Veritas et Lux

The End of Creation: Soli Deo Gloria

The Sum of the Matter

The first verse in the Bible is a monumental statement that reverberates with earth-shattering implications for the formation of a Christian worldview: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1, ESV). Do not miss the magnitude of this statement. Do not downplay the significance of this vital piece of revelation. And be careful to embrace what the Scriptures affirm. Ignoring the clear revelation of God’s truth, in the final analysis, proves to be a costly mistake that will have consequences that extend into eternity.

The German astronomer, Johannes Kepler, accepted biblical revelation and understood the importance of giving credit where credit is due: “The chief aim of all investigations of the external world should be to discover the rational order and harmony which has been imposed on it by God.”¹To do any less would be tantamount to theological treason. So Kepler does not minimize God’s creative activity; he magnifies it. He does not marginalize the miracle of creation; he marvels at it!

A Tragic Turn

Tragically, some thinkers have not followed Kepler’s lead. These skeptics have discounted Genesis 1:1 and cast the revelation of God into the cosmic rubbish bin. Charles Darwin, who popularized the notion of “natural selection” in his book, Origin of Species, also rejected the clear account of creation. Ironically, he is buried in Westminster Abbey. Darwin may be gone, but his atheistic ideology continues to dominate the thoughts of many minds, especially in the university.

Carl Sagan, who was a great champion of Darwinian evolutionary theory, penned these well-known words: “The Cosmos is all that is or was or ever will be. Our feeblest contemplations of the Cosmos stir us – there is a tingling in the spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation, as if a distant memory, of falling from a height. We know we are approaching the greatest of mysteries.”² He continues, “Evolution is a fact, not a theory.”³ Such banter may appeal to the itching ears of evolutionists but fails to hold up when scrutinized at the tribunal of truth.

Or consider Richard Dawkins, another defender of Darwin’s evolutionary theory. His rejection of the creation account leads him to a view of God, which is blasphemous at best: “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”⁴ The Word of God offers a stern rebuke to this kind of unbelieving thought.

A Rational Christian Response

It doesn’t take long to discern some of the catastrophic consequences of giving God’s revelation a vote of “no-confidence.” Francis Schaeffer understood the vast importance of Genesis 1:1. He understood that if we set aside the reality of creation, our worldview collapses. He writes, “Unless our epistemology is right, everything is going to be wrong.”⁵ The discipline of epistemology addresses the matter of knowledge. That is, it helps unpack what we know about what we know. Schaeffer continues, “The infinite-person God is there, but also he is not silent; that changes the whole world.”⁶Schaeffer helps us understand that God exists and he has revealed himself, that is, he has spoken. Or to use Schaeffer’s words, “He is not silent.”

The End for Which God Created the World

That fact that God not only exists but has also revealed himself is a massive reality that every person must come to terms with. This stunning truth should find us on our knees with outstretched arms. It should prompt a humble offer thanksgiving to the living God. But there’s more – Jonathan Edwards understands the motive behind God’s act of creation. He argues that the end for which God created the world was self-communication: ”Seeing that Christ created the world only to communicate his excellency and happiness, hence we learn, that all the excellency, virtue and happiness of the godly is wrought in them by Jesus Christ.”⁷ The implication of this Edwardian vision of creation is far-reaching and have important practical implications.

So the end of creation is uniquely focused upon God. That is, creation is Godward. Creation is God-centered. In one of his greatest literary achievements, A Dissertation Concerning the End For Which God Created the World, Jonathan Edwards demonstrates this God-centeredness: “What God says in his word, naturally leads us to suppose, that the way in which he makes himself his end in his work or works, which he does for his own sake, is in making his glory his end … God communicates himself to the understanding of the creature, in giving him the knowledge of his glory; and to the will of the creature, in giving him holiness, consisting primarily in the love of God; and in giving the creature happiness, chiefly consisting in joy in God. These are the sum of that emanation of divine fulness called in Scripture, the glory of God.⁸

Consider three important implications of discounting the biblical creation account:

First, discounting the reality of biblical creation leads to a skewed epistemology. And a skewed epistemology, will by definition, influence the way we think about everything else. When God is taken out of the picture or removed from the marketplace, we are left wandering in a wasteland in search of answers. “If God does not exist,” writes Dostoevsky, “then everything is permitted.” The eclipse of God leaves us helpless, hopeless, and lost in a quagmire of meaninglessness.

Second, discounting the reality of biblical creation impugns the character and trustworthiness of God. Scripture is clear about the creation account:

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16–17, ESV)

When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. (Psalm 104:30, ESV)

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, (Job 38:4–6, ESV)

When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. (Psalm 104:30, ESV)

Anyone who discards what God has made plain calls God’s character into question and heaps a great insult upon the worth of his name. Anyone who dares impugn the character of God stands on the precipice of eternal judgment.

