Of the many fine titles published last year in America by evangelicals, we especially recommend these.
Abortion: The Personal Dilemma, by R. F. R. Gardner (Eerdmans). Against the background of his experiences with permissive laws in Britain, a Christian gynecologist examines the medical, social, and spiritual issues in abortion.
A Biblical Theology of Missions, by George Peters (Moody). A Dallas Seminary professor offers a thorough survey, one of many notable offerings in missiology (especially by Moody) last year.
Brethren, Hang Loose, by Robert Girard (Zondervan). Many recent books recounting “success stories” of particular congregations could be mentioned. This one combines readability, believability, and imitability.
The Christian and Social Action, by Charles Furness (Revell). A teacher of social work at Philadelphia College of Bible presents biblical data that justify Christian concern for finding needs and helping to relieve them.
A Commentary on the Minor Prophets, by Homer Hailey (Baker). Neither too technical nor merely sermonic. Fills a gap in most libraries. (Three of these prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, are treated in more detail by Joyce Baldwin [Inter-Varsity]).
A Commentary on the Revelation of John, by George Eldon Ladd (Eerdmans). A moderately premillennial treatment that deserves consideration by adherents of various points of view.
A Coward’s Guide to Witnessing, by Ken Anderson (Creation). If you are the exuberant salesman type who has no problems with telling others about Christ, this is not the book for you. But perhaps there are a few believers who can benefit from it.
The Cross and the Flag, edited by Robert Clouse, Robert Linder, and Richard Pierard (Creation). Provocative essays calling evangelicals to be sure that their attitudes and practices are biblically, not culturally, shaped on such issues as politics, patriotism, women, race, poverty, war, and the environment.
The Encyclopedia of Christianity, Volumes 3 and 4, edited by Philip Hughes (National Foundation for Christian Education). A leading scholar has gathered articles from fellow evangelicals on subjects from Cilicia (Paul’s native region) through the G’s. Topics treated cover the whole range of biblical and ecclesiastical persons, places, events, movements, and doctrines.
The God Who Makes a Difference, by Bernard Ramm (Word). Brief but thought-provoking chapters on apologetics, the “proofs” of God, and the problem of evil.
Help! I’m a Parent, by Bruce Narramore (Zondervan). In this day of especially rapid change, parents need all the help they can get. The accompanying study guide, A Guide to Child Rearing, greatly enhances this book’s value.
The Human Quest, by Richard Bube (Word). A Stanford engineering professor discusses the relations between scientific inquiry and Christian faith. One need not agree completely to profit considerably from this notable examination of a controversial area.
The Jesus People: Old-Time Religion in the Age of Aquarius, by Ronald Enroth, Edward Ericson, Jr., and C. Breckinridge Peters (Eerdmans). It seems as if every publisher, religious and secular, has rushed to get a book out on this movement, but the consensus is that the Eerdmans entry is the most substantive.
Jesus the Messiah, by Donald Guthrie (Zondervan). A straightforward retelling of the life of our Lord as related in the Gospels. Though a respected scholar himself, Guthrie has written for non-scholars.
Old Testament Theology: Basic Issues in the Current Debate, by Gerhard Hasel (Eerdmans). A brief, scholarly attempt to engage evangelicals once again in the forefront of academic Bible study.
The Politics of God and the Politics of Man, by Jacques Ellul (Eerdmans). Using the format of meditations in Second Kings, the widely respected French thinker deals with questions of profound importance for the Christian who wants Christ to be Lord over his whole life.
The Return of Christ, by G. C. Berkouwer (Eerdmans). A very timely addition to the “Studies in Dogmatics” series in view of renewed interest in this doctrine. Look here for thought-provoking discussion of the whole range of scriptural data in the light of theological reflection over the ages.
The Sermon on the Mount, by James Montgomery Boice (Zondervan). An outstanding younger expositor helps Christians today be more obedient to these crucial teachings of our Lord.
The Stones and the Scriptures, by Edwin Yamauchi (Holman). A useful, accurate, and well-indexed introduction to biblical archaeology. Neither overly technical nor simplistic.
Survival on the Campus: A Handbook for Christian Students, by William Proctor (Revell). An invaluable aid to help beginning collegians face pressures on the secular campus.
The Teachers’ Bible Commentary, edited by H. Franklin Paschall and Herschel Hobbs (Broadman). Fills the need for simple yet truly helpful comments on every book of the Bible. The authors are aware of scholarly debates but here stress the central teachings.
Tongues of Men and Angels: The Religious Language of Pentecostalism, by William Samarin (Macmillan). Tongues-speakers, like all Christians, should have no fear of truth. If linguist Samarin can be proved wrong, let it be done. But anti-Pentecostals will find many of their prejudices challenged by this book as well.
True Spirituality, by Francis Schaeffer (Tyndale). This outstanding evangelical theologian and apologist published several titles last year. This one is particularly notable for its biblical and practical treatment of a fundamental subject on which much confusion exists.
Understanding the Bible, by John Stott (Regal). A well-known English preacher and author adds to his list of excellent, balanced, readable introductions.
Youth Ministry: Its Renewal in the Local Church, by Lawrence Richards (Zondervan). A very practical and thorough guide to a subject that should be of high priority even to those not directly called to this ministry.
