Passion and Character(s)

For our latest offering, we are pleased to announce the publication of Godly Character(s): Insights for Spiritual Passion from the Lives of 8 Women in the Bible, an in-depth look at how desire for God can be cultivated by strengthening the practice of godly disciplines.  The book examines the spiritual effects of four inward-focused character traits—devotion, courage, faith, and vision—and four outward-looking character traits—initiative, nonconformity, tenacity, and generosity—as revealed through the lives of eight lesser-studied people in the Bible.  Reviewers have noted the impact of Godly Character(s)on rekindling affection and passion for God:

“Lisa Smith’s latest book is a treasure. It will draw you closer to God and will ignite your heart with passion for Him. Her insight and beautiful storytelling makes every section of this book delightful to read!” — Stacy DeWitt, executive director of James Storehouse

“This book is a terrific resource for anyone who wants more from their relationship with God than lackluster routines and complacent rituals. Lisa is both an engaging guide and an experienced practitioner, using Scriptures and stories, to lead us through eight characteristics needed to fuel a dynamic and passionate life with God.”— Carolyn Taketa, host of the Small Group Network podcast Group Talk

“This book is a slim treasure, packed with practical inspiration for the passionate Christian life. Utilizing the stories of some of the unsung heroines of Scripture, Godly Character(s) will be a trustworthy companion on the quest of devotion.” — Lanier Ivester, writer and speaker; author at lanierivester.com

The Third Book in "The Art of" Series . . . and an Epic Exhibit

The Art of Edward Knippers: Prints and Drawings will be released in September 2018 in conjunction with a massive retrospective art exhibit at Messiah College.

Edward Knippers is an artist very well known in Christian community and beyond. His bold colors, aggressive paint handling, (often) large scale, dramatic compositions, and (of course) the nudity of his figures make Knipper’s art stand out in any show. But, sometimes, thinking that we know an artist’s work can get in the way of continuing to look carefully at their work. 

In fact, that there is more to the art of Ed Knippers than what is described above. Some of the aesthetic and conceptual richness of his work was explored in his 2015 monograph Violent Grace. But there is more. This book, which focuses principally on Knipper’s work in printmaking, aims to further unpack the complexity of his art.

Praise for the book includes:

“This book honors Edward Knippers’ lesser known body of work—his prints and drawings. Parallel to his dramatic large scale paintings, he has consistently produced etchings, monotypes and especially linocuts. This monograph gives these equally important works their rightful recognition while more fully unpacking the complexity and depth of Knippers’ art.” —Sandra Bowden, artist

“Artists most often show another—and often very different—side to their work in prints and drawings. The magicof line  tells its own story. These works of Edward Knippers are no exception. Magic is the word for what you will see in these pages. It’s high time this work is better known! Cheers!!!” —Roberta Green Ahmanson, writer

“Across the many years that I have known Edward Knippers, I have come to expect two things: passion and faithfulness. Ed is passionate about the biblical narrative—especially the human stories that it contains—and faithful to do the work. Few artists have been as productive in the studio and over a long span of years as Ed Knippers. His expansive body of work needs to be seen.” —Cameron J. Anderson, artist and author

This is the third in a growing series of monographs focusing on important artists of faith. CLICK HERE to learn more about the art exhibit at Messiah College.

Straight-Up Praise for Good Posture

Square Halo has been with Tom Becker since the very beginning of The Row House (literally—there are photos from the first forum to prove it), so we were understandably eager to publish his first book. As it turns out, we are not the only ones who think that the work Tom is doing is amazing. Following is effusive praise for Good Posture—more than enough to make people sit up straight and take notice . . . 