Third, discounting the reality of biblical creation fails to glorify God, which is the end of creation. Isaiah 43:7 says, “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Think about the tragic irony of rejecting the creation account. The creature who was created to glorify God stands in defiance and mocks the One who gave him breath.

The glory of God is the end of creation. The heavens declare his glory (Ps. 19:1). Is it any wonder that sinful men seek to distort what God has made plain in Scripture?

Soli Deo Gloria!

Johannes Kepler, Cited in Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey, How Now Shall We Live? (Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1999), 51. ↩
Carl Sagan, Cosmos (New York: Ballantine Books Trade, 1980), 1. ↩
Ibid, 27. ↩
Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006), 31. ↩
Francis A. Schaeffer, The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer: A Christian Worldview, Volume One, A Christian View of Philosophy and Culture (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1982), 275-276. ↩
Ibid, 276. ↩
Jonathan Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, vol. 13, The “Miscellanies,” ed. Thomas A. Schaefer, (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1994), 277. ↩
The Works of Jonathan Edwards, vol. 1, A Dissertation Concerning the End For Which God Created the World, ed. Edward Hickman (Carlisle: The Banner of Truth, 1834), 107, 119. ↩

The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Reaching the Next Generation – Kevin DeYoung

Kevin DeYoung, The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Reaching the Next Generation (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2024), 29 pp.

Christians all share a common goal of reaching the next generation for Jesus Christ. Youth pastors are especially interested in seeing young people who are aflame for the Lord. Much of the literature that addresses discipleship and evangelism is either pragmatic or programmatic, which does not typically yield favorable results.

Kevin DeYoung’s book, The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Reaching the Next Generation is breath of fresh air. His short work addresses an important need in a biblical and thoughtful way. The author maintains, “If you walk with God and walk with people, you’ll reach the next generation.”

DeYoung provides five helpful principles designed to truly reach the next generation with the gospel: 1) Grab them with passion, 2) Win them with love, 3) Hold them with holiness, 4) Challenge them with the truth, and 5) Amaze them with God.

Parents and pastors alike will receive fresh encouragement and even a dose of conviction in DeYoung’s timely work.

Truth Unhinged in Edinburgh Square

My wife and I recently spent five days in Edinburgh, Scotland. While there is much to commend in this very beautiful city, it did not take long to realize that God is no longer welcome for many of the inhabitants there.

On the last evening in Edinburgh, I watched a young street preacher proclaiming the gospel from a makeshift podium on Royal Mile Street, which stands in the shadow of St. Giles Cathedral. Here, the mighty John Knox wielded the mighty sword of God’s Word, which brought reformation to Scotland in the sixteenth century. Knox prayed, “Give me Scotland or I will die,” demonstrating his great love for God and his countrymen.

However, the days of the Reformation are long gone in Scotland. The scoffs of the crowd which were directed at the street preacher bore witness to that:

“Who created God?” one man shouted. “What about the holocaust?” another queried. “Who wrote the Bible?” questioned one of the street performers. “How could anyone believe in a talking serpent?” “Where did evil come from?” “What about the dinosaurs?” “What about the other religions?” And, “How could a loving God send anyone to hell?”

These emotionally charged questions were all hurled at the street preacher who merely sought to proclaim the simple message of the gospel.

I stood and prayed for the young man who heralded the truth. I asked God to soften the hearts of this angry mob. In the midst of my petition, the thought struck me, This is the same kind of crowd that Noah encountered. These are the same kinds of people who spewed their venom at Jeremiah and Jonah. And these are the kinds of people who hurled their hate against the New Testament apostles.

Nothing has changed. There is nothing new under the sun. The hearts of men are continuously evil (Gen. 6:5). “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jer. 17:9). Ever since the fall of man, sinful people continually suppress the truth (Rom. 1:18).

Every person carries a bag full of presuppositions. Atheism, evolution, immorality, homosexuality, and relativism. These are only a few of the presuppositions that I saw in the Edinburgh square. The people who embrace these worldviews are unwitting worshippers. They worship the false god of success. They worship the false god of autonomy. Or they worship the false god of another religion.

The angry mob who squared off against the preacher in Edinburgh willingly exchanged the truth of God for a lie. The Bible says unregenerate people realize that God exists; yet they refuse to acknowledge him: “For although they knew God, they did not honor God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Rom. 1:21).

