The Christian Studies Shelf

Racism and Structural Sin
Conor M. Kelly
The Liturgical Press
2950 Saint John's Road, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500 www.litpress.org
9780814667835, $16.95, PB, 128pp

https://www.amazon.com/Racism-Structural-Sin-Confronting-Injustice/dp/08146= 6783X

Synopsis: As a people of faith inspired by the belief that every human pers=
on is created in the image and likeness of God, Catholics have a responsibi= lity to be champions for racial justice.

With the publication of "Racism and Structural Sin: Confronting Injustice w= ith the Eyes of Faith", theologian and academician Conor M. Kelly invites h=
is readers to not only confront racism on a personal level but also to exam= ine the root causes and perpetuated structures of this sin.

Grounded in church teaching and pastoral practice, "Racism and Structural S= in" is a timely resource for Catholics (especially White Catholics) looking=
to wrestle with the challenges of race in the United States today through = the eyes of their faith.

Critique: Given the current rise in racism violence by white supremacists a=
nd the rollback of governmental anti-racism policies driven by the politica=
l polarization of of the American public, "Racism and Structural Sin: Confr= onting Injustice with the Eyes of Faith" is especially recommended for pers= onal, community, church, seminary, college, and university library Christia=
n Social Issues collections. It should be noted for seminary students, raci=
al justice advocates, clergy, and all members of the Catholic community tha=
t "Racism and Structural Sin: Confronting Injustice with the Eyes of Faith"=
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49).

Editorial Note: Conor M. Kelly (https://www.marquette.edu/theology/director= y/conor-kelly.php) is an associate professor in the department of theology =
at Marquette University. He completed his theological training at the Unive= rsity of Notre Dame (BA and MTS) and Boston College (PhD). His research and=
teaching examine the implications of Catholic ethics for ordinary life. He=
and his family are parishioners at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wauwatosa=
, Wisconsin.

Shaping the Past to Define the Present
Gregory E. Sterling
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
4035 Park East Court SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
www.eerdmans.com
9780802848734, $44.00, HC, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Shaping-Past-Define-Present-Historiography/dp/080284= 8737

Synopsis: Historiography is the study of the methods of historians in devel= oping history as an academic discipline, and by extension is any body of hi= storical work on a particular subject. The historiography of a specific top=
ic covers how historians have studied that topic by using particular source=
s, techniques, and theoretical approaches. Scholars discuss historiography =
by topic and different approaches and genres, such as political history and=
social history. Beginning in the nineteenth century, with the development =
of academic history, there developed a body of historiographic literature. = (Wikipedia)

"Shaping the Past to Define the Present: Luke-Acts and Apologetic Historiog= raphy" is comprised of both new and revised essays by the esteemed New Test= ament scholar Gregory E. Sterling on Jewish and early Christian historiogra= phy. A sequel to his seminal work, Historiography and Self-Definition, this=
volume expands on Sterling's reading of Luke-Acts in the context of contem= porary Jewish and Greek historiography.

These systematically arranged essays comprise Professor Sterling's new and = revised contributions to the field of biblical studies, exploring: The genr=
e of apologetic historiography exemplified by Josephus and Eusebius; The co= ntext of Josephus's work within a larger tradition of Eastern historiograph=
y; The initial composition and circulation of Luke and Acts; The relationsh=
ip of Luke-Acts to the Septuagint; The interpretation of the Diaspora in Lu= ke-Acts; The structure of salvation history as it is manifested in Luke-Act=
s; Socratic influences on Luke's portrayal of Jesus's death; The early Jeru= salem Christian community as depicted in Acts compared with other Hellenize=
d Eastern traditions such as Egyptian priests and Indian sages; The establi= shment of Christianity's "socially respectability" as a guiding purpose in = Luke-Acts.

Engaging with current critical frameworks, Professor Sterling offers his re= aders a comprehensive analysis of early Christian self-definition through J= udeo-Christian historiography.

Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of a thi= rty page Bibliography, a six page Index of Authors, a four page Index of Su= bjects, and a six page Index of Scripture and Other Ancient Sources, "Shapi=
ng the Past to Define the Present: Luke-Acts and Apologetic Historiography"=
is a masterpiece of Biblical scholarship, as well as a highly acclaimed an=
d recommended addition to personal, professional, community, seminary, coll= ege, and university library New Testament Criticism & Historiography collec= tions and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the=
personal reading lists of seminary students, academia, clergy, and non-spe= cialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Shaping the P= ast to Define the Present: Luke-Acts and Apologetic Historiography" is also=
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.83).

