2010 Book of the Year
Since I started blogging in 2006, I’ve chosen my favorite book of the year. I suppose that I could use any criteria that I want, but I’ve decided to only choose a book that I read for the first time during the previous year.
This year, my favorite book was Your Church is Too Small by John H. Armstrong.
I reviewed the book here. And, I published several quotes from the book: quote 1 by John Calvin, quote 2 by Martin Luther, quote 3 by Cyprian, quote 4 by Francis A. Schaeffer, quote 5 by Hans Urs von Balthasar, quote 6 by Rex Koivisto, and quote 7 by Richard Halverson.
If you have not read this book yet, I would highly recommend it!
By the way, if you’re still reading this post and if you’re interested, my second choice would be Michael Spencer’s Mere Churchianity, which I reviewed here.
Also, here are links to my favorite books of previous years: 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.
Alan,
I read this book and think Armstrong has several good things to say. However, I’m concerned about his elevation of the Apostles’ Creed to an almost inspired status. In other words, Armstrong seems to believe that whoever holds to the Apostles’ Creed is saved. This obviously has great implications for Roman Catholicism. What do you think about his views on this issue?
Eric,
I thought Armstrong was heading toward that conclusion at the beginning of the book. But, towards the end, he moved away from the Apostle’s Creed as a litmus test. Instead, I think he was simply showing how early Christians only had a few things which they considered of utmost importance (contrasted to the pages and pages of our modern creeds and confessions). In fact, at the end of the book, Armstrong says that he no long tries to figure out who is in and who is out. If someone claims to be a brother or sister, then he treats them that way until they prove otherwise by their life.
-Alan
Alan,
“If someone claims to be a brother or sister, then he treats them that way until they prove otherwise by their life.”
Absolutely! My younger days are littered with sectarian faux pas, and false thinking gained from well meaning, but just as mistaken and sectarian, professors, pastors, and authors.
Only God knows the scars that I have left behind. I can only trust that those affected will have gained the grace of being careful Bereans.