Jan
09
2008
Book Review: Christianity and Liberalism
J. Gresham Machen’s Christianity and Liberalism is rightly labeled “a classic.” Though the book was first published in 1923, its relevance has kept it in print for more than 80 years now. The upcoming challenges to evangelicalism virtually ensure that the book will continue to see popularity well into the next few decades.
Machen breaks ground in Christianity and Liberalism by showing how the liberal, watered-down form of Christianity is actually another religion masquerading under the Christian label. One only needs to read a pluralist like John Hick today – a man who claims to be Christian and yet denies all of the major tenets of traditonal Christianity – to see that most of what Machen warns about is in fact true.
Many terrific reviews of this landmark work have been written before. I will not summarize and critique the book in this space. Instead, I will offer a couple of Machen’s points that bear repeating.
Machen reminds us that Christianity is dependent upon history. Our faith does not rest in subjective feelings, important though they may be. We trust in a Savior who was raised bodily from the dead in history.
Machen decries the pulpiteers who preach to “felt needs,” though he does not use this terminology. Machen’s desire is for bold proclamation that strikes at the heart of our sin problem and then offers us the solution found only in the cross of Christ. In some ways, it seems his critique of preaching is more relevant today in evangelicalism than it was in the early part of the 20th century.
Christianity and Liberalism deserves a place on every thinking Christian’s shelf.
written by Trevin Wax © 2007 Kingdom People blog