Ronald J. Feenstra

Is the Bible the Word of God?

Apologetics

“What does it mean when Christians call the Bible the word of God? Given the many troubling passages in the Bible (such as commands to murder innocent people, prophecies that remain unfulfilled, and passages that seem to conflict with other passages), how can it make sense to claim that a good God stands behind such passages? Further, how does that claim fit with the statement in the Gospel of John that Jesus is the Word of God? Layman squarely faces many of the problems Christians face in calling the Bible the word of God, while also calling attention to the moral beauty of many biblical teachings. In the end, Layman argues that the Bible is generally reliable and that we should interpret the Bible according to the principles of love and justice. If you want to confront some of the toughest questions at the heart of Christian belief in the Bible, led by a thoughtful guide, then this book is for you.”

Measuring the Distance between Locke and Toland

Philosophy

“The story of the rise of deism often mentions connections between John Locke and John Toland, but those connections are not well understood. Scholarship on Toland, in particular, suffers from longstanding misinterpretations of his views. In this groundbreaking study, Marko provides insights into the thought of both Locke and Toland and sets both figures into their larger intellectual context.”

The Many Faces of Evil

Theology

“This latest edition of The Many Faces of Evil is a gem. It provides extensive analyses of various statements of the problem of evil as well as responses that can be offered from a variety of Christian perspectives. Feinberg shows that both the problem and the response to the problem will vary, depending on one's understanding of God and of evil. His own position is offered in dialogue with major classic and contemporary discussions of the problem of evil.”

The Power of the Church

Theology

“Today some lament the church’s loss of power and others see the church exercising political power inappropriately. Michael Wagenman explores the implications of Abraham Kuyper’s view of the church as grounded in creation and as both an institution and an organism for larger questions about the church’s power and role in society. Following Kuyper, Wagenman highlights the church’s power in proclamation, sacraments, and discipleship as grounding for the organic church to serve the world.”