No comments about There's Power in the Connection: Building a Network of Dynamic Congregations.

2 comments about United Methodist Doctrine: The Extreme Center.

1. As a lay person I found this book to be an extremely thorough explanation of UMC Doctrine. Now, that may not sound too exciting and the book can be a difficult read at times. However, for anyone seeking an explanation of the postion of the Methodist Church on specific and general issues, this book will make an excellent reference. Dr. Jones has performed the research and has the authority to speak for the church on this topic and does so effectively in this work.



2. This book is both comprehensive and concise in explaining United Methodist doctrinal issues. While we did not use it in my Wesleyan theology courses in seminary, I think it would have made a useful addition and I found myself referring to it as I drafted papers for Commissioning as a minister. Yet, I think it is an easy enough read for a layperson who already has some background in UM theology and doctrine. It certainly isn't a "quick reference" but I expect that it would be highly useful for people wanting to go beyond simple excerpts and "soundbite" theology. In sum, it is quite accessible yet with enough depth that even a seminarian or pastor would find it useful.

3 comments about The New Creation: John Wesley's Theology Today.

1. This is an invaluable book for anyone who is serious about learning Methodist doctrine. Dr. Runyon provides a clear exposition of John Wesley's and the Church's understanding of critical theological views such as justification, salvation and sanctification. For those who question the once-saved-always-saved theology and are searching for assurance, this book is a must read. It also provides a true picture of what the Church of Jesus Christ should look like.



2. Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the definative study of the theology of John Wesley currently in print. Runyon's treatment of Wesley's soteriology is thorough and balanced, but offers wise reflections on the meaning of Wesley's thought for Methodists and Wesleyans of today. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the theological foundations of the people called Methodists.



3. Systematic Theology Professor Theodore Runyon offers a final 20th century look while proposing an initial 21st century glance at John Wesley with his 1998 book "The New Creation". In 270 pages, with six instructive chapters, he reviews Wesley's theologies of God's creation, renewal of the Image of God, transforming grace, the means of grace, the religious experience, and John Wesley's emerging 21st century use.
   
   Runyon begins his discussion with a re-statement of the via salutis (the way of salvation). He properly understands that holiness is the final "trusting...mark [which] is created in our hearts by... action of God" (page 55). The following chapters then discuss each aspect of the via with regards to God's saving activity through grace (regeneration, transformation, sanctification, perfection, etc.). The author identifies Wesley's most popular ("Means of Grace", chapter 4) and most controversial ("Entire Sanctification", pages 91-101) doctrines and analyses each with precision.
   
   Professor Runyon helpfully reviews Wesley's objections to the ancient mystics, his quarrel with the "antinomians" (the save by grace alone crowd), his confrontation with "quietism" ("holiness is not an avoidance of the world but a challenge to it", page 113), and his life-long argument with predestinarianism. Readers learn that Wesley "affirmed infant baptism and even baptismal regeneration" (page 140). He understands that Christian experience is "the medium through which reality is transmitted" which is founded in orthodoxy (right belief), orthopraxy (right practice) and orthopathy (right feeling). Runyon correctly suggests that for Mr. Wesley "Scripture remains the standard by which feelings are to judged" (page 154).
   
   Runyon's text is 21st century emergent Wesleyan theology. His scholarship is unmistakable (with 24 pages of authoritative endnotes and eight pages of selected bibliography). This text is recommended to all members of the Wesleyan family (Methodists, Pentecostals, Nazarenes, Free Will Baptists, etc.).

3 comments about Wesley for Armchair Theologians (Armchair).

1. The Armchair Theologian series has made an outstanding contribution to the popularizing of the theology of the giants of Christian faith. Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin, Luther, and the other luminaries of the Reformation have all been examined and elucidated with good humor and good sympathy.
   
   Abraham's book elucidates Wesley's life and theology with neither good humor nor good sympathy. Abraham takes great pains to nitpick each and every tenet of Wesley's belief system, and does so with a smugly superior attitude, not only to Wesley but to all Christians everywhere who do not share Abraham's theology. The opening of chapter eight, where Abraham parodies the attitudes toward sin of Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Southern Baptists, and Methodists might have been amusing taken in isolation, but the book is peppered with such potshots at the belief systems of various Christian traditions.
   
   No philosophy ever devised by any philosopher, and no theology ever devised by any theologian, has ever given a completely satisfactory explanation of "life, the universe, and everything." Aristotle and Aquinas couldn't do it, and Wesley's inability to do it is no reason for such extended negative criticism. It goes against the spirit of the Armchair Theologian series to spend so much paper and ink emoting over Wesley's shortcomings. Just set out the man's beliefs, succinctly point out the difficulties in a matter-of-fact fashion, and move on to the next topic. Despite the carping and criticism, the discerning reader can see that Wesley was a towering figure of the Christian faith, and by no means the theological lightweight that Abraham makes him out to be.
   
   To paraphrase the Brando line from "On the Waterfront," this book coulda been a contender. It turned out a journeyman.



2. As a United Methodist minister and a spiritual descendent of John Wesley, I take a great deal of interest when someone I respect writes a book about Wesley's theology. This book is a well written introduction to Wesley by one of our best interpreters of his work. In writing this Abraham often has to decide which Wesley he wants to listen to. The young Wesley sometimes came out in a different place than the more experienced pastoral theologian of the later days. Fortunately, Billy Abraham is up to the task.
   
   He spends the first 2 chapters introducing us to Wesley, so that we have the background to place his theology in its personal and cultural place. He then moves to the primary doctrinal areas of Wesley's thought beginning with creation and original sin, moving through justification, regeneration and sanctification with a nice discussion of Christian perfection.
   
