Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34 • NUMBER 3
Theology
A SHORTER COMMENTARY ON ROMANS. By
Karl Barth. Translated by D. H. van Daleen. Burlington, VT:
Ashgate, 2007. Pp. vi + 119. $89.95, ISBN 978-0-7546-
5757-6.
Barth delivered the lectures that form the basis of this
commentary in Basel during the winter of 1940-41, five years
after he had been banned from his teaching post in Bonn for
his criticism of the Nazi regime. The historical context gives
added interest to his reflection on Rom 9-11. While Barth
does little to mitigate what he takes to be an account of
Israel’s disobedience in those chapters, he forcefully refutes
the idea that the Jews have been finally rejected by God,
calling anti-Semitism the “most potent form of disobedi-
ence.” God wills the “disobedient Synagogue,” according to
Barth, in order to extend mercy to the world. However, if the
Jews’ “rejection” is the Gentiles’ gain, the latter’s ultimate
hope depends on the inclusion of Israel—and the last word has
not been spoken on those whom God has “hardened.” More
broadly, this commentary is presented as an explication of
Paul’s claim in Rom 1 : 17 that the Gospel reveals the righ-
teousness of God. Although it is the “power of God for salva-
tion,” the Gospel initially confronts humanity with God’s
wrath, the object of which is the sinner’s mistaken self-
confidence. Salvation, the “good centre in the hard shell,” lies
in the acceptance of the guilty verdict borne by Jesus Christ.
The believer is not made righteous in appearance only, but
“seriously,” and his task is to live according to the “new
order” of which he is a part—or, as Barth puts it, the “impera-
tive” is explained by the “indicative.” The current volume is
a reprint of the original English translation from 1959.
Jeffrey A. Vogel
University of Virginia
RISKING PROCLAMATION, RESPECTING DIFFER-
ENCE: CHRISTIAN FAITH, IMPERIALISTIC DIS-
COURSE, AND ABRAHAM. By Chris Boesel. Eugene,
OR: Cascade Books, 2008. Pp. xx + 286. $33, ISBN 1-55635-
523-8.
Boesel revisits a question addressed by numerous schol-
ars over the last five decades: are anti-Judaism and superses-
sionism (the claim that Israel has been replaced as God’s
chosen people by the Christian church) intrinsic to Christian-
ity, making the Christian message about Jesus Christ as good
news for the world necessarily bad news for Jews? These
problematic features arise from what Boesel calls an inter-
pretive imperialism, according to which the identity of
Judaism and the Jewish people is based solely on Christian
categories. What many scholars working within the context
of modern Western thought proffer as the appropriate
remedy is to make room for the self-understanding of the
Jewish neighbor. But this critique and remedy lays claim to a
perspective above all particular religious standpoints, says
Boesel, giving rise to a similar, although less explicit mode of
interpretive imperialism, and thus reintroducing the very
• SEPTEMBER 2008
ethical problem it seeks to overcome. Through close readings
of the theologies of R. R. Ruether and Barth, Boesel contends
that it is Barth, by refusing to be subsumed within the pre-
sumptive universality of Western categories, who offers out
of his own confessional particularity the most promising
ethical possibilities for relating to the Jewish neighbor.
Barry Harvey
Baylor University
TOWARD A THEOLOGY OF EROS: TRANSFIGUR-
ING PASSION AT THE LIMITS OF DISCIPLINE.
Edited by Virginia Burrus and Catherine Keller. New York:
Fordham University Press, 2006. Pp. xxi + 474. $28, ISBN
0-8232-2636-0.
In this remarkable book, Burrus, D. Boyarin, and others
take on and refute A. Nygren’s influential thesis in Agape
and Eros, where Nygren argues that Eros and Agape belong
to different spiritual worlds. Indeed, the central question of
this volume is, “What does theology have to say about the
place of eroticism in the salvific transformation of human
subjects, even the cosmos itself?” This fascinating volume
includes intriguing essays by A. Hollywood, M. Jordan,
Keller, and others—each of which has its own take on this
question and its own critiques—explicitly and implicitly—of
Nygren’s thesis. Perhaps the most interesting essay in the
book is by D. Swancutt. She shows how many readers of the
Bible have read back into Paul’s letters modern assumptions
about sexuality and gender—namely, that human beings
“come in two genetic sexes, each of which possess a con-
stitutional orientation toward either the same or the other
(opposite and complementary) sex.” Swancutt argues that
neither Paul nor his readers thought of gender and sexuality
in this way. Rather, “like other ancients, they believed in a
hierarchal continuum of relative masculinity” and that their
model was of “a uniquely Christian, one-body, multi-gender
practice of becoming.” Highly recommended for all who are
interested in eros and the body.
Nathan Carlin
Rice University
CHRISTIANS AT THE BORDER. By R. Daniel Carroll.
Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic Press, 2008. Pp. 160.
$16.99, ISBN 978-0-8010-3566-1.
Carroll has written a primer for an honest theological
approach to the heated debate concerning illegal immigra-
tion. His most important contribution is that he considers the
position of undocumented immigrants from a Christian per-
spective. His study is revelatory and complex, for he unveils
that many immigrants who have crossed the Mexican-
American border are Christians. Furthermore, Carroll iden-
tifies several biblical resources available for a theological
discussion on illegal immigration. From the OT, he discusses
the nature of God as one that is concerned with all human
beings. This, in turn, provides a basis for the universal care of
humanity. Second, he lifts up hermeneutical challenges that
allow for powerful parallels between the enslaved Hebrew
169
 Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34
people in Egypt and Hispanic Christians illegally present in
the US. The Torah’s inclusion of the alien is a powerful ethical
revelation of what it means to be the people of God. From the
NT, Carroll observes that Jesus himself was an immigrant
and refugee. Moreover, his interactions with Samaritans
demonstrate his laying aside of cultural identity and ex-
hibiting God’s hospitality to outsiders. In addition, Carroll
explicates how the use of the terms “strangers” and “aliens”
in the NT resound with the experience of undocumented
immigrant Christian communities, potentially providing
further renewed understanding of these passages. Finally,
Carroll gives a brief discussion on law and order without
allowing a staunch legalism to dominate his discourse. This
text is a courageous step toward relating to undocumented
immigrants from a biblical theological framework.
Daniel Orlando Álvarez
Regent University School of Divinity
SONG DIVINE: CHRISTIAN COMMENTARIES ON
THE BHAGAVAD GITA. Edited by Catherine Cornille.
Christian Commentaries on Non-Christian Sacred Texts 1.
Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2006. Pp. vi + 219. $40, ISBN
0-8028-4016-7.
This first volume of the Christian Commentaries on
Non-Christian Sacred Texts series sets a high standard for
future volumes. Editor Cornille (who is also the general
editor for the series) provides an introduction to ten other
essays, almost all written by well-recognized and estab-
lished scholars in the field of Hindu studies and/or com-
parative theology. Some of the essayists employ thematic
contrasts (e.g., regarding detachment, surrender to duty, or
the cosmic tree in both traditions) while others provide close
textual readings (e.g., of Gita 18 : 16 in light of the Srivais-
nava tradition) or inter-textual analyses (e.g., of Gita 3 with
Eph 4-6). Still others read the Gita in dialogue with other
voices in the Christian tradition (e.g., Simone Weil or Igna-
tius of Antioch) or explore major theological questions (e.g.,
comparing Krishna in the Gita with Christ in the Gospel of
John or on Krishna as avatar versus Christ’s incarnation). All
the contributors approach the Gita as Christians, and almost
all ask first and foremost how Christian faith can be
informed, challenged, and even transformed by a close
reading of the Gita. Readers will come away with an enriched
appreciation for the Gita as well as a deepened understand-
ing of how to hold to religious faith in a pluralistic world.
Amos Yong
Regent University School of Divinity
AN INTRODUCTORY DICTIONARY OF THEOLOGY
AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES. Edited by Orlando O. Espín
and James B. Nickoloff. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press,
2007. Pp. xxxiii + 1521. $49.95, ISBN 978-0-8146-5856-7.
With well over two thousand entries, this major dictio-
nary serves a distinct niche: to offer basic definitions of key
terms, figures, and events in the study of Christian theology
and world religions. The contributors clearly have college
170
• NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008
students in mind, as entries are brief and intended to intro-
duce readers to unfamiliar terms. Brilliant in its treatment
of the Roman Catholic heritage (not surprising given the
esteemed array of Catholic contributors), the volume is also
solid in its discussion of Protestant and Orthodox themes. Yet
it is a truly multireligious work as well, given that “Karuna”
appears alongside “Kashrut.” Further strengths of the dictio-
nary include its uplifting of themes often marginalized in
other reference works: U.S. minority perspectives as well as
Asian, African, and Latin American voices. Readers will not
find in-depth treatments of any theme, but such is not the
volume’s intent. Scholars may find it helpful as a first stop in
research, but its primary usefulness will be for undergradu-
ates. Because of this audience, it is highly recommended for
college students taking religious studies courses, and an
absolute must for college and university libraries.
