Conflicting Perspectives
Labor Problems in Christian Perspective, edited by John H. Redekop (Eerdmans, 1972, 364 pp., $6.95), is reviewed by Kenneth G. Elzinga, associate professor of economics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville.
Editor Redekop has assembled twenty-six essays purportedly showing the relevance of the Christian faith to contemporary labor problems. But uncovering this relevance is no simple task.
Consider Selection 1: it contains no reference to Christianity, nor the Lord, nor his Church, nor the Word; the essay could as well appear in a secular collection. Consider Selection 2: it is sympathetic to strong unions, acclaims collective bargaining, and applauds the National Council of Churches’ sanction of the strike; the selection ends with an appeal to “put into practice” Judeo-Christian social principles. But consider Selection 3: it calls for legislation barring strikes and seeks the application of the antitrust laws to unions and collective bargaining; this essay also ends with an appeal to biblical principles in finding a “Christian view of the problems of labor.”
And so it goes. We learn in more than one essay that supporting unions is Christian but are informed elsewhere that Christians should dissociate from unions. Union apprenticeship programs are praised as socially beneficial and later condemned as devices of racial bigotry. By the conclusion of essay 26, a reader is likely to think that either Christianity has nothing to offer the labor sector (except appeals to apply Christian principles) or else the application of Christian principles leads only to disagreement and confusion.
The volume is mistitled. Supposedly concerned with labor problems, it deals almost solely with union behavior. This emphasis neglects the bulk of the labor sector (only about one-fourth of the workers in northern America are unionized) and also dates the book. While contemporary discussions of labor problems still involve unions, there is much more talk today of the effect of work upon alienation, the integration of labor and leisure, and the very role of work itself in man’s life. These problems know no union boundary and are certainly meat for the Christian world-view; yet only two essays (two of the best, by Hart and Nederhood) deal with these issues—which are truly labor problems and not solely union problems.
The mistitling of the book is compounded since no single “Christian perspective” is offered. The twenty-six authors range from some who are decidedly evangelical to some who seem to equate Christianity with a belief in the dignity of man. As it is, rather than Labor Problems in Christian Perspective, the book should be entitled The Union Problem from Various Christian Perspectives.
Unfortunately, even what the writers say about the union problem is marred by some factual errors and misleading generalizations. Several of the essayists, for example, assert that unions have raised the incomes of workers and are the prime reason for the relatively high wages in northern America. In fact the credit for these wage levels goes to the enormous capital stock our labor works with, the superior education and skills of the American work force, and the high level of technology Americans enjoy.
Most economists agree that labor unions have not increased the share of national income going to labor. The view that unions have had the impact frequently alleged in this volume is difficult to link with statistics showing that the rate at which real wages rose in the United States prior to the pro-union legislation of the thirties and the rate at which they have risen since are about the same. That the essays by union leaders should overlook these facts can be excused as a matter of convenience and strategy; when the academic essayists do so, it is poor scholarship.
Among the twenty-six contributors (fifteen from Canada, eleven from the United States) are nine from colleges, seven from organized labor, five from politics, two ministers, two writers, and one businessman. Notably absent were theologians, women, those who could speak more from a traditional and experiential work perspective, and (forgive the academic nepotism) economists. I was impressed by Jenkins’s portrayal of how a Pentecostal Christian seeks to operate as a union leader, the struggles of Vandezande and Forbes to develop a Christian view of labor that is divorced from the conventional and in their view unbiblical notion of class struggle, Baerg’s practical advice to Christian union members, Schmidt on the development of labor relations, and Redekop’s useful discussion of the Christian’s attitude toward strikes.
Several of the selections on unions do give the reader some useful historical perspectives on collective bargaining and union-government relations, as well as some interesting tidbits on particular problems of arbitration, the Confederation of National Trade Unions, the famous Huggendorn case, and other topics. But reading a standard text on labor economics and industrial relations may be a more efficient way of getting this sort of material.
Perhaps the most distressing aspect of this collection is the conclusion it would almost inevitably leave a non-Christian leader. After grappling with the “Christian view” of the strike, or union dues, or right-to-work laws, the reader is left with either patently contradictory views or else some tentative grapplings concluded by a plea for more thought and diligence in the application of Christian principles.
