Nineteenth Century Survey
Christianity in a Revolutionary Age, Vol, I—The Nineteenth Century in Europe, Background and the Roman Catholic Phase, by Kenneth Scott Latourette, (Harper, 1958, 498 pp., $6), is reviewed by Paul Woolley, Professor of Church History, Westminster Theological Seminary.

With this volume Dr. Latourette begins the publication of a great new work in a field where comprehensive surveys are sorely needed, namely, the history of the Christian church in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. His intention is to produce five volumes, three on the nineteenth century (to 1914) and two on the twentieth to date. The first half of the current volume is, however, devoted to setting the stage and describing the background. It provides a masterly survey of the eighteenth century (would that it had begun in the mid-seventeenth), which is well-balanced and comprehensive.

“The Storm of Revolution” is considered in its bearing upon both Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. This study of the revolutionary movements of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries has the merit of bringing events widely separated in space, and somewhat less so in time, together in an illuminating summation. The survey of the effect of the French Revolution on the Roman Catholic church is particularly valuable to Protestants who are less likely to be familiar with this story than they are with their own history.

The account is divided by rather sharp chronological divisions. The preparation for the Revolution is separated from the Revolution itself. This makes for orderliness, but one wonders whether it really promotes clarity. Is not one of the major objectives of the historian to encourage people to distinguish tendencies in cultural movement? One event leads to another, and the influences that tie matters together are worthy objects of study. Anything that hinders such study may be a disadvantage.

The work is based upon a wide use of authorities. In an undertaking of this tremendous scope, such authorities must, of course, be largely secondary. Those upon which Latourette has drawn are broad and unprejudiced. Perhaps, on occasion, better sources than those used are available, but the reviewer has not noted any serious deficiencies in the overall work of this important volume.

The book is particularly to be commended for its insight into causes and intentions. While Latourette is properly cautious in this matter, he does not avoid all judgments as to cause and effect relations. He sees a fountainhead of Anglo-Saxon democracy in Puritanism. He believes that Christianity was one source of the great revolutionary movement of the late eighteenth century. He holds that the primary source of these contributions was the Puritan-Pietist-Evangelical stream of Protestantism. These are valid and useful generalizations.

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The second half of the present volume presents the Roman Catholic church in the nineteenth century. The subjects dealt with in turn are the papacy, the orders and congregations, devotional life, theology and dogma, followed by a country-by-country survey. This is an excellent comprehensive panorama of the life of the Roman church. Occasional comparisons are introduced between individual Roman Catholics and individual Protestants. In the final summary, Protestantism is also brought in for comparative purposes. The work makes an especially valuable contribution in its brief but careful study of the individuals like Alfred Loisy and George Tyrrell who were accused in the Roman church of “modernism.” These character sketches are superb in the deft way in which, within very small compass, a vivid impression is given of the personality in question. Another valuable feature is the inclusion in the country-by-country survey of the smaller nations of Europe. Information is thus made available which would otherwise be difficult to locate with ease.

A bibliography of 18 pages, with brief comments on most of the items, precedes the index at the end of the volume. The footnotes are very happily placed where they belong at the bottom of the page to which they refer.

The work cannot be too highly recommended both for reading and for the reference shelf.

PAUL WOOLLEY

Devotional Study
The Life of David, by Arthur W. Pink (Zondervan, 1958, 2 vols., 764 pp., $9.90), is reviewed by Walter W. Wessell, Professor of New Testament, North American Baptist Seminary.

These two volumes by the well-known Bible expositor, the late Arthur W. Pink, consist of an almost interminable number of devotional studies on the second king of Israel. Each incident of David’s life is treated from a deeply devotional but often overly-pious point of view, and little attention is given to historical or critical problems. Frequently, a spiritualization of the text is carried to extremes. Thus “Goliath pictures to us the great enemy of God and man, the devil.… His prodigious size … the great power of Satan. His accoutrements … the fact that the resources of flesh and blood cannot overcome Satan. His blatant challenge … the roaring of the lion, our great adversary, as he goes about seeking whom he may devour,” etc. The reader will need much patience in wading through material like this, and although there are undoubtedly spiritual and devotional nuggets to be mined here, few will consider it worth the time or effort.

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WALTER W. WESSEL

Growth Of Human Ideas
Know Your Faith Series: I Believe in God, by Costen J. Harrell (62 pp., $1.25), I Believe in the Bible, by Joseph R. Sizoo (80 pp., $1.25), and I Believe in the Holy Spirit, by Ernest F. Scott (92 pp., $1.25, Abingdon Press, 1958), are reviewed by John R. Richardson, Minister of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, Georgia.

These are three in a series of eight little books being written in simple, nontechnical language. It is claimed that they are designed to help the reader understand and strengthen his faith. Many of the major denominations are promoting the sale of this series through letters and brochures mailed directly to ministers. From the standpoint of evangelical Christianity, there is much to be desired in the pages of these books, for they will probably weaken and confuse, rather than help or strengthen, the faith of some readers.

