Reading on J. Gresham Machen

I recently finished up a book that Matt surprised me with a few months ago on the life and thought of J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937) . Before I read this book I barely knew who he was so I was very impressed that Matt was able to pick this book out all by himself (well done honey!). The book was divided into 4 topics. The first was a short biography of MAchen's life, the second was on his writings on theology and the Bible, the third was on his writings on culture and the fourth was on his writings on the church and his sermons. This book was a very good introduction to Machen who was a professor at Princeton, a NT scholar, and a pastor. He wrote a number of books, articles, and essays, the most famous of which is the classic work "Christianity and Liberalism." Machen stood firm in the truth and fought hard for the gospel when Princeton and the Presbyterian Church USA went liberal and stopped holding to orthodox Christianity. Machen eventually started Westminster Seminary and the OPC branch of the Presbyterian Church. Most of the major events in Machen's life happened in the 20's and 30's and I found it very interesting to read about what was going on in America during that time. I especially liked reading about Machen's service with the YMCA during the last year of World War 1 in France. Machen was a thoroughly gospel centered man who knew the improtance of doctrine. I found his views on almost all matters to be what I have come to believe myself. I really enjoyed his teaching on the Christian and culture where Machen rejects a Christianity that subordinates itself to or accommodates the culture and the other extreme where Christianity withdraws from the culture. Instead Machen proposes a Christianity that consecrates the culture. This is such a hot topic presently in the evangelical world that it was very interesting to read about Machen's writings on this from almost one century ago. I also really liked how MAchen understood to the Christian's role in politics and his view on education. Something that was very impressive to me about Machen was that though he was a high up academic he did not hide in academia but really lived out his faith serving God in all kinds of ways. I am thankful for Machen and men like him that God has raised up in the church to encourage us all. I hope to read a number of his works that I read about in this book.