James Leo Garrett Jr. and the Southwestern Theological Tradition
Southwestern Journal of Theology
Volume 65, No. 1 - Fall 2022
Editor: David S. Dockery
By David S. Dockery. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2022, xiii+108pp., $9.99
Christians in the twenty-first century are facing many unwelcome challenges in the secular world. Christians need to ask fresh questions about how to think wisely in order to stand firm based on the revelation of God. The title of this work points out the fun- damental and foundational question concerning how to live in the world in a Christian manner. David S. Dockery, distinguished professor of theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, in a timely manner, unfolds another fine book pertaining to the Christian worldview.
Beginning with the focus of the book, by “thinking deeply or carefully or reflectively about things,” says Dockery, “we will explore what it means for thoughtful Christians to ‘think Christianly,’ to love God with our minds” (p. 4). While rejecting both the ideas of being “thoughtful without being Christian” and being “Christian without being thoughtful,” Dockery emphasizes that Christians need to commit themselves not only with hearts and souls but with their minds as well (pp. 9-10).
In the rest of the chapters, Dockery develops a list of eight large thinking and acting categories for living out a Christian framework in a thoughtful manner. Above all, thoughtful Christians recognize all true knowledge flows “from the one Creator to his one creation” by a concept of “faith thinking” (p. 16). Christian reason and thinking provide a genuine interpretive framework to all knowledge and experience in the world, which is called “the pattern of Christian truth” (p. 22). Dockery presents five important doctrines with a concise but rich articulation, which include creation, humanity and the fall, salvation in Christ, the Holy Spirit, and eschatology (pp. 23-28).
Based on this pattern of Christian truth, believers are urged to adopt a “Christian worldview,” which, following Graham Cole, is presented as “a comprehensive life system, shaped by Scripture and influenced by key Christian doctrines, as well as the Christian intellectual tradition,” which seeks to answer the basic questions of life (p. 33). Dockery maintains that God himself in the revelation of Christ is the framework through which Christ followers see, talk, and act by the power of the Holy Spirit. In accordance with this Christian framework, the Bible serves as the supreme authority for the foundation of the pattern of Christian truth (p. 43). In addition to affirming biblical authority, thoughtful Christians have always valued the Christian intellectual tradition and a commitment to education and cultural engagement (p. 49). As a result, Christian thinking embraces a holistic approach to both theological fields and general academic disciplines (pp. 58-59).
This Christian framework points to a harmonious pathway for thoughtful Christians to be, to live, and to serve faithfully in the church, culture, and the world (pp. 73-76). In this regard, Dockery says, “Reflective Christian thinking therefore points to ethics” (p. 66). In addition, thoughtful Christians also seek to reflect kindness, consideration, wisdom, humility, and hope (pp. 67-68).
Thoughtful Christians are the people of God who live by the authoritative Word of God. This simple but profound statement connotes that thoughtful Christians know how to think faithfully and biblically, valuing the Christian intellectual tradition and a Christian worldview. I gladly recommend this fine work which is grounded in the truth that Jesus Christ “is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col 1:17).
