February 8-15: A Secular Age by Charles Taylor
This book has become foundational for understanding the cultural condition of Western civilization. In his sweeping 776-page work, Charles Taylor offers profound insight into the rise of secularism and the reshaping of faith over the past five centuries. Several of Taylor’s key terms, including "the nova effect," "immanent frame," "buffered and porous self," "open and closed frames," "secularity," "cross pressures," and "malaise," help illuminate the cultural air we breathe and are essential for translating the gospel into our current cultural reality.
Taylor’s massive volume is daunting, so I suggest a helpful companion in The Gospel Coalition’s Ten Years of Reading Charles Taylor, which translates and applies many of his insights for Christian readers engaging contemporary culture. As always, Scripture provides the ultimate interpretive lens. Marginalizing God and His purposes is, as Ecclesiastes reminds us, “vanity, a chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14; 2:11). There is “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). While Taylor’s vocabulary may be new, the human tendency to construct meaning apart from God (and its consequences) is not.
This book has become foundational for understanding the cultural condition of Western civilization. In his sweeping 776-page work, Charles Taylor offers profound insight into the rise of secularism and the reshaping of faith over the past five centuries. Several of Taylor’s key terms, including "the nova effect," "immanent frame," "buffered and porous self," "open and closed frames," "secularity," "cross pressures," and "malaise," help illuminate the cultural air we breathe and are essential for translating the gospel into our current cultural reality.
Taylor’s massive volume is daunting, so I suggest a helpful companion in The Gospel Coalition’s Ten Years of Reading Charles Taylor, which translates and applies many of his insights for Christian readers engaging contemporary culture. As always, Scripture provides the ultimate interpretive lens. Marginalizing God and His purposes is, as Ecclesiastes reminds us, “vanity, a chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14; 2:11). There is “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). While Taylor’s vocabulary may be new, the human tendency to construct meaning apart from God (and its consequences) is not.
February 1-7: "The Private Interpretation of Scripture" by R. C. Sproul
This video has become a favorite piece of supplemental content in my Bibliology cohorts. Maybe it’s R.C.’s hair. Maybe it’s the suit. Or maybe it’s his clear and memorable explanation of the first principle of interpretation: there is only one correct meaning of any biblical text (sensus literalis). While a passage may yield many faithful applications and layers of significance, Scripture itself speaks with a single, intended meaning in any given text. Enjoy this short lesson!
This video has become a favorite piece of supplemental content in my Bibliology cohorts. Maybe it’s R.C.’s hair. Maybe it’s the suit. Or maybe it’s his clear and memorable explanation of the first principle of interpretation: there is only one correct meaning of any biblical text (sensus literalis). While a passage may yield many faithful applications and layers of significance, Scripture itself speaks with a single, intended meaning in any given text. Enjoy this short lesson!
January 25-31: Grounded in Heaven, Recentering Christian Hope and Life on God. Michael Allen’s 2018 book deserves renewed attention for its rich theological retrieval, biblical insight, and pastoral guidance toward a heavenly-minded life shaped by holy discipline. I utilized this work in my doctoral thesis and continue to return to it in my own discipleship and leadership. You can purchase this book wherever books are sold.
“To walk unto the sun was to flee darkness. To journey towards Heaven was to leave behind the things of this earth.”
“To walk unto the sun was to flee darkness. To journey towards Heaven was to leave behind the things of this earth.”
January 17-24: Born to Reproduce. Dawson Trotman's 1955 talk at the "Back to the Bible Conference" is a timeless call to intentional discipleship. This talk was recently referenced in a men’s group I attend, and after listening to it twice, I knew I needed to share it on Dwelling Conversations. You can read it HERE or listen to it HERE. Either way, it is worth your time. I’m confident this message will both challenge and enrich your understanding of Christian discipleship and leadership.
January 10-17: A Heart Aflame for God, A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation (Matthew Bingham) I picked up this book to sharpen our service for guests who stay at The Dwelling Mtn Home but could not put it down because of the refreshing re-orientation it provides to other books on spiritual formation. This book is worth your investment, and
this interview with the author is a good preview of the content.
this interview with the author is a good preview of the content.
January 3-10: Waiting on God, Daily Messages for a Month (Andrew Murray)
Take time to peruse the content and read some of the messages to steward your season of waiting through worshipping God and trusting His Word.
FREE PDF HERE
Take time to peruse the content and read some of the messages to steward your season of waiting through worshipping God and trusting His Word.
FREE PDF HERE
Other Helpful resources
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Desiring God Ministry: Resources
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Knowable word |
Cannon fodder |
The bible project videos |