Theopolitical » More 2010 books

More 2010 books

Seems it’s easier to plan ahead during the summer months. While other reviews, snippets, and blogalia should be coming soon, I’ve been anticipating a number of forthcoming books (consider this an unpaid advertisement, if you want):

June –

Christology and Ethics, eds. LeRon Shults, Brent Waters (Eerdmans)
Includes contributions from Kathryn Tanner, John Webster, and Bernd Wannenwetsch.
The World in the Shadow of God: An Introduction to Christian Natural Theology, Ephraim Radner (Wipf & Stock)
Still on a personal search for a readable intro to Protestant natural theology. Radner is always thought-provoking, if not the most accessible.

July –

The Structure of Sacred Doctrine in Calvin’s Theology, Frans H. Breukelman (Eerdmans)
There’s been a fair bit of structural analysis of Calvin’s theology (sometimes with ulterior motives); this volume’s focus on Calvin’s “theological dualism” does catch my eye, though.

August –

Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide, Brett McCracken (Baker)
McCracken’s a solid writer. Should be a fun ride.

September –

The Republic of Grace: Thoughts from Augustine for Dark Times, Charles Mathewes (Eerdmans)
Looks to be a more accessible development of the Augustinian political theology that Mathewes offered up in his 2007 volume, A Theology of Public Life. Expectations are already (unfairly?) high for this new volume. (Honorable mention: Mathewes’ other 2010 volume, Understanding Religious Ethics.)

October –

Darwin’s Pious Idea, Conor Cunningham (Eerdmans)
Six hundred page treatment on the same theme as last year’s BBC documentary Did Darwin Kill God?
Ministers of the Law: A Natural Law Theory of Legal Authority, Jean Porter (Eerdmans)
New volume in the excellent series Studies in Law and Religion. Porter is always worth the read. Looking forward to her foray into contemporary application.

November –

Letters to a Young Calvinist: An Invitation to the Reformed Tradition, James K.A. Smith (IVP)
I’m sure I should have read this book seven or eight years ago.
Defending Constantine: The Twilight of an Empire and the Dawn of Christendom, Peter Leithart (IVP)
The title might scare off some of the more trendy theological readers, but it shouldn’t. Judging from the few excerpts I’ve read, this volume should be an excellent reminder that Christian history is no less Christian for its messiness. I’m guessing that younger theologians, in particular, could use an antidote to primitivism and perfectionism. This might be a good place to start.