By Faith Alone: Answering the Challenges to the Doctrine of Justification (Crossway, 2006) is a collection of essays that challenges the New Perspective on Paul, as well as the Federal Vision controversy that is currently raging in Reformed circles. Gary Johnson and Guy Waters do an admirable job of bringing together the diverse contributions from the authors into one readable book.
Most of the chapters deal directly with N.T. Wright’s theological outlook, critiquing his exegesis and subsequent theological conclusions. A couple chapters focus more on the Federal Vision, and several chapters serve more as “filler,” with general information on the covenants and typology.
There is much in the critique of Wright that is to be commended. Wright notoriously brings background theology to the forefront and shifts forefront theology to the background, and he is taken to task for some of his weak exegesis. At other points, the authors argue more from Reformed tradition instead of Scripture alone, which buttresses somewhat Wright’s contention that many in the Reformed camp are more tied to their traditions and doctrinal statements than to the truly Reformed principle of sola Scriptura. The book gets bogged down in minute details of theological precision at times, making even the conditioned theological reader scratch his head and wonder, “Is that really that big a deal?” But sometimes, the stark differences between the two views come clearly to the surface, reminding us all what the debate is about.
A good essay/book to read alongside By Faith Alone is John Frame’s “Within the Bounds of Orthodoxy” – for another revered Reformed theologian’s take on the issues at stake and whether or not the differing views are necessarily mutually exclusive.
written by Trevin Wax © 2007 Kingdom People blog
