I review Scott McKain’s The Collapse of Distinction on my computer services blog.

In this continuation of the Quadrail series, Timothy Zahn is in his normal fun and action form as he keeps Frank Compton and Bayta in a great deal of trouble. We learn new things about the ongoing war against the group-mind Modhri, and also about the Chahwyn who are Compton’s employers.

Once one gets past the extreme difficulty of conceiving of the interstellar railroad, one can enjoy the background created by that odd system and just have fun with the stories and the characters. The background isn’t really all that deep, however. Largely this is action-adventure fun. I like to try to imagine ahead of time just how much twisted nastiness Zahn has planned for his characters. I never quite imagine it all.

It’s either “nonetheless” or “because of this” that I really enjoy these books. Those who have read my fiction reviews will know by now that while I like deep, serious fiction under certain circumstances, I’m a bit of an escapist at heart, and if you keep me entertained, I’ll go ahead and enjoy any number of things that one might criticize otherwise.

Zahn is a good provider for all of that.

This is a first look, before I have read or used the book extensively.  I have simply looked through it, read the preface and some introductions, and laid out a plan for reading and study using the volume.  I intend to “blog through” rather than simply read and review this volume.  See the end of the post for how I will proceed.

Those who know me will be completely unsurprised that, when I was given the opportunity to review a volume in this commentary series, I chose this one.  There are two interlocking reasons:  1)  I love studying the Torah from every perspective I can manage, and 2) I believe Christians who neglect this part of the Bible also miss some of the depth of their own theology and tradition.

Yet few Christians are really interested in Torah, and it is difficult to get them to study it.  So while I have studied from much more complex commentaries on the topic, such as Jacob Milgrom’s three volume commentary on Leviticus (here is my review), I can’t pass those on to Sunday School classes or to pastors I’m encouraging to get started in preaching or teaching from these books.

Thus I am very much attracted to the basic idea of this commentary series, starting with its use of the NLT second edition text, which is an excellent foundation on which to build a commentary for everyone.  Too frequently commentary translations are done in a technical fashion, designed to illustrate the commentator’s points.  This is not a bad thing for a scholarly audience, or even for those past the first stages of study.  Indeed it is necessary.  But it doesn’t help much with that first study.

I’m encouraged by the ambitious goal set forth in the General Editor’s preface:  “… the Cornerstone Biblical Commentary aims at helping teachers, pastors, students, and laypeople understand every thought contained in the Bible.”  Yes, it’s ambitious, but it is aimed at the right group of people.  If one doesn’t keep one’s eye on the goal, then one will never get anywhere.

So how is this volume laid out?

First, it includes the full scriptural text from the NLT second edition.  That’s a highlight.  I’ve already read that part, though not from this volume.  It is a good translation to use in accomplishing the goals of the commentary.

Second, it includes notes on textual, translational, and interpretational details.  For example, looking at notes from Leviticus 4:1-5:13, I see explanations of the Hebrew word behind the English translation “commands” along with references.  We’re provided with word numbers in both the Tyndale and the Zondervan numbering system (Kudos to Tyndale for including the latter), along with references to selected works.  There’s a discussion of the phrase “ceremonially clean” and “an offering for their sin” amongst many others.  In scanning through the volume I also saw notes on various textual issues, but written in minimally technical language.

Finally, there is commentary on the passage as a whole, dealing more with themes, theology, and application.  In the case of Leviticus 4:1-5:13, there is about a page of notes followed by nearly five pages of commentary.  The scriptural text itself occupies very nearly two pages.  This will give you an idea of how space is proportioned.  (The introduction and outline of the book is 10 pages.)

Overall, the book is 679 pages + 14 pages of front matter.  The main section uses 214 pages for Leviticus, 229 for Numbers, and 236 for Deuteronomy.

So let’s compare bulk as a sort of “intimidation factor.”  The NLT Study Bible uses 65 pages for the book of Numbers.  The New International Commentary on the Old Testament volume on Numbers uses 667.  I don’t have a good intermediate number on Leviticus, but I would note that Migrom’s commentary is over 2700 pages.  I would say this commentary is well-placed then to draw people beyond the study Bible stage and on to the more serious study.

As for perspective, the authors (David W. Baker, Dale A. Brueggemann, and Eugene H. Merrill) and editors are all unsurprisingly evangelical, and fairly conservative at that.  I don’t intend to criticize the commentary for its stated perspective.  I will note just how much each author interacts with opposing viewpoints.  In a commentary such as this, there is a balance.  Too much discussion of every idea out there means that one can’t get to the basic work necessary; too little tends to limit the usefulness of the work to broader audiences.

