The
New Neutralism II
Here
I Stand Books
536 Greenside Drive
Painesville, Ohio44077
Reviewed by Louis F. DeBoer
In spite of the disastrous consequences for the visible
church of Jesus Christ as a result of the New Evangelicalism there have been
surprisingly few books written exposing it.
Defenders of the faith seem to have been few and rarely have they picked
up their pens. The fact is that
most of the defense of the faith and the confrontation of error has been aimed
at the apostate denominations and the theological liberals that dominate them.
Rarely is the defense raised against their New Evangelical fellow
travelers who unite with them in their common attacks on conservative
Christianity and provide them with respectability and cover.
In the 1960’s there were only two reasonably short
paperbacks available on the subject. One
was Charles Woodbridge’s, “The New Evangelicalism”, and the other was
William Ashbrook’s, “The New Neutralism.”
Both are now rather dated and the latter although containing a wealth of
documented material about the compromises and worldliness of the New
Evangelicalism was poorly organized. His
son however has continued the father’s work and has published an excellent
sequel to “The New Neutralism,” which is clear, concise, and well organized.
The book exposes the shocking degree of New
Evangelical doctrinal error, compromise with Christ-denying, Scripture-hating,
theological liberals, and acceptance of worldly moral standards.
Pulling no punches he names names and exposes organizations, quoting
their own statements as he hangs them with their own rope.
He shows how all this is not merely an accidental drift into compromise,
but the logical fruit of the founding principles of the New Evangelicalism as
clearly delineated by Harold J. Ockenga.
The book is however not just another sad and
depressing chronicle of the state of the church in the twentieth century.
It includes throughout numerous challenges to stand for the truth and
defend the faith once delivered unto the saints.
He defends a militant confrontation with error and a consistent and
Scriptural separation from all apostates and their New Evangelical allies.
It therefore stirs the reader up to rise to the challenge and spurs them
to do their Biblical duty and be faithful to Jesus Christ.
Although it is written more from a Fundamentalist
rather than from a Presbyterian viewpoint (this is its only weakness—although
Ashbrook was a Presbyterian and attended Faith Theological Seminary) it remains
a book that I am overwhelmingly in agreement with and heartily endorse.
This book is available on line in an electronic
format on the American Presbyterian Church’s website at www.americanpresbyterianchurch.org/new_neutralism.htm
It is also available in hard copy from the American Presbyterian Press for $5.00 per copy plus the standard shipping cost of $2.50 per order.
