Books for Summer 2018 Reading

At RBC, we love books. Every so often, we’d like to share with you some of the ones we appreciate. Listed below are a few books we’re hoping to read this summer.

Dave Briones, professor of New Testament, plans to read Reformed Dogmatics, Volume Five: Ecclesiology, the Means of Grace, Eschatology by Geerhardus Vos.

I will be finishing the fifth volume of Vos’s Reformed Dogmatics and a book we began reading as a faculty, Stephen Chester’s Reading Paul with the Reformers: Reconciling Old and New Perspectives. I’m also hoping to squeeze in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

 

Tyler Freire, admissions recruiter, plans to read Charles Hodge: The Pride of Princeton by W. Andrew Hoffecker.

I am excited to learn more about one of America’s greatest theologians. Charles Hodge stood against a rising tide of theological liberalism in a time when people who affirmed such things as miracles, inerrancy, and even the true gospel were increasingly being mocked and discounted. I hope to find much practical application in studying the life of this faithful man.

 

Kevin Gardner, resident adjunct professor and associate editor of Tabletalk, plans to read

The Letters of Samuel Rutherford.

Samuel Rutherford was a Scottish Presbyterian pastor and theologian a

nd a commissioner at the Westminster Assembly. His letters were renowned even in his own time, and they have been treasured ever since for their warm pastoral theology.

 

Lauren Hughes, communications specialist, plans to read My Life on the Run: The Wit, Wisdom, and Insights of a Running Icon by Bart Yasso (with Kathleen Parrish).

I tend to read fiction voraciously but have a hard time finishing non-fiction, so my goal this summer is to read more biographies and historical books. One particular title I’d like to read is My Life on the Run by Bart Yasso, a competitive runner who competed in more than a thousand races during the thirty years he was with Runner’s World magazine. He raced through extreme climates all over the world, including a grueling 146-mile ultramarathon through Death Valley’s Badwater Basin. I admire the mental and physical strength that athletes build in order to push themselves past the limit of what seems possible—like run 146 miles on two, finite legs. Reading how people sacrifice and approach their passions makes me assess what I’m passionate about and what priority Christ takes in my life.

 

Kristen Kenney, operations manager, plans to read Taste: Surprising Stories and Science about Why Food Tastes Good by Barb Stuckey.

On my summer reading list is Taste by Barb Stuckey. This book aims to explain some of the science behind what makes food taste good, and why we prefer certain foods over others. For instance, why do some people have a sweet tooth while others crave savory foods? I hope that this book will help me to improve my ability to discern flavors, understand the physical elements involved in enjoying food, and foster creativity in my cooking at home.

 

Madie Martin, director of admissions, plans to read 21 Servants of Sovereign Joy: Faithful, Flawed, and Fruitful by John Piper.

I’m looking forward to reading this collection of biographies so I can learn more about the history and background of these Christians, alongside their struggles and faith in Christ.

 

Keith Mathison, professor of systematic theology, plans to read Theoretical and Practical Theology, Volume 1: Intellectual Prerequisites by Peterus van Mastricht.

The first volume of the first English translation of Petrus van Mastricht’s massive work of systematic theology is due to be published soon. It will be at the top of my summer reading list.

 

Steve Nichols, president, plans to read Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps that Explain Everything about the World by Tim Marshall.

I think of how important it is to know today’s map—which is far more complex than when I was in college in the early 1990s. I’m hoping this book sheds some light on the present day by taking a good historical look at the lines drawn on maps over the past.

 

Rebekah Pierce, registrar, plans to read Do More Better: A Practical Guide to Productivity by Tim Challies.

Over the summer, I’ll be re-reading Do More Better. In this book, readers discover the why, what, and how of productivity. From understanding the purpose behind productivity to providing useful tools and principles for organization, Challies equips us to do more better.

 

Robert Rothwell, resident adjunct professor and associate editor of Tabletalk, plans to read When Harry Became Sally by Ryan T. Anderson.

Over the past few decades, we’ve seen many things mainstreamed as a result of the sexual revolution. Transgender ideology is the latest of these ideas to be pushed on the culture, and Ryan Anderson’s book is recognized as one of the leading responses to the transgender movement. I’m looking forward to reading this book, which addresses transgenderism from a scientific and philosophical perspective.

 

Megan Taylor, executive assistant to the president, plans to read Women of the Reformation in France and England by Roland Bainton.

From church historian Roland Bainton, this book is part of a three-volume series on reformation women that I have been enjoying. In this volume, I anticipate being introduced to several lesser-known women of the faith, as well as digging deeper into some familiar lives, including Jeanne D’Albret, Catherine Parr, and Lady Jane Gray.

 

John Tweeddale, academic dean, plans to read Woodworking Basics: Mastering the Essentials of Craftsmanship by Peter Korn.

I’m not what you would call a handyman. But recently my father-in-law introduced me to the world of woodworking. Since then I have been slowly learning the craft. Helping me are my children who also like to putz around in my wannabe workshop. While my summer reading list has other books on it, this book is really the one I want to read the most.