Vol. ZWiII
Summer, 1968
No. 2
THESPRINGFIELDERis published quarter1 by the faculty of Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, I linois, of the Lutheran
Church- hlissouri Synod.
1
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
ERICHH. HEINTZEN,Editor
R A Y ~ I O NF.DSURBURG,
Book Review Editor
DAVIDP. SCAER,Associate Editor
h l a J.~ STEEGE,
~
Associate Editor
PRESIDENTJ. A. 0. PREUS,ex officio
Contents
EDITORIALS
Full Accreditatioil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Consultation of Black Pastors . . . . . . . . . . . . .
T H E KATURE O F T H E EVANGELISTIC TASK O F
PREDOhllNANTLY WHITE DENOMINATIONS
IN RELATIOS T O THE BLACK COh,lMUNITY
GAYRAUU
S. \\'ILIIIORE, JR., Executive Director,
Comr~litteeon Religion and Race, United Presbyterian
Church, U. S. A., New York.
PAKISH RENE\\'AL AND PARISH EDUCATION... . . . . . . . . . . . .
RICHAEIIJ . SCEIULTZ,Department of Practical Theology,
Springfield, Illinois
REVIE\.\' ARTICLE: FIRST AIDS IN COUNSELLING. . . . . . . . . . .
ALLEN NAUSS,Director of Student Personnel Services,
Springfielcl, Illinois
BOOK KEVIE\VS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..............
BOOKS RECEIVED
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
:
INDEX TO \'OL. 3 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I11dexerZ in INDEX T O RELIGIOUSPENODICAL
LITERATURE,
published
rlnzericnn Th~ologicnl Library Association, Speer Library, Pn'ncet
logical Se,~linary,Princetolr, New Jersey.
Clergy changes of address reported to Concordia Publishing H
RIissouri, ~ v i l lalso cover mailing change of T h e Springfielder.
of address should be sent to the Business Manager of The Spriltg
cordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, Illinois 62702.
Address communications to the Editor, Erich H. Heintzen, Concor
logical Seminary, Springfield, Illinois 62702.
Book Reviews
FIRST AID IN COUNSELLING. Edited by C. L. Rlitton. T. & T. Clark,
Edinburgh, 1968. 223 pages. Paper.
Counseling is readily acknowledged to be a primary responsibility
and activity of t h e present day pastor. Because of his availability, his
position, and his involvement in t h e day-to-day lives of the people of his
community, the clergyman is frequently the first person sought out in
time of an individual's need.1 I n addition, there is probably no other
professional person i n our society who works with a s great a variety
of individual problen~sand crises.
Pastoral counseling, therefore, can pose a serious question for the
dedicated a n d concerned clergyman. How can one man effectively handle
the gamut of human problems which enconlpass men's lives from birth
until death?
I t is the assumption of the writers in C . L. Mitton's First Aid in Coz~nselling, a collection of articles published in Tilc Expository Times between November, 1965, and September, 1967, that t h e pastor as t h e first
to deal with a presented or revealed problem must provide effective guidance and direction before the individual is or can be referred to more
specially trained professional personnel. Although it i s recognized that
referral may not always be possible or even justifiable, it is still clear
that the pastor must be equipped to give a t least the highly necessary
and important initial assistance.
To review and evaluate the articles in Mitton's collection should best
require a stated approach to pastoral counseling. For example, I may
begin with a relatively obvious and naive question a s to whether knowledge or skill is more important in this area of the pastor's work. It is
logically simple to refute the idea and reality of mutual exclusion i n the
either-or structure of the question and to say that the pastor certainly
needs both knowledge and skill, and perhaps in equal degree. Any presentation regarding counseling should be judged, therefore, by the extent
to which it refers to both the understanding of the probleni and the
skill necessary to handle it.
However, it is less obviously significant to oppose knowledge on the
one hand with the person of the pastor on the other. Is it possible that
the kind of man t h e pastor is and the attitudes and concerns h e shows
can be as important i n his first aid counseling as what he knows? Is it
possible that effective counseling skills can be generated only by certain
characteristics of t h e pastor's person and cannot essentially be separated
from those characteristics? This review is projected from the vantage
Point of the affirmative response t o these questions.
The Elentents
The Person. Three characteristics of the pastor a.nd his person are
here presented as essential to his effectiveness in pastoral counseling.
They a r e h i s genuineness as a Christian, his Christian love, and his
empathy. I n operation they cannot be separated from the pastor's skill
i n communicating them, first because t h e y will quite n a t ~ r a l l Ybe cornmunicated t o some degree if they a r e t h e "real article," and second beCause they would be helpful only t o t h e extent to which they would be
Perceived by t h e counselee.
Evidence from t h e field of secular counseling and psychotheraPY has
accumulated to show t h a t genuineness, non-possessive w a r m t h , a n d ernpathy a r e primary contributors t o effectiveness.2 Pastoral counseling
h a s i t s distinct correlates of these characteristics w i t h more t h a n
quate support from Scripture.
I n respect t o genuineness a pastor should be n o less a n d *o
than he is as a redeemed sinner. H e can express h i s s u p r e m e joy in the
Lord and a confidence like that of St. P a u l who could "do a l l things in
Christ" (Phil. 4, 1 3 ) . At t h e same t i m e he recognizes his limitations,
h i s faults, and his sinful nature a n d is not afraid t o join i n confessing
his faults to others (James, 5, 16). T h e pastor, therefore, p r e s e n t s himself as a model, sometimes like t h a t of a n ideal Christian a n d sometimes
quite evidently "human", but regularly one which can enable o t h e r s burdened with problems to see how life can be victorious even u n d e r extreme strain.
I n COmnlunicating his Christian love the pastor n o t o n l y attempts
t o show a concern like that of Jesus for, and a complete acceptance
all others, rich and poor, weak and strong, ugly and beautiful. rebellious
and submissive; he also shows in word a n d action t h a t t h e o t h e r p e r S o n
is worth something, in fact that he is worth Jesus' sacrifice a n d death
and likewise the pastor's own life. "This is m y c o m m a n d m e n t , that
Y e love One another, as I have loved you" (John 15, 1 2 ) . T h e s e a r e not
just words in the pastor's vocabulary.
Empathy sterlls from Christian love. As a n ability i t i n v o l v e s putting olleself in the other's skin a n d perceiving his i n n e r w o r l d of s o r r o w
and struggle, of doubt and conviction, of bits of happiness and perhaps
loads of pain, but always as if that inner world were h i s own. L o s i n g
the "as i f " quality illllnerses the pastor in t h e problem a n d t e n d s to
nu"i'l' t h e objectivity and strength which he can offer. O n l y J e s u s c o u l d
and can invest h i m e l f flllly in the other person w i t h o u t l o s i n g His
strength.
pastor can ouly attempt with his h u m a n l i m i t a t i o n s to
a w r o a r h that ideal.
Kno~oledgr: and L ' n d ~ r s t a ? ~ d i t t g Counseling
.
for t h e p a s t o r can be
truly pastoral only i f , along with the absorption of t h e C h r i s t - l i k e charact e r i s t i c ~just mentioned, he retains his knowledge of t h e b a s i c problem
of man and Its solution. The probleln can be generalized u n d e r the term
idenfrtv. Each ~ e r s o nshould recognize his identity i n o r relationship
to the Lord as a redeemed sinner, interdependent w i t h fellow h u m a n heinm, but Anally dependent only upon ~ o d .
The goal of the pastor in his counsellug is to help t h e person solve
hla own problem and also to help him recognize how his i d e n t i t y in the
Lord can Provide him with the measure of strength a n d c o m f o r t needed
to meet the continuing demands of his world. This is n o t to say that
the Person Can be .usranteed smooth sailing through l i f e , b u t that like
Peter'
and the host
of God's
People he has ~ ~ d K*i nsg d o m
Book Reviews
39
within hiin a n d can live a s God's instrument in this world with all t h e
pain and happiness and tortures i t will bring, and finally t h a t h e will
a t t a i n eternal life in heaven a s t h e free gift of God.
Application of the Elements
Each of t h e nineteen areas surveyed in Mitton's collection includes
very pertinent information which is helpful to t h e pastor in understandi n g t h e particular problem. F o r example, i t is undoubtedly helpful to
have the "valley chart" which identifies t h e symptoms of alcoholism and
t h e s t ~ tos recovery, and t o be able to distinguish between d r u g dependence and habitual d r u g abuse. Certain of the areas, though, present information which is peculiar t o problems a s they are evident in Great
Britain.
Identity. The relationship of the problems t o the inatter of identity
is touched upon in only eleven of the areas a n d quite frequently i s given
no more t h a n a token reference. I n "Problems of Adolescence", Michael
Duke does relate t h e identity crisis in youth a s one which needs t.o have
t h e loving guidance and sometimes strict direction of the Lord substituted for t h e authority of parents and elders. Much more should be
said, however, about the role of forgiveness in t h e Christian family and
in t h e Church in the transitional process of dependence upon man a n d
its consequent rebellion in adolescence t o a n absolute dependence upon
God.
Love. T h e need for Christian love and concern is brought into each
of the articles, but sometimes only in a matter-of-fact way. Some of the
authors, a s t h e rest of us, sometimes seem to take this characteristic for
granted in t h e pastor, and perhaps well we should. But even assuming
its presence, we know that not all men communicate the warmth, the
regard, the total concern to t h e same degree. Some seem to be unaware
t h a t they a r e conveying almost t h e opposite of love through such obvious
evidences a s a n atmosphere of eternal "busyness," an air of snperiority,
a judgmental attitude when giving advice, a habit of talking too much,
etc. The negative value of these evidences appears to be so m u c h , a matter of common sense, of course, but when they get in the ~ v a yof everyone's Counseling effectiveness, as they do s o regularly, we must return
t o simple Scriptural truths a n d begin to retrain o~irselvesin simple behavioral patterns of Christian love.
Empathy. The communication of accurate empathy is not a n easy
attitude and skill to learn. As a n expression of love for the other person
i t is portrayed in attending behavior, i. e., following the other person's
topics without interjecting one's own a t too many intervals, reflecting the
feeling of the counselee, and summarizing t h e feeling or emotional undera n d over-tones.
Only eleven of the authors indicate the necessity of empathy in first
aid counseling. Of the remaining eight it would seem t h a t only Imlah
a n d Lake, in writing about d r u g addicts and homosexuals respectively,
might be able t o rationalize t h a t the pastor cannot possibly empathize
adequately. Their insistence upon the pastor's adequate understanding
of the problenl would seem to suggest otherwise. Lake, though, seems
1
to register some ambivalence about t h e underlying sinfulness of homosexual activity.
Genuineness. This i s a relatively new concept in t h e pastoral counseling literature. Although t h e t e r m itself is not used in these articles,
some component characteristics a r e mentioned ( i n twelve of t h e
such as simplicity and sincerity (delinquents), a strong f a i t h ( t h e aged).
overcoming one's fears of death ( t h e dying), calmness a n d confidence
(the bereaved), a God-given security ( m e n under a t t a c k ) , first-aid treatment of our own anxiety (nervous breakdown), self-awareness (suicide)*
and how one feels about a n alcoholic (alcoholics). T h e r e is s o much of
i n l ~ o r t a n c ein this narticular characteristic of the pastoral counselor that
it should bear much more intensive attention than t h a t given in these
articles.
A Illore rccclitly discovered characteristic:: which should derive
the convictioris of a genuiae pastoral counselor a n d w h i c h a p p a r e n t l y
(mntrihuted to effectiverleSs is the feeling for a n d skill in confrontation.
