What Lights the Fire of the Editorial Board? Books We Love
We here at Firebrand wanted to introduce ourselves in a way that might give you insight into how our thinking has been formed. Each board member has shared two of their favorite books. For those of you still confined to home as a result of COVID-19, we hope you will find some powerful reading in the recommendations below.
David F. Watson, Lead Editor: Dr. David F. Watson serves as Academic Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs for United Theological Seminary. He is also the Associate Professor of New Testament for United. Dr. Watson is an ordained elder in the West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church.
“A couple of books that were formative for me as a biblical scholar were Torah and Canon and Canon and Community by James Sanders. They put me on a journey of thinking about Scripture as a canon, about what it means to suggest a unity within this collection of texts. As biblical scholars, we’re normally taught to dissect the Bible, rather than look at the ways the various parts of Scripture relate to one another as a whole. Sanders helped me to learn to read the Bible theologically.”
Suzanne Nicholson, Assistant Lead Editor: Dr. Suzanne Nicholson is Professor of Biblical Studies at Malone University, although she will soon be taking up a new post teaching at Asbury University. She is an ordained Deacon in The United Methodist Church.
“I love Reading Backwards: Figural Christology and the Fourfold Gospel Witness by Richard Hays. He demonstrates the profound ways in which the Gospel writers immersed their writings within the framework of the Old Testament narrative. We simply cannot interpret the New Testament apart from a deep understanding of the Jewish Scriptures.
“Jacqueline Lapsley’s Whispering the Word: Hearing Women’s Stories in the Old Testament looks carefully at how nuances in biblical narrative bring to light women’s voices that might otherwise remain hidden. We should all learn to be so observant of the subtle ways in which the text speaks.”
Maggie Ulmer, Managing Editor: Maggie Ulmer co-hosts Plain Truth: A Holy Spirited Podcast, and serves on the Board of Directors for Spirit & Truth. Her professional background is in non-profit arts administration and performing arts. Maggie resides with her UMC-pastor-husband and sons in Ohio.
“My first recommendation is How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren. This book was placed in my hands by my father as a seventeen-year-old, the summer before my senior year of high school. Far from resembling my preferred summer reading material, How to Read a Book not only reshaped my approach to the task of reading and solidified my innate bookworm tendencies, it also helped lay an early epistemological foundation for future study. I reread chapters of it to this day.
“My second recommendation is The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Ávila. In addition to C.S.Lewis’ Mere Christianity, it is my opinion that every Christian should read this book. St. Teresa of Ávila outlines a mystical theology of contemplative prayer that radically reshaped my prayer practice, and led to personal revelation of my calling. Comparing the soul to an expansive diamond castle with seven mansions therein, Teresa details increasingly deeper levels of prayer discipline and intimacy with God. She describes each struggle and the fruit of perseverance that, with humble practice, culminates in spiritual union with God.”
Ryan Danker: Dr. Ryan Danker is the Associate Professor of Church History and Methodist Studies at Wesley Theological Seminary. He currently serves as a member of the United Methodist/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Dialogue. He is active in the American Academy of Religion, the Wesleyan Theological Society, and the Charles Wesley Society.
“I recommend Robert Louis Wilken’s The Spirit of Early Christian Thought: Seeking the Face of God (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003). Wilken's deep and yet accessible book on the theology of the early church is the best summary of the early church fathers that I have seen. And he does more than just summarize theological points. He gets into their drive and their passion, which was nothing less than an amazing love affair with Jesus Christ.
“Next, I recommend Peter J. Gomes’ The Good Life: Truths that Last in Times of Need (New York: HarperCollins, 2002). For decades, Gomes served as the enigmatic spiritual heart of Harvard University. In The Good Life he brings together a rich tapestry of biblical, philosophical, and ethical wisdom to bear on the question of how to live a truly good, or virtuous, life. What he does is to provide in book form a glimpse into the ethical thought that used to be at the heart of a liberal arts education, when success was not measured in wealth but in goodness.”
Beth Felker Jones: Dr. Beth Felker Jones is Professor of Theology at Wheaton College. Dr. Jones’ most recent book is Faithful: A Theology of Sex. She is also the author of Practicing Christian Doctrine: An Introduction to Thinking and Living Theologically, God the Spirit: Introducing Pneumatology in Wesleyan and Ecumenical Perspective, and The Marks of His Wounds: Resurrection Doctrine and Gender Politics.
“My first recommendation is In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden, which tells about a woman’s later-in-life choice to enter a convent and explores the connections between commitment to God and the life of the community of faith.
“Second, Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love is a long-time favorite of mine. It has taken on more significance as we go through this pandemic and I think about Julian seeing the plague devastate her town twice in her lifetime. Julian’s theology is about the love of God and confidence and trust in Christ and what he has done for us.”