All this lends fuel to the conventional academic wisdom that Christianity has little to offer in the social realm. Is it surprising that The Way is generally ignored?
Insufficient Sample
The Psychology of Speaking in Tongues, by John P. Kildahl (Harper & Row, 1972, 110 pp., $4.95), is reviewed by E. Russell Chandler, journalist, author, and teacher, Sonora, California.
After limited empirical investigation, psychotherapist Kildahl concludes that glossolalists are neither more nor less emotionally disturbed than equally religious non-tongue-speakers, show great dependence on a “benevolent” authority figure, are characteristically less depressed than nonglossolalists, and are universally susceptible to hypnotism.
Further, in “a personal and subjective summary,” the author asserts that speaking in tongues is a learned phenomenon, does not appear to be particularly spiritual, and is often quite disruptive.
The use of glossolalia determines “whether or not it is a constructive phenomenon or rather damages and destroys,” observes Kildahl—director of pastoral psychology at New York Seminary—on the book’s last page. “Glossolalia rarely benefits a wide segment of the community.”
How valid are his findings? The methods of study seem sound enough: ten years of firsthand observations, detailed questionnaires, interviews with linguists, dozens of taped interviews, and intensive analysis of twenty glossolalists and twenty non-tongue-speakers. But the sample is too limited; the exclusion of some vital components in the charismatic movement clouds his conclusions.
Kildahl interviewed only persons from mainline Protestant churches, overlooking traditional Pentecostalists and Roman Catholic charismatics. The fact that he tosses this aside in one paragraph in the foreward suggests he has a limited grasp of the over-all movement since the early 1960s. His bias shows through (he admittedly stands outside the charismatic community) when he refers to “right-wing Protestants such as Pentecostalists,” and he reveals his unfamiliarity with the current scene when he says Catholic charismatics include “several thousand persons known to speak in tongues.” Among the Pentecostal denominations, the Assemblies of God alone count more than half a million, while Roman Catholic charismatics more nearly total 100,000 (see March 31 issue, page 34).
Kildahl does try to handle the study sympathetically, and he generally stays within his prescribed scope: the psychology of tongue-speaking. He factually reports what he found from a small sample; a more representative one could yield different conclusions.
Kildahl says he and his colleagues “never met a deeply involved tongue-speaker who did not have some leader to whom he looked for guidance.… We found no tongue-speaker who was unrelated to a glossolalia authority figure.…” This reviewer has.
Again, the author notes that solitary tongue-speakers don’t often make themselves known; hence he encountered “very few” in his research. Yet, in my opinion, the “solitary” tongue-speakers—those who use this form of expression primarily for private devotions—may, in fact, constitute most glossolalists.
In three places Kildahl flatly asserts that glossic utterances are not human languages. If, however, even one example should prove to be a known language, what would this do to Kildahl’s theory that speaking in tongues must be demonstrated and taught and is not a specific gift of God?
I myself have known not a few cases where the glossolalia experience was generated during quiet, rational introspection—a condition Kildahl calls “rare.” But his descriptions of group behavior and glossolalia ring true.
What God’S Word Says
Living Doctrines of the New Testament, by H. D. McDonald (Zondervan, 1972, 219 pp., $3.95 pb), is reviewed by Lewis Foster, dean of the Graduate School, Cincinnati Bible Seminary.
Living Doctrines of the New Testament is a study in biblical theology, written for “the general reader and the beginner student.” The author also has in mind the preacher and teacher charged with the important task of delivering the Word of God.
H. D. McDonald is vice-principal and professor at the London (England) Bible College. He here attempts to combine two approaches to Bible study. The theologian’s systematic treatment of special subjects, such as christology, anthropology, soteriology, and eschatology might be considered a vertical approach. In contrast, the running commentary, unfolded book by book, might be said to be a horizontal approach. To superimpose one on the other, as this writer has done, introduces some difficulties. The theologian’s pattern of study has been allowed to predominate, and the emphases of the individual biblical writers have been lost. Nevertheless, the result is worthwhile in pointing up certain doctrines and attempting to treat them in the context in which they appear.