And so I watched a tragic scene unfold on Royal Mile Street in Edinburgh. I watched a frenzied mob reject the truth from a “voice in the wilderness.” I gazed upon a group of worshippers who willingly turned from the God of the Bible to a god of their own making.

A few thoughts echoed in my mind and pressed against my heart as I stood on Royal Mile Street in the heart of Edinburgh:

First, the unbelieving world who preaches “tolerance” fails to be tolerant when the truth is proclaimed. Tolerance is only a virtue when it lines up with a worldview that rejects God, turns from his law, and marginalizes his Word. The “tolerance mantra” is a smokescreen, in the final analysis. Anyone who repudiates the truth claims of Scripture is tolerated. But anyone who embraces the propositional truth of God’s Word is cast aside and criticized.

Second, followers of Jesus Christ are called to faithfully proclaim the truth. Most will be unwilling to stand on a makeshift platform and herald the gospel to a hostile crowd. But how many of us could utter the claims of Christ over a cup of coffee? How many of us could share the love of Christ in the workplace? Who among us could challenge the pagan mind with the gospel truth in the marketplace of ideas? Paul understood this mandate to faithfully proclaim the truth: “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'” (Rom. 10:14-15).

Third, when the truth is faithfully proclaimed, the unbelieving world will invariably become offended. The Edinburgh preacher recognized this reality when he stepped upon his makeshift platform. He realized that he would be opposed. He realized that he would be scoffed at. And he realized that the crowd would laugh. Scripture warns us that in the last days, people will not put up with sound doctrine (2 Tim. 4:3). The Bible says people will “accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Tim. 4:3-4). Tragically, we will not only find these kinds of people in the public square; we will also find them in the church.

In his book, Get Real: Sharing Your Everyday Faith Every Day, John Leonard argues that people have stopped listening to the gospel “because we want to share it in the least inconvenient, least costly way. We want to save dirty people at a distance.” Leonard has touched upon an important truth. And we can certainly do a much better job of sharing the gospel up-close. But the real reason for their resistance to the truth is a rocky, stubborn, and unbelieving, sinful heart! Our task is to faithfully share the truth and trust the Holy Spirit to soften hearts and effectually draw sinners to the Savior (John 6:44).

Finally, bold proclamation invites persecution. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). Yet Scripture reminds us, “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:10–11, ESV) The promise of persecution should not hinder our passion to proclaim the truth. Rather, this reality should embolden our efforts to wield the mighty sword of truth!

Was the angry mob who ridiculed the preacher a fair representation of the feelings of the Scottish people? Were their harsh words and cackling laughs an accurate portrait of the people living in Edinburgh? Since I only met a handful of people in our brief stay, I cannot answer this question with any clarity. However, the Word of God informs us that what I saw on that cold winter afternoon is representative of the unbelieving world.

When truth is unhinged, we will face an intolerant audience. When truth is unhinged, the unbelieving world will be offended which will prompt persecution. But when the truth is unhinged, some will hear and respond. Some will be cut to the quick. Hearts will be softened. Minds will be sharpened. For the truth of God’s Word will unlock the most resistant and callous heart. Truth unhinged will transform lives as God’s Word is faithfully proclaimed.

Make the Most of Your Productivity – Ana Ávila

Ana Ávila, Make the Most of Your Productivity (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2024), 156 pp.

I’m a sucker for books that address personal productivity. So when the chance came to review Make the Most of Your Productivity by Ana Ávila, I jumped at the opportunity. Mrs. Ávila is a senior writer for Coalición for el Evangelio. The author brings some keen insight into the subject of productivity.

The groundwork for the book is established with a working definition of productivity:

The productive life is a life that seeks to honor God with all that you have.

Such a definition goes against the grain of conventional wisdom and is grounded first and foremost in the gospel. In other words, we don’t seek to be productive to merit favor in God’s eyes. Instead, we work hard and strive to live productive lives as an overflow of gratitude for what Christ accomplished for us on the cross. Or, as Ávila writes, “God is God and does not need us, but he still delights in making us part of his plan. He uses our efforts to accomplish his purposes.”

Ávila reminds readers that productive, in the final analysis, isn’t about following regimes and routines: “But being productive isn’t about finding the perfect tool to keep your schedule under control. Rather, being productive is being transformed day by day into a person who uses what they have for the glory of God and the good of others.”

Make the Most of Your Productivity contains value tools and suggestions that one would expect. But this book is a cut above, since the principles are grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the end, the only thing that matters is glorifying God. This theme echoes throughout the book. For this reason, I enthusiastically commend it without reservation.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

A Call to Contentment – David Kaywood

David Kaywood, A Call to Contentment (Geanies House, Fern, Ross-shire: Christian Focus, 2024), 156 pp.

