Evening Prayer

McNiell, John Thomas. The History and Character of Calvinism. New York: Oxford University Press, 1962. Dr. McNeil discusses some of Calvin’s engagement with Italian Reformers in Geneva, Bernardo Ochino being one (1487-1565). He met a few anti-Trinitarian Italians as well (182). Dr. McNeill’s skilled research flows from nearly every sentence and paragraph. Greg Allison’s “Historical Theology:” After discussing Bultmann’s “the disaster,” we hear from Bishop N.T. Wright who informs the reader that Jesus was a “first century Jew” influenced and shaped therein and thereby (384). A few unimpressive quotes are given from Wright. How novel? Jesus was a first-century Jew! Edward Cairns’s “Christianity Through the Centuries:” Prof. Cairns gives some overstatements about “interest in the individual” as rising from the Renaissance. On a better note, he calls attention to the New World, global explorations, and Galileo with scientific advances. Also, the formations of the modern nation-states, e.g. England, France, and Spain (290). Millard Erickson’s “Christian Theology:” Prof. Erickson baffle-gabs about Tillach’s half-Hinduism, the Ground of all Being (308). Tillach has about as much appeal as the foul odors from dirty clothes in the clothes-hamper. Justo Gonzalez’s “History of Christianity: Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation:” One gets a review of Augustine’s 9-year dalliance with Manicheanism. Augustine thinks the OT is full of barbarisms, violence, and a crude style of writing. That will change in time.