"The Narrow Road": Blogs By Shane Kastler

BOOK REVIEW: "The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle & The End of America's Childhood" By Jane Leavy (Reviewed By Shane Kastler)

By Shane Kastler

In 1951, Mickey Mantle went from being a small-town miner's son to being the heir-apparent to Joe DiMaggio as the New York Yankees centerfielder, almost over night. From his humble beginnings in Commerce, Oklahoma to his late-in-life boorish and arrogant behavior as an alcoholic ex-athlete; author Jane Leavy weaves a fascinating and well-researched narrative of the baseball player that came to personify the “good ole boy” nostalgia of the American 1950s.

In The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America's Childhood, Leavy does not attempt to pen a strict chronological biography from birth to death. Rather she hones in on several key moments of his life in this five-part, twenty chapter book. In toggling between 1983 and 1956, for example, Leavy paints an interesting back and forth story of Mantle at the height of his fame, and at the depths of his humiliations. As “the Last Boy” we see “the Mick” as the personification of a simpler 1950s America giving way to the more turbulent and complicated 1960s and beyond. Mantle's career spanned nineteen years (1951-1969) and just as America changed, so too did Mick.

Mantle's father Mutt was determined for his son to be a great ballplayer and tutored him early on to be a switch hitter. Mutt Mantle played a massive role in Mick's life, as he pushed his son to greatness and longed for him to have life beyond the zinc mines of northeastern Oklahoma. In 1951, when Mick had been sent down to the minor leagues, he called his father and asked him to pick him up in Kansas City. Discouraged and depressed, Mick planned to quit. What resulted was Mutt driving to Kansas City and blasting his son's lack of fortitude. Questioning Mickey's manhood, Mutt convinced him to persevere, while threatening him with a bleak future as a worker in the mines. Of course, Mick went on to greatness, as Mutt went to the grave; dying of the all-too-common natural causes that plagued the miners of his era. Mutt was 39.

Dying young was a Mantle family trait; as numerous Mantle men succumbed to cancer at a young age. This reality both haunted and drove Mickey to baseball immortality, but also to the bottle. Leavy descriptively writes: “That the earth would give way beneath his feet was a grim irony for Mickey Mantle. Growing up in Commerce, Oklahoma, in the dead center of the Tri-State Mining District, fatalism was an inheritance. It percolated up from the tainted, unstable earth. That forgotten corner where Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas meet was hardly the Oklahoma of Rodgers and Hammerstein. A century of mining lead and zinc from the ancient bedrock had left the ground as hollowed out as the faces of the men who worked it.” (pg. 38)

With a fatalistic assumption that he would die young, Mick lived it up in the bars of New York and later, the country clubs of Dallas and Atlanta. He married Merlyn, in accordance with his father's wishes, at a young age; and stayed married to her for the remainder of his life. While fathering four sons, Mick would also cavort with numerous other women, often with Merlyn's full knowledge. Mick provided for his wife, kids, and extended family. But the provision was often financial and not emotional, choosing instead to carouse with Yankee teammates like Billy Martin, Whitey Ford, and others. And while constant injuries marred his playing career, Mick always seemed to find the energy for bar-hopping. Many have wondered, how could he might have been, had he taken better care of himself.

Leavy interviewed hundreds of people for this biography, and traveled to all the places Mick frequented. This adds a rich and lucid detail to the book. She also pulls no punches in telling of his countless drunken escapades and sexual trysts, including Mick's inappropriate behavior toward the author herself. In the end, the reader will likely feel both pity and disappointment with Mick's behavior; while also being drawn to his self-deprecating humility and loyalty as a teammate and friend.

In the end, Mantle's life is both inspiring and depressing; as controversy seemed to follow him wherever he went. Many questioned why he was not drafted into the military in the early 1950s as the Korean War raged. Others openly hated him for daring to replace the legendary Joe DiMaggio. By the end of Mick's life, many other's wondered how he was able to move to the top of a liver transplant list, while so many other needy (and some would say more worthy) patients languished.

Mick got a new liver, but it was too little too late. He died in 1995 of liver disease, brought on by years of alcohol abuse. But Mantle's tale is one of redemption as well. In his final years, he overcame the alcoholism after a stint in the Betty Ford Clinic. He broke off the relationship with his longtime mistress, Grier Johnson; and seemed to make some measure of peace with Merlyn. He connected with his four sons and tried to make up for the years of neglect. And he tried to make his peace with God, being influenced by longtime friend Pat Summerall, who spoke to him about his alcoholism and about his soul. Former Yankee teammate, turned minister, Bobby Richardson would speak to the Mick about committing his life to Christ; and would speak on behalf of Mick as he preached his funeral.

In conclusion, The Last Boy makes for an interesting read, fraught with warnings about living life in the fast lane, as you run over the ones who love you most. While in one sense, Mickey Mantle was a simple, uneducated country boy who hit the big time; in another sense he was an extremely complex individual, who was both loved and loathed. At times, his behavior was inexcusable; yet his greatest admirers sought to offer excuses anyway. Mantle was “The Last Boy” and in some ways this is true because he never really grew up. But he did get old. He did get sick. And though he lived a lot longer than he expected, he did eventually die. Jane Leavy does an admirable job of telling his life story as she intertwines his younger days and his twilight ones. The book is a page-turner for those who love baseball, and even for those who don't. Mantle's life was a fascinating story and Leavy tells it well.

BOOK REVIEW: “C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity: A Biography, By George Marsden” (Reviewed By Shane Kastler)

If you have an interest in people, then biography is a compelling genre for you.  To learn the background, childhood, education, career, and later years of an historical figure brings great interest.  But, have you ever considered reading a book that is a “biography” of a book rather than a person?  That is what you’ll find in the Lives of Great Religious Books series by Princeton University Press.  And recently I had the joy of reading C. S. Lewis’s "Mere Christianity": A Biography, by George Marsden.