We wollld call it “rediscovered" since Jesus was not w o n t t o be a v e r s e to
iLs use in H i s contacts with ~ e o p l e . Less than half of Mitton's writers
refer t o t h e need for this skill ill first aid counseling, a l t h o u g h it, t o o f
like t.hc others, would seein to have a, definite role t o play in all the
prol)lelll wens. I t al,l,ears to
especially al)l,ropriate i n c o n f r o n t i n g
the (:ounstilee with his owl1 resources llndcr. (;od and w i t h t h e p o s i t i v e
aspcct.s 01: tll(! rel;lt.ionshil) betwc?etl l>astor and counselee. '1
(!o?zClusion
P'i7'sL .;l id ilr ( ' ! ) I ( ~ ? I , S ( ' T ~ ~ ~ ~ (lops
~ ~ < ~ fill a. nc?ed in offering a n a b b r e v i a t e d
rcvic\v or s],cc:ilic ~ ) r 0 h l e n - 1 -and
~ ~ -(:an
~ ~ be
~ used wit11 s o m e p r o f i t b y the
Pastor i l l s c a ~ . c lo~f short.crut. patlls to gc?tting infornlation a b o u t p r o b l e n l
cases that- rorilc? to his :~t,tention. I<o\v\-evel,,fronl t h e p a r t i c u l a r v i e w l j o i n t
Ilercin st.'dlcd. (.he l ~ is~ q1lit.e
k inadequate in presenting t h r o u g h o u t a n
effectiv(?Ci11'isti;ltl a1)I)roactl t,o the pastor's couns(?ling t a s k s .
1~'OOTSOTES
1.
J O i r r L C:ol~~r~lissic?~l
ot: )1[::1t,al Illlless alld Health, .4ctio?r. f o r
l i ( , ( l l t h ( S ( : \ \ .York: Scicnc:~Edit ions. 1961.1, p. 103.
Men.taZ
2 - S('cS ( ::irl li f<uge~.s(Ed.) ,
19)~'J), e ~ ' ) ~ e 7 . t l l ) e u,[iel(ltio?z.yh.i.~)
~~i,c
CL?L~
( M i i t i i s ~ \Viscollsin:
~~,
Urli\-crsitv of \v\risr.onsin p r e s s , 1 9 6 7 ) , and
(:hiirlc*s I:. 'rruas and Robcrt R . Cal.khuff, ~o,l,;rr?-ciEflect.i,l:e Cou.nseZirl!l c 1 7 1 rt I ' . ~ ! / ! ' ~ ~ o t ~ l c ((:hicago;
' ! . t r / ~ ! ~ Aldine, 1!)(;i).
:I. ,'I. I ( O \ ~ i i r d.I. C'lill(.:t~..ll, J r , , 13,.lslcL' y p ~ s j'rrsto,-t,.l t'ou.?t.~ei!~i?lg
(Nash\'ill('. A b i ~ ~ z d ol'rvss,
t~
I I \ G G ) , Chapter 1 3 ; \Villiatn G l a s s c r , Reazitg
~ ' ~ ~ ~ ( S~ ~~ \ V
~York:
( ~ l IIarpcr
~ ! ! & Row, 1965) : John \v. rakef ford, 1721
( x i l s h i i l l e : Ilroad~nanPress, 196;); l i o b e r t R. Carkill1n
i3plllard
ilereosoll, Bcyo,id Cou,isaling a ~ l d Tbc,?-(l,pY ( N e w
k
lI011. I i i l l ~ l l i l ~
illid
t \Finston. I n c , 19Gi). (:hnl)ter 11.
4 C f Krvill 31. hlitchell. "Therapist Cotiditions Regoll(1 t h e C o r e Facilit*ti5'o ('(~ll(liliolls:inl1:l~dl~agand C o ~ f r O n t ~ t i o lpl ,a~pye r greseIlted at
1 9 G j Coll~~'1ltiol~
or hrlreririin I ' c r s o ~ l ~and
~ ] Guidance A f i ~ D ~ j f i t De.
i~n,
I)C!('~
J
troit. 8qi(3hi~i(l\,
,l l l s n - X ( Z I L S S
Book Reviews
INTRODUCTION TO HERMENEUTICS.
Herder, New York, 1967. 128 pages.
41
By Rene Marle.
Cloth. $4.95.
Herder a n d
This volume was originally published in French in 1963 and translated by E. F r o m e n t a n d R. Albrecht. It concerns itself with one of t h e
great ecclesiastical problems of o u r time. T h e great concern of contemporary Protestant and Roman Catholic theology is the one of heremeneutics. Next t o t h e quest for "the historical Jesus" is t h e modern quest a s
t o how t h e Bible is to be interpreted. The Jesuit scholar bIarle states
t h a t while hermeneutics is also a probleni in Roman Catholic circles, i t
i's this f o r different reasons a n d i n different ways in t h e Church of Rome
a s compared with the problem a s found in t h e various Protestant denominations. I n his preface, Marle states t h e purpose of t h e volume
t o be a s follows:
T h e present work does not pretend to enumerate all t h e factors
involved in t h e hermeneutical question, whether Catholic or Protest a n t ; r a t h e r , i t s a i m is only to make known t h e major contributions
to hermeneutical theology, t o point out t h e issues at t h e heart of
the dispute (and these a r e not always easy to determine) and t h u s
to provide a n introduction to a field of research which h a s become so
characteristic of the theology of our time.
The book h a s six chapters. I n t h e first chapter, t h e French author
shows how periodically in the history of the Christian Church hermeneutics has constituted a problem f o r the Church. A study of t h e history
of hermeneutics is a valuable aid in grasping some of the major her~ e n e u t i c a lissues of our day. I t was especially during the Reforinatio~i
t h a t hermeneutics became a central concern, according to nlarle. The
new reformation was based solely upon the Bible and led to "the inevitable development of t h e cult of the Bible which the Rcfornlation had
resolved t o advance, but ~ i i a i n l ybecause of t h e principle of " s o l u ,%'?.illturn, which t h e Reformation clai~iled a s its only and entire basis" ( P .
1 9 ) . T h e French Jesuit scholar believes that the s o l n Script w?'ct principle was t h e introduction of a hermeneutical princigle, "And this introduction brought about not only s new understanding of faith, but also
new Christian f a i t h , a new Church" (p. 20). Out of the sol(^ S c r i p t z ~ r n
developed a second Lutheran hernlelleutical princil~le, namely, that the
"whole of Scripture, or Illore precisely its very hcart-C7r?.ist1cs ll'ebit-t h a t which 'produces' Christ" ( p . 2 0 ) . The latter p l - i n r i ~ l ~t h, e author
f u r t h e r claimed, was taken up i n Luther's discussio~iof I ~ a wa n d G o s ~ c l
f G e s e t x und Et-cirrgelilr,~r,j which also became a princsil>le of I'rotestant
interpretation.
In h i s treatment of Protestant herl~ieneuticalthought X:~rl(: concentrates on B a r t h , Bultmann, Ebeling, Fuchs, Ott, and 1';~nnell~)erg~
all
German theologians. hlarle finds worthwhile insights i n t h e writillgs
a n d viewpoints of these protestant theologians. He deals with them
fairly a n d points out what distinguishes one fro111 the other.
I n t h e last chapter, t h e French Jesuit discusses the problern of hermeneutics as it relates to Roman Catholic theology. IIe claims that t h e
problem became a renewed one a t the time of the modernistic crisis.
M. J. Lagrange did some ilnportant basic research illto the hcmlcn~lltj-
cal problem a s it presented itself a t t h e beginning of the twentieth tentury. Father Lagrange engaged in polemics with Alfred L O ~ S concerning
Y
the proper use of the historical method. Lagrange became particularly
interested in the Old Testament. He was especially determined to measure t h e assertions of the Old Testament against t h e established dates
of history and science in general. H e was also interested in the topics
of inspiration and inerrancy.
According to the author, the failure of Luther and modern protestant exegetes and hermeneuticians is that they held t h e revelation in
Scripture to be absolute objective. ''The absolute objectivism of the
Reformers and the transcendental reflections of modern theologians
hermeneutics stem from the same neglect of the mediation of history,
or if we prefer, from the same neglect of living tradition as the fundamental instrument of revelation" (p. 110). Although t h e Roman Church
has been experiencing some decisive changes it still adheres t o a principle
which will not Permit it to recognize the position of a n y protestant
group. Thus, Marle writes: "The Catholic Church lives O n the
viction that the gift of the Holy Spirit does not consist in a n indePendent light thrown on the historical manifestation of t h e xneaning
of Scripture, and that this historical manifestation is merged w i t h the
Church itself" (D. 111). Again: " ~ h u s ,the discovery of t h i s m?aning
can no n o r e be made apart from the totality of this history i n which
it is realized, than it can be lllade apart from the hierarchal i n s t i t u t i o n
which assures its authenticity" (p. 1 1 1 ) .
When a conflict arises in Roman Catholic circles regarding t h e interpretatiorl of Scripture between exegetes and dogmaticians, it is i n c u m bent on the exegete not to go his own way, but he is d u t y bound to take
cognizance of the dogmatic teachings of the Church, a n d interpret a c c o r d i n g to the Church's decisions.
This volunle is helpful in showing that the basic differences b e g u n at
t h e fteforlnation between Roman Catholicism and Lutheranism are the
same after 400 years of history.
Rn ynton cl F . Szwburg
INTERPRETING THE HOLY SCRIPTUHP~S. By H e r b e r t T. MaYerCorlcordia Publishing House, St. Louis, 1967. 119 pages. Paper. $ 1 ~ 5 ~ INSTRUCTOR'S GUIDE FOR 1XTERPRETING THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. Prepared by A. C. Mueller in cooperation w i t h H e r b e r t Tb f a ~ e r . Collcordia Publishing House, St. Louis, 1967. 60 PagesPaper. $1.75.
T h i b \olulne is the latest addition to the C'oncordin LeadershiP Traini n g S e v i e s , written hy Nerhert T. Mayer of the Exegetical ~ e p a r t m e n t
of Concordio Seminary, St. Louns. Lilte other c o l ~ ~ p a n i ovno l u l n e s in
the series, this one contains eight chapters. Readers acquainted with the
sco1le and con11)lexities of the field of Biblical interpretation 3vill admit
that the author essayed a difficult task when he a t t e m ~ t e dto s e t f o r t h
in eight 6essions the furldamental principles of Biblical hermeneuticsThe book demonstrates to laymen that interpreting t h e S c r i p t u r e s is
the emiest tmk. The author is to be
for the
Book Reviews
43
lucid manner in which he h a s presented his materials and for the compact way h e h a s organized them.
Between October 1, 1967 and December 17, 1967 TIIE LI~TIIERAN
WITNESS
REPOI~TER
published a series of six articles (excerpts) in which
were set forth t h e gist of t h e book, thereby increasing t h e reader potential
who otherwise might have remained strangers to this material.
I n chapter 1 such basic terms a s "Word of God," "revelation,"
"inspiration" a r e discussed; concepts about which many books a n d monographs have been written in the last decades. Chapter 2 presents a history of interpretation, beginning with the New Testament a n d concludi n g with a brief discussion of recent developments in the field of Biblical
theology. Chapter 3 delineates theological principles of interpretation
a n d chapter 4 sets forth general principles of Biblical interpretation.
After some basic general principles have been examined and enunciated,
t h e author discusses in chapters 5 and 6 the interpretation of the Old
a n d New Testaments respectively. I n chapter 7 Mayer gives " a laboratory demonstration" of how t h e text in Mark 9:2-10 should properly
be interpreted in accordance with the principles given in chapters 3-6.
T h e eighth chapter suggests ways and means in which the contents of
t h e book might be of help in fostering improved Bible teaching in the
home and in t h e church.
Those pastors and parochial school teachers of an older generation,
who will serve as leaders f o r this training course, will recognize niany
rules and interpretative positions that traditionally have been held by
Lutherans dating back to Luther and the Reformation. The author, in
contradistinction to many present day Lutherans and Protestant interpreters, correctly distinguishes between "hermeneutics," the rules controlling correct interpretation, a n d "exegesis," the practice of interpretation. The "new herineneutic" rejects this distinction. The informed
student, however, will also note the inclusion of certain developments
i n twentieth century Biblical studies, which in some respects represent
a change from what was fornlerly adhered to in conservative Lutheran
circles.
This reviewer finds himself at variance with the author on a number
of positions taken in this volume. In writing about the three solas of
Lutheranism, Mayer defines soln scl-iptzrm as follows:
Sola scriptura . . . siniply a f f i r n ~ sthat the nible tells Christians all they need t~ know about God's grace and saving faith and
is the source and only no?-nr or standard of Christian faith a n d life.