Take Harrell’s book—a specimen of weak theology. Starting with a low view of the Bible as “containing a divine message,” he goes on to place David, Judas, and Lady Macbeth side by side and on the same literary level to show that all human beings have within them an “inner light,” a “little spark of celestial fire called Conscience” which can be fanned into saving faith. By living daily according to the light he has, any individual may “build his temple of faith.” Human belief becomes a saving power in a religion of self-effort. Harrell’s ordo salutis is: belief, commitment, venture, and

faith. It seems that total depravity is not part of the “divine message contained in the Bible” as envisioned by the author.

The chief weakness of this book is its lack of any definite statement concerning the Trinity. In fact, the Trinity is not mentioned. Instead, Jesus is spoken of as “being aware of God,” and God himself is spoken of as “suffering to cure sin’s hurt.” And good old-fashioned Methoaist “enabling grace,” a work of the Holy Spirit, is left out entirely.

Sizoo’s book is somewhat better than Harrell’s. Sizoo does state quite clearly that “the Bible is the Word of God.”

His chapter on the practical value of the Bible is worth the price of the book.

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Other sections of the book, however, are disappointing. For example, the author’s view of biblical theology seems to be that of “gradual development” and “unfolding ideas” in the minds of chosen people.

Thus is depicted an “unfolding revelation of God” from a tribal deity to a national god of the Hebrew people to a war God to a spiritual and moral Person to a God of loving kindness who finally in Christ loves, forgives, redeems, and suffers for us (patripassianism here and later when the author declares, “Calvary is the picture of man’s wounded God”).

A suffering (therefore limited) God never has been good Reformed theology, but a suffering Saviour has!

The author’s “unfolding drama” approach to revelation leads him into an “unfolding idea of sin” and an “unfolding idea of sacrifice.” It seems to this reviewer that a sensible reader of the Scriptures does not have to wait until he comes to the New Testament to find out what sin really is or what propitiation really means. In this connection Sizoo should hear his fellow countryman Geerhardus Vos on the organic nature of the historic process observable in revelation. “It is sometimes contended that the assumption of progress in revelation excludes its absolute perfection at all stages. This would actually be so if the progress were non-organic. The organic progress is from seed-form to the attainment of full growth; yet we do not say that in the qualitative sense the seed is less perfect than the tree. The feature in question explains further how the soteric sufficiency (italics ours) of the truth could belong to it in its first stage of emergence: in the seed-form the minimum of indispensable knowledge was already present” (Biblical Theology, pp. 16, 17).

Then Sizoo sounds like a novice in theology when he declares, “Christ is the final revealing of God, and therefore nothing below the standard of Jesus is binding upon us” (italics ours). Of course, this is true, but this is also a dangerous oversimplification of biblical truth. The author’s entire theory of “levels of unfolding” of revelation seems strained and superficial.

The author goes on to speak of Jesus as the “founder of a faith.” Jesus should more properly be spoken of as the object of saving faith. The accumulation of little inaccuracies and the presentation of half-truths and cliches can only disappoint the careful and discerning reader. Evangelical Christianity should expect better theology from one of Protestantism’s most popular leaders.

Equally disappointing and dangerous is Scott’s book. In the very first chapter he has the Holy Spirit emerging from the ideas of men! He has the Old Testament prophets in a class with Handel and Tennyson, or at least it seems that way. Nowhere in the book is the Holy Spirit defined properly or adequately. Rather the third Person of the blessed Trinity is constantly referred to as a force or a power or “it.” The personality of the Paraclete is nowhere predicated in these pages.

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This reviewer deplores the evolutionary, humanistic approach of this whole series of books. The Christian faith never has been nor shall it. ever be a growth of human ideas as this series seems to imply. How can such writings possibly “aid in strengthening one’s faith”? Certainly this is not evangelical Christianity at its best.

JOHN R. RICHARDSON

Horizontal And Vertical
The World Is Learning Compassion, by Frank C. Laubach (Revell, 1958, 251 pp., $3.50), is reviewed by Arthur H. De Kruyter, Minister of the Christian Reformed Church, Western Springs, Illinois.

In the 23 chapters of this book, Mr. Laubach outlines the work being done to relieve the hunger, distress, and illiteracy across the world. The book extols the movements and foundations which are acting to alleviate these burdens. The United Nations and related organizations, i.e., WHO, UNICEF, FAO, and UNESCO are all reputed to be Christlike channels of compassion. The book is extremely persuasive and elaborately documented. If one did not know better, he might be convinced that the human race is at last awaking from a long slumber and now stands on the threshold of a man-made utopia.