Marsden is an imminent scholar and author, having written the Bancroft Prize winning biography, Jonathan Edwards: A Life, in 2004. In Marsden's latest work, however, his subject is a book itself rather than an individual.

Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis, has gone down in time as one of the most read and re-read introductions to the Christian faith. What some may not realize about the book is that it originally was birthed as a series of radio addresses Lewis gave on the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) during World War II. As Britain, and all of Europe, were in the throes of war, Lewis laid out, in 15 to 20 minute segments, what the basic tenets of Christianity were. As a masterful storyteller (most notably seen in his Chronicles of Narnia series) Lewis was able to provide vivid analogous examples to describe the basic foundations of the faith. This, coupled with his past history as an atheist, gave him a good background in skepticism, so as to speak to the skeptics that were so prominent in Britain at the time.

Of course, when writing the biography of a “book” it is impossible to not also write a semi-biography of the man who wrote the book. Lewis was an instructor in English Literature at Oxford University when he gave the talks that would become Mere Christianity. And the response to his radio talks was mesmerizing, in both good and bad ways. Many people desired to hear them again and reconsider the Christian faith. Others, rationalistic in nature, abhorred Lewis's archaic religious beliefs and ridiculed him for both the radio addresses and the ensuing book. This was one of the most enlightening aspects of the book for me, the realization that Lewis was intellectually persecuted for his Christian faith by British liberals in general, and by his Oxford colleagues in particular. In fact, Lewis's adherence to the faith, perhaps cost him promotions from within the university.

Lewis's life was forever changed with the publication of Mere Christianity. He incorporated the help of his faithful brother Warren (Warnie) to answer the correspondence he received as a result of the radio broadcasts and the book itself, which emerged from a desire by so many to re-read what Lewis had said. From Mere Christianity, Lewis went on to pen several, short philosophical works devoted to various aspects of the Christian faith. While many modern day evangelicals would disagree with Lewis on several issues, it could also safely be said that his book has been used of God to bring many an atheistic skeptic to reconsider their stance on Christianity. Some of these well known Christian figures (Charles Colson for example) are mentioned in the book. It should also be noted that Lewis went to great pains to ensure the book presented as “basic” a view of Christianity as possible. He was not interested in drawing sharp doctrinal and denominational lines. And this can be seen throughout the work. If you are expecting a sharp-tongue polemic for your branch of Christianity, you will be disappointed. But if you desire, a more vague introduction to the faith, then Mere Christianity will satisfy. Lewis claimed that he was simply trying to bring unbelievers into the vestibule of the faith, and that whatever specific “room” they chose was up to them. As an Anglican himself, he was not trying to win unbelievers to Anglicanism. But rather to coax unbelievers to consider Christianity as a whole.

After having been passed over one too many times at Oxford, Lewis eventually accepted a promotion at the rival Cambridge University. His latter years were spent in study and in the late-in-life marriage to American Joy Davidman, who succumbed to cancer in 1960. Lewis himself died on November 22, 1963, largely overshadowed by the assassination of John F. Kennedy, on the same day.

Marsden's book is an interesting read that presents an aspect of Lewis's life and of Mere Christianity that might not be known to the reader. Never boring, Marsden weaves an interesting narrative about Lewis and how the book came to prominence. If you have not yet read the book itself, it would behoove any Christian (or even skeptic) to read Lewis's Mere Christianity. Then read Marsden's biography of the book itself. The historical context, extenuating circumstances, and the author, Lewis himself, make for a fascinating read. Marsden succeeds in writing a readable and interesting “biography” of Mere Christianity. I would highly recommend both Lewis's original work, and Marsden's biography of it.

Update On My Defense of Nathan Bedford Forrest

Here's some of my "goings ons" for the week regarding my defense of Nathan Bedford Forrest.  And my book about his Christian conversion.

 

1. On Monday, "The Nashville Tennessean" newspaper published my Op-Ed on the salvation of Nathan Bedford Forrest. It's the same one I wrote a couple weeks back in the Memphis Daily News. Here's the link: http://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2017/05/29/why-wrote-nathan-bedford-forrests-redemption/102065064/

 

2. On Tuesday, "The Nashville Scene" a rival paper published an Editorial criticizing the Tennessean for publishing me. The "Scene" referred to me as a "noted national embarrassment."  I took this as a compliment.  Here's the link to that:  The Tennessean Runs Nathan Bedford Forrest Apologia on Memorial Day

 

3. On Wednesday, I gave a phone interview to Mike Osborne of NPR (National Public Radio) in Tennessee, so they could broadcast a blurb on their news report.  The written article is here: Author of book on Nathan Bedford Forrest's Christian conversion speaks out  ...

 

and the audio is here: http://shanekastler.typepad.com/NPR%20radio%20news%20053117.mp3

 

Here's the link to House Resolution 97 which sparked the controversy: https://legiscan.com/TN/text/HR0097/2017

 

And here's the link to my book on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Nathan-Bedford-Forrests-Redemption-Kastler/dp/1589808347/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1496426881&sr=8-4

BOOK REVIEW: "The Presbyerian Philosopher: The Authorized Biography of Gordon H. Clark" by Doug Douma (Reviewed by Shane Kastler)

Gordon Haddon Clark was one of the most influential, though unheard of, Christian philosophers of the twentieth century.  A Calvinistic Presbyterian, he was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and taught philosophy there, and later at Wheaton College and Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Within evangelical circles he is probably best known for the controversies he was involved in.  The “Clark-Van Til” controversy involved opposition to Clark’s ordination by fellow Presbyterian philosopher Cornelius Van Til, over what many would consider a minute theological disagreement.  Clark’s ordination in the Philadelphia presbytery of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church was eventually thwarted by the Van Til faction; and Clark moved to Indiana where he had a distinguished career as a philosophy professor at a largely secular university.  In his later years, Clark moved to Colorado and taught at Sangre de Christo Seminary until his death in 1985.  Clark is the subject of Doug Douma’s biography, “The Presbyterian Philosopher: The Authorized Biography of Gordon H. Clark.”

