Historian Paul Boyer notes that Scofield is 'a towering figure in twentieth-century premillennialism.' The Concise Dictionary of Christianity in America observes that 'Scofield's influence on the evangelical / fundamentalist movement of the early twentieth century was enormous.' But who was this man C. I. Scofield? What was the character of this evangelical giant? Does he deserve the adulation of millions of Christians? As Lyle W. Dorsett laments in his A Passion for Souls: The Life of D. L. Moody: 'In many ways, Cyrus I. Scofield is an enigmatic figure.' Even if you're familiar with C. I. Scofield and actually know what the 'C' and the 'I' stand for, and even if you own a dozen copies of the Scofield Reference Bible, you may still be Scofield-deficient. But not any more! In this work by former dispensationalist David Lutzweiler you will discover 'the enigmatic life and theology of C. I. Scofield.' Scofield's dominant role in evangelicalism renders a knowledge of his life essential for understanding our times. History, after all, is made by people. To understand it, then, one must know what its most influential people did, why they did it, how they did it, and the consequences - both intended and unintended - of their work. Come and join master detective David Lutzweiler in his historical research uncovering the enigmatic Scofield. The title of this book is taken from the satire by Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (published in 1515). In that book he has the character Folly give an oration wherein he praises self-deception. Tragically, large portions of evangelicalism are engaged in praise of folly. |
