8/12/2019 1997 Issue 9 - Book Reviews: Books by Sproul and Bowen
- Counsel of Chalcedon
1/2
Grace Unlmown The Heart
dignity is not inherent. It does explains their meaning.
The
of
Reformed Theology by R C.
not exist in and of itself. Ours is
book is accompanied with a
Sproul. Baker Books, P.O. Box
a derived, dependent, and
variety of charts and diagrams
6287, Grand Rapids, Ml
received dignity. In and of
that aid the reader in his
49516-6287; 232 pp. hbk.
ourselves we are of the dust.
understallding
of
the
author s
1996, $16.99.
But God has assigned a
thesis.
What is reformed theology?
remarkable value and worth to
The reader
should
note the
The author answers this
us as his creatures made in his
book's subtitle. Sproul
question
by
pcinting the reader
image. He is the source of
our
concentrates on refonned
to God. Only by understanding
life and our very being (p. 25).
theology as it relates to
God can one begin to have an
This is seen in God's plan of
salvation. His purpose does not
understanding of reformed
salvation. Although man is not
include the outworking of that
theology.
as bad as he could
be
,
he
is
theology into cultural issues.
In successive chapters,
sinful throughout his being -
This volume provides.a
wealth
Sproul, using the inspired
of basic theology
Scripture as his basis,
lays
communicated in a
before the reader in clear,
readable style. It isl,lse/i,J1
succinct terms, the
for those
who
desire to be
character of God, the refresh
ed in
a knowledge
depravity of man, and the
of
God's work
on behalf of
unsurpassed grace of God
sinners. It is also a useful
that is operative in the
dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1).
tool to give to those who
elect. His discussion
at
each are struggling
with
the.
point is couched in context of
Yet God,
out
oflove, chose a
doctrines of grace.
Q
history. This allows the reader
great multitude of sinners
to see
how
threats to biblical
(Revelation 7 :9) to be saved.
For God nd the King by
truth have been handled in
past
For these Christ died. The
Marjorie Bowen. Inheritance
generations and that God has
Spirit's work
in
their life is
Publications, Box 154
preserved His
truth
in the face
irresistible. Having brought His
Neerlandia, Alberta, Canada
elect savingly to Himself, He
TOGIRO, telephone
and
fax:
of these attacks.
One might think, with its
keeps them
by
His power. In
(403)
674-3949,
1995, 350pp.,
teaching of man being
Him they persevere even
pb.
conceived in sin, that reformed
through death.
In
this the final volume in
theology has a low view of man.
The basic teaching
of
her enlightening, informative
Sproul rightly points out that
salvation warms the heart of the
and entertaining trilogy
on
just the opposite
is
the case.
Christian. The reader has the
William and Mary, the al,ltll0r
Reformed theology maintains a
opportunity torefiect on God's
acquaints the reader.
with
the
high view of the wortll and
great grace as he contemplates
great
debt
the West owes this
dignity
of
human beings. It
Sproul's writing. Those not
Calvinist for his faithful stand
differs radically
at
this point reformed can expe
ct
a clear for Protestantism.
from all forms of humanism in
exposition of biblical salvation
Bowen begins this volume
that humanism assigns
an
communicated
n
an interesting
with Catholic James II's fear
intrinsic dignity to man, while
style that is particularly that his nephew (and also his
Reformed theology sees the
beneficial to laity. Sproul does
son-in-law)William is planning
dignity of man as being
not
assume his readers know an attack on England.
extrinsic. That is to say, man's theological terms. Thus, he
Persecuted Protestants are
October/November, 1997 THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon
31
8/12/2019 1997 Issue 9 - Book Reviews: Books by Sproul and Bowen
- Counsel of Chalcedon
2/2
fleeing England for the safe
haven
Holland offers. William
has spent
his adult life fighting
for and maintaining Holland's
freedom from Catholic rule so
desired by France. It is a great
disappointment to him
to
see
England's continued anti
Protestant disposition. Letters
written by
leading English lords
are secretly delivered to the
King. They promise their
support i f he
will invade
England
and
overthrow James
II
In
light
of tins
numerous
questions confront the reader.
Where
will Mary place
her
support if her husband
invades
her
father's territory? Once
France learns
of
the invasion,
what will prevent
them
from
invading defenseless Holland?
How
will the English receive
the
enthronement
of
a foreigner
to
the
throne? In the midst of
the
King's long absences
necessitated by attending to
military affairs
in
Ireland, will
Mary be sufficiently strong
willed to face the internal
political pressures
and
external
military crises that await her as
Queen of
England? These
questions are readily answered
in this poignant historical
account. Readers will learn
much of
political jealousies
and
shallowness that ruled that era.
This is contrasted with
William's
and
Mary's deep love
for
one
another
and
their focus
as Protestants
in
doing what
they believe is God's
will.
Such
labor is
not
easy. It costs
them
long
absences from each other,
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the draining
of
their personal
wealth
and
much
personal
heartache. Their resoluteness is
all the more interesting when
one
realizes God has not given
them
a child to
be
heir to the .
throne. Thus they labored not
for themselves
but
for God.
Bowen describes Mary's
death
in
a gripping
but not
a
gruesome manner. Her
approaching death
fills
William
with great despair. His
wrestling with God's wisdom
in
this matter
and
later,
in
his
loneliness, his fondness for too
much drink
are
not
glossed
oveF
by
the author.
This trilogy I will Maintain
and
Defender of the Faith being
the first two volumes) are well
written and provide the reader
with a
better understanding of
English
and
Dutch political
and
religious affairs
in
the late
seventeenth century. Such
an
understanding should make us
more appreciative
of
our
Protestant heritage from which
we continue to benefit.
This
being an historical
novel, the author does not
comment
on
the ethics of
William invading a foreign
country. This is left for the
reader to meditate
upon
. This
volume should be desired
by
those who have read the first
two or by those with a
particular interest
in
English
history. It would
be
a good
purchase for church libraries
and
for readers desir01JS of
accurate historical fiction.
Numerous pictures ofleading
characters enhance the
narrative. Q
3 THE COUNSEL
of
Chalcedon OctoberlNovember, 1997
