Lutheran Book Review

  This post will mark the last entry in QBR 8.4 Angels' Tide, and the opening entry in Volume 9 of Liturgy, Hymnody, and Pulpit Quarterly Book Review, also known as Lutheran Book Review. (LBR = LHPQBR)

Farrel, Bill. 7 Simple Skills for Every Man: Success in Relationships, Work , and Your Walk with God. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2014. Paper. $10.99. http://harvesthousepublishers.com/book/7-simple-skillstm-for-every-man-2014/ (LHPN)

Rowthorn, Jeffry and Russell Schulz-Widmar, Compilers and Editors. Sing of the World Made New: Hymns of Justice, Peace and Christian Responsibility. Carol Stream, IL/Chicago: Hope Publishing Company/GIA Publications, 2014. 297 Pages. Spiral. $18.95. http://www.giamusic.com/search_details.cfm?title_id=20518 (H) Schalk, Carl. Sing with All the Saints: Twenty-one New Hymns and Carols for Congregation, Choir, and Accompaniment. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2014. 59 Pages. Staple. $12.00. http://www.giamusic.com/search_details.cfm?title_id=23480 (H) Jones, Jacque B. Songs Unchanged, Yet Ever-Changing: 50 Hymn Texts. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2014. 128 Pages Spiral. $19.95.  http://www.giamusic.com/search_details.cfm?title_id=23892 (H)

Quick Summaries are pithy paragraph-long reviews of releases that cross our QBR desk.  These are reviews for when you don't have all day  to decide whether a resource is worth your time, money, storage space, or trouble. Ross, Melanie C. Foreword by Mark A. Noll. Evangelical Versus Liturgical? Defying a Dichotomy. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2014. 149 Pages. Paper. $17.00. www.eerdmans.com (L) Ludwig, David J. and Mary R. Jacob. Christian Concepts for Care: Understanding and Helping People with Mental Health Issues. St. Louis: Concordia, 2014. 304 Pages. Paper. $24.99. (Currently on sale for $21.99.) https://www.cph.org/p-24736-christian-concepts-for-care.aspx (LHPN) Music, David W. and Paul Westermeyer. Church Music in the United States 1760-1901 . St. Louis: MorningStar Music Publishers, 2014. Published in partnership with the Center for Church Music, Concordia University Chicago. 311 Pages. Paper. $24.95. 1-800-647-2117. http://www.morningstarmusic.com/ (LHP)

Getty, Keith and Kristyn Getty. The Greengrass Session: Six Hymns from the Old World and the New Limited Edition EP. Nashville: Getty Music Label LLC, 2014. Audio CD. $10.00.  http://www.gettymusic.com/ h ttp://www.gettymusic.com/greengrass (H) The latest album from Keith and Kristyn Getty is an EP, an Extended Play recording too long to be a "single," yet too short (29:05) to be considered a full studio album (what we used to call an "LP"). It is well worth your time to listen to these seven tracks. The GreenGrass Session Keith & Kristyn Getty (2014) Brand new, limited edition EP from Keith and Kristyn Getty featuring My Worth Is Not in What I Own – the new hymn written by Keith and Kristyn and Graham Kendrick Good Shepherd of My Soul – a warm and moving a’capella rendition of one of Keith and Kristyn’s newer songs Come Ye Sinners – a musical journey from Ireland to Appalachia enve

