by Steve Gregg ★★★★★ If you begin with the premise that Revelation is inspired scripture, and wish to understand or choose from the four primary interpretations, then you won’t find a better book out there than this one. This was definitely a favorite during my research. Dare I say so…
Category: Book Reviews
Dubious Disciple book reviews
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Book review: How God Changes Your Brain
by Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman ★★★★ I see this as two books in one: first, a basic look at the malleability of our brain and how it can be trained–specifically, how spiritual practices rebuild neural paths within our brain–and second, a practical guide to basic meditation. I…
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Book review: Jesus of Nazareth
by Paul Verhoeven ★★★★ Question: What happens when an accomplished film maker delves into the realm of historical Jesus scholarship? Answer: Fresh insight. Paul Verhoeven is the only non-theologian admitted to the Jesus Seminar, a group of scholars dedicated to uncovering the historical Jesus. While his book will not be recognized…
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Book review: God and Sex
by Michael Coogan ★★★★★ If you’re hoping for a biblical Harlequin, look elsewhere. This is a heavy little book, even a little overwhelming, as it delves into the sexual inequalities of biblical times. I found the book rather dark in places; an obvious agenda of the author is to extol…
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Book Review: Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt
by Anne Rice ★★★★ I’m trying to be fair; this really isn’t my kind of book. It’s highly speculative and it’s fiction. Then I’m reminded of the book I just published about Revelation; it, too, is fiction (well, 1/3 of it is fiction) and it, too, will surely be considered highly speculative by many….
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Book review: The Miracle Detective
by Randal Sullivan ★★★★ In the war-torn country of Yugoslavia, late 1980’s, a cluster of children (ages up through 16) began seeing the Virgin Mary and reporting her words. Medjugorje, if you’ve ever heard of the place, appeared protected from the war by the madonna. The Miracle Detective describes Sullivan’s…
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Book review: Reading Judas
by Elaine Pagels and Karen L. King ★★★★ This is a fun one. Short and sweet, Karen and Elaine share their unique interpretation of this fascinating discovery. Scholars of the gospel of Judas would never consider it mainstream Christianity … can any book who paints a Christian villian as a…
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Book review: The Fourth Gospel and the Quest for Jesus
by Paul N. Anderson ★★★★★ A boring looking book, eh? Don’t let the blandness of the cover fool you. This skinny little book may be one of the most important theological efforts of the last five years. My next book will be about the Gospel of John, and Anderson’s book contributed significantly to…
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Book review: The Birth of Christianity
by John Dominic Crossan ★★★★ I’ve read many of Crossan’s books, and although they can be dry, they do always provide something to sink your teeth into. He seems to write two kinds of books: Long, scholarly tomes, and short, interesting summaries. The Birth of Christianity is (unfortunately or fortunately, depending upon…