The Cross and the Flag, edited by Robert Clouse, Robert Linder, and Richard Pierard (Creation, 1972, 261 pp., $4.95, $2.95 pb), Back to Freedom and Dignity, by Francis Schaeffer (Inter-Varsity, 1972, 48 pp., $.95 pb), A Christian Political Option, by Bob Goudzwaard (Wedge [229 College St., Toronto 2b, Ontario], 1972, 66 pp., $2.75 pb) and Worship and Politics, by Albert Gedraitis (Wedge, 1972, 92 pp., $2.75 pb), are reviewed by Jon R. Kennedy, instructor in Christian communication, Center for Christian Studies, Stanford, California.
Biblical Christians show a growing awareness of the need for action on the political and social level that is scripturally based and faithful to the Law of God and the Spirit of Christ.
The fourteen essayists writing in these four volumes share a desire to see Christians occupy places of leadership in public life. All the authors agree that Christians have been too long identified with a middle-class status quo that is sometimes oppressive and indifferent to its neighbors wherever they are found in the world, and all believe that there is an imperative need for Christians to take action now to help relieve the world’s ills.
The eleven writers contributing to the Clouse-Linder-Pierard compendium speak out of a mainstream American evangelical tradition, drawing on church backgrounds that have emphasized the peace-making mission of Christians and the earlier social-work records of orthodox Protestantism. Francis Schaeffer’s critique of the trend toward doctrines of totalitarian biological control for the human race among humanistic scientists, and his call for Christian responses, flow out of his more conservative evangelical Presbyterian background and its political philosophy rooted in Calvinism and Samuel Rutherford’s concept of Law as King.
Both Goudzwaard, an economics professor at the Free University of Amsterdam and a former representative in the Dutch parliament, and Gedraitis, former research writer for Canada’s Christian Labour Association, speak from the perspective of the Dutch evangelical Christian political movement, which became the leading voice in Holland’s multi-party system at the turn of the century and has held a position of leadership ever since.
Writers in the Clouse-Linder-Pierard volume pay scant attention to the concept of an integrally Christian political philosophy based on the Gospel, however. Perhaps the major shortcoming of their work is a general ignorance of or indifference to what Christians of other nations and in other situations have worked out. Instead they offer the more limited role of “Christians in government” as the solution, the at least tacit suggestion being that individuals working within the system (Senator Mark Hatfield is frequently cited as the best example) can help keep the system honest and direct it away from serving its own needs selfishly and toward the needs of a larger neighborhood of humanity in accord with Christ’s teachings.
The book purports to expose the “all-too-frequent identification of evangelicalism with the interests, values and policies of [flagwaving] Americanism.” The impression is not hard to get, however, that the authors would be satisfied to identify evangelicalism with the equally-American-though-not-as-flagwaving tradition of political liberalism. Robert Linder, for example, in writing on “The Christian and Political Involvement in Today’s World,” names at least two professed Christians—conservatives Ronald Reagan and the late Mendel Rivers—on a list of persons of allegedly dubious character whom, he suggests, believers should work to replace with Christians! And Robert Clouse, in a valuable retracing of Christian historical positions on war and peace, mentions John R. Rice’s anti-Communist crusading as a position with which many evangelicals identify, and on the following page excommunicates them all by stating that the message of peace is “so consistently woven throughout [the New Testament] that a Christian ‘hawk’ is a contradiction in terms.”
The tone set by such examples of liberal chauvinism throughout the essays will do little to win over the evangelical conservatives whose position the writers seek to discredit. It also raises questions about the editors’ intentions. Are they willing to write off those fellow Christians with whom they differ as not worthy of engaging in the dialogue?, Do they have more in common with non-Christian liberals than with John R. Rice and the many fellow believers who occasionally, as Senator Hatfield writes in the preface, “rendered unto Caesar that which is God’s”? Are they willing to leave to Francis Schaeffer and Billy Graham the bridge-building between themselves and the fundamentalists they leave out by “advocating positions which fellow believers will call leftist” without attempting to first reconcile factions within their own household?
Graham is invoked eleven times throughout the volume, usually with quotations supporting calls for evangelical social involvement, though Lee Nash calls his social witness “inconsistent but growing.” Schaeffer is introduced as a “noted evangelical scholar” in Earl Reeves’s essay on “Evangelical Christianity and the Ecological Crisis.”
