Latest in Book Reviews
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2K or Not 2K? That is the Question: A Review of David VanDrunen’s Living in God’s Two Kingdoms
from Keith Mathison Dec 09, 2010 Category: Book Reviews
David VanDrunen’s book Living in Two Kingdoms is the first attempt of which I am aware to present at a non-academic level a book-length biblical and theological case for “two kingdoms theology.” VanDrunen, who serves as professor of systematic theology at Westminster Seminary California and as an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church has dealt with this subject before. He has written several articles on the subject, and in 2006, he published A Biblical Case for Natural Law, which contains a discussion of two kingdoms doctrine. In early 2010, he published Natural Law and the Two Kingdoms. That book is an extensive academic study of the historical development of Reformed social thought with a particular focus on the Reformed view of natural law and two kingdoms doctrine. After looking at precursors such as Augustine and Luther, VanDrunen proceeds to examine specifically Reformed thinking on these subjects from the sixteenth century to the present. Living in God’s Two Kingdoms does not cover the same ground. The earlier book sought to determine whether two kingdoms theology is a legitimate strand within the Reformed tradition. Living in God’s Two Kingdoms argues that two kingdoms theology is the biblical view. Keep Reading -
Heresies
from Robert Rothwell Dec 06, 2010 Category: Book Reviews
It is said that most religions of the world are religions of orthopraxy. That is, they are far more concerned with maintaining proper rituals and works than with the careful definition of what constitutes proper belief. In comparison, the historic Christian faith is far more concerned with orthodoxy, or right belief. Other faiths have simple creeds and elaborate ritual, but Biblical Christianity has an elaborate creed and simple ritual. Keep Reading -
Jesus and Israel: One Covenant or Two?
from Keith Mathison Nov 24, 2010 Category: Book Reviews
Every year, thousands of Christian books are published worldwide. Of those thousands, there are usually only a small handful that are worth reading. Of those that are worth reading, there are only a few that are worth reading repeatedly. David Holwerda's Jesus & Israel: One Covenant or Two? is one of those rare few. Keep Reading -
Treatises on the Sacraments (Tracts by John Calvin)
from Keith Mathison Nov 17, 2010 Category: Book Reviews
Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in the sacramental theology of John Calvin. A number of studies have been published, but unfortunately until now it has been difficult for many interested readers to find access to many of the relevant writings of Calvin on the subject. His commentaries and his Institutes of the Christian Religion have long remained in print, but many other important tracts and treatises have remained buried in long out of print and obscure volumes. With the re-publication of Treatises on the Sacraments, this problem has been resolved to a large degree. Keep Reading -
The Way of the (Modern) World
from Chris Donato Nov 09, 2010 Category: Book Reviews
Craig M. Gay, in The Way of the (Modern) World, or, Why It's Tempting to Live As If God Doesn't Exist, offers a profound and provocative analysis of our current situation by focusing on what lies beneath the surface of modern American society. Keep Reading -
The Evolution Controversy
from Keith Mathison Nov 04, 2010 Category: Book Reviews
There are few topics that are the source of greater controversy (at least in the United States) than the topic of evolution. Evolution is the source of controversy within churches, schools, the halls of government, and even popular culture. Over 150 years after the publication of Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species, this controversy shows no signs of slowing. For Christians seeking to get a grasp on the complexities of the controversy, the number of books and articles defending and critiquing various views can often become overwhelming. Keep Reading -
God-Centered Evangelism
from Keith Mathison Oct 29, 2010 Category: Book Reviews
If I have heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times: “A Calvinist evangelist? Isn’t that an oxymoron? Calvinism undermines evangelism.” This accusation has been repeated so many times that few make the effort to argue it. Instead, it is simply assumed. Never mind that some of the church’s greatest evangelists have been Calvinists. One need only be reminded of men such as George Whitefield, David Brainerd, or “the father of modern missions,” William Carey. “Yes,” we are told, “these men were great evangelists and Calvinists, but that is because they were inconsistent.” But is this true? Keep Reading -
The Lord’s Supper: Eternal Word in Broken Bread
from Keith Mathison Oct 20, 2010 Category: Book Reviews
As Dr. Robert Letham points out in the Introduction to his new book on the Lord's Supper, one of the most striking differences between the Reformation era and our own day is our modern neglect of the Lord's Supper. This doctrine, which was the single most discussed theological topic during the sixteenth century, is virtually ignored today. One may easily find numerous volumes debating various aspects of baptism, but there are very few good modern works on the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Letham's small work is a good step in the right direction toward the resolution of this unfortunate state of affairs. Keep Reading -
From Paradise to the Promised Land
from Keith Mathison Oct 08, 2010 Category: Book Reviews
The five books of the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) are foundational books of the canon. Without at least some understanding of the teaching of these books, it is next to impossible to understand fully the remaining books of the Bible. Keep Reading -
With Heart and Mouth
from Keith Mathison Sep 30, 2010 Category: Book Reviews
Dr. R. Scott Clark of Westminster Theological Seminary in California recently published a book titled Recovering the Reformed Confession (P&R, 2008), a call for Reformed believers to recapture a truly confessional theology, piety, and practice. Whether or not his call will be heeded remains to be seen, but one thing that would go a long way toward reaching this goal would be for Reformed believers to become reacquainted with what their confessions teach. Keep Reading