The Row House proves that it is possible to engage in conversations about culture with authenticity, curiosity, and uncommon graciousness. In Good Posture Tom invites us behind these conversations to hear his heart for building better bridges and practicing insane kindness. Rooted in the Gospel, this book will help you engage in thoughtful conversations and create a more attractive way of impacting culture.
—Peter Greer, president & CEO HOPE International, and coauthor of Rooting for Rivals

Tom Becker’s track record of artful engagement makes him an invaluable guide to “good posture” in relation to Culture.
—J. Mark Bertrand, novelist and author of Rethinking Worldview

In every age, the church is called to enflesh the gospel in a particular time and place. But for Christians to do so effectively, they will need to understand their unique time and place and, especially, the neighbors who inhabit it with them. The Row House Forum is just such a “roadmap” for thoughtful Christians, as well as a gathering place for all who are intellectually hungry. Every Christian community would benefit from such a forum. 
—Katelyn Beaty, Christianity Today editor-at-large, book author, 2016 forum speaker for The Row House

In Good Posture, Tom Becker is not scolding Christians for not sitting up straight. Rather he’s encouraging us to lean into life so we can flourish where we are, for God’s glory and the common good. He tells the story of The Row House in Lancaster, PA not so we all start one but as a living example of bringing grace into the heart of a city. In the process Becker distills what he has learned, and the distillation is a lovely dose of biblical wisdom. It’s a vision of the sort of Christianity we always hoped was possible but rarely see. It’s a vision not of beginning something big but of being faithful and watching the gospel nurture beauty in ordinary people in ordinary ways.
—Denis Haack, co-founder of Ransom Fellowship and the editor of Critique magazine

Tom is the kind of conversationalist who cares more about listening than being heard. But you also come away from talking with him somehow more full of ideas and hopes and dreams. His listening is the kind that inspires.
—Wesley Hill, author of Paul and the Trinity: Persons, Relations, and the Pauline Letters and 2015 forum speaker for The Row House

The Row House Forum serves the public good in one of the best ways possible: by promoting ideas, art, conversation, and human flourishing. It’s a gift to the local community, as well as a gift from the local community to the world. The Row House Forum is a jewel whose brilliance reaches far and wide.
—Karen Swallow Prior, PhD, author of Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me and 2017 forum speaker for The Row House

Tom Becker models a winsome, wise, and celebratory faith in Christ. Hearing him speak, reading his words, or attending one of his events is always a joy, because he lives out God’s Kingdom and invites others to join him. Tom’s hospitality, insight, and sense of fun came to life in the pages of Good Posture. As someone lucky enough to attend many Row House events, I can say with delight that this book will give you a taste of what it’s like to be welcomed into a community by Tom, and some starting points for living out that generous hospitality in your own context. Tom’s graceful articulation of ancient faith for current culture is exactly what we need in our cultural moment. May it be widely read, and even more widely lived out.
—Hannah Eagleson, PhD, Renaissance Literature and writer/editor for InterVarsity’s Emerging Scholars Network

I have known Tom Becker for many years and have been simply stunned at his energy and insight, verve and fidelity in doing what he is called to do—which he describes with wit and wonder in this easy-to-read, one-of-a-kind book. Good Posture is influenced by everything from the Bible and the Beatles to Francis Schaeffer and modern art films. Tom’s love of urban architecture, local ministry, and civil conversation just bubbles up as he tells his story and invites you into his dream of an ancient faith presented winsomely to our neighbors. May this book inspire you to loosen up a bit, check your posture, and then take up the wild, wondrous adventure of gracious Christian living in our lovely, messy world. 
—Byron Borger, co-founder of Hearts & Minds Bookstore

C.S. Lewis aptly said that if we read history carefully, we will soon discover that those who have done the most good for the present world are the ones who thought the most of the next. Put another way, when we become “heavenly minded” in the Jesus sense of the term, we become more earthly good, not less. My long-time friend, Tom Becker, does a marvelous job calling us back to this vision in Good Posture. I couldn’t recommend this book more highly. Please read it cover to cover. Please share it. And please, for the love of God, start living it.
—Scott Sauls, senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and author of Jesus Outside the Lines, Befriend, and From Weakness to Strength

Tom Becker is a man living a life that leaves a mark. Through a heavenly blend of humor, grace, whimsy, and gospel, Tom offers readers the opportunity to reassess their approach to the world around them. Shall we approach life hunched over and believing the worst about our neighbors, or standing tall, looking for the best in those around us? I know which approach sounds more life-giving and Kingdom bearing to me. Read this book, and follow Tom’s work to readjust your perspective, and your posture.
—Luke Dooley, Director of the Unpolished initiative at OCEAN Accelerator, and former Director of Q Commons at Qideas

 

A Book for Hearts & Minds

We first met Byron Borger when It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God was just coming out. He was immediately supportive of Square Halo Books, and ever since then has promoted our titles with gusto. We make it a practice to always release our books to his store first, and he always has our titles in stock. Around here we affectionately refer to Hearts & Minds as "The Official Bookstore of Square Halo."

