The titles reviewed here can be obtained from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom.
Silent Witnesses, Lessons on Theology, Life and the Church From Christians of the Past, by Garry J Williams, published by the Banner of Truth Trust, hard-back, 258 pages, £14.50.
Garry J Williams is the Director of the John Owen Centre at the London Theological Seminary. In the acknowledgements he states that the chapters of this book originated in talks that he gave over a period of 13 years at various conferences around the United Kingdom. The list of conferences at which the papers were given includes the Westminster Conference and those associated with the Banner of Truth Trust, the Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches, the Evangelical Movement of Wales and the Protestant Truth Society. Silent Witnesses contains 14 papers along with a preface and a prologue which helpfully advocate the need for a distinctly Christian approach to history.
The book is divided into three sections. The first is titled, “On the Essentials”, and includes six chapters dealing with William Tyndale and the Bible, the Council of Chalcedon’s discussions on the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, Jonathan Edwards on the infinite love of the dying Christ, John Owen and the atonement, Augustine and the grace of God, and John Calvin on justification.
The second section, “On the Christian Life”, has four chapters, the first of which deals with the Puritan view of loving God with all your heart. The second is a quite outstanding chapter and outlines the experience of John Calvin on trusting God in the midst of trials. The remaining two chapters of this section deal with Anne Bradstreet, a New England poetess, and John Laing, a Brethren businessman, and seem a little out of place in a book dealing with men like Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Tyndale, Ridley and Edwards. However, the chapter on Laing, who built up a small family firm into one of the UK’s largest construction companies, is most instructive. Amidst these activities he retained his Christian business principles of diligence and hard work along with his sacrificial giving to advance the cause of Christ.
The third section is given the title, “Primarily for Pastors and Elders”, and contains the final four main chapters. The first deals with Calvin’s assessment of the Church’s priorities. This is followed by two chapters on preaching and a final and most useful one on Nicholas Ridley, the Protestant martyr, and his scholarly opposition to transubstantiation.
The book contains many very helpful insights and abiding lessons from the historical narratives with which Dr Williams deals and as such our readers would benefit from the perusal of this volume. The reviewer cannot approve, however, of all the views Dr Williams expresses, and as Free Presbyterians we regret his use of a modern version of the Bible – the English Standard Version. This is all the more lamentable considering his high praise of William Tyndale and his observation that nine-tenths of his translation of the Bible is retained in the Authorised Version (p 5). Sadly the use of modern versions of Scripture is now not an uncommon feature of many books published by the Banner of Truth Trust.
Neither can Free Presbyterians approve of Dr Williams’ advocacy of hymns in worship (p 110) and his use of the term “lucky” (p xiii), nor illustrating his opposition to defective views on the immutability and impassibility of God by an incident in a film (p 183). The day has not long passed when serious Evangelicals, not to speak of experimental Calvinists, regarded the watching of films as worldliness incompatible with a profession of Christ.
Roy Middleton
The Faith-Shaped Life, by Ian Hamilton, published by the Banner of Truth Trust, paperback, 156 pages, £5.50.
In 43 short chapters, the author seeks to present to believers the life of faith in its varied aspects and relationships. “Not only is faith the instrument that unites us to Christ,” he writes, “it is the reality that shapes how we live in union with Christ.” Chapter titles include: “Faith’s Highest Privilege” (communion with God), “Faith, the Protestant Watchword” and “Faith’s Present Experience” (continuing sinfulness). Chapters such as “Faith and Christian Unity” would be best read in the light of the article on Christian unity which begins on page 21 in this issue. The book presents much useful material but we would have welcomed the use of the AV rather than the ESV.