Douma’s book is both highly readable and well researched with copious footnotes and annotations.  Having written with the blessing of Clark’s family the work is also described as an “authorized biography” which no doubt gave the author access to more information of both a personal and professional nature.

The book gives a good overview of Clark’s life in the church and the academy, but also delves into his family life.  While the primary topic involves the various denominational controversies Clark was involved in, we also learn something about the personalities of not only Clark, but his wife and children as well.  A highly educated and devout family, Clark’s wife and two daughters were involved in both church life and Christian ministry as well.

One of the stronger points of the book is Douma’s explanation of some of the more tedious nuances of the theological minutiae that Clark fought for.  The average lay person would look at Clark and Van Til as two men who agreed on almost everything.  Yet what divided them was mammoth in their own eyes.  To both Clark and the Van Til faction, the debate centered on the nature of God and was thus of great importance.  But Clark’s controversies were not always theological in nature.

Clark at times disagreed with his denomination over whether or not they should work with other Christian denominations, or even whether or not they should merge with other Presbyterian denominations.  Over the course of his life he was a member of several different Presbyterian denominations and was thus active and opinionated in denominational matters.  While this aspect of his character is interesting to consider, some of his scruples will be lost on those who are not interested in Presbyterian denominationalism.  Nevertheless, Douma excels at providing relevant information without becoming verbose or mundane.

Ultimately, Clark is known not as a preacher, professor, denominational or educational leader per se; but rather as a Christian, who happened to be philosopher and spent his life defending theologically Reformed Christianity in a secular world.  While Clark might have preferred training Christians to defend the faith by serving as an apologetics professor at a seminary; he instead taught philosophy at Butler, a secular university with a religious background.  In God’s providence, Clark’s contribution to Christianity involved the critique of non-Christian philosophies which he was able to combat with his sharp mind and philosophical training.  With that said, most of his writings are of an unmistakably Christian nature.  In his later years, he devoted much of his time to writing commentaries on the New Testament that were non-technical and accessible to the average believer.

Clark’s life is an interesting one to consider.  As stated above, he is unknown in many Christian circles, yet much could be learned from a discovery of his life and writings.  The late John Robbins, founder of the Trinity Foundation, did much to see Clark’s works published in the 1980s and 1990s.  With the advent of the internet, Christians now have access to books and articles that were heretofore unattainable.  Clark’s life is worthy of study and Douma has done the church a great service in producing this biography.  While the reader may find themselves disagreeing with Clark’s positions on various issues, they are largely left to decide for themselves as Douma, in most cases, sticks to the facts rather than meandering into personal opinions.  There is no doubt that the author admires Clark greatly, yet he still manages to produce a biography that cannot be accused of being a mere “puff piece.”  I recommend the reading of this book for those who wish to understand the life and thought of an influential Christian philosopher, churchman, and family man.  Well-written, well researched, and interesting; Douma achieves his goal of introducing those unaware of Clark to his life; and giving those familiar with Clark more information on who he was and what made him tick. 

BOOK REVIEW: Martin Luther: Visionary Reformer

By Shane Kastler

As a professor, Scott Hendrix observed a void in the area of Martin Luther scholarship and he sought to fill that void by penning the biography, Martin Luther: Visionary Reformer. Hendrix succeeded by producing a work on Luther that is both well researched and highly readable. Since much attention will be devoted to Luther in the coming days, with the 500^th anniversary of his 95 theses; Hendrix adds a pertinent layer to the available material on Luther's life that is both valuable and timely.

It would be a poor writer who would make a biography of Luther boring. His life was prodigiously interesting and exciting; and Hendrix brings that out in this book. Luther's father desired for his son to study law, but Martin's life was drastically changed when he was frightened by a thunderstorm and promised God that he would enter a monastery. While Hendrix raises doubt as to the historical accuracy of this event, the decision of Martin to become a monk is unquestioned. The zealous Luther sought to please God and assuage His wrath; and in so doing he entered the Augustinian order with fervor. Martin's father was not happy with the decision, but eventually came around and was present with a large entourage when his son was ordained. According to Hendrix, Luther's father was skeptical himself of the Catholic church and wanted his son to thus avoid the priesthood. Yet, against his father's wishes he joined; and Hans Luther would eventually rejoice at his son's rejection of Catholicism and the ensuing reformation.

Martin's legalistic Catholicism eventually clashed with what he read in the Scriptures and he famously spoke out against it. As he observed the selling of indulgences by the established church, he rightly called it out as a scam that preyed upon the fears of the common people. He sought to right this wrong by posting his 95 Theses on the castle door at Wittenberg.

It has been well established that Martin never dreamed his act would spark such a response as it did. Yet God was pleased to use Luther in ways that he never would have imagined. Luther originally sought reform within Catholicism, as opposed to the establishment of a new denomination. But time, and the Pope's edict, would soon force his hand. Luther grew more and more emboldened as time passed; and he spoke out brazenly against the Pope. At times, openly insulting, Luther eventually embraced the conclusion that the Pope was the Anti-Christ and a tool of Satan himself. This led to his defrocking. But it also led to his historical status as a reformer and legendary figure in Christian history. “Lutheranism” became powerful in Germany as the corruption of Catholicism was exposed. Still yet, some of Luther's greatest defenders were German political leaders who remained faithful to the Catholic hierarchy. Luther could have easily been executed; yet political favor and more importantly divine providence, protected him.

Hendrix's work reads almost like a novel in it's narrative; but it retains the feel of a scholarly work. He seeks to separate the Luther myth with reality and at times is forced to speculate on how events transpired. In what might be a disappointment to Luther fans, he argues that Luther had a lot of help from others during the Protestant Reformation; and that he probably gets more credit than is warranted. This is undoubtedly true, but still Luther's prominence is adequately presented in the book, albeit in a more tempered line of reasoning.

