November 2007 - Protestant Reformed Churches in America

Book Reviews
in Systematic Theology”; Kevin
J. Vanhoozer, “On the Very Idea
of a Theological System: An
Essay in Aid of Triangulating
Scripture, Church and World”;
A. T. B. McGowan, “The Atonement
as Penal Substitution”;
Richard C. Gamble, “The Relationship
between Biblical Theology
and Systematic Theology”;
Henri Blocher, “Old Covenant,
New Covenant”; Richard
B. Gaffin, Jr., “Union with
Christ: Some Biblical and Theological
Reflections”; Cornelis P.
Venema, “Justification: The
Ecumenical, Biblical and Theological
Dimensions of Current
Debates”; and Derek W. H. Thomas,
“The Doctrine of the
Church in the Twenty-First Century.”
The more profitable contributions
to Always Reforming, in
the judgment of this reviewer,
are the pieces by Reymond,
McGowan, Gamble, Venema,
and Thomas. Reymond surveys
the extensive New Testament
evidence for Jesus’ deity, demonstrating
conclusively, from
Gowan’s contribution on “The
Atonement As Penal Substitution”
is well done. Over against
all other theories of the atonement,
he demonstrates that the
classic Reformed doctrine of the
atonement as penal substitution
is the clear teaching of Scripture
and the only answer to the
real need of guilty sinners.
Gamble discusses the relationship
between biblical theology
and systematic theology. He
defends the position that biblical
theology is the handmaid of
systematic theology. Although
there are issues regarding biblical
theology and the basic approach
of biblical theology,
Gamble’s insistence on the importance
of careful, honest exegesis
as the foundation for all
theology and his commitment to
the full inerrancy and authority
of Scripture are appreciated.
Venema’s treatment of justification
by faith alone and his insistence
on the forensic nature
of justification are to be commended.
He also provides a
good evaluation of Lutherans
several exegetical points of and Catholics together,
view, the united witness to the
godhead of Jesus. He concludes
his chapter by considering some
of the weighty issues that Reformed
theologians face in the
Evangelicals and Catholics together,
and the New Perspective
on Paul. Thomas’ treatment of
the doctrine of the church is to
be commended. Much appreciated
area of Christology. Mc
is his insistence on the im-
November 2007 113