Book Reviews

Book Reviews are listed beginning with the most recent issue.

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The Village

The “It takes a village to raise a child” mentality Is not a belief That should be brushed away It should guide us in how we interact With the youth Everyday   Educating our children Should be a goal That we all share The world is constantly shifting So our children Must be prepared Graduating […]

Book Review: The Digital Public Square: Christian Ethics in a Technological Society, edited by Jason Thacker

[1] Digital technologies have become a transformative force in nearly every aspect of contemporary life, reshaping how we communicate, work, learn, and even perceive ourselves and the world in which we live. From smartphones and social media to artificial intelligence and virtual reality, these innovations have and will continue to alter our social interactions, economic […]

Book Review: Our Biggest Fight: Reclaiming Liberty, Humanity, and Dignity in in the Digital Age by Frank McCourt, Jr. with Michael Casey

[1] Famed entrepreneur, real estate developer, and former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers Frank McCourt along with acclaimed journalist Michael Casey have written a book which aims to find a way for us to untangle a distorted digital ethos from a current messy reality. Most of us have heard and lamented the internet’s contribution […]

JLE Resources for Raising Healthy Children

[1] Raising healthy children is not only a familial concern. This concern also has communal and societal implications and reflects the kind of values we hold true. It is not an exaggeration to emphasize that local communities, and society at large, also assume a significant role in raising healthy children.  We cannot say we value […]

Book Review: A Story About Cancer With a Happy Ending by India Desjardin and Marianne Ferrer

[1] As a mother of a son who survived childhood leukemia and is now thriving as an adult, I found A Story About Cancer With a Happy Ending both deeply resonant and profoundly uplifting. India Desjardin’s poignant narrative, brought to life through Marianne Ferrer’s heartfelt illustrations, captures the essence of the cancer journey with remarkable […]

Book Review: Aidan: The Lead-Free Superhero by Deanna Branch and Aidan Branch

[1] Aidan: The Lead-Free Superhero is a children’s book that tells the story of Aidan’s illness, and the inspiration for the family’s advocacy efforts. The book tells the story of Aidan Branch, a real-life superhero who was diagnosed with lead poisoning, and found a purpose after getting well. Unlike Rev. Darrick Wade Sr.’s book Mr. […]

Book Review Introduction: Strong Babies! The Ethics of Raising Healthy Children

[1] The ethics of raising healthy children is a challenging topic of discussion. Normally, most people think of ethics as a normative activity, limited to atomistical individuals acting according to societal norms. Ethics is reduced to inculcating children with moral values that would allow them to navigate right and wrong. Nevertheless, there is a neglected […]

Book Review: Moving Beyond: Toward Transformative Theologizing by Karen L. Bloomquist

[1] Karen L. Bloomquist’s latest book, Moving Beyond: Toward Transformative Theologizing, is not intended to be a scholarly work; it is a call to reevaluate traditional approaches to God-talk in an attempt to create a more engaging and transformational model. Building on her previous work[i], Bloomquist draws on her personal journey in order to present […]

Book Review: Christ and the Common Life: The Case for Democracy by Luke Bretherton

[1] In the aftermath of the 2024 United States Presidential Election, Christians are wrestling with more constructive ways of living out their faith-life and civic duties. Unfortunately, political discourse of late has created a gulf within the church catholic in the United States as Christians are drawn into the culture wars and hyper-partisan politics. There […]

Book Review: The Problem of 12: When a Few Financial Institutions Control Everything by John Coates

[1] No doubt economics plays a role in our polarization and social fragmentation.  Harvard Law School Deputy Dean John Coates has authored a cutting edge book on economic trends that Lutheran ethicists need to address and that we all need to master in order to educate the Lutherans we serve to the new realities of […]