Charles

On the cover of this book we read, “Why do we buy what we buy, vote the way we vote, eat what we eat and say what we say? Why do we have the friends we have, and work and play as we do? It’s our choice? Yes, but there are forces, often unseen, that shape every decision we make and every action we take.” That is an overwhelming and sweeping statement but it is absolutely true. The tragedy of this is for those of us who are Christians, who are to be self-controlled and alert and aware of the dangers and temptations in this spiritual warfare, we are not generally conscious of the forces moving, shaping, and influencing our lives so we continue to exhibit lifestyles that do not always coincide with who we are as Christians.

One of the main things that has driven our ministry at CEP over the years and continues to motivate my own personal ministry is the need for Christians to understand the kingdom world and life view as we call it. We have recommended, during that time, some excellent books on worldview. Our aim has always been to help Christians develop a Christian mind that knows how to understand the importance of worldviews and their impact on the lives of those holding them.

Many of those outstanding books have taken a more philosophical or apologetic approach for example: Christianity’s worldview or Islam’s world view, or the secularist worldview. They are crucial in our spiritual development of thinking with a transformed mind. With those types of world view it is easy to say as a Christian I am not influenced by Islam or the New Age or the secular worldview. But what this book represents are those “hidden worldviews” that impact our lifestyle as Christians almost unaware. I would say there are two levels of worldviews, the one being the philosophies and religion category, but the other refers to those hidden worldviews that impact our everyday lives, even as Christians.

Sanford and Wilkens have identified eight more culturally oriented worldviews that subtly work their way into a Christian’s mind and heart thus impacting their daily lives and often without ever giving them a second thought. Things like: individualism or consumerism, or moral relativism, or postmodern tribalism, as it is called. These hidden worldviews have the power to knock us off course in our Christian life and actually cause us to betray who we say we are and what we are supposed to stand for. The authors clearly describe their book by saying that it is an apologetic approach with a different twist. “Too often we assume that non-Christian worldviews stay safely on the other side of the church door. As you will see in this book, we believe that this is far from the case.”

If we could get Christians to self consciously realize that how they dress, what we buy, choices we make, and the whole cultural maze stuff that becomes part of our lives happens because we do not embrace or practice a consistently Christian worldview; hence we are no different from the world around us, often even in things like our worship style. The authors point out, and rightly so, because most of the worldviews identified in this book are not the more intellectual ones, they often fly below the radar screen and “they find their way behind the church doors, mixed in with Christian ideas and sometimes identified as Christian positions.” They are real competitors with Christianity and they stake their claim on the lives of Christians and nonbelievers alike.” page 13.

I also found the book to be “fair and balanced” in that it not only identifies the dangers of these worldviews but highlights some positives from them as well, which we need to hear. The chapter on postmodern tribalism is a chapter that every leader in the PCA should read carefully and discuss with other leaders.

I very much appreciate their development of the Christian worldview in chapter 10. If I were arranging the book I might have started with that as our base; nevertheless, it is a most helpful presentation in identifying that worldview.

I have recommended it for Sunday school adult electives, or small group study and discussion, as well and one’s on personal reading and study. I would definitely include this in my list of my top ten books on worldview.

I have thought this for a long time and am generally hesitant to mention it because it could be taken as a sign of spiritual pride. I do not mean it that way but I have wondered for many years, why more and more Christians do not embrace Reformed theology as a framework for their understanding God’s truth, the Christian life, his Kingdom, and a world and life view. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice and follow me…” Could it possibly be one of the spiritual gifts which is not given to everyone? Like the Corinthian experience, spiritual gifts caused great conflict and schism in that church and has since. But the Reformed faith is not listed among those gifts in the Bible or is it? Could embracing the Reformed faith possibly be connected with the gift of discernment? Like the other gifts listed, gifts are to glorify God and build up the body but as we learn in the New Testament, sometimes gifts can be misused, misunderstood, and can cause problems in the family of Christ. We understand that. But why write this which may or may not have any validity? Simply because after reading through this book, Glory Road, I asked the same question over and over that I asked above. Why are more Christians not Reformed in their theology?