We were delighted to publish the book he edited called Serious Dreams, but for the last few years there has been a jovial argument between us about publishing a book collecting Byron's BookNotes into one volume. Byron insisted no one would want such a thing. He is a bookseller and knows his business, so maybe he was right about that. But not to be discouraged from featuring Byron in a book, we changed our tack and secretly organized a festschrift in honor of the work that Byron and Beth do through Hearts & Minds. Now, festschrift is an unusual word, to be sure. It is defined as "a collection of writings published in honor of a scholar." If you wonder whether or not a lowly bookseller is worthy of this sort of honor, read these commendations from these respected writers and scholars to learn why A Book for Hearts & Minds needed to be written:

Byron and Beth Borger have been a gift to both authors and readers. Unapologetic champions of the life of the mind, their work has been a ministry to generations of Christians who have discovered that God’s joy and delight is as wide as the world itself. Curators of the imagination, stewards of the tradition, priests of print, they have always done more than sold books: they have furnished faithful minds and hearts. This book is a lovely testimony to that good work.—James K.A. Smith, Calvin College, author of You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit

When I want to know how to think about the things that matter most, I trust Byron Borger to point me in the right direction—never telling me what to think, but ready with endless resources to help me discover how to think in the best ways. He and Beth have made me, on countless occasions, feel like the most treasured writer and person in the world, as I suspect they have done for many of the contributors to this volume. Their impact in hearts and minds is now multiplied, through these pages and in the lives of countless readers they’ve guided and nurtured through the years. May this smart personal volume make you curious enough to buy a book—this book!—for readers you love, at Hearts & Minds Bookstore.—Margot Starbuck, author of Small Things with Great Love: Adventures in Loving Your Neighbor

Byron Borger is a true believer. Like the lineup of insightful essayists who contributed to this book in his honor, Borger believes that reading the right book at the right time can supply just the kind of provocation, insight, or solace we need, when we need it. —Cameron J. Anderson, author of The Faithful Artist: A Vision for Evangelicalism and the Arts

Byron Borger spent his life making us all richer by introducing us to authors and ideas that helped us flourish. Some of his suggested readings made us laugh, made us angry, made us wrestle—but each made us better people. We honor you and we are indebted to you. Thank you for discovering the good and true and beautiful and spending your life generously sharing it with us.—Margaret Feinberg, author of Flourish: Live Free, Live Loved

While living and teaching in New York City I had been hearing about the Hearts & Minds Bookstore for some time. And then one day I was lured to a speaking engagement for The Row House in Lancaster, PA with the promise of a visit to the bookstore. How could I say no? My expectations were high and, boy, were they met. I felt like a gambling addict stumbling into a casino. Suffice it to say that on my return trip to the city I traveled back home with far more baggage than I had left with. This book is a tantalizing taste of what it is like to visit that magical place. It makes me dream of returning there to restock! —Harry Bleattler, chair of the Media, Culture, and the Arts program at The King’s College, New York City  

Byron Borger represents everything that is right with bookstores. He is a thoughtful and winsome curator of ideas and prose in moment when most booksellers are crass consumerists. Thank God for Byron, and thank God for Hearts & Minds! —Jonathan Merritt, contributing writer for The Atlantic and author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch

How fitting this splendid collection is as a tribute to Byron and Beth Borger, partners and booksellers extraordinaire whose life-long vision and ambitions exemplify the idea of Christian vocation and faithful living. Featuring an array of writers commenting on influential works in their fields, this volume represents the fruit of the Hearts & Minds enterprise and will no doubt encourage the same lively discourse we’ve come to associate with Bryon’s own booklists. —William D. Romanowski, Calvin College, author of Reforming Hollywood: How American Protestants Fought for Freedom at the Movies

