{This is part of a chapter by chapter critique of this book at SharperIron] Before foraying into the New Testament, where he seems to think he will find justification for his views, Matthew Vines attempts to deal with “The Abominations of Leviticus.” He does not deal with the relevant texts by doing contextual exegesis or theological formulation; instead he takes a more indirect route around Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. Basically his approach is to relativize the Old Testament law by …
Category: Book Reviews
When some one says that they want you to take them at their word, what exactly do you think they mean? I think your answer would be that they want you to trust what they are saying. But what is it about what they are saying that you are supposed to trust? The Collins English Dictionary defines it as: to assume that someone means, or will do, what he or she says ⇒ when he told her to go, she …
Review of Robert B. Chisholm, A Commentary on Judges and Ruth, Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2013, 697 pp., $39.99. In the past Judges and Ruth have not been particularly well served by commentators (Leon Wood’s Distressing Days of the Judges being one notable exception). Many studies in the past were more homiletical than analytical. The Book of Judges presents some unique problems for the Bible interpreter. Such issues as the date of certain judges, the extent of their careers and …
I really appreciate John Byl’s stand for young-earth creationism against all the accommodationist nonsense of old-earthers. He has written some thoughts about apologist Douglas Groothuis’s big book Christian Apologetics which should be pondered. I think he shows the problems which inhere in the ‘two books’ view and in cow-towing to Big Bang cosmology. http://bylogos.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-defective-case-for-biblical-faith.html#more I agree with Byl that Groothuis’s book has good things in it, although I cannot recommend it as an apologetics book. I feel okay about it …
Review of Covenantal Apologetics: Principles & Practices in Defense of Our Faith, by K. Scott Oliphint, Wheaton: Crossway, 2013, 277 pages, pbk. K. Scott Oliphint is Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He has written several good books of apologetics and philosophical theology; most notably his Reasons for Faith and God with Us. He is, as far as my opinion counts, the main successor to Van Til and Bahnsen and their apologetic approach. This …
Fred Butler’s Hip n Thigh Blog is one of the best all round blogs out there. Here are his thoughts on his reading over 2013: http://hipandthigh.wordpress.com/2013/12/26/books-i-heard-or-read-in-2013/ My time has been gobbled up over the past weeks, but I hope to resume regular posting soon. Have a great New Year everyone! Paul H. …
Darwin’s Doubt: The Explosive Origin of Animal Life and the Case for Intelligent Design, by Stephen C. Meyer, New York: Harper Collins, 2013, xii + 498 pages, hdbk. Stephen Meyer has been a thorn in the side of dogmatic evolutionists for a good while now. He has worked as a geophysicist and has a PhD in the Philosophy of Science from Cambridge. His previous book of nearly 600 pages, Signature in the Cell, dealt with the criteria for determining information, …
I have reviewed William Edgar’s recent spiritual biography of Francis Schaeffer. It is well worth your hard-earned money. Here’s the link: http://www.telosministries.com/review-of-schaeffer-on-the-christian-life-by-william-edgar/ …
Part One G. There are some noteworthy discussions of passages in the book. Probably the most intriguing part of Gentry’s contribution is his promotion of a pre-fall “Creation covenant.” Gentry’s exposition of this covenant is found in Chapters 5 and 6. While pursuing an exchange with Paul Williamson, Gentry traces out the difference between the phrase “to cut a covenant” (karat berith), and “to uphold an existing covenant” (heqim berith). And he makes a reasonable circumstantial case for tying …
Review of Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants, by Peter J. Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum, Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2012, 848 pages. A. This book is written by two professors from Southern Seminary; one a theologian, the other an Old Testament scholar. The work in question is a courageous effort to forge a via media between traditional covenant theology (CT) and dispensational theology (DT). If for no other reason than this, Kingdom through Covenant deserves attention, and …