Hendrix is also unashamed to point out Luther's faults. For example, Luther was often brash, overly opinionated, and combative. These traits, which endeared him to so many, could at times serve as a two-edged sword in leading him into some fights that he might have otherwise avoided. Still yet, Luther is presented as the man that he was. Outspoken to a fault? Yes. But outspoken for what he believed to be divine truth? Certainly.

Some of Hendrix's observation's of Luther are helpful:

“Keeping quiet was never Martin Luther’s strength. He offered his opinion, sought or unsought, on most matters that crossed his desk.”

“He pronounced the world “utterly perverted” and blamed it on the absence of faithful preachers. Among perhaps 3,000 preachers, he contended, only four good ones could be found.”

“Erasmus was hurt by the accusations in Luther’s book and told him so: “The whole world knows your nature; truly you have so guided your pen that you have written against no one more rabidly and, what is more detestable, more maliciously than against me.… I would wish you a better disposition were you not so marvelously satisfied with the one you have.”

Luther's famous debates with Erasmus are well documented in the book. As are his well documented comments at the Diet of Worms where he refused to recant his views regarding the corruption of Catholicism. In time, Luther had assisted many nuns in shunning their vows, which he viewed as unbiblical; and helped them find husbands. He ultimately married a nun of his own and fathered six children with his beloved Katherine; who is presented as one who is brash in her own right and makes a good counter-punch and companion to the irascible Luther.

Eventually, Luther ran his course, kept the faith, and died in faithful service to the Lord. He had fought against several physical ailments in his later days and finally succumbed to sickness at the age of 62. His mark on Christianity was indelible. Scott Hendrix does an admirable job of presenting this most interesting life in all the grandeur it deserves. While the reader might not agree with Hendrix in all his assumptions and conclusions; it is without doubt that he presents Luther's life in a very accurate and interesting manner. The reader may draw his own conclusion; but this work will aid him in forming an accurate opinion of a man who intellectually feared no one; and “took no prisoners” in the realm of theology. Luther's fame is well deserved and Hendrix succeeds in presenting this, while also reminding the reader that Luther is still a fallible man. Luther was used of God to further His kingdom. The same might be said of Hendrix in this enjoyable biography.

BOOK REVIEW: "One Greater Than Moses: A History of New Covenant Theology" By Heather Kendall (Reviewed By Shane Kastler)

By Shane Kastler

In One Greater Than Moses: A History of New Covenant Theology, Heather Kendall examines the early events that led to the rising of what is now called, “New Covenant Theology.” For those unaware of what New Covenant Theology (NCT) is; this book will provide some much needed information. While both Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism are very popular theological systems among Christians in the church, seminaries, and laity; New Covenant Theology has only recently begun gaining ground. NCT is a theological system that seeks to make the text of Scripture the basis for how we understand Old and New Testament continuity and discontinuity. John Reisinger, one of the early leaders of NCT has stated that “Dispensationalism can't seem to get Israel and the Church together, and Covenant Theology can't seem to get Israel and the Church apart.” NCT seeks both, by recognizing the distinction between Old Covenant Israel as a typological picture of the church, and the New Testament church as the fulfillment of Old Covenant Israel, made up of both Jews and Gentiles. NCT also, as opposed to Covenant Theology, seeks to recognize the clear distinction made between the Old and New Covenants and the subsequent “Law” that was in effect under each covenant. NCT would find no scriptural basis for infant-baptism, given there is no Biblical warrant for the practice. Therefore, NCT is distinct from both Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology in it's foundational beliefs and it's resulting practices. In NCT, the Old Testament is valued as the true “word of God” but it is rightly understood through the hermeneutical lens of the New Testament scriptures. Likewise, the Law of Moses has been fulfilled and replaced by the “Law of Christ.” Therefore, believers are to look to Jesus and His Apostles' teachings in the New Testament scriptures as the ethical standard by which they live. This clashes with the Covenant Theology idea of the “Ten Commandmants” of Moses as the unchanging “moral law” that binds all believers in all time frames. NCT rejects this, since it divides the Law of Moses into sections, in a way that Scripture never does. As for the history of NCT....

Kendall does an excellent job of reporting about how a handful of “Reformed” Baptists began questioning some of the theological positions so prevalent at the time. Men such as Jon Zens (who wrote the forward), Ron McKinney (who wrote one of the recommendations), Gary D. Long; and perhaps most prominently John Reisinger wanted to reason with their Calvinistic brethren about the fulfillment of the Law of Moses and what it meant for a New Covenant believer. Yet many times, this desire for debate was squelched by silence and the frequent accusations of “Antinomianism” (against Law) that would be levied at these men. Some opponents of NCT have declared that since it is “New” it must be wrong. But Kendall does a good job of showing the historical trace of what we today might call NCT, in some of the early church fathers. And even more importantly, we see the teaching clearly evident in the New Testament itself.

This is one of the strongest aspects of the book, for Kendall devotes two full chapters, plus an appendix to showing that NCT-type beliefs have existed from the beginning of the New Testament church. She uses ample quotations from primary sources, as well as pertinent commentary on these sources to paint the historically accurate picture of NCT-like beliefs always existing, though at times as a mere remnant among the more prevalent systems.

Kendall then goes on to trace NCT's trajectory in the 20^th century and up to the present day. Some of the early articles by Jon Zens, began to “rock the boat” of how the Old Covenant Law was to be applied ( or not applied) in the New Covenant era. In the early 1980's Ron McKinney, who was then editor of the "The Sword & Trowel” magazine, along with Reisinger and others, decided to host a “Council on Biblcal Theology” in Dallas, TX. A total of three conferences were held in 1981-1983 to address issues pertaining to NCT. What this did was strengthen the resolve of some who held to NCT, while also strengthening the opposition to many who did not. Eventually The Sword & Trowel suffered a major withdrawal of subscribers. But, in spite of this, the NCT movement continued.

