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Esteemed Southern Baptist Historian, Thomas J. Nettles on the formation, decline, and comeback of the Southern Baptist Convention

source In 2014, Thomas J. Nettles retired as professor of historical theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he had taught since 1997. Dr. Nettles' theological instruction spanned a full 38 years in the classroom of various theological institutions including Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Nettles is considered by many to be one of the foremost Baptist historians alive today. Beginning early in the 1980s, two of his books, one of which was co-authored by the late L. Russ Bush, ranked... Read more →

Inerrancy: Will the battle over biblical inspiration never be settled even among evangelicals?

While newbies in the Southern Baptist Convention might not remember the denominational explosion in 1979 when Adrian Rogers was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, the senior generation of Southern Baptists surely does. A cataclysmic shift took place within the infrastructure of power in the convention ultimately leading to the “takeover” of America’s largest evangelical denomination by theologically conservative representatives. The theological notion at stake—according to most grassroots Southern Baptists at the time—was the full inspiration and total truthfulness of Scripture, a notion captured by the single word inerrancy.... Read more →

Tom Nettles and the takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention (part II) by Peter Lumpkins

In part I, we rehearsed the historical relationship Dr. Tom Nettles, professor of historical theology, at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has had with Founders Ministries since its inception in 1982. Nettles still sits on the board of directors for Founders Ministries. Nor has Dr. Nettles been rhetorically shy about stating in forceful language precisely how he sees those Traditional Baptists who deviate from what Director of Founders Ministries, Tom Ascol, has called "historic Southern Baptist Orthodoxy." Nettles wrote: >>> Southern Baptist beginnings were self-consciously and vigorously Calvinistic. This is... Read more →

"Licona's Denial of Inerrancy: The List Grows" by Dr. Norman Geisler

Below is Dr. Norman Geisler's latest response to neo-evangelicalism's newest attempt to undermine and perhaps even deny biblical inerrancy. While Southern Baptists had hung up their guns thinking they had won the shootout with Liberals/Moderates over biblical inerrancy during the eighties and early nineties of the last century, we find ourselves once again facing the issue. The difference is, we're having to strap on our pistols and shoot it out with evangelicals! What a shame. And, even though the piece is longer than a usual blog post, please take the... Read more →

Al Mohler, Calvinism, and Baptist origins by Peter Lumpkins

I received my copy of Ministry By His Grace And For His Glory: Essays in Honor of Thomas J. Nettles1 only a few days ago and have made half the journey through the first reading. I do not plan to review the entire volume since a volume of this nature defies brevity. With over 20 different contributors writing independently of one another, one is left with either a mammoth task to accomplish or a shotgun blast so broad, it gives justice to no single author or idea. In my view,... Read more →

Mike Licona and Liberty University: setting the record straight by Peter Lumpkins

In a footnote (#5) on this piece I published November 10th, 2011, I wrote, "departing from the North American Mission Board [NAMB] as head of apologetics, Dr. Licona now teaches at Liberty University, a paradoxical maneuver for LU in itself" (italics added). Reliable sources have corrected a misleading statement I made which could imply that Dr. Licona left the North American Mission Board only to be hired by Liberty University. Such a conclusion would be false >>> In a full trustee board meeting, LU apparently made it clear that Dr.... Read more →

J.P. Holding on Al Mohler: are apologists doomed to irrelevant frivolity? by Peter Lumpkins

I like J. P. Holding. He writes some interesting pieces, pieces sparkling with special insights into contextual antiquity and Scripture (Holding's latest book defends the resurrection). I've personally benefited from a couple of books he recommended to me (resulting from an email enquiry to him sometime ago). His literary wit is matched only by Bob L. Ross who humorously gives many Calvinist brothers "what for" when they challenge him on his dissent from the "new" Calvinism (Ross himself is a Sovereign Grace Calvinist). Oops! Pardon me. Back to Holding >>>... Read more →

Update on Norman Geisler's Objection to Mike Licona's View on Matthew's "resurrected saints" by Peter Lumpkins

