J. N. D. Anderson (1908–1994)

I came across this and looked at it again as I remembered how much Barr disliked it. He commented that Anderson clearly hated all modern theologians.

At the beginning of the book Anderson says, by contrast that he actually knows some of the people he is going to deal with and likes them and certainly reads them. But he then goes on to disagree with them although seems to me to lean over backwards to agree with them when possible. Of course one problem is that he tries to settle disagreements with quotes from the Bible which is basically not how his opponents decide their views. So there is an initial failure to acknowledge that there is not likely to be a meeting of minds.

His last chapter is about a then recent book by John Robinson and as usual it is a melange of approving quotes and then disagreements about Robinson's views. He notes that JR is clearly Christian but feels basically that he has a weak view of God. Robinson seems just not to take the idea of eternity and of the Holy God seriously. Everything is reduced to earthly issues and even there it all boils down to 'love', situational ethics, and the Christian viewpoint seems to lack distinctiveness, in fact he is keen to see it lose itself if necessary in helping deal with problems on earth.… (mehr)