-A Mormon & an Evangelical in Conversation

By Craig L. Blomberg & Stephen E. Robinson (Downers Grove,Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1997, 228 pages)

This book is really a first–an actual dialogue between an Evangelical scholar, Dr. Craig Blomberg of Denver Seminary, and Dr. Stephen E. Robinson of BYU.  Both are recognized scriptural scholars in their own respective religious communities.

In the past, mainline Christians, particularly evangelicals and fundamentalists, have spent their time writing expose’s against Mormonism, usually using 19th century sources and quotes from early Mormon leaders to demonstrate how clearly cultic and crazy this movement is.  Meanwhile, LDS Scholars have written in house and preached to the LDS choir, so-to-speak, about how all the regular Christian Churches went into apostasy and how the Mormon Church represents a return to 1st century Christianity.

Basically both communities have made a habit of talking past each other and really not fairly representing each other’s current practice and theology.

The two scholars confined their dialogue to 4 important subjects areas:

1. Scripture

2. God & Deification

3. Christ & the Trinity

4. Salvation

Dr. Blomberg did an excellent job presenting the evangelical views on these subjects and the concerns that most Christians have about the LDS positions. Dr. Robinson presented his views and countered Blomberg’s and the typical orthodox Christian objections to Mormon beliefs and practices.

This is really an interesting conversation and the book really does help to identify the issues that continue to separate the LDS from orthodox Christianity. Some of the more sensational quotes of early Mormon leaders that are the staple diet in most books about the Mormons, have been shown in this work to be passe and no longer part of the ‘official’ teaching of the LDS Church.

The greatest weakness in this work is the limited area of consideration. Though most of the important issues that divide the faiths, do get addressed within the four categories, there is still some things which do not. Also, one is left to wonder how typical and mainstream Dr. Robinson’s views are within the LDS context. The church leaders however, obviously have confidence in him or he wouldn’t be teaching at BYU.

By Max Lucado (Nashville,Tenn.:Thomas Nelson, 2007, 219 pages)

A great devotional book based upon John 3:16. This is Max Lucado at his insprirational best. Each chapter is short enough to be read in the morning to start the day right or finish the day at night on a high note. Full of great stories and illustrations all related to the message of hope found in 3:16 and Christ centered.

At the end of the book is 40 short devotionals all about Jesus: “40 Days with the Son”, an unexpected bonus that makes this book even more of a delight. Great stuff!              *Top

By Joel C. Rosenberg (Carol Stream, Ill.: Tyndale House Pub., 2008, 400 pgs.)

  This is the 5th and final book in the series which began with The Last Jihad and continued with The Last Days, The Ezekiel Option, and The Copper Scroll.

The book revolves around Jon Bennett, Former Advisor to the President, and his wife Erin McCoy Bennett, a former CIA agent. We pick up their continuing story and find that they have dropped out of their ‘important’ roles in the MacPherson administration and are doing volunteer work with the UN.

Finally, the newly married Bennett’s have some time together while they are serving folks at a refugee camp in Jordan. Suddenly Erin is violently sick and things go down hill fast from there. The world gets a whole lot more dangerous in the matter of hours. Including a missile attack upon the USA and the death of President MacPherson. This time, Jon and Erin are not around to save the day, in fact soon all of the Christians are gone.

Another fast paced thriller with a numbing end scenario that could dovetail rather well into the Tim Lahaye’s first Left Behind story. It is a shocking end to a great series of books—a series which many times read like the front page of tomorrow’s newspaper.            *Top

By Ben Norman (Southam,UK: Computer Step, In Easy Steps series, 2007, 192 pages)

The book is an introduction to Google. All of the Google tools and services are mentioned and examples are given on how to sign up, set up and use Google stuff for the benefit of your website or blog.  While the emphasis is on websites in general, nearly all of the info. is equally valid and useful for bloggers.

Most of the chapters in the book are about SEO–that is, how to properly optimize your website in order to get noticed by Google and receive the highest ranking possible from their search engine. This was quite valuable for me in that there was some information about Google SEO that I really wasn’t aware of. 

Already I have put a few of the suggestions to use and have seen an increase of traffic to my blogs in the matter of a week or so.

The book was very easy to understand and had numerous illustrations and valuable tips to demonstrate info. in each chapter. Also there is a valuable glossary at the back of the book and the index is complete enough that I will be able to find particular referral and references from the book in the future. Considering all of the valuable info., the book was well worth the price and the reading time invested.            *Top

By Troy Denning (New York: Random House, Inc.: Ballantine Books, 2008, 299 pgs.)

This is the final offering in the ‘Legacy’ series. The most that I am going to say about the outcome is that the war is finally over at the end of the book.

Jaina Solo was training with Boba Fett in order to confront and defeat her twin brother Jacen,who had become Darth Caedus, in the previous book of the series. 

In this one, the Jedi masters meet in council to decide how to deal with Darth Caedus. Luke informs them that although he could defeat his nephew, he has seen in a number of force visions of the future that the outcome would be disastrous. Jaina boldly presents herself as the one who should confront Jacen and is surprisingly supported by Luke,the Jedi Council, and even by her parents Leia and Han Solo.

In the first confrontation with her brother Darth Caedus, Jaina barely escapes with her life and is severely injured. However, she did cut off Jacen’s arm during the battle.  Darth Caedus thought that he was fighting Luke and didn’t know that it was really his sister Jaina. Luke had projected a force vision on him and had backed up Jaina by projecting extra power upon her in the force.

