A concise summary of reformed theology. .

Porter, Steven L.

McKim, Donald K. (2001)

Introducing the reformed faith: Biblical revelation, Christian tradition, contemporary significance. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. Soft-cover. 261 pages. $27.95. ISBN 0-664-25644-9.

Donald K. McKim is Editor of Academic and Reference Books with Westminster John Knox Press. He is the author/editor of more than 20 books, including the Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms, Encyclopedia of the Reformed Faith, and Theological Turning Points.

Do you possess a Reformed theology? In one sense, all Protestants have a reformed theology--that is, a theology that stems both historically and substantively from the Protestant Reformation and the work and thinking of such reformers as Luther, Melanchthon, Calvin, and Zwingli. However, there is a narrower sense of 'Reformed' that has come to refer to a particular Protestant theological tradition that traces its roots back to Calvin in particular and has come to be identified with certain theological distinctives (e.g., infant baptism, unconditional election, etc.). It is this narrow sense of Reformed theology to which Donald McKim wishes to introduce his readers.

McKim summarizes most of the major systematic doctrines of the Christian faith (e.g., Scripture, the Trinity, Christ, sin, salvation, etc.) in fifteen concise, well-written chapters. In each chapter, he briefly discusses the biblical basis for the doctrine, considers some of the traditional teachings of the church regarding the doctrine, brings to light Reformed emphases on the topic, and concludes with meditations on the contemporary significance of the doctrine.

I found McKim's doctrinal summaries very readable, informative, and clearly representative of the Reformed tradition, broadly defined. One concern I had going into this book was that it would be so Reformed that its use in non-Reformed theological contexts would be greatly mitigated. However, McKim does an excellent job of drawing from such a diverse group of Reformed theologians that the summaries do not have a partisan feel, and I think many in less Reformed circles will find much within the chapters that resonates with their own theological commitments.

Overall, I would highly recommend the book for someone in search of a general overview of the Christian faith. However, it seems that the lack of detail, in-depth discussion, and apologetic interaction, which is to be expected in any introductory text of this length, limits the usefulness of this work for an undergraduate or graduate class in Christian doctrine. One way around this would be to assign McKim's chapters as succinct summaries of the doctrines to be covered and then augment these readings by in-class lecture and discussion.

PORTER, STEVEN, MPhil, is a lecturer in theology and philosophy at Biola University and is in the last stages of his PhD candidacy in philosophy at the University of Southern California.