Truth Aflame : A Balanced Theology for Evangelicals and Charismatics

Rating:
Summary: J. I. Packer's endorsement
Review: "Evangelical and expository, didactic and devotional, conservative and charismatic, biblical and baptistic, American and Arminian, this ABC of Christian theology overflows with good things, and will bring light and joy to most readers at most points." J. I. Packer

Rating:
Summary: One of the better theologies for young, evangelical readers
Review: A few months ago a friend of mine, a conservative evangelical-charismatic, asked me to recommend an accessible systematic theology for a young man at his church. I hesitated to recommend anything as trite and formulaic as Grudem, and could not think of a better alternative. So I was delighted when I came across Hart's Truth Aflame.

Hart eschews cold dogmatics and presents a living, vibrant evangelical faith. Being rather outside the pale of conservative evangelicalism, I naturally disagreed theologically at points, but appreciated the emphasis on a merciful and loving God as he is revealed to us rather than lots of heavy philosophizing and inane prooftexting in order to argue inconsequential points (so Grudem). His sources span most of the roughly conservative end of Christianity as a whole: A glance at the index will reveal the most cited authors to be Karl Barth, James Dunn, CS Lewis and Wolfhart Pannenberg among some more standard conservative evangelical authors such as FF Bruce and Millard Erickson; There are also a few references to some more controversial figures such as Pat Robertson and Oral Roberts--more of an embarrassment than a help.

In retrospect, there are a few other evangelical systematic theologies I might recommend: Millard Erickson (Christian Theology); J Rodman Williams (Renewal Theology: Systematic Theology from a Charismatic Perspective); James Leo Garrett (Systematic Theology: Biblical, Historical, Evangelical); and Stanley J Grenz (Theology for the Community of God). None of these rivals Hart's book for accessibility, however.

Rating:
Summary: A disappointment
Review: This book may appeal to those who are highly into the Charismatic tradition, but to those who want a scholarly, exegetically sound, and foundationally strong theology book look elsewhere. This book is only good as a survey but not as a scholarly reference tool. He hardly takes sides when confronted with issues that face evangelicals; he is a compromiser trying to tie different camps together; and resorts to emotionalism. Sometimes readers will get annoyed by the amount of exclamation marks he uses throughout the book. When one writes a theology book one should be faithful to the Bible, rather than to the sensitivities of peoples' emotions. Most solid theological books do not pull back punches when dealing with hard doctrines (e.g. predestination). Also, his book will appeal to Arminians but not to Calvinists. When dealing with doctrines regarding predestination and humanity, he appeals to strong Arminian systematic theologians like Thomas Oden and Jack Cottrell. His exegesis of Romans 9 is poor and shoddy (Paul is dealing with individual election, not to national election). No wonder scholars who have a questionable view of God's sovereignty and forknowledge recommend this book (e.g. Roger Olson and Clark Pinnock). If one is looking for a good systematic theology overview don't look here.