What is the worst book you've read recently, or in your lifetime? I have a new most-despised book, taking the place of Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis, Charles Stanley's Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure? and John Wesley: Heroes of the Faith. by C.E. Vulliamy (easily the worst biography I've ever read), at the top of my list. If you've been listening to the White Horse Inn broadcasts (the last three, in my opinion, are their best work yet on the show), one of the books Horton in particular mentions and criticizes is Revisioning Evangelical Theology by Stanley Grenz. I ordered the book from another library last week, and I must say I am utterly disgusted by what I’ve read. The book characterizes much of what is unbiblical and destructive in Christianity today. Grenz shallowly combines aspects of the emergent church, liberalism, German pietism, and early and medieval church mysticism, into one vague and poorly written package. There is little of value in the book, and only on a few occasions does he show himself to be a competent historian. I’ve found the book mainly useful for understanding contemporary Christianity and evangelicalism, even though it was written around 15 years ago. Have any of you read works by Grenz? I hear his 20th-Cnetury Theology with Roger Olson is worth reading.

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Patrick Arnold
Covenant OPC, Brighton, MI
MA student in philosophy at the University of Michigan

The worst I've read recently was William P. Young's the Shack. An awful, awful book. Left Behind was pretty bad too as is anything by Philip Yancey. I only read this junk because I have to.

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Wes Bredenhof
Co-pastor, Langley Canadian Reformed Church
Langley, British Columbia
www.bredenhof.ca

For, error Zane Hodges "Gospel Under Siege" Pure poison.

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Bruce
PCUSA
Ocean City NJ

Dianetics by L Ron Hubbard. I read it before I became a Christian and even then it read like a bunch of psychobabble garbage.

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Steve Butts - Former SBC-er
Three Forms of Unity - Bradenton CRC - Bradenton, Florida
(A conservative member in a conservative congregation)

"Of two evils, choose neither." — C.H. Spurgeon

A New Kind of Christian by Brian McLaren.

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Daddy
Member of TRBC, Attending CCRPC. My Blog
The Puritan Pub (Team Blog)
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If you did not know, Grenz passed away in 2005. Grenz and Olson have banged the drum pretty loudly for contemporary post-modern tinged Arminianism.

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Dennis E. McFadden, Ex Mainline Baptist (in Remission)
Atherton Baptist Homes, CEO
First Baptist Church of Alhambra, Member, Transformation Ministries (CA)

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When I saw this thread, I immediately thought, "Velvet Elvis!"

And I definitely agree with you about the recent episodes of White Horse Inn.

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Dan Pemberton
Vacaville, CA

Member, First Baptist Church San Luis Obispo
Formerly ABUSA (We left, so I guess that makes us American Baptists Unleashed!)

ANY book by Brian McLaren.

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Dennis E. McFadden, Ex Mainline Baptist (in Remission)
Atherton Baptist Homes, CEO
First Baptist Church of Alhambra, Member, Transformation Ministries (CA)

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What Love is This Dave Hunt...

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John J.
Member Christ Prebyterian Church (OPC)
Salt Lake City, Utah
www.christpres.net

Chosen but Free has to be up there somewhere.

Also ANY "book" by Osteen.

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Dennis E. McFadden, Ex Mainline Baptist (in Remission)
Atherton Baptist Homes, CEO
First Baptist Church of Alhambra, Member, Transformation Ministries (CA)

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Hi:

Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist, by John Piper.

Well, maybe not the worst, but it is up there in the top 3.
-CH

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In Essentials Unity, in non-Essentials Liberty, in all things Charity.

Robert Paul Wieland
Springs Reformed Presbyterian Church
Colorado Springs, CO RPCNA
Student at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh PA
B.B. Warfield's definition of Theological Students: "Angels preparing to sound the Trumpets."

The Final Quest by Rick Joyner

The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee

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DAVIDIVS DOCTVS VTRIVSQVE LINGVAE
Husband of Emilia
Member: First Reformed Presbyterian Church of Durham (RPCNA) - Durham, NC
Currently in the process of transferring membership to an as-yet-undecided church in Chapel Hill
Student: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, German Literature and Classics

"Myth of a Christian Nation" by Gregory Boyd. I was about 3/4 the way through the thing and kept thinking 'this dude is strange'. Then I found out he was an open theist.

