peterlumpkins.com

Al Mohler on Heresy: Let’s show humility…sometimes

Al Mohler's anticipated response to the latest theological square-off concerning technical points of Trinitarian doctrine among evangelical academics is finally here. One theologian promoted with pleasure Mohler's latest piece: Mohler's statesmanship is specifically mentioned. Yes, Mohler indicates more than once—not including his title—humility remains a key factor in these sorts of theological exchanges. While it's true there's a danger in ignoring real heresy on the one hand (Liberals do this), there exists a second danger like with the boy who cried wolf. Some genuine doctrinal disagreements have nothing at all... Read more →

Earl Blackburn at 1845 Conference--'I can work with a flaming Arminian'

According to Louisiana Southern Baptist pastor, Earl Blackburn, Arminianism is not rampant in the Southern Baptist Convention. Rather Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism is and has crept into Southern Baptist churches and institutions. After rehearsing a brief historical sketch of the Pelagian controversy in the fifth century A.D. in which Pelagius's teaching on human depravity was condemned as being "outside the bounds" of orthodoxy, Blackburn laments in his sermon "A Historic Southern Baptist View of the Fall of Man" (beginning at the 54:50 mark): What is sad today...What is sad as I... Read more →

Calvinists and Pelagius agreed on the status of infants dying in infancy?

It appears some modern day Calvinists express a similar agnosticism toward infants dying in infancy as did Pelagius. When pushed by Augustine, Pelagius said, “Where they are not, I know; where they are, I know not” (//link). While Augustine's nemesis was certain infants were not in hell, he offered no firm answer as to where they were. On the other hand, while some Calvinists do not want to say some infants dying in infancy go to hell, neither will they affirm whether some or all infants go to heaven. They... Read more →

Will "Infant Damnation Presbyterians" spawn "Infant Damnation Southern Baptists"? Part 1

Below is an article printed in The Baltimore Sun, May 26, 1908. The article reflects the turmoil among Presbyterians who desired to change the Westminster Confession because it taught the eternal damnation of some infants and those Presbyterians who insisted the Confession should remain as it was originally written. According to Dr. J.B. Mack, a well-known Presbyterian theologian and evangelist in the south, those who wanted to retain the Confession as it was written by Westminster divines were called “I.D.P.’s” standing for “Infant Damnation Presbyterians” and those desiring to change... Read more →

Roger Olson: an Interview Revisited: Part 4

Today I offer the final installment on the interview series with Dr. Roger Olson, Professor of Christian Theology and Ethics, Truett Theological Seminary, Waco, TX. We talked in this final section on many issues raised in his latest book, Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities. I trust your understanding of Arminiansim has deepened as a result. Let's begin: Do you think the historic debate between God’s Sovereignty and human Free Will is where emphasis should be placed in discussions between Calvinists and Arminians, or are there other more significant discussions to... Read more →

Roger Olson: an Interview Revisited: Part 3

Today, we continue our Interview with Dr. Roger Olson, Professor of Theology, Truett Theology Seminary, Waco, Texas. This is part three of a four part series. Professor Olson is both an accomplished theologian in the Arminian tradition as well as a renowned historian of Christian Theology. His many books include The Story of Christian Theology, Who Needs Theology?, The Mosaic of Christian Belief, 20th-Century Theology, Pocket History of Theology, and under discussion today, his latest book, Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities. Welcome Dr. Olson... Professor, what does Classic Arminianism teach... Read more →

Roger Olson: an Interview Revisited: Part 2

Below is the continuation of the interview I had with Arminian theologian, Roger Olson, in 2006. Part 3 will be posted later this week (my questions are emboldened). Dr. Olson, in the Introduction to Arminian Theology: Myths & Realities, you write: “The thesis of this book is that Arminianism is at a disadvantage in this controversy because it is so rarely understood and so commonly misinterpreted both by its critics and its supposed defenders.” But Dr. Olson, I hear so often that Arminianism is rampant in America’s pulpit--usually by Calvinist... Read more →

