CALVINISM IN THE LAS VEGAS AIRPORT
By Richard J. Mouw
Zondervan. 127 pages. £10.50
ISBN 0 310 23197 3
This well-written, clear, engaging, down-to-earth book of theology is by a convinced Calvinist (in the Dutch Kuyper-Bavinck tradition) who is currently President of Fuller Theological Seminary in California.
Even this is encouraging — to hear that someone so steady on the doctrine of God is now president of that prestigious institution!
Mouw certainly teaches what is essential and distinctive about Calvinistic belief in the book, but its peculiar strength is that it deals well with the spirit in which it should be believed, and how to communicate it to others, including how to share the gospel in a Calvinistic way with secular non-Christians.
In the course of doing this, the author shows the abiding relevance of believing in God’s supremacy, his providence over everything that happens, and his sovereignty in the whole work of saving sinners — those biblical truths that were rediscovered in the 16th century. He also gives plenty of illustrations and insights into the thinking of people today.
The book shows that you don’t have to be stuffy, rigid, legalistic, inhuman and out of touch with modern life to be a Calvinist — even if in some circles it feels as if it would help! It’s not only an excellent read for us Calvinists — to help us see our beliefs in right proportion as well as in relation to the outlook of most people around us — but it would also be a good book to give to a Christian who is not yet convinced of these God-exalting doctrines but may be open to them. Highly recommended.
Christopher Bennett,
minister of Wilton Community Church, Muswell Hill, N. London, and teacher of New Testament and Greek at London Theological Seminary