The package arrived in the afternoon. Not recognizing the return address, I hastily tore into the parcel, like a schoolboy on Christmas Eve. My misguided enthusiasm led to a ripped front cover of a new book. My first thought: Disgust and discontent. My second thought was one of conviction as I read the title of the book by my friend, David Kaywood – A Call to Contentment: Pursuing Godly Satisfaction in a Restless World.

The title of Pastor Kaywood’s book shot like a bullet through my heart. Here I sat, sulking at the prospect of a complementary book I received from a friend. Yet, all I could think about was frustration because the front cover was torn.

I taped the front cover, leaving a permanent reminder of the experience. With that, I dug into David’s book. After reading the first chapter, I knew I was in for a treat!

A Call to Contentment is a book written for Christians of all ages and maturity levels. The author defines contentment as “the freedom from dependence on desired circumstances that comes from God’s empowering grace to enduring everything with rejoicing.”

The book confronts various symptoms of the heart that resists contentment: coveting, grumbling, unrighteousness anger, and worry – to name a few.

The force of Kaywood’s work is a blend of conviction and encouragement. The book is packed with convicting challenges, but the author never leaves the reader hanging. The author presents the gospel as the answer to meet the needs of the unsatisfied soul throughout the book. Over and over, one can hear the faint whisper of Augustine, “Oh, Lord Thou has created us for thyself and our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Thee.”

The most enduring feature of A Call to Contentment‘s relentless commitment to Scripture. Kaywood never deviates from the text. He never compromises with worldly solutions. Rather, he consistently points readers to find their satisfaction in the Lord Jesus Christ, as revealed in sacred Scripture.

I trust that A Call to Contentment will receive a wide reading and that many people will be compelled by the biblical wisdom in this excellent book.

Proclaiming Christ in a Pluralistic Age – J.I. Packer

J. I. Packer, Proclaiming Christ in a Pluralistic Age (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2024), 141 pp.

It is to my utter shame that I fell asleep in the middle of a J. I. Packer sermon during my freshman year at Multnomah University. The man in the pulpit that morning helped restore Reformed theology in America. This man was a stalwart of the Christian faith. He was brave, bold, and uncompromising. And I fell asleep. Oh, that I could hit the “rewind button” and have another chance to hear Dr. Packer preach the Word of God.

J. I. Packer has been with the Lord since 2020. But even after his death, the Anglican churchman continues to speak. Proclaiming Christ in a Pluralistic Age is a series of lectures, originally delivered at Reformed Bible College in 1978. The lectures focus on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Packer presents Christ’s humanity and his deity. He unveils the death of Jesus and also presents his uniqueness.

Each chapter is packed with typical Packer flair (a word that he would have likely abhorred). He simply had a way of presenting biblical reality in a candid way that never deviated from the sacred text. These chapters are much-needed in our day and remind us that compromise always has consequences. Packer’s challenges undermine and destroy theological liberalism while uplifting and glorifying Jesus Christ.

May the Lord raise up faithful men like J. I. Packer; men who will stand unafraid and proclaim the unvarnished truth of the gospel.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

Ask Pastor John – Tony Reinke

Tony Reinke, Ask Pastor John (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2024), 499 pp.

I cannot think of a living writer who has wielded more influence in my life than Dr. John Piper. My personal journey began with Piper’s epic book, Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. To say the book was pivotal would be a massive understatement. Desiring God was a theological tidal wave that crashed into my life with force, authority, and passion.

After embracing Piper’s Christian Hedonism, many more books followed that only reinforced and encouraged my heart and mind. Reformed theology took hold and I’ve never been the same. The cry of Piper, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him,” has left a permanent mark on my heart.

Almost forty years later, Tony Reinke captured Dr. Piper’s theological convictions and worldview in his book, Ask Pastor John. As the subtitle suggests, the book contains 750 Bible Answers to Life’s Most Important Questions. The book is an extension and overflow of the podcast that bears the same name, Ask Pastor John.

Readers have a front-row seat in this book as it presents topics that range from Bible reading, memorization, divorce and remarriage, spiritual warfare, suffering, technology, and hundreds of other topics. The book goes straight to the heart of John Piper. It not only sets forth his theological positions; it also reveals his heart, his joys, his struggles, his temptations, and his triumphs.

Ask Pastor John is heartfelt, transparent, and humble. Anyone familiar with John Piper will recognize that he presents his positions with authority and dogmatism. Some may react to such confidence and boldness. I am personally drawn to this kind of writing.

