The Narnia 3 Book Review Blog

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Kevin J.l Vanhoozer (ed). Dictionary of Theological Interpretation of the Bible. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005. Cloth 896pp $43.95.

One of the helpful trends in theological publishing for the last two decades now has been to produce new and useful reference materials for the scholar, pastor, and student. Prior to this resurgence many of the most important and most used reference works were 30 to 50 years out of date. The expansion of theological categories, the increased specialization, and new avenues and methodologies of exegetical investigation have also increased the need for clear and concise definitions and explanations.

The editor of the Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible, Kevin J. Vanhoozer, the Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, has led the effort in this work to produce one of the most useful and well-conceived new reference works for Biblical studies.

The general layout and formatting of the work at typical of a standard reference work. There is an excellent Scripture index and a list of articles by category. There is also a very helpful “Topical Index” (869–77). The articles are generally longer and more detailed than most reference works and the Bibliographies included for each article are extensive. The generous use of “see” and “See Also” notations a great aid to the user.

The articles reflect some helpful work on more recent topics of controversy, such as the "New Perspective on Paul" located in the article on "Justification by Faith" (417–9). Oddly though, some important articles that might have been included were ignored, such as the New Covenant. Each book of the Bible has an individual article in which there is a discussion of the theological import of the book and the "theological interpretation" of that book as a whole or in significant sections.

There are many excellent articles in this work and there is not space in a review such as this to do justice to all of them. However, several are particularly noteworthy. John H. Walton’s article on "Etymology" (200–202) is excellent. The discussion of the theological and interpretative import of "Geography" (253–56) by John A. Beck is an important and often neglected or misused aspect in the hermeneutical process. Craig Bartholomew’s article on "Postmodernity and Biblical Interpretation" (600–606) is quite helpful sorting out a mass of information and the directions this thought is going.

The direction for the entire work though is begun by the editor’s Introduction, “What is Theological Interpretation of the Bible” (19–25). He explains what the process is and more importantly is not. He notes, “Theological interpretation is not an imposition of a theological system or confessional grid onto the text of the biblical text. . . Theological interpretation is not simply what dogmatic theologian do when they use the Bible to support their respective doctrinal positions) (19). He goes on to state this works main purpose:

The dictionary editors believe that the principle interest of the Bible’s authors, of the text itself, and of the original community of readers was theological: reading the Scriptures therefore meant coming to hear God’s word and to know God better. DTIB therefore aims not to impose yet another agenda or ideology onto the Bible, but rather to recover the Bible’s original governing interest” (22).

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Justo L. Gonzalez. Essential Theological Terms (Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 2005). Paper xii +187pp, $24.95.

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Henry W. Hollomon. Kregel Dictionary of the Bible and Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2005), Cloth 600pp, $21.77.

In the ever-changing theological landscape it seems that new terms are appearing (and disappearing) at a faster rate than at any time in history. At the same time even terms that seem to be established in the evangelical mind are being altered, either by wholesale or by slight nuance. It is important that the pastor’s library have solid reference works available to be able to accurately understand the meaning of theological terms.

In Essential Theological Terms, the author, a long time professor and prolific writer in church history, has undertaken to provide definitional clarity to about 300 theological terms and phrases. He acknowledges that, “theological language evolves’ (p. xi) and understands that this work will eventually become dated, but hopes that the book will provide, “the essential theological vocabulary necessary for a budding theologian to be in dialogue with the theology of centuries past” (p. xii). In this task the author has largely succeeded.

The work is laid out in normal dictionary format and there is a listing of article titles and page numbers in the front. However, there are no other indexes, which would have been of significant help to the reader. The articles are generally detailed (some are nearly a full page in length) and reflect the author’s refreshingly clear writing style. The strength of the work is the underlying expertise of the author in historical theology which are reflected in the articles. It is interesting though that the same publisher produced the Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms (by Donald K. McKim) only a few years ago. That work and this one deal with the same type of material (the cover motif for both is similar) and this reviewer could find no entries by Gonzalez that were not also in the earlier work. The articles in this work are often more detailed than McKim, but there are also about 200 fewer entries.

Gonzalez is neither conservative in his theology nor seemingly friendly to evangelical theology. His entry on “Fundamentalism” (p. 66), while giving the basics of its origination, he goes on to make a link between Christian Fundamentalism and Islamic Fundamentalism. This represents an egregious misrepresentation of Christian or Biblical Fundamentalism. This idea, that all “fundamentalisms” are “bad” has even become popular with some evangelical leaders as well, most notable in recent months, Rick Warren (see R. Albert Mohler’s response to Warren’s jejune assertion at http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=453). Another entry on “Dispenationalism,” is equally misguided. Gonzalez states that, “most biblical scholars dismiss dispensationalism as uninformed and as a misguided interpretation of Scripture” (p. 46). He then goes on to state that dispensationalism does enjoy “adherents among the masses” and uses the popularity of the Left Behind novels to support his assertion and bolster his notion for a lack of credibility for dispensational theology.

However, despite these obvious lacks, the author does give some definitional clarity to a good number of terms that have arisen in the few decades as well as those for standard terms and movements. The entries, however, lack any bibliographic notations, which is a disadvantage for the reader desiring to do more research.

While the author has a produced a worthwhile book that provides a useful reference for students or busy pastors, the intermediate size of the articles is somewhat unsatisfying. It has neither the breadth of terms that the “ready reference” style of the work of McKim affords, nor does it have the depth of information that, for instance, the far superior, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Baker, 2nd ed, 2001) offers. The rather high price of this book is also somewhat unappealing given its relative short size.

Although slightly different in focus and scope, we would recommend the second book of this review, the Kregel Dictionary of the Bible and Theology as a superior investment.

