“The Sacrifice of Praise” by Herman Bavinck (Translated & Edited by Cameron Clausing and Gregory Parker Jr.)

Herman Bavinck is a Dutch Reformed theologian from the late 19th and early 20th century, known for a four volume work on systematic theology called Reformed Dogmatics. In the past few decades, his work has become more widely known in English-speaking circles and he is renowned as a Reformed scholar clearly equal with the likes of B.B. Warfield. A newly translated work published by Hendrickson Publishers shows another side to Bavinck: he was a churchman with pastoral concern for the practical Christian faith of the average believer.

The Sacrifice of Praise was first published in Dutch in 1901 and went through several reprintings and editions over the next twenty years. The editors of this edition estimate that around 40,000 copies of the work were produced during that time. In 1920 the work was translated into English by John Dolfin a Reformed pastor in western Michigan. The translators of this work wanted to capture Bavinck’s style more directly and fix some errors in the translation. They also wanted to highlight the many Scriptural references in Bavinck’s writing by providing chapter and verse references — using the text of the English Standard Version (ESV) where possible.

As for the content of this work, it “is best understood as a work of catechetical theology, suitable for sharing with baptized Christians on the occasion of their public profession of faith and admission to the Lord’s table” (pg. xi-xii). The book focuses on the call for Christians to publicly confess Christ. “Lips that acknowledge [Christ]” are “a sacrifice of praise,” according to Hebrews 13:15; and it is this passage which gives the book its title.

Bavinck writes with warmth and life. Each page is replete with biblical references. He treats all sides of his topic and goes from baptism and parental instruction, to church confessions, to Christian unity in the faith and Christian duty in the public sphere, and ends with an exultation in the ultimate confession the Church will share with Christ in heaven. He exults in his Lord and his joy is contagious.

I must admit I found the first four chapters (of 12) a bit challenging. They contain a heavy dose of traditional covenant theology and an assumption of infant baptism (albeit with a distinction made that baptism does not regenerate or save the child). The background provided in the introduction prepares the reader by rehashing some of the Dutch Reformed Church controversies of the era when Bavinck wrote. As a Baptist who appreciates Reformed theology I still found those chapters slightly difficult. The rest of the work was more directly relevant, but even in those first few chapters there is much that can be gleaned on the importance of training our children to know and confess Christ. As a side note, I found it intriguing that Bavinck admits “in the New Testament baptism was mostly administered to adults” and only later “became generally acceptable” (p. 34).

Baptist quibbles aside, I found the work practical and helpful. He covers the topic from both a personal and familial perspective as well as from a corporate and even universal point of view. He details the opposition that we face in standing up for Christ and laments the loss of Christian unity in his day. His thoughts, grounded in Scripture as they are, remain helpful for every era. A concluding paragraph from his chapter on the universality of confession provides a sample of Bavinck’s style:

Thus godliness is beneficial toward all things, having the promise not only of the future but also of the present life. Whoever seeks first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, to them all things will be added [Matt. 6:33]. The best Christian is the best citizen. With their confession, they neither stand outside of nor in opposition to the natural life. But highly and proudly, they carry their confession into the world and everywhere plant the banner of the cross. The gospel of Christ is a joyful message for all creation — for mind and heart, for soul and body, for family and society, for science and art. For it delivers from guilt and redeems from death. “It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” [Rom. 1:16]. (p. 57)

Now for a small amount of criticism: I believe the editors missed several Scripture references. The first sentence in the quote above could have a reference to 1 Tim. 4:8; Rom. 14:17 could be added on p. 10, Eph. 6:4 on p. 16, and 1 Thess. 1:9 on p. 85, to name a few more. Additionally, the ESV is used for the verses at the top of each chapter, yet there is an odd case with chapter 5. There the verse quoted is Acts 8:37 (found in the footnote but not the text). I would think at least a note would be in order explaining that the verse in Bavinck’s text is not included in modern versions (like the ESV) today (and why). There was also one glaring misprint in the endnotes section (note 1 for chapter 4 appears as note 49).

To sum up my review, I found The Sacrifice of Praise to be an attractively packaged book and a helpful introduction to Bavinck and his theological writing. I greatly enjoyed interacting with his material. Even if you are not Reformed, you will benefit from this book.

For those who are Reformed, the foreword mentions that this work by Bavinck could be read with two other similar works intended to teach believers: The Wonderful Works of God (an overview of Christian doctrine from a Reformed perspective – to be republished by Westminster Books later this year), and Saved by Grace: The Holy Spirit’s Work in Calling and Regeneration (a work explaining/defending infant baptism). These works may be worth getting and reading along with this fantastic work.

