Lost and Found – Book Review

A Book Review of ‘Lost and Found: Public Theology in the Secular Age’

A structured book review of ‘Lost and Found: Public Theology in the Secular Age‘ by Michael A. Milton. Published by Wipf and Stock, 2024. Paperback; 206 pages. An additional subtitle on the cover: Christian Vocation in Context. The D. James Kenney Institute of Reformed Leadership Series.

Dr. Milton (author/editor) is president and senior fellow of the DJK Institute. The retired pastor and former chancellor of RTS is the author of more than 25 books.

An Overview of ‘Lost and Found’

Lost and Found: Public Theology in the Secular Age is a book that helps us think deeply about the collapse of Western Civilization. “Deconstructionism’s pestilence felled a sufficient number of tall oaks … to create a dried-debris forest floor of yesterday’s ideas.” (p. xvi) “This book aims to assess, diagnose, and respond to the challenges of Christian living in A Secular Age (Taylor, 2009) The book is “an anthology of essays that seeks to be a guide, and trusted shepherd for a flock embarking on a treacherous journey.” (p. xviii)

There are 15 short essays / chapters. Each chapter is followed by questions for group discussion. The book has 15 pages of end-notes, and a 10 page bibliography. The primary audience is church leaders, although a wider audience of people that enjoy great literature will benefit from these helpful essays.

Contributing Authors

Dr. Michael A. Milton wrote several of the essays and is the editor of this anthology. Other contributors are Dr. John M. Frame, Dr. John G. Panagiotou, Dr. Peter A. Lillback, and Dr. George Grant.

The Structure and Content of ‘Lost and Found’

Preface

“True human flourishing is realized when people embrace their divinely planted purpose in life.”

• Assessing – “Public theology is not political but instead an expression of the cure of souls. The vicar is not at the council meeting to oppose or propose a new highway. He is present because a highway can affect people.” (p. xx)
• Diagnosing – “We render a spiritual diagnosis by gathering the variables and applying critical thinking and theological reflection.” (p. xx)
• Guiding – “Out of our diagnoses, we offer a biblical response. Christian shepherds do not have to be experts in political theory to say that someone is mistreated, or someone else is profiting off of another’s misery.” (p. xxi)

Part 1 – Ideas: Philosophical and Theological Forces

Chapter 1 – Cry Aloud and Spare Not

The first essay is written by Michael Milton. Subtitle: The Meaning of Public Theology and the Secular Age. Chapter one begins by quoting Isaiah 58 (the whole chapter). “What is public theology, and is it biblical?” Milton defines public theology, and points to Dietrich Bonhoeffer as an example of a public theologian. “This is public theology: Text in context made plain for the good of those who hear and obey.” (p. 6) H. Richard Niebuhr and his book Christ and Culture is cited as an “essential book on public theology”.

“Public theology engages Biblical Critical Thinking, which seeks to isolate presenting issues, categorize them according to Scripture, and conduct theological reflection … that leads to diagnosis and treatment by preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” (p. 8)

Other points discussed in this chapter:

• Speak out of God’s revealed burden for his work, not yours. e.g. Isaiah 58
• Speak what you know, not what you don’t
• Speak plainly that all may understand the message
• Speak specifically
  • Some are called to speak publicly to a trouble community: Jonah to Ninevah; Amos to the Northern Kingdom; Jonathan Edwards to the people of Northhampton, Massachusetts
• Speak redemptively

Chapter 2 – For the Love of God

Milton develops this chapter under the subtitle: Nurturing A Christian Intellectual Life. He describes a “need for a structured approach to reading, retention, interaction” with significant literature. He cites The Intellectual Life by A.G. Sertillanges. (p. 17) This section discusses how we should read. “Engaging with scriptures is a sacred gift — a bridge between supernatural and tangible realms.” (p. 18)