Hollomon, the longtime professor of systematic theology at the Talbot School of Theology of BIOLA University, has produced an excellent dictionary of “over 500 key theological words and concepts” (subtitle) that is unique in the recent reference literature. The articles are generally quite detailed with several being over two pages in length. Many, but not all, have an introductory bibliography. In the beginning of the work there are a set of abbreviations noted, which is more important than normal, as the author acknowledges that they are not the “designations normal to biblical scholarship” (p. 5). The articles themselves have the useful feature of offering the Biblical terms in separate sections at the end of the articles. The Hebrew and Greek words are given along with transliterations and the word meanings are detailed. All of the articles have extensive Biblical references.

One might question the title of the book in relation to the content. While called a “Dictionary of the Bible and Theology” it would probably be more accurate to call it a dictionary of “Biblical Theology.” There are no articles on traditional theological terms such as “Calvinism” but rather the entry points are the Biblical terms (e.g. “Election,” “Justification,” and “Predestination”) related to those positions. There is little effort at developing historical development of the terms as it occurred in Church history, and allusions to historical theology are often simply illustrative (e.g. “Deism” p. 178). This is not to say this work ignores current issues in theology; however, they are developed from within the framework of the Biblical terminology (e.g. the issues related to “Open Theism” are developed within the article on “God” [p. 171-78]; the issues related the Christological controversies are examined within the article on “Incarnation” [p. 230-34]; the classic definition of “creationism” as it relates to the origin of the soul occur within the article on “Soul, Spirit” [p. 509-13, one of this work’s excellent articles]; while the issues related to the creation of the earth and universes is dealt with under “Creation” [p. 88-93]). While we understand the space limitations that the publisher was under, the model that this book is built upon would have been greatly enhanced with a subject index, and despite the massive amount of biblical references contained in the articles, a Scripture reference would have been of inestimable value.

Within the articles Hollomon is thoroughly even-handed in presenting the differing interpretations (e.g. millennial and rapture views, classic vs. progressive dispenationalism) and practices (e.g. baptism and communion). The articles are written in a clear and engaging fashion and there is a generous use of “see also” references to point the reader to additional information.

This is certainly one of the best reference works of its kind to be produced in many years. It is a thoroughly refreshingly Biblical exposition of theological concepts that reflects the author’s breadth and depth of study. It deserves a place at the right hand of every pastor and student of the Bible. It is a significant and major contribution to the reference literature for Biblical studies and we cannot recommend it highly enough.

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Davis, John. The Landscape of Belief: Encountering the Holy Land in Nineteenth-Century American Art and Culture. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1997. xviii + 264 (paper), $32.50.

Though this reviewer's experitse is rather limited in the disicpline of art and art history, and thus we are normally reluctant to comment on such works, the present work is certainly worthy of an exception. Part of the Princeton University Press' Nineteenth-Century Art, Culture and Society series, this work describes ?the special relationship with the lands of the Bible that Americans constructed for themselves? (3). The author breaks his work into two parts; a general introduction of the American relationship with the Holy Land, and an examination of four American painters and their work in the Holy Land.

The author has no particular theological stance in mind and in fact he studiously even the slightest ?sectarian? concept of the land (10), writing with the hope that ?it will be remembered that the land remains holy to many faiths and many peoples, no one of which like the subjects of this study, can fully claim to possess it (ibid.).

With the arrival of the Pilgrims and later the Puritans to America this country was viewed as ?a New World promised land, a divinely favored Protestant nation created by and for a modern ?chosen people?? (back cover). The author details a history of American interest in the Holy Land and the almost ubiquitous manner in which the people of this country identified themselves with the land of Israel. He also details the various American groups and individuals who traveled to Israel in the 19th century, especially the painters who returned to display what they had captured on canvas. He mentions the work of several artists and photographers, but especially details the work of the American artists Miner Kellog, Edward Troye, James Fairman and Frederic Church.

The book is well indexed and contains over 100 black and white and color reproductions of various works. Those interested in either the study of Israel or the religious history of America will find this book delightful reading.

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Walter A. Elwell, ed. Baker Theological Dictionary of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996). x + 933 pp. $44.99 (cloth).

This title, which was formerly titled The Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, is an addition to the continuing Baker Reference Library series. This work continues the standards of quality and excellence that have characterized the previous works in the series under the general editorship of Walter A. Elwell.

The volume attempts to make articles dealing with biblical theology accessible to those who may not have facility in the original languages. As noted in the introduction, all the contributors affirm "the full integrity and trustworthiness of the Scriptures," who "not only write with that understanding but live their lives according to it" (v).

Elwell has assembled nearly one thousand individual articles written by over one hundred evangelical scholars. The articles range in length from a few paragraphs to several pages. Most articles have brief, but satisfying, bibliographies. The Dictionary transliterates Greek and Hebrew words throughout for the sake of those not well-versed in those languages. It has an immense, eighty-page Scripture index, but it contains no listing of individual articles, which in this reviewer's opinion is a weakness. A helpful addition to the Reference Library series as a whole would be a separate volume providing a complete listing of all articles and a subject index.

Robert Yarborough contributes an excellent article on "Biblical Theology," providing a clear framework of what this discipline contributes to evangelical scholarship. Yarborough points out that the preliminary assumptions "without which valid observations about the meaning of the Bible's parts and whole are sure to elude the reader" (62). He lists those assumptions as (1) Inspiration; (2) Unity; (3) Reliability; (4) Christocentric. Central to the theme of this work are the "Theology of . . ." entries for each of the sixty-six canonical books. Beyond these are several articles that merit special attention: Bruce N. Fisk's outstanding article on "Abortion"; Richard Averbeck's contribution in "Offerings and Sacrifices"; Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. on "Prophet, Prophetess and Prophecy"; and Gary T. Meadors on the "Unity and Diversity of Scripture."

Only a few items, such as Blomberg's advocacy of "power evangelism" in the article on "Miracles" (534) and a superficial treatment of eschatological themes, notable for the absence of an article on the millennium, can be cited as weaknesses. Dr. Elwell's efforts with both the series and this new volume are both singular and significant and The Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology should find a ready place at the right hand of pastors, teachers, and all students of the Scripture.

