That tears it! John Muether and I have co-authored three separate books, one on the history of the OPC, one on worship, and one on the history of American Presbyterianism. We have at least one more book in the works, a defense of Protestantism against Roman Catholicism. And we have plans for many more. We even thought about a series of books on Presbyterian eldership, entitled Ruling Elders Rule! Sequels include How Ruling Elders Rule! Where Ruling Elders Rule! When Ruling Elders Rule! You get the point.
But now I see that Mr. Muether has turned on his old friend. Last week I spotted a new book by James McGoldrick, Presbyterian and Reformed Churches: A Global History (published by Reformation Heritage Books). This was a shock and horror to someone who has just completed a first draft of a global history of Calvinism. I had thought that I had a corner on the market.
And to make matters worse, Mr. Muether has endorsed the book. He calls it a “remarkable achievement.” He should have written, “don’t bother with this book since Hart’s forthcoming volume is a remarkable achievement.”
I’ll be seeing Muether this week at OPC Christian Education Committee meetings and I’m not planning on buying him a drink. No matter that I cannot remember the last time I picked up a check.
Old Life 
Well, McGoldrick is a Southern Baptist, a credobaptist who likes Luther best. Can anything good come from such a combination?
Aren’t all these “global” histories (Noll’s included) attempts to cash in on Jenkins? Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
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mcMark, in my case, I doubt I’ll be cashing in much. But we do need something to replace McNeill’s The History and Character of Calvinism and to bring to the present Philip Benedict’s Christ’s Churches Purely Reformed. No ulterior motives from this sanctified and holy saint.
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DGH,
How about, a defense of Protestantism against Protestants?
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John, That’s what The Lost Soul of American Protestantism was supposed to be.
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Philip Doddridge in a sermon, Christ Formed in the Soul the only Foundation of Hope for Eternity.
“Trust not in the external forms of devotion, as the foundation of your great hopes for eternity. You are, it may be, joined to a society, which not only wears the Christian name, but seperates itself from many other professors, under the apprehension, at least, or a more pure and scriptural worship. You, perhaps, so much approve and esteem this worship, as to be diligent and constant in attending on the publick exercises of it, not only in its stated Returns, but on occasional opportunites. You fill your places here from time to time, not merely in obedience to the commands of your parents and governors, but by your own voluntary choice. And it may be, to these you add the forms of family-devotion morning and evening, and possibly a few moments of daily retirement for reading and prayer. What can such religious persons have to fear? Nay, rather, my brethren, what can you have to hope, if, while you draw near to God with your mouths and your lips, you remove your hearts far from him, if, while you come before him, as his people come, and present yourselves in the posture of humble worshppers, your heart be going out after your covetousness? God hath for ever confounded such vain presumption, by declaring, that the prayer of the wicked is an abomination to him, and that he shall certainly be so that turns away his ear from hearing the Law, i.e., that refuses obedience to it, That servant that knew his master’s will, and did it not, became justly liable, to be beaten with many stripes; and ’tis not to be wondere’d, if, in this sense, judgment begins at the House of God, and seise first on those who affront and profane his Ordinances, by making them to supersede those very things which they were originally appointed on purpose to promote.
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@ I am voting for best line by “John”:
“DGH, How about, a defense of Protestantism against Protestants?”
This was wonderfully comic and ironic –– and true, better still.
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Dear DGH, Do you know of any French speaking experts (or at least those who could give a good brief summary) of the various North American Reformed & Presbyterian churches? An ERQ church is looking to potentially have a conference to better inform people abour our sister churches (Canref, OPC, PCA, and soon URC). JPG2
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James McGoldrick was my history professor at Cedarville College over thirty five years ago. But a Baptist he is no longer: http://www.gpts.edu/faculty/james_mcgoldrick.php.
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