By David George Moore with Foreword by Carl R. Trueman
While the Bible is enough to take us to heaven, knowing history helps us live more wisely on our way.
George Orwell observed in Nineteen Eighty-Four that those who pay attention to history have the potential to influence the future. Stuck in the Present offers a grounding in historical consciousness that allows us to better navigate the daily bombardment of information. Amnesia about the past makes us vulnerable to the shackles of modern-day hucksters who try to convince us that the present is all that matters.
With wit and grace, Moore encourages readers to avoid common historical fallacies and better understand the significance of the past. Through interviews conducted with leading historians, Moore invites readers to better understand relevant topics like the living legacy of the Puritans, slavery and the Civil War, and the current struggles for Civil Rights. Stuck in the Present motivates readers to be lifelong learners of history. By doing so, we are enriched and better equipped to engage the complexities of our world.
DAVID GEORGE MOORE graduated from both Dallas Theological Seminary and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has written three other books, including one of Preaching Magazine’s best books of the year, and has interviewed 200 authors in both print and on the radio. A regular contributor to Christianity Today/Jesus Creed, Moore has also written for the Gospel Coalition, Huffington Post, Bibliotheca Sacra, Austin American-Statesman, Touchstone, Mere Orthodoxy, C. S. Lewis Institute’s Heart & Mind, and Front Porch Republic. He lives in Austin with his wife, Doreen. Connect with Dave through his blogs at www.twocities.org. Various teaching videos can be found at www.mooreengaging.com.
“I like this approach. Dave handily debunks a lot of mythologies about history.”
—Grant Horner, professor of Renaissance and Reformation Studies, The Master’s University
“This is an extremely valuable book on the art of reading history. There are a number of good books out there on this subject that deal with the mechanics (how to cite footnotes and how to prepare a bibliography, etc.). This volume, though, is focused on what makes for wise usage of this valuable repository of knowledge that we call history. Recent events have shown that we all need to be better at understanding the past than we have been, and this book has nugget after nugget of wisdom on how to gain such an understanding. A five-star rating!”
—Michael Haykin, chair and professor of Church History, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“Dave is a historical evangelical with a firm grasp of his indebtedness to the great Christian minds in the whole church through the ages. Both his mind and his heart will provide an edifying challenge to those who come into contact with his ministry."
—Tom Nettles, retired professor of Historical Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“David Moore’s interview questions were focused and relevant. He has a unique ability to draw out answers from the interviewee that go beyond the usual clichés and boilerplate. I found the experience of being interviewed by him to be stimulating. It helped me focus on the main points I tried to get across in my book.”
—James McPherson, Pulitzer-Prize winning historian, Princeton University
“In the hands of David Moore, history becomes so much more than simply dates and dead people. Instead, as he loves what he loves in front of his readers, history comes alive—and the learning of history becomes vital, the very foundation of wisdom and discernment. I highly recommend this handbook to life and learning.”
—George Grant, pastor and prolific author
“Dave did his homework, asked all the right questions, and was a pleasure to sit down with. He’s a real pro.”
—the late Tony Horwitz, Pulitzer-Prize winning author and historian
“I find Dave’s writing extremely compelling. He has produced a work that is scholarly, convincing, and practical. Stuck in the Present challenges me to expand my own knowledge of history along with helping my students counteract the postmodern ideas permeating our culture.”
—Diane Keller, founder, Legacy Community Christian School
“Good historical thinking is absolutely necessary if we Christians are to have a better understanding of ourselves and the culture we are trying to reach with the gospel. David Moore understands this. His thoughts about history should be heeded by congregations everywhere.”
—John Fea, professor of History, Messiah College
Afghanistan: One Thing To Do Now
On Being Human | WORLD (wnp.org)
Interview with Jonathan Pennington | Jesus Creed | A Blog by Scot McKnight (christianitytoday.com)
ISBN 9781684264605
Pages 192
Dimensions (inches) 5.5 x 8.25
Weight (pounds) .5