Chapter 3 – Fragments of Nature’s Lore

This essay, also by Milton, is subtitled: On the Rejection of First Principles. He declares: “The corruption or absence of controlling first principles leads to suicidal chaos.” (p. 21) “Fragments of nature’s lore refers to the scattered remnants of a civilization: vestiges of greatness void of truth.” (p. 23) Removal of first principles “renders the process too weak (or too wicked) to run the factory of invention… you cease to build an ordered civilization, but produce mutations that diminish it.” (p. 23) Milton references Romans 1:19-23

Part 2 – Daily Life: Matters Closer to Home

Chapter 4 – The Family in the Secular Age

John M. Frame wrote this essay with a subtitle: A Christian Response to Marxism. Dr. Frame opens with a problem statement: “Contemporary movements of secular thought … have announced their hostility towards the ‘nuclear family’. The best known expression of this hostility was that of Karl Marx in the Communist Manifesto of 1848.” (p. 28) “For Marx the state should be the ultimate owner of all property, and the state, not the family, must determine who is allowed to make use of it.” (p. 29) “This reduces the population to slavery, a status far different from the utopia advertised by Marxist theory.” (p.29)

Having introduced the problem, Dr. Frame moves on to “explore more deeply the secular alternative to the nuclear family”. Next he looks at empirical and biblical reasons for protecting and promoting the flourishing of families. “The secular age has no idea how sublimely beautiful this biblical vision of the family is.” (p.33)

Chapter 5 – What The Bible Says About Transgenderism

Chapter 5 is an essay by Dr. Milton, with the subtitle: And How to Avoid Personal and Societal Destruction. Transgenderism is define, and discussed. “Perhaps, we felt it too ludicrous to engage”. Milton engages with Michael Foucault’s “radical deconstruction of reality” and Orwellian “doublethink” and “newspeak”. (p. 39) Subheadings delineate: “The Medical Truth About Gender Dysphoria”, contrasted with “The Biblical Truth About Gender” (p. 40-44) The Q&A on page 47 reflects on the difference between “Ontological Impoverishment and Moral Decline”

Chapter 6 – True Oikonomia

This essay by Dr. John Panagiotou has a subtitle: A Christian Mind for Economics. He explains: “True oikonomia (stewardship) in it’s essential meaning, has nothing to do with money. It has everything to do with one’s disposition and phronema (mindset). It is expressed in prayer, worship, and sacrificial giving of time, talents, and financial resources.” (p. 49) Subheadings trace the contours of this chapter:

• Biblical and Patristic Beginnings of a Theology of Economics (p. 50)
• Calvin’s View On Economic Theory (p. 52)
• The Patristic View as Developed By Calvin as a Model (p. 56)
  • Quotes John Calvin: “When a person has the means to increase his wealth, let this be done without doing an injury to others.” (p. 57)

Part 3 – National Life: Issues of Broader Impact

Chapter 7 – Open Borders or Open Hearts?

Dr. Peter A. Lillback is the author of this essay, with the subtitle: Are Boundaries Morally Good? “Whether we call them migrants, illegals, strangers, pilgrims, foreigners, exiles, refugees, asylum seekers, or aliens — they flood our news and our borders.” (p. 62) This essay is exceptionally rich with wisdom for dealing with the current “border crises”. Subheadings in this chapter outline the concepts:

• The American Historical Context of Immigration (p. 63)
• Calvin’s Geneva: The Historic Reformed Perspective on Immigration (p. 66)
• The Union of Biblical Wisdom and Compassion Define Boundaries Morally Good (p. 70)
• Several Biblical perspectives can be enumerated to support wise boundaries, motivated by open hearts, as a superior alternative to open borders. Each of the following points is expanded and proven with multiple scripture texts:
  1. The duty to care for the poor. (p. 72)
  2. Jesus realistic teaching on caring for the poor.
  3. Jesus taught that care for the poor can be abused for unjust gain.
  4. Boundaries are not inherently evil as God is sovereign over His boundaries.
  5. God exercises grace and providence particularly providing a model for national compassion. (p. 73)
  6. The State only has finite resources and cannot rescue universally. (p. 74)
  7. True justice is classless, while ‘social justice’ limits justice by economic reductionism.
  8. Justice in caring for the needy recognizes the distinctive roles of the church and state. (p. 75)
  9. Christian compassion recognizes the need for prioritization and rejects Marxist wealth redistribution.
  10. Compassionate actions may appear to be good, yet be cruel and conducive to evil. (p. 76)
  11. God’s judgement upon sin is manifest and cannot be eradicated in this world.
  12. Sinfulness and total depravity impact all — the poor, the rich, the citizen, and the refugee. (p.77)