Sola scripttwu is, then, a statenlent about the primary importance
of the Bible and its nlessage of justification by grace through faith.
In a sense, i t underscores also the importance of solus Christus a s
a basic herrlleneutical principle.
This quotation can be interpreted to mean
t h e Scriptures deal with matters pertaining
source and norm for teaching, thus leaving
cosmology, history and other subjects a s not
belief by Christians.
t h a t only when and where
to salvation are they the
t h e nible's statement on
binding and valuable for
Prof. Mayer stresses the importance of realizing that God's revelation took place through a series of mighty acts. Correctly he notes
that God often caused men and women to explain t o people the meaning of His actions in history. " ~ u c hof the Bible, then, is inspired
record of and witness to God's revelation of Himself through His mighty
acts. Many chapters in the Bible report how His people later meditated
upon these acts and found guidance, faith, and strength for their own
day (Ps. 135 and 136 are two examples)." There are, however, m a n y
chapters and books in the Bible which simply cannot be accounted f o r
by the utilization of the scheme of mighty acts plus human responseHow does one explain the Wisdom books and many of the New Tkstamerit epistles according to this pattern? I t should be noted that t h o s e
Scholars in the twentieth century who proposed revelations by means
of the "acts of God" were endeavoring to distinguish in t h e Bible between that which was divine and t h a t which was human and therefore
fallible and subject to error. G. Ernst Wright devised revelation bY t h e
mighty acts of ~ o d
to circumvent the belief in an inerrant w r i t t e n
Scripture.
An emphasis foreign to historical Lutheran hermeneutics is the use
of forlti criticism, enlployed today in both Old and New 'I'estament studiesReaders are told by the author that there are good features in this
methodology that can be adopted by Lutheran interpreters. Among the
new literary genre with which scholars are now operating a r e "*ythr"
"saga," "legend," "miracle tales," etc. Thus Mayer states t h a t scholars
today find myth in Genesis 1-11,to which he voices no objectionever, when discussing the passion narrative the author finds then1 cornDletely devoid of "myth signals." On what basis does Genesis 3 contail1 myth while Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 and John 20-21 do not?
It is assumed that n serpent talking makes the account n0n-hist0rica1;
but neither are dead nien arising today as is related in the closing c h a p ters of the four evangelists. By what criteria is Genesis 3 symbolica1
or mythical while the resurrection narratives are factual?
Those willing to learn the proper rules for exegesis a r e t o l d that
they must deternline the "then and there" of a text. To i l l u s t r a t e w h a t
1s meant by this ;\Iayer cites Psalm 110, alleged t o be a poem u s e d at
the coronation of an eastern ruler. The "then and there" meaning w o u l d
be that i n this Psalm "we haye a call to the Israelites to g i v e thanks
because God has kept lIis prolllises to them and has preserved t h e i r
religious and national i11del)endence and strength through t h e office of
the k i 1 1 ~ .an office which was again being filled by another c a n d i d a t e
('hosen and annolnted by (;od" (p. 61). That is how probably the f i r s t
hearers understood ~ t Thus,
.
according to >Iayer, t h e original Old Testanlrrlt readers 'lad no idea that this Psalm referred to Jesus t h e M e s s i a h .
T-iowevcrlPsalm 110 is quoted more frequently in t h e New T e s t a m e n t
other 1)salm and is cousistently interpreted a s a p r e d i c t i o n
about Christ alld His work. We, therefore, believe that t h e author's
'nterpretatloll, followirlg the higher critical position of Old T e s t a m e n t
schO1arshlp- is not sustained by the Kew Testalllent, According t o t h e
C h r l ~ t(Mark
12:3537) the true interpretation is that Re
Book Revicws
w a s i n David's m i n d when t h e latter uttered a n d wrote t h i s Psalm.
Furthermore, against t h e author's interpretation the fact remains that
n o Israelite k i n g held t h e office both of priest a n d king. Therefore, in
t h i s Psalm t h e k i n g referred t o could not have been merely an Israelite
k i n g for Psalm 110 predicts t h a t David's descendant, Jesus Christ, would
also be a priest after t h e order of Melchizedek. The author i s advocati n g a n exegesis of this Psalm which has ruled out direct Messianic
prophecies and h e i s following a n exegesis which has labeled s u c h psalnls
as Psalms 2, 40, 45 and 110 a s merely regal psalms.
Prof. Mayer concedes t h a t t h e Old Testament contains Messianic
prophecies, some of which were predictive; other Messianic prophecies
were typical. A s a n example of typical prophecy t h e passage of Isaiah
7:14 is cited w h e r e t h e al?iza?~spoken of is said to be a type of the
Virgin Mary. It is t r u e that m a n y Christian scholars hold to t h e typical
interpretation of Isaiah 7:14. Although in t h e past exegetical history of
t h e Lutheran Church this passage was considered a direct prophecy, t h e
impression is given t h a t the typological interpretation is the only valid
one. Luther did not hold to t h e typical interpretation nor do many other
scholars. This reviewer fails t o see how a woman living i n Ahab's time
Could adequately be a type of t h e Virgin birth, f o r it would niean that this
woman also was a virgin and t h u s in Biblical history there would be t h e
record of two virgin births.
The author states t h a t one of the hermeneutical principles used by
t h e Bible student is t h e following: "In short, the Bible student is reminded that h i s study a n d explanation of a Biblical text is wrong or
incomplete until he has been addressed by His Creator in terms of both
L a w and Gospel.'' (p. 4 2 ) . T h a t Law a n d Gospel are two fundamental
doctrines of t h e Scriptures no Lutheran exegete would deny, but that
every passage a n d pericope m u s t deal either with Law and Gospel is
difficult to prove. While there a r e many statements in Scripture that
t r e a t clearly of these two doctrines, not every passage can legitimately
be thus interpreted. Another perplexing statement in this connection
is made: "Again and again t h e Bible student will find that a passage
which he understood as Law one day will speak Gospel another day" (p. 4 2 ) .
T h i s would seem to say that a passage is determined by one's mood on
a given day thereby violating t h e principle t h a t Scripture h a s one and
only one intended meaning. Since Law and Gospel a r e such diametrically opposed doctrines in their content, purpose and effect, a Passage
ought to be clearly classifiable a s to whether i t is either Lam or Gospel.
The Concordia Course recognizes the distinction made between "the
Jesus of history" and "the Christ of faith." On pages 83-84 t h e claim is
made t h a t in t h e Four Gospels we do not possess reliable infornlation
about t h e sayings a n d deeds of Jesus. The reader is told that it is
necessary to distinguish between what Jesus said and did and what
t h e church believed that He said and did. Modern critical scholarship
does not accept t h e view held by the apostolic church and so there has
come into being a "quest" for t h e historical Jesus. I n su1)port of this
questionable position, i\layer writes: "The benefit of the 'quest' lies in
i t s emphasis that the gospels haye come from t h e faith of the first genera-
tion of Christians a n d t h a t they a r e a call to Spirit-given faith in Jesus
a s the Christ, the son of God and Savior of the world" (PP. 84-85). But
how can the reader of the gospels be a follower of Jesus' Way of life
when h e is uncertain of what Jesus said a n d did! How does this quest
for t h e socalled "historical Jesus" agree with the claim of Luke t o his
friend Theophilus? Luke said t o Theophilus:
Many have done their best to write a report of t h e things t h a t
have taken place among us. They wrote what we have been told by
those who saw these things from the beginning and proclaimed t h e
message. And SO, Theophilus, because I have carefully studied a l l
these matters from the beginning, J thought t o write a n orderly account for You. I do this s o t h a t you will know t h e full truth of all
those matters which you have been taught ( L u k e 1:l-4, Good
for Modern Man).
This reviewer prefers t h e position of Dr. A r n d t a s reflected i n another Course in The Concordia Leadership Training Series: Ne2u Testament HistoV. who accepts t h e gospel data a s recorded.
Raymond 3'. Surburg
FIGURES O F SPEECH USED IN THE BIBLE, EXPLAINED AND
ILLUSTRATED. By E. W. Bullinger. Baker Book House, Grand
Rapids. 1968. 1104 pages. Cloth. $14.95.
This volume is a reprint of one that was published in 1898
Messrs. Eyre and Spottiswoode of London. T h i s book i s unique- It
contains a comprehensive and detailed study of t h e figures of speech
Used in the Bible. Although it was published seventy years ago, it has
never been duplicated or equalled in point of thoroughness a n d d e t a i l In his introduction, Dr. Bullinger wrote : "Jehovah h a s been p l e a s e d
to give us the revelation of His rnjnd and will in words. It is t h e r e f o r e
absolutely necessary that we should understand not merely t h e r w a n i n g s
of
words themselves, but also the laws which govern t h e i r u s a g e and
colnbillation." Hullinger correctly pointed out "that language is governed
law; but, in order to increase the power of a word, O r the
O f arl expression, these laws are designedly departed f r o m , and
"Ords
and sentences ;\re thrown into, and used i n new forms, O r figures" ( p . .\- )
T h e Greeks of old were resgonsible for reducing these new and peculiar fornls to a science, and gave nanles t o more t h a n t w o hundred of
them. The science of the study of figures of speech was a d v a n c e d by
Roman scholars, but during the ZIiddle Ages its s t u d y fell i n t o d e c l i n e The knowledge of this ancient sciencc is today nearly completelY forgotten. In fact. the expression "figure of speech" i s used i n a d i f f e r e n t
Rense today and has almost an opposite ineaning f r o n ~t h e ancient usageThe Greeks used the word $chenta, the Romans t h e w o r d F i g u r a to
designate the inanifold forms which ~vordsand sentences a s s u m e d In
both instances the meaning 1s the same, namely,
shape7*o r ''figure-''
In I Corlnthifinn i:31 Paul employs the word Schema: $ & T h efashion of
thi8
~ ~ s e atwha ~ . ' and
'
in Philippians 2:8, h e h a s "being f o u n d in
fashion m a r n ~ n . "
Book Reviews
47
When figures are applied to words or a sentence, they take on a
different connotation from the ordinary and natural form. "This is always for the purpose of giving additional force, more life, intensified
feeling, and greater emphasis. Whereas today Figurative language is
ignoringly spoken of as though i t made less of t h e meaning, and deprived
the words of their power and force. A passage of God's Word is quoted;
a n d it is met with the cry, 'Oh, that is figurative'-implying that its
meaning, or that it has no meaning a t all. But the very opposite is the
case. F o r an unusual form (figura) is never used except to add force
to the truth conveyed, emphasis t o the statement of it, and depth to the
meaning of it. When we apply this science then to God's Words and to
Divine truths, we see at once t h a t no branch of Bible study can be more
important, or offer greater promise of substantial reward" (pp. v-vi).
Bullinger regarded the figures of speech to be a key t o the interpretation and elucidation of the Scriptures. The author must be credited
with having done more than any other scholar to open the eyes of students to the key that the study of figures opens.
I n this volume Bullinger cataloged and discussed no less than two
hundred and fifty distinct figures. Then in systematic order he gave
1 ) the proper pronunciation of each figure, 2 ) its etymology, or origin,
3) a number of Scripture passages in full where the figure is used,
giving a full explanation of its use in each instance.
This large volume may be utilized either for direct and systematic
study of figures of speech as employed in the Old and New Testament
Scriptures, or i t may become a constant companion to the Bible as a
reference volume. A copious index of Text and Passages illustrated
conclude the volume.
Eaymond 3'. S u ~ b u r g
OLD AND NEW IN INTERPRETATION. By James Barr.
Row, New York, 1966. 215 pages. Cloth. $5.50.
Harper &
In this book the reader will find James Barr's revision of his Currie
lectures a t Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Texas. Concerns
which were discussed by B a r r in some of his earlier writings, The Semantics of Biblical Language (Oxford, 1961) and Biblical Words for Time
(No. 37 in the SCM series Studies in Biblical Theology), are again taken
UP. In Old and New in Interpretation he states that hermeneutical anxiety is one of the most crucial problems In American theological education. H e claims that the present anxiety to converse about hermeneutics
i s not getting anywhere, because theological students have a poor knowledge of the contents of the Scriptures.
