The Freedom of God (A Study of Election and Pulpit), by James Daane; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publ. Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. 208 pages, $5.95 [Reviewed by Prof. H. C. Hoeksema] 

For those readers interested in a more detailed review, such a review was published in the May, 1974 issue of our Protestant Reformed Theological Journal. A few brief remarks will suffice here. 

This book purports to offer a solution to a problem, the problem of the absence of election from the preaching in Reformed pulpits. I say “purports” because the book engages, first of all, in false problematics. That is to say, the problem which the author sets up is not the real problem in those cases where election is absent from the preaching. And naturally, false problematics will lead to false solutions. And on this count the author is more guilty than on the first count. 

The first part of the book is a diatribe against what the author calls “decretal theology,” which receives 100% of the blame for the alleged absence of election from preaching. It is marred by the fact that the author misrepresents those whom he criticizes, among them, as you might expect, Herman Hoeksema. In fact, I have seldom seen such gross misrepresentation—and I have documented this charge in the longer review mentioned above. The result is that he author does not demolish Hoeksema’s theology, or the theology of any so-called decretal theologian, but a mere straw man. 

When the author turns to positive development, he produces little that is clear, less that is substantial, and nothing Reformed. In fact, the heart of Daane’s solution to a purported problem is the denial of sovereign reprobation, and, thus, of sovereign predestination. 

Do I recommend this book? By all means! Read it, in order to keep up on developments. But don’t take anything that is written for granted. Go to the sources, and check for accuracy. 

The Atonement, by Archibald A. Hodge; Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Mich. 440 pages, $3.95 (paper) [Reviewed by Prof. H. C. Hoeksema] 

This is a reprint in Baker’s series of “Notable Books on Theology.” I have long had a copy of this b o ok in my library, and I deem this a very worthwhile reprint. This is a very thorough work on the atonement by this Princeton theologian. It is written from a fundamentally Reformed viewpoint. At this price, one would be foolish not to add the book to his library if he does not already possess it. 

Heartily recommended.