Deserted Island with Joel Kim: Theology and Pastoral Wisdom

What books have most shaped your faith? Today, Stephen Nichols continues his conversation with Joel Kim as he adds more titles to his deserted island library, each offering timeless encouragement for the Christian life.

DR. STEPHEN NICHOLS: Welcome back to another episode of 5 Minutes in Church History. This is part two of deserted island with the Rev. Joel Kim, president of Westminster Seminary California and a professor there. And we are recording live at Ligonier's National Conference. And last time we were together, you mentioned The Team of Rivals, and then you mentioned The Rising Sun, and now we were on your third book. What would it be?

REV. JOEL KIM: So, I was debating about a theological text that I would love to carry along. Initially I was going to mention The Institutes by Calvin. I know that sounds pretentious, but I was also told it's on the island.

SN: It's already there, multiple copies in Latin, French, and English.

JK: Oh, okay. Very good. What year?

SN: All of the years.

JK: Okay, very good. The other possibility was a book that I love, which is Francis Turretin Elenctic Theology. But I assume that it might be on the island.

SN: Oh, I should have told you, it's there too.

JK: Oh yeah, I kind of figured. So the one that I would love to take is the Heidelberg Catechism. I think Catechisms do not get the kind of play within churches and in many places that it deserves. And though I belong to the Presbyterian Church in America where the standards that we have pulled are what they call the Westminster Standards, Westminster Confession of Faith, Larger and Shorter Catechisms sounds very complicated, but it's a question and answer way of teaching theology because we believe that that's summarizes the Bible well. But I grew up in the Dutch Reformed churches and the Dutch Reformed churches uphold what they call the Three Forms of Unity, the Belgian Confession, Cannons of Dort, but in particular, Heidelberg Catechism was the catechism with which I was catechized. The catechesis was completely focused on it, and it's such a personal one, and it's such a powerful witness of the warmth of the Scripture and the salvation crisis given to us. I would love to have that and be able to reflect upon that.

SN: And it's just beautifully written. So that brings us to number four.

JK: C.S. Lewis in Screwtape Letters. Some people might be upset by that and my guess is in some ways, but Screwtape Letters we have used as a text for study in number of occasions. I found them from early on to be very helpful where it's talking about, and I think many of you know, well, uncle devil talking to his nephew devil about how to be a devil well and being able to tempt and lead Christians to stray. And the preface is interesting because this was a series that was put out that was collected into a volume at one point, and somebody asked C.S. Lewis, “Why didn't you write a companion volume of the angel uncle talking to a nephew angel?” And his answer was very interesting when he said, “Well, with the volume about devils, all I need to do is look inside myself.” And anthropology as a whole is the theological discipline about the study of men and women, humanity that's oftentimes really weak in our day. Self-reflection, self-understanding, our own sinfulness, these are all things that seem to be things that we have to put off. And I think from early on, already decades ago, there were insights about who we are that obviously Scripture provides, many theologians have written, but this book explains things in such a approachable way, found that to be a fun read as well as a very beneficial one.

SN: It's very clever, clever conception and cleverly written. That brings us to our last book. What will it be?

JK: This was a tough one to fill out the five because there are so many good books. And I initially thought I want to sound literate and have a fiction, but I'm not really much of a fiction reader. I know there are people who love fiction, my wife does too. I'm going to stick to Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon.

SN: Another Brit.

JK: Charles Spurgeon. My father, who was a minister retired, told me when I was graduating from college and beginning seminary, he said, “What would be helpful for you is if you read and conquered, that is by reading, one particular author. And at that time, later on, it became different individuals. For me, as an immediately graduating college student, I decided to tackle Spurgeon. The reason was I had most Spurgeon books I inherited from my dad. And the particular book that influenced me, especially as I was thinking about seminary and ministry, was Lectures to My Students, which are an anthology of different lessons. He's provided his students talking about how to do pastoral ministry, including preaching all the way to human relationships. And I found that to be incredibly encouraging.

SN: That's great. You've made great choices and at this point now we're going to just leave you on your deserted island and I hope you enjoy your books.

JK: I got the manual, so we're good.

SN: You're good. Well, that's Rev. Joel Kim. He's being sent to his deserted island. And I'm Steve Nichols and thanks for joining us for 5 Minutes in Church History.