Book Reviews

A review by Dr Stephen Westcott of the Trust’s new one-volume edition of The Church of Christ: A Treatise on the Nature, Powers, Ordinances, Discipline, and Government of the Christian Church by James Bannerman.1 This formidably sized volume, originally published in 1869, covers a wide ranging and vitally important subject: the origin, nature, organisation and […]

A review by Ryan M. McGraw of Catechizing Our Children: The Whys and Hows of Teaching the Shorter Catechism Today by Terry L. Johnson.1 Catechizing is often a missing ingredient in the discipleship of covenant children today. Many parents reject catechizing by pitting it against Bible memorization. Yet those making this objection fail to realize […]

A review by David Campbell of Sermons of the Great Ejection.1 This collection is a revised and reset edition of the 1962 publication which marked the tercentenary of the Great Ejection in August l662. It consists of sermons, memorials, and brief biographies of seven English non-conformists first published in 1662 as An Exact Collection of […]

A review by Trevor Scott of The Korean Pentecost and the Sufferings which Followed, by William Blair (1876-1970) and Bruce Hunt (1903-1992).1 The first part of the book, by Dr William B1air, gives an account of a great revival in the Korean church in 1907. In the summer of 1832 the first Protestant missionary, Charles […]

A review by Jim Eshelman of Media Gratiae’s multimedia presentation Logic on Fire: The Life and Legacy of Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones.1 Who was Dr. David Martyn Lloyd-Jones? If you have never read the official biography of ‘The Doctor’ by Iain Murray, or if it has been over 30 years since you have read that biography, […]

A review by Bob Thomas of You Must Read: Books that have shaped our lives.1 Thirty-five luminaries of evangelical Christianity have each contributed an essay to this book in which they reveal which particular Christian book (apart from the Bible, of course) has been especially helpful in moulding their life, faith and ministry. The common […]

A review article by Gervase Charmley of Kevin DeYoung’s What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?1 and Ed Shaw’s The Plausibility Problem.2 Homosexuality is the hot topic of the day and age in which we live. After the recent Irish referendum on so-called same-sex marriage, the Roman Catholic church in that nation spoke about […]

A review by Martin Williams of Robert White’s translation of the 1541 edition of John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion.1 C. S. Lewis once wrote: There is a strange idea abroad that in every subject the ancient books should be read only by the professionals, and that the amateur should content himself with the […]

‘A most enjoyable new book about old authors and their continuing influence.’ – Fred G. Zaspel on You Must Read: Books That Have Shaped Our Lives. In the Notes below are links to selected online reviews of Banner titles, mostly posted May/June 2015. The views expressed are of course those of the respective bloggers/reviewers. For […]

A review by Jeremy Marshall of J. C. Ryle’s Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots.1 If there was one book any Christian could have – in addition to the Bible, obviously – various candidates would be advanced. Historically, it would have been, in English-speaking countries anyway, John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress.2 Other books might […]

James Bannerman was a son of the manse, his father being minister of the Cargill, Church of Scotland, congregation in Perthshire. James Bannerman was ordained and installed as the minister of the Ormiston, Church of Scotland parish in 1833 and in 1843, the year of the Great Disruption, he left the Church of Scotland for […]

A review by Peter Barnes of J. C. Ryle’s Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots.1 No one has written more simply, more graciously, and more helpfully than J. C. Ryle, and the 21 chapters which constitute the full edition of Holiness (the enlarged 1879 edition which expanded the 1877 edition) reveal Ryle at his […]

A review by Mignon Goswell of Iain H. Murray’s Amy Carmichael: ‘Beauty for Ashes’ – A Biography.1 Iain Murray has written yet another compelling biography, this time about Amy Carmichael, missionary to India, whom Murray believes is ‘not known as she used to be’. As Murray read more of Amy Carmichael’s writings he became convinced […]

‘Iain Murray’s latest work is a brief, accessible biography of Carmichael, I knew I had to give it a go. I’m glad I did.’ – Tim Challies on Amy Carmichael – ‘Beauty for Ashes’: A Biography. In the Notes below are links to selected online reviews of Banner titles, mostly posted March/April 2015. The views […]

A few summers ago, I had the privilege of working on a proofreading/editing project for the Banner of Truth, a project which has very recently resulted in the four glossy volumes of The Works of John Newton.1 There was, however, nothing ‘glossy’ about the two 5-inch binders stuffed with paper and the slew of Word […]