BOOK REVIEW:
Witness Without Parallel: Eight Biblical Texts that Make Us Presbyterian. By Earl S. Johnson, Jr. Louisville, KY: Geneva Press, 2003. x + 143 pp. (paperback). ISBN 978-0664502171. 

Earl S. Johnson begins his book with a question, “If you were to select passages from the Bible that are the scriptural foundation stones of the Presbyterian Church or the Reformed tradition, which ones would they be?” (p. 1). Within this question is the Reformed understanding of the Bible as central to our life of faith. It is, as the Confession of 1967 states, “a witness without parallel” (Book of Confessions 9.27). Scripture is God’s revelation to us and guides our worship, our theology, and our practice of faithful living. Also within Johnson’s opening question is the awareness that all scripture is not equal. Christians, whether they acknowledge their choice or not, choose to assign greater weight to some texts than to others. Johnson finds it both necessary and desirable to give priority to certain biblical texts. Within this work, he demonstrates how eight biblical texts, above others, have been and continue to be central to Presbyterian life and faith.

The eight texts Johnson chooses are not necessarily the most memorized or beloved verses of scripture. Rather, they are texts that form the theological underpinnings of the Reformed tradition and their implication for faithful Christian life. These eight texts have shaped discussions of the doctrines of the lordship of Christ, justification, creation, predestination, grace, liberation, and Christian hope. Johnson uses these texts to examine the church’s stance on social and moral issues of racial and gender inequality, ecology, homosexuality, and violence.

Johnson examines each text in five different ways. First, he explains what makes the text central to Presbyterian life. He then offers a helpful exegesis of the specific text, placing it in conversation with other biblical texts. The most impressive portion of each chapter is Johnson’s historical research of how each text has been used in the Presbyterian Church and in the Reformed tradition. He outlines the arguments of each side of historical controversies, showing how scripture has been used well and when it has been abused. A broad understanding of how Reformed Christians have used these texts in different contexts throughout history is helpful as Johnson moves into the fourth means of examination: the prospects of using the text rightly in the future. Johnson ends each chapter with several questions for reflection and study.

Johnson’s personal views are obvious within this work, especially in the chapter in which he addresses the question of ordaining gays and lesbians. However, his opinions are not disguised as fact and are supported with his exegetical and historical research. Through this research, Johnson allows readers to draw conclusions that differ from his own. His study questions, in fact, open the door for disagreement and dialogue.

Johnson has created an immensely helpful book. Its subject is timely, and Johnson’s writing is inviting. The format of the book will make it useful in a variety of settings, as it can be easily used by individuals or study group leaders, whether they are clergy or laity. Chapters could be used alone or as part of a larger study of the whole book. Regardless of the format, the book promises to encourage theological reflection and dialogue. As we prepare to live and serve faithfully in a challenging and uncertain future, these biblical texts will undoubtedly continue to ground us, form us, and strengthen us to follow Christ’s call. 

Rebekah Abel Lamar
Director of Christian Education
Decatur Presbyterian Church, Decatur, GA 

PUBLISHED IN THE BULLETIN OF THE INSTITUTE FOR REFORMED THEOLOGY, SPRING 2008, VOL. 8, #1.