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Cornerstone review. The first of what looks like many reviews on the new book is on the Cornerstone mag website site. The title is "Gothard's Tilted Planet" and can be accessed at: Gothard ’s Tilted Planet - A Matter of Basic Principle:Bill Gothard and the Christian Life by Don Veinot, Joy Veinot, and Ron Henzel. 21st Century Press. 384 pp. The powerful effect of Bill Gothard and his Institute in Basic Life Principles upon white American Evangelicalism has been treated before, but not with this level of biblical penetration. A new book by Don Veinot, Joy Veinot, and Ron Henzel, A Matter of Basic Principle, bends over backward trying to be fair to Gothard, including various encounters between Gothard and the authors, and other concerned individuals (Norm Geisler, for instance). These three researchers from Midwest Christian Outreach, a ministry reaching out primarily to members of New Religious Movements, have done a powerful job both in accuracy and fairness, with only one or two apparent lapses into pettiness (e.g., a comparison between Gothard writings and The Communist Manifesto ). Their history of the Gothard movement is fascinating, and the views Gothard holds on esoteric issues such as dating, dress, authority, family, and sexuality are fully explored. Gothard ’s teaching that uncircumcised males are in rebellion to God, for example, proves one of the clearer indictments of Gothard ’s inability or unwillingness to face Scripture, as the authors ably show. Over and over again, the real issue is how Gothard ’s world virtually negates the biblical idea and Protestant flagship doctrine:the priesthood of the believer. Gothard ’s 'umbrella of authority' melts away like sugar in a hard rain when exposed to the authors ’ and other Evangelicals ’ critiques. The authors not only quote Gothard extensively (and with telling effect)but also, impressively, quote widely from others, including J. I. Packer, the movie Citizen Kane, and various other popular and literary sources. But the meat of the book to me comes with chapter 6, a chapter on grace that reaches a nearly devotional tone as it celebrates our freedom in Christ. That chapter is a reminder that no matter who we are, or what we have done, grace 'that wonderfully unmerited favor only a Perfect God can bestow'is available to us through Jesus Christ.
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