Upcoming book notice: Andy Naselli's Let Go and Let God?

by Dan Phillips

One of the unexpected blessings my dear wife and I enjoyed at T4G 2008 was the repeated experience of total strangers walking up, introducing themselves, and saying they read my writing. One of those delightful surprises was Andy Naselli, who though he looked to be about 12 years old was pursuing a second doctorate, working with D. A. Carson.

In the months that followed, I took to regularly reading Andy's blog, and occasionally commenting there or corresponding with the good doctor. In particular — and I forget what moved me to reach out to Andy on this — I wrote him about some areas I was tussling with in writing my book. He generously responded by pointing me to information, and allowing me to read his first doctoral dissertation on the Keswick Movement. It was titled "Keswick Theology: a Historical and Theological Survey and Analysis of the Doctrine of Sanctification in the Early Keswick Movement, 1875-1920." The dissertation was presented as part of Andy's PhD work at Bob Jones University in 2006, and was at the same time an historical, theological, and Biblical examination of the movement from 1875-1920, and of its doctrine.

For you who don't know, Keswick conferences in England were the main spawning grounds for popularization of the victorious Christian living doctrine, the two-tier thought that one can enter into triumphant Christian living through a crisis experience, and a yielded frame of heart. It is classic double-decker or two-tier Christianity, as I've called it. Names associated with the movement include Andrew Murray, Hannah Whitall Smith, H. C. G. Moule, F. B. Meyer, Frances Ridley Havergal, and many others.

The teaching had an impact on movements as diverse as dispensationalism and Pentecostalism, and continues to be influential today. J. I. Packer was himself touched by it earlier in his Christian life — and he says it very nearly destroyed him, until God used John Owen to bring him Biblical sanity.

But Packer's not alone. I read Murray as a young Christian, and... well, I told you about all that in this post.

As I said, Andy  sets forth the history of the movement, but he also delves very deeply into its doctrine, and goes into richly profitable depth working with the Scriptures used and abused by Keswickians. Andy deals at length with John 15, with Romans 6 and 7, with the concepts of the "flesh" and the old/new nature, the notions of "carnal" and "spiritual" Christians... it's an exegetical and theological feast. Really first-rate.

I found the dissertation extremely helpful, a real Godsend to me in my thinking and writing. In many ways, Andy's work confirmed where 35+ years of study of the Greek text had brought me. Yet he also instructed me, challenged me, and informed me, helped clarify my thought. The footnotes in my manuscript reflect my gratitude to Andy.

This upcoming book is titled Let Go and Let God? A Survey and Analysis of Keswick Theology, and is a revision of that dissertation. It comes with a forward by Dr. Thomas Schreiner and 21 endorsements by the likes of D. A. Carson, Kevin DeYoung, Carl Trueman, Willem A. VanGemeren, and many others. Andy says that it is a light revision of the dissertation. I notice that it updates bibliographical references to works as recent as 2010.

Naselli's work is very solid, very weighty, very well-documented (about 130 pages of bibliography), and very much worth your attention. Logos will be publishing the book, which is due at the end of the year. Right now, it is at the pre-pub phase.

In particular, any pastor or leader who has any encounter with any form of two-tier teaching really must check  out Andy's book. You'll be grateful, as I was and am.

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