More verbal abuse and implications of "heresy" by Baptist Calvinists

UPDATE: one of James White's supporters, Micah Burke, put up a post in response to my piece below. Entitled "Peter Lumpkins doesn't know who he's responding to," Burke suggests my critical commentary below is misdirected toward James White. Instead he claims my criticism presumably should have been directed toward Al Mohler since "Nearly 99% of the quote [the quote below I transcribed from White's broadband broadcast] is actually Al Mohler's own words" (italics and link original). What a rip-roaring revelation! I'd never thought of that! Of course, Burke (he apparently... Read more →

Truett-McConnell professor interviewed by Christian Index

Dr. Adam Harwood, Assistant Professor of Christian Studies at Truett-McConnell in Cleveland, Georgia was interviewed recently by The Christian Index. The interview appears in the latest edition. Below are answers to some of the questions1: Adam Harwood, assistant professor of Christian studies at Truett McConnell College, has written a book entitled “The Spiritual Condition of Infants.” Free Church Press has recently summarized the book into a 38-page volume, “Born Guilty: A Southern Baptist View of Original Sin.” Harwood will be addressing the John 3:16 Conference at North Metro First Baptist... Read more →

What is Calvinism? everything you need to know about Calvinism...and then some by Peter Lumpkins

Well it took long enough! The truth is, I've been so busily assisting others in getting their literary stuff published, I've continued to place on the back burner something from my own bean pot. Hence, I took a few days off to cook up this little piece which I think will help church folk understand the Calvinism issue. Below are a few words from the opening: “So, what do I desire to accomplish in this little book? Recall the subtitle—everything you NEED to know about Calvinism ... and then some.... Read more →

Born Guilty? A Southern Baptist View of Original Sin by Adam Harwood

Free Church Press announces a new and exclusive teaching series on biblical, theological, ethical, and ecclesial themes significant for Southern Baptists. The series will target people in the pew rather than those who have a theological background. While we believe all church leaders--including pastors and other staff leaders--will benefit from the series, the goal is to educate the millions of Southern Baptists who neither have theological or biblical degrees nor desire to wade through long, technical works to gain a reasonable grip on the essence of a particular subject. Thus,... Read more →

The 2013 John 3:16 Conference is almost here

In November, 2008, the First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Georgia hosted an insightful conference called The John 3:16 Conference, an event promising a scholarly evaluation of the recent Calvinist Resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention >>> Past president of the Southern Baptist Convention and Pastor Emeritus of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida, Dr. Jerry Vines, led the scheduled event at Woodstock. And, it did not disappoint. Subsequent to the conference, B&H Academic published the papers and sermons delivered in 2008 in a book entitled Whosoever Will: A Biblical-Theological Critique of Five-Point... Read more →

Augustine and Southern Baptists: Part 6A: Augustine's Critics and Legacy by Dr. Jim Gifford

Dr. Jim Gifford This is the last installment of my series on Augustine. I wanted to say at the outset of this post that I really appreciate all of you who took the time to read it. A great big thank you to Peter for graciously posting it on his blog. I also want to thank Ben Simpson, Ken Hamrick, and David Allen for helpful suggestions and feedback. Thanks to Christiane and Lydia for insights and links. Thanks also to Eric Hankins, Malcolm Yarnell, and Adam Harwood for kind words... Read more →

Augustine and Southern Baptists Part 5: Augustine's Exegetical and Hermeutical Method by Dr. Jim Gifford

Dr. Jim Gifford This next-to-last post will examine the exegetical and hermeneutical method Augustine employs in constructing his teachings on grace and providence. Before I begin, I want to state my deep indebtedness to Donato Ogliari and his fine work Gratia et Certamen [Grace and Struggle]. Most of the real research in this section is his and I have only summarized it. One may wonder why this section comes later in this series of posts than his assumptions and the examination of the sources of those assumptions. It should be... Read more →

Augustine and Southern Baptists Part 3B: Infralapsarian Humanity by Dr. Jim Gifford

