Review: Genesis in Space and Time; The Flow of Biblical History
Genesis in Space and Time; The Flow of Biblical History by Francis A. Schaeffer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Concise book, especially given the title. Space and time refer to the historicity of the accounts. In other words, they happened in space-time, or in even other words, the stories are true. Schaeffer grasps the meta-narrative of Scripture and presents the first eleven chapters of Genesis as foundational.
Schaeffer was an intellectual and grapples with high concepts. You may need to read it, let it simmer, and come back to it again. I wouldn’t consider this intro level, but it is very strengthening to a biblical worldview. I recommend it.
Review: The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be
The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be by Farley Mowat
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A heart-warming biographical of a boy and his remarkable dog. One of the charms of this book is the view into a bygone era for boys and dogs. We did this as a family read-aloud and enjoyed it. Whenever I do a read-aloud, I am also an inline editor. I had to skip a thing or two in this one, but overall a good story.
I am not generally in for the “heart-warming” reads. I don’t think it will really be spoiling anything to warn you ahead of time that nothing lasts forever. As a boy and his dog progresses to a man and his dog . . . you probably know how these things go. If that is too sad for you, just skip the last chapter and go on your merry way.
Review: Lost in the Barrens
Lost in the Barrens by Farley Mowat
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Excellent tale of adventure and survival. Two boys get separated from their hunting party and stranded when their canoe is wrecked. They must survive the oncoming winter and make their way back home. We did this as a family read-aloud and everyone was gripped by it.
I enjoy Mowat’s books. If I understand correctly, though this is a fictional story, the techniques for survival in these conditions are true to life. Mowat was a naturalist and his environmental views are peppered here and there, but I found them barely distracting. This is a fun and gripping read. I recommend it.
Review: Old Landmarkism: What Is It?
Old Landmarkism: What Is It? by J. R. Graves
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Mostly good though a little heavy-handed. Graves is not a dazzling writer, but he is clear and passionate. This book is mostly a polemic against alien baptism, open communion, or inter-communion, and pulpit affiliations. Graves makes his case in a very logical argument. He draws from Scripture and history to support his assertions.
He deals here with issues of church polity that we rarely hear about today. It is not that the issues don’t exist today, but few seem to be troubled at all by these questions. Ours is an age where it is not acceptable to scrutinize nor criticize another’s views. Everyone is supposed to sit around the table equally. Of course that was not the approach of Jesus nor His apostles, and it shouldn’t be ours.
This book was written in the heat of the day and you may or may not be familiar with the men, churches, and situations he refers to. I recommend reading it carefully and thoughtfully. Graves has been maligned over the years and many things attributed to him that he would be surprised to learn about. Read him yourself and find out what he actually wrote and believed.
Review: Regeneration
Regeneration by Arthur W. Pink
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Very good. Very plain and practical writing from Pink. He deals with different figures for regeneration, including the new birth. In one place, his gap theory view colors his writing. It is one of the things bothersome about him, but in no way negates the value of this brief book.
This book is excellent for presenting a thoroughly biblical view of regeneration. It is much needed today and I highly recommend it.
