Reviewing commentaries is a tricky business – particularly for me as a generalist, and an in-publisher editor of commentaries! I tend to offer my review based on the format and content of the volume, and its utility or otherwise to preachers and pastors. Occasionally I’ll digress into particularly theological or stylistic quirks. I begin this review with a confession – this is the first time I’ve read through one of these Jewish Publication Society Bible Commentary volumes (JPS) cover to cover. I’ve previously dipped in for reference, but the experience of reading one of these straight t ..read more

There are some books that just need to be published. Not because they are perfect, or because they will be read by everyone for a long time, but because they are needed. Nay Dawson’s ‘She Needs’ is a book that I’m proud to have worked on – and I pray for the day that it is no longer needed… What do you think you can do in the church? Your answer to that question will reveal a lot about you, and the church you are a part of, but as a man, I’m aware that there are ways in which women experience church quite differently to me. Whether it is down to a complementarian or egalitarian theo ..read more

From time to time I like to highlight on my blog, for the few who read it regularly, ‘things’ which I think are particularly cool. Today I’m highlighting something that I think is particularly cool. But read on to find out more! Hi, Tim, who are you and what do you do?   Hi Tom, I’m a writer, blogger, University Manager, and pastor. I’m also studying part time for an MA by Research in Theology and as of right now am one of the founding editors of Eucharisma. Which is perhaps more strings than I have bows! I’m married to Helen and we live in South Birmingham.   Where are you at ..read more

Throughout September 2022, I managed to read and reflect – briefly – on a Psalm each day. For December 2022, I attempted to pick up the discipline. I got part-way through that month, and so after a long hiatus, am determined to get going. I’ll read the Psalm, pray, and then ponder a few questions: What is this Psalm about? What does this Psalm teach about God? How does this Psalm connect to God’s people today? I’ll close the post with a simple prayer, trying to draw the themes together. On the 31st of January 2024, here’s Psalm 75: We give thanks to you, O God;     we g ..read more

Reviewing commentaries is a tricky business – particularly for me as a generalist, and an in-publisher editor of commentaries! I tend to offer my review based on the format and content of the volume, and its utility or otherwise to preachers and pastors. Occasionally I’ll digress into particularly theological or stylistic quirks.   In the last 18 months or so Numbers has gone for me from being a book of the Bible I least understood and appreciated, to being one that I’ve fallen in love with somewhat. This has largely been due to working editorially on a major technical commentary on Numb ..read more

Throughout September 2022, I managed to read and reflect – briefly – on a Psalm each day. For December 2022, I attempted to pick up the discipline. I got part-way through that month, and so after a long hiatus, am determined to get going. I’ll read the Psalm, pray, and then ponder a few questions: What is this Psalm about? What does this Psalm teach about God? How does this Psalm connect to God’s people today? I’ll close the post with a simple prayer, trying to draw the themes together. On the 30th of January 2024, here’s Psalm 74: O God, why do you cast us off forever?   &n ..read more

I don’t normally like leadership books – too often (and this a primary reason why I was so excited to edit and publish Chris Green’s ‘The Gift’) they either uncritically baptise secular business thinking, or have a wooden and stilted approach to biblical exegesis. Recenlty, though, I heard the author of the book I’m reviewing today, speak, and was very impressed with his emphasis on character, and his contextually challenging provocation to think about how we seek to change the world, rather than just the why and the end of our goals. With the many scandals around leaders, in and outside ..read more

Reviewing commentaries is a tricky business – particularly for me as a generalist, and an in-publisher editor of commentaries! I tend to offer my review based on the format and content of the volume, and its utility or otherwise to preachers and pastors. Occasionally I’ll digress into particularly theological or stylistic quirks. In a previous review of a volume in this series, I wrote “this is a series that I’ve had mixed feelings about – some are superb, readable and theological, others seem disconnected from the idea of commentary“. Having worked through this commentary on Exodus by Thomas ..read more

Throughout September 2022, I managed to read and reflect – briefly – on a Psalm each day. For December 2022, I attempted to pick up the discipline. I got part-way through that month, and so after a long hiatus, am determined to get going. I’ll read the Psalm, pray, and then ponder a few questions: What is this Psalm about? What does this Psalm teach about God? How does this Psalm connect to God’s people today? I’ll close the post with a simple prayer, trying to draw the themes together. On the 17th of January 2024, here’s Psalm 73: 1 Surely God is good to Israel,    &nb ..read more

In some ways, this might be a strange book to read – I am neither an academic nor a woman, and so the only obvious link for me to read this book is the faith aspect. Yet, I work in a space (Christian publishing, some academic) that means I’m interested in a lot of the challenges facing women who could write for us at IVP/Apollos, and so when I saw that IVP-USA was publishing this book, I was keen to pick up a copy. As a masters student at an Anglican seminary/college (almost ten years ago!) some of the themes in this book were apparent – as I’ve gone on, and spoken to women (And men) in ..read more