Fahlbusch, Erwin, et al (editor). The Encyclopedia of Christianity. Volume 1 (A-D). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman�s Publishing, 1999. Geoffrey W. Bromily, translator and English-language editor. xxxviii +893pp (cloth), $100.00.

One of the important theological reference works, the Evangelisches Kirchenlexikon: Internationale theologische Enzyklop�die, (G�ttingen: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, 1986-97), heretofore only available in German, is now being produced in an English-language edition. Designed to provide an encyclopedic reference detailing the �global character of the Christian faith of the twentieth century� (xi). In the foreword Jaroslav Pelikan states, �Quite apart from the symbolic or real importance of the year 2000, this is such a moment for the serious study of Christianity as a historical and a contemporary phenomenon, and the Encyclopedia of Christianity is the outcome of a serious scholarly effort to supply both a summary and a starting point� (xi).

The present volume is the first of five in this project. The layout of the work is well conceived and the material is extremely accessible. The introductory matter includes a much-welcomed �List of Entries,� an eminently useful feature that unfortunately many of the current crop of reference works have chosen to omit. There is a detailed explanation of the organizational features of the work (xvi-xix) a list of contributors and the articles they contributed (xx-xxviii), and nine pages of abbreviations. The articles are displayed in a standard two-column format, the author of each article is listed and most articles have an extensive bibliography (although German language works typically dominate the articles listed). There are a few charts, but no illustrations. The work makes liberal use of �see also� and �see� entries to assist the reader.

One of the most interesting and helpful features of this work are the entries for individual countries. Helpful statistical information for each country is included in the categories of (1) population, (2) annual growth rate, (3) area, (4) population density, (6) births/deaths, (7) fertility rate, (8) infant mortality rate, (9) life expectancy, and (10) religious affiliation. Each article details a brief history of the country and various sections dealing with the Christian and religious aspects and history of the country. While most of the entries for countries are presented in an even-handed manner, some (e.g., Brazil, Chile) reflect some unfortunate politicizing on the part of the authors. One noticeable problem in the series will be that the timeline for its completion (at least 10 yrs) will render the statistical information of uneven currency within the set.

This work is clearly dominated by the liberal (occasionally bordering on the extreme liberal) and ecumenical end of the Christian spectrum both in terms of theology, sociology and politics. Its� contributors are mostly European and the volume is disproportionately dominated by German authors. Higher Critical and minimalist views of Scripture are normally assumed by the contributors throughout the entries. Conservative readers will be dismayed at the entries on the various books of the Bible. For instance, the Book of Daniel is classified as �fiction� and Daniel himself is described as a �mythical wise and righteous figure� (774). Moses as the author of the Decalogue is �ruled out� (787). The completion of the Book of Deuteronomy �in its canonical form can hardly have taken shape before the sixth century, if not considerably later� (816). Pauline authorship of Colossians is rejected and in fact Colossians itself was not written to the church at Colossae (615) which is made even more problematic since the entry claims that �In both theology and literary style, Ephesians is dependent upon Colossians� (ibid.). Even the Corinthians epistles are described as �a corpus of several letters� which �owe their present form and arrangement to an unknown editor or redactor� (690).

Some entries will mystify the reader as to the reason for their inclusion and/or the amount of space dedicated to their subject. For instance the entry on �Behavior, Behavioral Psychology� (214-217) constitutes nearly seven full columns of interesting material, which contains nothing even remotely connecting the subject at hand to Christianity, Scripture, a Biblical anthropology or sociology, or any other religious theme. Other entries such as �Anonymity� (67-68), �Anxiety� (87-89), �Biography, Biographical Research� (256), �Child Labor� (409-10) and �Childhood: (410-12), �Crisis Intervention� (728), �Development� (816-20) and �Development Education� (821) reflect this same problem to varying degrees.

Other articles are simply perplexing in terms of their content. For example the article on �Bible Study� (239-40) defines the subject as �the group study of individual texts or who books of the Bible by church members� (239). However, it then presents a �history� of Bible Study making the incredible claim that the �beginnings of Bible Study� are to be found in the �Dutch Reformed Tradition from 1550 onwards� (ibid.); the author apparently believing that �Bible Study� did not occur for the first 15 centuries of the church. One other article to note is that on �Dispensationalism� (854-55). While generally well done, this article nonetheless has clearly sought to advance the position of �Progressive Dispensationalism� using the categories manufactured by that particular movement. Notably the author equates the 1967 revision of the Scofield Reference Bible with changes in dispensational theology itself. �Some of the most controversial notes were changed, many other were modified and many new notes were added� (855). However, it seems more accurate to state that the notes reflect more careful exegesis and clearer explanations of the text, rather than a modification of dispensationalism.

There are most certainly helpful and useful articles and the series will clearly find its way into the libraries of seminaries and secular universities around the country. However, the pastor will want to save the money he might spend on this rather over-priced work and instead invest in more reliable reference works such as the volumes of the Baker Reference Library, or even the Anchor Bible Dictionary which would have to be considered conservative by comparison.

Erwin Fahlbusch, et al (eds.) The Encyclopedia of Christianity. Geoffrey W. Bromily, translator and English Language editor. Volume 2 (E-I). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdman�s Publishing Company, 2001. xxx+787 pp $100.00 (cloth).

This volume represents the second installment of a massive theological reference project, bringing the Evangelisches Kirchenlexikon: Internationale theologische Enzyklop�die, (Gottingen: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, 1986-97) into the English language.

