MARTYN LLOYD-JONES (1899-1981) AND 20TH-CENTURY EVANGELICALISM
By John Brencher
Paternoster. 267 pages
ISBN 1 84227 051 6
'It is my contention that, despite differences of opinion and self-marginalisation, Lloyd-Jones was and has remained a major force in evangelical thinking', says the author. There is good reason to remove a man from the pedestal on which others have put him; opinions will be divided as to whether in the process in this book, Dr. Brencher has done so 'without being destructive' as, he says, was his intention. The book began as a doctoral thesis, and for this reason bears all the marks of critical analysis.
The first chapter is an excellent overview of Lloyd-Jones's life, contracting 1,100 pages of Iain Murray's two-volume biography into 21 pages! Following this there is an evaluation of a number of themes relating to the Doctor's influence. These include his preaching, his Westminster Chapel ministry, his work among evangelical students nationally and internationally, his passion for evangelical unity and his Welshness. The appendix includes tables of family history, useful statistics, a bibliography and an index. Of special interest are many quotations from George Hemming, Iain Murray, Herbert Carson and Edwin King, who served as assistants to Lloyd-Jones. Also there are contributions from those who knew the Doctor well, such as J. Elwyn Davies, Jim Packer, John Caiger, Elizabeth Braund and John Stott. For the purpose of this review I will focus on John Brencher's analysis of three areas.
