from Kregel Publishing
One of the best kinds of Bible study helps, or tools, are
chart books. Chart books can be extremely helpful in condensing complex and
exhaustive information into bite-sized chunks of readability and easy
comprehension. The assimilation of valuable information into clear, easy to
read and visually appealing formats is so important. Many people learn visually
and the structure of a chart becomes very helpful in seeing the flow of
important concepts and information.
This being said, Charts on the Life,
Letters, and Theology of Paul should have been a great
addition to so many other chart books that are out there on the scriptures,
which help us discover and to better understand the Bible. However, this book
is more plain text than it is charts and it reads more like a dry commentary
than a visually appealing chart book, leaving the reader disappointed and busy
sifting through an over abundance of text. There are over 100 charts in this
book, but they are small, not always self-sufficient in the information they
present, they are secondary to the text, and are not the primary content of the
book.
The concept of covering the letters of Paul in a chart book
is a great idea, but it does not appear that the author has met the goal of
covering the letters of Paul solely using charts. If you are looking for a
chart book on the life, letters, and theology of Paul, you will be disappointed
with this book. However, if you are looking for a great survey of Paul’s life, letters,
and theology and background information and contextual information concerning
Paul’s letters, and some commentary on Paul’s letters, and you do not mind a
lot of reading, then this book could be for you.
Here is what the
publisher has to say about Charts on the Life,
Letters, and Theology of Paul:
Paul's letters have
fascinated and challenged most every reader of the Bible. As a result, many
general introductions and specific studies on Paul are available, but none are
like Charts on the Life and Letters of Paul, which provides over 100 charts to
explore the apostle's background, life and ministry, letters, and theology. The
charts visually offer clarity on:
- Basic insights (e.g., "Autobiographical Information")
- Comparisons (e.g., "Parallels between Acts and Paul's
Letters")
- Advanced tools for further study (e.g., "Key Words in
Romans")
- Analysis (e.g., "The 'New Perspective' on Paul")
- Research (e.g., "Key Texts and Their Interpretations")
Interested Bible
readers as well as students of Paul's life, letters, and theology will find
plenty of material to deepen their understanding. Teachers will find the charts
to be a valuable teaching resource. This book is an excellent supplement to any
general introduction or specific study on Paul.
In exchange for this non-biased review, the reviewer
received a free copy of the book, Charts on the Life,
Letters, and Theology of Paul. This review is also published on
My Two Mites, Examiner, Amazon, and Christian Book.
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