I was sent a copy of Greg Sheridan’s Christians: The Urgent Case for Jesus in Our World (Allen & Unwin $32.95) but have been reluctant to review it because I’m not the type of reader who is comfortable with this sort of case-making.

However, I did learn something about The Lord of the Rings in the chapter on "Smuggling Christ into popular culture".

Here is Sheridan with a plug for the book on ABC TV’s The Drum (near the end), including a discussion of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his faith (15 pages in Christians), Marc Fennell on Pentecostal churches and Maha Abdo on her faith.

And here are some reviews, glowing and critical:

• Paul Morrissey of Campion College
• Guy Rundle at Crikey
• Paul George
• Ian Palmer for the Melbourne Anglican
• Tony Abbott in The Spectator
• Michael McGirr in the Sydney Morning Herald