David H. Jensen
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
ANGLICAN APPROACHES TO SCRIPTURE: FROM
THE REFORMATION TO THE PRESENT. By Rowan A.
Greer. New York: Herder & Herder, 2006. Pp. xxxiii + 244.
$29.95, ISBN 978-0-8245-2368-8.
Greer’s book establishes a worthwhile framework
toward understanding the various Anglican approaches to
the Bible. He traces and elucidates the nearly 500-year devel-
opment of Anglicanism’s multiple understandings of the
corpus and place of scripture in the life of the church. His
two-pronged thesis is as follows: 1) there is no single
approach to scripture in Anglicanism; and, 2) the Bible has
retained an important place within the various expressions
of the Anglican Church. Greer assiduously chronicles the
Anglican controversies appearing in the last five centuries,
linking approaches to scripture to the very evolution of the
spread of global Anglicanism. Nevertheless, he also claims to
avoid “the controversies that are exercising the imagination
of the Episcopal Church and other Christian denominations
at this time.” This is both the book’s chief strength and
weakness: on the one hand, it diligently examines the whole
array of theological scriptural camps within historic Angli-
canism evenly and without bias; on the other hand, the
book’s open and rather postmodern stance is both a descrip-
tion of how it handles this subject and a prescription of how
the wider Anglican Church should approach the controver-
sial question of the authority of the Bible, thus implicitly
critical of those within Anglicanism with a narrower and
literal scriptural view. In particular, Greer promotes the
methodology of S. T. Coleridge (1772-1834), who disputes
the verbal inerrancy of the scriptures and is suspicious of
the quest for a determined orthodox line that invariably
stifles human voices. Nonetheless, Greer’s book provides a
helpful roadmap for guiding current deliberations about the
place of the Bible in the varied expressions of Anglicanism.
David Hilton Jackson
Bloy House: The Episcopal Theological School at
Claremont
 Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34
GLOBALIZATION, SPIRITUALITY, AND JUSTICE:
NAVIGATING A PATH TO PEACE. By Daniel G.
Groody, Theology in Global Perspective Series. Maryknoll,
NY: Orbis Books, 2007. Pp. xxiv + 280. $24, ISBN 978-1-
57075-696-2.
Globalization is a buzzword in academia these days, and
although the term can mean slightly different things within
different disciplines, one recognizable feature in all of its
instantiations is the way humans are more interconnected
with one another than ever before. Greater interconnectivity,
however, does not necessarily imply greater justice. Actu-
ally, Groody argues that the situation is gradually getting
worse as dependent economies grow more impoverished
and wealthy nations become richer. The irony at play here
is nothing short of demonic in that the unlimited potential
of globalization is oftentimes obscured by unbridled human
greed and widespread indifference. In taking account of this
reality, Groody’s work attempts to depict a spirituality that
is socially attentive and responsible, one that derives its
vibrancy not only from spiritual practices but from social
engagement as well. Groody’s self-elected task is daunting:
the broad agenda suggested by the titular triad leads him
in many different directions (including liturgical studies,
interreligious dialogue, biographical sketches of modern-day
exemplars, biblical exegesis, patristic ressourcement, etc.)
that stand tenuously in connection with one another. The
result is a volume that by no means attempts a sustained
argument but rather portrays a series of vignettes that col-
lectively could serve as a textbook for introductory courses
surveying Christianity’s engagement with society. The study
questions and suggested reading bibliographies after each
chapter further add to this apparent aim, and when taken as
such, Globalization, Spirituality and Justice could be helpful
in guiding novices to the field.
Daniel Castelo
Seattle Pacific University
THE BARTH LECTURES. By Colin Gunton. Transcribed
and edited by P. H. Brazier. London: T&T Clark International,
2007. Pp. xxiv + 285. $39.95, ISBN 0-567-03140-3.
This is a quirky and fantastic introduction to the the-
ology of Karl Barth. In some ways this is as much a book
about Gunton as it is about Barth. Organized posthumously
by P. H. Brazier with tapes of Gunton’s lectures, the
preface, foreword, and introduction by Brazier, C. Schwöbel
and S. Holmes, respectively, refer to Gunton’s lecture style
as much as the content of the lectures. After the works
cited at the end of the book, there is an extended bibliog-
raphy of Gunton’s publications. Note the title even, which
incorporates “Barth” as an attributive adjective and defers
emphasis to the progenitor of the lectures rather than the
subject. All that said, in the end The Barth Lectures is a
concise and very readable introduction to the theology of
Karl Barth by one of the foremost English theologians of
the twentieth century. The transcriptions, which include
171
• NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008
solecisms characteristic of off-the-cuff ruminations, come
across as charming rather than annoying and are able to
bring Barth’s lofty ideas down with clear descriptions. The
lectures themselves were presented to undergraduates and
the book does seem appropriate for that level of reader,
although it will also have value to anyone who is interested
in Gunton’s take on Barth. Perhaps the book’s most impor-
tant contribution is Gunton’s occasional call to his students
to read Barth for oneself. “You must read it!” he pleads at
several points. Because of Gunton’s insight and obvious
enthusiasm for the subject, his reader is certain to do just
that.
Andrew Zack Lewis
The University of St. Andrews
THE BIBLE AND EPISTEMOLOGY: BIBLICAL
SOUNDINGS ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. Edited
by Mary Healy and Robin Parry. Milton Keynes, UK:
Paternoster, 2007. Pp. xvii + 198. £17.99, ISBN 978-1-
84227-540-5.
Healy and Parry bring together nine essays from
Catholic and Protestant scholars, which collectively seek to
initiate serious discussion within biblical studies on episte-
mological issues. The editors rightly note that the most of the
recent resurgence of work on Christian epistemology has
been largely the work of philosophers and theologians
whose discussion of the hermeneutical nuances of the bibli-
cal text are often cursory. Further, epistemology is generally
(and perhaps surprisingly) a topic untouched by those
trained in biblical studies. This volume does not pretend to
offer a comprehensive discussion of biblical resources on
religious epistemology; instead it offers strategically chosen
soundings with the aim of giving a sense of the breadth of the
biblical material. Chapters address epistemological material
found in Deuteronomy, the Psalms, the Prophets, Wisdom
literature, Luke-Acts, Johannine literature, and Paul’s
letters. The essays in this book represent a welcome begin-
ning to a much needed conversation. The methodological
barriers that separate biblical studies from theology and
philosophy are significant, but not insurmountable. With its
open-minded spirit and irenic focus, volumes such as this
are essential to bridging the gulf between disciplines. This
book is highly recommended to biblical and theological
scholars as well as educated lay people.
Jim Beilby
Bethel University
NAMING AND THINKING GOD IN EUROPE TODAY:
THEOLOGY IN GLOBAL DIALOGUE. Edited by Norbert
Hintersteiner. Currents of Encounter, 32. Amsterdam:
Rodopi, 2007. Pp. 536. $148, ISBN 978-90-420-2205-8.
This volume, the first of three, originated in a series of
gatherings that brought together European scholars from
2003 to 2005. The resulting collection contains over thirty
essays from new voices and established theologians.
 Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34
Although there is a thread that loosely connects these essays
together, each of the four sections easily could be an inde-
pendent work. The first section raises questions about
globalization and the task of theology in Europe. Especially
interesting for the North American reader, the second
section (“Geographies of God in Europe”) contains essays on
how the context of Europe has influenced theological think-
ing. “Musing on God in Europe” is the third and most sizable
of the book’s sections. Unlike the others, this section does
not have a strong sense of thematic unity. Even so, each of
the essays presents some feature of the concept of God, at
least indirectly, and there is an interesting variety of con-
fessional stances and methodologies. The final section,
“Europe’s God in Global Dialogue,” presents essays debating
the methods of comparative theology. Some of these final
essays place non-Christian religious thought (Islam,
Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism) into conversation with
Christianity, while others debate aspects of the comparative
theology enterprise itself. A strength of this volume is that it
allows the reader to sample a cross-section of contemporary
theology in Europe. There is a variation in the quality of
some of the essays, but on the whole this book should be of
interest to theologians working on globalization, interreli-
gious dialogue, and the place of theology in contemporary
society.
