Books read in February 2018

1. Churchill & Orwell: The Fight for FreedomHardcover by Thomas E. Ricks  (Author)

The historical comparison of these two men is good and informative. Both were dissidents, men who spoke out and suffered for telling the truth they saw. Both fought for it and made a living writing about it. An aristocratic rebel and a privileged missile class one. Nature and nurture interplay in both. Both are involved in war, one seemingly with enjoyment, the other with near fatal injury. One has a brief life, the other long. Not really explored are their mental states. Churchill's black dog is there but does he not show the hallmarks of someone who is bipolar. Nor is the likelihood of depression influencing Orwell considered and a man suddenly bereft of his wife and dying of tuberculosis must have been depressed. Ricks fails to identify the prejudices of Joseph Kennedy as this of an Irish American. At least his son had more courage. One gets a good feel for the early Nazi onslaught and the isolation of the UK. I do not agree with Rick's assessment of Churchill's attitude to Ireland's neutrality. Ricks is not kind to Churchill as the war progresses and concerning his subsequent career. The book does show why Orwell hated the totalitarians. For a start, they nearly killed him in Spain when they were both there to fight a common enemy. The admiration of Churchill and Orwell for each other shows great men rise above the prejudices of petty minds. Ricks is not without his own prejudices on post war history and here my appreciation of the book declined. Iraq was a mistake but I would not join in the condemnation of Bush and Blair.

2. Treasury of David: 7 volumes by C H Spurgeon (Author)

Mine is a 1950 edition. Spurgeon expounds each Psalm after a traditional introduction based on the title and the Psalm's main divisions. He then quotes extensively from old authors. It is a great devotional and preaching resource but no modern analysis of course.

3. The Mighty and the Almighty: How Political Leaders Do God by Nick Spencer (Author)

Spencer is in fact the editor with twelve authors writing on twenty four politicians starting with Thatcher and ending with Trump. Their personal faith, public profession of it and how it has influences their politics is examined. The subjects vary from the well known to the relatively obscure, Urban, Sirleaf, Myung-bak and Lugo. Havel is there despite his own denial of any Christian faith. For some one was surprised to learn how Christian was their background e.g. Reagan, Clinton, Sarkosy. There is no constant line to be drawn between Christian profession and the politics though it is fair to see a connection between liberal theology and liberal politics. The editor shows that you can use Scripture and Christian theology as your base for most political viewpoints. There is no one line to politics from theology and none of the political leaders has any theological expertise except Lugo.
   The perspective of the authors and editors position shows after a while.It is the of Theos which exists to undertake research and provide commentary on social and political arrangements. Theos aims to impact opinion around issues of faith and belief in society. Theos was launched in November 2006 with the support of the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and the then Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, and maintains an ecumenical position. It is that of mainstream Western Christianity. This is most evident when one reads the chapter on Goodluck Jonathan. The African antipathy to homosexuality is IMO dismissed with no attempt at a cultural understanding.
   But this is a book that will inform you even if you disagree with some of the analysis. You will see politics as an art of the possible where politicians may play at and utilise religion for their own ends. I was left though wondering why two very professed and well known professed Christian politicians were ignored, Ian Paisley and Martin McGuiness, the late Northern Irish Chuckle Brothers.

4. Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion (2 volume set) by John T. McNeill (Editor)

This work of theological genius is a text which has influenced Western civilisation for nearly five centuries. It started as the work of a young French refugee, only in his twenties and resident in Geneva. It does not read like other systematic theologies for it is heartwarmingly devotional. It is felt faith explained and defended. The detractors of Calvin are usually lacking in personal contact with his works. Ignorant prejudice against this Marmite reformer will be reduced by acquaintance with this his magnum opus. This last century edition is far more readable than earlier translations.    
   I have now completed reading the Institutes as part of my daily devotions and can recommend it as the warmest, most edifying and devotional of systematic theologies. Read and find the true spiritual giant, the greatest theologian since apostolic times. It is a book of its age. Some of the arguments against Roman theology may be skimmed and one will have disagreement over the duties of the magistrate. Nevertheless it is a work of incomparable genius for which I thank God.Enough to remove personal prejudice against the French. But they did so persecute their greatest son that he had to live as an unwilling asylum seeker in Geneva. Remember this when you read him on the magistrate and obedience to unjust rulers.
   It is fifty years this month since I bought my copy. I have in that time bought, read and let go of many books, mainly given away. But this copy will be part of the inheritance for my heirs.

5. Gunpowder Treason and Plot: The gruesome story of Guy Fawkes by Clive Anderson  (Author)

That this was a Roman Catholic plot cannot be contested and this is a very Protestant account of the history drawing out many points where the cause of Protestantism was at risk and the huge what if of history as to likely consequences if the plot had succeeded. The proof reading leaves something to be desired. Among the slips I spotted were Elizabeth II , p.19, for Elizabeth I or Elizabeth and p 101, summary is misspelled. On p14 'Provided English children with their version of Halloween' leaves me wondering it this was intended for the American market. I have never before read the full sentence for hang, drawn and quartered. It is exceedingly gruesome and the author seems to delight in describing in detail this terrible method of execution. Overall as much sermon as history. There is no mention that the effigy on the bonfire may be the Pope. 

6. Maintaining the Evangelical Faith Today by D. M. Lloyd-Jones (Author)

A warning against a broad church oecumenism which obscures the gospel by denying the authority of Scripture. The IFES memorandum quoted with approval says unity is only found when the following are adhered to with tenacity. The falseness of man, the substitutionary atonement of Christ, the necessity of the Holy Spirit's regenerating power, the universal church manifested in local gatherings of those in Christ.Written fourteen years before the Doctor called for evangelicals to leave main stream denominations for a more visible unity than the merely spiritual.

