Book Reviews

Dr. Cornelis Van Dam, professor of Old Testament at the Theological College of the Canadian Reformed Churches in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada has written a very helpful and informative work entitled The Elder. This book will serve professors, students, pastors, and laymen well in their understanding and application of what it means to be a servant leader elder in the Church of Jesus Christ. Admittedly, the range from professor to laymen is a wide one, but Van Dam’s style, reliance on Scripture, and clarity help him pull this off.

As I read the book I found it exceptionally helpful in a number of ways. Therefore allow me to take a few of the most salient points I discovered in this work and exposit them briefly. Van Dam’s work is divided into five major parts or sections: An Introduction, the Old Testament origins of elders, the concept of continuity and transformation between the testaments, the elders as preservers and nurturers of life in the covenant community, and what it means to maintain and build on this heritage. The sub-title of the book gives us extra insight into the scope and intent of the author: “Today’s Ministry Rooted in All of Scripture.” Again, Van Dam delivers what he promises in that he demonstrates how the office of elder is truly found throughout the scriptures.

By way of general comment, I’ll begin by saying that this book will be an exceedingly valuable tool for all who are serious about the ordinary means of grace ministry described and prescribed in Scripture. Van Dam clearly and cogently delineates the duties of a biblical elder as well as his importance for the proper and decent functioning of a biblical congregation. But he does far more than this. For example, he engages the reader regarding the nature of an “ecclesiastical office,” which is a subject that is in dire need of thorough biblical examination in the twenty-first century Church. There exists a lack of understanding regarding the nature of the office of an ecclesiastical office bearer and, as often as not, the biblical elder is not treated with the respect his office demands.

After the author has laid the groundwork of the nature of the office, he moves to an exposition of the “shepherd” and his flock, including an explanation of what it entails to be under-shepherds of the “Good Shepherd.” What significantly bolsters Van Dam’s case is that he writes this book in concert with Scripture. The reader discovers a treasure trove of scriptural references throughout the work. His exegesis is solid and the texts cited are always pertinent and germane. In other words, what Van Dam gives the reader is not his opinion, but rather he opens the riches of Scripture for us and points us to the treasures and benefits that accrue to believers from the God of the covenant of grace. He makes it patently clear that elders are not merely a New Testament phenomenon, but that they have deep roots in the Old Testament economy.

In the second part of the book, the author devotes quite a bit of time discussing elders as “leaders” and “judges” in the Old Testament and how that played out in the lives of God’s people. He explains their tasks and how they rose to positions of leadership from among the tribes and clans of Israel.This Old Testament background, should not, according to Van Dam, be viewed as discontinuous, but rather should be viewed as the Older Covenant counterpart to the New Testament reality of elders. In other words, Van Dam asserts that within covenant theology there is a strong strand of continuity that gives an overarching unity to Holy Scripture.

Part 3, Chapter 6 is particularly insightful as it treats the distinction between Teaching and Ruling elders as well as some of the most salient of the practical/spiritual consequences of this distinction. He is well versed in this difference and provides a very helpful and informative chapter on the subject. Of particular importance is the emphasis placed on the mutual respect and good working relationship between Teaching and Ruling elders. In the modern Church, this harmonious relationship is not always the case. Younger pastors and church planters will benefit from this clarification and it will provide them with a strong foundation when they go to their respective congregations. It is heartening to find Van Dam spending time on this feature since it is not often discussed in much detail in his Reformed church affiliation. It is more than gratifying to note how truly knowledgeable he is on matters outside of his own ecclesiastical circles.

Chapter 7 contains a discussion that far too many do not understand and apply today: The place of elders in the administration of the “keys of the kingdom.” Because the biblical concept of the keys of the kingdom is rarely discussed, few today have given ample serious consideration to how this plays out in a local congregation. The book will be invaluable to those people and to those who simply need to refresh their memories on what Jesus meant when he gave the keys of the kingdom to the Church. Van Dam’s account is both clear and concise. He accurately delineates how the exercise of the keys of the kingdom functions within a local covenant community (congregation). Understanding the place and importance of the keys of the kingdom is a highly valuable tool for local congregations as it teaches them about true, biblical submission to their respective elected elders.

Also in Part 3 the author devotes a section explaining precisely what biblical ordination is and particularly what the “laying on of hands” at ordination signifies. He provides the Old Testament background for the practice, which also puts it into the New Testament perspective. Before he concludes Part 3, Van Dam takes the time to tie the section together by sketching the relationship among elders, the keys of the kingdom, and the congregation.