Forrest Clingerman
Ohio Northern University
TO SHARE IN THE BODY: A THEOLOGY OF MAR-
TYRDOM FOR TODAY’S CHURCH. By Craig Hovey.
Foreword by Samuel Wells. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press,
2008. Pp. 157. $21.99, ISBN 978-1-58743-217-0.
How does one live an authentic Christian life in the midst
of a culture where being politically correct is highly prized
and secularization and humanism seem to relativize religious
identity? In a challenging and timely volume, Hovey argues
that one must “live with a proper and appropriate antagonism
to the world [which does not] preclude the possibility that
[one] might die the death of Christ.” The temptation for most
Christians today, writes the author, is to view the proper
response to the “world” as a choice between the binary per-
spective of fight or flight. Hovey contends for a third option: to
follow Christ even if it means one’s own death. He goes on to
caution that this following can be carried out only within the
imprimatur of the church, because “the church is character-
ized by the life of the resurrection only so far as it undergoes
the pain of the cross. The body of Christ crucified and raised
is . . . [what] God has called church.” Hovey writes in the
tradition of the Confessing Church and the radical disciple-
ship of Bonhoeffer. His book will not be welcome news for
those who decry the cross as master symbol for Christianity
and those who worry about fundamentalism as an obstacle to
world peace and interfaith dialogue.
Don E. Peavy, Sr.
Victor Valley College
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• NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008
CHRISTIAN PROPHECY: THE POST-BIBLICAL
TRADITION. By Niels Christian Hvidt. Foreword by Joseph
Cardinal Ratzinger. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.
Pp. xviii + 418. $74, ISBN 978-0-19-531447-2.
In this published dissertation from the Pontifical Grego-
rian University, Hvidt argues for the continued relevance of
prophecy in Christianity based on biblical precedence, his-
torical occurrences, and theological justification. Hvidt offers
this definition of a Christian prophet: “a Christian who,
through experienced revelations, receives a message that he
or she is directed to hand on to the church for its edification as
part of a firm design in God’s will to save, guide, and bless his
people.” He makes his case against cessationists who argue
that prophetic ministry has ended, against certain mystical
theologies that place more emphasis upon an interior spiri-
tuality, and against traditionalists who fear false doctrines
may enter the Church. With regard to the latter group, his
citing the favorable opinions of the future Pope Benedict XVI
makes for an interesting if not powerful argument. Although
writing primarily from a Roman Catholic framework, Hvidt
also engages Protestant and Orthodox writers with whom he
finds both points of agreement and disagreement. In particu-
lar, this work should attract Pentecostal and Charismatic
readers whose movements have led to an awakened interest
in the Pauline gifts of the Spirit in modern Christianity, but
have produced few analyses of the depth and breadth compa-
rable to this volume.
Malcolm R. Brubaker
Valley Forge Christian College
THE TRINITY AND ECUMENICAL CHURCH
THOUGHT: THE CHURCH-EVENT. By William C. Ingle-
Gillis. Ashgate New Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology,
and Biblical Studies. Aldershot, UK/Burlington, VT: Ashgate
Publishing, 2007. Pp. xiii + 222. $99.95, ISBN 978-0-7546-
5742-2.
Ingle-Gillis argues that the problem of modern ecu-
menism is its basic assumption of “ecclesial provisionalism.”
Provisionalism, contrary to divine will, is defined as “the
empirical Churches’ existence” which embodies by “defini-
tion something less than the authenticity of the una sancta.”
Of chief concern are provisionalism’s presuppositions: how
the ideal of the body of Christ is to relate to its advent in the
separated churches and in what way is the life and ministry of
each ecclesial body authentic or deficient. In the middle part
of the book, Ingle-Gillis addresses these concerns by critically
engaging T. Torrance, C. Gunton, and J. Zizioulas in order
to offer an ecclesial ontology rooted in the triune God as
personhood-in-communion. Concluding that the churches
are, by the Spirit’s activity, a tangible, dynamic “event,”
wherein God makes visible his ongoing reconciliation of the
world to himself, Ingles-Gillis argues that the churches’ true
life is in coming together, rather than being together. “Event-
in-process” ecclesiology suggests that every ecclesial com-
munity gathered around the word, bath, prayer, and table is a
 Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34
“microcosmic iteration” of the Church, fully representing but
not identical with the body of Christ. Given the importance of
Trinitarian ontology, history, and eschatology for ecumenical
ecclesiology, why did Ingles-Gillis not engage the work of
Robert Jenson? This concern notwithstanding, what emerges
from this book is the view that the process of “becoming-
unity” is in itself a vitally significant challenge to modern
ecumenism to reconsider its understanding of unity.
Mark S. Medley
Baptist Seminary of Kentucky
CONVERSATIONS WITH POPPI ABOUT GOD. By
Robert W. Jenson and Solveig Lucia Gold. Grand Rapids, MI:
Brazos Press, 2006. Pp. 158. $18.99, ISBN 978-1-58743-
186-9.
The rich legacy of theological dialogue—from Augustine
to Anselm and Schleiermacher—has almost disappeared in
the last century. This trim volume resurrects it in an acces-
sible style without sacrificing content. Unlike many earlier
forms of dialogue, moreover, this one is not invented.
Spanning several months of tape-recorded (and lightly
edited) conversation between eight-year-old Solveig and her
grandfather, world-renowned theologian Jenson, the book
allows readers to listen in on a conversation both humorous
and insightful. Readers might expect the child to ask ques-
tions while grandfather provides the answers, but grand-
daughter also has answers of her own that respond to
grandfather’s questions, such as her pointed suggestion
that Christians ought to rearrange the customary Trinitar-
ian formula to Father, Holy Spirit, Son: “Since the Spirit is
something the Father and Son share, shouldn’t it be
between them?” In this section and in others, Solveig
emerges as a theologian in her own right. Readers familiar
with Jenson’s magisterial Systematic Theology will find
familiar themes here, as the conversations cover many
classic loci, but also address biblical stories, economics, and
church history. The book will surely interest anyone inter-
ested in how to explore faith with children, but because of
its theological richness, it could also be used as an intro-
duction to Jenson’s thought. Perhaps its greatest strength is
to show the reader that the basics of Christian faith can not
only be communicated to children, but also explored with
them, as they teach us.
David H. Jensen
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
OPENING THE COVENANT: A JEWISH THEOLOGY
OF CHRISTIANITY. By Michael J. Kogan. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2008. Pp. xi + 284. $29.95, ISBN 978-0-19-
511259-7.
Some years ago, I heard Kogan deliver a presentation
that was a preview of his new book. My reaction was the
same after reading this longer version of his idea: if you
want to curl up and enjoy the ecumenical dialogue as it
173
• NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008
was, this book is for you. Much of the ground covered here
is well trodden. Kogan’s writing is appealing to the world
religions side of the ecumenical dialogue world. Thus the
problem with the book: In Kogan’s discussion of what Jews
can and cannot affirm in relation to Christianity, he dehis-
toricizes Jewish–Christian dialogue. This is most obvious in
Kogan’s chapter on the Israeli–Palestinian dispute, charac-
terized as an “invasion” of Jewish–Christian dialogue. The
Palestinians represent an invasion; does the Holocaust rep-
resent a similar “invasion?” Or are Jews somehow worthy
victims to be considered theologically whereas Palestinians
are unworthy? In Kogan’s view, Christians should turn
away from Palestinian history even as they turn toward
Jewish history, or parts of Jewish history that argue our
case for inclusion. Unfortunately, this book is, like most of
the ecumenical dialogue literature, retrogressive. The point
of Jewish–Christian relations today is to break the ecu-
menical deal—here Palestinians are essential—as Jews once
broke the same deal with a violent and anti-Semitic Chris-
tianity. Could it be that we Jews have traded places with
Christians?
Marc H. Ellis
Baylor University
THE CAMBRIDGE COMPANION TO EVANGELICAL
THEOLOGY. Edited by Timothy Larsen and Daniel J.
Treier. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
Pp. ix + 303. Cloth, $85, ISBN 978-0-521-84698-1; paper,
$29.99, 978-0-521-60974-6.
