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Why We're Not Emergent

You can be young, passionate about Jesus Christ, surrounded by diversity, engaged in a postmodern world, reared in evangelicalism, and not be an emergent Christian. In fact, I want to argue that it would be better if you weren't. The Emergent Church is a strong voice in today's Christian community. And they're talking about good things, like caring for the poor, peace for all men, and loving Jesus. They're doing church a new way, not content to fit the mold. Again, all good. But there's more to the movement than that. Much more. Kevin and Ted are two guys who, demographically, should be all over this movement. But they're not. And here’s why—they do life founded upon orthodox beliefs about God, propositional truths about Jesus, and the authority of Scripture. In  Why We're Not Emergent, Kevin and Ted diagnose the emerging church from both a theological and an on-the-street perspective. They pull apart interviews, articles, books, and blogs, helping you see for yourself what it's all about. Provocative yet playful, this book seeks to show you why being emergent isn’t the only, or even the best, way to be passionate about Jesus Christ.

John Muether does a masterful job of tracing the personal history of this ‘father of presuppositionalism.’ He also shows the inextricable link between Van Til’s own call as a minister of the gospel and his task of training men for gospel ministry to be self-conscious in their apologetic method. As Muether weaves together the various strands of Van Til’s life and career, one can readily see, in a way not clearly seen before, that it was Reformed theology, and not philosophy, that shaped Van Til’s work as a Christian apologist. I could not put this book down.

K. Scott Oliphint, Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology

Highly interesting and engaging. Particularly helpful is how Muether sets Van Til’s work in the context of contemporary academic and especially ecclesiastical debates. He presents many new angles on Van Til’s life that promise to enrich our appreciation and evaluation of him.

David VanDrunen, Robert B. Strimple Professor of Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics

An outstanding introduction to the life and thought of Westminster Seminary’s premier apologist. Muether writes with the spirit of Van Til’s apologetic: suaviter in modo, fortiter in re—‘gentle in persuasion, powerful in substance.’ Read and be persuaded by the powerful impact of Van Til’s gentle yet confrontational blend of vigorous thought, gracious service, and Presbyterian churchmanship. This is essential reading for understanding Van Til’s unique and creative integration of the best of the Dutch Reformed tradition with the strengths of American Presbyterianism, which gave birth to presuppositionalism and continues to energize interest in worldview analysis.

Peter A. Lillback, President

Every student and pastor should own this volume, for the contents are so precious that they deserve more than one reading.

Thomas R. Schreiner, James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation

Writing with the precision of learned theologians and the passion of forgiven sinners, J. I. Packer and Mark Dever explain the meaning of atonement, substitution, and propitiation-not just as words, but as saving benefits we can only receive from a crucified Savior.

Philip Graham Ryken, President
Dr. Kevin L
Dr. Kevin L DeYoung

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