Learn more about this book by looking at the preview available at Amazon or Christianbook.com.

Blurbs:
“Herman Bavinck is best known as a dogmatician of great depth and scope. Yet like all of the greatest theologians, his concern for the church cannot be reduced to his scholarly contributions. He was also earnestly desired to encourage and nurture other believers in their faith, a fact to which these short addresses give remarkable testimony. In them, he discusses the whole idea of confessing Christ in the various stages of Christian discipleship, from baptism through to the Lord’s Supper and beyond. This is practical Reformed piety at its best: rooted in the Word, connected to the sacraments, and focused upon Christ.”
—Carl R. Trueman, Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies Grove City College, Pennsylvania

“In Bavinck’s own biography, participation in the Lord’s Supper was far from inconsequential. As Clausing and Parker note, the student-era Bavinck first took part after extended, careful reflection on the gospel and its fruit in his own life. Having done so, the sacrament proved a regular source of spiritual comfort to him. In The Sacrifice of Praise, we find a set of reflections on the Supper that are richly theological, pastoral, and practical. We owe Clausing and Parker a debt of gratitude for their work in presenting this text to us in a fresh new form.”
—James Eglinton, Meldrum Lecturer in Reformed Theology New College, University of Edinburgh

Where to Buy:
This book is available for purchase at the following sites: Westminster Bookstore, Christianbook.com, Amazon.com, or direct from Hendrickson.

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by the publisher. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.

Book Briefs: “Revival: Faith as Wesley Lived It” by Adam Hamilton

John Wesley is a pivotal figure in the history of Evangelicalism. His ministry resulted in both the Methodist church and the Wesleyan church. Adam Hamilton, an influential United Methodist Church pastor in Kansas city, takes us on a tour of Wesley’s life and ministry. This tour is replete with photos and recommended stops should the reader actually visit the places in question. The book is more than just a historical survey or tour guide for Wesley’s life. Hamilton aims to go back to the roots as a way of encouraging personal and corporate “revival.”

Hamilton makes clear this is not a biography as such, instead it is a spiritual overview of Wesley’s life and a study of it that is intended to further the spiritual growth of those who read this. The book then functions as a text for small groups or Sunday Schools and is replete with Hamilton’s own personal reflections and insights. That being said, it still gives a good overview of Wesley’s life, and does an admirable job pointing to other resources for further study.

The book is also an advertisement, of sorts, for Methodism. Wesley’s vision and his Church is held up as a standard. A perfect blend of head and heart, evangelism and social concern, conservatism and liberalism. Even those of other traditions can appreciate the desire to paint your own Church in the best light, but this feature of the book will diminish its usefulness in other church contexts. Truth be told, Wesley’s ideas cannot always truly be a “via media” or middle way with the best of both worlds. He did plow his own path, and Methodism does have some deficiencies.

As someone blessed by the Reformed tradition, I found his explanation of Wesley’s stance on prevenient grace and his opposition to Calvinism too simplistic an account of the debate. Intriguingly, while George Whitfield is mentioned as an evangelist who both spurred Wesley on (showing him the usefulness of open air preaching) and yet was influenced by Wesley (as one of the first Methodists), he is not mentioned as an antagonist to Wesley. Whitfield disagreed with Wesley’s stance on grace, holding to a Reformed position. The interaction between Whitfield and Wesley is quite well-known and important historically, yet reading this book would not clue you in that Whitfield and Wesley split over this — and importantly it wouldn’t imply that other good evangelists might conclude differently than Wesley on this point.

All told, the book is a helpful look at Wesley’s life and the inclusion of numerous historical pictures adds to the value of the work. Wesley’s own writing concludes the book as an appendix. His work “The Character of a Methodist” is given and fleshes out the picture of Wesley we find in these pages. Conservative evangelicals and those of Reformed persuasion will perhaps chafe at the unabashed embrace of a social gospel. Hamilton’s seeming desire to include everyone as a preChristian or a Christian diminishes the seriousness of Wesley’s call that we beware lest we find ourselves “almost Christians.” So I recommend the book with some cautions. Still, the book can encourage faith and promote the kind of balance that is helpful for Christians of every persuasion today.

Disclaimer: this book was provided by the publisher for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

This book is available for purchase at the following sites: Christianbook.com, Amazon.com, or direct from Abingdon Press.

About Book Briefs: Book Briefs are book notes, or short-form book reviews. They are my informed evaluation of a book, but stop short of being a full-length book review.