The section divisions of the book follow the horizontal line of biblical arrangement—the four Gospels, Acts, the Pauline letters, and then separate sections for Hebrews, James, John’s and Peter’s letters, and Revelation—and the chapter divisions within the sections follow the vertical line of theological subjects.
“Grace” can be used as an example of the difficulties in McDonald’s method. Although the word appears in neither Matthew nor Mark, the author devotes a whole chapter to the study of grace in his section on the Synoptic Gospels. His conclusions may indeed be true, but to superimpose them on the gospel narratives does not adequately represent the emphases of these particular books nor give the complete picture of a doctrine that is handled in several other separated sections. McDonald himself makes an important observation about the absence of the word “grace” in the teaching of Jesus in contrast to the frequent occurrences in Paul and the early Church: “… it would seem to suggest that the New Testament writers were more careful to preserve the actual teaching of Jesus rather than what they desired Him to have said.”
The outstanding attribute of McDonald’s work is its scriptural notations. More than one thousand references to biblical passages are given in the footnotes. These are invaluable.
But the footnotes are made up exclusively of scriptural citations. One can count on one hand specific mention of modern authors. This is not to say that McDonald is unaware of what is being said in his field. He treats variant theories with such generalities as “some hold …” and “others maintain.…” No doubt he wanted to avoid encumbering the book with bewildering theories and a piling up of interpretations. It would be well, however, to annotate the views mentioned.
As partial compensation, there is a helpful bibliography that includes titles dating back to the late 1800s but is weighted with recent works of all schools of thought. There is a noticeable lack of American titles.
The book has no index. This hinders the use of its work at its best point, its systematic treatment of subjects and Scriptures.
By following rather closely certain vertical lines of the theologian, McDonald slights some of the horizontal lines of the biblical text. Among those living doctrines that do not receive their due are the church, repentance, and baptism.
An outstanding strength is the author’s ability to discuss a subject and then sum up profound biblical teachings in one or two memorable sentences. For instance: “But not only is it impossible to separate Christ’s words from His person, but also, it is not possible to separate His work from His person. What He says is what He is, and what He is is what He does.…”
The format is pleasing and makes the material easy to follow. The book can be profitably read and reread.
Newly Published
The Children of Pride, edited by Robert Manson Myers (Yale, 1,845 pp., $19.95). The extensive correspondence of a Southern clergyman’s family during the Civil War era. Unfailingly right in his editing and juxtaposition of letters, the University of Maryland English professor offers a finely constructed history, filled with rich insight into man’s delusions and God’s justice. In the process he provides an eminent example of Christian artistic and scholarly excellence (see editorial, page 25).
Brethren, Hang Loose: Or What’s Happening to My Church?, by Robert C. Girard (Zondervan, 220 pp., $4.95, $1.95 pb). The story of an ordinary-sized congregation that has been experiencing “renewal,” especially through home meetings. Special acknowledgments to the insights of Watchman Nee and Lawrence Richards.
Help! I’m a Parent, by Bruce Narramore (Zondervan, 174 pp., $3.95). Rooted in the Bible, with sensible and practical advice. Has an accompanying study manual, A Guide to Child Rearing (160 pp., $2.95 pb).
Explosive Evangelism, by George Jaffray, Jr. (Tyndale Bible Society [Box 6006, MacDill AFB, Fla. 33608], 106 pp., $1.75 pb). Good, practical advice on personal evangelism. Avoids set formulas but suggests typical approaches.
The Substance of the Faith and Other Cotton Patch Sermons, by Clarence Jordan (Association, 160 pp., $4.95). Books of sermons need to be particularly distinguished to merit listing in our limited space. These are by the late founder of Koinonia Farm, an interracial community in south Georgia. Jordan was a well-educated Southern Baptist preacher who dared to demonstrate the New Testament teaching that in Christ ethnic distinctions are irrelevant. The sermons are colloquial rather than cultured and pointed rather than polished.
