Between Two Worlds

I really like the new book out by Steve Nichols and Eric Brandt: Ancient Word, Changing Worlds: The Doctrine of Scripture in a Modern Age. It's short yet just meaty enough. It informs theologically and gives us the history of an important and disputed doctrine in a narrative format. And most importantly, it provides readings from across the spectrum. So it "shows," not just "tells."

The book is centered around three important words related to the doctrine of Scripture:

• inspiration (ch. 1: "Sacred Word in the Modern World");
• inerrancy (ch. 3: "Battling for the Bible in the Modern World");
  
• interpretation (ch. 5: "Finding Meaning in the (Post-) Modern World").
  

The in-between chapters provide select readings related to these three issues.

The book closes with three appendices: (1) doctrinal statements on Scripture; (2) key biblical texts on the doctrine of Scripture; and (3) a guide for further reading.

You can read the introduction and chapter 1 online for free.

Derek Thomas says, "This book deserves careful reading even by those who are familiar with the plotlines of the issue. It would be difficult to exaggerate the timeliness of this book." And Phil Ryken says that this is now "the best, clearest, and most reliable historical overview of the doctrine of Scripture for a contemporary audience.