Another major spoke in the NCT wheel was Gary D. Long, who devoted a great amount of study time to examining the 1646 and 1689 London Baptist Confessions. While the 1689 is much more popular, having a Covenant Theology thrust to it, the 1646 is actually much more “Baptistic” and Biblical in nature when examined as a whole. The 1646 document makes many NCT-type statements in such a way, that it is clearly preferable as a doctrinal statement to the 1689. At least for those who hold to NCT. Long republished the 1646 confessional and has done a stellar job of promoting it's use and existence among like-minded brethren.

Kendall then expounds on NCT's influence in greater North America, by many adherents in Canada; as well as the world over. She also cites modern examples of growth within the movement, as young, seminary trained preachers continue to come out of the seminaries with either a NCT perspective, or at the least, views which are NCT-leaning or at least open to NCT. While in the past some church leaders have violently opposed it by declaring “we have the confessions.” Today's seminary graduate is perhaps more likely to say in response, “What saith the Scriptures?” And this has been NCT's goal all along. Not to create a “movement” but to drive Christians back to the text of Scripture as the basis for their beliefs.

Of course, NCT had it's opponents in the past and still does today. But it has gained steam as a modern theological movement. What's more, it is a movement grounded in the Scriptures, rightly divided, as opposed to being grounded in the powerful personalities that sometimes overshadow theological movements. Today, men such as Blake White, Doug Goodin, Geoff Volker, Zach Maxcey, Fred Zaspel, Tom Wells, and numerous others continue to write books and articles from an NCT perspective. Likewise, the seminaries have a certain amount of academic influence from NCT-leaning scholars like Tom Schreiner, D. A. Carson, Stephen Wellum, and Peter Gentry. Wellum and Gentry's recent book Kingdom Through Covenant was an excellent accomplishment as it gave NCT a legitimate voice in the academic community. Other books, such as Jason D. Meyer's The End of the Law, have followed suit. In addition to this, David Sitton's “To Every Tribe” ministry has been used of God to promote NCT in the missions world as well.

In conclusion, Heather Kendall has written an excellent “first history” of the NCT movement; and she does a fantastic job of tracing the history of the theology itself back to Scripture; as well as the modern movement and the men who shaped it. Today, NCT is not a completely united movement. There is a variety of streams and differences on some doctrinal issues. But the major core beliefs remain intact. The goal of the movement has always been to drive all Christians back to the Bible itself and allow all “systems” to be subservient to the Word. While much remains to be seen about the future of NCT, Kendall has given us a much better understanding and picture of it's past.

Ten Christian Books That Have Influenced Me

By Shane Kastler

I was recently asked to recommend some books that have influenced me, so I thought I’d compile a list.  Here are 10 books that have had a great impact on my Christian beliefs.  They are loosely ranked in terms of how they influenced me, and I hesitate to call them the TOP TEN books, because it goes without saying that the BIBLE is number one.  I’m not saying one of these books is necessarily better than another.  There are also numerous books that could be on this list, that I either didn’t think of, or omitted.  I’ve been influenced by a lot of books over the years, so this is just a “starting point.”  I have also tried to mix up the list with various topics and genres.  I guess you might call this "the top 10 Christian books that came to mind off the top of my head, that have influenced me list."  Here it is….

1. 1. The Pleasures of God, By John Piper. This is one of those rare books that has the ability to create a seismic shift in your beliefs. The staggering heights and depths of God’s sovereignty are explained in such a way that I was left awestruck at God’s power.

2. Lectures To My Students, By Charles Spurgeon. This book is a compilation of lectures that Spurgeon gave to pastoral students. He deals with numerous ministerial issues in a way that only the “Prince of Preachers” could.  I have found the book to be an immense help in my Christian walk and in ministry.

3. Systematic Theology, By Wayne Grudem. Every believer should have a systematic theology on their bookshelf. While I own many, I recommend Grudem because he goes into great depth while remaining readable.  Any topic that you encounter in the theological world, you will probably find in his index.  Grudem also does a good job of presenting various views on topics, rather than merely his own.  This is helpful in my opinion.

4. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, By Iain Murray. Biography is probably my favorite genre and I have read numerous bios from both the “Christian” and “secular” world. Murray’s two-volume work on MLJ is second to none in terms of inspiration and information.  Lloyd-Jones gave up a promising career as a medical doctor in order to preach the gospel.  For many years, Murray was his assistant.  MLJ was a clear voice on the issues of his day; and I have been equally edified by listening to his sermons which are available for free online through the Martyn-Lloyd Jones Trust.

5. Abraham’s Four Seeds, By John Reisinger. This small book was used of God more than any other to help me understand how Old Testament promises are fulfilled in Christ. All of Reisinger’s books are valuable in understanding how the Old Covenant and New Covenant relate to one another.

6. Commentary on Galatians, By Martin Luther. It seems no list would be complete without Luther. This short commentary not only helped me understand Galatians, but it helped me clarify the gospel against attacks of the past and present.

7. Stonewall Jackson: The Man, the Solider, the Legend. By James Robertson. This book is probably the greatest biography I have ever read. The only reason I didn’t rank it higher than the MLJ bio is because technically this is not a “Christian” biography.  But it is impossible to read and understand Jackson’s life without seeing that the sovereignty of God permeated every aspect of his existence.  While, Confederate soldiers are not politically correct in our day, Jackson stands as a giant among the theological pygmies of the 21^st century.  He devoted 10 years of his life, prior to the Civil War, to teaching a Black Sunday School class; and led numerous slaves to faith in Christ.  For this, he was threatened with imprisonment, but he continued on in the face of opposition.  He was killed in the war, but remained a stalwart unto the end.

8. Always Ready: Directions For Defending the Faith, By Greg Bahnsen. – The late Christian apologist Bahnsen was a student of Cornelius Van Til and provides an excellent presuppositional defense of the faith. Bahnsen’s 1985 debate with atheist Gordon Stein is still one of the best debates I’ve ever listened to. Bahnsen’s “Transcendental Argument for the Existence of God” baffled Stein into an intellectual stupor. This book gives the basis for how presuppositional apologetics is done.  Of course, with Bahnsen I always have to offer the discalimer that I don't agree with everything he taught. Especially as it pertained to Biblical Law and Theonomy.

