A homicide detective investigates the claims of the Gospels : Author: J. Warner Wallace

For the first thirty-five years of his life, J. Warner Wallace was a devout atheist.  After all, how can you believe a claim made about an event in the distant past for which there is little forensic evidence?  Then Wallace realised something.  Christianity was a lot like the cold cases he solved as a homicide detective – it makes a claim about an event from the distant past for which there is little forensic evidence.   When Wallace applied his skills as an expert detective to the assertions of the New Testament, he came to a startling realisation – the case for Christianity was as convincing as any cold case he had ever worked as a detective, with evidence, eyewitnesses and records to solve.

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Creation, Power and Truth by Tom Wright

Journeys have provided rich material for writers over the centuries; from Homer’s Odyssey, to Tolkein’s The Hobbit (or, There and Back Again), to de Botton’s The Art of Travel. Journeys are both the reality and the metaphor for the human life. It is no surprise then that Tom Wright begins his book (which is really a series of lectures) by describing two types of journeys. He is, in fact, quoting someone else (Dr Jonathon Sacks) when he does this, identifying the GPS type of journey, where we are given directions to where we are going; or the ant journey, where we follow each other aimlessly, ending in catastrophe.

Wright’s question at the beginning of the book is, “Will the church, and the world, do the satellite-navigation thing or the ant thing?” (2) He examines this question in terms of three challenges: Gnosticism, imperialism and postmodernism. These challenges, while considered from a contemporary viewpoint, are shown by Wright to, in fact, have been challenges that the world and the Church have faced since the Gospel was first proclaimed.

Wright states from the beginning that he is using a Trinitarian framework to consider the three challenges which he has outlined. In short a Trinitarian framework seeks to examine an issue through the relationship of the Godhead (such as we saw in the Balswick’s The Family), with particular focus on how Christ reveals the Father and the Holy Spirit. Wright is clear to point out that the Trinitarian framework was not imposed, but came about through biblical exegesis (4). This is certainly the preferred method of scholarship, as described by Gerald Bray in his essay ‘The Trinity: Where do we go from here?’ in Always Reforming (ed. ATB McGowan).

This book is quite short, and, as a result, raises more questions than Wright has room to answer, and there are certainly some difficulties with engaging deeply when much is assumed. However, in this it is important to remember two things. Firstly, that the book is based upon three lectures given at Harvard University in 2006. Thus being tied to a particular audience and context, and as the Noble lectures were founded “to arouse in young people, and primarily in the students of that great university, the joy of service for Christ and humanity, especially in the ministry of the Christian Church” (as quoted by Wright in the Preface, xii), they have specific purpose. And secondly, that given the book’s brevity we need to be generous to Wright in our judgements. I must admit that there were times in my reading that I wondered if he had wandered into having an over-realised eschatology, but this was more to do with my haphazard reading over a period of time; it is much clearer when read in one sitting.

I hope, as we look through each of the challenges which Wright outlines over the coming weeks, that we would be able to see how the Gospel of Christ is our story, our journey. And that, as we walk the life of faith in Him, we would be challenged to confront our own views on creation and new creation, power and authority, truth and justice.

CBD PRICE:  R175.00                         EQUIP PRICE: R120.00  (valid until 13th May 2017)

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 Author: Ravi Zacharias

We are facing one of the greatest crises in the history of religion. Truth is being cast aside in the name of tolerance and cultural relativism, all under the guise of a New Spirituality. Having become accustomed to abundance and the bliss of multiple choices, we now have a spiritual supermarket before us from which we may select whatever form of spirituality we desire. But tragically we often choose without knowing how to make a distinction between truth and falsehood.

Contemporary Christians and the spiritually interested in particular need to know why the New Spirituality ideas, presented by popular celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra attract, and how Jesus alone provides a guide through this perplexing welter of beliefs, lifestyles, hopes and aspirations.

In this brilliant and compelling critique of the dangers of the New Spirituality, Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias applies some vigorous therapy to counter this assault on rational thought and shows why the uniqueness of Jesus matters.  It is a compelling argument for anyone looking for the truth about the New Spirituality and who Jesus really is.  And more importantly why it should matter.

CBD PRICE: R245.00  (hard cover)

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