Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly Spring 2001

Discovering Christ in Ruth, by Donald S. Fortner.

This book is one in a series of "Discovering Christ" volumes put out by Evangelical Press. A recent catalog indicates that parallel books focusing on Isaiah, Psalms, and the Gospel of Mark are also available.

Donald Fortner serves as a Baptist pastor in Kentucky and reveals himself as strongly Calvinistic as well as Baptist in his theology. His repeated emphasis on the concept of limited atonement (pp. 66, 103, 124) and his ability to separate the work and "effectual call" of the Holy Spirit from the general proclamation of the gospel (pp. 54, 70, 71, 92) are examples of classic Calvinism. His advocacy of "believer’s baptism" as an act of obedience and requirement for "admission into the fellowship of the saints" (pp. 30, 78) affirm his baptistic theology. To identify positive theological traits we happily note that Fortner is also strongly monergistic in his conversion theology and Christocentric in his redemption theology. He also eloquently advocates the use of the Gospel rather than the Law for preachers who seek to change the hearts of their listeners (pp. 72-73).

As a useful commentary on the book of Ruth this volume is severely limited, and the primary cause for this is the hermeneutics employed. The author’s interpretation of the Ruth is pervasively allegorical. As was true of most allegorical interpreters in the past, Fortner does not deny the historical reality of the events recorded in the biblical text, but he quickly leaves this behind to discover deeper truths pertaining to Christ and the New Testament Church that are said to be portrayed here. We wish he had been content to mention that there are analogies that the Christian may draw from the text rather than stating that the portraits of New Testament realities were already beneath the biblical text to be "discovered" by us.

The strength and weakness of Fortner’s approach to biblical study is expressed well on page 89: "As we read the Word of God, we should always look for Christ and pictures of God’s rich, abundance grace in him. If we look for pictures of our own souls’ experiences, we are sure to find them." Too often the picture envisioned comes from the person’s own "soul experience" rather than from the Bible text in context, is highly subjective, and ends up reinforcing a theological opinion previously adopted. There are examples of this phenomenon displayed throughout this book.

So while we appreciate much that is Christ-centered and grace-glorifying in this published work, we cannot recommend it as a trustworthy commentary on the biblical text itself.

Forrest L. Bivens