Barr has organized his materials into six chapters. I n chapter 1 he
outlines briefly his theological position, which he expands in a later
chapter. Chapter 2 takes up the Hebrew-Greek thought contrast, which
was previously discussed in The Semantics of Biblical Language. In
chapter 3 the author attempts "with some trepidation, to give reasons
for moving away from the history-centered values of much modern theology, with the conjunction of revelation and history a s its base" (P.
131). I n chapter 4 the question of typology and allegory are taken UP,
two methods of interpretation that have been linked up with a history-
centered approach to the Scriptures. Chapter 5 gives Rarr's understanding of how t h e Old and the New Testaments are linked in the work
saIvation. T h e sixth chapter endeavors to set forth two matters: firstly,
how t o deal with t h e theoretical presuppositions of the interpreter* and
secondly, to recommend what the practical outcomes a r e f o r the
of t h e ministry.
The majority content of the book is critical; in this volume h e has
expressed negative views on a whole series of incongruities exhibited in
the writing of new-look theologians, who have found favor w i t h so Inany
in o u r day.
Co~servativestudents of the Bible will appreciate many of the criticisms levelled a t modern critical positions by the eminent Scotch Old
Testmnent scholar. Barr takes t o task the existentialist ~ o s i t i o n neeorthodox Biblical interpretation. I n this book t h e former Princeton
Professor critizes G . Ernst Wright and Bernhard Anderson for their
theory of revelation by the " ~ o dw h o ~ c t s . " I n criticism, h e writes:
"There is no history of the acts of ~ o alone,
d
b u t a history in which
the tradition grows and suffers cha,nge, in which t h e tradition itself is
affected by the inlpact of events; and these events nlay be in some cases
acts of God, in others not" (p. 19). Barr h a s correctly pointed out regarding the event of t h e Exodus, which for nlany modern Critics i s supposedly the beginning of Jahwehfs revelation to Israel, t h a t t h e deliverance was foretold by Jahweh to Moses long before i t happened and even
after it 11apl)encd it was Jahweh's interpretation which enabled t h e children of Israel and future generations to understand i t s real significance.
Thus Rarr writes: ''We think that we cannot illlagine verbal c0n1municatioll het.\r.c?en God and man, and we worry about terrible consequences
would er?suc in the Church, and of serious damage t o t h e r a t i o n a l ity of our PI-(?Sentation of Christianity, if it were
t h a t such
verbal colnlllunicat.ion is in1l)ortantw (B. ~ g ) ,and then h e proceeds t o
that. t h i s is just. what is dotllinant in a Biblical
Most of the nlat.erial in the 1)ook is of a critica.1 nature. He also b e rates " f ~ n d a n ~ e n t a l i s m
in ~ the appendis, lest because of h i s s t r i c t u r e s
ilt h i s co-criti(:al scholars
be cotlsidered a s espousing t h e v i e w
of fundalllelltali~nl.1)espite the latter's caustic
of " f u n d a ll'erltalisnl"
COIlServative reader will find nlany i n t e r e s t i n g i n s i g h t s
and useflll lllaf.~rialfor h i s study of the Old Testament.
Rtr y,~i.oncZI.'. S ? L ? . ~ U ~ S
''
W i l l i a ~ nB. Eerdmans
Publlbllln~ Conlpan~. Grand Rapids. Jlicl'igan, 1967.
65 P a g e s .
Psj)c'r 31.25.
In the foreword to this hook Chancellor Jolln 13. S t e r l i n g of
U n i v e r ~ l t \ . ,Olltario, refers to the author as 3 marl who k n o w s b r i c k s ,
mortar, x t ( ~ l .~ o n c r e t e ,e t c , while H. Harold ]<ellt is identified O n the
back Cover of the book as pastor of Emmanuel Church ( ~ v a n g e l i c a l ) of
Toronto Thcrc is 110 doubt that rvhat the forelsrord says is t r u e : the
author trws t o interpret t h e book of job it1 tertlls t h a t n l a y m a n Can
comprphelrd aud tlnd nleani1)gf~l.
JOJ3, O r I i ~ O ~ T I ~ J l P O R A RBTy. H. I-Iarold Kent.
Rook Reviews
49
Of the chapters t h e one entitled "The Necessity of a Mediator" i s
probably the best witness to t h e author's correct understanding and interpretation of Scripture interpreted by Scripture. The Redeemer is t h e
Goel and t h e word describes t h e Lord Jesus Christ (P. 5 3 ) . Still, the
"without my flesh" in t h e quote of Job 19:25-27 is not based on t h e rest
of Scripture. L u t h e r knew t h e Hebrew too, but refused to take t h e w~in
as separative a n d rightly so, since the local sense of the min is first and
M. J. hTnzlvtnnn
best, especially i n view of the context.
T H E WAR AGAINST T H E JEW. By Dagobert D. Runes.
Library, New York, 1968. 192 pages. Cloth. $6.00.
Philosophical
Books from t h i s publishing company a r e usually not very cheap, and
$6.00 is steep f o r less than 200 pages without illustrations, etc. But we
m u s t admit t h a t i t would do Christians some good to read t h e list of
indictments against practically every church, ruler, writer, etc., t h a t ever
did some wrong t o descendants of Abraham. T h a t solile of this is horrible beyond description no one familiar with what happened in Nazi Germany will deny. In the preface t o the list the author explains that he
really means t h e war of the Christ.ictn c7iz~rc7r.e~
against the Jew. He
pleads with Christians not to continue t o teach hate of the Jews in Christ i a n churches, seminaries, and Sunday schools. We believe t h a t in the
f u r y of t h e author's hurt, and we know he has been hurt for he dedicates the book "To the memory of my mother, victim of the f u r y of antiSemitic prejudice," he cannot be expected to understand either the Old
o r the New Testament. He accepts the Old bnt considers the New Testament a reason for anti-Semitic hatred among Christians.
On the second fly-leaf lie addresses Christianity with the admonition:
"Raise not your children in disdain of Israel; I say unto you, take out
t h e venom from your Scripture s o that m y people may live." This sounds
like a quote froill somewhere, but probably is meant to show the aim of
t h e book.
The reviewer is not going t o go into an apology for anything evil
done to these people known a s the Jews. A sample of the extreme evaluation of historic facts is this statelllent concerning Luther: "This terrible
lnan was a predecessor of Hitler." We would, however, like to say to
the people who read the review of this book t h a t the Christian church
a t all times should have said to Christians and what should have beer1
preached to all of the House of Israel. We say it, knowing that it will
be understood by the author a s another evidence of anti-Semitism.
TO all sincere Christians we will have to say that Cod has reserved
all vengeance t o Himself, and even where He sent the scourge of the
Babylonians o r t h e Nazis over His people, God will Himself punish the
wrong done to H i s people of the Old Covenant. The weight of God's
promise to Abraham, "I will bless thy blessers and curse him that curses
thee," is so great and so eternal t h a t it determines not only the destinies
of nations but also of individuals. But it must be remembered that the
leaders a n d the people of Jerusalem brought the weight of this statement on themselves in the terrible self-imprecation: "His blood COnle
Of
upon us and upon our children!" We know that Christ, the
came into His own and His own received Him not. We know that Peter,
full of the Holy Spirit, was not inciting t o a pogrom when he s a i d :
"Ye killed the Prince of Life. . . ." Peter was calling for repentance.
To all Jews goes the appeal: "Delieve on the Lord Jesus Christ and be
saved!" TO Christian and Jew alike it is said: "He that believes is
saved, he that believes not is damned."
T o the author and all his people we put the question: Do You agree
with what was done to Jesus of Nazareth? Do you still uphold the condemnation Pronounced on Jesus by the Sanhedrin? Do You still hold
Jesus of Nazareth to be a blasphemer because He h a s made Himself the
Son of God? Or, will the people of Israel, in a s s e m b l ~ ,declare t h i s
condemnation to have been wrong? This they could never do unless t h e y
confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. By t h a t confession they
would accept Him a s their Lord and God and would be true Christians. . . .
To all we must say, Never should a Christian preach Or practice
hatred toward the Jew, and never can anti-Semitism be condoned- E v e r y
Christian is unworthy of the name if he cannot p r a y for t h e people of
Israel: "Father, forgive them, for they know not w h a t they do.''
I t is, however, not anti-Semitism what God threatened t o those w h o
would not keep His covenant, as in Deuteronomy 28:15 ff.
I t is time that Christian people testified against anti-Semitism in
word and deed. The horrible things done t o those who a r e of t h e sane
race and blood according to the fathers a s our Savior have turned Godps
face away fro111 churches and churchmen in all generations. B u t y e t , so
to testify against anti-Semitism is t o confess Christ crucified a s M e s s i a h
and Lord of all men.
&Ilnrti?z J . N a z ~ ~ z a n n
PRINCIPLES O F BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION IN THE L
u
T
~
CONFESSIONS. By Ralph A. Bohlmann. concordia publishing
House, St. Louis. 1968. 144 pages. Cloth. $4.95.
For Lutherans who are perplexed and dismayed by t h e w a y the task
of interpreting the Bible has been needlessly complicated i n our day,
Ralph Rohlmann's book offers help and guidance which is urgently neededRecallse this book offers help and guidance for interpreting t h e B i b l e by
spelling out the principles of Biblical interpretation implicitly and explicitly colltained i n our Symbols, no Lutheran who takes o u r C o n f e s s i o n s
s~riollslywill fail to recognize that this book is a valuable c o n t r i b u t i o n
to the current hermeneuticai discussion,
I n the first four c h a ~ t e r s(Part I ) , "The Confessional View of Holy
S c r i ~ t u r e "is treated in a nlauner that takes into consideration e v e r y
significant statement of our Symbols, avoiding an imbalance of e m p h a s i s
that could result in a distortion of the Confessional witness c o n c e r n i n g
the nature. fullction, clarity and central lnessage of t h e Sacred S c r i p tures. Irrefutable evidence is submitted to show t h a t o u r Symbols cona i s t e n t l ~hold that the Bible is God's w o r d ( n o t i n some d e r i v a t i * ~ e ,
but jn the primary senfie of the term). and that o u r S y n ~ b o l sa p p e a l to
the Scriptures not only as causative authority, but as n o r m a t i v e a u t h o r i t y
in the Church.
~
-
Hook Rcvicltls
P a r t I1 of t h i s book deals expressly with "Confessional Principles
of Biblical Interpretation." T h e author shows howr our Synlbols, on tlie
basis of a proper understanding of the article of justification a n d of the
Law-Gospel distinction, proceed to pay due attention to grammar, to perm i t t h e Scriptures to interpret thenlselves, a n d t h u s derive the one and
only correct sense of t h e Biblical word precisely froill what is written.
This reviewer wonders whether it inight not be fruitful to explore
t h e significance of t h e distinctioil between the Zite1.02 sense and t h e si?u,ple
sense of words which secnls t o he suggested in t h e sermon of Luther on
Christ's descent into hell, which is quoted in part in Article IX of the
Formula of Concord. T h e literal sense of "He descended into hell"
would include merely t h e idea of local inotion downward without a reference to what was accomplished; t h e siw)ple sense i s that Christ destroyed
t h e power of hell, a sense which does not tell us what direction hell is
from here, but which does s a y soillething significant about what Christ
11. A . 1 1t~
h
did, and yields u s illarvelous consolation.
EVOLUTION A N D T H E TtlODERN CHRISTIAK. I3y Henry 31. Morris.
The Presbyterian a n d Reforilled Publishing Compaiiy, Philadelphia,
1967. 72 pages. Paper. $1.00.
I n its s i n ~ g l i c i t ya n d fidelity to S c r i p ~ u r e ,t h i s small book can do a
g r e a t service to all its readers. Any melnber of a Christian congregati011 concerned about t h e seemingly self-evident acceptance of t h e erolutionmy theories will find t h a t Dr. 3Iorris does not evade questions that
see111 hard to answer, but counters them with clear a n d simple statelnellts of facts froill t h e scientific data available to hi111 as a scielltist
a n d with t h e testimony of t h e ltrord of God wliich he knows to Bc? illfallible.
