This book is a reprint of an insightful publication of the 1950's. It describes in a most succinct manner all of the major doctrines of Christianity, with Bible references to give meat to its explanations. It is now out of print, but is well worth the search to obtain a copy. My most recently received one arrived in "new" condition, for which I am most grateful. Both of the authors were secular as well as theological scholars.

I read this after it first was published in 1987. I just recently relooked it over and am amazed at the accuracy of the direction Linsell believed the church was going. And lo, the church is there.

He recalls from historical analysis how the church since the Englightment on has been taking on the values and shape of the culture, and how this is influencing American Christianity away from its God breathed (inspired) values and the will of God for His church.

His prediction that all the major denominations have given way to pluralism is totally right on! The quote which should sting us back into reality: "These churches are doing nothing of a serious nature to purify their bodies and return themselves to the orthodoxy that prevailed at the time of their founding."

My own church, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, is evidence of this move away from orthodoxy and its founding. Those in charge now proclaim with great pride that they have led the body away from its out-of-date moorings into the future which they have contended God will bless with growth. But to date this has not happened.

Amazing work to reread and contemplate. Also see books by David Wells.

Lindsell appears to believe that true Christianity requires (regardless of its date or provenance) a belief in a modern doctrine of inerrancy. Perhaps of some limited use for those wondering how the biblical text could be taken in such a way (quite creative at times) but otherwise just grim stuff.

This book was published in 1976, I purchased my copy in 1982, but only read it this summer. My sentiments follow rather closely to those of bHarvey of Grove City, Pa., whose expansive review appeared October 29, 1998. I rank it four stars instead of five as I consider it more of a well done popular summary for the contemporary time rather than a scholarly classic work.

Though somewhat dated by its discussion of current events in the 1970s; nevertheless those events are still playing out. In the case of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, it would now appear that conservative Bible believers have somewhat turned back the tide of skepticism and criticism of the Bible that had been increasingly prevalent in those denominations when the author published his book. If this conservative turn-around holds, it would indeed go against the historical trend of mainline protestant denominations having first abandoned the inerrancy and trustworthiness of Scripture, to be followed by the abandonment of other Christian doctrines and practices. Lindsell's central theme, that the abandonment of belief in an inerrant or trustworthy Bible leads to the gradual abandonment of other Christian doctrines, is strongly and correctly argued.

In this book, which I count as one of the five most influential I have ever read, Lindsell makes a compelling case for the essential nature of the doctrine of the inerrancy of the Bible. It is true that the term "inerrancy" is of relatively recent vintage; what is equally true is that people who have historically called themselves "Christians" would not have even given thought to the idea that the Bible contained error! Lindsell documents the truth of the "slippery slope", how in case after case, denominations which have abandoned the doctrine that the Bible is without error have slipped into a theological liberalism which has sapped their vitality and lessened their membership. Minus the truth "Thus saith the Lord", one's theology becomes grounded in one's own opinions and subjective judgments rather than the objective standard of Bible truth. Thus we see denominations which a couple of generations back stood for truth now debating the merits of marrying and/or ordaining homosexuals, supporting "abortion rights", etc. These are unthinkable to Christians who take the Bible at face value, but easily justifiable to those who have jettisoned inerrancy. Lindsell's book makes this case quite clearly. Lindsell also demonstrates that, at least at the time of his writing in the mid-70's, no denomination that had turned away from inerrancy had ever gone back; once the horse was out of the gate,so to speak, there would be no reining him in. It is significant that, since his writing of this book, the Southern Baptist Convention, spurred on by its truth, has effectively made this step back to Biblical orthodoxy. For a better understanding of what spurred this on, I wholeheartedly endorse The Battle for the Bible!