2 posts tagged “j.i packer”

Since it is the summer and all I am doing is research and reading, I have more time to blog, which will hopefully happen more than once a month.  I wanted to share a couple book recommendations for "summer reading."  (Not light reading, but hearty reading for sure).

The first is Run with Horses by Eugene Peterson.  His writing style is captivating and also very convicting.  The book focuses on the life of the prophet Jeremiah, and gains its title from Jeremiah 12, when God rebukes Jeremiah, saying, "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?"  All in all an amazing book, deep with insight from an amazing scholar and devotionalist.

Run With the Horses

Eugene H. Peterson

Another good read is God Has Spoken by J.I Packer.  J.I. Packer is an amazing academic, and sits on the chair of the translation committee that oversees the translation of the English Standard Version (ESV).  This book is a sequel of sorts to Knowing God, which is his most well-known book.  God Has Spoken, from beginning to end, calls us to get into the Scriptures, knowing that what they say, God says, and to learn about the sweetness of them, as the psalmist says.  Steeped in the Anglican tradition, Packer continually looks to the teaching of the Anglican Church on the Bible (as well as all of Reformed Christianity), and addresses some of the well known attacks on biblical inerrancy, infallibilty, and the sufficiency of Scripture.  It is truly amazing, and he keeps Christ at the center throughout the book.  If you are having trouble seeking the Scriptures, this book will call you to account and grow in you a love for the Word of God.  Altogether amazing.

God Has Spoken

J.I. Packer

I'm sure more of these to come.  I am also reading through the Narnia series (for the first time ironically) and I am about to start The Sovereignty of God by AW Pink, who is a truly amazing author as well.  Hope all two of you have an amazing summer, and that you relax in the rest of the Almighty.

For from Him and to him and through him are all things forever and ever amen. (Romans 11:36)

As most of you who read this have hopefully figured out by now...I like reading.  A lot.  And I'm really nerdy about the whole thing.  So I decided to compile a list of things I have read recently that I think everyone ought to read (because they are amazing books.  They are compiled by author.

G.K. Chesterton
Essentially, his big three all should be read.  Heretics, Orthodoxy (written in response to criticism about Heretics) and The Everlasting Man.  The last book is probably his best book ever, and reportedly strongly influenced C.S. Lewis to convert to Christianity.  It is essentially an overview of history as informed by the incarnation of Christ.  Honestly...if you read one book by Chesterton, it should be this one.  He is an amazing writer.
Warning: If you get bogged down in the first...30 pages of Chesterton's books (any of them) it is just because you aren't used to his writing style yet.  He is an old British curmudgeon, and writes just as ironically as the best of them, and so his voice takes some getting used to.  But I assure you, it will be worth it.

C.S. Lewis
I could say just read all of his stuff, but that would be too easy.  My recommendation for this year is his Science-Fiction trilogy, better known as the Ransom Trilogy (sidenote again, he wrote it based on a coinflip with Tolkien, where they agreed one would write a time trilogy and one a science-fiction trilogy.  Tolkien wrote Lord of the Rings and C.S. Lewis wrote the Ransom trilogy)  Anyway, all the books are just amazing, I blew through them while in school in a month (about 600 pages in a month...is a lot during school...but it was too good for homework to take priority).  It amazes me that Lewis can weave his philosophy into his fiction as well as his nonfiction, and sometimes even clearer in his fiction, which is the mark of true genius.  This trilogy is a must-read for any person remotely interested in Lewis.
P.S. If you have time, also pick up Till We Have Faces, Lewis' retelling of the Cupid-Psyche myth.  Truly magical.

J.I. Packer
An oldie but a goodie,  Packer's Knowing God has amazing insight and readability for a man who is so immersed in  theology (He is the chair of translation for the ESV  Bible).   Honestly, this book calls you  to reckon with yourself.  I hope no Christian who is theologically passionate passes up on this book.  His sound Biblical doctrine combined with amazing application convicts your understanding of God page after page.

If I think of any more books to read, then I will write an additional list.  Have a great new year.