Pedagogically Insightful and Theologically Rich: Ross Inman’s Summer Reading Recommendations

As summer begins, we want to help you craft the perfect Summer Reading List. We asked Southeastern Seminary professors what books they would recommend, and we’ll share their recommendations in coming weeks.

Today, Dr. Ross Inman recommends two books for your summer reading list.

Metaphysical Animals: How Four Women Brought Philosophy Back to Life
by Clare Mac Cumhaill and Rachael Wiseman (Doubleday, 2022)

This is a riveting portrayal of the close friendship and lasting influence of four European philosophers Elizabeth Anscombe, Mary Midgley, Philippa Foot, and Iris Murdoch. The book tells the true story of how these four women, all students at Somerville College, Oxford, helped rescue traditional philosophical areas like metaphysics and moral philosophy and topics such as God, human nature, value, and the good life from the narrow confines of the empiricism and logical positivism that dominated European philosophy in the early/middle part of the 20th century), all against the backdrop of some of the most human-life-altering events of the 20th century (WW2, Nazism, the Holocaust, Hiroshima/Nagasaki).

Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis
by R.B. Jamieson and Tyler R. Wittman (Baker Academic, 2022)

Plain and simple, this book is an absolute must-read for all students of Christian theology, biblical exegesis, and philosophy. The book articulates the mutual dependence and reciprocity between theology and biblical exegesis. It is pedagogically insightful and theologically rich; it puts on full display the firm exegetical foundations and the beauty of classical Trinitarianism and Christology, all towards the ultimate end of seeking and savoring the triune God. Highly, highly recommended!