A Cross-Shaped Gospel: Reconciling Heaven and Earth, by Bryan Loritts (M.A. ’98, Biola trustee), Moody Publishers, October 2011. Today’s church is continually being confronted with the question, “What is the gospel?” Loritts, a pastor in the heart of one of America’s most racially divided urban centers, seizes the opportunity to answer that question in ways that may challenge your beliefs, practices and relationships. Loritts clearly articulates the vertical dimension of the Christian faith as well as looking at the implications of salvation for growth, service and relationships with the surrounding culture.

40 Ways to Get Closer to God, by Jerry MacGregor (M.A. ’84), Bethany House, September 2011. This practical book gives Christians ideas for how to adjust their hearts to get closer to God. Each chapter contains a unique challenge and a brief explanation that puts the challenge in context. Exercises include acts of service to others, extended prayer, Scripture memory, fasting, a day of gratitude, media fasting (no TV or Internet), evangelism and much more.

Four Views on Divine Providence, co-authored by William Lane Craig (research professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology), Zondervan, March 2011. This book introduces readers to four prevailing views on divine providence, with particular attention to the question of who Jesus died to save (the extent of the atonement) and if or how God determines who will be saved (predestination). The point-counterpoint format reveals the assumptions and considerations that drive theologians to sharp disagreement.

Biblical Multicultural Teams: Applying Biblical Truth to Cultural Differences, by Sheryl Takagi Silzer (’93), William Carey International University Press, September 2011. Biblical Multicultural Teams speaks to the heart of cultural misunderstanding — our childhood upbringing. As you work and function in a multicultural world, Silzer’s advice and wisdom will enable you to take a hard look at assumptions and attitudes found in your team and to work on submitting them to biblical standards of interaction.

Peter of Damascus: Byzantine Monk and Spiritual Theologian, by Greg Peters (associate professor, Torrey Honors Institute), PIMS Publications, September 2011. Peters seeks to renew interest in a figure who was an important contributor to the larger field of Byzantine monasticism and spirituality. Using unedited manuscripts, prosopographical evidence, and published sources, this study attempts not only to recover the shape of Peter’s life and work but also to elucidate his spirituality through a detailed examination of both The Admonition to His Own Soul and The Spiritual Alphabet, demonstrating the ways in which that spirituality remained accessible both to monastics and non-monastics.

Shifty’s War: The Authorized Biography of Sgt. Darrell ‘Shifty’ Powers, the Legendary Sharpshooter from the Band of Brothers, by Marcus Brotherton (M.A. '97), Berkley Hardcover, May 2011. Shifty’s War is a tale of a soldier's blood-filled days fighting his way from the shores of France to the heartland of Germany, and the epic story of how one man’s abilities as a sharpshooter, along with an engagingly unassuming personality, propelled him to a life greater than he could have ever imagined.

A Youth Worker’s Commentary on John, Vol. 1, co-authored by David Nystrom (provost and senior vice president), Zondervan/Youth Specialties, August 2011. A Youth Worker's Commentary on John is the first in a new series of commentaries developed with youth workers in mind. An in-depth, yet readable approach to the gospel of John, this first volume includes commentary, word studies, personal and historical stories, and discussion questions that will help get students thinking and talking. Youth workers will find this to be an invaluable aid for message and lesson preparation.