Monday, November 24, 2014

Book Review of John Knox for Armchair Theologians



John Knox for Armchair Theologians
by Suzanne McDonald (Illustrations by Ron Hill)
ISBN 978-0-664-23669-4
WJK Books
Reviewed by Clint Walker

I have been very interested in Calvin and in Reformed Theology for quite a while now. However, I have learned very little about the development of the Reformed Movement in Scotland and the rise of Presbyterianism in the British Isles. Thus, I found this John Knox for Armchair Theologians helpful and informative. The illustrations entertained me, and the reading was both instructive and easily accessible.

John Knox was a complex figure, and this book captures his complexity. Whether it is trying to discern his level of influence in the confessions and order of the early Presbyterians in Scotland, or discussing his marital history, McDonald does a good job at describing the importance of Knox while cutting through myth and controversy and getting down to business with real history and theological issues.

McDonald also does a great job at presenting the information in an orderly manner. Some of the "Armchair books" read more like monographs, bouncing around from issue to issue. This book has a logical and easy to follow progression that tells the story of Knox's life through his beliefs and his actions.


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