I thank God for Byron and Beth Borger—they are such solid gold people, and friends as well. Without them, many a thoughtful Christian writer would be on the endangered species list in the face of the tsunami of Big Data recommended reading. While Hearts & Minds exists, serious Christian books can live too. —Os Guinness, author of Impossible People: Christian Courage and the Struggle for the Soul of Civilization

 

 

Deeper Magic: The Theology Behind the Writings of C.S. Lewis

We are delighted by the arrival of our new book on the writings of C.S. Lewis. And we aren't the only ones:

“Williams has produced a bracing guide to Lewis as theological writer.  The sweep of the book delves into timely themes: imagination’s relation to theology, Lewis’s misunderstanding of Fundamentalism, Hamartiology (you’ll see), an investigation into Lewis’s “trilema,” Soteriology, meaning and function of the Church, and Theological Aesthetics—just to name a few. The work is, in short, a crash-course in Evangelical theological doctrine illuminated and constantly grounded in Lewis’s (and others’s) writings.  All is composed in Williams’s strong voice and with the same useful plain-spoken clarity as Lewis.  Deeper Magic accomplishes what tragically few writers today accomplish: deeper instruction.” —Rod Miller, Professor of Art History, Hendrix College, and editor of C. S. Lewis and the Arts: Creativity in the Shadowlands

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“C. S. Lewis’s best books are his works in literary criticism; but most people do not read them. Perhaps it is because most people are unfamiliar with medieval literature specifically and literary criticism generally. But, what would happen if there was a guide to walk you through the riches of this particular Lewis material? Professor Donald Williams, a top flight medievalist, is such a trailblazer and guide. Lewis opens more than wardrobe doors, but for most, the door has been locked. Williams has picked the lock and allows readers to see how Lewis­—the great Oxford and Cambridge scholar—made his faith the means to an integrated scholarship. It is a model for all who want to see an embodiment of what it is to actually think Christianly about any given topic. I highly recommend this book!”—Jerry Root, C. S. Lewis Scholar and Professor, Wheaton College 

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“Williams has done the impossible: he has written a highly readable overview of C. S. Lewis’s theology. He draws from the deep well of a lifetime spent studying literature and theology and Lewis. My understanding has been greatly enriched; yours will be, too. This book is a marvel. I am happy to recommend it.” —Diana Pavlac Glyer, Professor and author of Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings

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“In Deeper Magic: The Theology Behind the Writings of C.S. Lewis, Donald Williams writes with a clarity, freshness, fairness, and welcome worthy of his subject. Readers will find both breadth and depth in this very comprehensive and insightful analysis. One of the best-written books on Lewis’s theology.”—Devin Brown, Professor and author of A Life Observed: A Spiritual Biography of C. S. Lewi

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“This is the best book in print on the greatest Christian writer of our times by a noted C. S. Lewis scholar.  It is a treasure trove of systematized information—a must for every C. S. Lewis fan, and all the rest of us who should be.”—Norman Geisler, Ph.D., Author and founder of Southern Evangelical Seminary

Teaching Beauty: A Vision for Music & Art in Christian Education

Glowing praise for our new book on Art, Music, Faith, and Education:
 

The team of artists and thinkers assembled in Teaching Beauty have blessed art educators within the Body of Christ with an essential and timely discourse regarding the place of beauty, divine inspiration, and the role of the hand of the artist. As da Vinci once declared, “Unless the Spirit works with the hand, there is no art." —Tim High, Associate Professor of Studio Art, University of Texas at Austin

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Teaching Beauty is certain to open important conversations about teaching art and music within the Christian community and beyond. I believe this book will be a valuable asset especially to all of us now involved—or yet to be involved—in arts education from a Christian perspective. —Peter Mollenkof, Professor of Art at Messiah College

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Christian education has grown in leaps and bounds since I cut my teeth in the early 90’s. We have observed areas of weakness and made vast improvements. But by and large, the one area that seems to have been the red-haired step-child is the teaching of the arts. It is high time we realize that teaching beauty should have been central to it all. This volume is a glorious leap in that direction. —Bruce Etter, Head of School, Wilson Hill Academy