Book Excerpt: Albert Mohler on “Wee Little Preaching”

R. Albert Mohler Jr. is president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is known as a preacher and enjoys his role of cultivating preachers. Mohler has a new book out on preaching from Moody Publishers this year with the title He is Not Silent: Preaching in a Postmodern World. One of his chapters focuses on “preaching the Bible’s big story.” In it he stresses the need for preachers to situate the text they are focusing on within the bigger picture of God’s redemption story. He uses a particularly poignant example playing off of the children’s Sunday School song that starts with the line, “Zaccheus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he.”

…One of the great problems with much evangelical preaching today, and one of the reasons so many saints are not growing to completeness in Jesus Christ, is that so many of our pulpits are filled with what you might call “Zaccheus sermons” — or to put it more bluntly, wee little preaching.

Every Sunday, far too many preachers read a wee little text, apply it in wee little ways to their people’s lives, and then tell everyone to come back next week for another wee little story.

That tendency to isolate our sermons to one tiny piece of biblical text is a major problem, and it also explains why so much evangelical preaching is moralistic. It is easy to pick out a familiar story, make a few points from it about what people should and should not do, and then be done with it. But that kind of preaching will leave a church weak and starving, because the Christians who sit under it never find themselves in the big story of God’s work in the world. If we as preachers want to see our people growing to maturity in Christ, we must give them more than a diet of wee little morality sermons. We must place every text we preach firmly within the grand, sweeping story of the Bible. (p. 89-90, emphasis added)

…Our people can know so much, and yet know nothing, all at the same time. They can have a deep repository of biblical facts and stories, and yet know absolutely nothing about how any of it fits together, or why any of it matters beyond the wee little “moral of the story.” (p. 95)

…We want our people to leave the preaching event asking the right questions. If our preaching is too small, their questions will be equally small. If we neglect the big story — the gospel metanarrative — they will be satisfied with small questions and will live on small insights. They may take home an insight, a story, a principle, or perhaps an anecdote. We should not be satisfied with that. They should not be satisfied with that. Our ambition — our obsession as preachers — should be nothing less than to preach so that the congregation sees the big story of the gospel, the grand narrative of the gospel, through every text we preach. (p. 102-103)

I say “amen” to Mohler’s assessment on this. I’ve heard too many “wee little” sermons in my day. May God grant the rising generation of preachers the wisdom to unpack God’s Word for us in such a way as to highlight the Gospel story and the grand narrative of Scripture!

You can pick up a copy of this new book by Mohler from Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, or direct from Moody Publishers.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by the publisher. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review.

“Confronting Old Testament Controversies” by Tremper Longman III

Since at least the time of the Enlightenment, it has been fashionable to subject the Bible to criticism and judge it outdated and inferior to the wisdom of the age. In the last several decades, critics have used an increasingly shrill voice that was rare in previous generations. The Bible is denounced as not only inferior but evil. It runs contrary to the sexual ethics of the day. Science has freed us from a savage need for a deity. “God is not good,” the new atheists declare. And within evangelicalism, the Church is giving ground. Evangelicals are for the first time openly siding with the higher critical views espoused by liberal theologians on such matters as denying the historicity of the Exodus, seeing Genesis 1-11 as myth, and disagreeing with the violence condoned by the Old Testament God (who is claimed to be inferior than the New Testament presentation of Jesus). Some evangelical leaders are even pressing for a reinterpretation of Scripture when it comes to homosexuality.

It is against this backdrop that Dr. Tremper Longman III offers his mature reflections in Confronting Old Testament Controversies: Pressing Questions about Evolution, Sexuality, History, and Violence published by Baker Books (2019). In this important book, Longman helps the reader engage with each controversy as he traces out what the Bible says and weighs that against what both those inside and outside evangelicalism are saying. He deals with each question from a confessional standpoint and yet resists an approach that demonizes “opponents” or sees everything as a simple black-and-white matter. He is not afraid to ruffle feathers and take on the errant views of others (even his friends), but he prizes a charitable and irenic discussion that respects those who conclude differently. Personally, Longman has experienced loss of academic positions over his views (as he recounts in chapter 1) and you can tell from reading this that he has thought long and hard over these very challenging questions facing the Church today.

I will be honest, going into this book I wasn’t sure exactly where Longman was going to conclude. I agreed with him that these are the four most pressing questions surrounding the Old Testament today, yet I knew he was friends with Peter Enns who had been dismissed from Westminster Theological Seminary over his questionable views. I had also read Enns’ eye-brow raising The Evolution of Adam and was concerned with his denial of the historicity of the Exodus and dangerous views about how to understand Adam and Eve and the Fall. So when I picked up Longman, I had some reservations.