We respect Dr. Morris a s one of tlle inany believing scientists who
know by the Word, and by t h e faitli created by the Word, to quote the
B?-ief Btutentent. t h a t "God h a s created heaven and earth, and that in
t h e manner aiid in the space of time recorded in the HoIy Scriptlires."
A pastor could do his ~llernbers;t favor, and also help himself in his
work by distributing this booklet among his members, your^^ and old.
I t could easily be a n outline for a Bible class or course of instruct!oll.
Jfortira J. Suz~rnal1~?r
T H E RIGHTEOUSNESS O F T H E J<lNGI)O3I. 1)y IValter K;~uschenbusch.
Edited and introduced by Max L. Stackhouse. Abingdon Press. x ~ h ville and New York, 1968. 320 pages. Cloth. 165.95.
''ICingdom of God" was t h e key concept in tlic thinking of Kauschenbuscll, often called the father of the social gospel. I n the interacting
of t h e Kingdom with a n d within history he envisioned a theology sensitive to both Biblical concerns a n d social needs. So consuming was his
obsession with t h e latter t h a t for him everything in the Christian faith
h a d to be looked a t , filtered through, molded and tested by the determinat i ~ eprinciple of t h e Kingdom of God acting with its redern~~tive
and
(Cf,
R
~
u
s
~
h
e
n
b
u
s
c
h
'
best-known
s
work,
pubhealing power on society,
lished in 1917, A Theology for t h e socinl Gospel, in which he deliberately
seeks to adjust the chief articles of the Christian faith to conform to his
own theological system, the so-called social gospel.) As a result, salvation, t o his way of thinking, must focus on the social matrix of n ~ a n ' ~
existence and on the imperatives that the followers of Christ have been
given for living and acting redemptively in the structure and dynamics
of the home and family, in labor and industry, in government, in t h e
Cities, in education, etc. I t is hard t o escape the C O ~ C ~ Uwhen
S ~ Oread~,
ing Rauschenbusch, that the social order which Christians were to establish through the dynamic of the Kingdom of God which Was in thern
and of which they were a constitutive part, was in the final analysis
a utopian, messianic kind of theocracy. When ~ a n s c h e n b u s c hsaid that
"the Messianic hope was a revolutionary hope" (p. 731, he meant this
exactly in the terms that his modern counterparts and fellow " ~ r o ~ h ~ ~ ~ ' '
conceive t o be the mission of the church in the world today, "to found
a new society on earth" (p. 63). This was the church's redemptive task,
its main and only one, given by the Lord, "the establishment of the perfect theocracy" (p. 8 1 ) . "Christ's purpose," according t~ ~ a u s c h e n b u s c h l
'<was the establishment and extension of the Kingdom of God, t h e regeneration of human society" (p. 1 5 2 ) , and if this renewal w a s not realizable in every detail in this aeon, nonetheless it was to be t h e goalAs is Kenerally known, Rauschenbusch rejected Scripture's teaching
on the total depravity of Inan and substituted the social gospel f o r t h e
Gospel of the forgiveness of sins, thus hopelessly confusing sanctification and Justification, hopelessly distorting Law and Gospel by
scoping the one into the other. Irowever, when all is s a i d and d o n e
and these chief and vital ~ r i t i c i s ~ nhave
s
been leveled a t h i s theology,
t h e fact also ITmains that Rauschenbusch and his tribe, a n d what t h e y
for, may in a sense be said to prick the corlscience of every o n e
of Christ's followers as the unpaid debts of a church which o f t e n d i d
so little to alleviate the social evils against which h e was s p e a k i n g a n d
Addressing itself to the needs and dressing the wounds of t h e
sick
of lnankind have always been and still a r e among t h e p r o p e r
and respollsibilities of the church. Rauschenbusch c h a s t e n i n g l ~
reminded Christians of his day that they alolle really knew w h a t t h e
law Of love ll1ea11t. and, as he also correctly observed, "only a C h r i s t i a n
('all nlakc it tvork" ( P . 155)
There arc some powerful passages in this previously unpublished
manuscript. Especially eloquent and penetrating a r e ~ a u s c h e n b u s c h ' ~
indictnlents Of Christians and the Christian church f o r e a s y accornmodatlon to the secular realm, often to the great h u r t of o t h e r s in the
human family. Judgment narrows down particularly upon social rank.
wealth (where Rauschenbusch sou~ldsreinarkably like L u t h e r w h o likewise had his serious misgivings abollt the getting a n d possessing of great
when so man). of God's children were in d i r e w a n t ) , sex and
ram'iy* and the state. It is one these subjects probably t h a t t h e reader
wili
Rauschenbusch most stimulating, though a t tile s a m e t i m e his
imightsl
Fell
his exegesis, will often rightfully be open to challenge and debate.
Book Reviews
53
T h e pages of Rauschenbusch's manuscript lay apparently overlooked
for more than half a century, coming eventually into t h e American
Baptist Historical Archives in Rochester, New York, where they again
remained "buried" for a time. T h e editor, Max L. Stackhouse, Who revised the manuscript a t a number of places because i t was not i n final
form, notes t h a t it undoubtedly came from t h e early period of Rauschenbusch's life. If t h i s be true, then t h e r e is evidence for the early date
a t which his theology was formulated, as well as for the excellent litera r y quality of his style.
T h e interesting thing about the book, as well a s its most execrable
feature, is that i t sounds like a page out of contemporary theology
which, in i t s efforts t o renew the church, has shunted aside the Gospel
of forgiveness of sins through Christ and, like Rauschenbusch, chosen
t h e social matrix a s the redemptive message of the church for our day.
Both parties, Rauschenbusch a n d today's theologians of radical renewal,
have exalted man's inherent capacity for righteousness, wrongfully subdued the righteousness of God which is ours through Christ's atoning
sacrifice, and conceived of Jesus' work primarily a s a dynamic against
evil.
The editor provides a helpful introduction to the work, in which he
attempts primarily to demonstrate t h e continuing inlportance of the
thought of Rauschenbusch, ~>rofessora t Rochester Theological Selninary
until his death in 1918. Included with the introduction is a provocati~e
comparison between Rauschenbusch and Bultmann, both of whom operate
with the concept of the Kingdom of God as a kind of polar center for their
theological systems. With the index there is a bibliography, listing books
a n d articles by Rauschenbusch, truly an impressive production by a very
prolific writer.
E. F. K l ~ g
WARNINGS TO T H E CHURCHES. By J. C. Ryle. The Banner of Truth
Trust, London, 1967. 171 pages. Paper. 5s.
These essays written in the style of evangelistic preaching come orif?
inally from t h e last century a r e republished in England in conllcction
w i t h the decline of the churches in t,hat country. On that account, they
can still be contemporary in purpose. The author, who seenls t o be of
a n extreme free church bac.kground, is very harsh on what seems to be
every form of church governnlent in Great Britain. A main target of
h i s concern is the formalism of the church. This call for renewal can
be read with profit, especially by the pastor who wants to makc his
approach to his people a little n ~ o r efiery. Unfortunately the essayist
i s Overly embued with t h e spirit of anti-clericalisnl.
Duvid P . SCiLer
T H E FUTURE OF BELIEF DEBATE. Edited by Gregory Baum. Herder a n d Herder, New York, 1967. 231 pages. Cloth $4.95; Paper 82-45,
The God is Dead controversy among the Protestants is so well .situated in the limelight of religious news that the parallel nlovement in
Roman Catholicism is not receiving the attention that it deserves- The
E'utll~e of Belief Debnte would be comparable to the replies to B i s h o p
Robinson's position, published as T h e Ho,lest t o Gocl Debate. W h a t is s o
amazing is t h a t t h e barnacled Church of Rome, w i t h its firm dOglllatical
position, is being tossed around by a storm which is proportionately m o r e
severe than the waves which have continually beaten against t h e sides
of weather beaten Protestant denominations.
T h e 'Bishop Robinson' in t h e Rolnan Church is in t h i s Case Leslie
Dewart. Exegetically, he i s a Bultmannian in his desire t o f r e e t h e xew
Testament Scriptures of mythology. Theologically ( i n t h e narrow sense).
he is a Tillichian. Harvey c o x , ~ h t secq~E(lr
:
City theologian, writes, "But
in Conlparison with D e ~ a r t ' ~Tillich's
,
ideas seem calttious. It is De~ h i l o ~ ~
wart's God rather t h a n Tillich's who is 'beyond theism."'
i.e.. h e Calls into t h e question t h e philosophical basis of t h e Konlan Church which h a s relied so
heavily on St. Thomas Acquinas. n e w a r t has called f o r t.he dehellenization of Christian dogma, leaning more on a n existential a p p r o a c h I"
the "Afterword" Dewart favors a n d defends Descartes, t h e c o g i t 0 e r g o
s1lnl Dhilosopher, who really more than a n y one else is t h e progenitor
of conteml)ol'ary existentialism, cyen in theology. Missouri Synod Lutherans will bc particularly interested 111 t h e essay b y J a r o s l a v P e l i k a n f
who fill& I)ewartJs idea of t h e "hellenization of c h r i s t i a n i t y " and "oversim~ljficationand caricature."
course the older pastors a n d t h e @
logians will llnlnedintely recognize t h a ~newart's rnajor t h e s i s on the
of Christianity is rc~allya tllrowback t o Adolf V O n H a r n a c k
\vitll his world-shattering \17csrn cles (71i,.istentlrnfs.first published a r o u n d
t l l r r l of the ccntu~-y. This yolullle shows t h e Horllan Catholic theo
I n ~ i a n sa1.p wrestling with Illally issues tllat \vere once c o n s i d e r e d on13
dolllalll of t h e Protestants. F o r a fuller understanding of what r e a l l 3
is h a ~ ) j ~ ~ ninl ~
thrology
~f:
today, this book sllould be r e a d . T h e P a p e r
back 'clltion l)uts this book within tllr grasl, of rllost of o u r ast tors.
J 1 ~ 1 : iP
d . ,YcaCr
tally. he is existentialist a n d anti-scholastic,
JESIJ'S-GoD AXD M A N , n y \Volfhart Pannenberg. rans slated b y Lewi
L Wilkens and Duane A. Priebc.. \ycstlllinster P r e s s , P h i l a d e l p h i z
1 9 6 s 415 pages. Cloth. $ 1 0 . 0 ~ ) .
The jacket of this hook contains the endorsemeflt f r o n l Car'
]?ranten of the Lutheran Cjlurch in All~erica s t a t i n g t h a t t h i s is th
lllost significant hook in Christologp sillce Emil H r u n n c r ' s Y71e afediato'
T h i s is fin understatenlent! \Volfhart Pannellbel-g, w h o is making fc
hil~lsclfa nallle both here and in Europe, is one of t h e r i s i n g t h e o l o g i c r
l l ~ h t si n our Wneration His approach is basically different f r o m t h e ne'
of BrLlnner and Barth a n d the existenti*,I 1isin of B u l t m a n n E
he
historical base for the Gospel, The a u t h o r l e c t u r e s in S Y
rcnlatir lheolo6y and this volun~e t,elongs to t h i s field; h o w e v e r , h e ]
lor O n r e we hnre a European theologian who is lvilling t o t e s t t h e d o
n'atical C h r i r t o l o g ~of the church on the Scriptures t h e m s e l v e s a C C O r
Ing to I h e
critical method. Several of Pnnnllnherg7s c o l l c l u s i o l
be
shocking to those in our churcl, still unfamiliar VVil
the method.
Thug) Ior exam~le.the Virgin Birtll nf o u r L o r d and s o n
incidents, especially those concerning the apostles on Easter are considered legendary. To oppose this book or t h e author's intentions on
these bases would be extremely superficial.