Chapter 8 – The Thanatos Syndrome

Dr. Milton wrote this essay with the subtitle: What the Bible Says About Euthanasia. The title echoes Walker Percy’s book, The Thanatos Syndrome. The topic is human suffering and euthanasia. Milton asserts: “Euthanasia is a contradiction of terms by definition.” It’s derived from a Greek compound meaning “good-death”. (p. 85) Milton then explores seven biblical categories that guide our response to the question of euthanasia. (p. 87) The image of God, value of life, Law of God, Providence of God, love of God, destiny of the believer, concluding with an appropriate response to human suffering.

Chapter 9 – The Course of Nations

Subtitle: Is the Decline and Fall of Nations Inevitable? In this chapter, Dr. Milton explores “the signs and symptoms of decline and fall.” (p. 100) He summarizes the thoughts of “those who have studied the rise and fall of civilizations, such as Edward Gibbon, Will Durant, Dr. Tom Holland, and Dr. Iain McGilchrist.” Three keywords are complexity, entropy, and apathy.

“Many of us are riding through life comfortably” as the iron engine of postmodernism “screams through time, rushing headlong past the quaint and familiar to a destiny unknown. Melodramatic? Maybe.” (p. 99) But where is hope? Milton finds hope in an “unusual place” with the writings of “an uneasy agnostic” from Harvard University. “No scholar in American Studies has done more to highlight the importance of the Puritan covenant with God than the late Dr. Perry Miller (1905-1963)” (p. 101) “The spirit of the Pilgrim’s Covenant subtly yet profoundly influences the American narrative. Meld this notion with biblical teachings, and you will find a resilient hope that shines brightest during out nation’s darkest hours.” (p. 102)

Part 4 – Triggers: Hot Topics and Combustible Issues

Chapter 10 – Repaving the Pathway to Poverty

Essay #10 has the subtitle: An Urgent Warning Against the New Socialism. Dr. Milton asks “Are we trying to become the very thing we defeated?” He quotes David Miller in Debating Critical Theory: “Socialism appears to have crept back on to the mainstream agenda in that most unlikely of places, the United States… The incredible reemergence of such a gruesome human catastrophe in such a brief period of time is less bewildering as it is frightening.” (p. 108) The solution? Milton points to Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661) and Lex Rex (1644). Dr. Milton published a study guide for Lex Rex in 2019, Foundations for a Moral Government: Lex Rex – A New Annotated Version in Modern English. (p. 111) The chapter continues with several more biblical and historic lessons.

Chapter 11 – Loving God, Loving Others

The subtitle of essay 11 hints at the topic: The Evil of Hatred By Accidental Differences in Humankind. “If someone says , ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar.” (p. 125) This chapter explores the biblical truth about mankind, and the evils of racism; diagnosing and treating the sin of racism. (p. 132)

Chapter 12 – The Final Hope

Dr. Milton gave this essay the subtitle: On Spiritual Awakening. The chapter opens with a quote from Martyn Lloyd-Jones book, Revival. This section reviews the “Signs of Genuine Spiritual Awakening” (p. 140), and a few lessons from the Book of Jonah. (p. 144) The chapter concludes: “There is no hope for America except for revival from God.” (p. 149)

