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Called to One Hope

You have been warned!

CALLED TO ONE HOPE
Ed. John Colwell
Paternoster Press. 266 pages. £19.99
ISBN 1 84227 063 X

Why, oh why, do editors and publishers continue to think that it is a good idea to publish books of articles on a single theme, written from all kinds of perspectives and theological positions? This reviewer has never read one that he could recommend. And this volume of addresses on the theme of immortality and the last things is sadly no exception!

The subject of the book made me eager to read it, for surely one of the saddest differences between the New Testament church and evangelicalism today is our lack of preoccupation with the return of our Lord and the glory that will follow. Yet, although there are some gems within this collection of 'perspectives on life to come', many of the offerings are either boring and forgettable, or scholastic and incomprehensible, or laced with the poison of liberalism.

The 17 chapters were originally given as annual lectures at Spurgeon's College. This accounts for the wide diversity of views expressed. On the one hand it is good to read a robust defence of Jonathan Edwards's views on hell by the editor of the book, John Colwell of Spurgeon's College. And the chapter by Bruce Milne on 'Immortality and the gospel' is outstanding, especially for its presentation of the sinfulness of human sin. There are also fine articles by Raymond Brown, Tom Wright and Howard Marshall.

However, the rest of the book has little to commend it. James Dunn's title is refreshingly to the point ('He will come again') but his lecture is not. There is an appearance of respect for the Scripture and Christ, but liberal ideas abound. We are told that language is inadequate for the task of revealing the future, which makes one wonder why God has bothered! And the literal appearance of Christ returning from heaven is lampooned - has Dunn forgotten that the Saviour is a real man? This is tired unbelief disguised with opaque scholarly language.

Other chapters include Thomas Torrance seemingly preaching salvation by the incarnation, Paul Fiddes denying to God complete knowledge of the future, Paul Badham favouring Buddhism over Christianity because it fits better with near death experiences, and all and sundry having a go at biblical infallibility. None of this is edifying reading for the average Christian: thankfully even those who might be tempted by the subject of the lectures will be put off by the inflated price!

Graham Heaps, Dewsbury