Part 4 aims at more application of what has been discussed and described previously, thus functioning as a building block in erecting his biblical argument. The focus in this part is on elders as “preservers” and “nurturers” of the congregation’s spiritual life and development. This is highly important for a number of reasons, but two immediately come to mind. First, elders should be at the forefront as those who preserve the scriptural and confessional tradition of the congregational members. Second, the elder should be prepared to nurture the congregation scripturally and confessionally in order to aid them in their spiritual growth and maturity. The author opens with a chapter directed at what it means concretely to rule and to have authority in the congregation. First and foremost, Van Dam explains that ruling well entails loving leadership. This, too, is an indispensable characteristic of an elder, since he needs to be empathetic with those entrusted into his care and patient with them in their spiritual development. Closely following upon this requirement is the recognition by elders that they are “stewards” of God’s house. In addition, they have been entrusted with the gospel for the edification of God’s covenant people. The upshot of Van Dam’s statements is that “office bearers are essentially dealing with family members, as a father deals with his children.” (140.) Thankfully, Van Dam has touched on the notion of stewardship because it, too, is not often mentioned either in terms of the Christian life generally or the role of biblical elders specifically.

Chapter 9 changes the spotlight’s direction and concentrates on the elders’ “self-watch.” He derives this concept from Acts 20:28. Certainly, keeping watch over his own life and spiritual development is an essential aspect of the elder’s calling. Knowing that he will be “targeted” by the forces of evil, he must ensure that he makes regular and frequent use of the ordinary means of grace provided by God and then passes those benefits on to God’s people. Van Dam draws two fundamental and basic recognitions from the Acts 20 text: “First, elders will do everything without their power to make sure that their lives are focused on Christ.” In other words, he calls elders to a consistent spiritual walk themselves.

Second, he states, “the realization of their own limitations will make elders sensitive to the struggles of those in their charge.” (161.) Biblical elders are not meant to be figureheads or mere “appointees,” but rather they are called to be empathetic towards those under their loving care. Van Dam proceeds from the premise that biblical elders will be elected by the congregation and not appointed by the pastor to serve as a cadre of “yes men.”

In summary,elders should lead, gather, and nurture the flock with which they have been entrusted in a very conscious, deliberate manner. They are to point God’s people to Scripture and patiently provide positive encouragement to the congregation in its walk of faith.

Part 5 is entitled “Maintaining and Building on the Heritage.” Here Van Dam touches on two “hot button” topics, namely female elders and the issue of elders for life. He is aware that “Our present egalitarian culture has asked why women cannot be elders.” (207.) The question is asked whether the texts in Scripture prohibiting women to be elders and ecclesiastical leaders are not culturally bound. Moreover, “Does not limiting the eldership to males unjustifiably exclude the use of the gifts that women have to offer the church?” (Ibid.) Certainly, these are questions that are alive and well in the modern Church. There are many services a woman may render and perform in the local congregation, but serving as an elder is not one of them. Van Dam states that while the cultural context is an important matter in these discussions, more important still is “what Scripture itself tells us about changing contexts and the unchanging demands of God.” (208.) To make his case against ordaining females as elders, Van Dam takes the reader on a brief excursion through 1 Timothy 2:11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:3-16, and 1 Corinthians 14:33b-35. His arguments are convincing and succinct. Therefore, he concludes that even though a woman might serve as a CEO/CFO in a business, she is prohibited by the Word of God from serving as an elder-either Teaching or Ruling.

It is not as if, however, Van Dam’s treatment of this subject is purely negative. The exact opposite is the case. He devotes an entire sub-section dealing with “The Participation of Women in the Church.” Nevertheless, the author’s conclusion is that “Scripture teaches and requires a male eldership.” (217.)

After this, Van Dam tackles the question of the “tenure” of elected elders: Should it be Definite or Indefinite tenure? In other words, is the concept of elders for life a correct one? Here the author walks us through a very interesting history of the question going back to Scotland and The First Book of Discipline (1560) and moving forward from there. His explanation is both worthy of note and informative regarding the question of elders for life. In terms of the experience on the continent in dealing with this matter, Van Dam points out that “the Provincial Synod of Utrecht declared in 1612 that it was desirable for elders to be chosen for life although the synod recognized that this was no longer possible and thus accepted the established practice of eldership for a definite term. However, in the province of Groningen elders were chosen for life until the end of the eighteenth century.” (220.) At the end of the discussion, however, Van Dam is forced to conclude that “there is no clear biblical instruction that the eldership must have an indefinite term” (224) and that “one must be careful not to force the issue and insist that an eldership of indefinite tenure is the only right way.” (225.)

The final chapter deals with the matter of “The Privilege of the Eldership.” This privilege is twofold: First, there is the privilege of being an elder in the Church of Jesus Christ and second, there is also the privilege that a congregation has to have elders. (227.)