In an earlier post about this book I said, “The questions are the right questions: I am hoping Longman will give some solid answers.” I can now say that Longman literally blew me away. I appreciated his candor and forth-right treatment of each issue. Having read a lot on the creation/evolution question, and some on the other topics, I greatly benefited from Longman’s approach of unpacking what other evangelical authors are saying and interacting with them. He distanced himself from Enns on both the Fall and the historicity of the Exodus. He discussed John Walton’s views on divine violence (another friend of Longman’s whom I’ve read extensively with both appreciation and some consternation). Walton’s book The Lost World of the Canaanite Conquest presents some novel approaches to viewing violence in the Old Testament, and Longman interacted gracefully and helpfully with that approach (ultimately rejecting it). Longman’s conclusions in some respects are tentative and there are some areas where I may not completely agree with him (or wish he was perhaps more forceful), but the breadth of scope and the path that is taken in handling each issue is unmatched. I am certain his book will be a benefit to those who are being confronted with these questions. He will help you in your own grappling with these issues.

On the evolution question, Longman sides with the BioLogos position on evolution that the Bible is not directly addressing that subject, and that believers can affirm this as a mechanism used by God in creation. After discussing Genesis 1-2 and other creation accounts (Psalm 74, Proverbs 8:22-31, and Job 38:8-11) he concludes:

[W]e have… seen that the most natural reading recognizes the use of figurative language and the interaction with ancient Near Eastern creation accounts. There is no reason we should expect the Bible to provide us with a factual report of the process of creation, and it is a grave mistake to treat the opening chapters of the Bible as such a report. (p. 48)

He goes on to raise a concern over those “in the Christian community who suggest that the theory of evolution is in crisis”. They are “misleading their audiences” (p. 58). He continues:

To try to deny evolution because one is trying to defend the Bible is unnecessary because the Bible is not at odds with evolution. To do so in light of the overwhelming evidence in favor of evolution is putting an unnecessary obstacle to faith. (p. 59)

The natural questions that evangelicals have concerning original sin, the image of God and the historicity of Adam are carefully addressed and he takes pains to clarify his position:

Interpretations that assert that human beings created in the image of God were never morally innocent, or state that the sinfulness of human beings is an inherent trait of humanity rather than the result of human rebellion against God (thus denying a historical fall), do not take the biblical account seriously, denying an essential theological teaching of the Bible. (p. 64-65 – he sites Enns’ Evolution of Adam as one example of such interpretations).

His discussion on this question is the clearest I’ve read, and yet I still have reservations and questions. He points out the absence of the concept of “original sin” (as an inheriting of a sin nature) in the Old Testament (p. 66) and ultimately rejects the Augustinian “‘inheritance’ model (that we inherit sin from Adam like a genetic disease)” noting that “there are other ways to account for our relationship to Adam’s first sin” (p. 71, 72). He maintains that the Fall is a historical reality (p. 69), however, and affirms that “Adam and Eve’s… sin so disrupted the cosmic and social order that it is not possible for those who come after them… not to sin” (p. 72).

On the evolution question, Longman agrees with the evangelicals who are abandoning the once widely-held view of young-earth creationism (I should point out, however, that he looks to B.B. Warfield and other early evangelicals as supporting his own view). On the next three topics, though, Longman speaks for conservatism and resists a call to abandon the historic evangelical position. He holds to the essential historicity of the Bible’s narrative accounts (such as the Exodus), he upholds the Old Testament’s claim that God uses violence in His dealings with humanity, and he defends the universal witness of Christianity that considers homosexual acts as a perversion of God’s good creation design.

On each of the issues above, Longman interacts with real evangelical authors and their actual positions on these matters. He appreciates the motivations (in some cases) behind said positions, but unpacks the Scriptural witness that compels him to stay where he is. His discussion of divine violence as an important theme in both the Old and New Testaments is helpful and yet he ultimately has no satisfying answer but bows to God’s sovereignty. His thoughts on historicity are encouraging, and his charity with respect to the homosexual problem is exemplary. He does think change is needed in how we think of and interact with homosexuals, but ultimately the Bible forbids homosexual practice.

This book is not the be-all-end-all volume with regard to these matters. Nor is it presented as the “final answer” to all your questions. Instead it stands as a model of charitable Christian dialogue on important matters — and it represents an effective and helpful answer to those who take such controversial points as opportunities to abandon Christianity altogether. I cannot recommend the book highly enough. These are the questions worth asking, and better answers will be hard to find.

Learn more about the book by reading the interview of the author included here, or check out this message where Longman addresses the same themes covered in the book. You can also find more in the book detail pages listed at the end of this post.

