Christian Book Notes

Bunyan, John.  The Pilgrim’s Progress 125th Anniversary Attic Books Collector’s Edition.  Forest Park: Master Books, 2005.  920 pp.  $59.99.  Purchase at Amazon for $40.03 or less!

Introduction

Those who know me and have read reviews here for awhile will know that I am HUGE fan of John Bunyan. Of all the Puritans, he has been the most influential on my life.  Bunyan really does not need an introduction.  Neither does Pilgrim’s Progress.  This edition, however, does.

Summary

This collector’s edition contains much more than just the Pilgrim’s Progress.  Also included in this collection is The Holy War, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, Bunyan’s final sermon preached from John 1:3, a discourse on the gospel entitled The Water of Life as well as two other discourse: Christian Behaviour and The Barren Fig-Tree both of which talk about fruit (or lack thereof) in the Christian life.

Two other writings are included the first of which is a fourteen page writing of the imprisonment of John Bunyan.  There are 63 pages of Bunyan’s dying sayings that are rich with content and show the end of this life for a man who was steeped in the Word of God.

There are vivid pictures of paintings interspersed throughout the book that are evidently from Adam & Co.  I really could not find out more information on this artwork though if you know of any more, please share it with us!

Review

I will not be reviewing the various books found in this 125th anniversary edition. The publisher’s website states:

This hardcover edition was originally published in 1876. Over 125 years later, Master Books has re-created this valuable and rare heirloom with today’s modern technology, but kept the original look and feel by painstakingly scanning in high-resolution every page of this 860-page tome – historic look and all!

The print for the two allegories is quite large and is great for the times when you read these works for your family read aloud time (and I do recommend you do this!). This also means that the book is not as big as it appears. About 2/3 of the entire book is comprised of The Pilgrim’s Progress and The Holy War.

The inclusion of Grace Abounding, which is perhaps the best “salvation testimony” ever written, is wonderful and will undoubtedly be a blessing to many who will read it – some for the first time.

Perhaps what brings me the greatest joy in this particular edition is that they kept the original language.  This may pose a problem to the modern reader, but it is absolutely worth wading through the language barrier with a dictionary to capture the true beauty and master story-telling that John Bunyan possesses.

The publisher is correct that this particular edition will be a wonderful resource to hand down to your children…that is, if you can part with it!

Recommendation

You may be asking why would someone recommend purchasing a $60 copy of these nine books when you can get them for much cheaper.  I’m glad you asked!  There are very few books I would recommend spending this much money on.  John Bunyan’s works (especially The Pilgrim’s Progress and Grace Abounding) are timeless yet timely.  I recall giving a copy to an older neighbor who was a new believer and he remarked that “this John Bunyan fella knows what he is talking about!”

For a book that is the number 2 selling of all time (behind the Bible) I recommend spending the money on this resource to honestly be able to hand down to your children.  My family has a family read aloud time most evenings and while we’ve read various children’s editions of Pilgrim’s Progress, this one resource presents 9 different books by John Bunyan that should be read by every Christian today.  Obviously, Pilgrim’s Progress is what Bunyan is known for, but his other works that are included in this anniversary edition.

Comfort, Ray.  The Defender’s Guide for Life’s Toughest Questions:  Preparing Today’s Believers for the Onslaught of Secular Humanism. Green Forest:  Master Books, 2011.  176 pp.  $12.99.  Purchase at Amazon for less.

Introduction

Ray Comfort has written some 70 books and is the co-host of The Way of the Master – a television and radio program as well as an evangelism course.  You can read about his interactions with atheists daily at Atheist Central.  His sermon, Hell’s Best Kept Secret, has been heard by hundreds of thousands if not millions.

Summary

This resource is divided into five chapters with two appendices.  The first chapter comes out swinging with discussions on the rights and suffering of mankind.  Chapter two looks to the Bible and seeks to answer questions and challenges to the Scriptures.  Chapter three delves into the scientific realm while chapter four looks at the philosophical.  The last chapter offers a discussion on religion.  In this chapter, atheism is portrayed as a religious system akin to Christianity and any other world religion (and rightly so).

The two appendices are valuable in that they will equip the Christian to engage the unbeliever (atheist) at their own level with their own “heroes.”  The first appendix offers quotes from many famous atheists that really shows the bankruptcy of such a worldview.

The second appendix is a print answer to the YouTube video, “10 Questions that every intelligent Christian must answer.”  The main question in this video was the silliness of “Why won’t God heal amputees?”

Review

From a Christian perspective, this resource if well written.  Basically, Comfort has dealt with many of the common statements (he categorized them for the sake of the book) made by those professing to be atheist.  The book is conversational in tone and makes for a great learning experience for the Christian.

From the perspective of an atheist or agnostic, Comfort seems to come out swinging.  He calls all atheists “unthinking men” and then quotes Sir Isaac Newton who said, “Atheism is so senseless and odious to mankind that it never had many professors” (p.6).  This approach will have one of two effect, in my estimation.  Either the unbeliever will keep reading to see how Comfort backs up his charge of their being an “unthinker” or they will throw the book on the table and never open it again because of his arrogance.