9. Ashamed of the Gospel, By John Macarthur. The acerbic Macarthur attacks the “seeker-sensitive” church movement and compares it to the Downgrade Controversy that Charles Spurgeon was involved in during his day. One of the greatest problems in the church today is a desire to be like the world and gain the world’s approval. This is deadly to gospel faithfulness.  Macarthur’s chapter on the sovereignty of God over salvation did as much as anything to convince me of the truth of the “doctrines of grace.”

10. Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome. By Kent Hughes. I already believed what Hughes teaches in this book before I read it. But it was so comforting to hear him nonetheless. A pastor or church’s success is not measured in numbers of dollars, but rather in faithfulness.  You may never pastor a mega-church yet still be a success in God’s eyes.

Rothbard, Einstein, & The Silence of Dissent

By Shane Kastler

Conformity often leads to a slow destruction.  But then again, non-conformity often leads to a quick execution.  The question, then is whether you wish to live long as a slave.  Or die young as a freeman.  Of course we all hope for a third option.  We all hope to be able to speak out against “wrongs” we encounter, while having our liberties protected so that we can freely do so.  But who will protect our liberties?  The State?  Not hardly.  In actuality, it is the State itself that most threatens our liberties.  And it is the State, and subsequently, “society” which is controlled by the State that seeks to silence any opposition to its power.

Most people simply do not speak out against the obvious ills they see in the world.  The herd mentality of “go along and get along” rules the day.  Sometimes various members of the herd notice something is amiss.  But as quickly as they do, and speak out about it, they are promptly shouted down by the oxen around them who have been conditioned to assume that the one leading them into the slaughter house has their best interest at heart.  They assume the State exists to take care of them and the State’s motivation is benevolence.  And if the independent minded dissenter suggests that the State might have more sinister motives, they must be silenced.  The State wants no threats against its power.  And the people have been brainwashed to acquiesce to the State’s wishes. 

In his book Anatomy of the State, the late Murray Rothbard wrote, “The greatest danger to the State is independent intellectual criticism; there is no better way to stifle that criticism than to attack any isolated voice, any raiser of new doubts, as a profane violator of the wisdom of his ancestors.”  This can be seen in countless ways in modern America.  Any liberty-loving individual who tires of the status quo and points out the State’s hypocrisy will be ridiculed as an “extremist” or a “conspiracy theorist” or just a general “nut case.”  If, for example, a divisive supreme court justice dies alone under mysterious circumstances, the mere SUGGESTION that something might be amiss is greeted with catcalls from the robotic masses.  The mere SUGGESTION that sinister forces MIGHT be at work will get you mocked and shouted down by those who assume that “all is well” because the government told them “all is well.”  And we know that the government never lies.  Right?

This is the way in which “society” does the State’s bidding by enforcing the herd mentality they’ve been taught from day one.  Since the government controls the educational system, they have the ability to brainwash the citizenry from cradle to grave.  By seizing resources through excessive taxation, the State can offer education for “free” to the sheeple, who all too gladly conform for the sake of financial expediency.  And Heaven help the independent spirit that rises up and seeks to educate their children through non-State means.  Under the guise of “standards” the governing powers often attack non-conformists who seek to educate their own children in accordance with their own beliefs, either through homeschooling or through privately funded schools.  If the government loses students, then it loses power, which means it potentially loses tax dollars, which also means it loses the monopolistic chance to brainwash students into unquestioned fealty to the State.  And as is often the case, the brainwashed don’t realize their condition and will in fact assume the independent voice is the crazy one for refusing to drink the Kool-Aid.  The government wants the students to place their hand over their heart and “pledge allegiance” to their idolatrous overseers.  But how will they pledge allegiance if their parents choose to opt for “non-traditional” educational methods?  Thus, ironically, in America where “independence” is so frequently proclaimed, true independence is punished by masses who are controlled by the self-proclaimed elites.  The true independent voice is mocked and scorned.  And the State sits back and smiles at the monster it has created.

Sadly, it is often the religious leaders who do the State’s bidding by keeping the people in line.  Liberal and “mainstream” clergy are tools of the political left who have sold their souls under the guise of “social justice” and concern for the poor.  Yet, strangely enough, the politicians who control them live like pompous royalty.  They gain votes by going to the ghettos and convincing the populace that “I’m on your side.”  Then they go back to their armored limousines that transport them to their secure mansions to hatch their next plan.  And the dolts inexplicably keep them in power.  Because if any dolt rises up and calls the hypocrisy what it is, they will promptly be shouted down and ridiculed.

Of course the political right has its religious pawns as well.  For them, many conservative “evangelical” clergy will shill for the leaders under the guise of “family values” or “Constitutional government.”  They too are often duped by smooth talking con men who crave power and easily keep it by saying one thing publicly and doing something much different in private.  As long as the right-wing politician gives the aura of spirituality by uttering evangelical catch phrases, he can be assured of support by those who see him as a quasi-Savior.  How different this is from the way the early Christians in New Testament times swore allegiance to Christ alone and were willing to die for that declaration!  In Rome, Caesar alone was to be honored as “Lord” yet the Christians instead worshiped Jesus.  And for this many died.  Today, most would never risk dying when it’s more expedient to bow the knee to State masters.

Yet, perhaps there might be an awakening to this idolatry of the State.  Maybe the independent voices will grow in their dissent and in their numbers.  Maybe some will refuse to be silenced and thus inspire others to speak up and speak out about the mythological “land of the free” that they live in.  Of course this would require courage because swimming against the tide is never easy.  Albert Einstein famously said, “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.”  Courage and honesty go hand in hand.  They are both in short supply these days.  Instead coward conformity marks America.  True independence is rare.  And rarer still, the individual willing to stand alone and face ridicule for veering way from the herd.  But remember this.  The herd is careening toward a cliff.  The herd is being corralled into a slaughter house by smiling politicians who promise riches, but deliver rubbish.  But you don’t have to swallow it.  Endure the hostility of being “outside the box.”  Point out the emperors (plural) nakedness.  Be aware of the shenanigans going on.  And plan to die free; rather than to live long as a slave of the State in the mythical land of the free.

