with Valera’s writing. It reminds me of the language of Paul’s letters and Peter’s letters—due largely in part because it is dripping with Scripture. His language is both beautiful and surprisingly easy to translate. I’ve not found an English translation, so I translated it myself:

Pray for our Spain and principally for the king and for all those who have [charge over] the government of the republic, that God give them the grace to read and meditate on the Holy Scripture, without knowledge of which it is impossible for them (as by the same Scripture and by the ancient doctors we have already sufficiently covered) to do their duty, nor for their subjects to be well-governed in the true fear of God: pray also for me. …

I truly remember you in my prayers, asking the Father of mercies to add to your faith, give you patience in your afflictions and captivity, make you firm in the confession of His name, and enrich you with His spiritual gifts, so that when the Lord comes to judge the living and the dead He might find you as such, having made you as such, saying: Come, blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

To the one who, with the Father and with the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns eternally, be glory and honor forever. Amen.

[translation, paragraphing, and minor punctuation mine]

Had the Reformation caught on in Spain I have no doubt that we would be reading his writings just as much as those of Calvin, Luther, and others. It is my hope that as more Hispanics come to faith in Christ they will develop a holy curiosity about their faith heritage. As they study and learn, they will write and share. And who knows? Perhaps in our day we may see the English speaking peoples introduced to these forgotten Reformers who were willing to lose everything for the sake of gaining Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Resources:

I have a longer section of the Valera’s treatise translated into English on sbcIMPACT!

Sources:

Boehmer, Edward & Benjamin B. Wiffen. (1904). Bibliotheca Wiffeniana: Spanish Reformers of Two Centuries from 1520. Karl J. Trübner: Strassburg. Google Books. Digitized May 15, 2008.

Cipriano de Valera. (1854). Tratado para Confirmar en la Fe Cristiana a los Cautivos de Berbería. Reformistas Antiguos Españoles, Tomo VIII. I.R. Baroja. Google Books. Digitized Jul 3, 2008.

Image credit.

A New Believer, a New Baptism

I’ve written about my concerns that our Hispanic ministry has been more like Martha than Mary. This past weekend I was given another anecdote to share. I write this not to criticize our church, since I’ve been on this bandwagon, but because I believe we are at the point of moving forward.

Saturday night after service I received a phone call from one of my friends, “Hey, we’re all going over to so-and-so’s for a cookout. Want to go?” This is one of the things I love about our Hispanic group. We can have a party almost anytime completely at random. Hannah and I were among the first to get there (since these things typically start late), which allowed us to be among the first to leave, around midnight.

One couple there has been fairly regular in attending services. I remembered the wife had filled out one of our connection cards asking for information on how to be baptized. This occurred a while ago, and since I’ve been thinking a lot about our priorities and focus in ministry, I seriously questioned whether or not someone had contacted her about this important question.

After thinking about it for a while and going in and out of the house, I finally mustered the courage to ask. I said, “I heard you had asked about baptism on your connection card. Did anyone ever followed up with you?” She gave me a look of relief mixed with a weariness, “I have been waiting two months for someone to talk to me about it!”

Ouch!

Fortunately, she was very gracious and we were able to sit around a table together: her, her husband, the pastor’s wife, my wife, and I. Not having spoken with a candidate for baptism before, I started with Matthew 28:18-20 and explained that we baptize because Christ commands us to.

Since Jesus said to make disciples and then baptize them, I explained how we become disciples. I wasn’t sure if she was a Christian or not, but after explaining the gospel, she was able to articulate her faith in Christ, which she says happened about two months ago. If we had followed up with her two months ago we could have learned this and rejoiced with her. We could have helped her work through some basic doctrines, including baptism.

Once we were sure of her confession, talking about baptism was a joy. We covered Romans 6:4 and explained the significance of baptism. She grasped this quickly, and after some discussion about how baptism is a celebration and a witness to others, we set a date and encouraged her to invite friends and family to see and rejoice with us when she goes under and come up in a beautiful picture of our identification with Christ.

We’re having a leadership meeting soon, and this topic will definitely be out on the table. Then Hannah and I will meet with this lady and her husband one more time before her baptism to reinforce what she’s learned and to share some encouragement and fellowship together.

Praise God for another sister in Christ!

Book Review: Dug Down Deep

Editor's note: This book was reviewed by my adorable wife (and mother-to-be), Hannah. Don't forget to rank her review (below).

Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris covers profound doctrines of the faith in an entertaining, straightforward way. I dreaded picking up this book because theology books are often better for reference than as cover-to-cover reading material. When I finally read it, Harris peaked my interest with real-life story applications and illustrations. A distinct passion for theology comes out on every page.