In a attempt to get intel. from Capt. Shevu, Ben is captured and Shevu is killed by Tahiri Veila, now a sith apprentice to Caedus. Ben eventually escapes and attempts to turn Tahiri back to the force.

The final battle ends up being nearly anti-climatic. Remember, Darth Caedus had become far more powerful than his grandfather Vader. In these final moments, Jaina has indeed become the “Sword of the Jedi” as predicted by Master Luke. The battle is high pitched and furious. All of the characters that we have come to know over the years are there participating and some do not survive.

At the end, the Galaxy is united once more.             *Top

“How People Blogging Are Changing the World and How You Can Join Them”

By Bob Walsh (Berkeley, CA: Apress, 2007, 351 pages)

An excellent book on why one should blog and how to get started. Bob suggests that one starts by reading lots of blogs and become initially engaged in the blogoshere by leaving comments. Next he gives suggestions about getting started publishing a blog with Blogger, Windows Live, and TypePad and evaluates which blogging platform might be best for you considering your goals and what type of blog you wish to publish.

In Part 2, he addresses how to grow a blog and how to use various tools in promotion and turning your blog into a success. There are chapters on professional blogging and how to monetize and make money through a blog, also a chapter on company blogging.

The book has a very good and detailed chapter on adding podcasting to a blog. This was the best I have seen in a starting book on the subject.

Part 3, looks to the future and evaluates where blogging may be heading. This really is an informed prediction. However for me, who am somewhat in the intermediate stage after 2 years of blogging, the chapters on podcasting and monetizing a blog were well worth the price of the book and then some.

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By Karen Traviss (New York: Random House, Inc.: Ballantine Books, 2008, 436 pgs.)

Jaina Solo is determined to bring in or eliminate her brother Jacen who had become Darth Caedus. She goes to Mandalore to receive training from Boba Fett. She reasons that he will need to learn another method of fighting if she is going to have a chance against Jacen. Her experiences on Mandalore among Fett’s family and friends is quite interesting and it fills us in on Mandalorian culture, ethics, and battle strategy.

Ben contacts Capt. Shevu and receives info. and tips which lead to the proof that he is looking for–that Jacen was the one who really killed his mother Mara Jade.

Luke is still in a funk and finally begins to make some decisive moves. The news about Jacen and Mara brings Luke all the way back as he steps fully into his role as Jedi leader.

Every attempt to capture Jacen ultimately fails. Luke has Jacen in his sights but doesn’t finish him off.  In the end, Jacen asserts his power even over the Mofts -the leaders of the Imperial Remnant, and he comes out of the closet as Darth Caedus, a true heir of his grandfather Darth Vader.             *Top

By Robert Ferrigno (New York: Scribner: Simon & Schuster, 2008, 384 pages)

This is the second book in Robert Ferrigno’s fast paced ‘Assassin Trilogy’.  The first book: "Prayers for the Assassin" set a precedent that is hard to equal, yet "Sins of the Assassin" is a worthy successor that stands up well on its own.

Again the setting is circa 2043, The northern part of the former USA is now an ‘Islamic Republic’ with the capital in Seattle. The old South is a loose confederation called the ‘Bible Belt’. The Mormons have their own country in Utah and Southern Idaho with parts of Colorado; while Nevada is a ‘Free State’ all its own. America has become a ‘third-rate’ power that even Mexico (now- ‘Aztlan Empire) is picking on; and native Americans have claimed part of Wisconsin and Minnesota as their own. How far the mighty have fallen!

The current story revolves around a warlord/hero Colonel in the Bible Belt who is searching for a super-secret weapon hidden by agents of the old USA regime which could change the entire balance of power in America. Former ‘Shadow Warrior’ Rakkim Epps is sent by the ‘Islamic’ president and his wife Sarah (who is a counselor to the president) to spy on the Colonel and possibly steal or destroy the weapon.

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By Lisa Sabin-Wilson (Hoboken,NJ: Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2008, 384 pages)

Brand new for 2008, an essential book for those using WordPress in publishing a blog. The writer introduces one to the basic WordPress blogging program. Then follows with three major sections, first covering the Wordpress hosted service, next how to set up a ’self-hosted’ blog with the WordPress.org program, and finally, a section covering the WordPress MU program used in setting up and hosting entire blogging communities. <Read the rest of the Review at my Blogging Ministry Site>

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By Wayne Grudem (Grand Rapids,Michigan: Zondervan Pub. House, 1994, 1264 pages)

This review is long overdue. I repeatedly use this book as a major reference every time I am researching a point of Christian doctrine or have any kind of theological question. I can’t claim to have read it all, but I have studied substantial parts of the book and found it to be the best systematic theology currently available.

In this work, Professor Grudem comprehensively deals with every major Christian doctrine from a faithful Biblical foundation and perspective. He also addresses every conflicting area of theological disagreement and presents all the differing views on every theological issue, those within orthodox Christianity and the heretical perspectives outside of the norm.

I can’t say that I am always in total agreement with Dr. Grudem, but most of the time I am. In the few areas of where I differ, his arguments have caused me to reassess and adjust some of my own views. The book is an essential part of my library and if for some reason I could only have an armful of books, this would be one.            *Top