Philosophy

THE CONSEQUENCES OF IDEAS: Understanding the Concepts That Shaped Our World, by R. C. Sproul, Crossway Books, 2000. 224 pp. Reviewed by RP Seminary student Rick Kortyna.

The Consequences of Ideas is a brief history of the basic thinking of major philosophers. Plato. Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Descartes, Locke, Hume. Kant, Marx, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre, and, for good measure, Darwin and Freud. are each treated in about a dozen pages. Minor philosophers, such as Hegel, are appropriately mentioned throughout the chapters. This is by no means a major philosophical review, nor does it claim to be. The audience best served would he the educated layperson, although there is enough information here to serve as an introductory college or seminary text. The chapters are necessarily succinct, hut, in Sproul’s fashion, informative. For example, he reminds us that Aristotle’s son, Nicomachus, was the namesake for the Nichomachean Ethics. The chapters are liberally sprinkled with foreign terms, mostly Latin, that Sproul defines. This hook is enjoyable to read, but it has one glaring fault. Although the ideas of the major philosophers are covered, not nearly enough space is given for the consequences of these ideas. Even the author admits that a synthesis of the philosophers and their impact on biblical Christianity is needed. It is unfortunate that the author did not attempt to provide that synthesis.

Children

THE YOUNG HUGUENOTS, by Edith S. Floyer, Inheritairce Publications, 1998. Reviewed by Benjamin Comin, age 11.

The Young Huguenots, is set in 17th Century France. It was a time of massive war between the Catholics and Protestants. The Catholics were slaughtering the Protestants for their religious beliefs. Many Protestants had to run from their homes. The main characters in the story are the children de St. Croix. Their names, from oldest to youngest, are Auréle, Henri, Marie. Guillaurne, and Louis. They are very strong in faith and help each other through trouble. They are very close to one another. When their parents and oldest brother are killed by dragoons (the Catholic soldiers), the children are forced to flee to Amsterdam for fear that they too will he murdered. There are many close calls along the way, hut the Lord delivers them by His grace. The children learn valuable lessons, such as trusting in God, the importance of staying together, how to take care of each other, and the value of friendship and loyalty. I highly recommend that this book be read by parents to children of all ages.

SING A NEW SONG: A Book of Psalms, by Bijou Le Tord, Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers. Hardback, 32 pp. Reviewed by Lynne Gordon.

Every page of this square book offers a colorful watercolor of modern, rural life and simple text based on a psalm verse. The watercolors have a childlike quality that stirs the imagination without being abstract, and depict children doing everyday things with each other and with their families. Unfortunately, the Bible text is too often paraphrased. Part of Psalm 68:13 is, at the least, unclear as to whether it is talking about God or man—”You are the silver wings of the dove.” Despite its shortcomings, the book is a quality addition to the library of a preschooler or new reader.

PSALM 1WENTY-THREE, illustrated by Tim Ladwig, Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers. Paperback, 28 pp. Reviewed by Lynne Gordon.

This is the Shepherd’s Psalm for the young urban child. The text is Psalm 23, but the pictures are not the usual pastoral scenes one envisions when reading about sheep, quiet waters, and pastures. In stead, the rich and realistic paintings take a person through the streets of the inner city. The text, ‘Your rod and staff com forts me,” accompanies the picture of a street crossing guard, holding up her stop sign pole as she leads a file of school children across a busy street. A warm, hearty dinner with grandparents is contrasted with shadowy figures lurking on an outside street corner, and the text reads, “He sets a table in the presence of my enemies.” The scenes of street, school, and home show predominately African-American faces. The illustrator, who lives in Witchita, Kan., has had an inner-city ministry. He says he purposed in this hook to show that “the Lord’s care and presence are real no matter who or where we are.” In the opinion of one whose neighborhood looks very much like the one in this book, the artist has met his purpose. However, if there is any doubt that the shepherd in the stained glass window on the book’s cover is to depict Christ, it is gone when compared with another window later in the book. This time the shepherd has a sort of halo and is embracing children. The attempt to illustrate Christ’s human features will pose a problem for some Reformed readers.

Doctrine

REFORMED CONFESSIONS HARMO MZED: With an Annotated Bibliography of Reformed Doctrinal Works Joel R. Beeke and SinclairB. Ferguson, eds., Baker, 1999. Reviewed by Pastor Douglas W. Comin.

