Promise Unfulfilled: The Failed Strategy of Modern Evangelicalism

by Rolland McCune

Publisher:

Ambassador

, 2004

Overview

New Evangelicalism found its beginnings with the formation of the National Association of Evangelicals in 1942. This new group was mainly led by younger professing fundamentalist scholars and leaders who had become dissatisfied with their heritage and wanted to carve out some evangelical middle ground between fundamentalism and neo-orthodoxy. Promise Unfulfilled: The Failed Strategy of Modern Evangelicalism is an analysis of the break-away movement in terms of the issues, ideas, and practices that led to its beginning, its expansion in the 1970s, its subsequent loss of biblical and doctrinal stability, and its slide toward virtual irrelevancy in a postmodern world culture of the twenty-first century. It will be a valuable addition to the pastor’s library and a strategic resource for theological education in Bible colleges and seminaries.

The twenty-five chapters in this volume are grouped under nine main sections: Historical Antecedents, The Formation of the New Evangelicalism, Ecumenism, Ecclesiastical Separation, The Bible and Authority, Apologetics, Social Involvement, Doctrinal Storms, and Evaluations and Prospects. Easily searchable in the Logos edition, McCune's writings provide a fascinating look at the theological developments of the twentieth century. Scriptures are accessible by hovering over references in the text, and this volume can be pulled up alongside other resources on the subject for ease of study.

Key Features

• Historical account of the development of New Evangelicalism
• Perfect for pastors, students, and theologians
• Nearly 400 pages of insight into the growth and expansion of theological ideas during the twentieth century

Contents

Top Highlights

“Logic is valid and necessary for communication on the creaturely level. Human language itself is univocal; it is predicated on the law of contradiction.” (Page 226)

“For our purposes the term ‘new evangelicalism’ applies to a strain of conservative, traditional, Protestant, religious thought that coalesced into a movement in the mid-twentieth century, purporting to avoid the fundamentalist right and the neo-orthodox/neo-liberal left.” (Page xvi)

“The inclusive policy of new evangelical evangelism turned out to be, as fundamentalists feared and warned, a colossal failure. The ecumenical evangelist puts himself into the position where he is unable to speak against apostasy because he has apostate ministers in his sponsorship, and he is unwilling to speak against unorthodox denominations and institutions because he believes there are many fine Christians still in them.” (Page 83)

“New evangelicalism had ‘a willingness to handle the social problems which Fundamentalism evaded,’ a change of strategy ‘from one of separation to one of infiltration,’ a willingness to ‘face the intellectual problems and meet them in the framework of modern learning,’ and a ‘positive proclamation of the truth in distinction from all errors without delving into the personalities which embrace the error.” (Page 59)

“detachment of faith from knowledge; God could be ‘thought’ but He could not be ‘known.’^{9” (Page 5)}

Praise for the Print Edition

This is a great book with a good insights of the failed attempt to move into a New-Evangelical era while remaining godly. It is not possible to try and walk hand in hand with other "religions" that do not believe in the one true God, and remain faithful to your Lord. This book shows the hopeful beginnings and the clear failure of modern Evangelicalism that is continuing in a downward spiral. It also gives a clear explanation as to why there was such a change in Billy Graham's ministries over the years. I highly recommend this book to any reader that is interested.

—Online Reviewer

This book is very comprehensive and very detailed at the same time. I learned a lot about the history of liberal theology, fundamentalism, and new-evangelicalism. I also learned much about apologetics, social action, the battle of bible inerrancy and separation issues. This book cleared up a lot of the fog for me surrounding these issues and demonstrated how they are all interrelated.

—Online Reviewer

An excellent contribution to the history and theology of the New Evangelicalism by one who has studied and taught on the movement for years. Accurately traces the historical development of the New Evangelicalism and evaluates its theology in light of the Scriptures. An excellent addition to any library and especially for those who are studying American religious history with a focus on Fundamentalism and New Evangelicalism.

—Online Reviewer

Product Details

• Title: Promise Unfulfilled: The Failed Strategy of Modern Evangelicalism
• Author: Rolland McCune
• Publisher: Ambassador Emerald International
• Publication Date: 2004
• Pages: 398

About Rolland McCune

Rolland D. McCune was professor of systematic theology at the Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary in Allen Park, Michigan, having previously been the president of the Seminary for 10 years and dean of the Faculty for six years. Dr. McCune pastored churches in Missouri, and Indiana, and has had numerous interim pastorates in Indiana, Minnesota, and Michigan.

For 14 years he was on the faculty of the Central Baptist Theological Seminary of Minneapolis, serving in the capacities of Professor, Registrar, and Dean. He at one time served on the Board of Trustees of The Minnesota Baptist Association and on the faculty of the Indiana Baptist College in Indianapolis. Dr. McCune has written numerous articles and extensive course syllabi in systematic theology, new evangelicalism, history of Israel, basic Bible doctrine, and dispensationalism, as well as authored a teacher's handbook on the Book of Daniel.