Part 5 – Faith: Living the Christian Life in a Secular Age

Chapter 13 – Between Bethel and AI

Dr. George Grant wrote this essay. The subtitle is: Isaac Watts, Oswald Chambers and A Christian Worldview. “Honing a balanced Biblical worldview is no easy task.” (p. 154) The symbolism of Bethel and Ai (ancient cities) is explained in a quote from Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest. “Bethel is the symbol of communion with God; Ai is the symbol of the world. Abraham pitched his tent between the two.” Dr. Grant’s aim is to encourage every Christian to develop a “coherent and balanced Biblical worldview.” After introducing a few hymns by Isaac Watts, Dr. Grant expounds on the tremendous reach of Watts writings and worldview:

“That he was quoted by Charles Dickens in David Copperfield, Herman Melville in Moby Dick, Lewis Carroll in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland … and by a host of others in classic literature across a wide range of genres is a testament to how large, how deep, and how wide his ongoing legacy has been.” (p. 155) “Watts was able to accomplish this rare feat because he had a carefully worked out theology of language… with implications for grammar, logic, rhetoric, and apologetics…” (p. 156) This chapter runs deep with Biblical and historical wisdom.

Chapter 14 – Enslavement by Category

Subtitle: The Wisdom of Dorothy Sayers. “Dorothy Sayers (1893-1957) should be remembered as one of the great 20th-century novelists. However, despite her remarkable literary achievements, Dorothy Sayers is frequently recognized as a Christian apologist.” (p. 162) This chapter, by Dr. Milton, touches on the “hardening of the categories” (p. 164) and ethics. Milton states emphatically: “We are under no moral or civic duty to concede absurdity.” (p. 165)

Chapter 15 – Field Notes From Babylon

Subtitle: Faithful Gospel Witness in the Secular Age. In the concluding chapter, Dr. Milton humbly revisits the ideas presented in his introduction. “In his seminal work A Secular Age, Charles Taylor paints a picture of our times that demands our attention… I am not saying that I have run the barley and hops of my fieldwork in Taylor through a flawless brewery. Far from it.” (p. 170) Milton reviews the “Features of the Secular Age Gleaned from Charles Taylor”: the buffered self, nova effect, cultural malaise, and excarnation. (p. 173) The essay concludes by encouraging church leaders to be faithful shepherds. (p. 178)

Notes

There are 15 pages of end-notes, grouped by chapter.

Bibliography

A 10 page bibliography is included, organized by author’s last name.

The Writing Style and Tone of Lost and Found

Although the target audience is church leaders who may appreciate the academic rigor of end-notes and bibliography, the prose are accessible, conversational, engaging and even pastoral. There is some variation in tone and style with the various authors. Overall, the tone is objective, persuasive, and sometimes sharply critical — when it needs to be.

Themes and Messages of Lost and Found

Lost and Found is a collection of essays that explores the intersection of Christian theology and contemporary societal issues. The book’s central theme is the concept of public theology, which encourages Christian leaders and thinkers to engage thoughtfully with cultural, social, and political matters from a biblical perspective. The authors address a wide range of modern challenges, including family structure, transgenderism, economics, immigration, and euthanasia, offering biblically-grounded responses to these complex issues.

A significant portion of the book focuses on how Christians can navigate and maintain their faith in an increasingly secular age. Drawing on historical Christian thought and the works of influential thinkers, the authors provide guidance on developing a robust Christian worldview and intellectual life. They critically examine various secular ideologies and philosophies, contrasting them with Christian principles and offering hope through the prospect of spiritual renewal and revival.

Throughout the book, there is an emphasis on providing ethical and moral guidance rooted in biblical teachings, and a Christian worldview. The authors combine theology, philosophy, history, and cultural analysis to address societal problems, demonstrating an interdisciplinary approach to Christian engagement with the world.

