Evangelical Dictionary of Theology

by Walter A. Elwell (Editor)

This magisterial volume is a must for pastors, students, elders, deacons and all serious students of the Bible. Brief signed articles by authorities in their field cover the entire Biblical/theological spectrum from a thoughtful evangelical perspective.

Genres: Theology, Reference, Christian, Dictionaries, Biblical Studies, Christianity, Religion

1204 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1984

About the author

Walter A. Elwell (Ph.D., University of Edinburgh) is emeritus professor of biblical and theological studies at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, where he taught for nearly thirty years. He has edited numerous biblical reference works, including the Baker Theological Dictionary of the Bible and the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology.

Reviews

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This encyclopedia has a wealth of information and is very well researched. Each entry gives a short list of definitive books on that particular topic, creating easy opportunities to find more information about that topic. This is a boon to research-oriented readers. With dozens of contributors, it is difficult to find consistency in writing style from entry to entry. Some entries are easy-to-read, while others get bogged down in useless information or archaic language. I even found some entries that have a liberal dose of opinions thrown in, which is a major no-no in encyclopedic writing. Perhaps more intense editing could even out some of these discrepancies, but this encyclopedia stands strong on its own as it is.

[June]

Admittedly, I may be obsessed with a certain subject; today, when I pulled this thick reference book from the free shelf of our local conservative Christian lending library, I turned promptly to the U section, seeing that I always learn the most from those I disagree with (and a glance at the title had suggested that I might not entirely agree with the theology of this book).

I was not disappointed.

I brought the tome home just to record these paragraphs, which I here share, complete with [parenthetical] commentary of my own:

…
“UNIVERSALISM. A belief which affirms that in the fullness of time all souls will be released from the penalties of sin and restored to God. Historically known as apokatastasis, final salvation denies the Biblical doctrine of eternal punishment [not true. See William Barclay’s explanation of “eternal punishment”] and is based on a faulty [I’m smiling] reading of Acts 3:21, Romans 5:18-19; Eph. 1:9-10; 1 Cor. 15:22; and other passages [MANY others, m’dear.] Belief in universal salvation is at least as old as Christianity itself and may be associated with early Gnostic teachers. The first clearly universalist writings, however, date from the Greek church fathers, most notably Clement of Alexandria, his student Origen, and Gregory of Nyssa. Of these, the teachings of Origen, who believed that even the devil might eventually be saved, were the most influential. Numerous supporters of final salvation were to be found in the postapostolic church, although it was strongly opposed by Augustine of Hippo [known, btw, in other theological texts as “the father of eternal hell.”] Origen’s theology was at length declared heretical at the fifth ecumenical council in 553. [Again: not true.]

“In Western Europe, universalism almost completely disappeared during the Middle Ages, save for the Irish scholar John Scotus Erigena and some of the lesser-known mystics [Julian of Norwich is a lesser-known mystic?!] Following Augustine, the Protestant Reformers Luther and Calvin also rejected final salvation. Some Spiritualist and Anabaptist writers of the Radical Reformation, however, revived the doctrine. [True. See Lutheran-Augsburg Confession of Faith 1532 for verification]. In the sixteenth century it was embraced by the south German scholar Hans Denck and spread through his convent [sic] Hans Hut. The impact of Denck’s universalism has probably been over-emphasized [ha]. Mennonites and Hutterites, for example, have largely* rejected a belief in the restoration of all things. [*so glad to find an instance in which I am not 'largely'.]

“In America universalism developed out of roots from both radical German pietism and the English evangelical revival. The pietist influence was strongly shaped by the mystic Jakob Boehme. Several noted radical pietists such as Johann Wilhelm Peterson (1649-1727) and Ernst Christoph Hochmann (1670-1721) were Boehmist in their development of final restoration, which became one of the most distinguishing characteristics of radical pietist theology. [No wonder our preachers speak so scathingly—one could almost say pietistically—against pietism.] This type of universalism was brought to the colonies by the physician George DeBenneville (1703-1793) and, to a lesser extent, by the German Baptist Brethren…as with most radical pietists, universalism was an implicit but not central focus of [his] faith.”

…and so on, through two and a half more columns, ending with “Clearly universalism, in a variety of forms, continues to have appeal for contemporary faith, in both liberal and conservative circles.”
…
Look at that. Anabaptists! Are an integral part of universalism’s history. I love us.

[BJ Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my MDiv theology classes, I ended up reading about 80-100 of the article entries in here. Most, if not all, the contributors I have read came from a Reformed Calvinist perspective. As is always the case with multiple contributors, there is a varying degree of quality from one article to the next but in this case, that variance is from good to very good. I would recommend this book as a part of any pastor or budding theologian's library. Even if you are not Reformed (as I am not), there is still the clarity, quality, and brevity to the articles that you would expect for a top rate resource like this.

[Jonathan Babcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dense, but helpful as a reference work. Alternatively, can be read through as assigned class reading, with a complimentary headache. All in all a great work, though. The various authors came from different backgrounds and so each article has a unique perspective (that at times contradicts the perspectives of other authors). I appreciated the balance in views, while still holding to a common framework of the authority of Scripture.

[Annelise · Rating 5 out of 5]

In seminary you are constantly in need of a comprehensive glossary for ease of reference when doing work. This book is that and so much more. I will refer to this regularly in my Bible study as well.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology is a massive tome of scholarly editorial work that compiles the best minds in evangelical scholarship to provide laymen, students, and scholars alike with an accessible resource that covers just about every concept, term, or idea that one could think of. This is a great resource to have on the shelf for easy access, and frequent usage. The index in the back makes this tool highly accessible, and offers easy access throughout its pages.

[Pamela Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another good source for information when in your bible studies and interested in Theology.

This type of book is on going, so there is no real finish date.

Covers many interesting theories to consider for developing your leadership skills.

Use as a Reference Book at any time...especially for Evangelicals.

[Krista Dominguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Besides the Bible, there isn't a book on my shelf that I use more. The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology is an invaluable resource, one that I recommend be a part of every Christian's personal library.

[Andy]

0031

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of theology if your wanting to get a good knowledge.

[Brian Chilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must have for theological studies.

[Brandon Current · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keep as reference. This Dictionary of theology is helpful to grab whenever you need a summary of a person, theological issue, or religious concept from church history.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it weird that this is one of my favorite books of all time?