Below is Dr. Norman Geisler's latest summation of his principled objection toward the interpretation of "resurrected saints" (Matt. 27:53) in former North American Mission Board's in-house apologist, Dr. Mike Licona's latest book, The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach. Geisler argues that Licona's non-historical view of the "resurrected saints" de facto reduces to a denial of biblical inerrancy. While others may not, for my part, I find Geisler's common-sense case highly persuasive >>> The latest installment from Dr. Geisler offers nothing actually new from his earlier statements about Licona's... Read more →

William Lane Craig on Matthew 27:52-53

Below is a clip from a debate between William Lane Craig and James Crossley. In the course of Craig's presentation, he referenced the resurrected saints in Matthew 27. At the Q/A time in the closing segment, a questioner appealed to Craig to explain his understanding of the resurrected saints about which Matthew mentions. Craig's answer is enlightening: Those who've kept up with my site know my appreciation for William Craig, even describing him as perhaps the foremost Christian apologist living today. However, in light of the recent Licona/Geisler-Mohler contention over... Read more →

Norm Geisler defends Al Mohler by Peter Lumpkins

Dr. Norman Geisler offered a stunning rebuttal to Mike Licona's critique of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president, Al Mohler. Geisler concludes >>> Unfortunately, Mike Licona refers to Dr. Mohler and I as "detractors." In response, I would like to repeat that I have both love for Mike as a brother in Christ and respect for him as a scholar. However, I have a higher respect for the truth of God's inerrant Word and for my duty to defend it. And I am firmly convinced that the Gospel record is seriously... Read more →

Memo from Licona to Mohler and Geisler: "unpersuasive and misguided" by Peter Lumpkins

Mike Licona is not backing down. While he softened his wording found in his published book in the open letter to Norm Geisler, it seems he's once again taking a polarizing position on the Matthew 27:52-53 text. Indeed after going back and fairly well arguing strongly for his original position in his book, The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach, Licona boldly asserts >>> The calls of Drs. Geisler and Mohler for me to retract my opinion that it is possible Matthew intended for his readers to understand the... Read more →

Licona not an Evangelical Theological Society member?

We now learn Dr. Mike Licona is apparently not a member of the ETS. Does Dr. Geisler's argument still have merit? Certainly something to think about. With that, I am... Peter Read more →

Al Mohler vindicates Norm Geisler by Peter Lumpkins

For those who've pooh-poohed Dr. Norman Geisler's questioning of former North American Mission Board apologist, Mike Licona, concerning his entirely unacceptable view of the resurrection saints in Matthew 27:52-53, dubbing Matthew's meaning as little more than "special effects" which the Apostle “added” as a “poetic device” to show a great king had died (i.e. the “Son of God”), and consequently judgment awaited Israel (The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach, pp.552-553) need to listen carefully to Dr. Al Mohler in his latest post >>> The question of biblical inerrancy... Read more →

Mike Licona Responds to Norman Geisler by Peter Lumpkins

Apparently, Dr. Mike Licona has openly responded to Dr. Norman Geisler's public criticism. A copy of Licona's response is posted on Licona's son-in-law's site* (I could not locate it on Licona's site). Dr.Licona writes: An Open Response to Norman Geisler Norman Geisler has taken issue with a portion of my recent book, The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach, in which I proposed that the story of the raised saints in Matthew 27:52-53 should probably be interpreted as apocalyptic imagery rather than literal history. In response, Dr. Geisler has... Read more →

Where are the Watchmen for Southern Baptists? By Peter Lumpkins

God likens His prophets to watchmen on the wall (Jeremiah 6:17; Ezekiel 3:17; 33:2, 6, 7; Isaiah 52:8). Accordingly, it is their duty to see far and carefully detect threats which may prove pernicious to God's people. Ezekiel says, "And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me (3:16-17). Just as... Read more →

Reformed Theology vs. Free Church Theology in the SBC: Disaster Inevitable by Peter Lumpkins

