New Books in 2024 by Credo Fellows and Editors
As 2024 comes to an end, we would like to highlight the new books produced by our Fellows and Editors. These books exemplify what Credo is about, Retrieving classical Christianity to create authentic reform in the church today. May these books edify the body of Christ and encourage the work of retrieving the Great Tradition. Check them out below:
Matthew Barrett, Editor-in-Chief
On Classical Trinitarianism: Retrieving the Nicence Doctrine of the Triune God (IVP Academic) (Editor).
TGC Book Awards 2024 Winner in Theological Studies, SWJT Top Honor in Church History/Historical Theology/Biography.
Modern theology claimed that it ignited a renaissance in trinitarian theology. Really, it has been a renaissance in social trinitarianism. Classical commitments like divine simplicity have been jettisoned, the three persons have been redefined as three centers of consciousness and will, and modern agendas in politics, gender, and ecclesiology determine the terms of the discussion. Contemporary trinitarian theology has followed the spirit of this trajectory, rejecting doctrines like eternal generation which were once a hallmark of Nicene orthodoxy and reintroducing subordinationism into the Trinity.
Motivated by the longstanding need to retrieve the classical doctrine of the Trinity, theologian Matthew Barrett brings together Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox scholars to intervene in the conversation. With over forty contributions, this ecumenical volume resurrects the enduring legacy of Nicene orthodoxy, providing a theological introduction that listens with humility to the Great Tradition.
The distinct yet united voices of On Classical Trinitarianism summon the next generation to move past modern revisionism for the sake of renewing classical trinitarian theology today. Together, they demonstrate that Nicene orthodoxy can endure in the modern world and unite the church catholic.
Proclaiming the Triune God: The Doctrine of the Trinity in the Life of the Church (B&H Academic).
The doctrine of the Trinity is not an optional add-on, nor is it a technical matter for those with specialized training. Pastors and everyday Christians alike should seek to profess the Trinity confidently, whether from the pulpit or in conversation.
Written by four pastor-theologians, Proclaiming the Triune God: The Doctrine of the Trinity in the Life of the Church declares that an orthodox doctrine of the Trinity is essential for the life of the whole church, not just for theologians and scholars.
Through adapted sermons, the authors demonstrate how pastors can preach this doctrine confidently and accessibly without compromising orthodoxy. The book begins with an introduction that inspires pastors and churchgoers alike to make the Trinity central in the church once again. The adapted sermons then explore various facets of the Trinity in an accessible way, while maintaining theological rigor.
Proclaiming the Triune God is an accessible, yet academically rich companion for pastors as they seek to proclaim the Triune God to their flocks.
Carl Trueman, Fellow
To Change All Worlds: Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse (B&H Academic)
Critical theory has many faces; its complexities and nuances present a challenge to those seeking to engage with its thought. In order to understand critical theory today, we must first understand its origins, its development, and its consequences.
To Change All Worlds: Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse by Carl R. Trueman is an accessible introduction to the history and development of critical theory. From Hegel and Marx, to Korsch and Lukács, to the Frankfurt School, to Wilhelm Reich and Herbert Marcuse—Trueman focuses on the key figures of critical theory, positioning them within their historical context and tracing the development of critical theory through its various movements, evolutions, nuances, and consequences.
Carl Trueman Analyzes How Ancient Creeds and Confessions Protect and Promote Biblical Christianity in a Culture of Expressive Individualism
Historic statements of faith―such as the Heidelberg Catechism, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Westminster Confession of Faith―have helped the Christian church articulate and adhere to God’s truth for centuries. However, many modern evangelicals reject these historic documents and the practices of catechesis, proclaiming their commitment to “no creed but the Bible.” And yet, in today’s rapidly changing culture, ancient liturgical tradition is not only biblical―it’s essential.
In Crisis of Confidence, Carl Trueman analyzes how creeds and confessions can help the Christian church navigate modern concerns, particularly around the fraught issue of identity. He contends that statements of faith promote humility, moral structure, and a godly view of personhood, helping believers maintain a strong foundation amid a culture in crisis. This is a revised edition of Trueman’s The Creedal Imperative, now with a new section on the rise of expressive individualism.
J.V. Fesko, Fellow
The Giver of Life: The Biblical Doctrine of the Holy Spirit and Salvation (Lexham Press)
God’s Spirit unites believers to Christ, conforms them to his image, and equips them for witness and ministry. In The Giver of Life, J. V. Fesko reflects on the person and work of the Holy Spirit in the application of Christ’s work for the salvation of sinners. Through a combination of biblical, historical, and theological study, Fesko illuminates the blessing of God’s presence with his people.
Written from a confessionally Reformed perspective in dialogue with the great creeds of the church, The Giver of Lifeprovides a thorough and trustworthy guide to the Holy Spirit’s role in salvation.
Michael Haykin, Fellow
Revival: Spiritual Awakening in the Reformed Tradition (Reformation Heritage Books)
Is there room for revival for Reformed Christians? In Revival: Spiritual Awakening in the Reformed Tradition, historian Michael Haykin examines awakenings heralded by Calvinist ministers, including Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and more, to answer with a resounding “Yes!” After examining the Holy Spirit’s outpourings during the Reformation and English Puritanism, Haykin focuses on two remarkable moments of renewal in the eighteenth century: the Great Awakening and the revival of the Particular Baptists in the British and Irish archipelago. As you read, you will learn how to discern the difference between man-made excitement and the Holy Spirit’s awakening work. Read Revival: Spiritual Awakening in the Reformed Tradition to ignite your desire for spiritual awakening our day!
