Book Review Assignment Instructions
ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Overview
As part of doctoral-level work, it is important to be able to evaluate resources. This evaluation includes an analysis of the resource within the discipline itself and an analysis of the resource from a biblical worldview perspective. As such, students are asked to demonstrate one’s ability to provide in-depth analysis through the avenue of a book critique.
Instructions
You must read the Smith text and write a 4–6-page review. This is not simply a summary of the book, but it is a review of the content. The Book Review Assignment must adhere to current APA format.
To complete the Book Review Assignment, write the review using the following structure:
Introduction (No more than a half-page)
- This must be a single but strong paragraph that reveals what you intend to show the reader. This is your “thesis statement.”
- Include a brief review of background data about the book, author, and the topic of the book.
Brief Summary (1–2 pages: no more than 20% of your review)
- Do not state what every single chapter is about; instead, capture the main idea(s) of the book along with the underlining subtopics and themes.
- Briefly overview what the book as a whole is about as well as the issues, themes, and solutions the author presents.
- Identify the main idea of the book and differentiate between the central and peripheral ideas.
Critical Interaction with the Book (2–4 pages: around 70% of your review)
- Do not discuss your agreement or disagreement with the author’s perspective. Instead, try to recognize what the author’s points are and what theological issues are prevalent.
- Document your assessment of the text. If you make a judgment of the author’s opinion, give an example along with a footnote to designate where this can be observed.
- Where is the author coming from? What is his goal?
- Does the author prove his point? Why or why not? How?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the author’s arguments?
Conclusion (No more than a half-page)
- Bring together all your interactions with the book and wrap up your review by conveying how well you think the author achieved his goals and to what degree his purpose was achieved.
- In what ways does the book make you think?
- With what questions does the author leave you?
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.
SAMPLE STUDENT ANSWER
Review of Desiring the Kingdom
By James K. A Smith
Introduction
Going to a mall is really not at the top of my list for excitement at my age and time. If given the opportunity though, I would rather take a trip to the mall. In explanation of Smith’s theory on worship, there was a use of the setting of the mall. I would choose a walk in the mall on my good day at my stage in life instead of reading about it, but I choose to immerse myself in what Smith had to offer.
He used examples of the mall, in particular, there were constant references to the sporting goods section. The two examples used though was a sporting event and also American University concepts to make a point that we’ve replaced worship with worldly desires of the mainland instead of worship time with the Almighty Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We will explore in review the research that reading offers and gather conclusions to further argue in a discussion; however, one can assert Smith has concluded that worship is a choice of genuine worship or materialistic distraction.
Summary and Major Arguments (Book review Assignment)
As Christians, there is a central understanding that we are supposed to be Christ-like, in a parallel manner as we educate ourselves we must discard our understanding in understanding God’s true plan. Knight asserts in regards to this idea of discarding “Without discarding the importance of what Christians think [Secular Understanding], he argues: that Christian education is more so about the formation than information. Christian education should mean much more than merely teaching… Christian education should be fundamentally rooted in liturgical worship” ( Smith). This boils down to Smith’s central point of what Christians must do in order to gain a closer relationship with the heavenly Father; to desire God’s true purpose according to Smith, there must be a discipline in worship that connects to one’s desires.
The fundamental message of what Smith was illustrating in his thesis is that man is primarily a “lover or desirer by nature,” and this can be a point of discussion. Some peers consider this to be a form of reductionism (Miller). One can level with this, however, an empirical understanding of Christian education allows for deeper insight and analysis of ideas when it comes to worship. Smith stands on that education should be considered more so a formation stating 1. “We are so prone to associating education with cognitive stuff ideas that it’s difficult for us to imagine education as a more formative, affective matter. Our imaginations get stuck in the rut, and it becomes difficult to get out of them to imagine things differently”
( Smith). Smith believes that we need to reduce our school of thought when it comes to worship and focus more so on sacramental or ritualistic practices with worshiping.
Response to Argument
Humans are more complex in theory than what Smith was offering in his analysis, and in an examination, there can be a consideration that there is more to worship than what Smith characterizes in his thesis. Agreement with the scripture should be the point that needs to be made in my opinion, not so much focusing on the liturgy because this by nature is a man-made formation. In 1 Timothy 4: 16, the scripture reads, “take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.” So in translation, one cannot not necessarily have a coordinated way of serving the Father, but more so a documented path that allows for one to grow in the spirit. I’ve witness in the Apostolic setting Christians worship by singing, crying, lifting their hands, and dancing to name a few all of which if they would go to the mall and form this type of worship it would be awkward.
There was some stock to his message though, because the concept of the mall opened my eyes to the idea of corporate worship. A solidarity approach is that one should reduce one’s lifestyle, in order to gain clarity in God’s purpose for them. An understandable concept is that embedded elements of one’s lifestyle can be a source of distraction. In counter of this thought, one has to believe that one can have a sense of the good life through circumventing practices with boundaries to secular ideas. Being Christ-like is not a formed opinion of being better than, but because human knows the heavenly Father there is a better sense of clarity of God’s desire for one’s life.
Conclusion
From years of going to church, I would have never known that my aspect of worship was so narrow-minded. Gaining a different insight was an outcome of this review. Once this class is over, there has to be a point where I revisit and grow from this book. Smith has given me a new way to think about the central purpose of being a Christian and what a Christian example should be. In conclusion, I would recommend this book to those looking for a challenge in perspective. Honestly, prior to this class, I would have never chosen this work to read and might have skipped over it because of lack of appeal originally.
Bibliography
Smith, James K.A. Desiring the Kingdom, Grand Rapids, Mli: Baker Academic 2009.
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Book review assignment
Jermaine Byrant
Nicole Johnson
OVER
RATING
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