Walter Scott: a Nineteenth-Century Evangelical, Mark G
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Leaven Volume 9 Issue 4 Conflict Resolution Article 16 1-1-2001 Walter Scott: A Nineteenth-Century Evangelical, Mark G. Toulouse Wade Obsurn Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Obsurn, Wade (2001) "Walter Scott: A Nineteenth-Century Evangelical, Mark G. Toulouse," Leaven: Vol. 9 : Iss. 4 , Article 16. Available at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol9/iss4/16 This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Religion at Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Leaven by an authorized editor of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. Obsurn: Walter Scott: A Nineteenth-Century Evangelical, Mark G. Toulouse ~ ~\S?~,,,,,.z.' Book Reviews . ~ ~ ELEANOR DANIEL AND MARKUS H. McDoWELL, EDITORS Character Forged from Conflict with children about one's concern for the future and By Gary Preston protecting them from unwarranted insecurity. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethany House Publishers, Other chapters present insights he has discovered 1999. 157 pages. in carrying out his ministry while under attack. Particularly poignant is the fifth chapter,"Preaching Writing from the memories and reflections of his Through Controversy," in which Preston urges min- own experience in Character Forgedfrom Conflict, isters to avoid using the pulpit as a platform from Gary Preston gives an impassioned personal account which to launch personal counterattacks against their of his struggle to understand and cope with the mal- critics. Other chapters encourage the minister to be treatment he has experienced at the hand of the thoughtful and deliberate in deciding which issues church. Any reader who has ever been involved in are important enough to confront. His guidance ministry and has had his or her work criticized will offers three questions to consider when deciding on probably relate to the complex feelings and anxiety the importance of an issue: (1) "Does the situation that are recounted. The author describes emotions involve something that is contrary to the mission of that range from self-doubt and insecurity to defen- the church?" (2) "Does the issue cause the church to siveness and indignation. Throughout these descrip- compromise its commitment to being and building tions, the underlying thesis of this work is that God faithful followers of Christ?" and (3) "In one year uses these negative experiences to transform the will it make a difference in our church whether we character of the minister. In Preston's own words, dealt with this issue?" (133-135). "Church conflict, I've come to realize, may be the While the previous comments offer a recommen- most effective tool God has to shape our character" dation for Character Forged from Conflict, this (31). It is within this struggle for integrity and trust review also presents a caveat regarding this book. in God to use the events in our lives that the strength First, some may find the title a bit misleading, of this book is found. expecting to read a book on managing church con- Individual chapters present a variety of issues that flict. Rather, this is a book about managing personal Preston confronts in his attempts to make sense of criticism. A second weakness is that, although the the attacks on his ministry. With an emphasis on the author consistently presents a genuinely humble practical discoveries he made while working through spirit when criticized, one might be a bit surprised at these assaults, the author makes a number of valu- times by the intensity of his reaction to what he per- able suggestions. A key realization that he discusses ceived as personal attacks. For example, in chapter is the impact that these stresses have had on his mar- 4, "Resisting the Urge to Strike Back," he recounts riage and his children. He also found that these the "scathing letter from a couple unhappy about a seemingly negative events serendipitously gave him situation in the youth department" (61) and the ensu- opportunities to deepen his relationship with his ing "grudge" that he had toward these members. It family. For example, after an unforeseen termination seemed that any critique or opinion contrary to the from one pastorate, he became "Mr. Mom," staying ministry designed by Preston was immediately inter- home with his children while his wife worked. He preted as carnal and troublemaking. The repeated also examines the balance between being honest Published by Pepperdine Digital Commons, 2001 1 Leaven, Vol. 9 [2001], Iss. 4, Art. 16 226 LEAVEN Fourth Quarter 2001 examples of times when he was attacked create the different publisher. It richly deserves a long publica- perception of an "us versus them" mentality in tion life, for it provides "a kind of theological reflec- which the spiritual minister must