Pannenberg, if we would dare classify him, belongs, at least in part,
to the tradition of the Heilsgescltichte school, which believes that behind
the Scriptures there i s real history. To arrive a t what really happened,
forrn criticism and any other valid tool of historical research rliay be
used. Though some of the results will not please the traditionalist,
others most certainly will. He finds quite untenable the method of
Kahler and Bultillann which contents itself with the Scriptures a s docunlents of faith and which takes a virtually agnostic stance to the question
of whether or not the events recorded actually took place.
Of deepest interest here is the question of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ. After a thorough discussion on issue of the traditions of the
empty tornbs vs. those of the appearances he concludes that these are
not opposing concepts but complenlentary. Paul, who is mentioned in
contemporary theology as not knowing about the tradition of the enlpty
tomb, is said to know about it, as he refers to Christ's burial in 1 Cor.
15:4. If there was no belief in t h e empty tomb there would be no illention of the burial.
The author's main intent is to write a systenlatical theology on the
doctrine of Jesus Christ and thus he follows a dogmatical outline rather
than exegetical, which would be limited to individual books or authors.
The doctrine of the atonement is understood in the substitutionary sense.
The phrase in t h e creed, "He descended into hell," is taken to iliean the
nadir point in Christ's suffering and 1 Peter 3:18f., which has been the
traditional se(1e.y docty-intac for descent, refers to a n actual proclalnation
of the Gospel for savings purposes, tfil~s indicating the universality of
the Christian message.
Also brought into the discussion is the area of the history of dognln.
Most interesting is the origin of t h e doctrine of the Trinity in its classical form. Of particular interest t o the pastor who has learned his doglllatics froin Franz Pieper's three volunles will be Pannenberg's cvaluation of those theologians so well known a t the turn of the century, but
so little discussed now. While both theologians give essentially the same
type criticism of t h e period, perhaps P a n n e n h t ~ g ' sis a little more helpful. Most of us can still recall Pieper's discussion of the sanctified "I"
(Icl~theologie) i n the Erlangen theology. Pannenberg, however, chides
the Erlangen theology for holding to practically all of the traditional
doctrines, including, as he illeiltions, the virgin birth, on the basis of
Christian consciousness. Christian consciousness or faith tells SOU nothi n g urlless there is a firm historical base. Those who like to COnlPare
notes will find that both Pieper and Pannenberg a r e equal critical of
the kenotic theory of the incarnation put forth by Satorious and
Thomasius along with others.
This reviewer has several criticisms of Pannenberg's Christology.
Christ as God is not really fully aware of who He really is till the resurrection. One gets the inlpression that what happened to Jesus on the
third
day
came as kind of a surprise or revelation not 0nlY to the disci-
Book Reviczvs
5
approach desires t o pool all missionary resources together a n d sees it
t a s k as related t o t h e specific problems of t h e world. David Stowe, a
executive for mission work in t h e N.C.C., mentions t h e following a
legitimate concerns for missions: knowledge explosion, secularity, cybei
netics a n d automation, communications explosion, cosmopolitanizatior
continuing education, nation-building, government planning a n d urban
zation. The second approach is what has been considered the more tra
ditional. Man is under sin a n d unless converted to faith in the Lor1
Jesus Christ is lost and without a n y hope of redemption. On t h a t accoun
Harold Lindsell deplores universalism, a type of Christianization of t h
world without individual commitment, a n d syncreticism, the concept tha
recognizes the validity of all be1iefs for salvation.
I n all there a r e six essayists. F o r each of t h e three sections then
is one representing the "ecumenical" a n d another representing the "con
servative." Every denomination and, in particular, every mission boarc
a n d individual missionary should a n d must have their own "philosoph~
of mission." While this volume does not give a n y pat answers, it offerr
t h e two options, and perhaps t h e only two options that can be chosen
T h i s book can serve a s a kind of check list for those mentioned abovc
a n d is really "must" reading f o r every mission board member. Pastoral
conferences would both enjoy a n d profit from a study of i t and theological
students should a t least be acquainted with its options before graduating.
Here is a t r u l y unbiased book. Not that nobody takes sides, but the
sides are identified and nobody really wins. Even if the effectiveness of
either approach is not answered by the essays, the editor, who kind of
stands in the middle, includes t h i s observation:
Almost two thirds of all Anierican Protesta~itmissionaries now
serving abroad have been sent by nondenoniinational societies, or
faith missions a s they a r e often called, a n d by denominations unaffiliated with the ecunlenical mainstream. No authentic theology
of missions would permit a n equation of effectiveness with numbers.
and so the significance of this figure can be easily distorted. Xevertheless, the sheer numerical strength of this conservative evangelical
enterprise is impressive.
nee riel P. Scaer
MAN I N GOD'S MILIEU. By Bastian Kruithof. Baker Rook IIousc?,
Grand Rapids, Mich., 1968. 1 4 4 pages. Paperback. $1.95.
Occasionally t h e droll business of book reviewing car1 beconie a little
exciting. A "sleeper" on the book market can stir even the rnost languid of
book reviewers a n d cause him to want to share the good news with his
friends. Bastian Kruithof, Professor of Bible and Religiorl a t Hope College
(supported by the Reforrlled Church in America), Holland, Nichigan, has.
in t h e opinion of this reviewer, produced that kind of hook with his escellently clear and penetrating study of Van i n God's S l i l i ~ u . I t is sensitively attune to what is going on around rllan in the .suerzrllln!, or world,
a n d deftly gets a t t h e critical interacting oi the Christian faith a n d culture, o r society. Kruithof takes up almost all of the subjects that nlnttcr
for the Christian in today's world. The problem of authorjty ln fll~l1'S
13ook Reviews
approach desires t o pool all missionary resources together a n d sees its
t a s k as related t o t h e specific problems of t h e world. David Stowe, a n
executive for mission work i n t h e N.C.C., mentions t h e following as
legitimate concerns for missions: knowledge explosion, secularity, cybernetics a n d automation, communications explosion, cosmopolitanization,
continuing education, nation-building, government planning and urbanization. The second approach is what h a s been considered t h e more traditional. Man is under sin a n d unless converted to faith in t h e Lord
Jesus Christ is lost a n d without a n y hope of redemption. On t h a t account
Harold Lindsell deplores universalism, a type of Christianization of the
world without individual commitment, and syncreticism, t h e concept that
recognizes t h e validity of all beliefs for salvation.
I n all there a r e six essayists. For each of t h e three sections there
is one representing the "ecunlenical" and another representing t h e "conservative." Every denomination and, i n particular, every lnission board
a n d individual ~ n i s s i o n a r yshould a n d must have their own " p h i l o s o p h ~
of mission." While this volunle does not give a n y pat answers, it offers
t h e two options, a n d perhaps t h e only two options that can be chosen.
T h i s book can serve as a kind of check list for those mentioned above
a n d is really "must" reading for every nlission board nieinber. Pastoral
conferences would both enjoy a n d profit from a study of it and theological
students should a t least be acquainted with its options before graduating.
Here is a t r u l y unbiased book. Not that nobody takes sides, but t h e
sides a r e identified a n d nobody really wins. Even if the effectiveness of
either approach is not answered by the essays, t h e editor, who kind of
s t a n d s in the middle, includes t h i s observation:
Alniost two thirds of all American Protestant niissionaries now
serving abroad have been sent by nondenoniinational societies, or
faith missions a s they a r e often called, and by denominations unaffiliated with t h e ecumenical mainstream. No authentic theology
of missions would perinit a n equation of effectiveness with numbers,
and SO t h e significance of t h i s figure can be easily distorted. Severtheless, the sheer numerical strength of this conservative evangelical
enterprise is irnl~ressive.
MAN I N GOD'S MILIEU. By Bastian Kruithof. Baker Book House,
Grand Rapids, Rlich., 1968. 1 4 4 pages. Paperback. $1.95.
Occasionally t h e droll business of book reviewing call become a little
exciting. A "sleeper" on t h e book market can stir even the niost 1an~;uidof
book reviewers a n d cause him t o want t o share t h e good news with his
friends. Hastian Kruithof, Professor of Bible and Religion at Mope College
(supported by t h e Refornied Church in America), Holland. Michigan, has,
in t h e opinion of t h i s reviewer, produced that kind of book with his escellently clear and 1)enetrating study of Man in god'.^ J l i l i ~ r t . I t is sensitively attune to w h a t is going on around marl in the sat.czilunz, or world,
a n d deftly gets a t t h e critical interacting of the Christian faith and culture, o r society. Kruithof takes up almost all of t h e subjects that matter
for the Christian in today's world.
The prol~lem of ai~thorityjn
mfiIl'8
k
thinking and knowing. The significance of God's revelation, where he
points out t h a t we a r e "alarmed when t h e Word of God is deprived
its objective validity a n d authority a n d is considered t h e Word o n l y
when i t comes to grips with t h e individual" (11. 4 3 ) . The problem of
evil in man's existence. The relation of t h e Christian faith and science
(Kruithof opens himself to challenge i n this chapter when he opts
days of more than 24 hours in the creation account and grants that
evolution, or some facets of it, m a y have been t h e manner of God's
creating). The need for the study of t h e humanities in a society so
strongly oriented to science and technology, lest there Occur "an atomization that defies the sense of wholeness" (p. S9). The aesthetic sensitivity of the Christian faith, which sees t h e close tie t h a t religion and
a r t Or art-forms have had in the past a n d which faces squarely the
truth that "if Christianity has its cultured despisers, it will not d o for
the Christian to returr, the colnplirnent" (p. 103). The clash between
Christianity and secularisnl, in which chapter the author argues
awareness of the fact that there is such a thing a s "holy worldliness*"
and that "religion concerned too rnllch with jtself is spiritual incest"
(P 112). In this connection the reminder, too, t h a t no ~ l l a t t e rhow dismal the future of the church lnay appear to some people today, "a
Church alive enough to criticize itself and t o withstand criticism is not:
in danger of being written off" (p. 115). Mol-eover, when it comes to
the clllestion of the relevance of the church a n d its nleSSage today, "that
all-important something is the urladulterated Gospel which alone can
heal the sickness of our civilizationw (D. 119). On the cluestion of ecumenicity: "-4 united front of the Church is not solidified if S c r i p t u r e
is watered down arid the basic confession is glossed over" (11. 1 2 3 ) Krllithof thinks that this can he achieved within t h e KCC a n d t h e WCC,
of which his church body is a ~nenlber. l[n that theologica.11~conlprO1nised
it is to be doubted that the church will find t h e most effective
vantage point from which to proclai~llthe Christian f a i t h , as h e c l a i m s He deals excellently with the subject of the ne\\? \.morality. Good, too,
is h i s defense of the kind of eschatology t h a t looks f o r t h e r e s u r r e c t i o n ,
retllrn
of the Lord. and heaven. though the 11latter of t h e r e s u r r e c t i n l l of the 1,ody is so~newhatby-passed.
The a l l t h ~ ) rstyle
'~
is crisp, clear, never horirlg. Ixe h a s a f a c i l i t y
for l i u t t i n ~his thoughts into virtual ap]loris~ns which cause t h e r e a d e r
t o want to hold on to them and use then1 again a s launching p a d s for
his
a n d preaching. 1V;C'hat marc? could be s a i d f o r a g o o d
l i t t l e "('ok w h i c h luakes S I I C ~ strong
~
tcstinlolly for the rele\-ance of the
"lristian
l n i t h than that i t for the rllost 1);1rt is ;i page out of one's own
heart and speaks as one would want to speak?
E . I;'. hrlun
-QND LEGAL R E S P O N S I B I L I T ~ . ~ d i t ~
byd P h i l i p E.
A ~ ~ l e t o n - C e n t u r y - ~ r o New
f t s . York, 1966. is alld 288 pages.
MORAL ''"I'Y
Paper.
A collection of legal cases is presented here interesting i n p o i n t of
the relation between moral duty and legal responsibility. The subtitle
of ihe book is "A Phil~sophical Legal C.sehook."
In t h e p r e f a c e the
--
-----
-- ---
Book Rcvie~j~s
.