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1689 Baptist Confession

Psa 55:16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Psa 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
James Farley, Wilderness Road Baptist Assembly.
Husband of Melissa and father of Ann.
www.wildernessroadbaptist.org

Yes, I'd have to agree, although I have not read any of his works all the way through (for obvious reasons!).

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Patrick Arnold
Covenant OPC, Brighton, MI
MA student in philosophy at the University of Michigan

Ive read like 2 Charles Stanley books. The few biblical truths they did contain were very simple, and overall modern psychology and Man centered biblical exegesis were the focus of his books.

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Bryan Riddle
1689 London Baptist Confession
Bethel Baptist Church Owasso, Oklahoma

The Powers That Be... By Walter Wink.

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N. Robert; Trinity Reformed Church RCA, Holland MI

Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right."

Purpose driven life is a stinker.

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David E Yoder, II

Member of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Oak Ridge, TN (PCA)
Living in Knoxville, TN

Velvet Elvis, Sex God and Purpose Driven Life. All horrible.

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Jeff Wyman
Seminarian
Little Farms Chapel OPC, Coopersville, MI
Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI

"May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence." 1 Peter 1:2-3 (ESV)

"Velvet Elivis" should be taken off "the list." It is a very good book. Rob Bell is so smart that you guys probably think he's messed up. Read it again...slowly...and you'll find some great stuff!

Also, "The Shack" is one of the BEST books I've recently read. Yes, I had a hard time with the idea that God could reveal Himself as a large black woman who bakes...but remember "The Matrix???" Also, what Calvinists often forget is that they're "perfect" theology must work on this earth, in real time and space and with people who are fallen and often live with horrible tragedy.

Greg Boyd is super intelligent and probably is often misunderstood. Most pure Calvinists seem to want to write off anyone who claims to be BOTH Calvinist AND Arminian. Why not recognize the Truth in both???

Just my !

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David Silvey
Bethany Church (Evangelical Free)
Pasadena, CA

The Freedom of the Will by Jonathan Edwards

It made angry at God for a solid year. I knew he was right, but hated the truth. I desperately wanted to hang on to my notions of man's autonomy. It was miserable.

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Jeremy Gage
First Baptist Church
Durham, NC

"No heart can conceive that treasury of mercies which lies in this one privilege, in having liberty and ability to approach unto God at all times, according to his mind and will." - John Owen

"Battlefield Earth" by L Ron Hubbard, I wasted a week of my life reading that book in the hope it would get better and it just got worse.

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Mike
London City Presbyterian Church
London
England

"Surely, we wish to be orthodox, but we must first learn what real orthodoxy is. Surely, we wish to be progressive, but we must first have a basis to progress from."

A ""pure Calvinist" is a strange concept in itself, you either believe in a sovereign God or you do not. You cannot be both a Calvinist and an Arminian, you can take bits from both and be inconsistent and unbiblical but you cannot be both.

The Arminian gospel (in its pure form) is a false gospel, thank God that most Arminians are not five point Arminians.

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Mike
London City Presbyterian Church
London
England

"Surely, we wish to be orthodox, but we must first learn what real orthodoxy is. Surely, we wish to be progressive, but we must first have a basis to progress from."

The Millenial Maze by Grenz was pretty good.

As far as bad books go....

So Great a Salvation by Ryrie.....

I had to go out of my way to read it because we were doing critiques on Lordship salvation. Zane Hodges book was terrible also. I was first discipled by guys who were dispensational in thinking so they introduced me to Clarence Larkin's Dispensational truths. I round filed it right away when Larkin said the Church wasn't in the Old Testament and that its birthday was at Pentacost.

I avoid bad theological books. I don't have enough time to read all the good ones.

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R. Martin Snyder
1689er
Harmony Baptist Church (Member)
PuritanCovenanter MSN Blog
PuritanCovenanter's MySpace Page

"Our object should not be to have scripture on our side but to be on the side of scripture; and however dear any sentiment may have become by being long entertained, so soon as it is seen to be contrary to the Bible, we must be prepared to abandon it without hesitation."
William Symington

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