defend himself and tion on the nuts and bolts of the church's life" (10). his ministry from the ungodly, attacking church Although informed by thorough scholarship, the member. One is led to wonder if there is any way to book is not written primarily for other scholars, but approach this ministry with a genuine difference of for people responsible for the day-in, day-out work opinion. To his credit, Preston consistently seeks to of local church life. There is no scholarly apparatus avoid counterattacks against these perceived ene- of footnotes, but "bibliographical notes" are included mies. I am not arguing for an opposite and probably at the end of three of the chapters. A not-too-forced naive extreme. Certainly there are occasions when alliteration makes the chapter titles user-friendly. ministers are the victims of unfair and malicious Following an introduction, the book is divided into behavior, but Preston seems to see a demon behind three major sections: Theory, Exegesis, and Practice. every door. Chapter 1, "Definitions," grounds the church's deci- Having one's ministry criticized and attacked by sion-making in sociology, theology, narrative, and others is a debilitating experience. Sleepless nights, scripture. Chapter 2,"Debates: The Authority of the and days paralyzed by feelings of victimization and New Testament in the Church," lays down some the- insecurity are hard to endure. Character Forged ses for the way Johnson believes scripture should From Conflict is a book that offers an empathic function authoritatively in Christian communities. companion for these difficult times, but it shouldn't The New Testament functions as "author"; that is, it be the only guide. While we need friends who "authors" or creates a particular identity of the com- understand our pain, we also need prophets who will munity based on the consentient witness of the New challenge us to see how our own behavior has con- Testament writings to the core beliefs and character tributed to the situations we endure. of the people of God. Secondly, the New Testament "authorizes" the church to reinterpret scripture in the JACK HOLLAND light of "new experience and the working of the Dr. Holland teaches Christian Care and Counseling at Spirit" (41), just as the earliest Christians reread Emmanuel School of Religion .. Torah in the light of Jesus. Thirdly, the New Testament is a collection of auctoritates-a diversity Scripture and Discernment: Decision of voices not always in agreement on particular Making in the Church issues. This diversity is treated at greater length in By Luke Timothy Johnson chapter 3, "Debates: The Literary Diversity of the Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996. 166 pages. New Testament and Theology." Here Johnson insists that "we must. .. let go of any pretense of closing the At a professional conference in 1992, I picked up New Testament within some comprehensive, all-pur- from a remainder table a little book published in pose, singular reading which reduces its complexity 1983 entitled Decision Making in the Church: A to simplicity" (55). Rather, by means of a communal Biblical Model. Leafing through it, I wondered why hearing of scripture in light of the narrated experi- I had not heard of this book before. Here was a pro- ences of Spirit-filled people, the church has to ham- fessional New Testament scholar who cared about mer out its theology, has to hear what God is saying how congregations make decisions and who had here and now by means of these ancient texts. thought long and hard about how to help them. Not surprisingly, the exegetical section is the Obviously, the book hadn't caught on. Fortunately, largest of the book (71 pages). Chapter 4, as Luke Johnson notes, the book refused to die. "Difficulties," raises the question about which texts Small numbers continued to circulate long after it in the New Testament best yield themselves as mod- was out of print. Now we have an edition expanded els of how the earliest Christian congregations made by more than fifty percent, re-titled, and issued by a decisions. The centerpiece of the chapter is an https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol9/iss4/16 2 Obsurn: Walter Scott: A Nineteenth-Century Evangelical, Mark G. Toulouse CONFLICT RES()LUTION LEAVEN 227 extended discussion of Acts 15: 1-35, the so-called facing churches today: leadership (the role of "apostolic council" convened to deal with the crisis women in the church), fellowship (homosexuality in created by the conversion of numbers of non-Jews to the church), and stewardship (the church's manage- belief in Jesus. After acknowledging the historical ment of possessions). He puts a premium on narra- difficulty in reconstructing exactly what happened tives of personal experience as challenges to the and the theological difficulty of deriving theology church to question its tradition.