Risking The Truth - A Book Review

Risking The Truth is subtitled: Handling Error In The Church. The format is different. Rather than featuring one author, or a series of essays by a number of authors, the book is composed of twenty interviews that cover the theory and practice of ‘asserting, maintaining and defending’ the truth of the Scriptures. (I use the phrase in the previous sentence in quotation because it is part of the ordination vow of Presbyterian ministers in Australia)

The author/interviewer/editor is Martin Downes. Martin pastors a church in North Wales. The contributors come from both sides of the Atlantic and represent a variety of church expressions of the reformed understanding of the Bible. About half of them are pastors of churches, with the rest serving as teachers in seminaries or the like. Some actually do both.

With 23 chapters spread over 230 pages, a wide variety of subjects are surveyed. What I really appreciate is the repeated counsel not to focus on error. Heresy hunting seldom brings much positive fruit. Mark Dever counsels the pastor that it is ‘far more important to know the truth that to learn all of the counterfeits.’ (pg 64) The best way to recognise a fake is to be as familiar with the genuine article as possible. He then goes on to commend the teaching ministries of people such as Mohler, Carson, Piper, Wells and Duncan as the type of teaching ministries that pastors do well to familiarise themselves with. These types of men are able to note current trends and identify areas of concern that pastors can then judge for themselves.

The pastoral and relational emphasis that permeates the book makes dealing with a difficult topic a relatively encouraging task. As Joel Beeke states: ‘Every minister must learn to defend the faith without being defensive and combative.’ (pg 169) A generous amount of that spirit is evidenced throughout.

One of the men mentioned by Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, is interviewed on the subject that has become known as ‘the new perspectives on Paul’, but which trend toward clouding the doctrine of justification by faith alone. While we don’t encounter it to any great extent out here in the Australian countryside, the Christian bookstore catalogues are featuring works by some notables in the controversy. In some twenty pages Dunca provides a lucid description and evaluation of the English bishop N.T. Wright and the U.S. based Federal Vision, of whom Douglas Wilson is a prominent figure.

I was drawn to Duncan’s advice that if we wish to engage with those who are promoting what we believe to be false doctrines that we should ‘know their view (and be able to articulate it) better than they know it themselves. If you cannot state the position of your opponent, in your own words, in a way in which they can recognise themselves, then you do not understand your opponents position and you are not yet ready to enter into polemics with it.’ (pg 198)

While this sort of book will probably not get a popular reading (though most Christians would be able to profit from it), pastors, whatever would be encouraged by it. If you were looking for the sort of book that would help your pastor in their ministry give them a copy. Hopefully the samples that I’ve referenced have demonstrated its usefulness.

It is not in stock at Koorong yet, but is reasonably priced.

Recommended.

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