Visions of the Devoted
The book Be Thou My Vision is a devotional compilation of materials structured in liturgical form. The book’s substance is ordered so that a believer delves into areas of pertinent interest. The book is 345 …
The Nicene Affirmation
It was entirely revealing to me that the criteria of Christ’s deity and biblical Christology are articulated in the Nicene Creed of 325 A.D. Here we have an extra-biblical document that supports the doctrine of …
The Deity of Christ
The book Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ begins with Part one, entitled “The Devotion Revolution: Jesus Shares the Honors Due to God.” There are five parts of the …
To Know and Love God
The following are chapter notes in the form of questions and answers that cover the subject matter of the book, “To Know and Love God.” The book is a monograph from David Clark and it …
Vatican II & the Aggiornamento
Apparently, the Roman Catholic Church places little comparative weight upon the authority of Scripture as the apostolic, prophetic, and patriarchal witness to worship, the covenant proclamations, and obligations of God’s people. It emphasizes tradition, philosophy, …
Consider the Lilies
Reading “Consider the Lilies” from beginning to end, the reader quickly senses that it is meant to be more than a book about anxiety—it is an invitation to reorient the heart toward Christ. Ardavanis writes …
Biography: Elon Musk
Today I completed Walter Isaacson’s book on Elon Musk, a monolithic 671-page biography that charts the ascent of one of the most dynamic minds of the modern era. More than a chronicle of innovation, the …
Practicing the Way
Having read “Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become Like Him. Do as He Did” by John Mark Comer (WaterBrook, 2024, hardcover, ISBN 978-0-593-44615-9), I found the book to be both theologically coherent and pastorally …
The Saints’ Everlasting Rest
Today, I fully completed The Saints’ Everlasting Rest by Richard Baxter, edited by Tim Cooper. This is a 2022 abridgment of The Saint’s Everlasting Rest and a restoration of devotion more than an act of …
Gentle Words Spoken
To speak more gently—truly and enduringly—requires not simply a change in language but a transformation of attitude, presence, and intent. Gentleness in speech is neither weakness nor avoidance of truth; it is truth clothed in …
First Reading: Apocrypha (NRSV)
On July 12, 2024, I completed the first reading of the full Deuterocanon (Apocrypha) from cover to cover. This was the entire collection of books, which includes some that appear within the Catholic and Orthodox …
The Fellowship of the Ring by Tolkien
Today I completed The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (407 pages). Unlike The Silmarillion, which unfolds as a record of origins and long decline, this book begins in a settled land whose boundaries …
The Hobbit by Tolkien
“The Hobbit,” or “There and Back Again,” written by J.R.R. Tolkien and first published in 1937, is a timeless work in the fantasy genre, offering a richly imagined world filled with memorable characters, profound themes, …
The Silmarillion by Tolkien
Today I completed The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien (358 pages, ISBN: 978-0008433949). When I first began reading, I quickly realized that it was not a conventional story, but a vast record of origins and destinies …
Dune by Herbert
Frank Herbert’s Dune first impressed me with the sheer depth of its world. Arrakis is not just a desert planet but a complete ecosystem that controls every choice people make. Its sandstorms, water scarcity, and …
