A passion for truth : the intellectual coherence of evangelicalism by Alister McGrath. Apollos, 1996 256 pages £14.99 ISBN 0 851 114 477
In 5 sections of closely argued and convincing detail, Alister McGrath demonstrates that evangelicalism enjoys intellectual coherence, (ie within its own terms it is reasonable) as well as academic credibility, that is, it has no cause whatsoever to be ashamed of its claims in the world of thinking people. Evangelicalism can hold its own in the market-place of ideas.
As someone who is quite at home in the world of ideas and particularly the movement of ideas (his prodigious published output bears witness to that) the writer presents his arguments on two fronts. Firstly, defending the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as well as upholding the authority of Scripture. He then goes on to expose the weaknesses of some rivals to evangelical thought – liberalism. postliberalism, modernism, postmodernism and religious pluralism. The vulnerabilities of these historic intellectual movements which have had significant impacts on Christian thought are compared and contrasted in detail with the robustness of evangelical convictions.
These movements of thought are shown, in many respects, to be shallow and temporary. They contained internal contradictions yet have often had damaging influence on historic, orthodox, Christian belief.
Nearly 40 pages of notes and references reveal the extent and breadth of the author’s reading and give a clear indication of the very great detail with which he engages in his examination and exploration of the pros and cons of some significant movements of thought from the 19th and 20th centuries in relation to Christian theology. This is the great strength of this book – it provides chapter and verse both for the evangelical position and for those who have tried to vary it (water it down ?).
To use the author’s terminology, they have tried to undermine the particularity of the historic Christian revelation in both Scripture and in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
It is by no means an easy read; it sometimes requires a concentrated effort to follow the arguments but the author’s impressive command of language and of the subject matter make the effort worthwhile.
Even though more than twenty years have passed since it was published, this is a valuable and timely book, a real encouragement to keep the faith once delivered to the saints.
Raymond Wilson