Kingsley G. Rendell
Recommendation: 3/5
Author: Dr. Rendell was a Baptist pastor and educator in Britain during the 20th c. He passed away before this biography was published.
Comments: This biography is a very even-handed treatment of a very important figure in Presbyterian and Scottish church history. Rutherford (1600-1661) was a significant pastor, theologian, author and political philosopher of his day. He was appointed to the Westminster Assembly and defended Presbyterianism against episcopacy on the one hand and independency on the other. While the author packs a great deal of information into a rather short book (192 pp), it assumes, on the part of the reader, a knowledge of the rather complex historical situation of this period, particularly in regard to the Scottish church. He has a particularly helpful bibliography at the end, which includes collections of Rutherford’s letters, sermons and works. I recommend this book to someone who is already familiar with this period of English and Scottish church history.