Editorial Note: Gregory E. Sterling (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_= Sterling) is the Rev. Henry L. Slack Dean and the Lillian Claus Professor o=
f New Testament at Yale Divinity School. A specialist in Hellenistic Judais=
m and early Christianity, he is also the author or co-editor of eight books=
and more than 100 articles in learned journals or scholarly collections. S= terling also serves on the editorial boards of multiple book series and pre= eminent journals within the field of Judaism and early Christianity. He is = perhaps best known for his monograph Historiography and Self-Definition (Br= ill, 1992; Society of Biblical Literature, 2006).

There's Beauty in Your Brokenness
Brittany Maher, author
Cassandra Speer, author
Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.thomasnelson.com
9781400231195, $19.99, HC, 208pp

https://www.amazon.com/Theres-Beauty-Your-Brokenness-Unburdened/dp/14002311=
91

Synopsis: No matter how much we strive or work, it can still seem like it's=
never enough. But that's okay! Our "enough" ultimately has nothing to do w= ith our actions. Our identity as Christian women is found in God -- and Bri= ttany Maher and Cassandra Speer don't toss that phrase around lightly. As t=
he 90 devotions comprising "There's Beauty in Your Brokenness: 90 Devotions=
to Surrender Striving, Live Unburdened, and Find Your Worth in Christ" col= lectively reveal, realizing your inestimable value in God alone is a life-a= ltering, soul-anchoring truth that will change everything about your life -=
- how you feel about yourself, how you spend your time, and how you treat o= thers.

As you walk through the pages of this beautiful devotional, Brittany and Ca= ssandra will kindly guide you back to what God intended for your life, show= ing you through Scripture, meditations, and reflective questions how sin co= rrupted God's plan, how Christ redeemed it, and how we can live securely in=
that redemption today.

Each entry speaks the truth that you are: Safe, seen, and loved; Already en= ough because of your value in Christ; Part of a community of women who unde= rstand your longing for soul renewal; Whole and complete in Christ, even wh=
en you feel fragile or overwhelmed.

In a world filled with countless counterfeit identities, it's easy to get c= aught up chasing the wrong things. These devotions feel like sitting down t=
o coffee with a close friend and sharing both the hard and good of what it = means to be a woman following Christ, learning together how to grow and res=
t in the peace and security Jesus offers. These vulnerable invitations for = reflection will help you confidently live out your true worth secure in His=
promises for you.

Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "There's Beauty in Your Brokenness: 90 De= votions to Surrender Striving, Live Unburdened, and Find Your Worth in Chri= st" is unreservedly recommended reading for all female members of the Chris= tian community regardless of age or denominational affiliation. It should b=
e noted for personal reading lists that "There's Beauty in Your Brokenness:=
90 Devotions to Surrender Striving, Live Unburdened, and Find Your Worth i=
n Christ" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note #1: Brittany Maher is compelled by love to empower women to = simplify their identity based on one thing alone: Jesus. She is the founder=
of Her True Worth, a large and growing online community (https://hertruewo= rth.com/home) designed to liberate an entire generation of faith-filled wom=
en with the freedom found in discovering their true worth in Christ. She is=
also an evangelist with a burning heart for the broken and the lost. She a=
nd her husband Ryan invest most of their time in equipping and empowering G= od's people for digital evangelism across the globe. They believe in the im= portance of using every tool they can to help bring people to a saving know= ledge of Jesus. Brittany is resides in Michigan with her husband, Ryan, and=
their daughter, Ariana.

Editorial Note #2: Cassandra Speer (https://cassandraspeer.com) is a popula=
r Christian blogger whose heart is driven by the desire to see women discov=
er the depth of God's love in a superficial world through the power of His = Word. She is vice president of Her True Worth, a ministry created to encour= age wounded and wandering women to find their identity and validation in Ch= rist alone. Cassandra is passionate about sharing her faith and tackling th=
e raw and messy moments of life with a little bit of humor -- and a whole l=
ot of Jesus! She is also the proud wife of an Air Force veteran. Cassandra = and her husband are planted in Oklahoma City where they live with their thr=
ee children.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

--- MBSE BBS v1.0.8.4 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: ---:- FTN<->UseNet Gate -:--- (3:633/280.2@fidonet)