This is late, I know, but I have been up to my eyes in curriculum writing and editing for my students. But now that I am caught up with my writing schedule and even a bit ahead, I have a bot more time to write here. So here my favorite books that I read in 2011.
#10 Invitation to Biblical Interpretation: Exploring the Hermeneutical Triad of History, Literature, and Theology (Andreas Kostenberger) – There is not a lot of innovation here, but innovation is usually not a good thing when it come to Biblical interpretation. On the other hand, compilation and comprehensiveness are, and that is what this book has given us. There is now a ‘Best Available Book’ on Biblical interpretation.
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#9 The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution 1763-1789 (Robert Middlekrauff) – My favorite history book from the year and probably the best book on the the American Revolution I have read. Stays mainly with the narrative of the major players and armies but includes just enough about the regular life of normal Revolutionary colonials.
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#8 The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction (Alan Jacobs) – A wonderful investigation of the role of reading and books in culture and the life a thoughtful person. A bit lite on recommending the classics for me, but still excellent.
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#7 Cornelius Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman (John Muether) – I love Van Til, if you read this blog, you know this. John Frame has a small biography and some other biographical information in his analysis volume, but this biography from Muether is extremely helpful in understanding what Van Til was up against as he was developing his apologetic and fighting for Reformed orthodoxy in the early to mid-twentieth century. There is also a fair amount of information on the history of Westminster Theological Seminary.
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#6 What I Learned in Narnia (Douglas Wilson) – Again, I love C. S. Lewis, if you read this blog, you know this. Wilson might be one of the few people who life and thinking has been affected by Lewis more than mine. After Planet Narnia, this is one of my favorite analyses of Lewis’ Narnian world.
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#5 Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books (Tony Reinke) – Simply the best Christian introduction to the necessity and love of reading.
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#4 The Betrayal (Douglas Bond) – This is an excellent historical fiction novel about the life of John Calvin. Bond is an excellent writer in terms of characterization and plot, but the older style of language of this book is also beautiful. I am now reading Bond’s Crown and Covenant series about the 17th century Scottish Covenanters.
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#3 Reasons for Faith: Philosophy in the Service of Theology (K. Scott Oliphint) – An excellent advanced introduction to Christian philosophy of religion. Having had been part of the Reformed tradition for awhile now, it cured me of my tenuous relationship with compatiblism.
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#2 A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New (G. K. Beale) – The magnum opus of one of the great New Testament and Biblical theological scholars of the past 30 years. 1000 pages of brilliant exegesis, Biblical theology and redemptive historical theology.
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#1 God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment: A Biblical Theology (James Hamilton) – This is a game changer. The ‘center’ of the Bible has been argued over for 2000 years. Instead of a center for the text, Hamilton convincingly identifies the ongoing central theme and purpose of the canon and individual books. D. A. Carson is working on a 2-volume whole Bible Biblical theology, but at least for now, this is simply the best Biblical theology book there is.