Scott Kisker: Dr. Scott Kisker serves as the Professor of the History of Christianity at United Theological Seminary. He specializes on Wesley studies and recently co-authored a book with Dr. Kevin Watson on recovering Band Meetings in contemporary Methodism. Dr. Kisker is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church.
“My first recommendation is Richard Bauckham’s The Bible and Mission: Christian Witness in a Postmodern World (Baker Academic, 2005). This short book by a renowned biblical scholar was very influential in shaping the way I think about election, and the direction of God's mission and the work of the Spirit in history. The chapter on sacred geography was particularly transformative for my understanding of God's plan of redemption throughout scripture, and particularly in the ministry of Paul.
“Second, I recommend John Steinbeck—anything really—but I go back to The Red Pony over and over again. Steinbeck gives a sense of the tragic nature of human existence, the reality of sin and its frustration, without becoming moralistic. His gentle, compassionate treatment of us frail humans and our limited circumstances always makes me appreciate my own redemption.”
Douglas Koskela: Dr. Douglas Koskela is Professor of Theology and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Seattle Pacific University. Dr. Koskela is a member of the Wesleyan Theological Society, and he served as the Society's president in 2015-16. He is an ordained elder in the Pacific Northwest Conference of the Free Methodist Church.
“My first recommendation is from Servais Pinckaers, O.P., The Pursuit of Happiness—God’s Way: Living the Beatitudes: I have been recommending this book to anyone who will listen—it’s that good! Pinckaers was a Belgian moral theologian, and he offers here a rich and thoughtful exploration of the Beatitudes in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
“Next, I recommend Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth (3 Volumes): This is a book to read slowly, taking in every sentence. Readers will find in these pages the result of a lifetime of study motivated by a deep and abiding love for the Lord.”
Jessica LaGrone: Rev. Jessica LaGrone is the Dean of Chapel at Asbury Theological Seminary. Previously she served as an Associate Pastor of the The Woodlands United Methodist Church near Houston, Texas. She is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church.
“My first recommendation is East of Eden by John Steinbeck. East of Eden was one of the first books that helped me understand how literature can help us explore biblical and theological themes more deeply. Steinbeck identifies stories that have ‘haunted us and followed us from our beginnings’ and plays them out over generations of fictional families, also helping us apply those stories and themes in our own lives.
“Next, I recommend How People Grow by Henry Cloud and John Townsend. This book takes key doctrines and explores them to take readers deep into the connections of spiritual and personal growth. There are deep Wesleyan undercurrents here as the authors use language of both sanctification and psychological growth to explain God's intention to restore us in his image.”
Caleb Maskell: Dr. Caleb Maskell is Lead Strategist at the Vineyard Education Initiative, an initiative of Vineyard USA. Dr. Maskell has spoken widely at academic and church conferences. In 2017, Maskell was appointed Executive Secretary of the American Society of Church History. He is currently working on a book-length study of John Wimber and the history of the Vineyard movement.
“I recommend Presence In The Modern World by Jacques Ellul. Though this is one of Ellul’s earliest works, it manages to lay out almost the entire scope of the intellectual journey that he would pursue over his remarkable career as a sociologist, historian, and lay theologian. His insistence that Christians must take seriously Jesus's apocalyptic call to abide in the space of agonistic tension between the ‘already’ and the 'not yet’ of the kingdom of God has been endlessly generative for my intellectual and spiritual journey.
“I also recommend John Wigger’s American Saint. This is the definitive modern biography of Francis Asbury, and it is as compelling as its subject. In what feels like real time, Wigger shows the inspired energy, the canny strategy, and the otherworldly strangeness that enabled Asbury to become the most consequential religious leader in the young United States. A staggeringly useful book.”
Joy Moore: Dr. Joy J. Moore is the Associate Professor of Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary. She served as Lead Pastor at Bethel United Methodist Church in Flint, Mich., and prior to that taught at Fuller Theological Seminary and Duke Divinity School. She is an ordained elder in the Michigan Conference of The United Methodist Church.
“A Community of Character, by Stanley Hauerwas, was one of the first books I read in seminary and it, along with the teaching of Howard Snyder, continues to be foundational for my understanding of Christian identity. The essays in this book challenge me to teach preaching to enable constructive theology that ‘…help[s] Christian people form their community consistent with their conviction that the story of Christ is a truthful account of our existence.’
“Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman, is another book that I continue to return to, especially in light of my favor for Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games Trilogy. Postman’s juxtaposition of Orwell and Huxley is demonstrated in Collins’ dystopian world. I find our own reality ignoring these secular warnings with the same disregard it ignores the biblical prophets.”
Tapiwa Mucherera: Dr. Tapiwa N. Mucherera is Professor of Pastoral Counseling at Asbury Theological Seminary. Dr. Mucherera is an ordained United Methodist Minister in full connection with the Zimbabwe West Annual Conference.