.-
-- ..----
59
-
editor suggests t h a t the riierit of philosopliy lies in its abstract and generalizing character thereby presenting a sort of map, a framework of
concepts, within which questions of blame and responsibility can be discussed.
The first part of the volume presents cases which deal with t h e probl e ~ nof assigning responsibility. P a r t I1 concerns problelns of making
a n d justifying a judgment of legal responsibility. The sentence "It may
be t h a t rnen a r e sometimes held ~llorallyresponsible for their thoughts
a s well as their acts, but they a r e never held legally responsible for
them" (p. vii) show that t h e role of judgment a n d condenmation of
t h e courts of law of t h i s world i s within a much more liniited area t h a n
t h e one over which God, the all-seeing Judge, presides. There is an
interesting moral a n d philosophical aspect of t h e cases presented that
suggests to t h e Christian reader that the question of guilt a n d punishment on the basis of responsibility could be still better evaluated by
theology. Although 110 attempt is made to show t h a t this would be the
case, yet the reader theologically o r religiously interested must feel that
the term ?-esponsibility would gain in intensity arid weight of understanding not only i n the sense of responsibility for something, but in the
sense of responsibility to God. T h i s m a y not be the place to emphasize
t h e term ? . t s p o n s i b i l i t y to God, but it iilay be helpful to understand the
concept by analyzing it a s to its etyniological sense. Responsibility is
the ability to respond, to answer, it is "answerability" assigned to man
I)Y God who gave Inan reason a n d sense and the ability to speak in answer to God. RIan will have t o answer to God for everything, eve11
every word he speaks. >Ian's llnwilliligness to be responsible for and
to sorneone is a sign of the loss of the image of God.
Naturally the court of law can only be a din1 reflection of divi~itl
justice. Most of t h e cases presented in the book artb st~cli where the
judge did o r did not ( a s he should have) recognize moral obligations.
Although, a s a judge will admit, a certain appeal to the moral sense (:all
scarcely be denied i n certain cases, yet in a uurnber of decisions made
legally the rnoral or ethical value has to be overlooked. A decision solnetimes rnay be more a moral than a legal one, and cor~ldbe challenged
f o r that reason b y another court; sometimes it. is the other way around
a n d for that reason lwobably is not considered "fair" hy non-legal minds.
All the cases presented a r e interesting. They have not been strix~ped
of legal language, yet have very little jargon. There is a glossary of
sollle of the more technical terms as \\.ell as a list of Icgal abbreviations.
T h e cases range from the middle of the nineteenth century to our day.
A sensational case is the one of United States vs. IIolnles, 1842, a trial
of the niate of t h e shipwrecked "William Rrown" who caused fourteerl
inen to he thrown overboard when the overfilled lifeboat threatened
to sink and drown all the passengers in it. The accused was punished
hy six months' h a r d labor and $20 fine.
Introductions t o groups of cases a s well as comments by t h e editor
point out the difficulties in t h e majority of the cases centering around
,%I. d. S O ~ ~ ~ I ~ ~ Q T ?
the concept of responsibiljty and moral law.
*-
TO ADVANCE THE GOSPEL, Edited by R. Pierce Beaver. WnlEerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, 1967. 225 Pages.
Cloth. $5.95. Paper. $2.95.
T h e subtitle of this valuable sourcebook is: Selections n o n L
T h e now r a r e a n d important primary
source material of Dr. R u f u s Anderson has been edited w i t h a n
duction by R. Pierce Reaver, a n eminent historian of nlissjons at the
University of Chicago. I n a series of works Dr. Beaver is endeavoring
t o m a k e available source material on t h e rise a n d development of *lnerican missions. T o Advance the Go,ypeJ is his second i n t h i s series. The
first is Pioneers in Mission: the Early A~nericu?,.?dissionar?l Ordi7Lat'io'1.
W r i t i n g s of Rufus Anderson.
Sel-mon.~,CAorges nnd I?ztrodzcctions.
T h i s volume has been designed t o present t h e reader w i t h the
features of Rufus Anderson's mission theory. Dr. Anderson has been
described by his posthumous pupil, Robert E. Speer, a s " t h e most Original, the most constructive, a n d t h e most courageous s t u d e n t of missiona r y P O ~ ~ C whom
Y
the country h a s produced, a n d one of t h e two most
wxressive and creative adnlinistrators of missionary work."
calls hiin the "grand strategist of American missions."
H e further
cOmlX~!nt~:
"After ten years of 'apprenticeship' a s assistant secretary of
t h e American Roard of Conlnlissioners for Foreign Missions, Dr. Anderson was for the next third of a century in oftice a n d t h e n f o r another
fourteen Years in retirement t,he acknowledged theoretician of the An'eri(la11 lllissi(mary enterprise. . . . H e died acclaiined a s t h e r e s t o r e r of
the al~ostolicll~odelf o r n1ission.V
T h e editor's 35-page introduction is ;\,I excellent guide a n d e p i t o m e
of t.he subseclnent source inaterial. After :I short review of A n d e r s o n ' s
life ;uld work, he describes the lllission clilllate of ~ n d e r s o n ' s t i m e s tllerl Roes 011 to outline his lllission thought a n d u n i q u e c o n t r i b u tion in that area. T h e n comes t h e actual selection of R u f u s A n d e r s o n ' s
\vrit.ill~sthat CO\-er a \vide variety of
pertaining t o mission
t.lle()r~.polity and practice.
T h i s is
valuable hook for the student of nlissions and missionis a great Contribution ill its field, and Dr. B e a v e r i s t o b e
c'O1l'll'c.nded and 1lrf;ed to bring to light illore
illaterial w i t h r e g a r d
t u *'rncrican
NO missionary call now afford t h e l u x u r y of beIris iR'lO1'al't
o f the thought of one of the greatest missiologists in t h e
\vorld.
0 t t o G. H i n f z e
'
---
'''dI
IS
'
'r'vC) hvORI~1)8: A
6 3 $1 .i
St
_.
OF \ ~ I L I , I A ~sIHLER.
\~
Lewis
Concordia Publishing House, 1968. 199 p p .
BIOGRAPHI-
of thc? .\Xissouri Synod
the
rl'iidcr i l l 1 1llil)ortilnt I \ resourep for the interpretation of t h e histon
0 t
V
l i n the Anirriean Mid\vest alld particul:lrly of The Luth
"fill
('lll)rch-Alissollri Synod, The early history of t h i s synod has oftel
1"
"1's
bioi.ra~lll~
01 the first Vice
president
lllc Slnl~fordI"niversity Rroaissanee liistorian, Lewis S p i t z , o f f e r s
t'nT'
interpreted
jn
ternls of the
Central significance of C. F.W.Walther
Book Kevicws
William Sihler was, as Spitz makes clear, almost a s crucial for t h e early
development of the Missouri Synod a s Walther. Like Walther h e was
a n educator of pastors and a leading participant in most of the theological controversies in which the synod was involved during its early
decades.
The title of t h e book indicates that Sihler cannot be understood
simply a s a strongly confessional church leader in t h e "world" of American Lutheranism. H e was in his youth a citizen of another "world," the
world of early 19th century German Romanticism. Then he was a n admirer of I?. D. Schleiermacher a n d a budding literary critic. After an
a r m y career and a period of activity in Dresden in Saxony as a teacher,
Sihler underwent a profound experience of evangelical awakening, followed by a conversion to confessional Lutheranism.
T h e religious tensions experienced by Sihler were by no nieans
unique. T h e Walther brothers a n d their colleagues who accoinyanied
Martin Stephan to Missouri in 1839 had undergone similar experiences
-particularly
C. F. W. Walther. One can perhaps wonder whether
there is a possible connection between these experiences of profound
religious conversion and t h e ensuing deep religious or confessional cornmitlnents so obvious in the lives of Sihler and Walther.
Spitz gives great attention to t h e role of Sihler in the early development of the Synodical Conference. Sihler's "Theses Concerning
Church Fellowship," which were first presented to the Synodical Conference in 1873 as a comprehensive statenlent of t h a t organization's confessional principle, a r e reproduced in their entirety on pages 1 1 4 to 146.
They succinctly summarize the views of Sihler which were shared by
most nlembers of t h e Synodical Conference in that era. Ecclesiastical
Practice, according to Thesis six, shollld be in accordance with a church's
confession. According to Thesis five, churches should agree on conclusions logically drawn from the Augsburg Confession and not simply on
t h e statements of t h a t confession.
Sihler's commitment to t h e culture and Iilnguage of Germany arc
also carefully delineated. This ~ a r o c h i a lGcrman cultural natiunalislll
prevailed in the Missouri Synod until the end of the First World War.
Sihler was merely one of many German-American Lutherans who contributed to this situ a t ' on.
This volume can stand beside A. K. Wentz' biography of SamufBl
Simon Schmucker, Pioll.ce,- i ? ~Ch?-isli(ril Titzit y. a s an outstanding curr e n t contribution to the biographical analysis of Lutheranism ill the
19th century. Anyone who wants to understand t h e distinctive character
of t h e Missouri Synod, especially as it developed during the 19th cent u r y , will find this book a n invaluable aid for reflection.
J l r ~nt3? Il'ciY
ROOKS RECEIVED
(:\cknowledgn~~rltof
ii
prrclude
book docs
;I
rcvicw i n a s u b s w u e n t issue)
Gome. rrnmnll.ucl. B y Itichnrd I{. C a p m m e r c r , Sr. ( e d i t o r ) . ~ o n c o t d ~ a
Nouse, St. I ~ o u i s ,1913s. 168 pages. P a p e r . $2.75.
B y R o b ~ r tSyl\\-ester. Concordi? pub'ts'?T h e Stay?, of t l ~ cE a r l y G l t r i s t , i a ~~,'lt~~rclr.
~
ing I-Iousr, St. 1,ouis. 1968. I ' a p t r . 'L'cncllcr's Gnidc, 150 Pages ; $ l s t 5 , ; Pup"
r d i t i o n . 14!) pages. f 2.30.
I t c b c l l i o ~ i~t & t h e 1Vilderlle.gs. I<). (;ri)rgr. I\'. Coats. .\bingdon p r e s s , K3shvi11e'
l!)(iS. "SS 1I:lgc's Cllotl1. $(i.T,O.
Vision alld Tnctics Totcard .dn . . l d l ' l t C1burc)i. 1!y Gabriel JLoran. I I c r d e r and 'Iercler, New Yorli, 1368. 15s pages. C l o t h . $2.95. ( P a p e r , $1.95).
~~g
clod, t h e Atom., and tlrc ( ; ) ~ ~ L . c ~ s F . J;lmcs Iieid. Zondcrvnn p 1 ~ b l i s ~l'ouse'
G r a n d llapids, 196s. 240 pfiges. Cloth. $4.95.
T?)c Task (jf Plfilosopliical ~ h c o l o g ? , . 1 3 ~
C. J . C u r t i s . p h i l o s o p h i c ~ lrlillrarr*
T u r k , 1'367. 106 pages. C ~ o t l i . $4.50.
6'il.t: l'otcr T.ifc
Lift. 1 : ~IIcrnlan 1 ~(;oc.kcl.
.
Comcordia 13ublisbing House* St.
I ~ o u i s .19.f;~. 101 1,sgrs. Clottl. $:i.i.>.
~~roje!.vx;,,pl: .\\jptj,,.t,-,.. 1 : ~ .j:ll,l,bs 1,. t-;l:lssi,.
-\l)irlg-,jt)ll J ~ W S S . s ; l s l ~ ~ i l l cl!'Gs.
li4
ll:lp,c. (-'lntll. $:;.;>.
(=oncmunicatioa / o r the; C 1 ~ t c ~ ~ ] t : ]tnymc)lld I\'. 3rc1.aughli~l. Zonderl.Rn
i n g Itollsc!, (:rand Itapids, l!)(>s. 2 s pitgt?s. (:loth.
$3.95.
1 : ~ I\. Sl<eviugton m o o d . ITm.
7'hc R ~ c ~ - n i nNcort:
g
. f o h l ~ wcslf:!l, J:ca)lgcli,st.