and Flint, Eric and Charles E. Gannon . 1636: Commander Cantrell in the West Indies (Ring of Fire). Riverdale, NY: Baen, 2014. 624 Pages. Kindle e-book. $9.99. http://www.baen.com/   http://smile.amazon.com/1636-Commander-Cantrell-West-Indies-ebook/dp/B00KDGKZEW/   (N)  Flint, Eric, Paula Goodlett, and Gorg Huff. 1636: The Viennese Waltz (Ring of Fire). Riverdale, NY: Baen, 2014. 427 Pages. Kindle e-book. $9.99. http://www.baen.com/   http://smile.amazon.com/1636-Viennese-Waltz-Ring-Fire-ebook/dp/B00OKE7PRI/   (N) (The books above are available in digital and paper formats.) Goodlett, Paula and Gorg Huff. 1636: The Barbie Consortium (Ring of Fire book 18). Riverdale, NY: Baen, 2013. Kindle e-book. $4.99. http://www.baen.com/   http://smile.amazon.com/1636-Barbie-Consortium-Ring-Fire-ebook/dp/B00PB7JTHC/ (N)  Grantville Gazette, Volumes 51-56. Moore, OK: 1632, Inc., 2014. Digital downloadable file (various formats). Subscription rates vary. http://www.grantv

Engelbrecht, Edward A., General Editor. Lutheran Bible Companion (Set). St. Louis: Concordia, 2014. Cloth. 1014 + 992 Pages. List Price: $69.98. Hardback Sale Price: $49.99. www.cph.org/p-24345-lutheran-bible-companion-set.aspx (LHP) Lessing, R. Reed and Andrew E. Steinmann. Prepare the Way of the Lord: An Introduction to the Old Testament. St. Louis: Concordia, 2014. 559 Pages. Cloth. $49.99. https://www.cph.org/p-22941-prepare-the-way-of-the-lord-an-introduction-to-the-old-testament.aspx (P) We may well be living in the golden age of Concordia Publishing House. The abundance of faithful resources is such a joy that both the bookshelves and budgets of pastors are being stretched!   Among my go-to Bible references in English have been The Word Becoming Flesh, Introduction to the Intertestamental Period, The Word of the Lord Grows, Bible Difficulties and Seeming Contradictions, and The Concordia Bible Dictionary . The new two-volume Lutheran Bible Companion draw

Nordling, John G. Religion and Resistance in Early Judaism: Greek Readings in 1 Maccabees and Josephus. St. Louis: Concordia, 2010. 364 Pages. Paper. $34.99. https://www.cph.org/p-18273-religion-and-resistance-in-early-judaism-greek-readings-in-1-maccabees-and-josephus.aspx (P) Steinmann, Andrew E. Intermediate Biblical Hebrew: A Reference Grammar with Charts and Exercises. St. Louis: Concordia, 2009. 242 Pages. Paper. $49.99. https://www.cph.org/p-12937-intermediate-biblical-hebrew.aspx (P) Wilch, John R. Concordia Hebrew Reader: Ruth. St. Louis: Concordia, 2010. 178 Pages. Paper. $29.99. https://www.cph.org/p-17772-concordia-hebrew-reader-ruth.aspx (P) Students and potential students of Biblical Greek and Hebrew have a wide variety of "101" Introductory resources. Not all are created equal. I am very thankful for those produced by Concordia Publishing House.  The challenge for a true scholar of the languages is to make the transition from neophyte to competence.

Quick Summaries are pithy paragraph-long reviews of releases that cross our QBR desk.  These are reviews for when you don't have all day  to decide whether a resource is worth your time, money, storage space, or trouble.   Carrico, David. 1635: Music and Murder (Ring of Fire). Riverdale, NY: Baen, 2013. 518 Pages. Kindle e-book. $4.99. http://www.baen.com/   http://www.amazon.com/1635-Music-Murder-Ring-Fire-ebook/dp/B00F96EOT8/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1383968779&sr=1-2   (N) Flint, Eric, David Carrico. 1636: The Devil's Opera (Ring of Fire). Riverdale, NY: Baen, 2013. 528 Pages. Kindle e-book. $8.59. (Hardcover available for $18.48.) http://www.baen.com/   http://www.amazon.com/1636-Devils-Opera-Ring-Fire-ebook/dp/B00F8N7WD2/ref=la_B001ITXFV8_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383969128&sr=1-2   (N) Cooper, Iver P.  1636: Seas of Fortune (Ring of Fire). Riverdale, NY: Baen, 2013. 485 Pages. Kindle e-book. $8.59. http://ww