Within this work, editors Larsen and Treier trace the
developments and adjustments of modern evangelical Chris-
tianity as it ebbs and flows into the twenty-first century. The
layout of the book is simple and intuitive: divided into two
segments, the first part focuses on the various theological
subjects of evangelicalism, while the second part examines
the variegated contexts in which evangelicalism finds itself
today. The articles are not all equal in strength and insight,
yet the book does boast a noteworthy lineup of evangelical
authors. For example, K. Vanhoozer writes on the “Difficult
Diffident Evangelical Doctrine of God,” noting the renewed
interest and importance of the classical doctrine of God as it
continues to encounter new ideological approaches ranging
from Open Theism to the charges of Social-Trinitarianism
that have been leveled against Stanley Grenz (not by Van-
hoozer). J. Webster’s article on “Jesus Christ” is charac-
teristic of this theologian’s ability to enter into significant
conversation, move it forward, and yet do so with a great
economy of words. T. George concludes this work by exam-
ining the current state and future of evangelicalism within
the North American contexts. Other authors such as Treier,
V. Kärkkäinen, T. Tiénou, S. Chan, and S. Holmes each offer
helpful insight into some of the various contours in which
modern evangelicalism finds itself.
Jeffrey Anderson
Regent University School of Divinity
 Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34
ALFRED NORTH WHITEHEAD AND YI YULGOK:
TOWARD A PROCESS-CONFUCIAN SPIRITUALITY
IN KOREA. By Chung Soon Lee. Lanham, MD: University
Press of America, 2006. Pp. 192. $29.95, ISBN 0-7618-
3357-9.
The Seventh International Whitehead Conference,
scheduled to occur in Bangalore, India, in January 2009,
shows that the version of process philosophy associated
with A. N. Whitehead (1861-1947) continues to influence a
variety of fields beyond North America and Europe. Previous
conferences in China and Korea have been important in
this regard, too. With Lee’s book, a revision of his Boston
University doctoral dissertation as well as an account of his
Korean-Confucian-Christian heritage, we are now able to
read and reflect on the contribution that scholars linked to
such developments are making. Divided into five chapters,
this splendid study pairs Whitehead’s cosmology, particu-
larly his theory of eternal object-actual entity, with the theory
of principle-material force credited to Y. Yulgok (1536-1584),
the leading proponent of Korean Neo-Confucianism. An
emphasis on the dynamic, evolving nature of the cosmos
represents the primary point of consanguinity between
Whitehead and Yulgok. And the panentheism that follows
from this way of understanding reality strengthens Lee’s
conviction that process thought offers fecund ways of think-
ing through as well as enacting interreligious spirituality in
Korea. Nicely structured, well-written, and timely, this is a
book that should help explain the appeal and application of
Whiteheadian process philosophy in non-Western contexts.
Darren J. N. Middleton
Texas Christian University
CALCULATED FUTURES: THEOLOGY, ETHICS,
AND ECONOMICS. By D. Stephen Long and Nancy Ruth
Fox with Tripp York. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press,
2007, Pp. 230. $29.95, ISBN 978-1-60258-014-5.
Calculated Futures attempts to come to terms with the
theological problems that liberal capitalism produces. In the
first two chapters theologian Long pairs up with economist
Fox to highlight the similarities and differences in the meth-
odologies and ends of the two disciplines. Long then goes on
to describe the political nature of theology and the theological
basis of capitalism. The first four general and descriptive
chapters next give way to four chapters on the specific prob-
lems of corporations and the biblical prohibition of usury as
well as practical solutions. The book climaxes with Long’s
and York’s description of the part atavistic, part eschatologi-
cal gift economy that treats economic exchanges as relational
instead of contractual. The Eucharist serves as a model for
this gift exchange. Because Long has published all but one of
the chapters separately in other sources, the gift economy
solution to the problems described in our current economic
systems remains hidden until the last chapter. However,
Long’s lucid prose, even in this technical cross-disciplinary
work, makes the hiding of the details forgivable. Though
Calculated Futures acts primarily as a book about economics,
174
• NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008
it carries implications that make it an excellent introduction
to Christian ethics in general, though best used in upper level
undergraduate courses and graduate schools. If any fault
exists in Calculated Futures, it is the lack of space given to
Fox. Her contributions lend a welcome and credible voice to
an issue that could easily turn off those in the social sciences.
Andrew Zack Lewis
The University of St. Andrews
A DYNAMIC GOD: LIVING AN UNCONVENTIONAL
FAITH. By Nancy Mairs. Boston: Beacon Press, 2007.
Pp. xvi + 142. $23.95, ISBN 978-0-8070-7732-0.
Mairs’s body may be broken by multiple sclerosis, but
her spirit is whole and vibrant as it dances across the pages
of her latest book, A Dynamic God. In this collection of
essays, Mairs shares insights on faithful living with a simple
honesty that challenges the reader to do the same. Embrac-
ing Roman Catholicism, an unlikely choice for someone
raised as a Congregationalist, Mairs celebrates her faith
through service and social activism. She finds God in the
unexpected: a death row inmate and a woman homebound
by disability. Unconcerned for her own salvation, she seeks,
as she puts it, the “sheer bodily salvation of humanity
. . . one person at a time.” Her daily life mirrors this vision.
Unrestrained by traditional Catholicism, Mairs draws
strength through worship with the Community of Christ
in the Desert—a self-communing group of home-churched
Roman Catholics. She gives voice to a growing number of
Christians, Protestant as well as Catholic, who have been
nurtured in orthodoxy yet seek to know and understand God
in the unorthodox. Nancy Mairs presents her visions of a
dynamic God from living with disability, not despite it. Punc-
tuated with humor and passion, her book offers inspiration
for anyone who struggles with issues of life and faith.
Mary Schaefer Fast
Regent University School of Divinity
ALVIN PLANTINGA AND CHRISTIAN APOLOGET-
ICS. By Keith A. Mascord. Paternoster Theological Mono-
graphs Series. Milton Keynes, UK: Paternoster, 2006.
Pp. xv + 235. $33.99, ISBN 978-1-84227-256-5.
In this volume, Mascord seeks to describe and assess
the apologetic work of Plantinga. While he briefly considers
Plantinga’s apologetic work on topics such as religious plu-
ralism, naturalism, the problem of evil, and postmodernism,
a significant portion of his attention is appropriately directed
toward Plantinga’s discussion of the evidentialist objection
to belief in God. In the final three chapters Mascord develops
a critique of Plantinga’s approach to apologetics in general
and religious knowledge in particular. While not unsympa-
thetic with aspects of Plantinga’s proposal, Mascord argues
for an understanding of Christian belief formation which
places greater emphasis on rational inferences and testi-
mony than does Plantinga’s. The uncharacteristically stolid
picture of Plantinga on the cover of the book gives a poor
 Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34
initial impression; happily the negative impression does not
linger. Mascord’s work is generally beneficial in that no
other volume has developed the connection between apolo-
getics and Plantinga’s work in such depth. Particularly
interesting is his discussion of Plantinga’s work as a rap-
prochement between presuppositionalist and evidentialist
apologetic methodologies. The weaknesses of this book are
twofold: first, while Mascord’s characterization of Plantin-
ga’s work is generally careful and fair, there are a number of
blunders in which a critique of a particular stage of Plantin-
ga’s work is applied to the whole; second, while the critique
of Plantinga’s religious epistemology is interesting and
worth further development, Mascord adds relatively little to
the published literature. Still this is a beneficial volume for
those interested in Plantinga or recent developments in
Christian apologetics or religious epistemology.
Jim Beilby
Bethel University
GOD’S RIVALS: WHY HAS GOD ALLOWED DIFFER-
ENT RELIGIONS? INSIGHTS FROM THE BIBLE
AND THE EARLY CHURCH. By Gerald R. McDermott.
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Academic, 2007. Pp. 181.
$18, ISBN 978-0-8308-2564-6.
McDermott’s response to this question on the minds of
many Evangelical Christians is a careful examination of bib-
lical sources and the early Church Fathers. Those engaged
in helping Christians understand why they should engage
with people of other religions will find it a helpful resource.
To a readership conditioned by dichotomous language, for
example, “if my religion is true, yours must be false,” McDer-
mott introduces nuance: other religions may have some
degree of truth in them, and may serve God’s purpose. To a
readership inclined towards God’s judgment on other reli-
gions, he offers a more expansive view of God’s love and
mercy. Yet he insists that the fulfillment of God’s plan is in the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. Distinguishing between the content of
this Gospel and its earthly manifestation may have helped
address a contradiction. The Church, he admits, is tarnished
with a history of violence, and as such, it is not unlike other
religious traditions. Yet, only the Church has access to the full
revelation of the Gospel, while other religious traditions have
only a limited access to God’s truth. In this respect, McDer-
mott’s espousal of replacement theology, now discredited by
many theologians, is at best inadequate to the task of helping
Christians broaden their view of other religions, and at worst
harmful because what they have in God’s Rivals is a reaffir-
mation of Christianity’s exclusive efficacy.