In the above review of Volume one, all of the features related to this series in terms of style and formatting were noted. This series represents what should be regarded as a template for Biblical and theological reference works. The editors have included all of the most useful access points for the reader. There is a detailed explanation of how the articles are formatted and how to use the work. There is a �List of Entries�, a listing of contributors with the articles they contributed and a lengthy and well-conceived list of abbreviations. The articles themselves have excellent bibliographies and a liberal use of �see also� references. All publishers and editors of reference works would serve their readers well if they invested the same extra effort put forth in this volume.

This set is designed to �describe Christianity both broadly and deeply, taking full account of its varied global, ecumenical, sociocultural, and historical contexts� (p. x). The editor�s goal to provide scholarly reference in such a context is accomplished more than adequately. However, despite the stated goal, the articles in this volume, as in the first, reflect a decided Euro-centricity in the both authors and the viewpoints which are expressed. That being stated, the articles on �Europe� (184-93) and �European Theology in the Modern Period� (193-208) are informative and useful; although one wonders why only the theology of the modern period receives a specific entry and why there is no entry at on the European Union. In fact while EU statistics are cited frequently, the body is almost absent in the article on Europe as a whole.

Some articles, as in the first volume, are mysterious as to why they were included in this work. Articles on subjects such as �Energy� (94-95), �Environment� (99), �Eugenics� (183), and �Information� (699-703) make no real connection to the subject of Christianity. Along with the article on �Environmental Ethics� (99-101), those on �Energy� and �Environment� are decidedly slanted towards the political and environmental views represented by the European Green Parties, rather than Christianity of Christian theology. A few of the articles, such as the lengthy entry for �Everyday Life� (221-26), have vague and somewhat questionable entry points in terms of utility. Theological liberalism, and to a lesser degree elitism, is thoroughly entrenched in this work. To have the Bible described in the article on �Inspiration� (713-15) as a �Word from elsewhere� (715) is certainly disappointing. James Barr�s article on �Fundamentalism� (363-65) is highly pejorative, characterizing the majority of fundamentalists as �populist, ignorant, and hostile to intellectual theology� (364). The article on �Incarnation� (673-79) is a morass of incoherent historical-philosophical speculations in which the text of Scripture is never explicitly mentioned and the deity of Christ, as historically understood, is implicitly rejected.

There are, however, some outstanding informational articles in this volume. The articles on �Greek Philosophy� (463-67), �Historiography� (553-58), the �Holiness Movement� (566-76) and �Ethics� (138-56) are extremely thorough and useful. One of the main features of the work, the articles and statistical information on individual countries is also quite valuable.

Erwin Fahlbbusch, et al. (editors), Geoffrey W. Bromily, translator and English Language editor. The Encyclopedia of Christianity Volume 3, J-O. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans and Leiden: Brill, 2003. Cloth xxix + 894 pp. $100.00.

This is the third volume of a proposed five volume English edition of the Evangelisches Kirchenlexikon, (Gottingen, Germany: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1986-97).

As noted above, this set represents a paradigm of how a reference work should be designed. The only additional observation would be to hope that as this series is completed that the publishers will be including a comprehensive index of the entire set in the last volume.

The content of this volume mirrors the general selection criteria of the previous volumes, and because of its origination those articles typically represent a European bordering on Euro-centric viewpoint to the subject matter. For example, the entry on �Justification� (90-99) is so dominated by discussions of Lutheran concepts on the issue it provides almost no discussion of theological constructs more familiar with those in America, where Lutheranism has never been a dominating force. In dealing with specific books of the Bible and Biblical events or personalities the authors take a decidedly liberal and text critical approach in their conclusions. For example in the entry for Noah (763-64) he is referred to as a �widely attested legendary figure from primeval history of unknown pre-Israelite origin.� There are some interesting articles, particularly �North American Theology� (774-82) and the entries for �Martin Luther� (345-48) and �Luther�s Theology� (370-74) and quite helpful.

This volume, as with the previous, are really designed for the seminary and university library. Their price of $100 per volume puts them out of reach of the average college and seminary professor and particularly out of reach of most pastors. The �broadly ecumenical� nature of the articles really means that conservative scholarship is ignored; with Christianity and the church largely presented as a socio-economic phenomena rather than �the pillar and support of the truth� (1 Tim 3:15).

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Moreau, A. Scott (General Editor). Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 2000. 1068pp., $39.99 (cloth).

The latest entry in the Baker Reference Library certainly fills a void in religious reference literature. It has been almost three decades since a significant dictionary on the subject of missions has been produced. Consistent with previous volumes in this series there has been an effort to bring together a wide array of scholarship and experts in the various fields. Nearly 250 different contributors traversing the entire spectrum of evangelicalism have been brought together in the production of an outstanding volume.

The format follows the same style as previous Reference Library volumes. The articles are all signed and significant bibliographic references are listed for each. The entire work has several indexes. Most helpful are the articles on various countries that gives basic statistical information, religious breakdown and status of Christian missionary activity. Articles ranging from ?Burnout? to ?Doctoral Degrees in Missiology? cover the full spectrum of mission information. Articles covering all areas of practical, theoretical and informational content are to be found.

Especially noteworthy is the extensive article on the ?History of Missions? as well as the articles on ?Theological Systems? [as they relate to missions], ?Theology of Mission,? and ?Theology of Religions.? Many of the articles demonstrate the growing trend of integration of various sociological theory and theology in the work of missions. The article on "Bible Translation" is most guilty of this problem. In the article the author states,

Translators must utilize the entire assemblage of communication style and genres necessary for people to appreciate God?s message to them. This suggests that translation must go beyond the print media utilized by translators from the West and employ a multiplicity of media (audio, video, drama, mime, etc.) with a plurality of formats (stories, comedy, art, musical presentations and dance) recognized and used by the people of the society (p. 125).

This article is also hindered by the fact that the editors decided to make ?Translation? and ?Translation Theory? as separate articles which seems to render the material somewhat non-cohesive.