In any event, the content of the book is well written and well-researched.  Comfort’s style is enjoyable and interesting.  The tone throughout the book is one of the Christian remaining on offense so to speak.  In essence, Comfort comes out swinging and never lets up.

Recommendation

Far from an apologetics book, The Defender’s Guide is certainly an apologetic book.  This is an excellent resource for the college student who will definitely have to deal with these charges in the classroom–even on the so-called Christian campuses!  Still others will do well to read this book and become familiar with its contents in order to engage the unbeliever at his level in order to bring him to a higher level of understanding.

Dragons: Legends & Lore of Dinosaurs.  Green Forest: Master Books, 2011.  24 pp.  $17.99.  Purchase at Amazon for $12.29 or less.

Introduction

What kid does not fantasize about dragons?  Boys want to slay them and girls are held captive by them.  But, from where did these mythological (?) creatures derive?  Are they real or made up by some culture?  Do they have a connection to dinosaurs?  These questions and more are answered in the pages of Dragons: Legends & Lore of Dinosaurs.

Summary

More like a coffee table book than a chapter book, Dragons looks at the legends found on every inhabited continent in the world.  The reader is then treated to a discussion on the connection between dinosaurs and dragons.

All of this is shared in the context of God’s creation and man’s fall.  The argument is made that the many legends all over the world offer the solution that dragons, were (are?) indeed real creatures.  This is also the argument (among others) for the reality of a global flood as found in Genesis 6.

Review

The colorful pictures and the cited research helps to make the case for the reality that dragons did (and do?) exist.  Much of the information about the dinosaurs is pulled from another book published by Master Books entitled Dinosaurs by Design.

Each page is interactive with a door to open or a card to unfold.  The children love it and learn much about God’s creation.  It also helps to engage them with gospel truths of God’s holiness and His creation, the fall of man and the redemption of man through Christ’s ultimate sacrifice.

Recommendation

For the dragon slayer or princess in your house, you will want to have this book available.  Your child will learn much about God through the legend and lore of the dragon.  They will be introduced to the world through the myths.  They will learn that there have been sightings of dragon-like creatures as recent as 1890 in the United States and even more recently in jungles throughout the world.

Parents and children alike will learn from Dragons and will find that it is a popular book in the house that your child will return to again and again.

Elementary Science: Earth Science. DeRosa, Tom and Carolyn Reeves. Green Forest: Master Books, 2011. Purchase the Teacher Guide & Student Journal for $6.99 or less and the accompanying book of experiments for $11.04 or less.

Introduction

Are you looking for a science curriculum that is fun and engaging and from a biblical creation perspective? The elementary science curriculum is a great way to introduce children to the sciences from a biblical perspective. Written by Carolyn Reeves and Tom DeRosa, the series looks to be engaging and fun for all.

Tom DeRosa is an experienced science educator. He has been able to bring together his love for God and His creation as well as his passion for science as the founder and director of Creation Studies Institute. He has over 35 years of experience in the field of education in the public, Christian, and home school arenas.

Carolyn Reeves is a gifted teacher in that she is able to help students develop an understanding of scientific concepts and how they are to be applied in everyday life. She served 30 years as a science teacher and has a doctorate in science education. She now serves as an educational consultant.

Summary

Student workbook

Each workbook is divided into investigations (not chapters). Each investigation includes the following sections:
• Think about this: an introduction to the need for greater understanding that will be found in the course of the specific scientific experiment.
• The Investigative Problem: This will introduce what the students should be looking for during their investigation.
• Gather These Things: the tools needed
• Procedure & Observation: This is the heart of the experiment. Following the instructions and making observations of what happens will aid the student later in the class work.
• The Science Stuff: this section explains the actual science behind what took place.
• Making Connections: This helps the student to apply what has been learned.
• Dig Deeper: This section builds on the previous sections and will enable the student to expand his or her knowledge of what was learned in the experiment.
• What Did you Learn?: This helps both the teacher and student to review what was learned and to “cement” it into their minds.

Teacher Guide

This guide helps the teacher to teach a course in earth science with no real training in the subject. This is important for many homeschool moms who are afraid of some or all disciplines of science since they were never trained in these disciplines beyond introductory levels. Aside from gathering the resources needed for each experiment, the teacher need only read their part of the book and then teach what they have learned.
Included in the teacher guide is the student journal. It is designed to be ripped out and written on creating a journal for the student to reference again and again.

Review

Both books, the Teacher’s Guide and the text book, cost a total suggested price of $19.98. So, for less than twenty bucks (not including the additional materials), you have an entire semester’s worth of experiments for your classroom. The color photography in the text book is exceptional and the teacher’s guide proves to be an invaluable resource.

