Book Reviews

PrintTwenty-eight authors contributed to What is Dispensationalism? edited by Paul Miles, who established and directs Grace Abroad Ministries, the publishers of this book.  This multi-author volume accomplishes what it set out to do—explain dispensationalism, which is defined as “a school of thought that results from reading the Bible plainly and, therefore recognizes a distinction between Israel and the church and sees the glory of God as the main purpose of history” (p. 13). Said differently, “Dispensationalists consistently apply a grammatical-historical hermeneutic, reject supersessionism, and hold to a doxological centrality of history” (p. 13).  In the twelve chapters, four appendices, numerous side articles, and several “graceful debates,” many subjects are covered. These include the basic teachings and history of dispensationalism, the number of dispensations, and what they are, historical dispensational schemes, detailing and defending the three essentials of dispensationalism (as described in the definitions above). Other collateral issues such as Greek…(Read More)

PrintThis volume is not a dialogue among evangelicals concerning the mission of the church; it is far more ecumenical than that.  But by bringing together leading thinkers from five different theological traditions, a crosscurrent of views is well represented.  Stephen B. Bevans (Roman Catholic), Darrell L. Guder (mainline Protestant), Ruth …(Read More)

PrintWalter Kaiser’s classic book on exegesis and preaching is still valuable and greatly needed.  His concern, when he wrote in 1981, was to close the gap that existed between the study of the text of Scripture and the delivery of the message (pp. 8, 48).  That gap still exists today, …(Read More)

PrintMichael Winship is a professor of history at the University of Georgia and a prolific author of historical volumes.  In Hot Protestants, a term used by their contemporaries for Protestants who would later be called puritans (p. 1), Winship traces the history of puritanism from its roots in the 1540s …(Read More)

PrintThis book contains short biographies of four important Puritans who lived during the struggles of the Stuart Regime.  Alexander Henderson and Samuel Rutherford represent the Scottish Puritans, and John Bunyard and Richard Baxter represent the English.  All the accounts are interesting and offer insight into the life, times and matters …(Read More)

PrintElizabeth Mburu is African by birth but received her theological training at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (PH.D.). She is a professor of New Testament and Greek and on the board of the Africa Bible Commentary.  Thus she is well suited, both by her personal background and by her education and …(Read More)

PrintAndy Johnson, associate pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC, has contributed this short volume to the 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches Series. As advertised, Johnson is not promoting a complicated missions program, but rather providing straight forward, wise and biblical insights into how a local church can develop …(Read More)

PrintIt would be impossible to improve on the author’s given outline: The present author will provide a consistent and accurate biblical verse by verse exegetical commentary of Romans 5:12-21.  Following this exegesis, several scriptural proof texts from both the Unlimited Atonement and Limited Atonement proponents will be presented and correctly …(Read More)

PrintThe Cost, written by well-known author and preacher Steven Lawson, is a simple, straight-forward proclamation of what it means to be a true disciple of Christ based upon Luke 14:25-35. In the biblical account, a large crowd was listening to Jesus.  The crowd was composed of many levels of interest …(Read More)

PrintJourney is a short book devoted to the basics of hermeneutics. It is a rather standard guide, varying little from other conservative grammatical-historical approaches to interpreting Scripture, however it has several unique features.  First it is a short work, easily read and thus highly accessible for most Christians wanting a …(Read More)

PrintFor over two decades, John Metzger has been involved in Jewish Ministries and is well qualified to tackle the controversial role of the Mosaic Law in the church age.  In short, he views the Old Testament Law as no longer operative, having been replaced by the Law of Christ.  Actually, …(Read More)