Dr. Jim Gifford A further difficulty in Augustine's thinking has been aptly pinpointed by John Rist. He writes, "The problem, as Augustine would rephrase it, is not, 'Why does God not save everyone?'; but 'Why does God save anyone?'; for we are all justly condemned. The problem would not be God's justice, but God's mercy which would seem unjust, or at least at the expense of justice".17 Ogliari continues, We must admit that, even though Augustine tried to reduce the brutality of a mechanical and infallible non-predestination of the non-elect,... Read more →

Augustine and Southern Baptists Part 3A: Infralapsarian Humanity by Dr. Jim Gifford

Dr. Jim Gifford This will be the third in the series of blog posts on Augustine's views on nature and grace, as concerns the development of his deterministic views of providence.* Sorry it has taken me a little longer to get this one to Peter, but I had a family emergency last week that required a trip back to the motherland (West "By God" Virginia). Please continue to keep my family in your prayers. The second presupposition in Augustine's thinking (after his overemphasis on divine omnipotence) is his infralapsarian view... Read more →

Augustine and Southern Baptists: an Introduction by Dr. Jim Gifford

Dr. Jim Gifford Below is what Dr. Jim Gifford1 describes as a "short informal essay" serving as an opening post to a six-part series on Saint Augustine, an introductory essay entitled "Augustine and Southern Baptists: an Introduction." He envisions five remaining articles describing Augustine's influence on modern day evangelicalism--especially Southern Baptists--and attesting to several theological innovations Gifford's research led him to conclude were deviations from the received traditions the legendary Bishop of Hippo followed. The reader should keep in mind that Dr. Gifford intentionally designed the article series as informal... Read more →

Coming series on Saint Augustine by Dr. James D. Gifford Jr.

I’m pleased to announce a series of articles on Saint Augustine and his influence on Southern Baptist theology written by Dr. James D. “Jim” Gifford Jr. Originally from West Virginia, Dr. Gifford now lives in Charlotte, NC where he teaches theology and church history at New Life Theological Seminary, a small but growing TRACS-accredited multi-denominational, multi-ethnic Bible college and seminary. Jim received his PhD in systematic theology in 2010 from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.1 He also is author of Perichoretic Salvation: The Believer's Union with Christ as a Third Type... Read more →

G.W. Northrup on infants dying in infancy: The Western Recorder, Infant Salvation, and The Sovereignty of God: Part IV

In the final essay in his series critiquing strict Calvinism’s understanding of God’s Sovereignty in Predestination, Dr. G.W. Northrup proposes to “apply to the case of infants dying in infancy and of the congenitally idiotic the positions of the Calvinistic system already discussed.”1 On the whole, and contrary to many today who seem to feel the subject of infant salvation remains insignificant, Northrup contends for its extreme importance: “The question of the fate of those dying in infancy is one of vast theologic as well as of practical interest. For... Read more →

Adam Harwood and J.W. MacGorman’s “dangerous,” “unorthodox” doctrine inevitably leading to “heresy if not worse”

Recently, a Kentucky Southern Baptist pastor challenged Dr. Adam Harwood’s raising questions toward a particular seminary professor’s exclusive allegiance to imputed sinful guilt and whether the exclusiveness of the professor's view may be inconsistent with the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message.1 In his post entitled “Adam Brought Sin into the Human Race: A Response to Adam Harwood,” Jared Moore begins: Adam Harwood, Professor of Christian Studies at Truett-McConnell College in Cleveland, GA, recently argued that Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, because they believe in original guilt, may not be able to... Read more →

Hobbs in his own words on "imputed guilt" in 1963 Baptist Faith and Message

I continue to read questionable interpretations surrounding Southern Baptists' consideration and adoption of the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message.1 According to the minutes, the study committee was recommended by the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention and established at the 1962 convention: Since the report of the Committee on Statement of Baptist Faith and Message was adopted in 1925, there have been various statements from time to time which have been made, but no over-all statement which might be helpful at this time as suggested in Section 2 of... Read more →

What about those who haven't heard the gospel?

