This book is being rated on two spectrums. One, how well it represents its own movement and two, how persuasive I find it's arguments.
HOW WELL IT REPRESENTS THE ONENESS MOVEMENT While this is probably the most read work on the New Birth from the Oneness perspective, it is not the best Oneness work on the subject. The strongest presentations on the Oneness position I am aware of would be David Norris "I AM." Although that work is a bit more dense and academic.
HOW PERSUASUVE I FIND IT'S ARGUMENTS This book, at best, offers some valid criticisms of popular American Evangelicalism and even some of magisterial Protestantism. However, it does not have the consistency, breadth, and depth to accurately capture the fullness of the Apostolic Deposit of Faith.
365 pages, if you want a book that you can read in a year here it is. With almost 365 pages, you can read a page a day and be done with this one in a years time. Bernard has Got to be one of my favorite author on historical record of apostolic church history. Again what a phenomenal book on the doctrine held by the apostles and those that followed them. A very in-depth and amazing read. Definitely will read again in the future or at least consult often.
I just finished "The New Birth" Pentacostal Theology, by David Bernard.
This was Volume 2, a soteriological text which I honestly didn't have many issues with. The main issue was cardinal; that aside I really appreciated it.
He, in his writing as in his debates, came across as a gentleman and I really appreciated his points especially (to the dismay of my tradition) the charismata.
Yikes, hermeneutical disaster...this is missing the whole point of salvation. Further, I hope readers will find other sources/books, because this book presupposes most Christians indeed are not Christians. Galatians 2 comes to mind and I think, "Whoa, tread carefully because you may be calling Christ a liar..."