Hearts and Minds: Written Articles

These are fairly serious book reviews that I wrote for an in-house newsletter of the Coalition for Christian Outreach, a Pittsburgh-based campus ministry organization that we are quite fond of. In each, I write--to and for them, to be sure--about books which I think they might find helpful in their grand efforts to bring the gospel to bear on their campuses. Other regular themes include reflections on the signficance of reading, the need for a broad and fully-Biblical vision of the Kingdom of God, developing a keen Christian sense of the arts, cultural critique and what Eugene Peterson has called "earthy spirituality." And, too, whatever else of significance catches by fancy that month. We warmly invite you to read over my shoulder, remembering that these are set in that particular context. Of course you might find some of it a wee bit perplexing (and I apologize for those few occasions when it might seem so terribly in-house that it is nearly cryptic.) Still, we really are anxious to have folk read way back in our review archives. The books and ideas I discuss are, we believe, still very, very current and we hope you find the conversation somewhat helpful.
We've reproduced several years of these reviews andI am very proud of all of them. They are all about books which we love or think important, and I trust you will be inspired. Remember that you can easily order any of the titles mentioned from us. We keep these sorts of quality resources stocked most of the time and can usually ship them out the next day. If you find the reviews provacative, let us know. Send them out to friends. Stay in touch. And thanks for caring about good literature, thoughtful engagement with the culture and making a difference for the Kingdom of Christ. Enjoy.

Latest Review Articles

April '07 NEW! -Kurt Vonnegut, my activist past, and a Christian vision for creation-care

March '07 -Understanding the Hard Texts of the Bible

February '07- Steve Garber, William Wilberforce, & AMAZING GRACE

January '07- Hearts & Minds Best Books Awards 2006 Part 2

December '06- Hearts & Minds Best Books Awards 2006 Part 1

Current Articles

January '06 - Some More Award Winners and Jubilee Authors

February '06 - Books, Blogs, & Business

March '06 - The Irresistible Revolution

April '06 -Practicing Congregations: New Books on Church Renewal

May '06-Da Vinci Code Books

June '06-Wealth, Business and Marketplace Reformation

July '06-Our Favorite Recent Novels

November '06-Preaching & Pastoring: A Provisional Miscellany

Review Article Archive: 2005

January '05 - Hearts & Minds in the News: Selling Books on Intelligent Design and Science Amidst Public Controversy
February '05 - Terrify no More Gary Haugen
God's Politics Jim Wallis
March '05 - Unspeakable: Facing Up To Evil in an Age of Genocide and Terror by Os Guinness
April '05 - Real Sex, Victoria’s Secrets and the Liberating Image of God
May '05 - Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology Eugene H. Peterson
July '05 - LIVE 8, Ron Sider, and the Travels of a T-shirt: Christian Perspectives on Social Justice and the Global Economy
August '05 - Rainbows for a Fallen World
September '05 - Self Help Books That Are Not Cheesy or Shallow
October '05 - God On The Quad
November '05 - Not A Tame Lion: An Untame Listing of the Latest on C. S. Lewis
December '05 - Hearts & Minds Best Book Awards 2005

Review Article Archive: 2004

January '04 - The Church in Emerging Culture
February '04 - Get Up Off Your Knees
March '04 - Revisiting The Fabric of Faithfulness
April '04 - Hearts & Minds Best New Books Awards (and a few other things)Part 1
May '04 - Hearts & Minds Best New Books Awards (and a few other things)Part 2
June '04 - Reading Widely, Thinking Hard and Naming the Elephant
Summer 2004 Extra - From High School to College: Book Recommendations
July '04 - Candyfreak
August '04 - Broken We Kneel: Resources for a Humble and Faithful Christian Approach to Politics
September '04 - Worldviews, Race and Interracial Friendship: Being White and Some of My Best Friends
October '04 - Pine Island Paradox and Good Writing to Help Us Care for the Earth
November '04 - Three Contenders for Book of the Year: Mouw, McLaren, and Walsh & Keesmat
December '04 - Hearts & Minds Holiday Gift Suggestions

Review Article Archives: 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

If you were interested in any of these, go to the book order form.
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