I’ll be direct: Unless you’re from the Southern Baptist Convention, don’t read this book. Here’s why:

First, as the subtitle suggests, Daniel L Akin and R. Scott Pace believe that only men can pastor. They base this “masculine restriction” on 1 Timothy 3:2, that a pastor should be a “one-woman man” (27). This narrow universalizing of a contextual letter speaks against the whole narrative of scripture. See Scott McKnight’s Blue Parakeet if you’re interested in perusing this argument.

Second, penal substitutionary atonement is on full display. Consider how the authors sum up the gospel as a striking declaration: “The gospel is the good news that God killed his Son so he would not have to kill you (Isa 53:10). If that doesn’t make you want to throw up in your mouth I don’t know what will.

Third, the authors are overly didactic. Consider this statement: “A theological understanding of humankind must begin with an exploration of how human beings are distinct from the rest of creation” (114). “Must begin?” The author of Genesis 1 didn’t begin there, but with our shared ancestry on the sixth day of creation.

Fourth, the absence of the Pentecost is glaring. I know not to expect ‘pentecostal’ theology from these authors, but the complete lack of reference to Acts 2 is puzzling. Chapter 4 is entitled, “Pneumatological: The Pastor and God’s Companion.” In this 24 page chapter, the authors never once mention the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost. Apparently Johannine and Pauline pictures of the Spirit fit their theological presuppositions more clearly.

If you’ve read any of my other reviews you’ll know that I rarely speak this bluntly against a book. I could have cherry picked some positive points to counterbalance this critique. However, the pastoral task is too important to see it distorted like this.

Akin, Daniel L. And R. Scott Pace. Pastoral Theology: Theological Foundations for Who a Pastor Is and What He Does. B&H, 2017.