peterlumpkins.com

Sexual Abuse, Darrell Gilyard and the Southern Baptist Convention: Part 2

In Part 1, I argued contrary to many internet sources, tweeter feeds, and what one might rightly dub "Patterson haters" that Paige Patterson was a key player in dealing with the sexual predator and church destroyer, Darrell Gilyard, in 1991, forcing, as it were, Gilyard to resign his church and leave the ministry. Mainly through Patterson's influence Gilyard left the ministry so far as the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) was concerned. However, eleven days after Gilyard resigned, he started another church unaffiliated with the SBC,1 a move Patterson had little... Read more →

Sexual Abuse, Darrell Gilyard and the Southern Baptist Convention: Interlude

As I argued earlier, Paige Patterson was a key player in dealing with Darrell Gilyard in 1991, forcing, as it were, Gilyard to resign his church and leave the ministry. And, Gilyard did leave the ministry so far as the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) was concerned. Eleven days after Gilyard resigned, however, he started another church unaffiliated with the SBC.1 Some insist that since rumors had been previously flying forth from different churches, rumors about which Patterson was presumably aware, this fact alone should indicate Patterson was either dragging his... Read more →

Sexual Abuse, Darrell Gilyard and the Southern Baptist Convention Part 1

The story of Darrell Gilyard easily arises to the category of legend in Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) life. As originally told, Gilyard was abandoned by his parents at a young age and wound up living under a bridge in Florida. Jerry Vines, pastor of Jacksonville First Baptist Church,1 discovered Gilyard, led him to Christ, and began mentoring him in the mid-1980s. Vines had connections to which he recommended the young, exciting, and vibrant young preacher--most notably Paige Patterson, (then) President of Criswell Bible College and Jerry Falwell, pastor of Thomas... Read more →

Karen Swallow Prior on John Piper's Advice to Women in Troubled Marriages

OK. I'm not much on Twitter. I've never liked it. I don't think I ever will. Moreover, it can get very vicious, even more vicious than Facebook. Yet it appears it's definitively made its mark for usefulness even among Christians, so I logged on to my old account this AM and posted a link to the piece I put up on my blog entitled, "How do Patterson Critics View John Piper on Spousal Abuse?," a piece asking some of the leaders among Southern Baptists who are bent on seeing Paige... Read more →

How do Patterson Critics View John Piper on Spousal Abuse?

Since the social media mob, led by @JonathanMerritt, @edstetzer, and @KSPrior, judges Paige Patterson's counsel to women in troubled marriages so entirely unChristian as to merit his immediate dismissal as President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, one wonders what they think evangelicals ought to do with evangelical icon, @JohnPiper, and desiringGod.org for the counsel Piper offers to women in troubled marriages. Check it out. For that matter, thoughts about John Piper's counsel to women in troubled marriages from high-profile Christian celebrities and organizations could be helpful in determining exactly why... Read more →

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 →

Had Al Mohler gone to Southeastern seminary and not to Southern seminary, what would have become of Southern?

On April 21, 1992, Baptist Press ran an article announcing the trustee decision for the new president of Southern Baptists' seminary in Wake Forest: Paige Patterson, an architect of the "conservative resurgence" in the Southern Baptist Convention, is the nominee for the next president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. Within the same article, another paragraph reads: Two other candidates had been interviewed by the trustees' executive committee acting as the search committee, Ellsworth said. R. Albert Mohler Jr., editor of the Georgia Baptist newsjournal, The Christian... Read more →

Does overseas missions strategy need reform? At least one SBC professor says it does

A piece by Will Hall in the Christian Examiner rehearses a journal article published in The Southwestern Journal of Theology by Midwestern professor of missions, Robin Dale Hadaway. Hall's article entitled "Prof calls for SBC overseas missions reform: Does drastic drop in IMB baptisms merit major remake?" lists among the changes Hadaway proposes: 1. Drop the two percent "reachedness" threshold and return to the original 20 percent or at least adopt a 10 percent baseline. "Exiting a people group that is more than two-percent evangelical," he said, "is the historical... Read more →

