Editor’s Note: Most Saturdays we feature this “Editor’s Notebook” column. MinistryWatch President Warren Smith will offer his opinion on stories in the week’s news or, sometimes, offer a behind-the-scenes look at how and why we do what we do. However, once a quarter (or so), we use the ‘Notebook” for Warren Smith’s list of books either released in the past quarter, or those he just got around to reading this quarter. To read last quarter’s list, published in November, click here.
The Vanishing Church: How The Hollowing Out of Moderate Churches Is Hurting Democracy, Faith, and Us by Ryan Burge. When it comes to data about the church and American religion generally, Ryan Burge has become the “go-to guy.” This provocative book was hard for me to take in places. If you read this book superficially, you might think Burge is advocating for a squishy, nominal Christianity. I do not think he is, but he is advocating for a Christianity that is not a proxy for political ideology, and churches whose membership depends on faith in Christ and not allegiance to a particular political party.
In Defense of Christian Patriotism by Daniel Darling. Full disclosure: I am a long-time fan and friend of Dan Darling. His 2018 book The Dignity Revolution would be on my list of “best books” of the past decade or so. His new book lives up to my expectations. He rightly distinguishes nationalism from patriotism. He argues that love of country is not idolatry but a biblical virtue when rightly ordered under devotion to Christ. Drawing from Scripture, history, and personal stories, Darling advocates for healthy civic affection, and decries toxic nationalism, urging believers to engage culture without compromise. He wants Christians to love America without worshiping it.
The Democratization of American Christianity by Nathan O. Hatch. I am late to the party with this book, as it first came out in 1989. But it is worth a read today as it chronicles the rise of populist religious movements in the early years of the American republic, from 1780 to 1830. Hatch explains how religion fueled Jacksonian democracy and rugged individualism – and vice versa. It is a book with plenty of lessons for the populist era in which we currently find ourselves.
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Helping Your Kids Know God’s Good Design: 40 Questions & Answers on Sexuality & Gender by Elizabeth Urbanowicz. What I like about this book is that the questions, each one a chapter, are directed at parents. This is not a book you give your children. It is a book you use as a tool to help you talk with your children. For example, Urbanowicz does not ask “Is it OK to attend a Same-Sex Wedding?” Rather, she asks, “How should I explain to my child why we are not attending a loved one’s same-sex wedding?” This clear and direct approach helped me, and my kids are long grown. It is a book I wish I had when they were little.
Anna: The Biography by Amy Odell. If you have seen the movie “The Devil Wears Prada,” you probably know the name Anna Wintour. She was the legendary editor of Vogue, and the model for the Meryl Streep character in that film. Wintour’s biography is now out, and I admit that this book is not one you would expect to find in my library or in a list of recommendations from MinistryWatch. But this book is helpful if you want to understand the media and cultural landscape of the early 21st century.
Green Ember: Helmer In the Dragon Tomb by S.D. Smith. The latest in the Green Ember series, a series that has sold more than a million books so far. Helmer is a young farmer who finds his courage to fight the forces of evil. It is everything you have come to expect in the Green Ember books, and a bit more.
Katherine Barnwell: How One Woman Revolutionized Modern Missions by Jordan K. Monson. We have written a lot about Bible translation here at MinistryWatch. (You can read some of our work here.) But until I read this book, I had never heard of Katherine Barnwell, who pioneered what has come to be known as “community-based bible translation” in the 1950s. She trained nationals to translate the Bible into their own languages with cultural accuracy and linguistic precision. Her innovative workshops empowered Indigenous speakers, producing over 300 New Testaments. Defying colonial-era hierarchies, she emphasized collaboration and comprehension over literalism. Monson portrays Barnwell’s humility and faith, but also her relentless drive.
How to Remember: Forgotten Pathways to an Authentic Faith by Andrew Osenga. I have long been a fan of musician Andrew Osenga. You may have heard Osenga’s albums, including one of my favorites “Painted Desert.” But even if you do not know his music, you have probably heard his guitar and vocals if you know the work of Andrew Peterson, Caedmon’s Call, Sandra McCracken, and Steven Curtis Chapman. He has performed or recorded with them all. This is his first book, and it is a beautiful collection of meditations, devotions, poems, and stories. If you are nourished by the musicians I just mentioned – or by Rich Mullins, Eugene Peterson, or Keith Getty – get ready to meet a new member of your tribe.