A Mind for God

James Emery White has written a batch of good books lately, all readable and interesting. Notably, we been excited about Serious Times: Making Your Life Matter in a Serious Day which uses brief biographies to introduce us not only to history-making faithful Christ-followers such as William Wilberforce or St. Patrick or Dietrich Bonhoeffer, but how to learn from these saints of God in ways that can sustain our own efforts for social and cultural reformation. It is the kind of book we like since it isn't at all a dry, academic treatise, yet it is unlike so much trifling, self-indulgent stuff that is common-place in evangelical publishing (not to mention in new age and esoterica shops) these days. Now that it is out in paperback, we are thrilled.

Mr. White's brand new book, A Mind for God, is a bit larger than pocket-sized, a handsome, compact shape, thin with a beautiful dust jacket. It is, in a little less than 125 pages, a call to develop the mind, to make commitments to read widely, to engage the conversation of classic literature so that we might honor God by being involved in cultural affairs. He duly frets over the dumbing down of our culture and holds up a standard of intellectual excellence for followers of Christ in the modern world. He lists Bible verses, makes bookish recommendations and tells stories about his family and their struggle to maintain joyful reading habits.

Most of you skimming this are friends or supporters or customers of Hearts & Minds and you know (and maybe appreciate and share) our passion to get people reading quality books (good ones, yes, but not necessarily needlessly highbrow; that isn't us, and we know our best customers are not eggheads, either.) I don't mean to sound crass, but A Mind for God is nearly an advertisement for what we are about here. Like Your Mind Matters (a little book by John Stott that we gave away during our grand opening nearly 25 years ago, which we still happily recommend----heads up to IVP, by the way: give that chestnut a new coat of paint, will ya?) this new one by James White is a short and sweet call to the life of thinking Christianly. It is sweeter, too, than Stott, rigorous yet sweet. I am enthralled with this book, deeply glad that he "gets it" and truly grateful for Christian leaders who call others to love the printed page.

(I myself have recently written a lengthy essay about reading, designed especially for college students. It was published by our good friends at my favorite on-line journal, Comment (of the Work Research Foundation, a very thoughtful Canadian Christian think-tank that works mostly on public life and civic affairs.) I will tell you more about it later, but if you'd like to check it out, click here.)

I couldn't agree more with James Sire's nice blurb on the back of A Mind of God where he says,

God wants us to have the mind of Christ. But what is that mind and how do we get it? James Emery White answers these questions in some of the most lucid prose being written today. A pleasure to read. A joy to take his advice.

The Mind of God James Emery White (IVP) $12.00

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