E e r d r n a r ~ sl L u l ~ l i s l ~(lonlpnnS.
i~~g
( ; m l , d Rapids, 1967. 302 pages. Cloth. $4-96'
. E e r d m a l l s publish~ I , I ~ ~ . ( / c oIfcir
I I : of t h e IJlrp-itn)ix. c\. ]<ruest w. 13iicon. ~ V I I IB.
i n g Company, G r a n d 1:npids. I!)GS.
j S 4 Imges. Clotll. $3.05.
i
x
t t
i 1
s j
i
t lj?. ~ q d o l lm c i s h r i t . Concnrdia publishing
1It>usfb. St. I.ouis, l()C;S. ~ : S J 1\:3gcs. Cloth. $:;.SO.
Zondcrvnn l'ublislling lTouse*
7'ht: Sord,rcl,ook of ~ f l ~ ) ~ ~ , ) ,1- 3
, ~.T;llnps C . XIcfley.
1
i
s I S . 20; pngcbs. ('Inti!.
$4.<!>.
1
i
t f i
t i
1
.
B p .lames It. Ui.;hoP. %ondcrvan
1'1ll~lisllir1cJ lousr.. I ;rn ncl Jtal~icls. (;4 11:rgcs. Yapcr. !?Sf,'.
W i t J l 1ltr11ds of IJo,,c: I,c.*nolrs front, tllc ]~r,ol; of Jrosetl. l i y David i \ l h n FIubbard.
n7nl. )I. 1Scrtfrnnns 1'11l)lishing C ~ n l l \ : l n y . t : r n ~ l t l I t n [ ~ i d s . 1065. 114 pages.
l ' i ~ k ) ~ $1
~ . .!>:I.
1'~t'~))t:ctir.c.s.Yo. .i npld 1;.
I(? I.;\\.ald I J a s h : *qa!l 1'~s]-isit t,, J . . ~ 131-ot11cl-,v.
I-~
1. I
i r ~ ~ l ~ i ~ (:0lli.ort1i:~
lcr.
lpllt>]ipllingTlonsc,. St. 1-,ouis, In(%. 104 pagesl':l1lf*r. $1.2: ei\r11.
Ylt('fll/~!l!/ (t11d / ~ l l t i c sill ]*,ill), 1%). \.ictnr ~
~]"Il~llis-;ll,
~
l . \~
t)i~~
l g d o[lDrCRS,
~~
k N ~ - \ YI'clrk. incs. ::o& I,nce\-.;. (:lortl.
$,;.:I:.
7'llf: ('?-isis o j 13ict!/. 1:y I:)~>nnld (;, ~:l~~~~.~. wlI1, 1:. p:,.rd!~lans p ~ l t ) l i s l l i n g CornI'Rn?.
(;r;lllcl rt:t()icls. 10GS. 16s pages. ('loth.
F.7.50.
'l'l~cI I ? C . V , . ~ I ~(*,I{[;l,,/,
I O ~ I / ~ 1:). 1:. l i . Strxchnrl. \\'\'III. 1:. Ts>lrdmnr~s13ul~lisllingC()mpanYv
(;r;111(1l : ; ~ l ) i ~ h
I!)!;\.
.
12: ll:lK,ts,
1 ~ ~ $1, .c:.
~ ~ ~ ,
;Llco.~j Il-illr C t n i ) ~ r l i n i ~ ~ . !I:?
~ . 1:ctty i:;lrlsr,u. ~ o n d c t \ . : l l ll)1itJ1is~1ing louse. Grand
Itapi(1s. l f I I i $ .
C 2 l\nC,::..
])al~c.r. F I . O O .
l''nitlt 7')111t H ' / I , - ~ . I!.
dollri I.,. I:ir(j. % ( , n d p l . v ~ l]1l l l ~ l j j a l l j l l g] I o ~ ~ s c G
s,r a n d ~ l a l , i d ~ ,
l!Ifirb. $ 1 i [ l t l ~ i . ~ , p;,,!pr, $ 3 J3,
J*rnc'( rlll(l t h ~ ~ t i 0 1 r i. lvl 1'1-oplrcc,,. XI! ltlchartl
L)c]Ianu. Zonderrau publish(
,
.
1
Clot)), $C..>~I.
'!lie dyilr,llt 7')~c~~lstl11rl.?
S ~ d r ~ c j lSpctrk,
l,~
>
1 ; 1
, x o r l t l c n - n ~1~utilis1riug
l ~ ( ~ ~ (;r:lllll
l . i ~ ~li~>lli<ts.
.
~ : I G s . 14:) I l i l c ~ , q(:totll.
.
$:;.!I>.
f'r~n2ig31
<ln1l j:i'r~[rriion. I:y 1). C. Spallllc'r. % ~ n i l p f \ . x l l1>tllrlishin): IJo~lsC. G r a n d
1
, I
. 1 I
,
~ ~ ~ : j >, e , ~ r ,
7''lr
I'cl'sc?l nlr!l I.\.o,-l; O / t h c Ifoly Spirit, fiY 1 , \
~ o n ( 1 e r v n 1 1publisIling
Iicbllsc. c;r:ll~c! li~tpitlz.l(i(;S. 262 paKcs. c ' I , , ~ ~ , ,ss.g;,.
.' J'l)l'rfl' I'wnls I>?.
'rhatnns Jot111 Ceriisli.. \ ~ . j l l j n ~ I:.
n F~rtlm:l!is f'ublishing
'
I I
1
4 I
,
$1 ,n{,.
7 ' h c ';rc"t [,15''lt.
l , l r t l ( o ' find t h e R c f o m r ~ t i g , l . I;?. ,rnrncs L \ t k i n s i , n . W i l l i a m 13.
l ' l l l i '
1
: ;
a I
;
7
c l o t l ~ .$ 5 . 0 0 .
.'I1
';r"c:ilrl!l.
I;?. I t . I'kC'rcc JipaYrr, n-illinrn n, r&ri]nlans p l l b l i s h i n g Corn'
I
s i s . 7
,'31,cr,
$2.95.
7 ' h r S~t.oll(i I : p i , ~ t l t -o,! I'ctw rind i f l c ~ ~ , e , i ~ ~ , ~
It- V. G .
13y M i c h a e l G r e e n .
TR'k''r. ' ; c l l l ' r n l
l:rllt(ir.
rubltr;lliny:c
~(;rand R~a p i d s , ~
196:.
I!)? IIIICIT.. ~ . l ~ 11-Ill.
t l , $:;!I5
, f ( . I.>xr(lrll~~<
'
,
'
"
Books Reccived
Library, S e w York,
o f tibc S p i r i t . By Tnnia Krcjitor f l i ~ 1 1 ~ p 'L'l~ilosophical
.
19GS. SO pages. Cloth. $4.50.
Con W c Preach P l ~ i l o s o p l i ? ~ ?Cy K. L. J$razil. Philosophical Library, Xew York.
106s. 33 pages. Cloth. $3.00.
W h a t ' s Xcau I n R c l i q i o l ~ ? Dy K c n n c t h Hamilton. W I ~ .B. Ecrdmans I'ublishlng
Company, G r a n d Rapids. IDGS. 175 pages. Cloth. $3.95.
Il'h.e Infalliblc W o r d . B y The JIelnbcrs of t h e F a c u l t y of Westminster Tllcological
Seminary. Presbyterian a n d Reformed I P ~ ~ b l i s h iCompany,
ng
Philadelphia, 1946.
:!OS pages. Paper. $3.95. (Reissne)
~ Q T X ' S IZeligio?~of Rccolution.
By Gary S o r t h . T h e Crnig Press, SutleJ', x. J.,
196s. 253 pages.
Paner. S3.7;.
F@ir Sunsinc. B y J o c k P u r r c s . - _ T h e l3anner of T r u t h T r u s t , I ~ o n d o n . England,
1963. 206 pages. Paper. as.
Tourist I n Israel. B y S. AI. EIoughtor~. Tllc E a n n e r of T r u t h Trust, London, England. 1968. 220 napes.
P a n-~- r . AS.
- ~T h e ~ o o kof +Vlicn?i. B y T. Niles Bennett. Baker 13ook FIouse, Grand I:avids, 1968.
4;)
pages. Paper. $1.7.5.
From t h e Rock t o t h e Gates of Aell. R y Andrew W. Blackwood. Baker Book IIouse,
G r a n d Rapids, 1968. 127 pages. Cloth. $3.95.
I'oems of Protest and Faill,. Ily Calvin 3liller. B a k e r n o o k House, G r a n d H f l ~ i d s .
19GS. P a p r r . $1.50.
W i n n i n g u. FIcarit~y. E g liownrd K. LOX\-.
x l n . 1%.bJerdrnans Publishing C ~ m p a n ? ~ ,
(;rant1 Itapids. 3!)(;8. 1(;2 p t ~ g c ('loti].
~.
$:;.93.
:i Histor)) of Preaching. 1-01. I. By FAwin C. Dargan. 13akcr Book House, Grand
Rapids, 1968. 577 pages. Paper. $3.05.
T h e Familu I n Dialogue. B y .\. Donald Eel]. Zondervan l>llblisliing House, Grand
Rapids, 1968. 16s pages. Cloth. $3.0;.
Z'he Sermon. I t s I f o m ~ l c i i c n l Construction.
11. C. 11. Lenski. Baker nook
llouse, G r a n d Rapids, 1968. 314 pages. Paper. $2.05.
Alan's RcsponsibiZity.
By W i l l i x ~ n Osbornc. Philosophical Idbrary. 1963. 25s
pages. Cloth. $6.00.
Hltm?ls and t h e Faith. L!y E r i c lioutlcy. \Tm. U. Eerdlnans Publishiug CompanJ',
G r a n d Ilapids, 106S. 211 pages. Cloth. $4.95.
TIw W o r l d o lrt-The
JVorld of Y o u t h . 1!y P a u l -1. S c h r e i v o ~ e l . -1ugsburg P u b lishing Ifrksc. Minneanolis.
Clotll.
. . 196s. 69 ,,aces.
- l ~
I Ii. l o ~ ~1~il)rilr.r.
~ ~ ~ l ~X('U'
i ~ : Y~n rl k .
7 ' 1 1 ~1l'rsdonb of Cojldlri. l;yadJ'!)~ll~as I < ~ , ~ ~ ~l I~: ~
1967. 116 1)ages. C l o t l ~ . $ - . I . > .
Senbury l'rrss, Ken- York, 196s.
Readmess for Rcligio?~. Uy Itonald G o l d n l a ~ ~ n T11e
.
238 pages. Cloth. $4.50.
lieconceptifins Ilr (?I~ristlo?zI . R i l ~ k i l t ( ~ .
\V. Norninn 1'ittengt.r. Seaburs l'ress~
York, ]!)US. 127 pages. Cloth. $4.50.
C S. Lclcis's 'I'ill IVe I I a r c l'aces. 13p S a t h n n Colrlfort S t a r r . Senbury l'ress,
Tork, 1968. 24 pages. r a p e r . 85,'.
Daniel L1. Stcyick. S ~ a b n r yPress. S e w yorli.
D . P'. Ski?raor'a JVaZden
1963. 31 pages. Paper. bar,.
A*.ch Books, S o i e s E . Concordia Publishing House, St. T~ouis,1965. E a c h 35C.
Tile set : L"0
15%' I'acation Biblc School Kit. Concordia publishing Ilousc, St. LOUIS,19(;S. $5.95.
James L. Kelso. Zonderrnn Publish
drchaeoto y and t h c Ancient T c s t a m s n t .
i n g ~foust., G r a n d IIapids, 1968. 214 pages. Cloth. $4.95.
s t u d i e s in ti& L i f e o f Christ. n y C. F r a s e r Keirstead. Whitternore Associates,
n
Mass., 1'365. 64 pages. Paper. 056.
Inc., x c e d l ~ e ~Ileights,
'i'lte Encounter i l e t ~ c . ~Christianity
~~$
and 1:aith. By Richard Eube. W m . B. &rdnlans Pnblisliing Company, Grand Rapids, 196s. :ilS pages. Cloth. $5.06.
Borlr
-
--
-~
&
23