BOOKREVIEWS By Arnold D. Ehlert, Th.D., Librarian and Professor of Library Science at BIOLA Dispensationalism in America By C. N. Kraus In this w e l l w r i t t e n volume a Princeton trained Mennonite college professor makes his contribution to a growing anti-dispensational literature. The author states that the “ study is not primarily an attempt to refute dis pensationalism, but rather to under stand it.” The bibliography reveals wide reading, but significant omis sions are evident. While C. I. Scofield receives much notice, the autiior evi dently has no knowledge of Charles G.Trumbull’s The Life Story of C. I. Scofield (1920). Scant use is made of the articles in Bibliotheca Sacra since 1933. “ M o d e r n dispensationalism” is dated from J. N. Darby and the Plym outh Brethren writers (1832-1875), from whom it was transplanted to America in the Bible conference and Bible institute movements, rightly viewed as aiming to defend the his toric Christian faith against growing liberalism in the large denomina tions. A fuller consideration of Arnold D. Ehlert’s “A Bibliography of Dis pensationalism” (Bibliotheca Sacra, 1944-1945), especially the discussion of the period from the Reformation to Darby, would have vitiated the oft repeated allegation that Darby’s dis pensationalism was an innovation. That it was a development and exten sion in Biblical systematization is not denied by dispensationalists; parallels may be found in the Christological discussions in the early Church which culminated in the historic creeds. Outline sketches of the contribu tions of Cox, Parsons, Blackstone, Frost, Brookes, and Morgan are intro duced and their relationship to Plym outh Brethrenism traced. “The dis- pensational norm is seen as basically Calvinistic and based on the theo logical assumptions of the sovereign transcendence of God, the total de pravity of man, and “ a strict mechan ical theory of verbal inspiration.” A valuable historical section traces the rise of the Believers’ Meeting for Bible Study (the Niagara Bible Con ference) from 1876 through the Inter national Prophecy Conferences of 1878 and 1886. The Niagara Bible Confer ence did not continue after 1900, due to the conflict between leaders as to the pretribulation rapture of the
church and the springing up of re gional Bible conferences. The final chapter, “Scofield’s Syn thesis,” reveals the common misunder standing of anti-dispensationalists of the position opposed. While admitting that dispensationalists disclaim that their system teaches different ways of salvation, the author feels that the criticism is justified. This section is filled with inferences from dispen sational works and such expressions as “ suggest,” “ in some sense,” “prob ably,” and “ seem to.” The well- known statement is quoted from the Scofield Beference Bible: “ the point of testing [in the dispensation of grace] is no longer legal obedience as the condition of salvation, but acceptance or rejection of Christ, with good works as a fruit of salvation (p. 115).” If all the law, he would not have needed one had proved himself able to keep salvation. “This do and thou shalt live” was Jesus’ reply to the young ruler who desired eternal life; but no man could keep the law, therefore grace o p e r a t ed in the sacrificial system to save man by faith. The re lationship of the Church and the king dom and the merits of the postpone ment theory are discussed, but with out a new approach. The work can be read with profit by the discerning, but it points up the need of a fully documented history of dispensational teaching by a quali fied dispensational author. 156 pages; cloth; John Knox Press, Richmond, Va.; $3.00. — (Reviewed by Donald G. Davis.) The World of the Old Testament By Cyrus H. Gordon The author believes that we can never understand Israel without a thorough understanding of the nations of the Middle East in contemporary times. He approaches the problem as a professor of various subjects belong ing to Assyrian and Egyptian anti quity and as a field archeologist. He believes that it is necessary to attack the study of the Old Testament with full use of scholarship in a number of realms, and the book is not for neo phytes. On the other hand it is not too technical, being written for stu dents rather than scholars. 312 pages; cloth; Doubleday and Co., Garden City, N.Y.; $3.95.
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