I started blogging in 2006. The reason I gave then, is the reason I state now: the aggressive Calvinist agenda being promoted among Southern Baptists. In 2006, Founders Ministries was the kingpin blog. Tom Ascol peeled every non-Calvinist banana who dared mention the "doctrines of grace." Indeed it would be hard to name a then, mega-church pastor in the SBC, who did not feel the wrath of Founders' blog and blog thread. They were "exposed" for the "Arminians" (i.e. "heretics") they were... >>> A new day arrived for Southern Baptists... Read more →

Everything You Know about Evangelicals is Wrong (Well Almost Everything): A Book-Look by Peter Lumpkins

Beginning in the last quarter of the 20th century, evangelicals rode their white horses to religious stardom. As Liberal and mainline denominational colleges and seminaries shrunk, evangelical student bodies swelled fat and prosperous. Fame was short-lived, however. While Newsweek proclaimed 1976 as “the year of the evangelical,” church historian Martin E. Marty predicted rough days ahead for evangelicals as early as 1989. Indeed, some theologians now question whether the term “evangelical” has not expended itself completely. For example, >>> Westminster Theological Seminary professor, D. A. Hart, suggested in his book,... Read more →

The Barbarians, the Bolsheviks, and the Baptists by Sam Houston

The guest essay below is written by a conservative Southern Baptist in the Southwest. The insight is stunning, reflecting a deep understanding of what’s happening in the Southern Baptist Convention. Read and absorb it with care. With that, I am… Peter In some ways, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) may be seen as a fractured set of special interest groups, none of whom share the same agenda but several of whom might have overlapping agendas. However, to oversimplify a bit, the Southern Baptist scene can be analyzed by noting three... Read more →

Southern Baptists Handling the Truth by Peter Lumpkins

with that, I am... Peter Read more →

Denny Burk on Objectivity: A Subjectivist Substitute? by Peter Lumpkins

Last week, New Mexico pastor, Howell Scott, wrote a social commentary bemoaning what many of us in conservativism view a senseless act of leftist obsession with controlling free speech. The occasion was the firing of media analyst and self-described Liberal commentator, Juan Williams, for his “insensitive remarks” about Muslims and airlines. Scott sums it up well: With the firing of Juan Williams…we are witnessing the continued assault on our First Amendment freedoms by radical Islamists and their liberal elite friends in the media and government. I knew that any direct... Read more →

The Case for the Real Jesus

New Testament scholar Ben Witherington III profiles Lee Strobel's, The Case for the Real Jesus. The professor gained permission to post a sizable section of the work, most notable because it is Strobel's conversation with textual critic, Dan Wallace. Wallace makes some major points in the discussion especially as he engages some of the misinformation dispensed by Professor Bart Erhman, the media-appointed missionary for correcting the dubious errors of the masses who are hopelessly deceived into believing the Bible may actually be truthful in all it affirms. Of course, this... Read more →

Peter Lumpkins: With That, I am...

At the risk of being too personal, this post focuses more on me than I normally allow. It is not that I am reluctant for people to know who I am. Most ministers finally accept the reality that, to a large extent, they live in see-through quarters. Rather, it is simply not the purpose toward which I started this site. Forgive me, then, as I become a bit too personal... By Conversion, I'm Believer. Growing up in Tennessee hills, I was the last of twelve children. We lived in a... Read more →

Inerrancy: A Recent View Among Baptists?

It is commonly asserted by Inerrancy critics that the view of inspiration known as Inerrancy is embraced only recently among Southern Baptists. The following essay entitled "The Inspiration of the Scriptures" is by the Reverend J. B. Jeter (1802-1880), then Pastor of First Baptist Church, Richmond, VA. This essay stands as one in a collection entitled "Baptist Doctrines: Being an Exposition in a Series of Essays by Representative Baptist Ministers of the Distinctive Points of Baptist Faith and Practice, edited by Rev. Charles A. Jenkens of North Carolina, St. Louis:... Read more →