BOOKS TO BE REVIEWED

CRISIS IN THE LUTHERAN THEOLOGY, by John Warwick Montgomery. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids. 133 pages. Price (paper) $1.50.

THE CHURCH BETWEEN THE TEMPLE AND MOSQUE, by J. H. Bavinck. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 206 pages. Price (paper) $2.65.

A HANDBOOK OF CONTEMPORARY THEOLOGY, byBernard Ramm. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 141 pages. Price (paper) $1.95.

A DEFENSE OF BIBLICAL INFALLIBILITY, by Clark H. Pinnock. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Philadelphia. 32 pages. Price (paper) $0.75.

FOR A TESTIMONY by Bruce F. Hunt. The Banner of Truth Tmst, London. 159 pages. Price (paper) $1.00.

THEY CALLED HIM MISTER MOODY, by Richard K. Curtis. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 378 pages. Price (paper) $2.45.

GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN, by Helen Roseveare. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 166 pages. Price $2.75.

WHAT MUST PRESBYTERIANS BELIEVE? by J. Clyde Henry. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Comp.my, Philadelphia. 59 pages. Price (paper) $1.50.

CHRISTIAN REFLECTlONS, by C. S. Lewis. Eerdmans, Grand Rapid,. 176 pages. Price $3.95.

A HISTORY OF THE GENEVA BIBLE (Vol. I)—THE QUARREL, by Lewis Lupton. The Fauconberg Press, London. 120 pages.

CONFRONTING THE CULTS, by Gordon H. Lewis. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Philadelphia. 198 pages. Price (paper) $2.95.

BIBLICAL STUDIES IN FINAL THINGS, by William E. Cox. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Philadelphia. 226 pages. Price (paper) $3.50.

AMILLENNIALISM TODAY, by William E. Cox. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Philadelphia. 143 pages. Price (paper) $2.50.

THE CONFESSION OF 1967 (Its Theological BaCkground and Ecumenical Significance), by Cornelius Van Til. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Philadelphia. 128 pages. Price (paper) $2.50.

IS GOD DEAD? by Cornelius van Til. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Philadelphia. 43 pages.

ALGEMENE GENADE, by J. Douma. Oosterbaan and Le Cointre N.V., Goes, the Netherlands. 383 pages.

THEOLOGY OF THE ENGLISH REFORMERS, by Philip E. Hughes. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 283 pages. Price $5.95.

CALVIN’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE EXALTATION OF CHIUST, by Marvin P. Hoogland. Kok, Kumpell. the Netherlands. 221 pages. Price 12.50 guilders.

SERVICE IN CHRIST, essays presented 10 Karl Barth on his BOth birthday, edited by James I. McCord and T. H. L. Parker. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 223 pages. Price $6.95.

HYMNS AND HUMAN LIFE, by Erik Routley. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 316 pages. Price $3.95.

GENESIS 3, by Edward J. Young. The Banner of Truth Trust, London, England. 164 pages. Price (paper) $1.00.

THE SYSTEM AND THE GOSPEL, a critique of Paul Tillich, by Kenneth Hamilton. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 249 pages. Price (paper) $2.45.

IF I HAD ONLY ONE SERMON TO PREACH. edited by Ralph G. Turnbull. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids. 151 pages. Price $2.95.

AT THE LORD’S TABLE, by Ralph C. Turnbull. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids. 141 pages. Price $2.50.

THE INVITATION SYSTEM, by Ian Murray. Banner of Truth Trust, London, England. 31 pages.

NOTHING BUT THE GOSI)EL, by Peter H. Eldersveld. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 162 pages.

THIS WAY IS MY WAY edited by Michael De Vries. Credo Publishing Co., Toronto. 69 pages.

DANIEL, by Geoffrey R. King. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 248 pages. Price SJ.75.

AN HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, by Eugene H. Merrill. The Craig Press, Nutley, N. J. 313 pages. Price (parer) $4.50. HAGGAI, by J. L. Koole. Kok, Kampen, the Netherlands. 104 pages.

THEOLOGICAL DICTIONARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, Vol. 4. edited by Gerhard Kittel. Translated by Geoffrey W. Bromley. Eerdmans, Grand R;lpids. 1126 pages. Price $22.50.

EPHESIANS, by William Hendriksen. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids. 290 pages. Price $6.95.

THE NEW TESTAMENT AND CRITICISM, by George Eldon Ladd. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 222 pages. Price $3.95.

VITAL WOHDS OF THE BII3LE, by J. M. Furness. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 127 pages. Price (paper) $2.25.

THE EPISTLES OF JOHN. New Introduction by F. F. Bruce. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 245 pages. Price $6.50.

BOOKS RECEIVED

THE RELUCTANT WORKER-PRIEST, by Eugene P. Heide· man. Eerdmans. Grand Rapids. 106 pages.

THEOLOGY AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA, by G. Peter Batchelor and Harry R. Boer. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 24 pages.

THE MODERN TONGUES MOVEMENT, by Hobert G. Gromacki. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., Philadelphia. 159 pages. Price $4.50.