   Perhaps most importantly he shows that Wesley was able to change theologically as practice taught him he was wrong.
   
   All in all a breezy read on a theologian who doesn't lend himself to breezy thought. . For the Wesley neophyte this is a good place to start, due to both style and accurate presentaion of Wesley's thought. Recommend.



3. As an Anglican seriously considering making the move to the Methodist Church, I grabbed up this book for reference and introduction. It was a wise move. William J. Abraham covered every angle that I was concerned with, and certainly kept me from hammering lots of questions to congregants and pastors alike in the congregation I was visiting and have now joined.
   
   The easy to read explanations on John Wesley's foundation of the Methodist Church flowing from his background as an Anglican were made in ways to not seem as if the reader was in a theology course. Yet, they were exacting and covered key elements. The trinitarian theme was essential throughout the book.
   
   Although I, personally, still have two other books on Wesley to cover, I'm personally glad I picked this one up first. The illustrations by Ron Hill were fun and added to the light reading.
   
   Stephanie S Sawyer, author

4 comments about Yes Lord I Have Sinned but I Have Several Excellent Excuses: But I Have Several Excellent Excuses With Study Guide (Behind the Pages).

1. Moore offers scripture-based suggestions on how to redirect our reactions to others; to be more Christ-like in our responses.



2. My church just began a Class for new adults and we chose this book to start us off. We were not disappointed. It helped us realize the small things we do in our everyday life that lead us astray.



3. This item is typically $100. I had preordered at $12, thinking that it probably wasn't the planning kit that I was expecting; however, it was the full planning kit with the DVD, Pastor's Book, Leader's Book, and a Participant Book.



4. The book doesn't back up the title...With a catchy title such as this, one would expect content that would deal with some of our excuses for our shortcomings and failures...It does for the first chapter or so, but then falls into the routine of regular preaching from the parables.
   
   Had hoped for more out of this book, but, sadly, it doesn't deliver...
   
   Not bad, sometimes pretty good, but the title is very misleading.

2 comments about North Of The Port.

1. Like many other Americans I've always been curious about the journey my grandparents made from Poland to the USA, or Ameryka as they called the USA. Bukoski's "North of the Port" follows several DP's, displaced persons, as they struggle to make their way in the USA. Not only did I learn about their struggles to find acceptance I throughly enjoyed the book as well.



2. Recently Northern Lights Books and Gifts of Duluth, MN threw a launch party for Anthony Bukoski's North of the Port, his fifth collection of short stories. With these books, lovingly depicting the joys and heartaches of the Polish community in Superior, Wisconsin, Tony has achieved a well-deserved national following. While his writing is rooted firmly in regional culture, his themes of love, loss, and endurance, evoked by way of the everyday, are universal.
   
   At the launch party, he read a story called "The Wally Na Zdrowie Show." It is crafted as a personal letter in which the narrator, while trying to emphasize the good news, evokes the sadness of economic hardship in our region. Among other things, he contemplates selling the accordion handed down from his father. Without lapsing into sentimentality, Tony's sure touch uncovers the many losses and disappointments that cling like dust to instrument's yellowed keys. Another story, told by a regular at the Dirty Shame Saloon, ostensibly talks about the girls who visit the town's bars selling roses. As he speak, the narrator's own disappointed love emerges in prose as evocative as any poem.
   
   Anthony Bukoski is the heir of Sherwood Anderson, whose Winesburg, Ohio more or less established the American standard for the story collection chronicling the life of a single town. Like many heirs, Tony surpasses his predecessor. North of the Port is published by Southern Methodist University Press.

2 comments about Pray the Price.

1. Terry Teykl's book issues a much-need wake-up call to the United Methodist Church. If we are to regain our place as a vital spiritual force in the world, we must first go back to our knees. Teykl gives us many practical suggestions to make this happen in our lives and in our churches.



2. This is a powerpacked book...not so many pages, but SO MANY ideas. Dr. Tekyl doesn't waste any time, but instead gives you ideas, backed by sound scriptural reasoning. Tekyl's ideas are practical, down to earth, and powerful. This is the type of book that you'll want to keep around to read periodically and harvest new ideas.

No comments about United Methodist Beliefs: A Brief Introduction.

1 comments about More Parables From The Backside.

1. Mr. Kalas' books are wonderful. He lets the reader see scripture from a new perspective. I have used his thoughts for sermons and SS lessons.

2 comments about Rich in the Things That Count the Most.

1. We have been studying this book in our Adult Sunday School class, and it is great. Each chapter is engaging and easy to read. James Moore uses colorful stories and examples to illustrate his points. This book really helps you think about the things that are important in life.
   
   This is a great book for a bible study class. There is a list of suggested group discussion questions, group activity, and a closing prayer for each chapter located at the back of the book, which makes it easy for the teacher to prep for class. Our group has really enjoyed this, and we have learned a lot about each other in the process. In addition, for the class members that do not read the chapter before they come to class (or visitors), they can still actively participate due to the types of questions and topics.



2. If you have never studied a Jim Moore book this one I highly recommend. I teach Sunday School at my church and we were hesitant to try such a long book, but when it was over the whole class wished there were more lessons. Jim is a great writer and pastored one of the biggest churches in houston for 20 years. He is a wonderful story-teller and relates those stories back to the bible and relates them to our lives as Christians. The best thing about Jim's studies is they don't build on each other from week to week, so if you miss a week you aren't lost the next week. They are individual lessons which make it easy for classes who have sporadic attendance.