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DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this article reflect my own personal views and not necessarily the views of any organization to which I am affiliated.

Refuting John Calvin's Three Uses of the Law

By Shane Kastler

One of the questions that has divided the theological world for centuries has to do with what role (if any) the Mosaic Law plays in the life of a New Covenant Christian. Many have undertaken an attempt to reconcile how the Law is “fulfilled” in Christ (Matt. 5:17) and how the Apostle Paul can say unequivocally that he is “not under the Law” (1 Cor. 9:21); while at the same time affirming that injunctions against things like adultery and murder are still in effect. Is the Law fulfilled and no longer binding? Is part of the Law fulfilled? Is none of the Law truly fulfilled and thus all of it binding on the believer? Or is it some combination of these theories?

In his voluminous work “The Institutes of the Christian Religion” 16^th century reformer and theologian John Calvin attempted to answer this question with what has now become his famous “three uses of the Law.” While there is no questioning Calvin's influence on history, particularly in the realm of theology, does this of necessity mean that Calvin is correct? In this article I will propose that Calvin is not only flawed in his proposition of the three uses of the Law; but that Calvin's application of the Mosaic Law is wrong in both theory and practice, finding no basis in Scripture.

I should also note at the outset, that while I disagree with Calvin on the Law, I am in agreement with him on many other things and gladly wear the brand “Calvinist” as it pertains to soteriology and what has come to be known as the “five points of Calvinism.” On these five points, I heartily agree with the great reformer; but on the three uses of the Law; he and I must part ways.

Calvin's first use of the Law had to do with revealing God's righteous standard. In this way, Calvin taught that the Law was a mirror that reflects God's perfect righteousness. That it brings conviction to the sinner, and thus drives him to Christ. To defend this position Calvin quoted the well known passage from Galatians that states: “The Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:24) Calvin states: “The reward of eternal salvation, as promised by the Lord, awaits the perfect obedience of the Law.” (Institutes 2.7.3) This statement in itself is highly disputed. Did God in fact offer “eternal salvation” to Israel if they kept the Law? Did God, in fact offer theoretical salvation by works? If a Jew could somehow keep the Law to perfection? I would argue “no” based on the fact that even if perfect obedience could have been attained it would not have addressed the problem of original sin which could only be expunged by the blood of Christ. A sacrifice that was still future in Old Testament times; but a sacrifice that was nonetheless necessary for any sinner to be forgiven by a just and holy God.

Calvin cites Deuteronomy 30:19 in defense of his belief. The passage says: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” (Deut. 30:19-20) What is interesting about the passage is that it offers “long life” in the land of promise; rather than “eternal life” in the presence of God. No mention is made whatsoever of eternal life for obedience. While Israel is a “typological” picture of Christians and the promised land is a “typological” picture of Heaven; the Old Covenant types are not the same as the New Covenant realities. Calvin cites this passage as a Scriptural proof based on mere conjecture; much like the so called “Covenant of Works” that God supposedly made with Adam in the Garden of Eden offering the same promise of eternal life for perfect obedience. Of course we search in vain to find any reference to this promise of eternal life made to Adam; and likewise Israel. Calvin reads too much into the Deuteronomy passage rather than accepting at face value what the text actually states.

A New Testament passage that could easily be misconstrued as offering “salvation by works” can be found in Luke 10 where the lawyer asks Jesus how he can inherit eternal life. Jesus answers: “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly, do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:26-28) Was Jesus offering salvation by law-keeping? Or was Jesus stating the fruit of a changed heart? To love the Lord in the way Jesus described could only be done by one who was born again. Yet even if the man was born again and truly loved the Lord he is not saved based on this fact alone. For a payment must still be made for his sins (Heb. 9:22), and the lawyer couldn't make that payment.  Christ alone would make that payment and thus the Lord's statement is completely factual.  But obedience alone does not lead to eternal life and neither Moses, nor Jesus taught that it did.

Nevertheless, is Calvin correct in citing Galatians 3 as proof that the Law “drives us to Christ”? To answer that question, we must first consider who Paul is addressing and consequently, who was given the Law in the first place? It was not 16^th century Genevans, nor 21^st century Americans who were given the Law, but rather Old Covenant Jews. And thus, it was to them that it could be rightly stated the Law served as a “tutor” (or nanny, or babysitter) that led to Christ. It would seem to be a fact of obvious historical significance to state that the Law was never given to Gentiles; and certainly couldn't be said to be a “tutor” in this way.

The clear question that Paul addresses within the context of the Galatians passage has to do with “why then the Law?” God made a promise to Abraham and God fulfilled that promise in Christ. So what does Moses have to do with it? Paul states that the Law was added “because of transgressions.” But what Calvin fails to explain is the rest of the passage that states the Law was added “until the time would come to whom the promise had been made.” (Gal. 3:19) In other words, the Law was added for a temporary amount of time “until” Christ came. Paul's conclusion in Galatians 3 turns out to be much different than Calvin's. While Calvin states this chapter as a proof for the validity and usefulness of the Law; Paul concludes that “now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” (Gal. 3:25) Now that the epoch of “faith” and the appearance of Christ has occurred the Jews are “no longer under a tutor.” And Gentiles never were under that tutor, for Gentiles, even in Biblical times, “did not have the Law.”(Rom. 2:14) Certainly Gentiles by Calvin's day (and ours) did not have it as a rule of conduct or a tool for evangelism. The only way to accept Calvin's interpretation of the ongoing “use” of the Law from Galatians 3 is to completely ignore what Paul himself says in the text. I therefore, feel justified in saying that Calvin's first use of the Law is incorrect, being based on a misapplication of a text that doesn't apply within the context.

