B. B. Warfield

Simonetta Carr

Reviewed by: Charlotte Van Dixhoorn

B. B. Warfield, by Simonetta Carr. Christian Biographies for Young Readers series. Reformation Heritage Books, 2019. Hardcover, 64 pages, $14.00. Reviewed by OP member Charlotte Van Dixhoorn, age 9.

I never knew that people years ago studied the same catechism that I am studying. Hearing about B. B. Warfield studying the Westminster Catechisms and how it helped him so much makes me feel that my catechism study is very important.

It is interesting that B. B. Warfield started off thinking he wanted to be a scientist. But he ended up being a theologian. I think it’s funny how B. B. Warfield’s dad picked a school for his son based on the well-trained hunting dogs at the college. There is a lovely painting of him with the dogs. There are so many pictures that help me imagine what life in his time was like.

My favorite picture in this book is of the Harz Mountains in Germany. The setting is beautiful with a lake and lots of trees and hills. It’s neat to see where he and his wife Annie were traveling. Another painting shows how they were caught in a thunderstorm walking on those hills.

There are some sad parts to B. B. Warfield’s life. He lost his books when he moved from Europe to Pennsylvania. My dad lost some important books when we moved to Pennsylvania too—including his Warfield books! My dad was very sad about that.

Another sad part is that B. B. Warfield and his wife Annie couldn’t have children. That was very sad. But they really enjoyed their friends’ children.

I liked hearing that B. B. Warfield spoke up for black people. He wrote about hard times for black people after the Civil War. He also convinced the seminary to include black students in the sleeping areas everyone shared rather than separating them from white students. I think this is good because Jesus says we shouldn’t judge people on how they look. The Bible teaches that black people and white people are equal in God’s sight.

I recommend this book to someone who is looking to grow in courage because B. B. Warfield was a man of courage. He was a man of courage because he was joyful in all circumstances, kind of like the Apostle Paul. And he was a man of courage because he was willing to say he was a Christian and not get embarrassed and feel bad. He also showed courage in saying that God told people what to write in the Bible and that the Bible is an extraordinary book.