I have had a few people ask me about the fate of the unevangelized; some are asking only for the sake of seeking some reason to call the God of the Bible unjust, but there are many for whom this is a serious and sensitive issue. What About Those Who Have Never Heard? is not the book I would most recommend of this subject, but it will do for starters. (The book that I would recommend most right now is titled Through No Fault of Their Own, but it is sadly out of print.)

This book features proponents of three views on the fate of the unevangelized. John Sanders, the editor, takes up first for inclusivism, the idea that general revelation can lead to salvation. Gabriel Fracke fights for what he calls divine perseverance, the idea that the unevangelized receive the message of salvation after death and can make a choice then. Finally, Ronald Nash argues for restricitivism, which argues that only through evangelization can salvation be achieved.

I would like to say that some clear winner emerged in the discussion, but I can't. Sanders and especially Fracke fall victim to a number of exegetical errors; the latter sometimes lapses into rambling. Nash is better from the Scriptural standpoint, but left many questions unanswered and I think missed some historical and logical points that might have affected his case; some may also fuss (wrongly, I would say) about his use of polemic. Perhaps his best point is a reminder that God does not owe anyone salvation!

This is an issue that deserves more than just an "issues" book with limited space and I will be looking for something better to offer. Until then, consider this book as an appetizer.