Shanta Premawardhana
World Council of Churches
RESURRECTION. By Alister McGrath. Minneapolis, MN:
Fortress Press, 2008. Pp. vii + 87. $15, ISBN 978-0-8006-
3703-3.
McGrath clearly intends the book as meditations
immediately prior to Easter (“as we prepare to celebrate”)
175
• NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008
rather than as a Lenten resource. Although producing
devotionals are not within McGrath’s typical purview (as
professor of historical theology at Oxford University), his
considerable skills as a writer result here in seven engag-
ing reflections on scripture, poetry, and paintings that
feature Jesus’s empty tomb and the various postresurrec-
tion appearances. McGrath’s references to poetry and his
comments on the painted images are very engaging, even if
necessarily cursory. His comments on scripture are equally
thought provoking and he admirably performs the intricate
task of commenting on various passages without inappro-
priately conflating the ideas or details. In two instances
McGrath’s biblical comments do seem hasty in identifying
Galatians as widely accepted to be Paul’s first writing and
in implying that Ephesians is a resource for determining
what Paul “clearly has in mind.” The book includes a valu-
able listing of modern texts “for further reading.” It also
includes full information about the paintings that are set
pieces for each of the seven reflections. Although scrip-
tures and poetry figure as prominently as the paintings, it
is surprising that the book contains no listing of the poems
or index of the scriptures.
William E. Abshire
Bridgewater College
THEOLOGY: THE BASIC READINGS. Edited by Alister
E. McGrath. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2008.
Pp. xxi + 210. $26.95, ISBN 978-1-4051-7042-0.
Designed as a companion volume to the editor’s text-
book, Theology: The Basics, this reader assembles fifty-six
excerpts from widely regarded classics as well as a few
overlooked pieces in the history of Christian thought. Chap-
ters are organized thematically, roughly along the lines of
the Apostle’s Creed, with individual readings grouped chro-
nologically within each chapter. Although two-thirds of the
selections are from the past two hundred years, ample
readings from the patristic, medieval, and Reformation eras
give the reader a sense of the depth and breadth of each
theme across the ages. McGrath begins each chapter with
an overview of the chief questions relating to each theo-
logical locus. Individual readings are preceded by a few
paragraphs that situate the author in his/her historical
context and conclude with McGrath’s highlighting of
important themes and questions for further exploration.
Although brief, the volume packs surprising diversity into
its pages: Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant; feminist and
liberationist; revisionist and conservative. The only signifi-
cant weakness of the reader is its focus on voices in the
Northern hemisphere, with only one selection from L.
Boff representing regions of the world where two-thirds
of Christians now live. Nonetheless, it is hard to ima-
gine a better basic introduction to Western Christian
theology.
David H. Jensen
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
 Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34
THE POWER OF GOD AND THE GODS OF POWER.
By Daniel Migliore. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox
Press, 2008. Pp. x + 142. $16.95, ISBN 978-0-664-23164-4.
This book is a revision of Migliore’s The Power of God,
published in 1983. Migliore accepted the invitation to revise
and to expand this volume for two reasons: 1) all theological
thought, in principle, is provisional and incomplete; and
2) there have been many world events since the 1980s that
make the question of God’s power all the more urgent, such
as the bombings of September 11, 2001 and the Iraq war. Yet
Migliore’s central thesis remains unchanged: “The gospel of
Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the salvation of the world
challenges us to a thorough rethinking of what we under-
stand to be the power of God and the way in which human
power might be exercised as a faithful witness to God’s
power.” This volume, like the previous one, is addressed to
beginners in theology, rather than to professional theolo-
gians. The book is divided into seven small chapters, and it
is written in a very readable and unassuming style. Each
chapter concludes with a few discussion questions, which
could be used for small groups, either in churches or for
introductory theology classes. Readers will find of especial
interest the final chapter, “Toward a Christian–Muslim Dia-
logue on the Power of God.” Here Migliore explores some
of the ethical and theological common ground between
Christians and Muslims, while acknowledging genuine dif-
ferences. Migliore concludes his book by suggesting that
Christians and Muslims should be “fostered in cooperative
efforts on matters of common concern and commitment,”
especially on matters such as peace, justice, and the envi-
ronment. This, no doubt, is an apt suggestion. Perhaps com-
mitments such as interfaith marriage—particularly those
marriages where neither partner converts—could be added to
this list as well. Highly recommended.
Nathan Carlin
Rice University
GLOBAL PENTECOSTALISM: THE NEW FACE OF
CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT. By Donald E.
Miller and Tetsunao Yamamori. Berkeley: University of
California Press, 2007. Pp. 224, with DVD. $24.95, ISBN
978-0-520-25194-6.
The authors set out to study growing, socially progres-
sive, and indigenous churches in the developing world, but
when the authors asked for nominations of churches that fit
these criteria, 85 percent of nominations were Pentecostal, so
Yamamori and Miller decided to focus on these progressive
Pentecostals. The first half of the book describes progres-
sive ministry programs with youth, addicts, microenterprise
loans, orphans, and people and nations overwhelmed with
AIDS. These programs are presented as vignettes, gathered
from Africa, Asia, the Philippines, India, Thailand, Hong
Kong, Latin America, Poland, and Armenia. The second half of
the book concentrates on themes or characteristics of pro-
gressive Pentecostals including God-encountering worship,
democratic ritual and organizational structures, and cell- and
176
• NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008
mission-oriented discipleship. Along the way the book
interacts with social theory (Marx and Weber), liberation
theology, church structure analysis, and sociology of religion
(Durkheim). Because the theories are diverse, disconnected,
and do not render a coherent sense of the ritual or theological
basis for progressive Pentecostalism, I would not recommend
this book for graduate courses. But because the book’s min-
istry tour turns up inspiring and exemplary ministries which
are based on good values, theology, science, and practice, and
because this tour explodes myths that all Pentecostals are
only escapists, it is useful for a popular readership or perhaps
for an introductory undergraduate course.
Craig Scandrett-Leatherman
Eden Theological Seminary
CLAIMING CHRIST: A MORMON EVANGELICAL
DEBATE. By Robert L. Millet and Gerald R. McDermott.
Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2007. Pp. 238. $16.99, ISBN
978-1-58743-209-5.
This work exemplifies the growing effort to provide a
better understanding between two faith traditions that have
traditionally had a history of confrontation, pointing out doc-
trinal differences rather than acknowledging agreements.
Millet (a Mormon) and McDermott (an Evangelical) focus the
reader’s attention on their respective understanding of Jesus.
Divided into eight chapters, the work discusses: accepted
authoritative sources; the pre-incarnate Christ; relationship
of the Godhead; passion and atonement; Jesus of history and
the Christ of faith; church and sacraments; soteriology; and
the fate of the unevangelized. Each chapter contains three
parts: a lead article, a response and a rebuttal to the response
with each author writing four principle articles in alternate
order. The book concludes by summarizing what each author
has learned. Written in a conversational tone, the work flows
from a series of dialogues held at Roanoke College (Virginia).
The authors seek to clarify each tradition’s position, show
where agreement exists, and underscore remaining differ-
ences. Although it achieves its purpose, this reviewer finds
that clarity is sometimes sacrificed by the generous charity
each author affords the other’s theological tradition. Despite
this reservation, the book is a must read for all persons who
seek a greater understanding of either an Evangelical or
Mormon view of Jesus. It goes without saying that the book
should be found in any theological library or university
library supporting a strong religious studies program.
D. William Faupel
Wesley Theological Seminary
LUTHER AS A SPIRITUAL ADVISER: THE INTER-
FACE OF THEOLOGY AND PIETY IN LUTHER’S
DEVOTIONAL WRITINGS. By Dennis Ngien. Studies in
Christian History and Thought. Waynesboro, GA: Paternos-
ter, 2007. Pp. xiii + 177. $39.99, ISBN 978-1-84227-461-3.
D. Ngien, an expert on Luther, is Research Professor of
Theology at Tyndale University College and Seminary in
 Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34
Toronto, and founding member of the Center for Mentor-
ship and Theological Reflection. In the introduction,
Ngien states the purpose of this work “is to unfold the
pastoral not the polemical, side of the Reformer, drawing
on the spiritual insights he offered to people of high and
low estate.” The book begins with Luther’s Meditation on
Christ’s Passion (1519), in which Luther discusses the
proper way to meditate and the need for a spirituality
grounded in Christ, the “earnest mirror.” Chapter two, “The
Art of Dying,” covers Luther’s council to focus on life,
grace, and heaven when near death. Fourteen Consolations
for the Sick (1520) is discussed next, while chapter four
deals with properly receiving the Lord’s Supper. Ngien
focuses on Luther’s teachings on prayer in chapter five,
drawing on five sources including A Simple Way to Pray
(1535) and Personal Prayer Book (1522). The final chapter
explores Luther’s six basic principles of comfort. Ngien
shows Luther as a pastor who was deeply concerned with
his flock, and whose writings are theological as well as
practical. The theological terminology and Latin phrases do
not slow down Ngien’s clear writing style. Ngien offers an
excellent volume on Luther, which would be a benefit to
pastor and scholar alike.