Blurbs:
“The Old Testament is full of difficult and controversial passages. These are often read without consideration of their original, ancient cultural contexts. Dr. Tremper Longman has tackled four of the most controversial topics: evolution, history, violence, and sexuality. Rather than settling for simplistic explanations that will not hold up under genuine scrutiny, Longman has brought many years of study and scholarship to bear on these problems. In a truly marvelous way, he explains these very complex issues with a clarity that will enhance readers’ comprehension. Far from being a mere Christian apology, this book wrestles with the real issues and sheds light that brings about a full engagement. It is a pleasure to recommend this very significant volume.”
—K. Lawson Younger Jr., professor of Old Testament, Semitic languages, and ancient Near Eastern history, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

“Fools rush in where wise men fear to tread, but Tremper Longman is no fool. This book covers ground on which people can make fools of themselves, but he has been thinking for decades about the questions he discusses here. He has stayed abreast of changing views among evangelicals and knows how to keep reflecting on issues without giving up ground when he knows one needs to stand firm. if you want not-too-conservative and not-too-liberal answers to the questions he raises, you will find them here.”
—John Goldingay, David Allan Hubbard Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary

“In this book Tremper Longman III is courageous, clear, charitable, and confessional. He is courageous in tackling subjects that arouse intense controversy as well as baffled distress. Any time I teach the Old Testament, someone will raise one or another of these issues. Longman writes with pleasurable clarity, making his deep scholarship available with lightness and warmth. His disagreements with other scholars, including evangelical friends, are expressed with respect and without vitriol. Above all he writes out of clear evangelical conviction on the inspiration, trustworthiness, and moral authority of the canon of Scripture. This book will be a blessing and resource for those wrestling with these contentious issues in honesty and faith.”
—Christopher J. H. Wright, Langham Partnership; author of Old Testament Ethics for the People of God and Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament

Where to Buy:
Pick up a copy of this book at any of the following online retailers: ChristianBook.com, Amazon.com, or direct from Baker Books.

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by the publisher. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.

CSB He Reads Truth Bible

The CSB He Reads Truth Bible is here and it is a joy to hold. This Bible is designed to draw the reader in — in to the Word. The aim of “He Reads Truth” is for men to read the Bible daily. See HeReadsTruth.com for an app, Bible reading plans and a blog designed to draw men into God’s Word. This new Bible serves the same purpose. (As a side-note, there are also She Reads Truth and Kids Read Truth Bibles too, but this one is for men!)

The He Reads Truth Bible is presented in a minimalist and clean way. There are study tools and organizational helps embedded throughout, but they don’t take pride of place over the scripture text itself. White space abounds (wide margins and lots of room around the graphs, lists and study helps) and is available for personal note-taking or to keep things clear. The maps and timelines have an artsy, almost blueprint-type feel. The lists and mini-articles are clear and to-the-point. The grouping of the books that make up the Bible is emphasized by a color-coding according to type/genre (although the genre is quite generic and at the book level, and I don’t know why the Major and Minor Prophets have a different color when their description only differs by one word). I also appreciated the cloth-like cover provided for the hardbound version I have, as well as its two ribbons (for marking where you are reading).

The most useful features of this Bible are the key verses (one for each book of the Bible), and the reading plans. The key verse is found at the beginning of each biblical book and is artistically represented (calligraphy highlights the key message of the verse). The 66 verses are also helpfully collected at the end of the Bible. As for the reading plans, I appreciate how each book has its own (undated) plan that is supplemented with readings from other parts of Scripture, because “The Bible is a complete work in which many stories combine to tell one story…. the additional passages [help you] to discover how the whole of Scripture works together” (from the “Read and Understand” section of each book of the Bible). There is also a whole-year (dated) Bible reading plan at the end (Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s classic plan).

The translation used is the Christian Standard Bible (CSB): an evangelical translation that aims to make God’s Word understandable through an “optimally equivalent” translation (roughly standing between the looser paraphrase style of the New Living Translation, and the rough literal translation of the New American Standard Bible). You can learn more about the CSB translation by reading this interview with the publisher (Trevin Wax), checking out the FAQ page at CSBible.com, or reading this helpful review.

I am looking forward to using the He Reads Truth Bible in the future, and encouraging others to give it a try. May the format and design be a help to bring others into a more regular reading of God’s Word!

For more on the He Reads Truth Bible, I recommend this short video clip from Lifeway. You can also check out HeReadsTruthBible.com.

You can win a free copy of this new resource through a giveaway at my blog, now through June 20th. Enter here.

Purchase a copy of He Reads Truth Bible at Lifeway.com, Christianbook.com, Amazon.com, or direct from Holman Bible Publishers.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by the publisher. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.