Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 156:622 (Apr 1999)
Article: Book Reviews
Author: Anonymous

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BSac 156:622 (Apr 99) p. 228

Book Reviews

By the Faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary

Angels, Satan, and Demons. Swindoll Leadership Library. By Robert P. Lightner. Nashville: Word Publishing, 1998. 212 pp. $24.99.

In view of what the author calls “angelmania” (pp. 48, 184) and others call “angelphilia” (pp. 5, 163), Lightner has written a practical, thorough examination of what the Scriptures teach about angelic creatures. These include holy angels, committed to the service of God, and wicked angels or demons, aligned with Satan in his opposition to God. Lightner also considers and refutes false, unbiblical ideas that have been advanced about angelic beings through the years.

The material within the chapters is carefully and thoroughly organized. Two excursuses-on “the sons of God” in Genesis 6:1–4 and “the spirits in prison” in 1 Peter 3:18–20-are included. Lightner’s extensive knowledge of angelology is reflected in his references to many sources in the notes at the end of the volume and in the bibliography. The book also contains extensive Scripture and subject indexes.

In his discussion of the exorcism of demons Lightner says that ability was a sign gift provided for the apostles and other first-generation church leaders, such as Philip, which the author believes is no longer available. This reviewer, however, has encountered missionaries who reported apparently valid cases of demon exorcism.

The entire volume is a down-to-earth discussion of angels with many helpful applications. Of special value is chapter 13, which briefly answers twenty-three commonly asked questions about angels and demons. This volume is a valuable addition to the Swindoll Leadership Library.

John A. Witmer

Encyclopedia of Religion and Society. Edited by William H. Swatos Jr. Walnut Creek, CA: Sage Publications, 1998. 590 pp. $125.00.

A misreading of the title of this book might suggest that this single-volume work is a project of unlimited breadth and unrealistic ambition. This is not, however, an encyclopedia on both religion and society, but an encyclopedia on the field of religion and society. It addresses topics raised in the scientific study of religion through anthropology, psychology, and sociology. It is not concerned primarily with religious social ethics, political issues, or church-state relationships (though some

BSac 156:622 (Apr 99) p. 229

articles address these issues directly). Nor will users find much information here about various theologians unless their work ha...

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