The book’s shortcomings are unfortunate because it deserves the hearing fundamentalists will deny it. The authors’ own lack of biblical authority for politics may be at fault; Thomas Howard suggests that because “all blueprints for society—feudal, communistic, republican, anarchic—invariably claim some ancient or divine warrant,” no political order is “derivable from Scripture.”
Strong chapters include Nancy Hardesty’s exegetical study of “Women and Evangelical Christianity,” an easy-reading argument for equality for women based on biblical texts. Paul Henry’s history of the New Left and call to repentant social action are dispassionate and of value to any study of the past decade in American politics. Lee Nash traces the history of social concern among evangelicals and attempts to identify their points of departure from combining faith with works. And the discussion of “Christian Attitudes Toward Israel” by George Giacumakis, Jr., works out some of the “extremely perplexing” aspects of a situation about which many Christians hold strong feelings.
Francis Schaeffer’s brief treatise on B. F. Skinner’s Beyond Freedom and Dignity and its scientism can be seen as a bridge leading to growing awareness among evangelicals. It speaks of an almost conspiratorial movement backed by prominent scientists throughout the world that would deprive individuals of all freedom, all choice, reaching eventually down to the “scientific selection” of their personality traits and IQs.
Although Schaeffer’s discussion is not intended as a political essay, the implications of what he says about totalitarianism and the biblical principles regarding choice of good and evil, right and wrong, and the outworking of God’s providence in history, are obvious. Schaeffer suggests no crusade against the Skinners, nor does he offer an alternative program in social psychology. He is satisfied with making Christians aware of the threat posed by chemical and environmental conditioning of the kind predicted in A Clockwork Orange. But his message has its power as political philosophy—its call of Christians “back to freedom and dignity” is what he is counting on to defuse what he calls “the biological bomb.”
As an American missionary to Europe, Schaeffer has developed an appreciation for the heritage of Dutch evangelical thought and action shared by few Americans. In a recent interview with New Reformation, he spoke of the Dutch Christian experience in politics. The formation of “the Christian political party under Abraham Kuyper in Holland was led of the Lord,” he said, “for a specific situation. But to say that the principles of an anti-revolutionary policy would indicate the formation of a Christian political party in every place in the world … [would] kill the work of the Holy Spirit.”
It is just this point that Bob Goudzwaard, one of the leading young representatives of the Anti-Revolutionary Party Kuyper led to prominence, addresses in A Christian Political Option.
In the first place, he points out, Christian politics is dependent not on “derived principles” of Scripture but on “the gospel’s own presence and living activity in the political sphere.… Evangelical politics does not rest on our active reaching out to God’s Word, but on the active reaching out of God’s Word to us and to the whole world.” In the second place, “whether or not a Christian political party is indeed the most effective instrument depends … on times and circumstances.”
Over against the hesitation of the authors in The Cross and the Flag to seek or claim biblical authority for political theory and social action, Goudzwaard declares:
While we may not superficially rid ourselves of the problems … posed, there is the undeniable fact that the gospel proclaims itself as a Word for the world; as a Word which affects and desires to redeem all our cultural activities. Therefore it is simply impossible to … deny the relevance of this Christianity to political life. To put it differently: even if we aren’t concerned with the gospel in politics the gospel is concerned about our political activities [p. 3].
Goudzwaard’s Christian Political Option is not a blueprint for reproducing the Dutch multi-party system in other countries. Rather, it is a careful discussion, with specific illustrations, of some of the problems that must be worked out before Christians can begin to function, as a unified community undivided by liberal-conservative factions, in or under any government in today’s world.
Albert Gedraitis’s Worship and Politics comes as a companion study to Goudzwaard’s Christian Political Option, being a studied exegesis of what the author calls the political teachings of Jesus and Paul. Specifically, Gedraitis gives political interpretations of Christ’s statement, “My kingdom is not of this world,” and the political implications he finds in the Lord’s Prayer and the “render unto Caesar” passages in the Synoptic Gospels.
