Review: Birth: The Mystery of Being Born

 

James C. Howell. Birth: The Mystery of Being Born. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, April 21st 2020. 208 pp.

2 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This book kind was kind of disappointing.  According to the publisher Baker Academic the series in which this book is a part of “provides pastors and pastors-in-training with rich theological reflection on the various seasons that make up a human life, helping them minister with greater wisdom and joy.”  The theological reflection wasn’t as biblical nor as rigorous or practical as I expected.  What’s even more disappointing is the bad theology that is in this book.  In this review I want to talk first about the way the book is organized followed by its strength and then its weakness.

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A Review of “Life’s Greatest Miracle” by NOVA

During my “Sex and Gender” class, we watched a PBS NOVA Program called “Life’s Greatest Miracle” on DVD.

PBS.org lets you watch online for free. This video is a sequel to NOVA’s program “The Miracle of Life,” apparently the most popular NOVA program of all time. If your not familiar with NOVA, its a television series specializing in teaching science, offering many other free videos as well as podcasts online.

Nova’s approach aims at teaching but also entertaining the popular audience. Although the opening sentence suggests an anti-religious philosophy, they do offer a quality explanation of science for the layperson and science enthusiast.

If you find it inappropriate, there was a scene of people in bathing suits at the beach introducing the topic of sex, as well as naked babies walking and crawling around in the beginning. I didn’t see the actual birth (since the class ended before we could finish the DVD) but our professor warned there maybe some parts which may cause people to faint (like the actual birth).

I really enjoyed the DVD, the 1 hour video giving a good visual overview of the developing baby from conception till birth. Seeing God’s handiwork gave me a sense of reverential awe. During the video, I was somewhat disheartened that most students probably would never see the video the same way. The students probably didn’t consider the video pro-life but a Christian could use “Life’s Greatest Miracle” in that way.

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