The Church at its Best
A Trinity of Puritan Delights
Reviewed by Laurence Windham

When we think of church history one era that stands out for most of us was the time of the Puritans. It is the opinion of theologian J.I. Packer that the Puritans represented the church at its best. That would be hard to refute. just a casual perusal of the sermons, prayers, and lifestyles of these past saints impresses the reader with an awareness of uncommon piety and devotion to the things of God. And yet these giants of spiritual discipline are the most misunderstood and misrepresented of any of our spiritual ancestors with the exception of the first two generations of Christians. It should not surprise us when we find ourselves honoring those that the world despises. It happened to the Puritans before us.

There is at our disposal today many of their works reprinted for our benefit. Three books stand out as resources for those wanting to become better acquainted with our spiritual forefathers. The first is A Quest for Godliness by J.I.Packer. In this book Packer presents the Puritan view of the Christian life. The contents include important Puritan ideals such as the conscience, the Sabbath, worship and the family. The reading of this book will quickly reveal the differences between the modern view of spirituality with all its shallowness and anemia and the vibrant faith practiced by the Puritans.

The second book I would recommend is Introduction to Puritan Theology by Edward Hindson. This volume is a sampler of the works of Puritan theologians including, Chamock, Owen, Edwards, Bunyan and Baxter. Reading this compilation is like sitting down to a steak dinner. But one can never get too full to go on. No sweet devotional thoughts here pulled from the Hallmark rack down at the local Christian Bauble store, but a mind stretching awareness of the awesomeness of our God.

Worldly Saints: The Puritans as They Really Were is an important book to come on the scene for its corrective portrayal of a people that many still think were harsh, unsmiling, holier-than-thou sour-pusses. This book, written by Leland Ryken, professor at Wheaton College, will dispel the allegations so often held toward the Puritans and at the same time give the reader a glimpse of how they really were, a people that lived simply, separately, deliberately and joyfully.

There is much to be learned from these honorable saints of yesteryear. To read these books and see how they thought, lived and ordered their lives will naturally inspire the reader to aspire to a deeper understanding of God, a more focused Christian walk, and a greater appreciation for the best things in life. These three books are a worthy investment that will broaden your mind and aid you in your sanctification. You can order them from several locations but I'm sure that the RTS bookstore in Orlando will have all three on hand. Their number there is 1-800-390-7426. Be sure to tell them that "Laurence" says hello. They love me down there.

What Should We Then Read?
How Should We Then Live?, by Francis Schaeffer
Reviewed by R.C. Sproul Jr.

Okay, so you're ready to cry "Uncle." You concede that you're not quite up to par on your understanding of history. You are ready to begin the remedy, but where to start? The pious and nevertheless true answer is with your Bible. We tend to forget when we recognize the Bible as redemptive history that it is in fact history. And it is the most important history for us to learn. So here's my review of the Bible: A must read! Then what? The problem is that in order to get enough information on the eons, we would need eons to study it. The briefer the summary, the less effective it is. That is, unless your guide through history is a man like Francis Schaeffer, who had an uncanny ability not only to summarize without distorting, but also had the capacity for the brilliant insight into the heart of it all.

How Should We Then Live! Is just such a book. In a mere 250 pages Schaeffer takes us from Ancient Rome through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Enlightenment all the way to our post-modern age. There is no recounting of critical battle strategies, or the execution of coups. Neither is this a dry abstract history that treats the great ideas as if they descend straight from Muses and move right onto the evening news. Schaeffer spends the time to show us how the seemingly disconnected worlds of art, architecture, theology, science, philosophy really work together and both create and are created by the ideas that shape a given society.

And what shines through is a principle taken from the first days of history, that there is, and always has been a war being waged between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. This is a history that shows where the true battles were won and lost, and perhaps more importantly, how they were won and lost. What shines through is a fundamental biblical principle, when we stand apart, when we refuse to sit at the table and bargain with God's enemies, then we are at our best. But when we begin to mimic our enemies, then we have already lost.

Of course, like most all of the books I review, this is not a difficult read. (That's because I tend to read books that are not so tough). It even has pictures. Your mind will be stretched, but your patience will not. Schaeffer knew how to turn a phrase, and in this book, shows also that he knew how to fight the battle. The book is published by Crossway, which also publishes the five-volume set of the Schaeffer's complete works which would be better still. You can find or order this book most anywhere, including I presume at the bookstore at RTS Orlando. Tell them Laurence sent you. They love him down there.