Pillars of Grace (A Long Line of Godly Men Profile) Hardcover – September 8, 2016

First, the Kindle version has footnotes, but the in-text numbers aren't linked to the footnotes, making them useless. There is no skip feature where you would normally be able to skip to the next chapter with the 4-way button.On the positive side, this is a great instruction to the early church fathers, running from the Apostolic Fathers, Middle Ages, and through to the Reformation.The author approaches the early church fathers pre-supposing they were Calvinistic in their theology. Admitting that the Apostolic Fathers touched little on theology beyond paraphrasing the New Testament, he nevertheless describes them as "hinting" or "alluding" to one of the five points of Calvinism. For the first two fathers, Ignatius and Clement, their support of election amounts to the use of the inclusive term "Elect" in the opening salutation of their epistles. They may have supported election, but this does not prove it, only that this was a common greeting between Christians.He skips over one of the most popular works of the early church, the Didache. Even though this appears to be THE shorter catechism for new converts for centuries, possibly the teaching of the Apostles themselves, it is completely devoid of any Calvinism.With Irenaeus, the phrase "the elect though foreknowledge" becomes predestination. Nearly everything he cites for supporting pre-destination sounds an awful lot like Molonism. But again, if you assume they were all Calvinist, it becomes easy to interpret that way.He commonly leaps to conclusions. Dr Lawson quotes one of the early fathers, then says, "By this so-and-so supported this point of Calvinism." The writer may have, but Dr Lawson skipped the proof part and simply stated his conclusion. Again, it is only obvious if you assume the author supported Calvinism.As for Augustine, I think too many people take his writings as literal Gospel. He could be wrong on some points. Note than when he wrote against Pelagius, one of the major heresies Augustine accused him of was not supporting infant baptism. In regards to election, I'm wary of his writings since he came to Christianity directly out of Manichaeism, where fatalism is a central doctrine. I find it interesting that the first theologian to come down hard on predestination was steeped in the secular version of it. Perhaps that is why he had no problem advocating it.Instead of assuming the early church fathers had a primitive, undeveloped, or unsophisticated theology, emphasizing both free will and election, perhaps they knew that was as far as they needed to go, since as evident today, there is no adequate answer to the apparent dilemma. While there is sufficient Scripture to support predestination and election, there is this elephant throughout the Bible that we need to make a choice--freewill. Certainly, the Apostles didn't clearly settle the question. Rather than coming up with conclusive theology, maybe all Calvin did was come down hard on determinism. No matter what your theology, except Open Theism, Calvinists and Arminianists both must grapple with the question of why God would create people knowing they were going to spend eternity in Hell. As Dr Lawson points out, if you support Election, you must support both sides of it---God elected some for Eternal life with Him, the rest he predestined for eternal torment in Hell, through no choice of their own.Although Dr Lawson is not trying to prove Calvinism, he does little to prove the proposition that the pre-Nicene fathers supported the five points.

Christmas present. Came on time. Was wrapped nicely. Would buy again.

The strength of this book is how it gives you brief highlights of the lives of early Christians in the early church that come right after the book of Acts historically. They have largely gone unknown by the general public because we largely only think of only the Reformation when we think of church history. However, we are missing so much, and Steve Lawson effectively helps fill in the gaps for us in a pretty quick and short way. This book is very readable and you can read a short chapter or two in a sitting. Each chapter is devoted to one person in history.

I found this book very enlightening in understanding how and why reformed theology evolved as it has over the centuries. When reading the bible it has always seemed so clear to me that I could not understand the level of confusion that has reigned for the last 2000 years. This book grants the wisdom of perspective that understanding the times can unveil. It has given me a much lacking appreciation of those who came before and laid a foundation so that the truth can be so clear for us.

I have enjoyed Dr. Lawson's sermons and lectures since God brought me to the Doctrines of Grace and Ligonier Ministries about four years ago, and now I am beginning to enjoy his writing as well. I understand and appreciate any subject much more when I understand it in the context of it's own history and in relation to the history of the world around it.For the price I paid, this volume was an absolute steal!!Soli Deo Gloria!

This is a great read, and it's refreshing to trace doctrines through history. My one complaint is the slightly exaggerated language praising doctrines/people. I hesitate to recommend this to somebody who doesn't already have a firm grasp on the pros/cons of the Reformed faith because to somebody who didn't know why they loved what they believed, the tone might sound self-praising. I wish this book had presented the history and defended the doctrines from a historical viewpoint without spending so much breath on introspection.

This is a great book! I enjoy the short biographies of these great men of the faith. It covers from Clement to Calvin. I used it to write multiple papers for college classes. Steven Lawson cited and noted everything very well. Strongly recommended for anyone and everyone. I have and will continue to give this book as a gift to the people that are interested in Theology and church history.

This book is Great very informative to learn about history