“The Kingdom of Christ is indeed not of this world of brokenness, sin, and cursing,” Gedraitis writes:
The Kingdom of Christ is the world of love, peace, blessedness which is a totally creational possibility but must be struggled for in the power of His resurrection against the powers of darkness.… Among other things … God became man in order to re-establish the possibility of political work which would manifest now the full blessedness to come in the public-legal order when it is totally restored to its task before His Face [p. 21].
We cannot escape the political significance of the Lord’s Prayer in Jesus’ ministry. Even without the petition for the coming of the Kingdom, it cut into the established ways of government.… Jesus was teaching His disciples to change their political perceptions through prayer. And such a change of perceptions is always preliminary to any far-reaching political change.
Gedraitis finds the prayer speaking to the problem of poverty (“give us this day our daily bread”) and the illegitimate use of power (“deliver us from evil”).
“Give to Caesar what is his, and give to God what is His” can have no other meaning than that we are to give to God all our lives, our service, our communal impact on the course of history. We are to give God alone the governmental-political outcome of our earthly pilgrimage, pointing it, too, to the coming of His Kingdom [p. 19].
Unlike the other volumes discussed, Gedraitis’s is mainly a survey of texts throughout the whole New Testament for political doctrine. His treatment of
Romans 11–13 alone covers thirty-five pages. The work is not characterized by the presumptuousness of some of the writers mentioned above, but is a careful attempt to convince the skeptical that Christian political action is not only possible but mandatory, on no less authority than Scripture.
The work suffers mainly from the author’s use of philosophical and academic jargon. Many of his meanings will be obscure to those not steeped in the writings of others in Gedraitis’s Toronto-based Christian social movement. On the other hand, his strength is his flair for reducing extremely complex philosophical concepts to fairly simple substance.
Together the four volumes offer Christians concerned about working out their lives in political contexts great nurture and encouragement. All the authors can learn from one another. And the whole of Christ’s body, as it comes alive to the need for greater social works and witness, can contribute to that learning by getting involved with them as students of God’s Word, commited to Christ’s Lordship over all and in all. Yes, even politics.
Wit And Wisdom For Singles
Your Half of the Apple: God and the Single Girl, by Gini Andrews (Zondervan, 1972, 159 pp., $3.95), is reviewed by Jeanne Willet, production coordinator, CHRISTIANITY TODAY.
Christian girls who tire of reading the usual religious fare on singleness will welcome Gini Andrews’s practical, perceptive advice. She keeps a jump ahead of the cynical reader by cleverly using a question-answer format and punctuating realistic, common-sense suggestions with a large measure of wit. Single for many years, she is now a widow and is associated with L’Abri Fellowship.
Mrs. Andrews recognizes “the struggle to find balance between God’s utter sufficiency in our lives and the need He has created in us for our own kind.” With only occasional sermonizing she emphasizes the necessity of a love relationship with God: “… no other relationship can ever completely fill all our needs all the time.” The Christian single should work within this framework and develop the whole person now to be prepared for a single or married life.
Readily acknowledging that “aloneness” brings its share of problems, the author affirms that this was the state Christ chose. And she reminds the reader of the loss of individuality and personal freedom that accompanies marriage.
In addition to examining attitudes, Mrs. Andrews looks at the practical aspects of a successful single life and makes positive suggestions both for those who will eventually marry and for those who won’t. She urges her readers to develop talents, exercise creative abilities, and work on appearance. Above all, she suggests, love others and be available with an open door and an open ear. This will leave little time for nurturing bitterness and self-pity.
An example of ideal womanhood is the woman of Proverbs 31. “Ruby” was tasteful, creative, and industrious. She helped the poor, was a skillful businesswoman, and a good craftsman. Although she was married and a mother, most of her virtues can be assimilated by contemporary singles.
Can a girl really find happiness and fulfillment without marrying? Gini Andrews’s accomplishments as a teacher, counselor, and concert pianist qualify her to answer with a hearty “yes!”
NEWLY PUBLISHED
The Great Reversal: Evangelism Versus Social Concern, by David O. Moberg (Holman, 194 pp., $5.95). Statements such as “Trophies for Christ are sought in somewhat the same way a big-game hunter in Africa stalks his exotic prey” will enrage many evangelicals. But Moberg brings balance and perspective to the evangelism-vs.-social-action debate and shows how evangelicals have changed since the days of Wilberforce and Shaftesbury. Every concerned evangelical ought to own, read, and lend this book.