Looking Back:Southern Baptist seminaries desegregated before desegregation

Not until the Supreme Court's unanimous decision in Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education (1969) was racial segregation put to a complete end "now and hereafter."1 Below, however, is a short headline piece in The Christian Centtury concerning Southern Baptists' progressive action favoring racial desegration in 1950. Our seminaries apparently were the first institutions of higher theological education to tear down the racial divide. Southern Baptists Open Seminaries to Negroes* The boards of three Southern Baptist theological seminaries have opened the way for the admission of Negro students next... Read more →

B.H. Carroll's commentary on James P. Boyce's systematic theology

When I graduated from Boyce in 1981, I received my brand new Abstract of Theology by James Petigru Boyce (1827-1888) compliments of Founders Ministries. And, while I've since moved on from the printed edition Founders gave me as a gift (and, as most know, I've also moved on from Founders), I nonetheless often consult Boyce digitally either through Kindle or Logos. The historic significance of Boyce's theological-intellectual contribution to early Southern Baptists cannot be overestimated. A slightly lesser light among towering figures of early Southern Baptists stands the magnificent Texan,... Read more →

David Allen on John Piper and Definite Atonement

I've had many opportunities over the last several years to log the stunning lack of biblical, theological, and historical evidences weighing in favor of Calvinism's most vulnerable petal on its well-nigh universal symbol--the tulip--an acronym representing the five core doctrines Calvinists insist accurately summarizes the gospel teaching on salvation. The petal most at risk in T.U.L.I.P. is the centerpiece, the L as in Limited Atonement. Unfortunately for Calvinists, among the greatest critics historically, and perhaps it's not too much to suggest among the most effective critics of Limited Atonement (i.e.... Read more →

Paige Patterson’s peculiar passion for practicing what Jesus preached

In 1991, "First Things" published a brief book note by Phillip E. Johnson on a documentary volume written by Mike Bryan entitled Chapter and Verse: A Skeptic Revisits Christianity. I picked this volume up at a used bookstore a few years back and after finishing it concluded what a revealing but fascinating read it was. I subsequently sold it for a few cents. I wish now I had my copy back. Why? Given the latest uprising(s) against Paige Patterson, the last of the first-generation Conservative Resurgence relics running out the... Read more →

From Heaven He Came And Sought Her: A Review by David Allen

I recently made note of a new book release by Crossway entitled From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective. The 700+ page volume is purported to be the definitive volume on T.U.L.I.P. Calvinism's most vulnerable petal, Limited Atonement. Some of neo-Calvinism's brightest theological lights are among the contributors, theological lights including Henri A. G. Blocher, Michael A.G. Haykin, Paul Helm, Robert Letham, Thomas R. Schreiner, Sinclair Ferguson, and Carl Trueman. Dr. David Allen, Dean of the School of Theology, Professor of... Read more →

Conversation on Calvinism by two Southern Baptist theologians: Matthew McKellar and Malcolm Yarnell

Dr. Matthew McKellar serves as Associate Professor of Preaching and Chair of the Preaching Department at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. McKellar joined the faculty at Southwestern in 2009 after having served as a senior pastor for 28 years. His current research interests include preaching Old Testament narrative texts and the exposition of the parables of Jesus. Dr. Malcolm Yarnell serves as Professor of Systematic Theology, Director of the Oxford Study Program, Director of the Center for Theological Research, and Chair of the Systematic Theology Department at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.... Read more →

Baptist Confession of 1679--'all little children dying in infancy saved by the grace of God'

The following statements are taken from An Orthodox Creed, a confession of faith composed by British Baptists in 1679. The confession can be read in its entirety on the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary website (//link). “Neither do we believe, that Infants dying in Infancy without Baptism, go to Purgatory or Limbus Infantum, as they erroneously teach” (XXVIII. Article, Of the right Subject and Administration of Holy Baptism) “Nor are little Infants, that cannot examine themselves, nor give Account of their Faith, nor understand what is signified by the outward signs... Read more →

David Allen: Regeneration can hardly precede faith...at least not according to Scripture...

