Christopher H. Wisdom

In Defense of the Eschaton

Apologetics

“For those not familiar with Dr. Dennison's work, his distinctive contributions in this series of articles outline the implications for Christian apologetics of the evident intrinsic integration that exists in Van Til's thought with the philosophy of history inherent in the Biblical Reformed theology of Geerhardus Vos. In this volume, Dennison provides the Reformed church and the Christian academy with a key that helps to unlock a Biblically faithful defense and declaration of the Christian faith. From this starting point, Dennison provides a cogent critique of structural and substantial shortcomings in the arguments of the most prominent proponents of classical apologetics and education. He also effectively critiques the most recent previous, popular, and prevailing interpreters of Van Til in a way that calls for a fuller response from them. Taken together, this book presents a challenge to any and all existing models for human thought that do not hold as necessary and sufficient the aeonic, historical character of divine redemptive revelation fulfilled in the self-attesting Christ of the Scriptures. As such, this volume offers, at once, an elenctic indictment against unbelieving and biblically inconsistent thought and a faithfully Reformed and ecumenical invitation to defend this faith by all who hold to and love the Bible as the infallible Word of God. To be sure, this seminal contribution requires and deserves greater elaboration even beyond this collection. What Dennison himself admits concerning one article may also be affirmed with regard to this brief book: 'My study is only meant to be an introduction. I have not provided a comprehensive presentation of Van Til's philosophy of history, epistemology, or his connection with Vos. Van Tilians must have a renewed commitment to disclose, understand, and carefully reexamine the basic presuppositions that underlie the structure of his thought.' The book, however, does afford, as a starting point, manifold opportunities for continuing dialogue, discussion, and debate on how we evangelize our communities, educate in our schools, and counsel in our churches. This prospect all by itself makes a careful and critical reading of this book well worthwhile. My prayer is that Dennison's arguments herein will be considered carefully, engaged faithfully, and applied persuasively to 'destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and [to] take every thought captive to obey Christ' (II Corinthians 10:5, ESV).”