Extra Spiritual Power, by Don Gilmore (Word, 146 pp., $3.95). Considers “second sight” a gift of the Holy Spirit, freeing man from anxiety. At times ESP proves prophetic; it is questionable, however, whether the phenomenon is necessarily God-inspired, as the author considers it.
Extremism Left and Right, edited by Elmer West, Jr. (Eerdmans, 152 pp., $2.95 pb). Conference messages by eight Southern Baptist professors on the Marxists, Black Panthers, John Birch Society, Hargis’s Christian Crusade, and the like. Stresses common features and appropriate Christian responses.
They Chose to Live, by J. Herbert Gilmore, Jr. (Eerdmans, 206 pp., $2.95 pb). A modern equivalent of Paul’s confrontation with Peter in Antioch. The former pastor of First Baptist, Birmingham, tells of his failure to lead a majority of the voting members of the church to accept two blacks as members. He rejoices, however, that at least a sizable minority repudiated this anti-biblical move. Long quotations give the views of the segregationists.
Rock, Bach and Superschlock, by Harold Myra and Dean Merrill (Holman, 123 pp., $4.95). A history of rock, an off-beat introduction to Bach, and a great big love of the sheer joy of music make this work one to get into your teen-agers’ hands and heads.
Popular Belief and Practice, edited by G. J. Cuming and Derek Baker (Cambridge, 331 pp., $19.50). This is the eighth in the series “Studies in Church History,” which contains papers read at meetings of the Ecclesiastical History Society (of Britain). The twenty-six papers examine topics in most of the Christian centuries and are linked by an interest in the neglected matter of what the church meant to the common man. (The previous volume in the series, Councils and Assemblies, focused on leaders.)
Yearbook of American Churches, 1972, edited by Constant Jacquet, Jr. (Abingdon, 272 pp., $8.95). A standard reference work with a new publisher. Especially useful for name, address, and statistics for the denominations and councils of churches (local and national) participating in the ecumenical movement and a few of the other large bodies. Varying amounts of data about some of the many other groups is inconsistently given. A good introduction warns about the limitations of church statistics.
Wars and Rumors of Wars, by Roger L. Shinn (Abingdon, 298 pp., $5.95). In this two-part book, the author first describes his experiences as a U. S. Army captain in the Battle of the Bulge and German captivity, and then turns to the moral and spiritual problems of war today. Compassionate and searching, but necessarily inconclusive. The 1972 Abingdon Award winner.
Sidney Rigdon, 1793–1876, by F. Mark McKiernan (Coronado [Box 3232, Lawrence, Kan. 66044], 190 pp., $7.50, $3.50 pb). Biography of one of the most interesting of the early Mormons; his claim to be the rightful successor to Smith was accepted by only a handful of the movement’s members.
The Teacher’s Bible Commentary, edited by Franklin Paschall and Herschel Hobbs (Broadman, 830 pp., $12.50). Southern Baptist pastors and teachers combine to present a very practical commentary, aimed at Sunday-school teachers. There is little attention to details of biblical criticism, but a generally conservative position is presupposed.
The Pentecostals, by W. J. Hollenweger (Augsburg, 572 pp., $7.95). A country-by-country survey of twentieth-century Pentecostalism by a one-time Pentecostal minister who later served as head of the World Council’s Division of Mission and Evangelism. The German original (1969) was the outgrowth of a multi-volume doctoral dissertation. The author’s assessments are colored by his own pilgrimage away from evangelicalism. This book is an extremely important addition to the growing body of literature on the fastest growing movement in contemporary Christianity.
On the Way to the Future, by Hans Schwarz (Augsburg, 254 pp., $6.95). A substantial study of hopes for the future in Old Testament, Christian, and secular thought, emphasizing the reality and finality of God’s judgment following the amillennial return of Christ. Comprehensive and clear.
Communication and Confrontation, by S. U. Zuidema (Wedge [229 College St., Toronto 2B, Ontario], 432 pp., $8.95 pb). An impressive collection of essays by the retiring professor of philosophy at Amsterdam’s Free University, collected, translated, and published in his honor by appreciative Canadian students. Very valuable studies of Barth, Jaspers, Gabriel Marcel, and Bultmann, among others, are here made available in English.