This softcover reference book provides a precious resource for pastors, elders, and all students of the Reformed faith. Editors Joel Beeke and Sinclair Ferguson have done great service to the church in providing a topical harmonization of the seven confessions “most diligently most adhered to by various Reformed denominations today.” These confessions include the Three Forms of Unity (which are the Belgic Confession of Faith [1561], the Heidelberg Catechism [1563], and the Canons of Dort [1618-19], the Second Helvetic Confession (1536, 1566), and the Westminster Confession and Catechisms (1646-47). A historical introduction introduces the reader to the background and structure of each confession.

That there is a crying need for the Church to remain grounded in the faith once delivered to the saints, as summarized in the best Reformed confessions, hardly needs to be stressed in these days of doctrinal apathy and imprecision. This book not only lays out the fundamental teachings of the faith in a clear and systematic way, but it also wonderfully demonstrates the like-mindedness of orthodox Reformed believers throughout history. The seven historic confessions featured in this volume are laid out in parallel columns, similar to the arrangement of the Westminster Confession and RP Testimony in the Constitution of the RPCNA. Since not all of these confessions follow the same systematic arrangement of doctrines, the pattern of the Belgic Confession, which is the oldest of the seven, is used as the topical outline for the hook. There are six main sections, in which the main topics of systematic theology are addressed. These are: Theology: The Doctrine of God, Anthropology: The Doctrine of Man, Christology: The Doctrine of Christ, Soteriologv: The Doctrine of Salvation, Ecclesiology: The Doctrine of the Church, and Eschatology: The Doctrine of the Last Things. Another valuable contribution the editors have made is the presentation of an extensive annotated bibliography of Reformed works, arranged in the same topical order as the confessions, pointing the reader to English sources for further study. If you think that it would be helpful to read at a glance what the seven most valuable Reformed confessions say about the Trinity, free will, the offices of Christ, Christian liberty, the sacraments, the final judgment, or the host of other essential subjects upon which the Church stands, then this book will he a priceless addition to your library. Buy a copy for yourself and pick up one for your pastor as well!

GETTING THE GOSPEL RIGHT: The Tie that Binds Evangelicals Together, by R.C. Sproul, Baker, 1999. Reviewed by RP Seminary student Charles Brown.

Sproul has been one of the leaders in challenging the evangelical—Roman Catholic dialogue of recent years. In 1994, that dialogue produced Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT), a document Sproul and others criticized for its ambiguities, especially in relation to the doctrine of justification. A few years later, many of those same evangelical and Catholic leaders issued a second statement, The Gift of Salvation. It is this second document, sometimes nicknamed ECT II, that Sproul critiques in this book. A third document, The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration, produced by a group of prominent evangelicals (including Sproul), is appended to the hook. The book contains three sections: the historical background to the present controversy, a critical analysis of ECT II, and an explanation of the most recent document. Part of the motivation for ECT II was the desire to clarify ECT I with regard to the doctrine of justification. ECT II purports to affirm sola fide, but, as Sproul notes, the word “only” is conspicuously absent from their affirmation that “justification is received through faith.” furthermore, ECT II states that the language of justification is a matter which requires “further and urgent exploration.” In other words, the question of imputed versus infused righteousness is still on the table. If so, one must wonder how much real unity exists between these evangelicals and Catholics. As it is easily accessible to the average layperson and deals with a subject of utmost importance (the gospel!), Getting the Gospel Right deserves a broad reading. As usual, Sproul writes with clarity and conviction. He unashamedly presents to the reader the true “evangel” and explains how a great gulf still exists between evangelicals and Roman Catholics.

A CONFESSING THEOLOGY FOR POSTMODERN TIMES, by Michael S. Horton, Crossway, 2000. Reviewed by RP Seminary student Charles A. Brown.

This book is a product of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, a group for which Horton now serves as chairman (succeeding the late James Montgomery Boice). The Alliance hopes that this volume will he the first in a series covering the various loci of theology. This first publication explores the foundational subject of theological method. Representing a variety of denominations (Reformed, Presbyterian, Baptist, Lutheran, and Anglican), the contributors are bound by their commitment to “recovering the practice (indeed, the very idea) of systematic theology in a postmodern context” (p. 10). The book opens with an essay by an opponent of “confessing theology (i.e., a theology which embraces the central tenets of the Reformation). Entitled “A Defense of a Postmodern Use of the Bible,” this chapter presents the view of the Bible held by many modern theologians, a view which the rest of the book will seek to counter. The postmodern perspective presented in this chapter is that of “a reader-oriented literary criticism, a criticism that views literature in terms of readers and their values, attitudes, and responses” (p. 68). Perhaps the highlight of the book is a chapter by D. C. Hart about theological education in the evangelical tradition. Those (like myself) within a seminary community will find Hart’s analysis to be quite illuminating. This book is geared primarily for pastors and seminarians. For church leaders wrestling with the special challenges posed by our culture. A Confessing Theologv for Postmodern Times is a helpful resource.