Some will no doubt disappointed by the lack of articles on the more theologically conservative mission agencies such as Slavic Gospel Association and The Association of Baptists for World Evangelism. In fact, the articles on denominational mission activities (Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian) are surprisingly brief and lacking in thoroughness. For instance in the entry for Baptist Missions, really only the Southern Baptist Convention along with the old Northern Baptists receive any lengthy mention, other significant Baptist groups are never mentioned at all. In Presbyterian Missions, the work of J. Gresham Machen in beginning the Independent Board of Foreign Missions and work of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church also receive no mention. Additionally, the considerable contributions of the Plymouth Brethren in world missions receives no mention.

Those lacks aside, this volume is certainly both a welcome and needed addition to the area of religious reference. Both the editor and publisher are to be commended for this overall fine work that continues the outstanding tradition of the Baker Reference Library.

Lardie, Debra (Dan Lioy and Paul Ingram, consulting ed�s). Concise Dictionary of the Occult and New Age. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 2000. 302pp., $19.99 (cloth).

In the last few decades occultic and New Age terminology and symbolism have become so pervasive that they are essentially ubiquitous in modern society. Christians, as C. S. Lewis once pointed out, deal with such matters in one of two extremes; either complete ignorance or unhealthy preoccupation. Part of the problem for the average Christian or even seminary educated pastor in dealing with these issues is a lack of understanding of the variations within what the editors call the �philosophical kaleidoscope� of occult and New Age manifestations. This being the case the editors have prepared what they call a �unique and concise guide to help Christians navigate the confusing and potentially dangerous minefield of today�s occult and New Age thought� (rear cover).

This work is formatted in easily read type and two-column format. The articles are concise, normally only two or three paragraphs, and there are numerous illustrations which are quite helpful for certain abstract symbols. There are two short appendices (�Knowing the Truth: God�s Word, Cults, and the Occult� and �Scripture Twisting�) which are short, but helpful reminders. Apparently Lardie has written all of the articles, although that is never stated. In the preface by Ingram explains the necessity of the work, but never details the role of the author, the consulting editors, or the methodology employed. This is a deficiency as the author, who has a degree in journalism with a stated interest in the subject, seems to lack the academic credentials for such an undertaking; especially when some articles are designed to �compare historic Christian doctrines with New Age teaching� (p. 9). The work also suffers from the lack of any indexes, a cardinal sin for a reference work.

While many of the articles are helpful there are several noticeable lacks in this work. Most seriously is that there is no bibliography or bibliographic references either within the articles or a cumulative collection. One of the key functions of a reference work is not only to provide summations but also to provide some gateway to additional study or research. Lacking additional references, this volume fails on the second point. A set of sources would also be helpful because several of the articles betray a level of �conspiracy theory� mentality common among some more sensationalist literature (e.g. articles on the United Nations, Values Clarification, Unity in Diversity Council, Trilateral Commission). Some level of reliable background literature would have been useful to dispel this impression. Some articles, such as the one on "Quantum Physics," are so brief (and simplistic) that the reader is left with the impression that the entire scientific discipline is some kind of fraudulent invention of the New Age movement (the article on the String Theory, misnamed in the article as the Superstring Theory suffers from the same problem). The headings on several articles are not well selected. For example the heading �Green� is entirely unhelpful and gives the reader no clue that the article is about the �Green Party,� a socio-political movement and political party active in many countries. Other examples suffering from this problem are the entries for �Peace,� �Drug,� and �Light.� Some articles simply lack obvious detail, such as the failure to even mention Louis Farrakan in the article on the Nation of Islam as the current leader of the movement and the main proponent of the ideas that the article is critical of. Some material, such as the entry on �Unicorn� simply contain erroneous information.

On the helpful side there are an abundance of �see also� references that gives the work a level of cohesion. The writing style is certainly clear and there is undoubtedly a great deal of basic and useful information. However, the items noted above cause this reviewer to have a significant level of concern about the thoroughness and accuracy in this work. The reader will certainly have to look elsewhere to both confirm and expand on the information that is presented.

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Schultz, Jeffrey D. and John G. West (ed?s). The C. S. Lewis Reader?s Encyclopedia. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998. Cloth 464 pp. ($22.99).

It is generally an honor to an exceptional life or significant contributions that an individual will garner an entry into an encyclopedia or reference work. That an individual has an entire reference work devoted to his life and work is almost unheard of. C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), however, is certainly worthy of such an endeavor, his written works in the areas of literary criticism, fiction, theology and ethics constitute one of the most diverse and penetrating bodies of work of the 20th century.

This work is eminently readable and the format is clear. There is an excellent ?Brief Biography (9-65) written by John Bremer. The appendices include additional resources on Lewis, a timeline of his life, a listing of the article titles and a listing of the contributors. The articles themselves cover everything about Lewis, including his works, associates, friends and thoughts on various literary, theological and ethical issues. The volumes are well illustrated and there are several useful charts. Among those is a chart listing his famous radio addresses on ?Mere Christianity? on the BBC during World War II.

Interest in Lewis, although always at a high level, has been seemingly re-energized in recent years. His most popular works, The Chronicles of Narnia (1948-54), The Screwtape Letters (1941), Mere Christianity (1941), Miracles (1947), among others, have remained in print since their original publication. The recent success of the Harry Potter book series and movie as well as the beginning of the theatrical release of J. R. R. Tolkein?s Lord of the Rings Trilogy, has brought renewed interest in Lewis. Those who are working through the issues regarding the place of such fiction in the Christian life will be well served by referencing this work and Lewis? thoughts on these matters.

Perhaps the most important article to read in this work is that of ?Theology.? Here Lewis is aptly described by the author:

C. S. Lewis was not a professional theologian, nor was he a ?lay theologian? as some have claimed. He wrote no books of theology nor has he left us a system of theological thought. His religious works such as The Problem of Pain, Miracles, and Mere Christianity were intended to evangelize and to instruct in the basics of the common faith (orthodoxy) held by all Christians (399).