The Elder also contains a series of discussion questions in the back of the book on each chapter making it suitable for study in small groups or in Session/Consistory meetings. It also contains a list of other resources dealing with the elder for further study.

In conclusion, let me unequivocally state that I am convinced that this book should be read and re-read simply because there is so much biblical helpful information contained in it. Moreover, I highly recommend this to pastors, church planters, students, and the man and woman in the pew. I recommend that those teaching pastoral theology add this book to their required reading list. Dr. Van Dam has performed a great service to the Church of Jesus Christ with this excellent book.

Anthony B. Bradley has done what I thought needed to be done since I first read some things by James Cone. The late Harvie Conn and several others have written effectively on liberation theology demonstrating its Marxist underpinnings but when the most recent political campaign was in full swing and people such as Jeremiah Wright came to the forefront, I was reminded that liberation theology is still alive in the black community. Bradley did his doctoral work at Westminster Theological Seminary Philadelphia and now has become one of the outstanding voices among young African Americans committed to the Reformed faith and Kingdom world and life view.

He was the obvious one to write this book. Wy Plummer of the PCA Mission to North America was right on when he said that Bradley unapologetically maintains a biblical, orthodox perspective while at the same time had some sympathy for the issues and concerns raised by black liberation theology. He has taught at Covenant Theological Seminary and presently professor of theology at Kings College in New York City.

There are so many outstanding things in this book that I hardly know which to highlight to encourage you to read this book. With the things going on in the United States today politically, as well as theologically, this book is needed to help not only black America but each of us to know how to think, assess, and conclude with an understanding of biblical Christianity and the orthodox faith. (Notice I said “orthodox” not “neo-orthodox.”) So much of black liberation theology is a reflection of Neo Orthodox theology combined with the Marxist socialistic foundation. Bradley is to be commended for taking on this topic and fairly dealing with it.

His focus on the real problems in that line of thinking is most perceptive, descriptive, and prescriptive. His understanding, explanation, and results of the “victimization” philosophy of that theology and how it has permeated so much our present culture are outstanding. For example, Bradley says while black theology affirms blackness, that theology should not be construed as an antiwhite reactionary theology…It is not merely a reference to skin color but rather a symbol of oppression that can be applied to all persons who have a history of oppression such as homosexuals. From oppression as the starting point, Bradley explains how from that starting point, the theology is formulated.

One of the observations is that in dealing with black’s circumstances and trying to apply the Neo-Orthodox/ liberal Marxist scenario, the problems are simply proliferated because it ultimately addresses the wrong issues today. Again an example is how the focus of victimization actually keeps racism alive today and hinders any real working together with the white community.

Bradley not only critiques that theology, he offers some prescriptive ideas necessary for black theology to be reconstructed. He mentions the following as presuppositions for a new black theology: the absolute triune God as the starting point, the absolute primacy of biblical authority, human dignity grounded in the image of God, rediscovering a biblical doctrine of sin, personal and social justice in line with the redemptive mission of God. Bradley points out that any right understanding of justice must be built on man in God’s image and the redemption required to reverse the fall into sin. The concluding paragraph in this book sums it up. “All true liberation, biblically speaking, flows from the sovereign God of redemptive history, incarnate in Jesus Christ, so that humanity and creation conform to the will and glory of God revealed in Scriptures.”Read this book and encourage others to do the same.

Over the past decade we have heard and read about the emerging church movement’s dissatisfaction with the traditional church. And in return, those of us who are in the traditional mainstream question how far the “emerging church” will push the bounds of orthodoxy? Jim Belcher, in his award winning book, Deep Church, seeks to define the issues separating the emerging from the traditional and then to chart a third way embracing the best from both camps.

As a self confessed insider/outsider, Belcher begins with his own story of discontent with traditional evangelicalism. He and his friends were put off by what they saw as weaknesses in the traditional church such as: a narrow view of salvation, belief before belonging, ineffective preaching, and weak ecclesiology. In his search for a more “authentic Christianity,” Belcher became friends with a number of the leaders of the emerging church so he understands the what and why of the movement. As an outsider, he has embraced reformed theology and ecclesiology as a PCA pastor and church planter.

Given Belcher’s perspective, Deep Church is an excellent survey and tutorial of the issues dividing the emerging church and the traditional church. To his credit, he does not lump all emerging church practitioners into one camp, but follows Southern Baptist Missiologist, Ed Stetzer’s sub-division of the emergent church into the relevants (eg. Mark Driscoll, Dan Kimball), the reconstructinists (eg. Alan Hirsch, George Barna), and the revisionists (eg. McLaren, Pagitt). Belchers’ greater concern is with the latter two sub-camps pushing the bounds of orthodoxy.

