New and Noteworthy, September 2014

Using examples from “Les Miserables” to “The Kite Runner,” Plantinga, president emeritus of Calvin Theological Seminary, encourages preachers to seek wisdom beyond Bible commentaries.

“God is Just Not Fair”

Jennifer Rothschild. God is Just Not Fair: Finding Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2014. 240 pages. $15.99. 

Divided into the six big questions she says everyone asks God when life is tough, Rothschild shares her journey through depression, along with Scripture and advice such as “Trust God more than your feelings.” The popular author and speaker has been blind since her teen years.

GLOBAL ISSUES
“Hope Rising”

Scott Todd. Hope Rising: How Christians Can End Extreme Poverty in This Generation. Nashville, Tenn.: Nelson Books, 2014. 224 pages. $15.99. 

Todd, of Compassion International, contends that the connectedness of modern society makes ending preventable deaths (such as those caused by hunger) a possibility. Poverty is becoming less prevalent worldwide, he writes, and Christians must join the movement to end it entirely.

FICTION
“The Legend of Sheba”

Tosca Lee. The Legend of Sheba: Rise of a Queen. Nashville, Tenn.: Howard Books, 2014. 336 pages. $23.99.

Lee, an author of biblical fiction whose previous books imagined the lives of Eve and Judas Iscariot, explores the perspective of the queen of Sheba. Known for her meticulous historical research, Lee brings ancient Arabia to life in a first-person narrative that has elements of romance and political intrigue.