The Hellenistic Age: The World History of the Jewish People, Volume VI, edited by Abraham Schalit (Rutgers, 426 pp., $20). Covers the political history of Jewish Palestine from 322 to 67 B.C. Fourth volume to appear in this impressive twenty-one-volume project by Israeli and American scholars.
Signals From the Bible, by H. M. Kuitert (Eerdmans, 95 pp., $1.95 pb). Thirty brief, provocative, useful reflections on such topics as the jealousy of God, sin, and glory by the ethics professor at Free University, Amsterdam.
The Labyrinth of the World, by John Comenius (University of Michigan Slavic Department [Ann Arbor, Mich. 48014], 203 pp., n.p., pb). Major work, freshly translated, of a leading seventeenth century evangelical and educator.
Religion and the New Majority: Billy Graham, Middle America, and the Politics of the Seventies, by Lowell Streiker and Gerald Strober (Association, 202 pp., $5.95). A religion professor at Temple University and a consultant to the American Jewish Committee provide an unexpectedly sympathetic portrayal of Graham and his fellow evangelicals. They marshall data from studies of varying reliability and emerge with some interesting and debatable suggestions and conclusions.
A Companion to the New Scofield Reference Bible, by E. Schuyler English (Oxford, 165 pp., $4.50). As a companion to a perennial bestseller, Oxford has published what is in effect a concise, well-written, and clear handbook of basic theology from the perspective of pre-millennialist Protestant orthodoxy.
Elijah, by Howard Hendricks (Moody, 64 pp., $1). Five sermons by a master preacher that make Elijah live for us today and also provide a model for preaching on other biblical personalities.
The Signs of an Apostle, by C. K. Barrett (Fortress, 144 pp., $3.25 pb). A leading Bible scholar offers his views on what apostolicity meant in the primitive Church and what it means today. Barrett is dubious of the claim that “apostolic succession” is essential. His book will be of special value to members of denominations involved in union discussions with episcopal bodies.
Religious Policy and Practice in Communist China, by Donald E. MacInnis (Macmillan, 392 pp., $7.95, $3.95 pb). An indispensable book for all who are especially concerned with Christianity in the world’s largest nation. Some 117 documents since 1949, including all the significant government statements, are given in whole or in part, together with informative introductions.
Jesuit Child, by Macdonald Hastings (St. Martins, 252 pp., $7.95). Combines Hastings’s experiences in a well-known Jesuit school with an interpretative history of high points in the famous order’s four centuries of work, witness, intrigue, and controversy. Very readable.
Masques of God: Form and Theme in the Poetry of Henry Vaughan, by James D. Simmonds (University of Pittsburgh, 255 pp., $9.95). Since T. S. Eliot, interest in the seventeenth century’s Christian poets has risen. Simmonds thoroughly and sensitively explicates Vaughan’s poetry. This should prove a major addition to the growing body of material on this enigmatic poet.
A Century-Old Standard
Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, by C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch (ten volumes, Eerdmans, reprinted 1972, 11,505 pp., $69.50), is reviewed by Carl E. Armerding, assistant professor of Old Testament, Regent College, Vancouver, Canada.
When a fresh edition of a hundred-year-old book appears, we may well ask why, especially when the book is a commentary, a genre of literature so easily outdated by new finds in linguistic, archaeological, and historical science.
This question inevitably arises with the new ten-volume printing of the Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament by C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, first published in German between 1861 and 1875 and translated into English in twenty-five volumes 1864–78. (Another printing of this edition in six volumes is in progress by Associated Publishers and Authors.) The commentaries of John Chrysostom may be preserved for their homiletical value; the works of Calvin and Luther live for their theological worth; but the commentaries of Keil and Delitzsch are primarily philological—the very sort of work we should expect to be short-lived.