The God Who Draws Near: Life with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Union Publishing)
The God Who Draws Near seeks to retrieve the key elements of a biblical spirituality and what they mean for our daily lives. Spirituality is very much a positive buzz word today; but in so many of the ways that it is used, it muddies the waters as to the nature of true spirituality. By going back to the sources, as the sixteenth-century Reformers would advise, namely, the Scriptures, this book draws together the main threads of a biblical spirituality and provides foundations for believers to anchor their lives in truth, love, and a growing relationship with the living God–that very God who has drawn near to us in love and grace through Jesus Christ. May these pages help you to draw near to him.
Gavin Ortlund, Fellow
What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church (Zondervan)
Winner of the 2024 Christianity Today Book of the Year Award and Popular Theology category; Winner of Credo Magazine’s Award in Theological Retrieval
There’s a movement among evangelicals of exploring the more sacramental, liturgical, and historically-conscious church traditions, including Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. This hunger for historical rootedness is welcome—but unfortunately, many assume that this need can only be met outside of Protestant contexts.
In What it Means to Be Protestant, Gavin Ortlund draws from both his scholarly work in church history and his personal experience in ecumenical engagement to offer a much-needed defense of the Protestant tradition.
Retrieving classical Protestant texts and arguments, he exposes how many of the contemporary objections leveled against Protestants are rooted in caricature. He shows how historic Protestantism offers the best pathway forward and to historical rootedness for Christians today.
In his charitable style, Ortlund demonstrates that the 16th century Reformation represented a genuine renewal of the gospel. This does not entail that Protestantism is without faults. But because it is built upon the principle of semper reformanda (always reforming), Protestantism is capable of reforming itself according to Scripture as the ultimate authority.
Samuel Parkison, Director of Publishing
To Gaze upon God: The Beatific Vision in Doctrine, Tradition, and Practice (IVP Academic)
Today, the doctrine of the beatific vision has been woefully forgotten within the church and its theology.
Yet, throughout history Christians have always held that the blessed hope of heaven lies in seeing and being in the presence of God, of beholding the beatific vision. With lucidity and breadth, Parkison reintroduces the beatific vision and affirms its centrality for the life of the church today. Parkison argues for the beatific vision’s biblical foundations and reminds us―through close readings of theologians such as Anselm of Canterbury, Thomas Aquinas, Dante, Gregory Palamas, John Calvin, and Jonathan Edwards―of the doctrine’s historical and contemporary significance. The beatific vision is about seeing God, and as Christians have acknowledged across the tradition, seeing God is our ultimate end.
Proclaiming the Triune God: The Doctrine of the Trinity in the Life of the Church (B&H Academic).
The doctrine of the Trinity is not an optional add-on, nor is it a technical matter for those with specialized training. Pastors and everyday Christians alike should seek to profess the Trinity confidently, whether from the pulpit or in conversation.
Written by four pastor-theologians, Proclaiming the Triune God: The Doctrine of the Trinity in the Life of the Church declares that an orthodox doctrine of the Trinity is essential for the life of the whole church, not just for theologians and scholars.
Through adapted sermons, the authors demonstrate how pastors can preach this doctrine confidently and accessibly without compromising orthodoxy. The book begins with an introduction that inspires pastors and churchgoers alike to make the Trinity central in the church once again. The adapted sermons then explore various facets of the Trinity in an accessible way, while maintaining theological rigor.
Proclaiming the Triune God is an accessible, yet academically rich companion for pastors as they seek to proclaim the Triune God to their flocks.
Ronni Kurtz, Podcast Host
Light Unapproachable: Divine Incomprehensibility and the Task Theology (IVP Academic)
How can finite creatures know an infinite God? How does limited knowledge impact what we can say of God?
Retrieving and constructing important insight from Scripture and key patristic, medieval, early modern, and modern theologians, Ronni Kurtz presents a rich analysis of the doctrine of divine incomprehensibility. Our theological language, says Kurtz, cannot capture the full mystery of God. However, our inability to see God in his totality should not lead us to despair. Through God’s gracious accommodation, we can learn to speak of God faithfully, truthfully, and prayerfully.
Kurtz’s dialogue with varying traditions to unpack divine accommodation reminds us that theologians in all ages have wrestled with what we can and cannot say of God.
Proclaiming the Triune God: The Doctrine of the Trinity in the Life of the Church (B&H Academic).
The doctrine of the Trinity is not an optional add-on, nor is it a technical matter for those with specialized training. Pastors and everyday Christians alike should seek to profess the Trinity confidently, whether from the pulpit or in conversation.
Written by four pastor-theologians, Proclaiming the Triune God: The Doctrine of the Trinity in the Life of the Church declares that an orthodox doctrine of the Trinity is essential for the life of the whole church, not just for theologians and scholars.
Through adapted sermons, the authors demonstrate how pastors can preach this doctrine confidently and accessibly without compromising orthodoxy. The book begins with an introduction that inspires pastors and churchgoers alike to make the Trinity central in the church once again. The adapted sermons then explore various facets of the Trinity in an accessible way, while maintaining theological rigor.
Proclaiming the Triune God is an accessible, yet academically rich companion for pastors as they seek to proclaim the Triune God to their flocks.
Credo Editors
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