SBC Today posts a great summary of Dr. David Allen's presentation and The 2013 John 3:16 Conference. Of Ephesians 2:1-10, Allen says, “Part of what is driving the ‘regeneration precedes faith’ issue is a flawed anthropology drawn partly from Ephesians 2. With respect to Ephesians 2:1-10, when Paul speaks of the unregenerate as being ‘dead in sins’ there is no question that ‘dead’ is being used metaphorically. In Scripture, ‘death’ is often used metaphorically to express alienation from God and ‘life’ is used to express union with God via salvation... Read more →

"Vines left speechless by book in his honor" says a Southwestern seminary news release

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary posted a news release entitled "Vines left speechless by book in his honor." The article states: "Moments before standing to preach a sermon in a Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary chapel service, well-known Southern Baptist preacher and former SBC president Jerry Vines was presented with a book written in his honor by prominent SBC pastors and theologians. The unexpected recognition left Vines in an unfamiliar state—speechless." Entitled Preach the Word! A Collection of Essays on Biblical Preaching in Honor of Jerry Vines (Free Church Press, 2013: David... Read more →

New Release--Preach the Word! A Collection of Essays on Biblical Preaching in Honor of Jerry Vines, edited by David L. Allen and Peter Lumpkins

Free Church Press just released its newest volume entitled Preach the Word! A Collection of Essays on Biblical Preaching in Honor of Jerry Vines. I was privileged to be a part of the ceremony at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary on Tuesday, March 5th during chapel when Dr. David Allen presented the first copy to Dr. Vines. Dr. Vines preaching after the ceremony Dr. Vines and me in the Riley Center after the chapel service The volume contains chapters by a broad spectrum of Southern Baptist pastors, professors, and entity heads... Read more →

Travis Dickinson on Doubt

Dr. Travis Dickinson, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Christian Apologetics, at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, offers an excellent word for all of us who are plagued with what we might here call "doubting-thomas-syndrome." In part, he writes: >>> Doubting, it seems to me, is not all bad. It may not be an altogether enjoyable experience, but our doubts can be the very things that lead us to truth about a variety of matters. Where it can be problematic is when one has good reasons for believing something and yet doubts... 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 →

David Allen sets the record straight: Limited Atonement is biblically bankrupt, theologically insipient, and ethically unpreachable by Peter Lumpkins

Founders Ministries put together several theological worthies to write its latest apology for strict Calvinism, Whomever He Wills >>> Names include seasoned professors--Tom Nettles, Bruce Ware, Thomas Schriner, and Stephen Wellum--professors all at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (the majority of the contributors are affiliated with Southern). The author of the chapter on Limited Atonement, David Schrock, is presently a PhD candidate at the same seminary as well as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Seymour, Indiana. Given Dr. David Allen's devastating rejoinder to Schrock, one wonders if Founders Press is now... Read more →

Whomever He Wills: a scholar's review by Peter Lumpkins

Perhaps you’ve considered my thoughts concerning Founders Press’ latest release, Whomever He Wills: a Surprising Display of Sovereign Mercy, edited by Drs. Matthew Barrett and Thomas J. Nettles.1 My thoughts began with a short video presentation (I also mentioned one issue within the volume here). I plan another video book-note presentation shortly on Mark DeVine’s chapter entitled “Total Depravity” >>> My thoughts, however, come from a practicing pastoral perspective rather than an academic, scholarly one. And, while I hope I make the best use possible of scholarly methods in my... 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 →

Calvinists recruit W.A. Criswell to their cause by Peter Lumpkins

Dr. Tom Ascol is Director of Founders Ministries, the largest network of Calvinists affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Founders Ministries maintains that since Southern Baptists have “lost the gospel”, it apparently will be up to like-minded Calvinists like themselves to assist us in finding the gospel* >>> *I remain very much aware I broke my own ususal standard in posting such a long piece. I only hope I have not presumed upon my readership for whom I am always thankful... Of course, their understanding of the gospel is summed... Read more →

Al Mohler and Hyper-Calvinism vs.The Traditional Statement and Semi-Pelagianism by Peter Lumpkins

I’m told one of the high-lights of the 2006 Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference in Greensboro, North Carolina was the formal exchange between Drs. Al Mohler and Paige Patterson on the biblical doctrine of election. Entitled “Reaching Today's World Through Differing Views of Election” each speaker took a different perspective on biblical election, Calvinistic and non-Calvinistic respectively. Especially enlightening are Al Mohler’s words defending Five Point Calvinism against the charge of Hyper-Calvinism >>> Some Background First Some billed the exchange between Mohler and Patterson as a dream come true while... Read more →

