N o t Sor NARROW MINDED readers
book reviews
by Arnold D. Ehlert, Librarian, Biola College
tians will be delighted to read be cause he has approached his subject from the standpoint of an evangeli cal. He defines evangelicalism, traces its rise and subsequent development in America, and describes the origin, growth, and present ministry of the National Association of Evangelicals. This is a book written for laymen, and its style is in keeping with its reading public. It is history written in an interesting and inspiring man ner which challenges and quickens the pulse of an evangelical. It will increase one’s appreciation of the strength of evangelicalism and of the importance and effectiveness of the work of the National Association of Evangelicals. It will make one glad if he belongs to either or both of these groups. For those who wish further details than the author has set forth, he has provided a brief working bibliography to which the scholar may go for additional infor mation. In reading this book, one must ob serve carefully the definitions he gives in his preface. Fundamental ists may well raise questions con cerning some of the author’s conclu sions set forth in the final chapter, but these statements should not be allowed to detract materially from an otherwise well-done work. — Re viewed by Dr. James H. Christian. 134 pages; cloth; William B. Eerd- mans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids; $3.50. The Dialogue of Christians and Jews by Peter Schneider Among the steady production of books on Jewish-Christian relations, this study will take a prominent place. The author is a resident in Jerusalem, has an M.A. from Cam bridge University in England, and is advisor on Jewish affairs to the Anglican Archbishop of the Middle East. He has made a concerted effort to understand the Jewish mind and religion and has been active in Jew ish-Christian dialogue and activity in Israel for a number o f years. The Reverend Mr. Schneider, him self a Hebrew Christian, finds full acceptance among intellectuals and
The Indomitable Baptists by O. K. Armstrong and Marjorie M. Armstrong
This is not so much a history as it is the story of outstanding Bap tists and of the contributions o f Bap tists to the American way of life— spiritually, politically, socially. The authors have told the story of Ameri can Baptists in a very unusual and interesting manner and in a good and readable style. They have ren dered valuable service to the lay reader by skillfully in teg ra tin g quotations from their subjects into the text so that they make valuable contributions without d is tra c tin g from the narrative. More serious readers, however, will wish that they had documented all their quotations. The scope of American Baptist history is well covered all the way from the Anabaptists of the Refor mation to Billy Graham. They have recorded outstanding events in the lives of great spiritual leaders whose service for the Lord should never be forgotten. They have w ritten about minority Baptist groups, often neglected by historians. They have dealt interestingly and penetratingly with problems of division, war, the social gospel, missions, social con cerns, ecumenicity, and future con cerns facing Baptists. There are occasiona l historical misstatements due to over-simplifica tion, and there is some tendency to minimize the importance and seri ousness of theological differences. Nevertheless, the authors have ren dered a significant service and have produced a book which will be in teresting not only to Baptists but to all who love the Lord and believe in the liberty of America to which Baptists have made such a rich con tribution. — 392 pages; cloth; Dou bleday and Company, Garden City, N.Y.; $5.95. — Reviewed by Dr. James H. Christian. Evangelicalism In America by Bruce Shelley Bruce Shelley, professor of Church History at Conservative Baptist The ological Seminary, has written a book which all conservative Chris-
“I f you want to continue living a ste reotyped, conventional, innocuous 'Christian' life, it will be a mistake to read this book. ” So writes Richard C. Halverson in his foreword to Eileen Guder’s To Live in Love.
TO LIVE IN LOVE is, indeed, a provocative book. It captures your attention from the first sentence and holds it to the final period. En- route you ’ll discover how unselfish Christian
love can be a uniting factor in a world full of contradictions and cross purposes. You’ll see why you, as a Christian, must witness! Cloth, $3.95 Examine a copy of To Live in Love soon. While you’re at it, be sure to ask about Eileen Guder’s earlier We’re NeverAlone, available in cloth at $2.95, or as a paperback edition at 95 Sold through your bookseller S Z O N D E R V A N ¡Z PUBLISHING HOUSE • GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. 4930G U T " THE KING'S BUSINESS 26
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