The Four Views/Counterpoints books are a mixed bag. Most are good, but quite a few leave me wondering about a particular topic, "Why didn't they discuss X? It's hard to have the discussion with it." While this one had its own limitations, it's one of the better ones. Note: when I hurriedly purchased this on sale, I thought it was about the intermediate state; though it discusses it in passing, it is primarily about the eternal state. It still turned out to be quite profitable to read. Most of the authors do a good job of presenting their views and cases. Middleton and Allen were the strongest and most persuasive and gave much to think about. Feinberg and Kreeft did not handle the subject as adroitly. While more detail discussion of a few points would have been appreciated, it was neither too long nor too short and fairly balanced. On the main, it was a good read, and is a good resource for trying to understand different theologies' handling of the subject of our eternal destination. (Side note: it's poor form to review or judge a book when you haven't read it. I affirm I have read this work in full.)

This book is a sweeping survey of the planting of dispensationalist thought in the United States and its interaction with various Christian movements, covering from the time of Darby up to and including the second decade of the 21st century. It is an enjoyable read and ties together many threads of theological history more tightly than other works--the reader really gets a sense of how dispensationalism shaped these other movements even when it wasn't accepted wholesale. I found it a very enjoyable read, though potential buyers should be aware that this is primarily a history book, not a theology text. If I had to name a few weaknesses--they are minor--one would be the lack of extensive footnoting; I would prefer to see more detailed citations backing up some of the claims made. This is largely remedied by the bibliographic essay at the end of the book; the author has certainly done his research. A second minor weakness is the reflection on certainty very recent events and trends that he tries to tie to the legacy of dispensationalism in America. Where there may be validity to these points, in some ways it's too soon to be writing a history about them. Again, these are minor blemishes. This is a good book, an enjoyable read, and one I can highly recommend to anyone interested in the subject.

I finally got around to reading it in full, and I must say I found it rather disappointing. I would rate the volumes individually: vol. 1 = 2 stars, vol. 2 = 3 stars, vol. 3 = 4 stars. In the first volume in particular, Pannenberg relies entirely too much on philosophy and other disciplines. Little is done to explicate the doctrine of God in a way that is relatable and usable. To be frank, much of it comes off as a show of erudition, and unless one is very widely read, practically incomprehensible. Like many others, Pannenberg's writing and thought improves once he moves beyond the doctrine of God and enters other loci where natural theology is less helpful and one is forced to draw more heavily on the Bible and Christian tradition. I found the sections on ecclesiology and eschatology in the third volume to be the best, and in soteriology his discussion of the law and Gospel was excellent. Pannenberg's significance as a great 20th century theologian is undeniable, yet the audience for which it is suitable is rather small. Beginning students of theology should avoid it entirely less they get put off of the discipline of systematics entirely; it will not help them in grasping the basics of doctrine. Likewise, intermediate students are likely to find it of limited value. Advanced ones (read: higher than M.Div.) may find it helpful in researching specific topics in which Pannenberg does an admirable of getting to the heart of issues and provides excellent references, in both quantity and quality, to key primary sources.