Book Review. -l3itenttur. 633 Book Review. -£it«atur. The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination. By Loraine Boettner, Professor of Bible, Pikeville College, Kentucky. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 1932. 431 pages, 6X9. Price, $3.00. This is a comprehensive, lucid, and uncompromising presentation of Calvinism. The author, a Presbyterian, states: "In the development of this book much use has been made of other books in order that this one may contain the very cream and quintessence of the best authors on the subject." In setting forth the "Five Points of Calvinism": "Total Inability, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints," he quotes extensively the old writers Calvin, Zanchius, etc., and the modern exponents of Calvinism C. Hodge, B. B. Warfield, W. G. T. Shedd, S. G. Craig, and others. It is Oawinus Redivivus. It will be of value to those who would familiarize themselves with the Calvinistic system. It will prove of particular value in that it exhibits the violent methods Calvinists are forced to employ in order to square their tenets with Scripture. Furthermore, it exhibits the strongly rationalizing trend of Calvinistic theology. The opening sentence (which also appears on the jacket) states that the purpose of the book is "to show that the Reformed faith, or Calvinism, is beyond all doubt the teaching of the Bible and of reason." Reason, logic, common sense, is being constantly appealed to in defense of the Calvinistic tenets. On the one hand, the true, Scriptural principle is clearly enunciated, as, for instance, on page 50, in the words of Charles Hodge: "It is the duty of every theologian to subordinate his theories to the Bible and teach, not what seems to him to be true or reasonable, but simply what the Bible teaches." See also pages 52, 54, 124. On the other hand, Calvinism is advocated because of "its logical consistency," p. 44, its "most inescapable logic," p. 95. "This view alone is consistent with Scripture and with what we see in the world about us," p. 49. "The doctrine of election is in every point Scriptural and a plain dictate of common sense. . .. Consequently, Calvin's own reasoning compels him to hold (to be consistent with himself) that no reprobate child can die in infancy," p. 147 f. "While other systems are found to be wholly inadequate in their explanation of sin, Calvinism can give a fairly adequate explanation in that it recognizes that God is ultimately responsible, since He could have prevented it," p.251. "Let our opponents inform us why it is that in regard to those who become true Christians, but who, as they allege, fall away, God does not take them out of the world while they are in the saved state," p.183, etc., etc. It is Oalvinu,8 RedivivU8, the spirit of Calvin, who also was wont to stamp the denial of reprobation as "insoite nimis et pueriliter," "plus quam insulse." "This they do ignorantly and childishly, since there could be no election without its oppooite, reprobation. . .. It were most absurd to say," etc. (Institutes, III, XXIII,!.) The author knows his Calvinism full well, but Lutheranism not at all. The Lutheran doctrine that the sole cause of man's damnation lies in man and the sole cause of man's salvation lies in God is nowhere touched. 634 Book Review. -5.literntur. "There are really only three systems which claim to set forth a way of salvation through Christ. They are 1) Universalism, which holds that Christ died for all men and that eventually all shall be saved, either in this life or through a future probation. . .. 2) Arminianism, which holds that saving grace is offered to every man, which grace he may receive or reject, just as he pleases. . .. It is essentially a recrudescence of Pelagianism, a type of self-salvation. . .. 3) Calvinism, which holds that as a result of the fall into sin all men in themselves are guilty, corrupted, hopelessly lost; that from this fallen mass God sovereignly elects some to salvation through Christ, while passing by others, etc.," p. 47 f. The teaching of the Lutheran Church, which, on the one hand, rejects Arminianism and insists on the sola gmtia and, on the other hand, rejects Calvinism and insists on the gratia universal is, is nowhere discussed. The author is not acquainted with it. In fact, he lists Luther as a Calvinist, pp. 1. 