Strengths of the Lost and Found Approach

1. Interdisciplinary perspective: Combines theology, philosophy, history, and cultural analysis for a comprehensive understanding of societal challenges.
2. Practical application: Offers concrete, biblically-grounded responses to contemporary issues, making abstract theological concepts relevant to daily life.
3. Historical grounding: Draws on historical Christian thought and influential thinkers, providing context and depth to modern discussions.
4. Intellectual rigor: Encourages the development of a structured approach to critical thinking and reading, fostering a robust Christian worldview and intellectual life.

Weaknesses

Unfortunately, the book suffers from a lack of breadth and depth in a few of the essays. As noted previously, the contributions of Dr. Harry Reeder could not be included, because of his untimely death. Consequently, Dr. Milton should be encouraged to recruit more writers for future volumes in this Reformed Leadership Series.

My Reaction to Lost and Found

• Engagement: Most of the essays in Lost and Found were accessible and engaging. I particularly enjoyed Dr. Milton’s essay in chapter 2 – on Nurturing a Christian Intellectual Life. John Frame’s thoughts on the Family in the Secular Age (chapter 4) were challenging and encouraging. Chapter 7, Open Borders or Open Hearts is very timely, well written, and worth the price of the whole book.
• Impact: As mentioned, the chapter on Nurturing a Christian Intellectual Life has had a significant impact on how I approach reading any (all) future books. It’s also had an impact on how I take notes and do book reviews. I’ve adopted a much more rigorous and structured approach to my reading and writing because of it.

Comparing Lost and Found to Other Books

Comparisons in non-fiction book reviews serve as a critical lens through which readers can understand a book’s content, style, and impact more deeply. By drawing parallels or contrasting with other works, readers can gauge the book’s place within a broader context. 

Compared to Living in God’s Two Kingdoms

I recently read Living in God’s Two Kingdoms (LING2K) by David VanDrunen, and published a lengthy review. Both books are approximately 200 pages in length. They both deal with the complexities of American life in this postmodern secular age. Both books cite Christ and Culture by H. Richard Niebuhr in the introduction. Living in God’s Two Kingdoms approaches the issues from a Biblical Theology and Covenantal Theology perspective. LING2K’s sole author is VanDrunen. However, Lost & Found is a collection of essays from multiple authors, and approaches the issues from a Public Theology perspective.

• LING2K provides a scripture index, and subject index. Lost & Found does not.
• Lost & Found provides extensive end-notes and a helpful bibliography. LING2K does not.
• Whereas LING2K provides a biblical framework, the fact that it ignores the Book of Jonah is a major shortcoming.
• In contrast, Lost & Found references the Book of Jonah as a reason for developing a robust Public Theology.

Compared to Faithful Exiles

Faithful Exiles: Finding Hope in a Hostile World was published in 2023, and is also around 200 pages. It’s a collection of essays by 14 authors. I’ve not read it yet, however, the book preview indicates it covers similar topics: apologetics, politics, vocation, and hope for the future. The essay about Jonah, by Eliot Clark caught my eye. It’s rated 4.31 stars on GoodReads.

Compared to Awaiting the King

Awaiting the King: Reforming Public Theology, by James K. A. Smith is another book, looking at the world through a Public Theology framework. This is the third volume in Smith’s ‘Cultural Liturgies Series’. I have not read this book, and am not familiar with the author, so I can’t recommend it. However, it’s rated 4.11 stars on GoodReads.

Recommendation

• Target Audience: I recommend this book for pastors, elders, deacons, and adult Sunday school teachers. Christian bloggers and youth group leaders will also find wisdom and helpful advice in the pages of Lost and Found: Public Theology for the Secular Age.
• Rating: I’m giving Lost and Found a rating of 4 stars on GoodReads.

Call to Action

Read this book. Let me know your reaction in the comments section below, or contact me on X (formerly twitter). If you found this book review helpful, please share it with friends on social media.

Related Links and Resources

• A short biography of Michael A. Milton is available on Wikipedia.
• The official website of Michael A. Milton
• A list of other books by Michael A. Milton on GoodReads

This book review published on Saturday, 12-Oct-2024 at 5:56am