Four of the best books I read in 2024.
The first is a fine piece of spiritual theology, which manages to be practical and devotional on one hand, and theologically rich on the other. Kapic is an influential Reformed scholar whose particular focus is Puritan history and theology, especially the work of John Owen. His major monograph, Communion with God, a study of Owen's spiritual theology, has just been republished. It's on my 2025 list.
The second was a delightful surprise gift from a fellow George Herbert enthusiast. (you know who you are!) I learned so much that I didn't know about the significance of Herbert's love for music and the form and content of his poems. It was an important companion to some of the tapestry work I completed this year. It's a fine book that draws you out of your comfort zones and invites you to think in new ways about stuff you thought you knew!
Ronald Blythe's book accompanied me as a bedside book most of this year. This good man loves the garden, the natural world beyond his fences, the church and its quietly and often anonymously faithful servants, countless locals, steeped in literature and a love of letters. At the end of the day, reading some Ronald Blythe is a conversation with someone who cares about the world around him, and his readers.
Teresa Morgan's book on faith and a theology of trust was the big book of my year. The second of a trilogy, the book is a virtual theology of the New Testament through the lens of trust, trustfulness, trustworthiness and all of this understood in relational terms. It's a study that brings into conversation biblical studies, philosophy, psychology and theology. One reviewer said it was "demanding and powerful." Agreed, and a great book. The third volume is due out about now in UK - "Trust in Atonement. God, Creation and Reconciliation. This too is on my 2025 list, proably during Lent.
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