A Brief Book Notice from Books At a Glance
by Fred G. Zaspel
John Owen is known as the dean of the Puritans, and for centuries his writings have been cherished by serious Christian readers. The sixteen volume set from Banner of Truth has been the prize (or envy!) of pastors everywhere, and Crossway is currently releasing its own critical edition, The Complete Works of John Owen. Nine of the projected forty (or so) volumes are now complete: volume 7 (Kindle), volume 8 (Kindle), volume 9 (Kindle), volume 14 (Kindle), volume 15 (Kindle), volume 18 (Kindle), volume 19 (Kindle), volume 20 (Kindle), volume 28 (Kindle).
Owen’s works are not the easiest you’ve read, but they are certainly among the richest. In fact their sheer weight may have scared you away, but I assure you, they have not scared away Kris Lundgaard. Lundgaard has read Owen carefully, and his great contribution to our generation is that he has given us choice selections of Owen on a popularized level. What a great idea – John Owen accessible for all Christian readers!
I recall very well when in 1998 Lundgaard’s The Enemy Within was first released. I’m sure P&R must have shipped them by the case. Hungry Christians who had never heard of, much less read, Owen’s famous work On the Mortification of Sin were now devouring it second hand. Owen’s work here remains the gold standard on the subject, and Lundgaard makes it easily accessible for any reader. The ideal book for personal enrichment and for group study.
Then in 2000 P&R released Lundgaard’s Through the Looking Glass: Reflections on Christ that Change Us, in its new edition now titled, The Glorious Christ: Meditations on His Person, Work, and Love. It was again a popular hit. Owen’s rich reflections on the greatest theme imaginable made popularly accessible.
Then in 2023 these two titles received a new cover and were published along with Lundgaard’s third title, The Devoted Mind: Seeking God’s Face in a World of Distraction, this time giving us Owen’s The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded – another classic by any measure.
All three of these titles are choice selections for personal enrichment, for group study, for Sunday School lessons, or even for a sermon series. Most highly recommended!