Pioneer Christian Monthly - April, 1998

A Timeline Of Humanity
Jeff Kingswood

Bible students, teachers, Bible study leaders, and pastors will all find this book to be a helpful chronology that puts the events of human history into perspective.

The book is set out in the form of a time-line with biblical events placed appropriately along the line. Underneath are the extra-biblical events of history, famous rulers, artists, etc. Did you know for instance that the sport of mountain climbing was encouraged and developed at roughly the same time that Isaiah lived and spoke his God given prophecies? Or that at the time of Abraham's death, Japan was being settled?

The charts are neatly laid out in a way that would make them very easy to use as overhead projections in a larger setting or as an easy-to-use reference work for students. Each page in the time line has a facing page marked for note taking.

Some scriptural dates are of course approximations, and scholars may quibble with a few of the points Mr. Girard makes, but on the whole it seems a very well researched piece of work. The odd typo is distracting. For instance, at the year 1420 BC we have the notation: "38 years of wondering." That, they may have been, but I suspect the author meant "wandering." There is also another point with which I must take issue: 1961 is noted as "The birth of Wayne Gretzky--the world's greatest athlete." Doubtful. Trivial. A more appropriate heading for that year might have been "First man in space."

Those minor objections aside, the book as a whole will be found to be a helpful study guide.

HISTORY AT A GLANCE: A Time Line of Humanity by Gregory Girard is published by Blue Collar Publications, Box 118 Ayr, Ontario, NOB 1E0. 1995.

Gregory Girard is currently serving as the Re-Development Pastor of the Harriston Reformed Church in Harriston, Ont.

Rev. Jeff Kingswood is pastor at Emmanuel Reformed Church in Woodstock, Ont. He is a past Chairman of The Pioneer editorial committee.

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