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 - SUPERHEROES CAN'T SAVE YOU: EPIC EXAMPLES OF HISTORIC HERESIES BY TODD MILES

 

Who says Christian apologetics can't be fun?

Todd Miles (professor at Western Seminary in Portland, OR) has given a useful and relevant understanding of who Christ is in his book Superheroes Can't Save You: Epic Examples of Historic Heresies. He looks at seven incorrect views of who Jesus Christ is through history (he refers to them as bad ideas about Jesus) and compares these distortions with various superheroes. The result is a fun, readable book that helps us understand doctrine.

Each chapter follows this format:

1. Introduction to the superhero and autobiographical insights
2. The heresy (or false teaching or "bad idea about Jesus"
3. Who follows this heresy today? (In this section, he'll mention particular groups that hold to that teaching but also ways that someone may be slipping into a particular trap of thinking that isn't accurate.
4. What does the Bible say?
5. Why does it matter?

When I was younger, I considered the three most important aspects of theology to be Bibliology (the Inspiration of the Bible), Christology (who Jesus is) and Soteriology (the teaching on salvation). While I consider all three (and also all other areas of theology) important still, I'm at the point of believing Christology is the most important. Of course, you need a solid Bibliology to have a solid Christology, and if you have a proper Christology, you will by default realize our salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Thus, this book is helpful in identifying a Biblically consistent Christology.
I highly recommend this book both as a student of the Word (I considered calling myself a theologian - it sounds more intellectual and intimidating, even though "theologian" and "student of the Word" are the same thing) and as a comic book fan.