Steve Holmes’ Listening to the Past: The Place of Tradition in Theology is a most valuable and but not so readable collection of essays. I reckon it’s worth buying just for the essays on ‘Why Can’t we Just Read the Bible’, on Anselm, and on ‘Karl Barth’s Doctrine of Reprobation’. There’s also a good essay on Jonathan Edwards on the will which begins with some helpful observations on the abiding value and challenge of tradition. Then there is the catchy titled essay “Calvin against Calvinist.”

This is not the book I thought it would be when I first purchased it (for $1 a half-price bookstore). Know that I think about it I wish I hadn’t. I was originally attracted as I do have an interest in historical theology and as the book purposes to show how theologians do not function in theological vacuums with their bibles at their side. I say these not indicating that Holmes disbelieves sola scriptura.

First it’s not a book about early Christian thought rather it is a random collaboration of essays from variant and diverse traditions as Calvin, Barth, Anslem, Edwards, Basil, John of Damascus, Anabaptist, etc. Writing he tries to pitch that when we learn to listen to the tradition faithfully, not assuming that we already know what we shall hear, but instead allowing earlier voices their own integrity, this is how the events and people of Church history help build the constructs of our theology. All in all a book very much worth reading, but be sure you know what you’re buying. ( )

Utilizing people and events of Church history as case studies (e.g. Anselm, Calvin, Edwards, Barth, baptism, and more), Holmes effectively argues the case for the use of tradition in constructing theology. Holmes ultimately sees church tradition as a manifestation of Christian fellowship and the communion of saints. Great resource for integrating church history into contemporary life, although somewhat disjointed. A- ( )