I was concerned, however, that the student’s guide and the teacher’s guide came together in the same book. I was concerned that a homeschooling family would be forced to purchase numerous copies of the teacher’s guide to accommodate your children. This prompted me to make a phone call to the publisher (870-438-5288). The gist of the conversation was that if you call and ask permission to reproduce the student guide in a homeschool setting (emphasized because that was all I asked), you will more than likely be granted permission to duplicate. Nonetheless, let me caution you to call the above number and seek permission to do so. In other words, this is not a blanket permission slip to allow anyone and everyone to duplicate the student guide.

Each experiment is designed to help the children delve deeper into God’s creation. Included as part of the discussion guide for teachers are some creation apologetic points to help the children engage the world at the fundamental premise rooted in Genesis 1—that God is the creator of the universe and therefore has the right to judge the world for sin.

Recommendation

If you are a homeschooling parent and you want an easy (though not canned!) curriculum to teach science to your children, I highly recommend the Elementary Science curriculum. With all the colorful photographs in the text book and the easy to follow, even easier to do directions, each experiment will prove to be engaging, learning, and impactful for both the student and the teacher.

Ham, Ken and Karen Hansel. Charlie and Trike in the Grand Canyon Adventure. Green Forest: Master Books, 2010. 23 pp. $15.99. Purchase at Amazon for $11.51 or less!

Introduction

We all know of the Grand Canyon. We all are filled with wonder and amazement at its vastness and depth. We all have questions about how it was formed. Was it millions of years as scientists believe or was it due to on cataclysmic even like the Great Flood found in Genesis 6-8? Noted Creation scientist Ken Ham offers an introduction for children to a biblical account of how the Grand Canyon was formed.

Summary

Charlie, a curious little monkey who does not understand the Bible and Trike, a biblically wise triceratops visit the Grand Canyon one day. Along their journey on this particular day, the reader will learn that the Bible can be trusted as an authoritative book in all that it says. You will witness rescues, forgiveness, and discovery. You will find fossils as well as scientific explanations about where the Grand Canyon came from that makes sense.

Review

Obviously, there are many who disagree with the Bible’s account of creation, and that is the main reason behind Ken Ham’s ministry. This little adventure book for children introduces a biblical foundation for the child’s mind for not just the formation of the Grand Canyon, but for the creation of life itself.

Speaking as one who used to be a theistic evolutionist (light on the theism), and one who loves geology and the earth sciences still to this day, I found Ham’s explanations to be sound both scientifically and biblically. More importantly, Ken Ham points the reader to Christ throughout this short book.

Recommendation

If you have children, then you will love this book. The little flaps and interactive notes along the way only add to the child’s curiosity of God’s creation. Many parents do not know where to begin in attempting to explain God’s creation from a biblical perspective since most were raised given an evolutionist-bent, scientific explanation. Thankfully, Ken Ham has already done the hard work. All that needs to be done now is to purchase these resources and read them with your children. In many cases, the parents will be learning as much as the children!

Ham, Ken. Illustrated by Bill Looney. Dinosaurs for Kids. Green Forest: Master Books, 2009. 64 pp. $14.99. Purchase at Amazon for $10.19 or less.

Introduction

Ken Ham is the founder of Answers In Genesis–a ministry dedicated to reclaiming the authority of Scripture especially the foundation of the Bible in Genesis 1. While many charge they are nothing more than religious propaganda, there is actual science and scientific evidence that supports everything they do. Their main focus is on the theory of evolution. More specifically, Christians who believe in the theory of evolution as the means by which God created the universe.

Summary

The book is divided into 7 ages: Formed, Fearless, Fallen, Flood, Faded, Found, Fiction. In each age, dinosaurs are discussed using scientific evidence supported by a biblical worldview. Thus, many stereotypes crumble.

Throughout the book, children will be introduced to dinosaurs of all types. From the famous T-Rex to the Pterodactyl. The kids will see and understand how human (and dinosaur) history can be not only explained by the biblical accounts of creation, the fall and the flood, but also makes the most sense of the scientific findings of today.

Review

Many would argue that this is not a scientific book on Dinosaurs and that is simply Creationist propaganda. This is not true. Sadly, many Christians have allowed man’s explanation (evolution–which is still a mere theory) to explain what the Bible says about creation. Dinosaurs are, without a doubt, the most fascinating of all prehistoric creatures. This book on dinosaurs for children helps to reinforce a biblical worldview without denying the existence of ancient animals that are now extinct.

Recommendation

Ken Ham does an excellent job of keeping the Scriptures as the main resource for our understanding of science. What is more, the gospel is presented in the context of the destruction of the dinosaurs. To be able to share the gospel with a child at any time is a blessing in and of itself. To be able to do so in the context of dinosaurs is just plain cool in my book.

Many forget that modern science really started because men wanted to know better how God created both the earth and the universe. Unfortunately, many have created the god of science and now bow before it in the hopes that they do not have to answer for their sins.

As one who used to believe in a theory as fact, I highly recommend this book. If you do call on Christ as both Lord and Savior, then it is very important that you have a right understanding of Creation. Where better to start than with the question of the dinosaurs?