River of Life, by James S. Stewart (Abingdon, 160 pp., $3.50). Luminous interpretive studies of single verses or groups of related verses. Good reading for meditation—and decision.
The City, by George Sweeting (Moody, 128 pp., $2.95). A collection of sermons by the president of Moody Bible Institute. Wide-ranging, with devotional rather than expository appeal.
Gleanings From Elisha, by Arthur Pink (Moody, 254 pp., $5.95). Chiefly a study of seventeen of the prophet’s miracles. The author, a widely traveled Britisher, died in 1952.
A New Breed of Clergy, by Charles Prestwood (Eerdmans, 108 pp., $1.95 pb). A somewhat prosaic apologia for the new style in (more or less liberal) clergy by a Methodist preacher turned professor of sociology. Incidentally but significantly portrays the development of the theologically emaciated, socially active “new breed” as the logical consequence of the take-over of most churches by optimistic, evolutionary humanism after the 1920s.
New Encyclopedia of Philosophy, by J. Grooten and G. Steenbergen (Philosophical Library, 468 pp., $20). Concise volume covering major terms, ideas, and thinkers in the history of philosophy. Translated from the Dutch. Handy but too brief.
Lamentations, by Delbert R. Hillers (Doubleday, 1972, 116 pp., $6). The latest in the “Anchor Bible” series of new translations with introduction and notes.
History of Israelite Religion, by Georg Fohrer (Abingdon, 1972, 416 pp., $10.95). An English translation of a German original from 1968. Fohrer has not only revised and updated Gustav Hoelscher’s important work on Israelite religion but has added a major contribution of his own.
Sealed Orders, by Agnes Sanford (Logos, 313 pp., $5.95). An often mystical autobiography telling of a healing ministry and life as a minister’s wife.
Toward a New Earth: Apocalypse in the American Novel, by John R. May (Notre Dame, 254 pp., $8.75). Presents a thoroughly supported case for the revelational in fiction, using such authors as Hawthorne, Melville, Faulkner, and Vonnegut. In tracing this dark vision in our novels, May also proves that fiction can and does present theological issues to the general public.
A Reader’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, by Sakae Kubo (Andrews University [Berrien Springs, Mich.], 284 pp., n.p.). Another time-saving device that will help the inexperienced student of New Testament Greek improve his reading skill. Arranges vocabulary in the order in which the words occur in the New Testament, according to chapter and verse.
How to Face Your Fears, by David Hubbard (Holman, 140 pp., $3.95). The president of Fuller Seminary draws on his counseling experience and biblical resources to help readers face the nagging fears they may suffer in daily life. Readable and incisive.
The Christian and Warfare, by Jacob J. Enz (Herald, 95 pp., $1.95 pb). A reexamination of the Old Testament’s teachings on war by a professor from the Mennonite pacifism tradition. Adds few new insights.
Essays on Nature and Grace, by Joseph Sittler (Fortress, 134 pp., $4.95). Subtle theological essays, rich in insights and allusions from a variety of sources, written against the backdrop of the modem interest in ecology, by a liberal Lutheran. More indebted to modern theology and literature than to biblical teaching.
Old Testament Theology: Basic Issues in the Current Debate, by Gerhard Hasel (Eerdmans, 1972, 103 pp., $1.95 pb). A comprehensive survey (with a European flavor) of current Old Testament theologies, and a proposal for a “new” approach (though it is difficult to see wherein it is new). Outlines questions evangelicals must begin asking.
The Forgotten Americans, by Frank Armbruster with Doris Yokelson (Arlington House, 454 pp., $9.95). Two staff members of the Hudson Institute have prepared a highly useful compendium and analysis of statistical studies and opinion polls in the United States over the last two decades. In view of the impact that a single poll or survey can have, even though alone it may give a very distorted view, this overview can be of great value to anyone wanting to see how beliefs and opinions are developing in the United States.
The Change Agent, by Lyle E. Schaller (Abingdon, 207 pp., $2.95 pb). Advocating a systematic and anticipatory approach to planned social change, this author discusses styles and tactics of innovative leadership. He does not discuss changing individuals or personal growth, a crucial omission to any comprehensive strategy for leadership.
