After a while, reading and writing disclaimers about theological books gets to be a real annoyance. “Of course, I don’t agree with everything this book says, but I still think it’s worth a read.” “Naturally, I take exception to some of this writer’s assertions.” “I can’t support all the things this writer says and does outside his writing.”
Disclaimers are indeed necessary sometimes. But they are probably implicit in any review. Who does agree with everything anyone else says? What self-respecting, doctrinally serious Protestant thinks that anyone else in the world pretty much gets every question dead right?
Wouldn’t it be fun to be able to totally agree with something someone else wrote? How about a number of someone else’s? There’s only one book which I know of that I can treat that way. So here’s my antidisclaimer:
“Naturally, I agree with everything this book says. I support all the things its Writer has ever said in an outside of His writing.”
I like this one:
“Please turn to the book of Ephesians. As you’re turning there, please keep in mind that we can’t endorse all the positions the author took, particularly those found in his un-inspired letters, like the missing letter to the Corinthians. We also have some problems with his pre-conversion activities, but what he wrote in Ephesians is very helpful.”
It kind of bugs me a little when I hear the disclaimers. Ironically, it bugs me a little when I don’t hear one for someone who has some glaring problems. I guess I probably won’t find a disclaimer or lack thereof that satisfies me. 🙂