“My first recommendation is Animal Farm by George Orwell (Secker and Warburg, UK, 1945). All animals (human beings) are equal, but some are more equal than others, we could say. Given all that is going on in our world today, the text could be applied to what we are facing world-wide. Without proper education, knowledge is useless, and corrupt power becomes central to all that (animals) humans do.
“Second, I recommend Decolonizing the Mind by Ngugi wa Thiongo (Heinemann Educational, 1986). Those who colonize or oppress (psychologically, mentally, physically, etc.) do it by the dehumanization (thingification) of a people, through language and/or how the people think about themselves (which results in self-hate). Once one manages to dehumanize a person in their mind, the ‘other’ becomes ‘less than,’ and they become a ‘thing’ to be used for personal gains. Real freedom starts with the decolonization of the mind, in other words, as scripture says, ‘having the mind of Christ.’”
Evan Rohrs-Dodge: Rev. Evan Rohrs-Dodge is an ordained elder in the Greater New Jersey Conference of The United Methodist Church. He is the senior pastor of Belvidere United Methodist Church in Belvidere, NJ, and serves in a variety of leadership roles within the annual conference. He is completing the Doctor of Ministry degree at United Theological Seminary, focusing on training and equipping clergy and local churches in a Wesleyan theology and practice of inner healing ministry.
“My first recommendation is In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen. Nouwen's short book is one I return to again and again; few books have impacted and shaped my pastoral identity and practice quite like this one. Nouwen posits that the church desperately needs leaders who are first and foremost led by the Good Shepherd, devoted to prayer, and willing to look foolish and even irrelevant for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“Second, I recommend There is More by Randy Clark. This book awakened within me a hunger and desire for more of the Holy Spirit. Through testimony and teaching, Clark makes a compelling case for the continuation of all the gifts of the Spirit, and their place in both individual devotion and corporate worship. This is a great entry point for those who are interested in exploring renewal theology and practice, and for those seasoned in the charismata who want more of God.”
J. Elvin Sadler: Rev. Dr. J. Elvin Sadler serves as the General Secretary of The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Dr. Sadler has extensive experience in pastoral leadership and business management. He serves on many corporate and non-profit boards and has also served as a political adviser.
"Of all of the treasure trove of books I've had the pleasure of reading, gleaning from and adding to my library, there are two that I would recommend. One reflects on the Wesleyan heritage and similar movements of the past and the other points us to evolving movements of the future.
“Marks of a Movement: What the Church today can learn from the Wesleyan Revival by Winfield Bevins (2019, Zondervan) is a reflective look at the major tenets that marked the Wesleyan movement and other faith traditions that propelled Christianity into new territories.
“Emergence Christianity: What It Is, Where It Is Going, and Why It Matters by Phyllis Tickle (2012, Baker Books) is an engaging look into 21st Century culture and how communities of faith throughout the years have continued to evolve into a new form of church that will impact future generations.”
Jason Vickers: Dr. Jason Vickers is Professor of Theology at Asbury Theological Seminary. Prior to Asbury, Dr. Vickers taught theology at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH and Hood Theological Seminary (AME Zion) in Salisbury, NC. Dr. Vickers is an ordained elder in the Western NC Conference of The United Methodist Church, past president of the Wesleyan Theological Society, and current editor of the Wesleyan Theological Journal.
“My first recommendation is St. Athanasius, On the Incarnation (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press). This little work is near the top of a short list of theological classics that all Christians should take time to read. I personally try to read it once a year.
“Second, Robert Louis Wilken, The Spirit of Early Christian Thought (Yale University Press). Among recent works, none does a better job of helping Christians inhabit the thought world of our ancestors in the faith. I especially recommend this book for evangelical Protestants.”
Kevin Watson: Dr. Kevin Watson is Assistant Professor of Wesleyan and Methodist Studies at the Candler School of Theology. Dr. Watson is the author of numerous books and articles. His research interests focus on Christian formation and discipleship from a Wesleyan perspective, particularly communal formation, Wesleyan/Methodist Christianity, the history of early Methodism, and American Methodism.
“My first recommendation is The Churching of America, 1776-2005: Winners and Losers in Our Religious Economy by Roger Finke. This book shows why Methodism grew like a weed when it had high demand and high expectations of its membership until the mid-nineteenth century. It also shows why United Methodism’s efforts to attract more people through low demand and low expectations has repeatedly failed.
“Second, I recommend The Works of John Wesley Volume 9: The Methodist Societies - History, Nature, and Design by Rupert E. Davies. If I had a device that tracked the number of times I cracked a book for my research and writing, I'm certain that this would be the book I have consulted more than any other. This volume contains many crucial pieces that show the method that gave Methodism its name.”