Lewis is almost impossible to classify theologically. His beliefs on matters such as eternal punishment, purgatory, inspiration and even the singularity of Christ and the gospel in terms of saving faith were certainly not conservative. His theological conclusions were driven more by Platonic philosophy and the Church Fathers rather than an examination of the text. He remains popular in conservative circles mainly on the strength of two works, Mere Christianity and Miracles. However, Lewis is also a popular source of quotable material for Universalists and proponents of Openness Theology.

For those who are interested in Lewis this work serves as a great introduction to his writing and thoughts. The biography alone is worth the price of the work this volume is highly recommended.

Scott W. Sunquist, (ed), David Wu Chu Sing and John Chew Hiang Chea, (associate ed�s) A Dictionary of Asian Christianity. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdman�s Publishing Co., 2002. xliii+937 pp. (cloth) $79.95.

One does not have to work in biblical and theological reference for any length of time before questions related to Christianity in Asia or the Pacific Rim will begin to frustrate both library staff and faculty. Only a few resources existed in non-English sources and virtually nothing in English. This frustration was even evident in Asian Bible schools and seminaries where, the editors noted, �The Asian story was available, but it was difficult for our students to find. As a result we all inadvertently reinforced the notion that Christianity was a Western imposition on Asia even though we knew this was really not the case� (xxi). Over a period of about 15 years this present work was conceived and put together by the editors and the result is an excellent source of information on the history of Christianity in the Asian world.

As with most reference works from Eerdman�s Publishing, this volume is a model of what a reference work should be. There is a thorough indexing of article entries (0ver 1200) and contributors (nearly 500). The articles are generally several paragraphs with many reaching essay length (e.g., World War II, Korean War, entries for individual countries, etc.). Useful bibliographies are included for all of the entries. There is an extended preface detailing some of the unique features and challenges of the project. One of which were the articles dealing with Christianity in China. As the editors note, �the sensitive nature of the material from China meant that the writers should work as a team with their articles signed only as �China Group�� (xxiv). They also detail their decision on the extent of the geographic region that the volume would cover. They acknowledge that the work does not cover all of Asia. There are, for instance, entries related to Pakistan, but none for Afghanistan. The Pacific Islands, for the most part, and Russia are also not covered. The editors admit that decisions related to the scope of the work �may seem somewhat arbitrary, it is confirmed by the way in which Asian church history is taught in most seminaries in Asia today� (xxiii). The editors also acknowledge that the spelling, especially of proper names, is occasionally problematic. Often background material was sketchy and contradictory, the editors were also confronted with the translation into English of articles originally written in over a dozen different languages.

Many notable entries mark this work. For the reader with limited or no background in Asian Christianity, the main entries on individual countries serve as excellent introductions. While one can understand the pressure under which the �China Group� submitted their work on China, the otherwise excellent article is very sketchy on details from the Cultural Revolution (1966) to the present and should have perhaps been supplemented with additional contributors. It is disappointing that Mao tse-Tung is not even mentioned, nor is the �Red Book� which was the formal replacement of the Bible in the Cultural Revolution and whose writings have eclipsed even Marx and Lenin with those who still embrace Communism.

There are significant entries detailing the work of all of the significant denominations in Asia. The editors are to be commended for the manner in which controversial articles (e.g. the Vietnam War and Imperialism) were handled. The articles reflect a clear, dispassionate, and factual presentations free from the kind of political correctness and/or rhetoric that has marred some recent reference works. Significant articles include those on Buddhism (98-104), Minjung Theology (552-55), the Nestorian Church (595-98) and Theological Education (838-42).

This is an important volume of immense usefulness for theological students, mission boards, prospective missionaries and those who teach church history. The long history of Christianity in Asia is well represented and documented in this fine work.

The Evangelical Movement has, in recent years, struggled with its identity, to the point that the theme of the 2002 annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society was �Evangelical Boundaries.� Even the most recent edition of the Dictionary of Evangelical Theology notes that, �The very nature of evangelicalism never was a unified movement but a collection of emphases based on a common core of belief, "a core that itself is now under discussion� (Dictionary of Evangelical Theology, Walter A. Elwell, ed. [Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2nd edition, 2001], p. 409).

Seeking to detail those various �emphases� the author of this work admits to a �quixotic venture� in which he attempts to �provide a sense of both the history and the extraordinary breadth of this popular movement� (vii). And while parts of his effort are admirable, on the whole this work is a disappointing muddle that confuses rather than clarifies the nature of evangelicalism.

Properly speaking the muddle begins with the very title, this work is not properly an �encyclopedia� the author admits that he alone is responsible for all of the articles (although he admits assistance from several individuals); nor is it �encyclopedic� in nature; the articles often reflect outdated or incorrect information and the bibliographic well from which the articles are drawn is very limited.

The problems with this work range from typographical to methodological, but clearly the underlying problem is the author�s inability to accurately define the evangelical movement. There are actually more articles related to American fundamentalism than evangelicalism; and while the two are certainly related, they are not identical movements.

In terms of layout the book lacks both indexes and useful bibliographies. Articles often have no bibliographic support at all and others have only a single reference. The editing is also problematic. Charles H. Spurgeon�s named is rendered �Surgeon� (177) and Alva J. McClain is rendered �McLain� (249). Some articles reflect incomplete or outdated information, such as the entry for the Evangelical Theological Society (201-202) where the quotation of the doctrinal statement fails to note the addition of the affirmation of the Trinity added several years ago. When references are cited, they are generally dated; for instance the entry for Grace Theological Seminary (249) cites the catalogue for 1995. The entry for Jack Hayford (274) makes no mention of the creation of a seminary under his leadership, although this occurred over five years ago. In fact, except for repeated references to another book by the author (Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, 2000) only a few bibliographic references are dated after 1995. Theological omissions are also noted. In the entry for T. D. Jakes (300), no mention is made of his anti-trinitarianism and other non-evangelical theology.

