The Jesus Inquest - by Charles Foster

I was given a copy of this book to read by the publisher, Thomas Nelson.

This a case for and against the resurrection of the Christ.
Charles Foster is a writer, barrister, tutor in medical law and ethics at the University of Oxford, and a Fellow of Green Templeton College, Oxford. He has written, edited, or contributed to over thirty books.
This book is a debate between two characters: X and Y.
X presents the non-Christian view. He presents all the positions he thinks are arguable, plus some others that are too popular to be ignored.
Y presents the Christian view. Normally he uses the same headings that X has used. When that doesn't work, he adds headings of his own.
X and Y don't disagree on everything. Sometimes, in their zeal to cover the ground comprehensively, they have deployed arguments that are inconsistent with one another.
It may be that the evidence presented in this book will be insufficient to permit any conclusion at all. This book contains many arguments and facts, but it has only skimmed the surface. Behind each of the points raised by X and Y lies a huge scholarly hinterland: a mass of journals, conference proceedings, footnotes, and debate.
By and large, even the most skeptical scholars agree that Jesus existed. Most presume that He met His death by crucifixion in more or less the way described in the Gospels.
The battle lines are clearly drawn along five fronts: explanations for the empty tomb, the positive assertions about the Jesus family tomb, the evidence about post-resurrection appearances, the evidence for early belief in the "physical" resurrection of Jesus, and the influence on the development of the resurrection story of other "dying and rising gods" stories.
After all is said and done, one still has to ask, "How did the disciples come to believe that the man Jesus was the first one to emerge so shockingly from the grave?" For rightly or wrongly, they certainly seem to have believed it.
I found this book to be written in a very technical manner. In my opinion it is too difficult to understand in many areas to hold the interest of the average reader. It would probably be of more interest to a biblical scolar. I would give this book 2 stars.

The Power Driven Life

I received a free copy of the book, The Power Based Life, to review for the publisher, Thomas Nelson.  I am not required to give a positive review.

This is a review for the book - written by Mike Flynt.

Mike received national attention by being the oldest contributing member of a college football team in NCAA history.  He was a college football player turned insurance salesman.

The Power-Based Life was developed out of Mike’s desire to help others discover who God created them to be, and consequently, the work they were designed to do.  Mike explains through heartfelt personal accounts, notable sports stories, and biblical references, a power base is the center of personal strength used to meet challenges that, once discovered and maximized, will lead to a more significant, satisfying, and successful life.

He offers twelve strategies designed to tap into your specific points of personal strength, such as Cultivate a Winning Attitude, Defy the Skeptics, and Practice Radical Mercy.  These principles empower you to rise above life’s challenges and identify and embrace your goals and dreams.

We must never consider ourselves above accountability.  With no one to pray for us and to provide “tough love” where necessary, we are far more likely to fall into temptation.  We need the crucial added perspective in decision making.  The Quakers have an interesting tradition in this regard.  When a leader has a momentous decision to make, he or she will call on a “clearness committee” of about a dozen close friends.  They won’t give advice, instead, they will spend three hours asking challenging questions that help the person objectively clarify the wisest decision.  In the early Methodist movement John Wesley did something similar.  He called the practice “watching over one another in love.”  We all need both a Paul and a Timothy—that is, an older mentor to counsel us and a younger friend to counsel.