Patricia Riley
Regent University School of Divinity
ARMINIAN THEOLOGY: MYTHS AND REALITIES.
By Roger E. Olson. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Aca-
demic, 2006. Pp. 264. $25, ISBN 978-0-8308-2841-8.
Olson strikes an irenic tone in this readable explication
of Arminian theology. Most of the chapters begin with a
false accusation (“myth”) levelled against Arminianism by
Calvinist authors, followed by a rebuttal from Arminius
himself and his disciples up to the present (“reality”).
Olson showcases Episcopius, Limborch, Wesley, Methodist
theologians of the nineteenth century (Watson, Pope,
Summers, Miley) and more recent twentieth century
scholars (Wiley and Oden), with others included. Olson is
careful to separate what Arminius actually taught from how
he has been misconstrued by his enemies and misunder-
stood by his friends. To the author, Arminius stands thor-
oughly within the Reformed-Protestant tradition, such that
modern-day evangelicals ought not to anathematize Armin-
ian theology from the movement. Olson lays much of the
confusion regarding Arminianism and semi-Pelagianism at
the feet of Limborch, who in his view misrepresented the
position. He begins and concludes the book with a plea for
fairness from Calvinists who would depict Arminian theol-
ogy inaccurately in order to destroy it. The book’s merit lies
in its accessibility for pastors, laypersons and professional
theologians. Indeed, those who either accept or reject the
Arminian label need to be informed about what Arminius
believed, and Olson is just such a guide to do this. By
design, he has reiterated certain points resulting in much
overlap, which the reader may find tedious. But let not that
put you off. What may be needed now is a more systematic
177
• NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008
approach to Arminius’s theology. Professor Olson, what say
you?
Gerald W. King
University of Birmingham
LIGHT IN DARKNESS: HANS URS VON BAL-
THASAR AND THE CATHOLIC DOCTRINE OF
CHRIST’S DESCENT INTO HELL. By Alyssa Lyra
Pitstick. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2006. Pp. 474. $36,
ISBN 0-8028-4039-6.
By means of an exhaustive analysis of both Balthasar’s
doctrine of Christ’s descent into hell and the broad Catholic
tradition, Pitstick aims to demonstrate that Balthasar’s view
is sufficiently out of kilter with the tradition so as to qualify
as heterodox. Given a widespread assumption of Balthasar
as a bastion of theological orthodoxy, this argument is
bound to give offense. Pitstick does not allow the Balthasar
defender the easy out of saying that Balthasar is eccentric
with regard to this particular topic. Rather, Pitstick takes
Balthasar’s view of Christ’s descent into hell as truly central
theologically: it funds and is funded by a deficient Christol-
ogy, a highly problematic view of the immanent and eco-
nomic Trinity, and crippling shortcomings with respect to
all the other doctrines. Pitstick intends to do nothing less
than vitiate Balthasar’s entire theological enterprise by
examining a doctrine that is at once poisoned root and fruit.
This book is too theologically serious to be dismissed as
cranky. Pitstick’s knowledge of Balthasar is exceptional,
and she shows a compendious knowledge of creeds and cat-
echisms, of the scriptural evidence and theological tradition,
and of the magisterial and common traditions of the church.
Nonetheless, battle lines are drawn here with respect to
Balthasar’s interpretation, and to the understanding of
Catholic tradition, specifically the issues of development in
tradition and the degree of latitude allowed theological
experimentation. In her brief part three, Pitstick shows that
she has grasped the larger methodological issues in her
book, which follows the Christian imperative of speaking
with boldness.
Cyril O’Regan
University of Notre Dame
TRADITION IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE: A DAVID
NOVAK READER. Edited by Randi Rashkover and Martin
Kavka. Radical Traditions series. Grand Rapids, MI: William
B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008. Pp. xxxiv + 372.
$42, ISBN 0-8028-3072-2.
At least four types of scholars will be interested in this
volume. First, those who are familiar with the work of
Novak (who has authored or edited over twenty books in the
last three plus decades) will find a number of previously
unpublished essays in this volume. Second, scholars inter-
ested in developments in contemporary Jewish philosophy
and theology will be treated to vintage Novak: rigorous argu-
ment addressing philosophical, theological, and religious
 Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34
matters of debate in the wider academy from a thoroughly
informed and committed Jewish stance. Third, researchers
and ethicists investigating such topics as war, abortion,
sexuality (and homosexuality), marriage and civil law
unions, capital punishment, and socialized medicine (Novak
is a dual citizen of Canada and the US) can glean from the
“Case Studies: Judaism and Social Ethics,” which comprise
almost one-third of the book. Finally, scholars of Jewish-
Christian and Jewish-Christian-Muslim dialogue, as well as
others engaged in comparative theology, interreligious dia-
logue, and interfaith encounter projects will note that this
book appears in the Radical Traditions series edited by
S. Hauerwas and P. Ochs; here, Novak adds his distinctive
Jewish perspective into the postliberal theological and philo-
sophical conversation. Editors Rashkover and Kavka have
added a helpful introduction that highlights why Novak’s
retrieval of Jewish biblical and halakhic resources needs to
be heard in these various discussions today.
Amos Yong
Regent University School of Divinity
ECUMENICAL AND ECLECTIC: THE UNITY OF
THE CHURCH IN THE CONTEMPORARY
WORLD—ESSAYS IN HONOR OF ALAN P. F. SELL.
Edited by Anna M. Robbins. Studies in Christian History
and Thought. Milton Keynes, UK: Paternoster, 2007.
Pp. xiv + 313. £24.99, ISBN 978-1-84227-432-3.
This Festschrift lives up to the claim made by its title, as
fifteen colleagues participate in acknowledgement of Sell’s
scholarly and ecumenical work spanning five decades,
including his leadership role as Theology Secretary of the
World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC). The Roots
section includes an essay on Calvin’s approach to the unity
of the church as a means of lifting up Sell’s own “Ecumenical
Vision” articulated in his writings chronicling the work of
WARC in its history (McKim). Also discussed in this section
is the significance of the converging roles of the ecumenical
movement, charismatic renewal and evangelicalism in
shaping the future of the church (MacRae). The Reflections
section includes a critical look at Lesslie Newbigen’s place in
twentieth century ecumenism (Peel), a comparative analysis
of C. H. Dodd and W. D. Davies on the nature of the church
(Williams), and an appreciation of the unique contribution
of Olive Wyon as a translator and writer of spirituality
(Cornick). The Resonances section looks to the future with
analyses of two decades of ecumenical cooperation between
the Conference of European Churches and the Council of
Catholic Episcopal Conferences (Clement); the challenge of
spiritual ecumenism to transform the culture of dialogue
(Falconer); Christian social ethics in an era of globalization
(Robbins); and an essay on apologetics dissecting Mel
Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ (Fackre). The book con-
tains something for everyone wrestling with the complex
challenges faced by today’s ecumenists.
David L. Cole
Eugene Bible College
178
• NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008
ECUMENICAL RECEPTION: ITS CHALLENGE AND
OPPORTUNITY. By William G. Rusch. Grand Rapids, MI:
William B. Eerdmans, 2007. Pp. x + 142. $20, ISBN 978-0-
8028-4723-2.
In terms of sheer quantity of publications, the ecumeni-
cal movement has been remarkably productive; however,
there has been far less success in getting people to read,
much less implement, the wide variety of ecumenical agree-
ments. Such a problem is not unique to the ecumenical
movement. The “reception” of Christian teachings has been
an extended and sometimes embattled endeavor in the
history of the Church. This small volume—an expansion of
Rusch’s earlier monograph Reception: An Ecumenical Oppor-
tunity (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1988)—envisions “reception”
as including not only theological inquiry and canonical
acceptance, but also ecclesiological development and spiri-
tual conversion. Along with an insightful discussion of the
multifaceted dimensions of “ecumenical reception,” this
book also provides summary status reports on various
“examples” of reception: the Leuenberg and Meissen Agree-
ments; the Porvoo Common Statement; the Lima Report on
Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry; the Lutheran–Catholic Joint
Declaration on Justification; Anglican–Roman Catholic dis-
cussions; the Consultation on Church Union; the agreements
between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and
the Episcopal Church, the Moravian Church, and churches of
the Reformed tradition. Acknowledging the difficulty if not
impossibility of arriving at total agreement regarding issues
of “Faith and Order,” Rusch characterizes ecumenical recep-
tion as an ongoing process of “differentiated consensus”
accompanied by identifying and/or constructing common
church structures. In sum, this clearly written and well-
researched book provides a helpful synopsis of the various
dimensions of “ecumenical reception” as well as an agenda
for future ecumenical dialogue.