Semantics in Biblical Research, by John F. A. Sawyer (S.C.M., 1972, 146 pp., £ 2.25). An attempt to isolate and solve the practical semantic problems that arise in biblical research, illustrated by special treatment of Hebrew words for “salvation.”
The Touch of God, by Charles R. Meyer (Alba House [Staten Island, N.Y. 10314], 156 pp., $4.50). An easy-to-understand examination of the widespread human phenomenon of religious experience as a lead-in to Christian faith; unfortunately the presentation of Christian doctrine is vague, amounting to little more than Otto’s sense of the holy with some Christian terminology thrown in.
An Index to the Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich Greek Lexicon, by John R. Alsop (Zondervan, 489 pp., $4.95 pb). The computer is used to help the student of the Greek New Testament use the standard lexicon. All the words discussed in Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich are listed in the order in which they appear in the New Testament, and references are given to the appropriate page and section. The result is a useful, time-saving tool.
The Calvinistic Concept of Culture, by Henry R. Van Til (Baker, reprint 1972, 245 pp., $3.45 pb). A significant statement of the Calvinistic position on what is still a hotly debated question, the relation between Christianity and culture.
Trousered Apes, by Duncan Williams (Arlington House, 169 pp., $6.95). An analysis of contemporary literature and art. The author concludes that in matters of taste as well as of ethics it is very hard to get along without faith in God.
Brief Introduction to the New Testament, by Andrew W. Miller (Warner, 143 pp., $.95 pb). A helpful introduction for the layman; recommended as a textbook for a youth or adult Bible class.
The Journalist’s Prayer Book, edited by Alfred P. Klausler and John DeMott (Augsburg, 112 pp., $2.50 pb). Creative insight into the problems and needs of those involved in one aspect of the art of writing. The prayers provide encouragement for journalists not yet seasoned in the career.
The Structure of Biblical Authority, by Meredith G. Kline (Eerdmans, 183 pp., 1972, $2.95 pb). In an important series of articles reprinted largely from the Westminster Theological Journal, Professor Kline applies his current covenant research (see earlier work on Deuteronomy) to the question of how the canon was formulated.
Christopher Marlowe’s Tragic Vision: A Study in Damnation, by Charles G. Masinton (Ohio University, 168 pp., $8). Approaches the study from both a theological and a literary perspective. Masinton gives finely perceived insights into Marlowe’s drama, as well as refreshing the reader’s understanding of evil and its inevitable end. A well written, well supported piece of literary criticism.
The Remnant: The History and Theology of the Remnant Idea From Genesis to Isaiah, by Gerhard F. Hasel (Andrews University [Berrien Springs, Mich.], 1972, 460 pp., $6.90, $4.90 pb). A Vanderbilt dissertation that presents, in an informed and conservative manner, vital studies of the remnant theme, particularly as found in the books of Genesis, First Kings, Amos, and Isaiah.
A Translator’s Handbook on the Gospel of Luke, by J. Reiling and J. L. Swellengrebel (American Bible Society, 798 pp., $4). Although prepared primarily for missionary translators, this will be of help to all serious students of the New Testament, and of immense value to those with only an elementary knowledge of Greek.
Twentieth Century Faith, by Margaret Mead (Harper & Row, 172 pp., $6.95). In this addition to a multi-author series on religious perspectives, Mead proposes a common planetary faith in which medicine, science, ethics, and religion are fused in a global life-support system. She argues that the religious impulse can best be implemented through the use of scientific and technological progress.
The Rabbinic Traditions About the Pharisees Before A.D. 70, by Jacob Neusner (E. J. Brill [Leiden, Netherlands], three volumes, 419 pp., 353 pp., 427 pp., 88 guilders each). An indispensable collection of materials for the study of the Jewish milieu of early Christianity. Should be in every seminary or Bible-school library.
The Natural Depth in Man, by Wilson Van Dusen (Harper & Row, 197 pp., $5.95). A clinical psychologist explores the fascinating inner world of man, drawing heavily on the life and work of eighteenth-century psychologist/mystic Emanuel Swedenborg.
Hospital Chaplain, by Kenneth R. Mitchell (Westminster, 128 pp., $4.95). A personal little book that explores and explains an important, often overlooked Christian service.