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At the heart and in the soul of Christianity and classical education rests the soul-nourishing energy of Beauty: building bridges between souls, between communities, between spirit and body, heaven and earth, God and man; and drawing us to our eternal home. 
     Beauty, however, eludes us (and can mislead us) and its hard to understand how to teach it. The essays presented to us by this extraordinary fellowship of authorities and artists and doers gives us eyes to see, ideas to understand, and practices to imitate. I receive it as a gift of grace—even of “grace notes.” —Andrew Kern, President of CiRCE Institute

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 I cannot say how glad I am that [these] reflections are now available for all of us, maybe especially those of us not connected to the classical schooling movement, who might otherwise not get to read this kind of stuff very often. As I regularly say, agree or not with every sentence, I heartily commend this book.
. . . But, again, I hope I am clear in saying this is not just a book for those working in classical Christian schools, or even for those who are working in Christian schools. In fact, it’s not even just for those who are in schools.  Parents, choir-directors, church school teachers, Christian ed professionals all will all be informed and aided in their efforts to think well about shaping the lives of those God has given them to influence.  Anybody who wants to learn more—maybe not having been schooled in aesthetics all . . . will benefit from listening in to these thinkers and educators about how to teach music and art within a context of learning to love goodness, truth, and beauty. —Byron Borger, Hearts & Minds Bookstore

CLICK HERE for Hearts & Minds Bookstore's lengthy (and quite insightful) review of this book.

Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups

When folks hear the words “The Bible,” images of Westboro Baptists or Precious Moments’ kitschy angels with freakishly large heads may pop to mind. But the Bible is very differently than either of those extremes. Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups is a new book from Square Halo Books that shows the Bible as it really is—in all its raw, violent, and sexy glory. There are over 130 images by a wide range of artists—living and dead, Christian and non-Christian. Artists in this book include Hans Burgkmair, Margaret Bustard, Ned Bustard, Tanja Butler, Matthew L. Clark, Lovis Corinth, Erin Cross, Albrecht Dürer, Jean Duvet, Wayne Lacson Forte, Richard Gaston, Eric Gill, Steve Halla, Craig Hawkins, David Busch Johnson, Diego Jourdan Pereira, Edward Knippers, Chris Koelle, Kevin Lindholm, Franz Marc, Chris Stoffel Overvoorde, Steve Prince, Mark T. Smith, Justin Sorensen, Ryan Stander, Rembrandt van Rijn, Henri Van Straten, and Kreg Yingst. Fifty-eight of the images were made specifically for this book. Each spread in the book is a different account from the Bible. On the left is the scripture passage and a brief commentary on the art and the passage. On the right is the artwork. The commentaries help the reader to look deeper into the passage and help them to understand and apprecaite the art more. They also quote from many writers including N.T. Wright, Tim Keller, C.S. Lewis, Luci Shaw, A.D. Bauer, Denis Haack, D.A. Carson, Eric Jacobsen, Billy Graham, John Piper, Bono, and C.H. Spurgeon to name a few.

J. Mark Bertrand (novelist, speaker, and founder of the Bible Design Blog) says: “Revealed sets out to crush any notion that the Bible is a safe, inspirational read. Instead the artwork here, historic and contemporary, takes a warts-and-all approach to even the most troubling passages, trading well-meaning elision for unvarnished truth. If you gaze deeper, Revealed springs another surprise, too: it debunks the equally prevalent misconception that a sacred anthology ages in the making can offer no single, unifying message. To see that message, however, might just require a second look at verses that make the pious avert their eyes.” 

The official book release party for Revealed is scheduled for June 3, 2016 in the Square Halo Gallery. More details can be found HERE.

An interview with The Gospel Coalition about the book can be found HERE.

An article from The Washington Times about several of the contributors to Revealed can be found HERE.

Heart & Minds Bookstore awarded Revealed the BEST ART BOOK OF 2015 and also wrote a nice review HERE.

A PechaKucha presentation about Revealed can be watched HERE.

An article about Revealed on ArtWay can be found HERE.

And Revealed can be found on First Things' 2015 Christmas Guide to Buying a Bible.