106. "And the Lutheran Church to·day as judged by the Formula of Concord holds the doctrine of predestination in a modified form," p. 2. He certainly does not know our Formula of Concord, which rejects and condemns reprobation, absolute election, and whatever else goes to make up Calvinism. (He does know the Lutheran doctrine on the means of grace, "the necessity which it attaches to the means of grace, especially [?] the Word and the Sacraments," p. 145, and rejects it.) The supralapsarians taught that the greater part of mankind will be lost. The statement of the Visitation Articles, listing as a doctrine of the Calvinists "that God created the greater part of men for eternal condemnation" (Trigl., p. 1157) is not a calumny. It is substantiated by S. G. Craig, editor of Ohristia,nity To·day, who says: "No doubt many Calvinists, like many not Calvinists, have, in obedience to the supposed teachings of Scripture, held that few will he saved; but there is no good reason why Calvinists may not believe that the saved will ultimately embrace the immensely greater portion of the human race," p. 131. Accordingly, modern Calvinism has modified Calvin's tenet. It still teaches that God predestined a part of mankind to damnation, but greatly reduces the numerical extent of this part. -Scripture certainly teaches that the number of the lost exceeds the number of the saved. Scripture employs the terms "remnant," "little flock." While the number of the saved forms a countless multitude, they are "few" as compared with the number of those who bring eternal damnation upon themselves. In illustration of the violent methods of exegesis Caivinism employs for the purpose of harmonizing Scripture with human speculation we submit this paragraph: "But, it may be asked, do not the verses 'Narrow is the gate, and straightened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it' and 'Many are called, but few are chosen,' Mstt. 7,14; 22,14, teach that many more are lost than saved? We believe these verses are meant to be understood in a temporal sense, as describing the conditions which Jesus and Ris disciples saw existing in Palestine in their day. The great majority of the people about them were not walking in the ways of righteousness, and the words are spoken from the standpoint of the moment rather than from the standpoint of the distant Judgment Day. In these words we have presented to us a picture which was true to life as they saw it and which would, for that matter, Book Review. -SJitetatut. 635 describe the world as it has been up to the present time. But, asks Dr. War· field, 'As the years and centuries and ages flow on, can it never be -is it not to be -that the proportion following "the two ways" shall be reo versed?'" (p. 139). TH. ENGELDER. The Significance of Karl Barth. By John McOonnachie. Richard R. Smith, Inc., New York. 288 pages, 5Y:zX7%,. Price, $2.00. Zerbe, Pauck, and now McConnachie have tried to do what Karl Barth himself has warned his followers not to attempt, namely, to define the "standpoint" of this foremost of present·day modern theologians. Barth's warning was justified. As yet he has laid down no permanent basic prin· ciples by which to judge the thousand and one questions that must be put in connection with the doctrines he proclaims. Barth knew as little as others what would follow after his Roemerbt'ie! or his DasWort Gottes und die Theologie, or even his Dogmatik, I. Die Lehre vom Wort (tottes. Barth, the devoted pupil of Herrmann, only realized (in 1(18) that the connection between himself and his former teacher must be severed since neither the "religious individualism" of Herrmann nor the "historical relativity" of Harnack could furnish the theologian with an adequate principium cogno8cendi; so he turned to Luther and Calvin, principally the latter, and began a most diligent research of the material and formal principle of the Reformation, -of course, all this in the light of his own modernistic background. For a while orthodoxy and Liberalism struggled vehemently in the young theological professor, while he tried to find himself; gradually, however, more positive notes were heard, and to-day Barth is on the way to conservative Calvinism. This explains why McConnachie can speak with more definiteness than could Zerbe, and even Pauck. The Barth of 1932 is no longer the Barth of 1918. He is less Kierkegaard, less Dostojewski, less Kant and Plato, and more Barth, yet always the same searching, investigating, doubting, polemizing Barth of 1911; for the years of storm and stress have not yet passed away. Barth's position is between historic Fundamentalism and Ritschlian Modernism; Barthianism is neither of the two, yet it contains elements of both. Against modernistic pan· theism, with its eternal emphasis on divine immanence, he stresses God's transcendance. Against modernistic self-sufficiency he preaches the total depravity of man; of course, not in the sense of Augustine, or even Calvin, nevertheless in terms that are unmistakable ("Before the Cross of Calvary there is no good in me at all"). Over against modernistic agnosticism, Barth points out the necessity and certainty of divine revelation; yet divine revelation, according to Barth, is not Scripture, nor is the "Word of God" the Holy Bible. Barthianism is against Modernism, yet not for the Apostles' Creed in the historic sense of that inestimable