How Come, God?, by David M. Howard (Holman, 117 pp., $3.95). The missions director of Inter-Varsity reflects on the Book of Job from his own experience with suffering and death. He writes in clear, personal terms, but don’t expect extensive grappling with the issues.
Christian Revolution For Church Renewal, by Robert C. Linthicum (Westminster, 173 pp., $3.25 pb). A practical guide to reorganizing the local church for effectiveness in a changing urban situation. Realistic and useful about method, but does not deal with the distinctives of evangelical proclamation, belief, and life.
Christ, Faith, and History, edited by S. W. Sykes and J. P. Clayton (Cambridge, 303 pp., $14.95). A mixed collection of essays that, with honorable exceptions, are more noteworthy for know-it-all pomposity like that of J. A. T. Robinson than for unpretentious Christian scholarship like C. F. D. Moule’s.
Time of Need, by William Barrett (Harper & Row, 401 pp., $10). This compelling work takes an eclectic look at the twentieth century through the eyes of its artists and concludes that nihilism and humanism both fail as viable attitudes. Into the resulting vacuum, defined as “time of need,” steps technology. Will it succeed?
Liberation Ethics, by John M. Swomley (Macmillan, 243 pp., $6.95). A political scientist proposes to free men by changing societal systems. Displays a basic misunderstanding of man’s nature.
Walking Toward Your Fear, by H. C. Brown, Jr. (Broadman, 156 pp., $4.95). To surmount problems and crises, the author recommends God’s help and the will to face reality.
The Only Freedom, by Barry Wood (Westminster, 188 pp., $5.95). It is curious to see the publishing arm of the United Presbyterian Church issuing an attractively written, somewhat superficial call to a Hindu-style pantheism. The reality of the individual and God is denied, and this denial is presented as “the only freedom.”
The Jesus Touch, by Richard Hogue (Broadman, 108 pp., $1.75 pb). A “successful” evangelist answers the question, “How do I win people to Christ?” Hogue’s answer: “The Holy Spirit plus the personal life style … plus methods equals total personal witness.”
The Rediscovery of Apocalyptic, by Klaus Koch (S.C.M., 1972, 157 pp., £2.25). Koch defines apocalyptic, discusses the recent writings on the subject from America, Britain, and Germany, and concludes that most work in the field suffers from an inadequate historical methodology. The challenge is particularly directed to followers of gospel critics Kasemann and Pannenberg.
Men Who Build Churches, by Harold Bosley (Abingdon, 158 pp., $2.95 pb). Using Paul as the standard for church building, this author lists the qualities needed for effective church leadership today. In enthusiastic terms, he calls for a contemporary response to the expectations of the early Church.
Prayers and Thoughts From World Religions, by Sid G. Hedges (John Knox, 18 1 pp., $4.95). The author, a proponent of universalism, collects “insights,” all (apparently) equally true and valid, from various religions. Southern Presbyterians once again have published a distinctively non-Christian book.
The Compelling Indwelling, by James H. Jauncey (Moody, 127 pp., $1.95 pb). A freshly written and helpful interpretation of John 15. Includes questions for study and discussion.
Witness to the Faith: Cardinal Newman on the Teaching Authority of the Church, by Gary Lease (Duquesne, 158 pp., n.p.). A good, well-researched survey that should provide a solid basis for any future study of New man’s theology.
Crisis of Moral Authority, by Don Cupitt (Westminster, 160 pp., $5.95). In his concern to purge the Christian tradition of its moral authority, this author leaves us with an essentially unorthodox theology.
True Resurrection, by H. A. Williams (Holt, Rinehart, Winston, 182 pp., $6.95). The author tells how he thinks resurrection pervades every aspect of his life. Draws highly on Eastern Orthodoxy.
The Groundwork of Christian Ethics, by N. H. G. Robinson (Eerdmans, 336 pp., $7.95). A comprehensive treatment of normative Christian ethics, using Kant as a starting point. Scholarly exposition of natural morality.
The Christian Church as Social Process, by Norman Pittenger (Westminster, 131 pp., $2.75 pb). This collection of observations on the current social and religious scene interspersed with insights and nostrums culled from various contemporary figures is presented as the application of process theology to ecclesiology.