Calvin's second use of the Law is that it restrains evil; and once again we have reason for pause when considering his Biblical rationale. Historically speaking, there is no question that the Mosaic Law under the Old Covenant restrained evil. And did it ever! With commandments that dictated everything from clothes to food to marriage to Sabbath restrictions; the Law touched every aspect of a Jew's life. Furthermore the punishments prescribed for disobedience were heavy-handed and often violent. And this by God's decree. No one can rightly deny this evident fact. However, the question as it pertains to the argument at hand, is whether or not the Mosaic Law still functions in this civil capacity? And as New Covenant believers I think we should offer a relieved answer of “no.”

In my view, Calvin's error in this regard is by advocating a purpose of Law in general, by using the example of Mosaic Law in specific. And in this way, Calvin is really comparing apples to oranges. Certainly governmental laws exist to restrain evil; but is this specifically the Law of Moses? While examples of “good and evil” and “justice and injustice” and “punishment and restitution” can be seen in the Mosaic covenant; the Mosaic Law itself is not our model when setting up earthly, temporal governments. We do not live in a theocracy as the Old Covenant nation of Israel did. Some nations have longed to set up a Christian theocracy and try to institute the Law of Moses in modern times. In fact, Calvin himself was essentially a church-state dictator in Geneva. But the New Testament does not prescribe earthly governments to be instituted based on Mosaic Law. Old Covenant Israel? Yes. 16^th century Geneva? No. 21^st century America? No. While there is certainly overlap between Mosaic Law and modern law (murder, thievery, etc.) there is also a clear distinction. For example, we do not give the government the power to enforce punishment for idolatry. We do not give the government power to force church attendance. Nor should we, unless we long to see the purity of the church tainted by the unregenerate attending under the threat of legal reprisal. Mosaic Law is not intended to be “used” today to restrain evil; and thus Calvin's second “use” of the Law is invalid.

As a proof of this, try walking into a bar someday and telling the drunk reprobate on the bar stool that he deserves to be arrested for violating the Law of Moses. And let me know how that works for you. You would likely be laughed out of the room, if not worse. And rightly so. While evangelistically we might wish to point out the sinfulness of the drunkard's life and encourage him to repent and turn to Christ; he has not committed a crime based on the Mosaic Law because he is not under the Mosaic Law. Indeed he never was. And any effort to try and establish a modern day, earthly government under Mosaic Law would be erroneous and dangerous. Not to mention biblically indefensible. The Mosaic Law exited to govern the Old Covenant nation of Israel under a covenant that no longer exists.

Calvin's third use of the law is his most popular and by his own admission the most common use of the law; which is to teach believers how to please God. Yet this didactic aspect of the Law has no basis in Scripture. Was the Mosaic Law intended to sanctify the believer? Was the Mosaic Law intended to whip the backside of lazy Christians into a forced obedience against their will? Calvin said yes. Here's what he said: “The saints must press on; for, however eagerly they may in accordance with the Spirit strive toward God’s righteousness, the listless flesh always so burdens them that they do not proceed with due readiness. The Law is to the flesh like a whip to an idle and sluggish ass, to arouse it to work.” (Institutes 2.7.12) As appealing as Calvin's reference to Christians as “idle and sluggish asses” is; it falls short of how Jesus described his followers. Rather than comparing us to lazy donkeys, Jesus called his followers “sheep” and declared that his sheep “hear his voice and follow him.” (John 10:27) Indeed Christians delight to do the will of the Lord. Calvin is certainly right to point out that Christians often stumble and fall. But is the Mosaic Law intended to be a tool to “whip” them into obedience? That would seem extremely odd when Calvin is referring to a Law that Paul claimed Christians were not under. And that the Jerusalem Council determined to be a Law that should not be heaped upon Gentiles (Acts 15:1-21).

Is there benefit in studying the Old Testament scriptures? Certainly, for the New Testament scriptures testify that “all scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching.” (2 Tim. 3:16) But Old Testament teaching will not be “profitable” when it's taken out of context and used as a whip rather than a teaching tool. New Covenant Christians might very well gain insight in reading and studying the Old Covenant Law and God's dealings with Old Covenant Israel; but we don't study it as though we were “under” the Law, nor born into the Old Covenant nation of Israel. New Covenant Christians are free from the Law and in fact were never under it. Therefore Calvin's third use of the Law is equally invalid.

In conclusion, I find Calvin's writings to be beneficial and edifying in many ways. If a Christian attempts to study Calvin in depth he is likely to glean many beneficial observations from the great reformer. But all theologians should be read with “Berean eyes” (Acts 17:10-11) knowing that “the best of men are men at best” and that no human teacher is without his faults. Calvin was right on numerous things. But wrong on some as well. His famous “three uses of the Law” stand on the foundation of a shaky rock that does not hold up when scrutinized under the lens of New Testament teaching. The so-called “5 points of Calvinism” are Biblically accurate and helpful in understanding salvation; but the so-called “3 uses of the Law” are bogus and should be graciously rejected for the man-made creations that they are. Faulty conclusions based on a faulty hermeneutical principle of taking Old Testament passages out of context, while failing to apply New Testament revelation that explains the proper standing of a New Covenant saint. Christians are “free from the Law” and it's a “happy condition” (as the old hymn states). We have also been freed from sin's power and Christ has paid for sin's penalty. We look to Jesus as both savior and sanctifier, since he is both “author and finisher” of our faith (Heb. 12:2). Moses doesn't disciple us. Jesus does. And thus Calvin's “uses of the Law” must be rejected.

Radio Interview with Dr. Tom Nettles about Charles Spurgeon

On the March 10, 2015 program of "Church & State" on KELB radio in Lake Charles, LA; Shane Kastler interviewed Dr. Tom Nettles regarding his book "Living By Revealed Truth: The Life and Pastoral Theology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon."

To Listen to the Interview Click Here.

(NOTE: This interview was conducted over the phone, from the Lake Charles studio of KELB radio located at 113 Willamsburg St, in Lake Charles, LA)