Perhaps a brief sketch of the authors’ lives and work will help unravel the mystery. Johann Friedrich Karl (normally listed in his publications as Carl Friedrich) Keil was born in Saxony in 1807 and did his greatest work as a professor of theology at Dorpat (Tartu in present-day Soviet Estonia) from 1833 to 1859, after which he worked for the Lutheran church in Leipzig from 1859 to 1887. His colleague, Franz Delitzsch, was born in Leipzig in 1813 and taught in the universities of Rostock, Erlangen, and Leipzig throughout a long career that ended with his death in 1890.
Both men were Lutheran stalwarts and were thoroughly familiar with all the tools of philological biblical study. Each in his own way was also involved in the controversies surrounding the spread of biblical-critical methodology, first as a champion of orthodoxy, and Delitzsch later on as advocate of a moderately critical approach. And perhaps most significantly, each saw his life’s work as a calling to prepare others to serve Christ. Keil’s best years were spent in educating a whole generation of Baltic-area pastors who adhered to a high view of Scripture, while Delitzsch pursued a life-long concern to train men for missionary service among Jews.
Neither man was exempt from charges of compromise, though Keil led the fight for orthodoxy, along with such worthies as Hengstenberg. But those who then (as now) eschewed any use of critical methodology would have little use for the kind of work represented in these commentaries, and Delitzsch especially became the target in later life of extensive criticism. Without question the latter’s commitments to certain critical presuppositions, particularly with regard to the Pentateuch and Isaiah, were increasingly influenced by Wellhausian scholarship, but Delitzsch himself claimed to the end that his views were consistent with a historically reliable, divinely inspired revelation from God in Scripture.
The real strength of the commentaries is that they reflect the best of their age in historical-critical scholarship. Though indeed much has been added to their work, little in their writings needs to be deleted. For this the conservative scholar may be grateful. Various theories, both liberal and counter-liberal, have passed away in the years since 1875, but solid exegetical work, as represented in the familiar K. and D., stands worthy of continued use.
Many a contemporary evangelical might accuse such men (were they alive today) of complicity with the liberal establishment. Both were men of the university. Both mastered the tools of technical biblical science. Both fought the battle within the established church. And to this reviewer it is significant that the same evangelical church that today might be restive with such “mediating” scholarship as that of Keil and Delitzsch is now producing the demand that calls for yet another edition of the commentaries.
Eerdmans is to be commended for cutting both the number of volumes and the price. May its labors be rewarded with a good sale of a still valuable reference work.
A Disappointing Survey
Contemporary New Testament Interpretation, by William G. Doty (Prentice-Hall, 1972, 176 pp., $7.95, $3.95 pb), is reviewed by Paul Garnet, assistant professor of theological studies, Loyola College, Montreal.
The reader who hopes to find in this book an account of the methods and results of modern scientific exegesis will be disappointed. The work is only peripherally concerned with the primary exegetical question, “What did the original author really mean?” Dr. Doty is interested in much more than “the self-consciously directed language” of the text, and he finds the analysis of this to be a “somewhat tedious,” though necessary, process.
His main concern is to describe how modern theologians cope with the question, “What does this mean for us today?” He limits himself almost exclusively to radical German and American hermeneutics. Rejecting biblicism as the only “heresy” in the proper sense of the word, the author takes the view that, though there is something worthwhile in Christianity, this is not to be equated simply with the teaching of the Bible. This assumption gives rise to the problems that the modern hermeneutic enterprise seeks to solve.
The subject is difficult to handle with clarity, since it is several removes from anything very concrete. The author has tried to help matters by providing a glossary at the end. Understanding might have been further aided by a more liberal provision of examples on a less casual basis. There is hardly any actual explanation of biblical texts.
In The Journals
The Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly (801 De Mun Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63105; $5/yr.) is the only journal devoted to the history of Lutheranism in its various American branches. The May, 1972, issue was the largest ever and commemorated the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Missouri Synod with several articles on various aspects and periods of the synod’s history ($3.50/copy).
The century of the Protestant Reformation has a new journal of its own, the Sixteenth Century Journal (3855 Lucas and Hunt Rd., Suite 216, St. Louis, Mo. 63121; $6/yr. for two issues). The April issue has six articles; among the topics are Luther and violence, and the rights of Tudor women.
