ALBUM REVIEW - "MODERN PSALMS II" BY DAVID PATACONI

Photo borrowed from David Pataconi

Last year, I took the 20 day challenge of posting covers of albums/CDs that influenced me. Not the first time: I did it before in 2020, and was surprised that the selected ones didn't change. One exception, though: TheoTerran's self-titled album made my list, the only recent album that had that honor.

Now if you're wondering what TheoTerran has to do with a review of "Modern Psalms II" by David Pataconi, then you aren't aware that Pataconi is half of TheoTerran. While there are differences in sound, both are heavily electronic projects. 

Included on this album is "My Path To Walk," a single that was released last year (2024), and was my favorite song of that year. There are a lot of other excellent songs on this project. My favorites included "Holy," "Psalm 18 (You Are My Light)," "Psalm 56 (My Shield)," Psalm 121 (Lift My Eyes Up)," "At Your Feet," and the fantastic closing instrumental "Hope in the Void."

My favorite song from '23 was TheoTerran's "WarCry." As mentioned above, my '24 favorite was Pataconi's "My Path to Walk." Even though this is only mid-March when I'm writing this, I would not be a bit surprised if my favorite song for '25 is from "Modern Psalms II."

 

BOOK REVIEW - "YOUNG, RESTLESS, REFORMED: A JOURNALIST'S JOURNEY WITH THE NEW CALVINISTS" BY COLLIN HANSEN

 

I first heard of this book on Trevin Wax's Reconstructing Faith podcast, and soon read about it in another book I recently read ("Killing Calvinism" by Greg Dutcher). So I checked this book out.

In "Young, Restless, Reformed," journalist Collin Hansen investigates the modern resurgence of Calvinism. When Emerging Christianity seemed to be the fad of the day, Hansen went to various places where he found traditional Calvinism was alive and strong.

Hansen goes to various locations, such as the Passion Conference, Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minnesota where John Piper is the pastor, and The Southern Theological Seminary which saw a revival in Biblical inerrancy as well as Calvinism.

My opinion? This book is more of a journal of Calvinism's rebirth, interviewing not just the big names but young people who were influenced as well. It reviews people getting into Calvinism not as one trying to convince the unconvinced but a reporter telling what influenced his interviewees' lives.

I recommend this book.

BLOG UPDATE!!!

 

Sunset at our apartment complex, 2/28/25, before DST makes it later.

A quick update on this blog. I plan on cutting down posts to 2 a week, except for special occassions. Posting days will be Tuesday and Saturday - if you prefer it being Friday instead of Saturday, let me know.

Thank you for reading.

BOOK REVIEW - "CRIME SCENE SECRETS" (MOUNTAIN COUNTRY K-9 UNIT BOOK 4) BY MAGGIE BLACK

 

Who is the John Doe killed during a wedding rehearsal? Was it the Rocky Mountain Killer - the deceased had a clip with RMK on it - or is it a copy cat killer with the same M.O.? Can FBI agent Kyle West, his K-9 partner, and  Crime Scene Investigator Ophelia solve these mysteries so the wedding can happen, but not another murder?

"Crime Scene Secrets" by Maggie K. Black is the fourth installment of Love Inspired Suspense's Mountain Country K-9 Unit series. As typical of this Harlequin imprint, this story has exciting, edge of the seat action and great characters who somehow find out how to fall in love with each other.

Yes, this is the fourth part of a nine part series, with ten different authors. Does it need to be read in order? On one hand, this story does not spoil anything if you haven't read the previous story, nor do you feel lost if you have missed a book. However, I feel it's more enjoyable with this series to read them in order. In other words, while it has it's place in the series, it also works as a stand alone.

For those who haven't read any of the series, besides the main story, the Mountain Country K-9 Unit is searching for the Rocky Mountain Killer, who killed three young men from a rancher's club a decade ago and three more in the present day. This murderer is also suspected of stealing a dog that was going to be trained to be a therapy dog. Plus, the crime tech, hoping to become a foster parent, has that process derailed because of a false accusation.

I recommend this book, the author (I've read several of her books and enjoyed them) and this series.