History

LIGHT FROM OLD TIMES, OR PROTESTANT FACTS AND MEN, by J.C. Ryle (reprint, Charles Nolan, Moscow, Idaho, 2000). Reviewed by David Whitla.

Today’s generation has some singularly pathetic heroes. As Christians, there should be a noticeable difference between our icons and those of the world. The best role models are to he found on the pages of Scripture and church history rather than in today’s movie theatres and on TV. Charles Nolan has done a service to the church by making this excellent book available again. Its usefulness lies in helping us discover a fistful of heroes from English church history that ought to be familiar household names. Light from Old Times was written by the 19th Century church of England Bishop J. C. Ryle, perhaps best known for his works Holiness and Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. Anyone who has read hooks by Ryle will be familiar with his warm, readable style. Ryle’s love and respect for these great men of God shines from every page. Now their story is being retold to a new generation. Although Covenanters are perhaps more familiar with the history of the persecutions in Scotland. the story of the English Reformation in the 16th and 17th Centuries is no less engrossing.

The book contains a collection of short biographies of 10 Reformers and Puritans, and 2 persecutors of the same. These begin with the story of the “Morning Star of the Reformation,” John Wycliffe (c. 1324—1384). Half of the hook is devoted to the story of the English martyrs under the Catholic queen, “Bloody Mary,” during whose short reign 28$ men, women, and children were burned for their allegiance to the Reformed faith. There is an excellent overview of the period, followed by biographies of John Rogers, John Hooper, Rowland Taylor, Hugh Latimer, John Bradford, and Nicholas Ridley. Their sobering stories need to be retold today, especially in a politically correct age when the lines between Rome and evangelicalism are being increasingly blurred. There are many who would prefer this ancient landmark to be quietly removed (Prov. 22:28). Three 17th Century Puritans’ lives are also included in this collection. The first is Samuel Ward (1577—1639), a lesser-known divine, whose excellent sermons have recently been republished by Banner of Truth. The second is Richard Baxter (1615—1691). Ryle gives a fine commentary on Baxter’s momentous times and the life of this remarkable man. The third is William Gurnall, who is best known for his work, The Christian in Complete Armor. Ryle gives an honest, and distinctly Anglican, appraisal of these men and their times, recovering their good name from the anti-Puritan aspersions of his day and our own. An account of the life and times of two enemies of the English Church, Archbishop Laud (1573-1645) and King James 11(1633-1701), complete the study and provide a backdrop to shorter histories of men and women who suffered for the cause of Christ. This is the first American reprint of Ryle’s work and is very attractively produced. The publisher has helpfully added a timeline of British history, engravings, and explanatory footnotes, making it more accessible for the American reader. This book is especially recommended for parents and teens as a concise overview of English church history in this period. We badly need such heroes!

Apologetics

IS THERE A MEANING IN THIS TEXT? The Bible, the Reader, and the Morality of Literary Knowledge, by Kevin]. Vanhoozer, Zondervan, 1998. Hardcover, 496 pp. Reviewed by Rosaria (Champagne) Butterfield.

Is There a Meaning in This Text? offers a model of intellectual evangelism, promising and delivering a Reformed Christian intellectual response to the problem posed by the parched hermeneutic of literary postmodernism. Kevin Vanhoozer shows how one makes a defense of Scripture as the infallible rule of faith and life in an academic world given over to post-structuralism. Vanhoozer introduces the hermeneutical potential in the doctrines of creation, incarnation, and sanctification, “in order to bring Christian faith to bear on such hermeneutical topics as the author, the text, and the reader” (p. 199). He offers a defense of inerrancy and sola scripture that does not lapse into fundamentalism. He models how to be in, but not of, the world. He shows how to serve one master while speaking to many critical positions. He develops a positive and proactive literary methodology—Trinitarian hermeneutics. He introduces a role for the Holy Spirit in reading and interpretation, and models how faith in Jesus Christ—the Author and Perfector of faith—solidifies rather than abstracts the making of meaning. This book seeks to change the conversation about literary knowledge—how we know what we know and how we can prove it. Opposing the “literary atheism” that “is increasingly the order of the day” (p. 30), Vanhoozer develops a Christian literary theory. The next 450 pages are packed with thorough scholarship, careful footnoting and cross-referencing, and page-turning insights.