This is a most encouraging book, one that warmed my heart, not only because I know some of the contributors personally and others less intimately but because of what they are writing about. As the editor Anthony Carter writes in the preface, this book is about ten African-American Christians who have hearts for biblical theology and the desire to proclaim the Reformed faith among African-Americans. Carter is also one of the contributors. As the sub-title says, this book contains the testimony of 10 African-America Christians, preachers and teachers of how God brought them to embrace the Reformed faith, its doctrines of grace and biblical theology as well.

Ken Jones, one of the contributors who wrote the introduction has said that this volume is about contemporary Christians who are not ashamed to embrace Reformational Christianity which he said is not only rare for American Christians today, but it is twice as rare for an African-American Christian.

He continues to say that so many African- American Christians are Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist, quasi-Pentecostal, or into the Prosperity or Social Gospel. From that Jones lays out a good three point outline on Reformed theology. He says that so much of African-American Christianity has been caught up in a type of liberation theology that is simplistic, superficial, and shortsighted. (At this point we recommend reading Anthony Bradley’s Liberation Theology reviewed in the last edition of Equip to Disciple). By the way Anthony Bradley is one of the ten contributors. Bradley, who has taught at Covenant Theological Seminary and now is at Kings College in New York, has spoken at a number of our CEP conferences on training youth leaders and discipleship.

Jones closes his introduction with a good word with which I agree, having read the testimonies, “I must hasten to add that this book is not just “a black thing” with no relevance or bearing outside the black church.”

Buy this book!. Read it joyfully and thankfully for what God is doing among these brothers and their ministries. With all the chaotic cacophonous things being taught in the name of religion and Christianity, pray that God will challenge and use all who identify with biblically Reformed Christianity to make his truth known throughout all the earth.

With all that is going on in our world today, especially in what we would call the religious area, though all areas are, specifically referring to the growth of the greatest threat to Christianity and certainly to the terrorists who are emerging more and more from within the religion of Islam, Christians in the West and especially in North America need to be alert, with eyes opened, and informed minds as to why Islam is such a danger and threat to Christianity. Though Timothy George wrote this book several years ago, I had not read it until recently as a result of reading the second book by Peter Hammond reviewed below. I have appreciated George’s stand on numerous issues and his leadership among evangelical Christians. I was intrigued by the title. On the surface it sounds as though it is a trick title, which it really is not; however, the answer needs to be carefully considered. I agree with Patrick Johnstone, author of Operation World, “A must for Christians seeking to understand recent events and face the future with a new confidence in the efficacy of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Several years ago I was asked to address a think tank kind of conference made up of political leaders, local leaders, and church leaders. My topic was “the state of Islam in America.” As I began my presentation I made the statement at the outset, ‘please understand that the god of Islam is not the God of Christianity.’ I actually was surprised at some of the non-verbal reactions to that statement.

The answer to George’s question is yes God is the father of Muhammad, as he is the God of every man for Muhammad was only a man. But, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is not the god of Islam nor Muhammad’s religion; yet as George clearly points out, there are many similarities between the two. This is definitely a moment in time to read this book, especially in light of all the recent terrorist related events.

George explains how he came to be interested in the Islamic religion and why it is extremely important for us to understand it. Daily we are hearing words such as: jihad, Islam, Taliban, Allah, Quran, fatwa, imam, ummah, Ramadan. The question that we must ask is George’s question, “How are we to understand Islam in light of the Christian faith?” Growing out of that George poses and then throughout the book, seeks to respond with other questions such as: “How can we talk about Jesus with our Muslim neighbors?” (assuming we talk with them). “Do we worship the same God they worship?” “What do Muslims think about Jesus?” “Which beliefs do we share in common with Muslims and where do we differ from them?” “How should we think and pray about the Christian mission to Muslims?” And then, “If Islam is a “good and peaceful religion as many have suggested-why are so many Christian persecuted and killed in Muslim countries because of their faith?”