The Inspired Apostle concluded, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom 10:17). One of the perplexing questions Christians often discuss revolves around those who never have and/or never will hear the life transforming gospel message >>> What constitutes an acceptable answer which remains biblically faithful to not only our understanding of God's merciful love and holy justice, but also to our unwavering commitment to soteriological exclusivism? Namely, the Lord Jesus Christ's redemptive work as the only begotten of the Father? Or, as stated... Read more →

The Salvation of Infants: a theological essay by C.W. Koller

Frequently, our Reformed-leaning Baptist brothers and sisters insist that the doctrine of imputed sin (i.e. “Original Sin”) as understood in the Augustinian-Calvinist theological trajectory is not only the biblical view, it is also the classic view among Southern Baptists. We’ve shown before that theologians of great stature among Southern Baptists have historically distanced themselves from Augustine on Original Sin. Nonetheless, many still accuse those of us who do not embrace Augustine’s theory of imputed Adamic guilt (based primarily upon Augustine’s skewed reading of Romans 5:12) of being “heretics” at worst... Read more →

W.T. Conner on the imputation of Adam's sin by Peter Lumpkins

W. T. Conner taught systematic theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for 39 years beginning in 1910. The bio from The Texas State Historical Association sums up his academic life well: Conner's enduring legacy to Southern Baptist life lies in his thirty-nine-year teaching career at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary... In the classroom he endeavored to make theology practical rather than speculative; in the faculty his recommendations for prospective teachers were tantamount to administrative approval; and in the administration his long tenure provided continuity from the first president to the third.... Read more →

We're down to 2 Point Calvinism by Peter Lumpkins

This week was an interesting week on SBC Tomorrow. On Wednesday, we offered a piece on Andrew Broaddus (1770-1848), a legendary figure in his own time... >>> A strict Baptist of the south, Broaddus remained a positive influence for evangelical Christianity all over the region. The famed Calvinist, J.B. Jeter, a friend and supporter who preached Broaddus' funeral homily, hailed him as the most formidable foe against whom Alexander Campbell contended on the historic Baptist side of the Campbellite controversy, a controversy which wreaked havoc on 19th century Baptists. Yet,... Read more →

E. C. Dargan rejects total depravity; or, Was E. C. Dargan actually a Semi-Pelagian? by Peter Lumpkins

Edwin Charles Dargan was born on November 17, 1852. A native of South Carolina, he converted to Christ at age sixteen and went on to earn two degrees from Furman University (B.A., M.A.) and later enrolled in Southern Baptist Theological Seminary studying theology under the famed founder of Southern, James. P. Boyce >>> After serving the pastorate for several years in Virginia and California, Dargan was invited to join the faculty of his beloved alma mater in 1892. Hence, he became the professor of homiletics and ecclesiological history and remained... Read more →

Traditional Statement now “errs” but not “heresy”? by Peter Lumpkins

Recently, Alabama pastor, Rick Patrick, wrote an interesting piece at SBC Voices entitled, "Of Unity and Heresy." He writes: The suggestion by Southern Baptist Calvinists that Traditionalists may believe in heresy is much more troubling. Traditionalists who affirm Total Depravity reject Total Inability. Traditionalists who affirm our sin nature in Adam nevertheless reject that we are guilty of Adam's sin, holding rather that we are each accountable only for our own sin. These may not be Calvinist views, but they are certainly not heretical, semi-Pelagian views. Real live Cooperative Program... Read more →

Professor Roger Olson: An Interview Part Two

Dr. Olson, in the Introduction to Arminian Theology: Myths & Realities, you write: “The thesis of this book is that Arminianism is at a disadvantage in this controversy because it is so rarely understood and so commonly misinterpreted both by its critics and its supposed defenders.” But Dr. Olson, I hear so often that Arminianism is rampant in America’s pulpit--usually by Calvinist apologists. What do you make of that? Well, it’s a misunderstanding. What’s rampant in America’s pulpit and pews are not Arminians but semi-Pelagians. But what has happened is... Read more →