Breaking News! I Agree with James White! by Peter Lumpkins

  I'm often accused of being obsessed with extreme* Calvinist, James White because I happen to log dissent with him on several topics (one topic being the scorched earth policy White maintains toward his critics). And, I must confess, while I would not characterize my pieces as being "obsessed" with him or his ministry, I find his influence among Baptist Calvinists in the Southern Baptist Convention both real and viable>>>

Even so, my momma told me to always find something with which one could agree with another person and when appropriately, say so. Well, I'm saying so.

White just put up a video representing his reaction toward the internet frenzy concerning Rob Bell's new book, Love Wins.  Only three minutes in, White had this to say:

Rob Bell is all over the place with an upcoming book that I haven't seen and I'm not going to comment on. Ummm...charges of universalism and all sorts of stuff like that. I'm not going to touching on that in this video because I don't know anything about it. But given that this type of interest has been generated, I felt it would be worth-wild...would be important..and be useful to folk and point out that we don't have to look outside of the context the Bible itself provides for us to look for Jesus and a proper explanation for Who Jesus was or what He did [2:59--3:39, embolden mine]

The truth is, James White has got this one right: attempting to comment on a book one has not read not only is unacceptable critical protochol no matter one's particular worldview, my perspective is, it remains fundamentally disturbing. From where I was raised in middle Tennessee, it would be called undiluted hogwash.

Even so, I'm glad I can say without reservation, James White is right!** That's Breaking News! no matter how one slices it.

With that, I am...

Peter

*some theologians are convinced that White embraces what has been historicallly known as theological Hyper-Calvinism

**it may, however, completely discombobulate White's faithful supporters (wink, wink)

Comments

[Drpenn]

Wow - and even MORE breaking news - I had to read what James White said some four times before I could understand a word of it. Why is that breaking news? I read something James White said. Ta.Da.

D.

[peter lumpkins]

DrP

I'm telling you, we're liable to get on a roll here. Pretty soon, our accusers will have nothing nasty to say since we're so supportive of their hero.

Grace, sis.

With that, I am...
Peter

[boB Cleveland]

Somebody said "worth-wild"?

The idea is intriguing, and while, at my age, many things are worthwhile, I can't think of anything that's "worth-wild".

:)

[Kevin Jackson]

Hi Peter, a bit off topic, but have you ever read James White's parable: "The King and the Castle"? It is in "The Potter's Freedom", and White uses it to critique Geisler's "Chosen but Free" story of the boys drowning in the pond.

Anyway, White's example there really irritated me when I came across it(there are some glaring shortcomings), but I've never gotten around to blogging about it and pointing out the problems. :)

[Patrick]

Your agreeing with White? Its enough to make a preterist believe we are in the eschaton!