Trinity Book Notes

January 10, 2022
Trinity faculty and/or staff are regularly publishing material in their respective fields—so much so that it would be impossible to cover it all. What follows, however, is a short list of books that have been published within the past several months (summer to winter 2021).   Collwell Conflict Power and Organizational Change Conflict, Power, and Organizational Change Deborah A. Colwill Chair, Educational Ministries Department Associate Professor of Educational and Leadership Studies The purpose of this book is to explore the topics of change, power and conflict as they relate to the experiences of everyday organizational life. Some of the questions Dr. Colwill asks and answers are, What is involved in generative organizational change? Is it an event, a process, or constantly ongoing? What makes organizational change "good" for the organization? Who has the power to decide what is "good" for the organization and its members? And, How is it decided?   Firestone, Pierce: Why Does Friendship Matter? Why Does Friendship Matter? Chris L. Firestone and Alex H. Pierce (MA/ST '18) Chair, Philosophy Department Professor of Philosophy Everyone needs friends. Friends help us navigate and enjoy life: “The sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel” (Prov. 27:9). In this little book (a part of Question for Restless Minds series), a Trinity professor and a Trinity alumnus team up to talk about why friendships matter. Firestone and Pierce define friendship, draw from perspectives of the past, and consider different types of friendship, its limits, and possible red flags. Learn what makes for a good friend and how you can be one.   Book Cover of Teaching and Learning across Cultures A Guide to Theory and PracticeTeaching and Learning across Cultures: A Guide to Theory and Practice Craig Ott Director of the PhD (Intercultural Studies) Professor of Mission and Intercultural Studies ReachGlobal Chair of Mission Representing the fruit of a lifetime of reflection and practice, this comprehensive resource from Dr. Ott helps teachers understand the way people in different cultures learn so they can adapt their teaching for maximum effectiveness. Among other topics, he examines five dimensions of culture's influence on teaching and learning: cognition, worldview, social relations, use of instructional media, and the environmental context.   Book Cover of Turning Points in the Expansion of Christianity From Pentecost to the PresentTurning Points in the Expansion of Christianity—from Pentecost to the Present Alice T. Ott Affiliate Professor of the History of Mission and World Christianity How did Christianity develop and grow into a religious movement, casting its shadows and light into almost every corner of the world? This readable survey on the history of missions tells the story of pivotal turning points in the expansion of Christianity, enabling readers to grasp the big picture of missional trends and critical developments. Dr. Ott examines twelve key points in the growth of Christianity across the globe from the Jerusalem Council to Lausanne '74, an approach that draws on her many years of classroom teaching.   Book cover of The Globally Mobile Family’s Guide to Educating Children OverseasThe Globally Mobile Family’s Guide to Educating Children Overseas Karen A. Wrobbel Dean of Trinity College and Graduate School Professor of Education Moving overseas—whether as a missionary, diplomat, military member, or an international businessperson—can be enriching professionally and personally. Those with dependent children, however, need to carefully consider the opportunities and options for their children's education. Dr. Wrobbel's new book provides parents and the organizations who send them a tool to make informed and intentional decisions about children's education internationally.   Vanhoozer Festschrift, Hearing and Doing the Word The Drama of Evangelical HermeneuticsHearing and Doing the Word: The Drama of Evangelical Hermeneutics Daniel J. Treier and Douglas A. Sweeney, eds. This books gets honorable mention because it's a festschrift for Trinity's Research Professor of Systematic Theology Kevin J. Vanhoozer. It was also edited by one of Vanhoozer's former students (Treier, who is Knoedler Professor of Theology at Wheaton College) as well as by a former Trinity professor, Doug Sweeney (1997–2019; now dean of Beeson Divinity School). This collection of essays honors Vanhoozer by representing the current state of evangelical hermeneutics in light of his work. It was put together in advance of a conference being held on Trinity's campus in Vanhoozer's honor this coming March. The book's multiple contributors are in large measure either current or former faculty or alumni of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, including former TEDS professors Graham Cole (dean), Tom McCall, Elizabeth Sung, and Robert Yarbrough, current TEDS professors Scott Manetsch, and several TEDS alumni: Stephen Garrett, Gregory W. Lee, Hans Madueme, Darren Sarisky, and Scott Swain.