As I mentioned in the initial note, it is not my intent to read through this book and then publish a review.  Rather, after publishing these initial notes, I am going to use it as my secondary devotional study, after my time spent on the week’s lectionary passages, and then blog about the experience, finally wrapping everything up when I have read the entire volume.  While I will, as always, be studying and comparing with many sources, my primary question in this case will be just how valuable and accessible the material is to someone preparing a Sunday School lesson or a sermon for their congregation that would draw from this material.

In terms of overall theme, I’ll be asking myself how well the volume will link the theological themes to Christian theology and tradition, and of course ultimately to Christian living.  Then I will rate the book as to how well it accomplished the stated goal I quoted above, with due consideration for how ambitious a goal it is.

You will be able to follow my study on my Participatory Bible Study blog.  There will be a final wrap-up post here.

These reviews are on the New Life Application Bible Studies volume on Acts, and the 24/7 Chronological Study Bible.  Both of these are excellent resources for particular needs in Bible Study.

When I teach people about how to study the Bible, and especially when I talk to them about handling difficult passages, there is one category of passage that dominates:  Violent and sometimes difficult to understand passages from the Old Testament.  How can a God of love command the slaughter of thousands, even women and children?

GoingtoSeminary.com has a good review of A Reader’s Greek New Testament.

I find the concept interesting for new Greek students or those wishing to improve their skills through quantity reading. It’s often hard for new students to move from the word-by-word mode to actually reading Greek, and this is the sort of tool that can help.

There isn’t a better grillmaster than Bobby Flay. If you like to grill or you would like some tips to better grilling, this is the book!

The book begins by discussing grills and tools and condiments. I like Bobby’s simple and realistic recommendations. Then each chapter discusses each item that can be grilled (asparagus, beef, shrimp, chicken, etc), what to examine when shopping, and then how to basically grill the item …”perfectly”! The recipes are easy to follow and include wonderful dipping sauces. This book is definitely on my Wish List.

Cast of Characters is another great book by Max Lucado! This could parallel the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews except that this author did not leave out the little detail that the characters are less than perfect! Rev. Lucado calls Paul, Job, Lazarus, and the Samaritan woman “common people in the hands of an Uncommon God”.

Each chapter ends with 4-5 questions for consideration and even space where you could write in the book. I recommend this book for small groups, personal study, or a jump start to a good sermon!

Once again, Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb, has hit a homerun with me in this newest installment of the In Death series. I have read the more than 30 previous Eve Dallas stories and I feel that I know the characters of Eve, Roarke, Peabody, Feeney, McNabb, and Somerset and yet Ms. Roberts continues to grow the characters through their experiences just as you and I would grow each year.

This story has the Catholic Church and its structure and traditions transcending into the 21st century. As one who was raised Catholic, I was pleased to see that Eve is realistically portrayed realistically as not fully understanding the faith lived by the priests and people in this story but she is interested and thoughtful – even somewhat uncomfortable – by the faith. Ms. Roberts gave the element of faith weight and respect even as she mixed it with the evil of murder.

If you are a J.D. Robb fan, you will love this book. If you have never read J.D. Robb, you can start with this book, understand it, love it, and catch up with the rest of us!

This is the second book in this series by David Weber.  I reviewed the previous volume, Off Armageddon Reef, here.

Weber continues the series with more excellent writing.  I think there is nobody in science fiction who can combine exciting characters, excellent military writing, interesting politics, and a plot that keeps you reading like David Weber can. I often find that as series go on my interest drops.  After a time I quit caring what happens next, but that is not true of any of Weber’s series.

In By Schism Rent Asunder, we get to learn a great deal about the church, its structure, and its scripture.  It’s interesting, and I’m pretty sure intentional, that the various scriptures attributed to the archangels are generally slightly rewritten passages from the Bible or to some extent from other scriptures.

On the one hand we have religious suppresion and cruelty carried to the maximum degree, then we have a more moderate church.  Yet there remains the question of whether the entire church is based on a lie.  King Cayleb and his Kingdom of Charis have to face these questions along with the much more practical issue of whether they will manage to keep on living while fighting against “God’s church” and its secular power.

There’s a certain amount of reflection of the reformation period in Europe with elements like excommunication and the interdict brought into play.

This book is clearly not a conclusion to the story, but it does answer many questions even as it leaves you wondering just what those power sources are under the temple in Zion, and how long can Nimue Alban, also known as Merlin Athrawes manage to remain undetected.