Review of the Ancient Christian Doctrine Series

The May 2011 issue of Themelios is now available online, courtesy of The Gospel Coalition. The latest issue includes articles by Don Carson, Carl Trueman, Keith Johnson, Uche Anizor, Stephen Dempster, and Robert Gundry. It also includes several dozen book reviews. I have the privilege of serving as one of the book review editors for Themelios.

I’ve also been reviewing books for Themelios for a couple of years. Prior to my joining the editing team, I was commissioned to write a review of IVP Academic’s Ancient Christian Doctrine Series, edited by the imminent theologian and Patristics scholar Tom Oden. My lengthy review (4200 words) is included in the new issue of Themelios. In that review, I conclude my thoughts about this groundbreaking series with the following thoughts:

The ACDS is a massive undertaking; we are indebted to Tom Oden and his team of scholars for their work in producing this landmark work. The series will find a variety of uses among evangelicals. Professors will find a wealth of primary source material that can be incorporated into lectures in subjects such as systematic theology, church history, and historical theology. Students in advanced theological courses or electives in Patristic thought will benefit from engaging these volumes. Many pastors and laypeople will find devotional and catechetical uses for the series. Though most educated evangelicals are familiar with some of the church fathers, the ACDS will help introduce many evangelicals to the actual writings of the key theologians of the Patristic period.

It remains to be seen how much this series will contribute to ecumenical relations between evangelicals and the Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Though there is widespread agreement on foundational issues such as the Trinity, Christology, and the basics of eschatology, there remain serious differences in matters of soteriology and ecclesiology; the former especially is considered an ecumenical “deal-breaker” by many, if not most, evangelicals. At the very least, the ACDS will contribute to greater evangelical appreciation for the Patristic tradition. Though evangelicals will not agree with all they find in these volumes, the ACDS provides an extremely helpful point of departure for those interested in Patristic ressourcement. This reviewer is hopeful that IVP and other publishers will launch similarly ambitious projects to aid evangelicals in rediscovering their Medieval and Reformation roots as well.

I hope you will read the entire review. I also hope you’ll consider purchasing these excellent volumes for your personal library. Thanks to our friends at IVP Academic for publishing the Ancient Christian Doctrine Series and so many other helpful Patristic resources.