Three TGH Book Reviews by Salvador Partida Escobedo of University of the Nations
Recently, Salvador Partida Escobedo (Lecturer & Instructor, Chronological School of Biblical Studies at University of the Nations and faculty member of Christian Ministries, Youth With A Mission) was gracious enough to review several of our books.
Here are his thoughts, we hope you enjoy them as much as we did! You can also read his review of Dr. Letis’ book here.
Today’s Christian & the Church’s Bible: A Time to Return to the Authorized Version by Theodore P. Letis, PhD
Could you imagine Christianity without an original apostolic preservation of original texts? What would Christianity be without a Divine and Inspired Text?
The Early Church Fathers and the Reformers believed that our Sovereign God preserved organically the original texts of Scripture.
There’s no need to believe the different philosophical ideas of different modern translations and versions.“Dr. Letis has done magnificent work in this book. He leans into the ethical, canonical, and historic paths of Bibliology.”
The scholarly work of modern Textual Criticism has clarified the finest Biblical Manuscripts from the hands of the Apostles. Moreover, the Bible for centuries has been a sacred Book, Authoritative and Historic, and divinely preserved by God.
Biblical Archaeology also confirms the veracity of the most ancient Texts, and even though we don’t know where the original manuscripts are, we do have codex evidences of original copies of them.
Dr. Letis has done magnificent work in this book. He leans into the ethical, canonical, and historic paths of Bibliology.
As global Protestant Christians our main need is an Authorized Version that is closest to the Apostolic manuscripts. We don’t need to fall into the deceitfulness that comes by lightly approaching the Divine Texts with a humanistic and utilitarian philosophical approach to Scripture.
We don’t need more translations, we don’t need more versions, we need to hold to our Canonical, Apostolic, Historical and Ethical approaches to Sacred Scripture.
Augustine the Evangelist: The Zeal, Hope and Methodology of the Bishop of Hippo by Ryan Denton
This is truly an indescribable work. First, it is of one of the few books presenting the 4th century church father’s devotion to Christ and theology.
In my whole life time I haven’t read a introductory, deep, poetic, biographical approach to the life and times of St. Augustine.
Augustine was a titan, an inspiration to Wycliffe, Haus, Luther, Calvin, Zwingli; Augustine was a mighty man in the Hands of God. “Ryan Denton’s work on Augustine is a gem; and I’m grateful to him for providing this book for our generation.”
His theology is often described as monergism in Calvinism. He stood firm confronting Pelagian heresies, while defending a theocentric approach to the Scriptures. Ryan Denton’s work on Augustine is a gem; and I’m grateful to him for providing this book for our generation.
It’s easy reading, very smooth to follow, and it will stir your heart for God as you read of Augustine’s journey of knowing, experiencing and living God’s revelation in his time.
I fully recommend it to lay church members, pastors and theologians.
Through this work, Ryan Denton graciously nourishes our hearts to imitate and follow the steps of the early church father St. Augustine of Hippo.
Three Hallmarks of a Biblical Church Member by Tom Pennington
Contemporary Evangelicalism has caused churches to look more like orphanages as Christians seem to change churches more frequently than ever before.“Tom Pennington calls us to higher standards and higher views of the church. Nothing more and nothing less.”
Because of this there’s no accountability, no commitment, no relationships, and no discipleship within many of our churches today.
Specifically, when the world shut down during the pandemic, Christians fell into the comfort zone of “doing church” from their homes.
There is no such thing as an individualistic Christianity or discipleship, there’s no such thing as “my own way of Christianity.”
Tom Pennington in Three Hallmarks of a Biblical Church Member brings us back to the apostolic and historic nature of the church by presenting a wonderful study on church membership.
This book is immensely needed for our younger generation as it tackles the mindset of seeing the church as “my own ministry or my club,” and it shakes our modern, liberal, and light views of the church.
Tom Pennington calls us to higher standards and higher views of the church. Nothing more and nothing less.
As he demonstrates, a low view of Orthodoxy, historic Christianity and historic faith will harvest a low view of our God and His bride, the church.
The church is God’s providential institution to bring the elect to Himself. The Protestant Christian believer should be at his best among a group of people who appreciate, long for and hold to high views and standards of the Church.
Ultimately, Tom’s book is exceptional, especially for those who might be unaware of the church or those who are yet discovering what it means to be a church member and what is required of a Church member.
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