Sources and Trajectories

"Marva Dawn has provided a major gift to thoughtful Christians and social analysts with her translation of and commentary on these previously obscure French essays by Jacques Ellul. The articles themselves are full of the dashing insight and challenge that Ellul provided over an incredibly prolific fifty-year career. Dawn's translations are painstakingly faithful, her introductory comments and footnotes are a superb contribution - helpful especially to those who have read little or nothing of Ellul's work in the past. Few readers of this volume will emerge without wishing for further encounters with Ellul's thought."



David W. Gill, North Park College





"We should all be grateful to Marva Dawn for reawakening us to the outrageous brilliance of Jacques Ellul. In this book, Dawn has gathered some of Ellul's first published essays with illuminating historical commentary on the context of each piece and the role it played in his later thought. The result offers us a glimpse into the originating moments in the life and thought of one of the greatest theological and social critics of technological civilization in this century. This book is a wonderful introduction to Ellul for newcomers and at the same time provides illuminating insights for the seasoned scholar."



Darrell J. Fasching, University of South Florida





"This new book documenting the first springs of Jacques Ellul's thought in both sociology and theology is an exciting addition to the Ellul corpus in English."



Carl Mitcham, Pennsylvania State University





"Marva Dawn here renders an important service by making accessible the early Jacques Ellul. As he attempted to understand the post-World War II world, may his impressive analytical capacities and theological insight inspire others to similarly look at the 'new world order' that is presently being put into place."



Neal Blough, Faculte Libre de Theologie Evangelique, France