John T. Ford
The Catholic University of America
LEADING LIVES THAT MATTER: WHAT WE
SHOULD DO AND WHO WE SHOULD BE. Edited by
Mark R. Schwehn and Dorothy C. Bass. Grand Rapids, MI:
Eerdmans Press 2006. Pp. xviii + 545. $40, ISBN 978-0-
8028-3256-6.
Schwehn and Bass’s anthology is an important addition
to the current writing on vocation. This volume does not
treat the question in a strictly religious sense. Rather, the
authors focus on ways Americans live in a tension between
the democratic understanding of personal “choice” and a
religious understanding of God’s call to a specific life. The
collection contains theological voices and a rich and varied
selection of poems, novel excerpts, and literary essays. The
book is also well organized into two sections: an introductory
one entitled “Vocabulary” that explores terminology around
vocation. The book’s second section is entitled “Questions”
and focuses on specific questions that come to bear when
 Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34
making life choices such as balance, talents, and ways in
which we create the narratives of our lives. The authors have
written an informative and thought-provoking introduction
to each section. The book is to be commended for the diver-
sity of those it includes, from Homer to Amy Tan. One could
quibble with particular selections, but the authors are
quick to point out that their selection is limited, and invite
others to supplement it. This is a thought-provoking, well-
organized, and very thoughtful volume on questions of
meaning and value and should have a place in high school,
college, and seminary libraries.
Aaron Klink
Duke University
GOD’S GIFT GIVING: IN CHRIST AND THROUGH
THE SPIRIT. Edited by R. Kevin Seasoltz. New York: Con-
tinuum, 2007. Pp. vi + 246. Cloth, $95, ISBN 978-0-8264-
2815-8; paper, $24.95, ISBN 978-0-8264-2816-5.
Seasoltz, the editor of Worship, offers the reader a won-
derful example of an ecumenically minded Catholic theology
against the backdrop of the contemporary debate over the
nature of gift giving. Citing seminal thinkers such as Derrida
and Marion, Seasoltz moves quickly to explore possible
meanings of God’s giving, in sacrifice and atonement, word
and sacrament, Spirit and church. He allows a range of
theological excursions, on panentheism, the (im)possibility
of violence and suffering on the part of God, to inform his
inquiry into these particular gifts, and remains in dialogue
throughout with theologians across a wide spectrum. In each
chapter, Seasoltz returns to the Eucharist as a central activ-
ity embodying both the gifting of God and the gratitude of a
church which appropriately responds in worship and fellow-
ship (leading one to wish for a deeper investigation into the
nature of giving as a debt to be repaid). Because of this focus,
his work may be of greater value to those interested in
sacramental theology (such as seminarians) than those con-
cerned with the phenomenology of gift giving, although his
point seems to be that the latter leads to the former within a
Christian theology. A reader interested in any of the afore-
mentioned gifts, however, will find something of worth in
Seasoltz’s offering.
D. Allen Tennison
Azusa Pacific University
WATER FROM A DEEP WELL: CHRISTIAN SPIRI-
TUALITY FROM EARLY MARTYRS TO MODERN
MISSIONARIES. By Gerald L. Sittser. Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2007. Pp. 364. $22, ISBN 978-0-8308-
3493-8.
A glance at the fast food menu offers a vast array of
choices often cheap but also unhealthy. So also many contem-
porary Christians live upon spirituality a la carte—quick fixes,
low on nutrition, and minimal satisfaction. G. Sittser utilizes
the metaphor of food and drink to serve up a timely corrective
to one-generational approaches by inviting sojourners to an
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• NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008
elaborate feast with the family of faith. He locates Christian
spirituality not in a life of prosperity, comfort, and ease, but
beside the likes of martyrs, desert saints, monks, mystics,
and pioneer missionaries. These respective followers prove
exemplary by their courageous confession, engaging asceti-
cism, daily rhythms, union with God, and death-defying
evangelism. Sittser opens up the nutritional worth of the
community, iconography, sacraments, and the Word, thereby
encouraging readers to drink from a deep well of church
history. He invites Christians suffering from historical
amnesia or apathy to dine with Jesus alongside a great cloud
of witnesses. Readers taste the best: a satisfying buffet of
primary sources from the early church to the Orthodox tradi-
tion, from the Reformers to Evangelicals (unfortunately,
Anabaptists and Pentecostals receive little attention). Diners
passionate for authentic experience will not find fast-food
spirituality. On the contrary, with the best ingredients and
intentional preparation, Sittser sets the table for a rewarding
dinner with Jesus. While many find little satisfaction with
simplistic approaches, this tried and true recipe deserves
consideration not only as a personal or collective devotional
but also for courses in church history, ecclesiology, and
spiritual formation.
Martin William Mittelstadt
Evangel University
THE GOSPEL OF JUSTIFICATION IN CHRIST:
WHERE DOES THE CHURCH STAND TODAY? Edited
by Wayne C. Stumme. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 2006, Pp. x + 182. $23, ISBN 978-0-
8028-2690-9.
The church in the title’s reference comprises six groups.
Those are the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the
Roman Catholic Church, the Episcopal Church in the U.S.,
and three of the denominations from the Reformed tradition
(the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., the Reformed Church in
America, and the United Church of Christ). The book’s eleven
essays are by Roman Catholics and by writers from each of
those Protestant denominations, commenting on facets of
“The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” that
the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federa-
tion signed on October, 31 1999. The book’s greatest appeal
will be to readers in those six groups who are interested and
aware of this declaration and of past accords, agreements, and
declarations between and among those groups. However,
readers who are interested in the doctrine of justification
more broadly (more broadly than historical theology or con-
temporary inter-Christian ecumenism) will find much of
value in the components of G. Hunsinger’s and K. Sondereg-
ger’s essays that discuss the doctrine of justification and
Barth. Such readers also will appreciate components of G.
Dorrien’s essay on the doctrine of justification in relation to
the Social Gospel movement and in relation to Niebuhr.
William E. Abshire
Bridgewater College
 Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34
PANNENBERG ON THE TRIUNE GOD. By Iain Taylor.
London: T&T Clark, 2007. Pp. 225. $130, ISBN 978-0-5670-
3150-1.
Taylor’s study uniquely aims to judge the Trinitarian
texture of Pannenberg’s Systematic Theology, and argues
ably that the doctrine of God occupies its center, while
rightly (if a bit overzealously) countering the common alle-
gation of Hegelianism. The book’s main chapters provide
concise and illuminating analysis of the Trinitarian dimen-
sions of each doctrine in ST, as well as sound criticisms, e.g.,
Pannenberg’s dependence on now outdated narratives about
the preponderance of the divine unity and the absence of the
Spirit in Western theology. But the book’s conclusion is more
problematic, for it argues that ST is insufficiently Trinitarian
without meeting the latter’s project on its own terms. To
complain, as Taylor does, that Pannenberg’s “theological
practice” is not yet thoroughly Trinitarian because his chap-
ters on prolegomena (method, concepts of God and religion,
and even revelation and faith) do not everywhere presup-
pose the Trinity is to miss the point of Pannenberg’s project,
or at least to judge it from the very (largely Barthian) posi-
tion it was meant to overcome. As such, Taylor seems to
disagree with Pannenberg less on the place of the Trinity
than on fundamental issues in method and epistemology
that are simply presupposed in his final negative conclu-
sions. Similarly, to reiterate that Pannenberg tries to stand
in some neutral intellectual space ignores the entire herme-
neutic posture of his theology. Nonetheless, the book might
take a place alongside the slightly more subtle introductory
volumes to Pannenberg’s work by S. Grenz and G. Wenz.
Sean Hayden
Vanderbilt University
KRSNA AND CHRIST: BODY-DIVINE RELATION IN
THE THOUGHT OF SANKARA, RAMANUJA, AND
CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ORTHODOXY. By Steven
Tsoukalas. Paternoster Theological Monographs. Milton
Keynes, UK, and Waynesboro, GA.: Paternoster, 2006.
Pp. xv + 310. £19.99, ISBN 978-1-84227-435-4.