In this book George attempts to answer these questions which I believe he has done clearly and successfully. Even though Islam is a false religion from the Christian perspective, we must realize that not all Muslims deserve angry condemnation. We do need to dialogue with them and build bridges in order to share the good news of the Kingdom with them. (I am presently reading a recent book entitled They Must be Stopped by Brigitte Gabriel in which, growing out of her first hand experience having lived in Lebanon, the author challenges us to stop the Jihadist terrorists and their growing threat to the Western world and especially Christianity. She along with George agree that there are many peace loving Muslims but within that religion there is a growing number of extremist who are even at war within Islam with those Muslims who are not terrorists or extremists.).

Each of the seven chapters makes significant contribution to the overall purpose but especially do I appreciate chapter 5, ‘Jesus with Freckles.’ In that chapter George deals evenly and balanced with the challenge of tolerance and intolerance. He points that there is a right kind and wrong kind of tolerance and we must carefully distinguish and discern the difference. He also distinguishes the difference between the Islamic religion and Christianity which is a redemptive religion. Though Islam in its Koran and other religious writings contain many references to Jesus, it does so only to see him as a prophet, a man like Muhammad. This is an important book for Christians, especially Christian leaders to read.

What sparked my interest in finally reading George’s book was having read another book that came to my attention, Slavery, Terrorism, and Islam by Peter Hammond. Seeing the forward by George Grant, author of Blood of the Moon, which we sent to each PCA pastor years ago when it was published, having read an article given to me by Hammond on the strategy of Islam, I found this book intriguing and strategic.

It would be difficult to make a choice between Hammond’s or George’s book. There are similarities and enough differences that I recommend reading both. Hammond has more of an historical survey even including a chapter on how the reformers, Luther and Calvin, dealt with Islam in their day.

While I am not a prophet, when I see what is happening in Europe and Great Britain and the Netherlands for example regarding Islam and its Sharia law emphasis, unless we wake up and see a great turning to the Lord, I believe Europe today will describe America by 2020. As Hammond says regarding Europe, it is committing spiritual suicide by turning away from Christianity and that is the pattern in our own country. Hammond, a South African missionary in Africa says: “If we truly want to uproot the support bases of such terrorism (referring the Islamafacists) and implode the regimes that persecute Christians, we need to get really serious about the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ…The only reason why the devil is so often winning is because the Church is so seldom fighting.”

Hammond’s development of the pattern of Islam as it grows in various countries is alarming and should serve as a call to arms, especially as we see the Islamic faith,especially with its extreme Jihadists so present in our own country and read about in England’s struggle with Sharia law.

This book contains a helpful glossary of Islamic terms as well as a who’s who list in Islam today. We must not be ignorant concerning this religion that has America, Israel, and Christianity as its enemy targets. One side note-as I have studied Islam, especially in recent years, I have found that if we can understand the Muslim faith, it will challenge us to see that Christianity is really a world and life view, a kingdom religion. As a matter of fact, Islam may be more successful at seeing their religion as a world and life view religion than most Christians. Personal friends who are actively engaged in ministry to the Muslims tell me that the Reformed faith, with its kingdom world and life view perspective is the most effective means of dialogue and witnessing to the Muslims. These books will better instruct us to that end. The question we face is, “will we rise to the challenge and opportunity?”

Anothervolume in the InterVarsity Pocket Dictionary Series. Some of the other titles that we have mentioned include: History of Evangelical Theology, Guide to World Religions, Apologetics and Philosophy of Religion, Ethics, New Testament Greek, Biblical Hebrew, Ethics, Church History, History of Theology are among the other titles.

These are helpful and handy little guides in the various titles mentioned. They are easy to use and generally not superficial as you might expect in a pocket type book. For example: in the Liturgy and Worship, you can find a quick definition and reference to Reformation Day or the Reformed Order of Worship or the Regulative Principle of Worship. John Witvliet of Calvin College says, “One barrier to deeper understanding of historic worship practices is the complex terminology these practices generated.”

In the Biblical Studies volume you will find a definition of terms such as: syncretism, Noahic covenant, Dead Sea Scrolls, theophany, ecclesia, to name a few of the over 300 terms. For more scholarly research one would want to refer to the expanded dictionaries but for quick easy reference, these little books can be of much value to the Bible teacher or student. As you read in the area of biblical theology, this little book can be an easy to use guide to relevant terminology. They are also affordable editions for one’s personal library.