Book Review: Exploring Protestant Traditions

Publisher: IVP Academic
Date: 2006, 373 pages

W. David Buschart (PhD Drew University) professor of theology and historical studies was troubled by a trend he saw in theology students. Some of them held ‘sincere yet uninformed stereotypes and postures of criticism-and fear’ before modest investigation into some of the primary documents of various Protestant traditions. His previous experience had demonstrated that a number of churches often claim the theological high ground. Upon investigation he discovered that often such groups have similar claims, patterns and practices. Ignorance of other traditions is fairly common. He states that ‘Protestants simply do not know, understand, or learn potentially valuable lessons from one another.’ The goal of this book is to address this ignorance and invite Protestants to extend theological hospitality to one another. He also claims its goal is to help non-Christians better understand the protestant branch of Christianity.

Drew starts out with the claim of Protestantism initially consisting of four streams, Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist and Anglican. Out of these streams he draws a Protestant taxonomy. This classification seems to be primarily based on when the traditions arose historically. Other traditions arose out of these four streams over time. The book examines eight separate traditions: Reformed, Lutheran, Wesleyan, Baptist, Anglican, Anabaptist, Pentecostal and Dispensational. Throughout the book he has useful diagrams that chart a rough ‘theological’ family tree.

The book is clearly laid out and easy to use, even as a reference. He dedicates a chapter to each tradition, and within each tradition has a chart showing the relationship of various related denominational strands. The chapters are divided into five sections that take the reader through the tradition. He covers the context in which the tradition arose, their approach to theology, a sampling of characteristic beliefs and then concludes with some remarks. He then has a section of resources for further study.

The first section of each chapter lays out the historical context and ecclesiastical background of the tradition with attention to its origins, development and diversity. It is in this section where his background in historical studies shows the most. He includes numerous historians in the discussion, most of them being from within the particular tradition. However, he is not given to mere recitations of dates, but some analysis of the intellectual thought forms of the time as rooted in history and theology. What this tends to generate in the reader is some context for why a particular belief system arose. He does not shy away from the inevitable messiness of reality, so attempts to address the diversity that arises in a tradition when you have differences of opinion that lead to factions.

He continues on to address the role of theology and hermeneutics in the tradition. In some cases it is quite clear, particularly where scholasticism is part of the ecclesiastical culture and scholars have taken the time to discuss an approach. But some traditions eschew theology and view it with mild suspicion at best. Such groups may typically state that they believe the Bible, full stop. Buschart would counter that whether we admit it or not, in practice we do theology and act on our belief systems. In doing so he is able to demonstrate that Pentecostals, Anabaptists and Dispensationalists do their theology in a particular way as seen through the lenses of their belief systems. Although they may not codify it as such, they approach their beliefs in a certain way. Part of my own ecclesiastical heritage is the Pentecostal movement, and it rings true when he states that we tend to have experience as the lens through which we view all else. This analysis is useful, because it demonstrates that how we approach theology and hermeneutics will actually create a certain tone or texture to our practices.

In the third section he delves into characteristic beliefs of the tradition. He carefully chooses two examples to work with, interestingly enough, key beliefs that tend to colour the tradition and often times stand out to the outsider. So for Lutheranism it is justification and the sacraments, peace and community for Anabaptists, the sovereignty and grace of God for Reform, ecclesiology and the sacraments for Anglicanism, ecclesiology and baptism for Baptists, grace and sanctification for the Wesleyans, Israel and the church and the covenants for Dispensationalists and finishes off with Spirit baptism and the gift of healing in the Pentecostal movement. He treats each belief fairly, and allows the voices of insiders to explain each one of them.

He concludes his discussion of the chapter with a synopsis that attempts to distil and capture the flavour of the tradition being discussed. In some ways, it should have come at the beginning, but it would probably have made little sense to the reader.

He finishes the chapter with a list of resources for further study. He lists key bibliographies, reference works and survey resources. A key section is primary historical and theological resources, and then a section for current theological explorations. Each chapter is heavily footnoted with citations, most of them from voices from within the tradition.

He wraps up the book with a call to theological hospitality. He does not deny the divisions that exist and accepts that many consider this sinful and less than ideal. So he develops a position that accounts for the diversity that tradition brings while still claiming a unity. His argument comes across as making an excuse for division (Christianity is an incarnational religion that yields particularity), but at the same time he is realistic with what really exists.

He proposes that we model the Old Testament and show hospitality to the stranger in our midst, much the same as God has shown hospitality to us as individuals. And the stranger in our midst is the Christian from a different tradition. He then discusses the risks and benefits of theological hospitality. He ends the book with his own testimony of how he has been impacted by his survey of other traditions.

Analysis

Buschart’s approach of weaving historical context into the tradition gives the reader an understanding and sympathy for each movement. For example, his discussion of Anglicanism reveals that political and social events within Britain had a great effect on religion, especially after the king became head of the church. The crown, observing the strong reaction of the reformers in Europe who wanted to throw a lot out and rebuild, could also see the value many English people held in some of the Catholic practices. So they opted for the via media, or middle road and arbitrarily chose to be informed by antiquity and retain the first five centuries of the church. Whatever the crown was to choose, they had to achieve compromise between Catholics and reformers. So rather than throwing it all out, they chose the flavour of the early church.

His choice of characteristic beliefs includes at least some of those features most often misunderstood by other believers. Since he has given the historical milieu in which the belief arose, the belief actually makes some sense. For example Anabaptists have a stubborn peace at all costs streak that has troubled other Christians and society at large during times of war. One can now see this arose not as a mere ideology but in response to the intense persecution which greeted the early members in the movement.

It is in the juxtaposition of these beliefs across tradition boundaries that we can actually have some intellectual basis for theological hospitality. Picture the Lutheran who believes that Christian experience can never be the standard for doctrine having a discussion on Luke and Acts with a Pentecostal who tends to view the baptism of the Holy Spirit as the lens through which he views all else.

His chapter discussing division is less than satisfying. It seems like he is making an elaborate argument to preserve the status quo all the while ignoring the first eleven hundred years of church history which were ended when the Roman Catholic and Orthodox went their separate ways. One might say that he is simply being realistic, and you can’t put Humpty together again. Perhaps his book is at least a beginning call to Protestant leaders to lay aside agendas and triumphalism and recognize the good and pleasing that exists in the body of Christ.

It would have been interesting if at some point he would have tried to tie the belief systems that arose to the general intellectual atmosphere generated by the enlightenment. The overemphasis on reason as a tool and the concomitant pride that it engenders has certainly played a role in the fractionalization of the Christian movement, but other voices from the emergent church are already singing that tune.

The book is a valuable addition to any Christian thinker or leader’s library.

Does the book fulfill its intended goal? It certainly does for the Christian. An unbeliever coming to it would need some understanding of Christian belief, but would probably need to be quite dedicated to make it through.