BOOK REVIEW - "KINGDOM POLITICS: GOVERNMENT FROM GOD'S PERSPECTI VE" BY TONY EVANS

 "Now, wait a minute!" some of you may say. "Didn't you post a review of this book less than a month ago?" 

No. Just over three weeks ago, I posted a book review on "Kingdom Politics: Returning God to Government." This post is on "Kingdom Politics: Government from God's Perspective." Let me explore the similarities and differences in this review of the latter.

"Kingdom Politics: Government from God's Perspective" by Dr. Tony Evans is the study book for a six part study based on his book "Kingdom Politics: Returning God to Government." Each of the six weekly studies are designed with an introduction section called "Hitting The Streets," and two Bible studies. Also, the book includes a code so you can log in and view a video for each of the sections.

While there is a lot of overlap, there are differences (beside this one having a dark cover and "Returning God to Government" has a white cover). "Returning God to Government" has 12 chapters divided into a trio of four chapter divisions; "Government from God's Perspective" has 6 lessons, and they don't fit perfectly with the other book.

In this age of political division, one important thing to a lot of people is if this book leans left/Democrat or right/Republican. Evans encourages we instead be "Kingdom Independents," seeking Scripture to see how God views issues. Evans believes it's possible for one person to take that approach and side with Democrats on the matter of justice while another ends up standing with Republicans for the sanctity of life. 

This is supposed to be a six week study. We managed to cram those six weeks into eighteen, spending three weeks in each chapter, going through the "Hitting the Streets" and two studies one week each. But maybe your group might move quicker.

I recommend this study.

BOOK REVIEW: "JESUS' ALTERNATIVE PLAN: THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT" BY RICHARD ROHR

I checked this book out when a Bible study I'm involved with was about to start on the Sermon on the Mount. He gives background information. For seven chapters - Rohr doesn't start dealing with the Sermon on the Mount until chapter 8. There are 9 chapters. No, it wasn't much help.

There were other things that bothered me about this book. It came across as a cross of mystical and liberal. For example, he does not believe that the Gospels were written by the person they're attributed to. He regularly states Jesus was killed. Traditional churches usually say "Jesus died," which is consistent with the Biblical view Jesus gave up His life for our sins; Rohr's method sounds like it was the Religious Leaders in control, not Christ. Shortly after reading this, I heard him referred to on podcasts I listen to as being progressive and new thought.

I recommend this for those who know the Bible well enough to realize what's off base and then read it so you can respond to what doesn't fit. As a book on the Sermon on the Mount, I do not recommend it.

BOOK REVIEW - "JACOB ARMINIUS: THE MAN FROM OUDEWATER" BY RUSTIN E. BRIAN

I don't know if you have had the same experience, but it seems most definitions of Arminianism comes from Calvinists, especially those who want to throw the whole theology under the bus and brand it as heresy, questioning the salvation of those who dare disagree with them.

For this reason, I've read a couple of books to see what Arminians really believe several years ago, and reread them recently. As you'd expect, one thing I'd want to read is a biography. "Jacob Arminius: The Man from Oudewater" by Rustin E. Brian is an excellent starting point.

Brian divides his book into three parts. The first three chapters evaluate Arminius' early life, his pastoral ministry, and his years as an educator. Chapters four through six investigates his theology concerning the Bible, his Christology, and - as you'd expect - his views on predestination and salvation. Next, he compares him to Pelagius (the chapter's title is Arminius is not equal to Pelagius), John Wesley, and Karl Barth. He concludes on how this relates to present time.

Interesting facts. Would you believe one of Arminius' teachers was Theodore Beza? Would you believe the starting point of Arminius' theology is not Predestination but his Christology? Would you believe Arminius' focus on free will was not whether the unregenerate could choose to follow Christ (Arminius agrees with Calvin on total depravity) but whether evil men do evil do so by their depraved free will as opposed to God predestining them to do evil and then condemning them for doing what they are made to do?

I highly recommend this book. It may not convince you that Arminianism is more accurate than Calvinism, but it helps us realize that Arminianism falls very nicely into the category of orthodox, evangelical, Biblically based theology.