I enjoyed this book far more than the other two (thus far) reviewers, although my expertise on theology is lacking. I'm just a woman who gradually turned into a conservative evangelical Christian over a 40 year period.
I did find that there were many things missing in the book...I was hoping for an entry on Walter Martin, too, for example; but I appreciated the guidance through the history of the church in America.
My favorite entries focused on the culture that we've surrounded ourselves with. For example, take "Just." Now, you might think the article accompanying that would have to do with justification, or judgment of a just God, or righteousness....but no. Balmer is referring to "the most frequent adverb in evangelical prayer" as in "Lord, we just thank you for giving us this time for coming together, and we just want you to know that we just appreciate your world and your love for us, and just worship you and just....." etc.
Two years ago I wrote what was certainly an overly harsh review of the first edition, which I found helpful but often disappointing. I gave it just 2 stars.
This new edition is significantly larger and much improved. The author made corrections in almost all of the cases I had noted. He was kind enough to send me a complimentary copy and we have dialogued on some of my concerns.
The scope of this work is massive. 800 pages with thousands of entries. It is packed with some very good reference data. Balmer's commentary on his subjects is pointed and often very lively. The packaging and cover design are great (though I miss the hardcover of the first edition).
I offer the following not to question his competence or integrity, but as illustrations of some continued flaws in this new edition (some minor, some significant). Many of these are in the new entries.
p. 65 "Belhaven": The correct name of the denomination these days is PCUSA, not PCUS.
I am sure this is unintentional, but progressive/ moderate/ liberal evangelicals Metzger, Roger Olsen, Ron Sider, Mark Noll, Nathan Hatch, Marsden etc. all have "Ph.D.s", but IDENTICALLY credentialed Boice (p.90), Harold O. J. Brown (p. 105), D.A. Carson(p. 138), Everett F. Harrison (p. 325), D. James Kennedy (p. 379), Cornelius Van Til (p. 711), Charles Woodbridge (p. 759) just have 'degrees'.
p.101 "British Israelism" Mistakenly lists two tribes of Israel and ten lost tribes of Judah (reversed). It also fails to mention Herbert W. Armstrong, its most famous proponent.
p. 180 mentions Colson's Brown Univ. degree but leaves out his law degree.
P. 182 -- An entry on Concordia Theological Seminary in IN, and no entry on Concordia Seminary St. Louis
P. 387 "Koop" Never mentions he was an active elder in the PCA (Boice's 10th Pres.) for years.
p. 510 "Olson" Is listed as CSR's editor "1994 to 1991."
p. 537 "Pew" Grove City College is printed in caps with an asterix next to it but has no entry in the book.
p. 554: "PCA" Mentions the church and membership numbers when they started, but never anything more current. They are posted in the web page: up to 1550 churches and 310,000 members -- something like an 600% growth in 30 years. States simply that the PCA "PROFESSES to be one of the most rapidly growing denominations..." How about it 'reports'
that?
p. 570: "Reed" He "eventually received the degree [Ph.D. Emory] in 1991.." "Eventually?" He was age 29 when he got it (even though he took a break in between degrees). That's younger than most, INCLUDING Balmer.
p. 571: "RCA" I would mildly dispute that they have "remained theologically conservative", except in the Michigan area.
p. 604: "Franky Schaeffer" "he moved from the FUNDAMENTALISM of his father"? Aside from a belief in inerrancy, Francis Schaeffer the elder had none of the classic characteristics of a 'fundamentalist" (secondary separation; Christ against culture; dispensationalism; legalistic moral code, etc.)
p. 611: lists Witherspoon as the pres. of the "College of NJ" without noting that this is now called Princeton Univ.
p. 670: Talmage an "evangelical"?
P. 705: "Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches" -- Was Perry excommunicated for his "homosexuality," as Balmer states, or was it rather for his(unrepentant) "homosexual practice?"
p. 718: Warfield was from a Kentucky family, not a Virginia one.
p. 730: When he lists the conservative faculty that left Princeton to start Westminster, he does not include Oswald Allis (and why no entry on him?). Also, incorrectly lists Westminster in California as a 'satellite' campus. That's understandable since it started that way about 25 years ago. But it is now fully independent with no formal
relation to Westminster PA and TX. Actually it should get its own entry -- its fully accredited (unlike Knox which is listed in both editions) and it has a much larger enrollment than Knox, with a similar constituency.
p. 732 "Alma White" WAS part of the Pentecostal Union, but it is misleading without noting that in this case 'Pentecostal' refers, I think, to Pentecost, as this group did not experience glossalia.
Some entries that people might like to see in the next edition: John Piper, Allan Macrae, World magazine.
Overall, vastly improved and very helpful if you are aware of the bias against theological and political conservatives.
