New Books from IACE Friends for Spring 2022
DAVID S. DOCKERY
I am pleased to bring to your attention five new 2022 publications from IACE friends. You will be blessed by taking a look at these important new works.
The first one is from Jim Belcher, former president at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. Jim has been a source of encouragement regarding IACE since the early conversations related to the start of the Alliance back in 2019. Cold Civil War: Overcoming Polarization, Discovering Unity, and Healing the Nation (InterVarsity) reflects Jim’s preparation as a political philosopher and his skills as a theologian. He has given us a timely and thoughtful proposal to address public square issues by rebuilding a new vital center for America. Examining the ideas, trends, and developments that have brought about the current philosophical, political, and cultural divide, Belcher offers a bold, challenging, and hope-filled framework to move beyond the fragmentation and polarization on the right and the left. Grounded in an appeal to reclaim the place of both special revelation and natural law, and drawing on insights from Tocqueville, this important volume, while not naïve to the difficult road ahead, provides much-needed guidance for shaping a public theology, enabling the church to reclaim its mission, overcome cynicism, and take responsibility for helping to bring healing to the nations. Cold Civil War is worthy of serious reflection and engagement by those on all sides of the issues.
Two of our IACE Senior Fellows, who are both distinguished Anglican theologians, have added new works to the Crossway series on Short Studies in Systematic Theology. Mark D. Thompson, principal of Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia, has provided Christ-followers with an illuminating and refreshing introduction to The Doctrine of Scripture. This biblically informed and theologically shaped work unapologetically affirms the Bible’s inspiration, truthfulness, and sufficiency, pointing readers to Christ and faithful Christian discipleship. Simply stated, The Doctrine of Scripture is an excellent contribution to Crossway’s outstanding series. I enthusiastically and happily recommend this substantive, thoughtfully organized, and highly readable volume. The co-editor of the series, Graham Cole, dean emeritus, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and former principal at Ridley College in Australia, has contributed the volume on Glorification: An Introduction to this fine series. This brilliant and highly recommended introduction is grounded in Scripture and informed by key thinkers, ancient and modern. Readers will find serious engagement with the individual, corporate, and cosmic aspects of glorification as Cole offers encouragement for the people of God regarding God’s wise and glorious plan.
Matthew Pinson, who has been quite involved in the IACE Faculty Development initiatives and who serves as president of Welch College in Tennessee, has provided an excellent work on Arminianism in the “40 Questions” series from Kregel. Answering the questions about Jacobus Arminius, the differences between Arminianism and Calvinism, the meaning of predestination, free will, and enabling grace, among many others, this irenic, thoughtful, readable, and well-written work will become the standard source to help people move beyond the stereotypes and misconceptions sometimes associated with Arminianism. Though I am not quite persuaded by 40 Questions about Arminianism, I am certainly better informed by Matt Pinson’s Free Will Baptist perspective. Everyone should take time to work through this commendable volume. After doing so, I know you will join me in thanking Matt Pinson for his fine work.
B&H has published the outstanding new book by Travis Dickinson, who serves as Professor of Philosophy at Dallas Baptist University and who has been a friend to IACE initiatives in the areas of both faculty development as well as evangelism and discipleship. I am pleased to recommend The Logic and Way of Jesus: Thinking Critically and Christianly, which is an incisive, thoughtful, and carefully designed look at what it means to think Christianly about all aspects of life. In this outstanding book, Dickinson brilliantly and insightfully connects intellectual curiosity, an understanding of logic, critical thinking, the place of faith and reason, and the importance of developing a Christian worldview. In doing so, he winsomely and persuasively invites Christ followers to think and live in a renewed and holistic way in order to change lives, strengthen churches, enhance Christian entities, advance the gospel, and bring glory to the one, true, and living God.
David S. Dockery serves as President of IACE, and at Southwestern Seminary as Theologian-in-Residence and Distinguished Professor of Theology.