CONTEMPORARY WRiTEHS IN CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE. Six booklets by Braybrooke, Hamilton, Turnell, Elmen, Moseley on T. S. Eliot, Salinger, In Search of Contemporary Man, Graham Green, William Golding, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Price (paper) each 85¢.

THE VIETNAM WAR: CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVES, by Michael P. Hamilton. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 139 pages. Price $3.50.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND SALVATION, by Donald G. Bloesch. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 164 pages. Price $3.50.

GOD’S TEMPLES, by William C. Hendricks. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 63 pages.

THE DISTINGUISHING TRAITS OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER, by Gardiner Spring. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., Philadelphia. 80 pages. Price (paper) $1.50.

HYMNS FOR YOUTH, published by the National Union of Christian Schools and Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. Edited by John E. Hamersma, Wilma Vander Baan and Albertha Bratt. Illustrated by Edgar Boeve. 264 pages.

WILT THOU GO WITH THIS MAN?, by Brownlow North. The Banner of Truth Trust, London, England. 128 pages. THE DAVIDSON AFFAIH, by Stuart Jackman. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 181 pages. Price $3.50.

CHRISTIANITY AND THE AFFLUENT SOCIETY. by Reginald H. Fuller and Brian K. Rice. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 191 pages. Price (paper) $2.45.

THE STORY OF THE BIBLE, by Sir Frederic Kenyon. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 150 pages. Price (parr) 81.95.

LANDSCHAP, by Dr. G. Th. Rothhuizen. Ko , Kampen, the Netherlands. 290 pages.

HISTORY IN ENGLISH WORDS, by Owen Barfield. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 246 pages. Price (paper) $2.65.

GOD AND EVIL, by William Fitsch. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 183 pages. Price (paper) $2.65.

THE FORGOTTEN SPURGEON, by lain H. Murray. The Banner of Truth Trust. London, England. 223 pages.

THE CHILD’S STORY BIBLE, by Catherine F. Vos, revised by Marianne Catherine Vos Radius. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 435 pages. Price $6.50.

MANAGING GRIEF WISELY, by Stanley P. Coroils. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids. 51 pages. Paper.

GUIDING YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER TOWARD SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE, by Leslie E, Moser and Buth Small Moser. Baker Book House. Grand Rapids. 110 pages. Price $2.50.

TO ADVANCE THE GOSPEL, by Rufus Anderson, edited by R. Pierce Beaver. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 225 pages. Price (paper) $2.95.

   

   

THE REVOLT AGAINST HEAVEN, 193 pages by Kenneth Hamilton, Eerdmans Publishing Company. $2.45 (paper back).

The single theme of this book is to demonstrate that all the attempts during the past two centuries to modernize the central message of the Gospel, to make its message relevant to the culture and civilization of our time, to present a “Theology of Meaningfulness,” for the man of today, has running through all of it one basic purpose and aim: to banish the supernatural, both the Supernatural God and his Revelation as deposited in the Bible. The author takes a swift glance back to Augustine and points out that already in his theological construction Platonic philosophy and its concepts were subtly interwoven; and that Thomas Acquinas, the doctor Angelicus of the Roman Catholic persuasion continued to weave into his system Aristotelian philosophy. Thus philosophy was firmly entrenched in most of the theologies during the ages and has continued to exert profound influence up to this day. Thus reason and revelation were wedded together with the inevitable result that in the end reason comes out triumphant and revelation is accorded a lesser place of importance and in the end is bluntly negated and cancelled for any determinative place in the system.

He then reviews the basic presuppositions of the fathers of Modernism and Liberalism of the past century and a half: Schleiermacher and Ritschl; those who followed in their steps, and no less those of more recent date: Barth, Van Buren, Ogden, Robinson, Bultmann et alia, who while they gave incisive criticism of the old Liberalism yet basically fell victim to the same errOr of cancelling out supernaturalism in religion. Thus their attempts to give a theology of meaningfulness, to speak relevantly to the man of this era are abortive and tragically fail, for it is a theology without reference to and unreserved acceptance of the one and only norm for faith and practice: the infallible Word of God. We must constantly ask as we read their constructions of theology: by what authority? by what criterion of judgment? And then it will soon appear that their sole authority is autonomous man; human reason unaided by divine, supernatural revelation. The Holy Spirit through Paul warned us long ago: But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. I Corinthians 2:14.

This book can be read and appreciated by those who have considerable orientation to philosophy and philosophic concepts. Without such equipment one will be lost in this terminology. It is a splendid introduction to all who desire to know the presuppositions, the thrust and aim of many today who pose as theologians and who claim to present a theology of meaningfulness. Actually, what they present is a philosophy of religion and not the message, the apostolic kerugma based on God’s supernatural revelation as deposited in the bible. It is God’s special revelation, a supernatural God and a supernatural revelation that alone tackles man’s basic problem: sin and moral evil, and God’s adequate answer and solution to this basic problem. And let us underscore it, that message based on his infallible Word alone speaks relevantly to modern man.

We congratulate the author in furnishing us with this very helpful survey. May it stimulate the humble, orthodox believer in the Christian religion of supernaturalism, to agonize valiantly for the faith, which alone saves and bids man comfort in life and in death.

WILLIAM H . RUTGERS