Harris’s book addresses the popular idea that theology is a dry study and that we only need to know that God loves us. Actually, we need to know God in order to love and serve God. Just as the author studies his daughter to know her likes and dislikes to be closer in relationship to her, we can study God in a vibrant, enthusiastic manner. The question he always seems to imply with each chapter is, “What will we do with the knowledge of God we have?”

I especially enjoyed the chapters on the church and the Holy Spirit as these areas are sometimes overlooked or ignored in evangelical theology. This book reminded me that the church is central to God’s purpose in the world. Too often we view Christianity through our individualistic mindset, but Harris addresses belief head-on in a biblical way.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers as part of the blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Book Review: Vintage Church

I just finished listening to the audiobook version of Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears. The book is easy to understand, relevant, and more-or-less a thorough treatment of the subject. The authors operate from a framework that desires to remain faithful to the biblical text, a refreshing and trustworthy method that appreciates the authority of Scripture.

The book could be split into two or three parts, with the first section covering a basic theological and doctrinal assessment of the church: its functions, goals, mandate, and structure. Though I am more cautious on the woman's role in teaching, I found this section to be encouraging and biblical. If you seek to operate your church biblically (or go to one that does), this piece will definitely aid you in knowing what's important.

The second section addresses modern expressions of the church. It somewhat blends the purpose statement in the book's subtitle, so it's somewhat doctrinal and somewhat practical. The last section covers the use of technology and the church's role in effecting cultural change. The whole book was quite practical, though most methods are admittedly a bit extra-biblical and are more or less subject to individual church preference.

The narration is well-done and the voice seems almost like a more mature Mark Driscoll, so it definitely retains the distinctive character of the author.

To buy the audiobook, visit ChristianAudio.com
To buy the print edition, visit Amazon.com
For a sample chapter, check out Crossway.com


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from ChristianAudio as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Book Review: Scandalous

As a part of the ChristianAudio Reviewer's Program, I get to download some audiobooks, listen to them, and write a short review. Here are my thoughts on D.A. Carson's book, Scandalous.

Scandalous is a marvelous introduction to the work and mind of D.A. Carson. I’ve enjoyed listening to his sermons/lectures in the past, and this book is the final product of his appearance at the Resurgence Conference. Carson is one of the greatest theologians of our day, but that doesn’t mean he is dry or impractical. The book remains reader-friendly (or listener-friendly) throughout, making the deeper sections all the more enjoyable and beneficial. Each chapter of Scandalous takes Scripture passages that may otherwise be familiar to you and makes you feel like it is the first time you’ve heard them, a delightful and rare treat.

The narrator, Dave Heath, must be a voice actor because he captures the sound, tone, and inflections of Carson’s voice.

I only wish the book were longer. Each chapter is a mini-commentary, and he’s whetted my appetite enough that I’m thinking his commentary on John may be a nice Christmas present to myself this year. That said, there was only one thing I found odd. In two different chapters he speaks of forgiveness and gives the same hypothetical scenario of forgiving a friend’s attackers. Reusing the same example twice may make it harder to forget, but it seems more like an oversight than intentional.

To buy the audiobook, visit ChristianAudio.com (direct link to book information).

To buy the hardcover book, visit Amazon.com.

Book Review: Doctrine

As a part of the ChristianAudio Reviewer's Program, I get to download some audiobooks, listen to them, and write a short review. Here are my thoughts on Mark Driscoll and Garry Breshears' new book, Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe.

Mark Driscoll is a controversial figure today. His sermons and past language has caused many to rightly raise an eyebrow or two. When I first saw the Doctrine sermon series, I decided to listen and find out just what Driscoll believes. Before I had finished the series I was inviting others to listen to his sermon on the Trinity and check him out. Driscoll believes the Bible and teaches it, and as a Christian involved in the discipleship of new believers, Doctrine is a must have.

The book reads well, and there is something for everybody. Breshears and Driscoll cover the essential doctrines of the Chrisitan faith in a very readable and well-organized way. For those already familiar with doctrine and theology, the book goes a lot deeper without losing young Christians or boring older ones. The authors also include many challenges and practical applications to encourage all believers, young and old, to live out their faith and the truths of these doctrines.

At first, the narrator's voice seemed odd to me because I'd already heard the Doctrine series preached by Mark Driscoll. Their voices are quite different, but after listening to an audiobook narrated by Driscoll, I'm happy Sean Runnette was picked to narrate this one. He does a great job narrating and carries forward the pastoral tone inherent in the book. He also narrated Humility by C.J. Mahaney (see my review of that book here).

To buy the audiobook, visit ChristianAudio.com (direct link to book information).

To buy the hardcover book, visit Amazon.com or ReLit.org.

To download the sermon series the book was based on, visit MarsHillChurch.org.