But the most important feature of Ask Pastor John is the deep love of Piper’s love for God, his Son the Lord Jesus Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit, the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, and the preciousness of the gospel. It is impossible to read this book and walk away unaffected. Even after reading Piper’s works for nearly forty years, I can say that my heart was even more transfixed and transformed after reading Ask Pastor John.

Thanks and gratitude go out to Tony Reinke, who curated the podcasts and gifts this wonderful book to the church. Ask Pastor John is truly a labor of love, one that countless thousands of people will cherish for years to come.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

Make the Most of Your Productivity – Ana Ávila

Ana Ávila, Make the Most of Your Productivity (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2024), 156 pp.

The groundwork for the book is established with a working definition of productivity:

The productive life is a life that seeks to honor God with all that you have.

Such a definition goes against the grain of conventional wisdom and is grounded first and foremost in the gospel. In other words, we don’t seek to be productive to merit favor in God’s eyes. Instead, we work hard and strive to live productive lives as an overflow of gratitude for what Christ accomplished for us on the cross. Or as Ávila writes, “God is God and does not need us, but he still delights in making us part of his plan. He uses our efforts to accomplish his purposes.”

Ávila reminds readers that productive, in the final analysis isn’t about following regimes and routines: “But being productive isn’t about finding the perfect tool to keep your schedule under control. Rather, being productive is being transformed day by day into a person who uses what they have for the glory of God and the good of others.”

Make the Most of Your Productivity contains value tools and suggestions that one would expect. But this book is a cut above since the principles are grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the end, the only thing that matters is glorifying God. This theme echoes throughout the book. For this reason, I enthusiastically commend it without reservation.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

How to Memorize Scripture for Life – Andrew M. Davis

Andrew M. Davis, How to Memorize Scripture for Life (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2024), 57 pp.

There was a day in the church when Scripture memory was expected. Something happened around the turn of the century. The emphasis on Scripture memory began to decline, both among children and adults. How to Memorize Scripture for Life by Andrew M. Davis is a book that will help recover a passion for hiding the Bible in our hearts.

Davis first establishes the foundation by arguing that Scripture memorization is mandated. Citing John 15:7-8, the author says, “For me, this is the strongest passage in the Bible on the role of Scripture memorization.” He cites several passages that bolster the case for making Scripture memory a regular part of a disciple’s life.

Next, the author includes several advantages for memorizing the word of God. At the heart of the argument is sanctification. Davis writes, “The word of God must enter us through our minds – through our understanding – in order to change our hearts.”

Another advantage of Scripture memory is evangelism. The discipline of memorizing the Bible helps bless people and presents God’s word in clear and revealing ways. Having the Bible memorized is a powerful tool when defending the faith or pressing the claims of the gospel on our hearers.

Dr. Davis includes a helpful chapter that overcomes objections to memorizing Scripture. He cites several well-known objections and skillfully dismantles them all.

Much of the book is devoted to helping readers develop strategies and skills that help them memorize Bible verses. The author makes a strong case for memorizing large chunks of Scripture. More than that, he argues that memorizing entire books is well worth the effort. Readers will be fascinated to learn the various techniques that Davis includes. He is a gracious instructor who leads his readers well.

I hope this book will gain a wide hearing. More than that, I expect many people will accept the challenge of memorizing the word of God. The blessings will bear much fruit and will glorify the great God of the universe!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

Systematic Theology – From Canon to Concept – Stephen J. Wellum

Stephen J. Wellum, Systematic Theology: From Canon to Concept, vol. 1 (Brentwood: B&H Academic, 2024), 988 pp.

Stephen J. Wellum has contributed significantly to the thorny questions of redemptive history that help bridge the gap between Presbyterian covenant theology and Dispensational theology. Kingdom Through Covenant, co-authored with Peter J. Gentry, provides biblical answers that unlock questions that the church has posed for ages.

In his most recent work, Systematic Theology: From Canon to Concept, Dr. Wellum makes another significant contribution. Volume 1 contains four parts, including:

Introduction
The Revelation of the Triune God Who Speaks
The Biblical-Theological Framework of Scripture
From Biblical Theology to Theological Formulation

Each part contains riveting prose that turns the attention of readers to God’s redemptive work from the creation to the cross of Christ. The section of Providence is worth the price of the book!

There is only one significant disappointment; one that I will probably receive criticism for. Dr. Wellum does not embrace eternal relational authority submission Trinitarianism (ERAS). His arguments against ERAS are not compelling and only strengthen my convictions concerning ERAS. Thankfully, his critique is fair-minded and humble, which is a pleasant twist in this contentious debate.

Overall, I commend this remarkable work and trust that it will receive a wide readership.