Beyond these issues some of the actual entry selections almost defy explanation. For example there is an entry for Trent Dilfer (176) containing a nice recitation of his career in the National Football League along with a rather innocuous quotation related to Christianity, but no real indication as to why he was actually deemed of importance to the evangelical movement. Interestingly enough the entry for Dilfer is given more space than that for the "Second Coming of Christ" (515). The entry on the "Overhead Projector" (432) is one of the more odd inclusions of this work. Lengthy entries are reserved for several Christian Rock bands such as "Third Day" (576), "Stryper" (558), "Newsboys" (408-09) and "Jars of Clay" (301-02). Significant events such as the "International Congress on Biblical Inerrancy" and the resulting "Chicago Statement" receive no mention at alland significant individuals, such as John MacArthur also receive no mention.

This work cannot be recommended as reference for evangelicalism. It is a eccletic and non-cohesive collection of one author�s idiosyncratic caricature of evangelicalism, poorly crafted and even more poorly executed.

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The author of this new reference work is a widely regarded New Testament scholar and long-time professor at the University of Notre Dame. His writing credits are extensive and well-regarded, including the three-volume commentary on the Book of Revelation in the Word Biblical Commentary series (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1998) and The New Testament in Its Literary Environment (Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press, 1987).

This work, which the author notes has been under development for ten years (xi) has as its focus to provide a reference source ?on the literary and rhetorical dimensions of early Christian literature from its beginnings, about 50 C.E., through the mid-second century C.E.? (ibid). One note, albeit perhaps a quibbling one, must be made at this point. This reviewer understands that the conventions of secular scholarship have now made the shift from the chronological identifiers B.C. (?before Christ?) and A.D. (anno Domini, or ?year of Our Lord?) to B.C.E. (?before the common era?) and C.E. (?common era?); but this shift is not only an unwelcome intrusion by secularism, it certainly has no place in writings or works that purport to center on Biblical and theological studies (although in this work that style is used throughout).

The author acknowledges that, unlike typical reference works, he has authored the overwhelming majority of the articles. He notes that 21 articles were completed by ?eight current or former students? (xii). While this might tend to render the work a little idiosyncratic, that is far from the case. The author?s breadth of research and noted scholarship has created a well-rounded and highly useful reference work.

The basic format follows standard conventions with two columns with a generous use of ?see also? notations at the end of the articles. There are also plentiful ?see reference? entry points throughout the work. Although more careful editing might have helped this feature. For example there is a ?see? for ?Luke, Gospel of? that points the reader to the very next entry (?Luke-Acts?, 280); however, there is no ?see? entry for Acts of the Apostles that would direct the reader to the correct entry. Additionally, one ?see also? entry points the reader to a non-existent article on ?Rhetorical theory? (424). There are several other examples that could be cited. One unique feature is the manner in which the author handled the bibliographies for the articles. Instead of a short reference that is oft-times difficult to look up, he has instead simply listed a last name and date. The reader can then go to an extensive (112 pages) bibliography in the back of the book and find the desired work. The articles range from a few paragraphs for several pages. The use of charts is judicious and quite helpful to the reader. Remarkably, in a work this complex, there are almost no editing or typographical errors of note.

In terms of content this work centers on literature and rhetorical issues rather than personalities. All of the NT canonical works; and the non-canonical works in the author?s time scope (see above) have articles and normally an extensive outline as well as a discussion of normal introductory issues (authorship, date, etc.) as well as more detailed rhetorical analysis of the works. Some individuals have dedicated articles such as Ireneaus (234-37) and Justin Martyr (257-62), but other such as Clement (99-102) and Tatian (211) are only mentioned in articles related to their works. A few more ?see? notations, especially for an individual like Tatian who occurs mainly in the article on ?Harmonies (of the Gospels)? or a wider index of persons, would have been helpful. Other main articles are on the terminology of literary and rhetorical studies, which are quite helpful.

The one general criticism with this work is the manner in which the concept of ?inspiration? is handled, or better not handled in the work. In a reference work concerned with Early Christian Literature, it seems amazing that there is not even an article on the concept of ?inspiration,? although without a doubt this is a central concept in the early church?s view of the New Testament (see ?Bible, Inspiration of the? in Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Walter A Elwell, ed. [Baker Books, 1996]). Even in the article on the ?Canon? (85-88) there is no mention of inspiration as a factor in how the early church viewed the canon. Clearly the author rejects the concept of Biblical inspiration as generally understood in evangelical scholarship. He rejects Pauline authorship of the Pastorals, questions it in Ephesians; rejects Petrine authorship entirely, and rejects James and Jude as authors of their respective works and denies apostolic connection to the Gospels (88). In the article on the Book of Titus, the references to both Paul and Titus are regarded as ?fictitious? and the entire basis of the letter and setting in Crete is regarded as a ?fictive rhetorical setting? (475). Even an article in which the author ?laid his cards on the table? regarding inspiration, even if the conclusion were to categorically deny it, would have has more scholarly integrity than simply skirting the issue.

Historical and rhetorical critical examinations, as well as comparative Greco-Roman literature serve as the starting point for the author in examining and interpreting the New Testament. The weaknesses in this approach are evident, especially when combined with a rejection of biblical inspiration (and by extension inerrancy). In many respects this is one of the better reference works that has been produced for this field and when the reader understands the underlying philosophy of the work, it can be used to no small benefit.

Reference works are, in general, a ?first stop? in research and reference works that match this volume in terms of research and scholarship while maintaining and presenting an inspired and inerrant Scripture that this volume rejects, are a much needed commodity so that evangelical theology does not become more obscured, such as the apparent fait accompli of B.C. and A.D.

Jacob Neusner (editor). Dictionary of Ancient Rabbis: Selections from the Jewish Encyclopedia. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2003. Cloth xxxviii + 473. $24.95.

