Roberts, Mark D. 1957(?)-

PERSONAL:

Born c. 1957; married; wife's name Linda; children: two. Education: Harvard University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1979, M.A., 1984, Ph.D., 1992.

ADDRESSES:

Home—CA. Office—Irvine Presbyterian Church, 4445 Alton Pkwy., Irvine, CA 92604. E-mail—roberts@irvinepres.com.

CAREER:

Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, teaching fellow, 1980-83; Hollywood Presbyterian Church, Hollywood, CA, associate pastor of education, 1987-91; Irvine Presbyterian Church, Irvine, CA, senior pastor, 1991—; Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA, adjunct assistant professor, 1994—; San Francisco Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA, adjunct instructor, 1995-2001.

MEMBER:

Phi Beta Kappa.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Danforth Fellowship, Harvard University.

WRITINGS:

The Communicator's Commentary: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Word Books, 1993.

After "I Believe": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living, Baker Books (Grand Rapids, MI), 2002.

Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better, WaterBrook Press (Colorado Springs, CO), 2002.

Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty, WaterBrook Press (Colorado Springs, CO), 2003.

No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer, WaterBrook Press (Colorado Springs, CO), 2005.

Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Crossway Books (Wheaton, IL), 2007.

Contributor, editorial board member, and author of "Lyrical Poetry" column for Worship Leader.

SIDELIGHTS:

Mark D. Roberts is a pastor who has written numerous books on religion and faith. He has particularly been interested in the place of religion in modern society and how faith can be incorporated into a person's real life. In Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better, Roberts addresses what he explains as the general lack of knowledge about Jesus Christ among most Christians. While Roberts acknowledges that Christians understand the basic tenets of their faith, he states that they do not delve deeper into the complexities of the man behind the religion. He seeks to uncover these layers, describing Christ as both man and God, rabbi, prophet, and savior. A reviewer for Publishers Weekly remarked that "the prose is not lively enough to capture and maintain the attention required for such a multifaceted, in-depth study," but nevertheless felt the book should prove a useful tool for anyone looking for details about Christ.

No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer takes a close look at the Psalms, both as prayer and as emotional links to God. Roberts notes that the Presbyterian denomination has a reputation of conservatism that often seems in conflict with more emotionally charged prayer. He claims, though, that to truly embrace religion it is important to understand God's attitude toward all facets of life, and that many of those areas touch on very deep emotions, all of which have a place in the human psyche. A Publishers Weekly contributor remarked that Roberts "skillfully dissects the Psalms and pleads for fellow believers to step alongside him."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Publishers Weekly, July 15, 2002, review of Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better, p. 69; February 28, 2005, review of No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer, p. 62.

ONLINE

Central Park Bench Blog,http://centralparkbench.blogspot.com/ (September 20, 2005), review of No Holds Barred.

Daily Psalm,http://www.thedailypsalm.com (April 30, 2007), Mark D. Robert's devotional Web site.

Law Religion Culture Review Blog,http://lawreligionculturereview.blogspot.com/ (March 9, 2005), review of Jesus Revealed.

Mark D. Roberts Home Page,http://www.markdroberts.com (September 19, 2004).