The editors of Christian Scholar’s Review are pleased to present this special issue. As the guest editors’ introduction will describe, these papers were delivered at a conference in Indianapolis dedicated to the discussion of “The State of the Evangelical Mind.” Todd Ream, Jerry Pattengale, and Chris Devers organized and executed an exceptionally well produced conference and are the primary architects of the content appearing in this volume. I was graciously invited to attend and heard all of the included papers which comprised the parallel sessions. The plenary papers will be published as a companion volume by InterVarsity Press. The fact that these are papers from parallel sessions should not be read as a reflection on quality. As a seasoned academic conference goer I can attest that the character of these papers, on the balance, hold their own quite capably with the better known authors and speakers of the plenaries. Indeed, I predict that time will tell that many of the younger scholars published in this volume will themselves become readily-recognized leaders in their fields and in evangelical scholarship.
The special content in this issue is also providentially fitting for the announcement of the winner of the Charles J. Miller Christian Scholar’s Award for best article for Volume 46. The winner is Dr. Stephen Monsma whose article shares an adjunct concern with the papers in this issue appeared in Volume 46.4 and is titled: “What is an Evangelical? And Does It Matter?” In it Dr. Monsma assesses the current status of studies of Evangelicalism, indicates flaws and lacunae in them and points the way forward for a more nuanced and care-full approach to its proper understanding. As we had mentioned in that issue, Dr. Monsma, longtime faculty at Calvin College who also served Grand Rapids and the State of Michigan ably and admirably in a variety of political positions, passed away on February 18 of 2017. His article was published posthumously with the permission of his wife of 52 years, Mary Carlisle Monsma, who will receive the award on his behalf.
