Book Reviews -- By: Anonymous

Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 129:513 (Jan 1972)
Article: Book Reviews
Author: Anonymous


Book Reviews

An Analytical Index to Bibliotheca Sacra, 1934–1970. By James Francis Scott. Dallas, Texas: Axminster Press, 1971. 190 pp. Paper, $5.00.

During my first year in Seminary, about twenty years ago now, one of my classmates employed another to index all the articles in Bibliotheca Sacra from 1934 on when the Seminary began to publish the journal. I envied the student that could afford a private indexer but doubted this first year student was theologically competent to index the learned quarterly. In any case, the indexer left after one year of Seminary, and I never again heard about the project.

This anecdote illuminates the desire of Dallas Theological Seminary men to have an index to Bibliotheca Sacra. What a boon it would be to one’s preaching and writing ministry to have every theological subject and biblical reference discussed in Bibliotheca Sacra at one’s ready access! James Scott, assistant librarian and alumnus of the Seminary, has now prepared such an analytical index. This is more than just an index to authors and titles. Its real value lies in the subject index.

Mr. Scott created the subject index by examining each article through “content analysis.” Here is his illustration of the method: “For each article as many headings were selected as the best judgment deemed necessary for directing users to the subjects discussed. Thus, the article ‘The Church in Heaven’ by John F. Walvoord is found under the following three subjects: BIBLE. N.T. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:8–10, JESUS CHRIST—MYSTICAL BODY, and JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST.”

Now obviously a subject index is only as good as the judgment of its creator. As this example shows, the assistant librarian at Dallas Seminary is more than competent for the task. His index was presented as a master’s thesis to the School of Library Science at East Texas State University in 1971.

Bibliotheca Sacra has enjoyed a gigantic increase in circulation from 400 subscribers in 1934 to approximately 5,500 in 1971. By bringing this journal’s hidden mysteries to light, Mr. Scott should help it enjoy a comparable increase in users.

B. K. Waltke

Design for Discipleship. By J. Dwight Pentecost. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1971. 130 pp. $3.95.

This volume is the printed form of a series of sermons presented by the author at Grace Bible Church in Dallas, where he serves as pastor in addition to being Professor of Bible Exposition at Dallas Seminary. A congregation that receives rich spiritual food like this is fortunate indeed.<...

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