Jacob Neusner is an amazingly prolific author and editor specializing in Judaic studies. He has written or edited nearly 100 works, many of which are important studies and reference sources for Biblical scholars.

This work is not really new, nor represents current scholarship. As the title suggests it is a thematic compilation of articles from The Jewish Encyclopedia. In fact the articles are taken from the first edition of The Jewish Encyclopedia, edited by Isadore Singer (New York: Funk and Wagnall, 1901-06). The editor has extracted the articles on the significant individual rabbis of ancient times and placed them together into a single collection. There is a useful preface in which he presents an overview of rabbinic studies and their place in the larger context of New Testament studies.

The articles represent exact copies, including the bibliographies, of the original entries, and this presents a problem for the researcher. While the authors of the original articles are identified by means of their initials, one would have to have access to the original work to actually determine who those authors were. The same goes for the abbreviations used in the bibliographic citations. The abbreviation conventions in many cases have changed since 1901 and the sources, which are often obscure in the first place, would be almost impossible to identify without access to the original encyclopedia. There are no indexes or other helps to connect the reader to the original edition and even the original pagination is not included.

Except for the helpful articles on the rabbinic schools connected with the New Testament (particular Hillel, 192-99 and Gamaliel I, 151-53), and interesting historical and biographical tidbits, this volume has little to offer for the student. It is purely a secondary source, unsuitable for scholarly citation (beyond representing research that is nearly 120 years old). As the original text of the entire Jewish Encyclopedia is in the public domain and has been available on the Internet (www.jewishencyclopedia.com) and even the original print edition is not difficult to locate in most libraries, this reviewer is mystified why this volume was even produced.

A new lexical reference volume, designed for a English reading, general audience, based on the English text, but delving into the underlying Hebrew and Greek foundations has been a need for some time. Vine�s Expository Dictionary (Old Tappen, NJ: Fleming H. Revell, 1900) is dated, and attempts to update it have been, in this reviewer�s opinion unsatisfactory. This current work, edited by the longtime professor at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is designed to fill in that gap, but does so with mixed results.

The English word entry points are based on the text of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (NSRV), certainly not a version of choice for this reviewer; nor evangelicals in general. As Thomas noted in his review of the NRSV, �The major obstacle to its use by evangelicals remains: theological bias towards looser views of traditional orthodox doctrine that characterized the RSV also characterizes the NRSV� (TMSJ 2:1 [Spring 1991]: 111-15). The editor states that, �the book has been written so that it can be used by readers who do not know the biblical languages� (vii). However, in the introduction that he refers those seeking more technical sources to three works: (1) Theological Dictionary of the of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdman�s Publishing 1974-2002, in progress); (2) Theological Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1997); and (3) Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdman�s Publishing, 1964-74). Why the more recent (and honestly more evangelically inclined) works New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Colin Brown, ed. [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986]) and the New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis (Willem A. VanGemeren, ed. [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997), were not even listed is a puzzlement. Two other Bible dictionaries are listed as reference sources in the preface: the now very much dated, Interpreter�s Dictionary of the Bible (Nashvillle: Abington, 1962) and the thorough, but decidedly liberal, Anchor Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992).

The format of the work is a standard two-column reference style. The articles authors are named and occasionally there are bibliographies for the entries (although most of the bibliographic references seem out of sync with the intended audience. The work lacks any indexes, except a listing of abbreviations. An indexing listing all of the articles would have been particularly helpful and the lack of a Scripture index (especially for a work that has a particular English version as its basis) is especially detrimental to the overall usefulness. There is a generally helpful use of �See� references scattered throughout the entry points, but a surprising lack of �see also� references at the end of different articles. The articles range in length from a few paragraphs to several pages.

While there is certainly helpful and useful insight from many of the articles and the careful reader can certainly derive benefit from this volume, there are quite a few problematic entries, especially from an evangelical viewpoint. While it is impossible to detail the articles of this work in the short space of a review; however, a couple of examples will suffice. In the article on �numbers [in the Bible]� one is left with the impression that all use of numbers in the Bible are possessed of a deeper or symbolic meaning. At this point the article even is critical of the NSRV rendering, where, commenting on Revelation 21:16) the author states, �the dimensions of the city are foursquare, �its length the same as its width,� at twelve thousand stadia (Rev 21:16; NRSV�s �fifteen hundred miles� obscures the use of the symbolic number twelve thousand), and the city walls at one hundred forty four cubits (21:17); twelve squared reinforce the point that the city is complete and perfect� (348). However, it seems more precise to say that the city is complete and perfect because it is God�s city and �God Himself shall be among them� (21:3). Interestingly also while some space is given to the number of the Beast, 666 (Rev 13:18 whom the author categorically declares to represent Nero Caesar), there is no discussion at all of the �1,000 years� of Rev 20.

One additional example is noteworthy. When looking for �inspired or inspiration� (e.g. 2 Tim 3:16) one finds a �see� reference pointing to the entry for �prophet.� Within that rather disappointing article there is no mention of 1 Pet 1:20-21 at all and the mention of 2 Tim 3:16, besides implicitly denying Pauline origination reduces inspiration to the insipid �salvational reliability� construct of liberalism. �Because Scripture is �God-breathed,� it is a reliable source of teaching and instruction in the godly life� (409). That Donald K. McKim, a long time opponent of both inerrancy and the evangelical view of inspiration was the publisher�s editor for this work (viii) should come as no great surprise.

As the title suggests, the articles are more theological in nature than lexical, although there is some excellent lexical notations in some of the articles. This feature is the key aspect that separates it from a more lexically based work, it presents meanings through the lens of a particular theological viewpoint and is really not a tool for those who want to accomplish independent Bible study. It is not a work we can recommend for the Christian in need of a personal Bible study tool; despite its age Vine�s still surpasses this disappointing volume.