7. The Book of Books: The Radical Impact of the King James Bible by Melvyn Bragg  (Author)

'My book wants to look at what has been neglected:a history that no longer dares to speak its name. A history of positive achievement catalysed by the King James Bible and the Protestant movement.' This is an excellent work. I have a few quibbles below but it is amazing and should be entitled,"What the Spirit did through the word". This is more than a tribute to the most influential Bible translation
Calvin exercised no  'religious despotism" in Geneva. Until his latter years he was the asylum seeking pastor of the church of St Peter where he was not even allowed to say how often he would celebrate the lord's Supper. he never held civil office at all. He quotes Einstein as a 'deeply religious non-believer' and wonder if this too is Bragg. He rightly thinks Dawkins is unfair to religion. On p.264 we read the monarch is the Head Of the Church of England. Wrong. Christ is Head. The queen is the Supreme Governor. The education chapter is too anglocentric. What about Scotland. 
   From his writing you may often think the author must be a believer. It appears not and it shows when he dismiss the Bible on homosexuality as unsustainable prejudice. No Lord Bragg, there is no prejudice but you have been squeezed into the mould of the modern secular world.

8.The Times History of War by David C. Isby  (Author),‎ Richard Brooks (Author),‎ Jan Honig (Author),‎ Richard H. Berg (Author),‎ Mark Herman (Author)

Beautifully produced. Comprehensive within its limitations. Informative reference work.

9. 1066: What Fates Impose by G. K. Holloway  (Author)

An epic novel relating twenty one years of England’s history, informatively well told. I learnt a lot and was gripped by the history related. Most of us know 1066. Harold got it in the eye. William conquered. The last invasion to succeed. But here we have the detail, the intrigues, the influences at work. I never knew the Pope was backing William or that the odds were really against him raising an army and transporting it when he had no navy. I knew Harold suffered from playing away at Stamford Bridge then a quick second match down south but his character, bigamy and the scheming family were all news to me. 

   I hope the author goes on to tell us of events between the end here at Hastings and the death of the bastard William in 1087 for one can be no fan of this brutal foreign duke. Harold is no admirable  bigamist either but he was our last English king before all these Normans and later Scots and Germans. It was the Norma who brought us under the European sway of the Pope until Henry VIII freed us from that yoke. 

   One learns of the strong  Catholic Christian culture of English and Normans and the paganism still in Viking forces. Both were brutally and cruelly violent and this is well conveyed. Scheming clergy show little Christian grace. Unlike most contemporary writers we are not given too much detail of sexual matters but the violence is in horrific detail.

    My one criticism is that the index of characters is too brief. A completes listing would greatly enhance the reader’s understanding and a glossary of terminology would help e.g. houseearl, fyrd, handfast wife. Battlefield maps would be a help too.

10. Failed to Return: Air Operations of No.4 Group (RAF) and No.6 Group (RCAF), 1939-45 by Bill Norman  (Author)

The blessings of the internet. My parents first saw our house in 1944 as newly weds. They came to see not the house but the Halifax crashed in front of it. I had never seen photos of the crash until the author sold me a copy of his excellent book. Now I see the crew too and the 1984 unveiling of the RCAF memorial in our village. This is of course the highlight of the book for me. It is a superb account of Bomber Command in Yorkshire and the heroism of these brave young men, every one a volunteer who flew knowing he was likely not to survive his tour of duty. We will never forget. The shame is that they never received a campaign medal. Politics prevailing over honour.

11. The Times Atlas Of World History - A New Edition 

Superb presentation. Colourfully informative and educational. A true reference work.

12.Voices from the Past: Puritan Devotional Readings by Richard Rushing (Editor)

Excellent daily devotions for a year and antiquated language has been modernised.

13. BED AND BOARD PLAIN TALK ABOUT MARRIAGE by ROBERT FARRAR CAPON (Author)

The best book on complementarity I have read though published in 1965 I do not think it uses the word. The author was a married episcopal clergyman with a family six.He knew whereof he wrote. His style may at first strike one as eccentric and verbose but hang in there. The man is a genius on this subject. Do not be put of by his his churchmanship. Marriage is not as he believes "a very great sacrament'.  Divorce is not 'a metaphysical impossibility'. His is Catholic marriage theology. mine is Protestant reformed with marriage a covenant which may be broken by persistent unrepentant failure to keep vows. However this disagreement takes nothing from the profound teaching herein given on all matters bed and board, husband, wife and children. I think he is weak on hospitality and surprisingly reticent on child rearing but on the fundamentals of marriage this is genius. One reviewer could not tolerate his sexism. Rot. This man is a counter cultural Christian who speaks truth not discerned from the prevailing culture but from the Bible and the wisdom of the ages. He wrote before the electronic age but that is no deficit. His world had no internet but it has real communication between people. Read and learn. Publisher reprint please.

14. William Tyndale: A Very Brief History by Melvyn Bragg  (Author)

Bragg is an unashamed Tyndale fan and so am I. A well written biography of the man who most influenced the English language and who is mostly unacknowledged and forgotten. Bragg's easier book on the King James Bible did him justice. So does this. All that was missing from was an account of how profitable though risky Bible smuggling was at this time. A 300% profit in England for the smuggler's outlay in Antwerp if you were prepared to risk your life. The great story of one of the greatest Englishman who for love of England left it that he might live to translate into our tongue God's word. Well done Bragg.