confession. Nevertheless, the basic tenets of Barthianism are Calvinistic, and toward Cal· vinism he is drifting steadily. What Barthianism is and what it purposes to do, cannot be stated until Barth has completed his Dogmatios and has applied his dialecticism to the various doctrines of historic Christianity in a systematic and critical way. In the mean while men are studying his books and essays, and his pupils (McConnachie is one of them) are write ing monographs to explain to the world what the master really means to teach. The present volume is by a Scotch scholar who studied Barthian-636 Book Review. -£itetatut. ism at its source. His language is simple, his paragraph divisions are lucid, and the whole monograph is an important contribution to the already voluminous Barthian literature. His book is worth reading, especially as the writer makes it clear that Barthianism is only Calvinism in a modern garb. Our own opinion on Barthianism appeared in the last issue of the MONTHLY, and we were glad to find that this new volume on Barthianism did not contain anything that compelled us to alter or revise what we have said. The "theology of crisis" has done much good in liberalistic Germany, since it has drawn the younger theologians away from the extreme critical and liberalistic school that ruled supreme before the war. But it will not accomplish any permanent good until it places itself absolutely and four-square on Holy Scripture as the only norm of faith and teaches with simple faith and in simple terms the Gospel of the crucified Christ. As yet it is not Gospel, but only Gospel philosophy. J. T. MUELLER. , , ~ d i l f u n g bolt ~ ~ u G:Otifto"? ~ i n e ~ u ~ e i n a n b e t f e t u n g mit ~ t a u Dr. !mas t ~ i l b e £ubenborff. mon Lic. R a r 1 ~ e i n t i ~ !It eng ft 0 t f, !pdbats boaent in Xiibingen. £ewaig 1931. merlag bon tlilrffling & ~ t a n f e . 72 Seiten 5%X9. !ptei!!: M.1.50, g e ~ e f t e t . tlet Xannenbetgbunb ift eine b e u t f ~ l i i n b i f ~ e Organifation aUt !8efiimllfung be!! ~ ~ r i j ' t e n t u m ~ . tlie geij'tige ~ i i ~ t e t i n be!! !8unbe!! ij't ~ r a u Dr. ! m a t ~ i l b e £ubens borff. tliefe ~ a t lette!! : ; S a ~ r ein u m f a n g r e i ~ e ! ! ! 8 u ~ e t f ~ e i n e n laffen, bas ben b e a e i ~ n e n b e n Xitel , , ~ d i l f u n g bon [sic] : ; S ~ f u ~ ~ t i j ' t O I l f i i ~ t t . : ; S ~ t ! 8 u ~ ij't, mie bet metfaffet biefe!! ~ e f t e ! ! flat n a ~ t l l e i f t , gum gtof!en %eil ein ! ! b f l a t f ~ atlleier ! 8 i i ~ e t , bes !merles bon :;SacoUiot, La Bible dans Z'Inae, uub tine!! fleineten !merles bon !plange, 1 I ~ ~ t i j ' t u s tin :;Snbed" ~ t j ' t e t e ! l :!!Bed e t f ~ i e n 1876/ lettetes 1906. ' ~ n g t i f f e aUf b a ~ ~ ~ t i j ' t e n t u m bon biefer Seite a u ~ finb ja n i ~ g !Reue!!; ~ a b e n b o ~ a u ~ f ~ o n anbete S ~ t i f t j ' t e l l e t ben b e t m e i n t l i ~ e n Urflltung bet ~ t i j ' t s l i ~ e n !lteligion in :;Snbien linben mollen. !prof. !ltengftotf meij't in f ~ l a g e n b e t !meife, m a n ~ m a l n i ~ t o ~ n e f a ~ g e m i i f ! e :;Stonier bie 1Ilumllen ~ n g t i f f e ~ t a u £ubens borffs aurM unb beeft befonbed i ~ t e n !mangel an ! m i f f e n f ~ a f t l i ~ t e i t auf. tla!l £efen l l i e f e ~ ! p a m l l ~ l e t ! ! ~ a t tllieber bie ftberaeugung bettieft, bie bet !lteaenfent f ~ o n feit bielen : ; S a ~ r e n ~ a t , baf! n i i m l i ~ bon feiten f o l ~ e t £eute bem ~ ~ t i j ' t e n s tum n i ~ t biel ~ e f a ~ t b r o ~ t . !mit f ~ l i e f ! e n uns ben !motten bell mOttllotis an: "tlet metfaffet ij't bet ftbetaeugung, baf!letten ~ n h e ! l n i ~ t bie S a ~ f e n n t n i ! l , fons bern allein bie mutige \lnb f t o ~ e !8eaeugung ber ! 8 o t f ~ a f t bell !Reuen %ej'tament!l unfete bej'te :!!Baffe gegeniibet hem mobetnen ~ e i b e n t u m ij't. II !po ~ . R r e 11 man n. Father and Son. The life-story of Henry Ziegler, D. D., 1816-1898, and of John A. M. Ziegler, Ph. D., D. D., 1855-, together with a concise outline of American Lutheran history by the son, with an introduction by Frank P. Manhart, D. D., LL. D., Dean of Theological Department, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pa. Published for the author. 285 pages, 6X8. Price, $2.00. No person interested in the history of the American Lutheran Church will fail to find the first part of this book, treating of the elder Ziegler, truly fascinating. This remarkable man, whose picture is here skilfully and affectionately drawn by his son, was born in 1816 of poor parents, Book Review. -\3iteratut. 