This work—a University of Birmingham (UK) doctoral
dissertation—offers a sustained and rigorous comparison of
the similarities and differences between the Krsnavatara
(Krsna in his avatara [“descended”] state) doctrine of
Sankara and Ramanuja and the incarnation of Christ as
represented by classical (Nicene) Christian orthodoxy.
Tsoukalas maintains that supposed similarities are superfi-
cial and misleading when evaluated by means of the detailed
epistemological and ontological comparison that he under-
takes. An opening chapter examines the epistemologies of
Sankara and Ramanuja and following chapters outline their
views of the nature of Brahman, world, and soul, which
determine the nature of the “body” assumed by Krsna as
avatara and the soteriology that he offers. Subsequent
chapters cover parallel developments in classical Christian
theology before a final chapter, “Avatara and Incarnation
Compared,” concludes that the purposes of avatara and
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• NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008
incarnation are radically different (although, nonetheless,
suggestive of areas for future research). This penetrating
work acknowledges concerns shared by both Hindus and
Christians (How does the Divine relate to the world and to
humanity? How does the Divine bridge or heal alienation and
estrangement?) while concluding that the answers offered
are profoundly different. Two substantial omissions from
the thirty-seven-page bibliography are Ishanand, Krsna and
Christ (1988) and Robinson, Christians Meeting Hindus
(2004). Highly recommended.
Bob Robinson
Tyndale-Carey Graduate School, New Zealand
REINVENTING ENGLISH EVANGELICALISM,
1966-2001: A THEOLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL
STUDY. by Rob Warner. Studies in Evangelical History
and Thought. Milton Keynes, UK: Paternoster, 2007.
Pp. xviii + 284. £19.99, ISBN 978-1-84227-570-2.
In a book fizzing with intellectual energy and sharp-
ened with verbal precision, Warner creates typologies by
which to analyze British evangelicalism. Although taking
the period after 1966, he necessarily delves back to the
Evangelical Alliance of the nineteenth century, which
included North American representatives. Along the
conversionist-activist axis he sees late-modern charismatic
entrepreneurialism taking place in the context of church
decline. After early successes, entrepreneurialism suffered
from “vision inflation” that left its adherents in a state of
disillusionment. The biblicist-crucicentric axis goes back to
earlier evangelical ecumenism. Yet, as detailed but lively
examination of the texts of evangelical statements of faith
reveal (the 1846 Evangelical Alliance text, the revisions of
1928 and 1970, as well as Intervarsity Fellowship 1974
and the Universities & Colleges Christian Fellowship 1981,
together with the inerrancy declarations of Chicago 1978
and the Gospel Celebration of 1999), the early inclusive-
ness of evangelicalism now suffers the tensions of contra-
dictory certainties. Calvinistic exclusivism denies the
validity of all moderate forms of conservatism with their
openness to social engagement and their alternative views
of the atonement. Warner concludes that, despite repeated
reconfigurations, the variegated subcultures of evangelical
tradition face the danger of breaking up along the two main
axes as a consequence of internecine battles and inerran-
tist intransigence.
William K. Kay
Bangor University
CONNECTED SPIRITS: FRIENDS AND SPIRITUAL
JOURNEYS. Edited by Andrew J. Weaver and Donald E.
Messer. Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2007. Pp. xv + 144.
$15, ISBN 978-0-8298-1716-4.
Weaver and Messer’s book contains essays by of theo-
logians, church leaders, and artists recounting the stories of
their own good friendships, and reflections on how these
friendships impacted the course of their lives in the world,
 Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34
and before God. Most of the stories are ordinary, and could
be told by any group of people who talk about their friends,
and as such, they will probably resonate with many readers.
Despite the uneven quality of the essays, all are heartfelt
and provide ways of naming friendship’s graces that any
reader will learn from. There are real insights and profound
thoughts buried in the stories the authors tell. This collection
is a good discussion starter for group study. It would be
good for use in church groups and adult education, and a
helpful addition to church libraries and popular spirituality
collections.
Aaron Klink
Duke University
LIKE CATCHING WATER IN A NET: HUMAN
ATTEMPTS TO DESCRIBE THE DIVINE. By Val Webb.
New York: Continuum, 2007. Pp. xii + 272. $24.95, ISBN
978-08264-2891-2.
A lecturer in religion at universities in the US and
Australia, Webb offers an absorbing book of metaphorical
theology, one that follows the many and varied traces of the
Divine in history. To this end, she explores the writings of
Sufi, Buddhist, and Hindu mystics, the nature religions of
the ancient Mesopotamians, the ethical monotheism of the
ancient Israelites, the stress on the Creating Rainbow Spirit
among the Aboriginal people, and theologies associated with
traditional as well as progressive Christian traditions. Her
book’s first five chapters probe why people throughout
history have invoked Something More to answer existential
questions; examine the place of Mystery as well as metaphor
in imagining religiously; and delineate the difference
between apophatic and kataphatic ways of (not) speaking
about the Divine. The next five chapters critically
assess several familiar images—both natural and
anthropomorphic—for picturing the Divine. Here Webb notes
how different models of Divine power work in the lives of
those who use them. The final five chapters discuss how
Christians see Jesus as God, note that the Bible’s authority
(or lack thereof) often relates to this observation, and re-
cognize that visualizing Jesus as the Divine poses serious
challenges to persons committed to non-Christian ways of
understanding God. In conclusion, Webb upholds process
theism as the most fruitful, satisfying way to describe the
Divine today. This astute book carries wide appeal.
Darren J. N. Middleton
Texas Christian University
JOHN CALVIN AS TEACHER, PASTOR, AND THEO-
LOGIAN: THE SHAPE OF HIS WRITINGS AND
THOUGHT. By Randall C. Zachman. Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Academic, 2006. Pp. 277. $24.99, ISBN 978-0-8010-
3129-8.
This collection of essays is an interesting overview of
certain aspects of Calvin’s theological methodology. The first
part of the book surveys Calvin’s writings, organizing them
according to Calvin’s conception of the distinct vocations of
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• NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008
teacher and pastor. A pastor teaches a local congregation,
while a teacher instructs pastors, and so addresses the
universal church. Calvin wrote his Institutes, biblical com-
mentaries and polemical treatises as a teacher while he
composed his catechisms and French sermons in his capac-
ity as pastor. Although this is a useful distinction, Zachman
does not show why it is important. The most significant
sections of this part are an examination of points of harmony
and tension in Calvin’s friendship with Melanchthon
through a comparison of their different views of the vocation
of an evangelical teacher, and a discussion of Calvin’s views
of biblical exegesis. Zachman argues that, far from being a
precritical exegete, Calvin is substantially similar to modern
theologians, such as Barth and von Balthasar, who combine
historical-critical method with doctrinal contextualization.
The Institutes likewise blends dialectic and rhetoric, and is
primarily a contemplative book. The second part of the col-
lection is an original exposition of the role of analogy and
anagoge in Calvin’s theology. Zachman contends that Calvin
pairs visual manifestation with verbal proclamation as twin
ways of knowing God. Although an iconoclast, Calvin
emphasizes that the universe and Jesus Christ are living
images of God. Zachman covers much ground, but his argu-
ments are based on close and convincing textual analyses.
His lucid style and cogent argumentation makes this book
suitable for both scholars and beginning students, and art
historians will find his remarks on Calvin’s doctrine of
images valuable.
Jason van Boom
Graduate Theological Union
Ethics
REDISCOVERING ABUNDANCE; INTERDISCIPLI-
NARY ESSAYS ON WEALTH, INCOME, AND THEIR
DISTRIBUTION IN THE CATHOLIC SOCIAL TRADI-
TION. Edited by Helen Alford, Charles M. A. Clark, S. A.
Cortright, and Michael J. Naughton. Notre Dame, IN: Univer-
sity of Notre Dame Press, 2006. Pp. ix + 386. $35, ISBN
0-268-02027-2.
Utilizing Catholic Social Teaching, this volume expands
the perception of wealth beyond the maximization of share
price or the accumulation of capital. The introduction sug-
gests that wealth should create economic structures benefit-
ing the common good. The volume contains three sections,
the first addressing wealth creation for the creation of moral
and spiritual well-being. Clarke emphasizes the “means”
rather than the “ends,” within economic theories. Kennedy
and Haughey critique the assumption that wealth is limited
and that gain for one is at the expense of another. Beretta,
building upon Clarke, critiques the importance of the wealth
collection process within the Catholic social tradition. The
second section discusses Wealth Distribution. Clarke chal-
lenges neoclassical views of wealth, emphasizing instead
the focus on human dignity. McCann cites the limitation of