Part 2 is the meat of the book where he defines the positives and negatives of the two camps and charts a more irenic third way to travel which he calls, Deep Church, taken from C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity.Belcher writes in a gracious, winsome, pastoral style and draws you in to his desire to find common ground between the two camps. We can learn much from his approach to those with whom we may disagree. However, is there really a third way, or is it a call to return to Biblical Christianity and it’s passion for Jesus Christ, his Church, and Kingdom?

By calling us back to the Great Tradition (the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed) as common ground for his third way, Belcher avoids the emergent’s objection to Reformation theology as being captive to “enlightenment rationalism.” But in doing so, he looses the Reformers anchor in the authority of Scripture and their clear definition of the Gospel of Grace in the doctrine of Justification.

In writing Deep Church, Jim Belcher has given us a primer on the ongoing and growing divide between the traditional church and the emerging church. It is a good starting point for the necessary dialogue between confessed brothers.

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.

With the declining influence of evangelical Christianity in the Western world and especially North America, caused, I believe, mainly by Christianity either buying into or selling out to a dualistic version of Christianity in the early centuries when attempts were made to wed Athens and Jerusalem, as some have labeled it. So much of the expression of modern day Christianity embraces a strong Platonic and Neo-Platonic framework that Christians actually embrace the dichotomy paradigm-the sacred and the secular, the natural and the spiritual. Luther’s two kingdom concept built on Aquinas’s dualistic paradigm has not helped especially in modern day evangelical circles. Therefore multitudes of Christians have embraced the notion that there is a religious part of our lives and a non-religious, instead of seeing God’s rule over all areas of life.

Thankfully there are some within evangelical, and especially evangelical and reformed Christianity, that are waking up to the fact that Christianity is a religion not only concerned about a personal relationship with our triune God, but it is an entire way of life-that in being a Christian more is required than simply praying and witnessing to the saving work of Christ, important and central as those are. Charles Colson, especially through his Centurion Program and other resrouces are beginning to emphasize more and more the reality that Christianity is a world and life view religion. There is no dualism or dichotomy between Sunday and the rest of the week for Christians.

Glenn Sunshine, professor of history and a teacher in the Centurion Program has written a powerful and readable book that not only surveys that background and development of worldviews and why people have and think the way they do, which is determined by one’s world view. Sunshine’s definition of worldview is basically the same or similar to what others of us say, that worldview is our operating system, the glasses through which we see what is happening in the world and does so in a way that enables us to give some interpretation and understanding of reality. What is real? (Metaphysic); what can I know and how? (Epistemology); and are there such things as right and wrong and if so how do we know? (Ethics). Those are the kinds of questions upon which answers reflect our world and life view and, by the way, everyone, not only philosophers, has a worldview. Not everyone shares the same worldview but nonetheless worldview is present with every normal person.

In 13 chapters Sunshine defines and elaborates on worldview and proceeds, starting with ancient Rome, to show how worldviews so influential on our western way of life have developed. This book is very profound in the ground it covers but it does so in a way that a non-academician can handle. Blending simplicity, without being simplistic, Sunshine sets forth a historical survey which provides us with a foundation to understand why things are seemingly coming apart in our world today and how the rise and fall of modernity and the rise of postmodernism clearly reflect a worldview paradigm that enables us to better answer the question “why do we and others think the way we do and why do they differ especially among Christians and non-Christians. Not only does the author remind us of how we have lost the image of God concept, regarding man, he relates that to how and why things such as infanticide, abortion, euthanasia, and the entire human rights movement are so diversified and relativized today.

Even the lightest observation reminds us that Western civilization is at a crossroads today. Reading the daily news paper or watching the news via the media are a constant reminder that things are extremely fragmented creating much uncertainty and discomfort among us. Understanding how we have come to where we are is a clue and key to knowing what we can and should do about it from a Christian perspective. As Sunshine reminds us and illustrates so clearly, we are losing more and more of our cultural distinctives as pluralism is leading the way to relativism, as we see our freedom and liberty being turned into license without restraint, as our belief in the alienable sanctity of life is challenged. As the book brings us up to date, it also contains things such as global warming, the sexual revolution, the politicalization of language. What feeds the idea that it is alright as long as it does not hurt anyone and then on to even if it does, so what?

Read this book! Use it with small group study and discussion! Sunday school and other classroom settings would find it invaluable. Above all, do not ignore it. The stakes are too high for Christians not to have a clear understanding of what is happening in our world today and some idea of what God would have us do.