637 living in Pennsylvania. We are shown how he was "converted" when eighteen years old; how he, after this change, conducted morning and evening prayers for the family; how, after having done the severest kind of manual labor from his fourteenth to his nineteenth year, he prepared for the ministry, making the trip of 250 miles to and from Gettysburg on foot twelve or fourteen times, "never getting an invitation to ride even a single mile by a passing traveler"; and how he, at the conclusion of his studies at the seminary, became a pastor of the General Synod. He was bilingual and preached in either the German or the English language, as the circumstances required. In the controversy over "new measures," he belonged to the party which sponsored this type of church-work, holding "revivals" in his churches, but not dispensing with catechetical instruction and confirmation. Having been pastor, missionary superintendent, and agent of an education society supporting ministerial students, he, in 1858, was chosen as professor of theology for the Missionary Institute at Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, which was founded in that year. Here for a period of fifteen years he was the sole regular theological teacher, performing herculean labors, inasmuch as the presidency of the school also rested on his shoulders during this period. The institute was founded by people who declared that they were decidedly in favor of a learned ministry and did not wish to interfere with the work of the regular colleges and seminaries, but that they entertained the conviction that there "are men in our Lutheran Zion who ought to enter our ministerial ranks, but who cannot be expected to do so by means of our present system, men who are somewhat advanced in life, established in health, pious, and approved by their brethren, having already a practical knowledge of men and things in the Church and in the world," and that it was their design to open an institute for this class of men, giving them a thorough training "in such branches as have a direct and essential bearing on their peculiar calling" (p. 77 f.). In the twenty-three years that Professor Ziegler taught at Selinsgrove, one hundred men entered the Christian ministry as graduates of that school, which now is known as Susquehanna University. Confessionally his position in his earlier years was vague and unsatisfactory, like that of many other men in the General Synod; but in common with Krauth and Passavant and others he experienced a growth in the right direction. When the storm arose which was caused by the so-called Definite Platform, the anonymous pamphlet which attacked the Augsburg Confession in its historical form, Dr. Ziegler and his fellow-members of the Synod of Central Pennsylvania were inclined to endorse it; but a few months later he and they emphatically declared that they did not wish to be understood as having adopted that whole instrument (p.l03). When an old man, he bitterly deplored that in his youth he had not enjoyed a course of thorough catechetical instruction. His words written with reference to an exposition of the Catechism deserve quotation (p. 113): "Would to God I had been faithfully drilled in that Appendix (i. e., the section of the Catechism treating of the Power of the Keys) when a catechumen. Oh, the agonies through which I had to pass for want of such instruction! It took me years of praying, searching, and struggling to get out of the darkness into the full light of the Gospel and of the Lutheran Church. I want to save our youth in all 638 Book Review. -\litetatUt. coming time from the necessity of passing through the same uncertainties, perplexities, and struggles." It is evident that, though at the time of his death in 1898 he was still a member of the General Synod, he had gone forward a great distance on the road of Lutheran conservatism. As a preacher he must have been a power in his day, having unusual gifts for public speaking. A number of books on theological subjects were published by him which had grown out of the work which he did in the classroom. The second part of the book is autobiographical, Dr. Ziegler, Jr., telling about his own work as pastor and teacher (Carthage, Illinois). The third part, treating of the history of the American Lutheran Church, is intended to set forth the confessional development in the General Synod. Those who would like to read of the withdrawal of the Pennsylvania Ministerium from the General Synod in 1866, which secession led to the formation of the General Council, will find here a reprint of some of the documents which played an important role at that time. The last chapter of the book discusses the founding of the United Lutheran Church and the ventures in which it is particularly interested. The weaknesses of this general body, which still tolerates un-Lutheran preaching and un-Lutheran practise in its midst, are not dwelt on by the author. Other Lutheran bodies are referred to only briefly. For a better understanding of the history of the old General Synod the work is very valuable. W . .ARNDT. StuMen be{l Ilpologetifdjen iScminllt{l in 2Bernigctobe. ~ e t a u ~ l l e l l e b e n im mUfttage he§ motf'tnnhes bon