By becoming compassionate, says Laubach, we shall have “the greatest bargain from the viewpoint of ultimate gain that Americans or the world ever made!” “The greatest illness on earth today is hunger and distress.” On page 34 we read a judgment against Paul for not preaching a social gospel. Since Laubach does not seem to recognize that the greatest problem of man is the depravity of the human heart and alienation from God, he also advances a new look for the missionary: “Sam Higginbottom, who went to India with … a degree in theology … found they had all the philosophy they needed! What they lacked was food, and this was because the illiterate peasants used primitive agricultural methods.… So Sam Higginbottom returned to Cornell University and majored in animal husbandry and agriculture” (pp. 42–43).

The reviewer does not believe that philosophy and theology are ever on a par. When the church sells out to rationalism and denies special revelation, she will have little to offer the world. India needs help horizontally; but the church has a vertical message, and until all men are reconciled to God in Christ, she has no right to turn her back upon the gospel of the Cross.

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About the middle of the book, Laubach quotes zealously the humanistic Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations. But he does not consider the fact that human rights, having no orientation in God, are hollow and false. Humanism will discover that sinners, individually and collectively, will ultimately finish their race in failure unless Christ is first crowned King.

The impression which Mr. Laubach leaves with the reader is that the savior of the world is compassion. But Scripture teaches that if compassion does not proceed from a true faith in Christ, and is not prompted by a desire to glorify God through compassion for God’s image bearers, it will prove to be no true blessing for mankind. If Laubach believes this, he does not say so.

ARTHUR H. DE KRUYTER

For Confirmation
Faith and Its Problems, by Paul G. Schrotenboer (Pro Rege Publishing Co., Toronto, 1958, 98 pp.), is reviewed by William S. Smith, Minister of Zachary Presbyterian Church, Zachary, Louisiana.

Here is a volume written especially for young people about to make their public profession of faith (these may be a bit older in the author’s denomination—Christian Reformed—than in most others). It admirably meets the prerequisites of the pastor looking for something to place in the hands of inquiring members: it is small, sound, and written in the language of today.

In eight compact chapters, the subject of faith is treated in its relation to such topics as doctrine, the Bible, the Church, and confession. Various basic questions vexing the ordinary thoughtful believer are introduced and dealt with in a clear and helpful way.

The author points out how there can be no neutral attitude toward the Bible: “One approaches this problem from the watch tower of grace or from the sandy wastes of doubt and unbelief” (p. 30). In other words, personal decision—for, or against—is an imperative at the very outset. Saving faith is a supernatural gift. Though in many people it is weak, this does not mean it is to be condemned as insincere. A vital faith will be confessed, in the church and without. In a timely chapter, the author shows how the “Faith That Saves The Soul” is God-centered and salvation-centered.

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Chapter two turns largely about questions raised by neo-orthodoxy. This section may prove a bit difficult for those of “tender years.” But then, neo-orthodoxy is inherently difficult for most of us.

A number of well-phrased epigrammatic phrases occur throughout. For instance, “Faith can be a victory only after faith has become a surrender” (p. 50). The author is at his best in his use of Scripture to illustrate a point. The same kind of reliance upon Scripture by ministers would make for more biblical—and more interesting—preaching.

WILLIAM S. SMITH

More Than Earthly Life
The Life of Our Divine Lord, by Howard F. Vos (Zondervan, 1958, 223 pp., $3.50), is reviewed by John K. Mickelsen, Minister of Canoga Presbyterian Church, Seneca Falls, New York.

This book is a valuable survey of more than the earthly life of our Lord. This is shown by the chapters entitled, “The Nature of the Person of our Lord,” “Our Lord’s Present Ministry,” “Our Lord’s Future Activity” (premillennial), and “Walking as He Walked.” Its usefulness as an introduction to our Lord’s earthly life is indicated by such chapters as, “The World into Which Our Lord Came,” “The Message of Our Lord,” and “The Narrative of the Life of our Lord.” The other five topical studies are equally helpful. An easy-to-read map is included. As an introductory work this book deserves a wide circulation, and should also find a place in the church library; it will be profitable reading especially for Sunday School teachers and lay leaders.

Three things would add to the usefulness of this work: an index of Scripture passages which are discussed, a more detailed table of contents or a subject index, and a chapter on the four Gospels.

The use of textually uncertain words and phrases in John 3:13 (p. 34) and 1 Timothy 3:16 (p. 39) is unfortunate, although—regrettably enough—such seems to be a too-frequent practice among evangelical writers. The Authorized Version of Luke 2:49 is repeatedly (pp. 111, 211, 212, 216) made the basis of argument even though the better rendering seems to be “in my Father’s house.” When the writer refers (p. 10) to Millar Burrows’ What Mean These Stones? he should keep in mind Burrows’ other statement (op. cit., p. 114) that II Peter is usually dated about the middle of the second century. A quotation mark is missing on p. 9, a “not” has been omitted on p. 36, and a period has been misplaced on p. 47. On the whole, this book is the result of competent and dependable evangelical scholarship.

JOHN K. MICKELSEN

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