Reformed Theology coming under more published scrutiny by Peter Lumpkins

The publication of Whosoever Will (edted by Drs. David Allen and Steve Lemke) was the result of The John 3:16 Conference held at the Woodstock First Baptist Church November 6-7, 2008. Contra some Southern Baptist Calvinists' unwavering confidence, the scholarly contributions in Whosoever Will demonstrated that Reformed theology is not the only, viable theological kid on the block. In fact, the composite thrust of the contributors to Whosoever Will makes it fairly clear that strict Calvinism as a system must be abandoned for a more robust biblicism >>> Since the... Read more →

I was saved through a sinner's prayer by Peter Lumpkins

Recently, the tattered, torn cloth of easy believism was draped once again over the shoulders of Southern Baptists by one of the young new lights shining among evangelicals—David Platt. He said in a “talk” excerpt at Verge 2012: “Making disciples is the supernatural overflow of being a disciple. Proclaiming the love of Christ is the overflow of sharing in the life of Christ. And I’m convinced many people in our churches are simply missing the life of Christ. And a lot of it has to do with what we’ve sold... Read more →

A. H. Newman on the "Radical Reformers" by Peter Lumpkins

The eminent church historian, Albert Henry Newman (1852–1933) was one of the founders of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. An accomplished scholar recognized by a broad, prestigious society of reputable historians, Newman wrote several standard works on Christian history including Baptist history >>> In 1894, A History of the Baptist Churches in the United States was released and enjoyed several subsequent reprints. In an introductory section entitled "Relation of Baptists to Other Bodies of Christians" Newman had this to say concerning our Baptist roots in the Reformation: Baptists have, for the... Read more →

Baptist Theologian explains "Radical Reformation Day" by Peter Lumpkins

Dr. Malcolm Yarnell is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Director of the Oxford Study Program, Director of the Center for Theological Research, and Editor of the Southwestern Journal of Theology. Dr. Yarnell also authored, contributed to and/or edited several published works including his enlightening monograph on The Formation of Christian Doctrine . In a recent Baptist Press article entitled "Why we celebrate Radical Reformation Day" he explains its significance for Southern Baptists >>> On this day in 1525, after an extended period of intense Bible study in the original languages,... 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 →

New Blog at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary by Peter Lumpkins

Just to show you how 'out of it' I've been for the last several weeks so far as keeping up with SBC affairs, I missed the launch of Southwestern seminary's blog--Theological Matters--theological insights from Southwestern >>> We welcome Southwestern's insights and anticipate valuable contributions from the faculty who are the authors on the blog. How ideal if all six SBC seminaries logged helpful material for us. Perhaps Southern Baptist bloggers would have fared far better had we had their scholarly insights sooner. Even so, I want to profile a 5-part... Read more →

Just in case you missed it by Peter Lumpkins

Below are some links you may have missed from this past week: A. Chadwick Mauldin, author of Fullerism as Opposed to Calvinism: A Historical and Theological Comparison of the Missiology of Andrew Fuller and John Calvin, has a worthy piece entitled, "Senualism, Antinomianism, and Sacntification" Brad Whitt has done it again with a post offering a summary of what it means to be Southern Baptist. Entitled, "What makes us 'Southern Baptist'?" I'll be surprised if both Baptist Press and other state papers do not pick up and run this short... Read more →

Professor David Allen on Andrew Fuller's Shift from Hyper-Calvinism by Peter Lumpkins

My recent book review of A. Chadwick Mauldin's work entitled, Fullerism as Opposed to Calvinism inspired a follow-up piece citing Dr. David Allen's helpful analysis of Andrew Fuller's theological shift from Hyper-Calvinism to High Calvinism to Moderate Calvinism. In a chapter entitled "Preaching for a Great Commission Resurgence” found in The Great Commission Resurgence: Fulfilling God’s Mandate in our Time, edited by Chuck Lawless and Adam Greenway (B&H, 2010, pp.281-298), Dr. Allen expounds on Andrew Fuller and his move away from what had become the theological norm of English Particular... Read more →

Fullerism or Calvinism? by Peter Lumpkins

Recently, Baptist theologian Malcolm Yarnell put up a brief review of Fullerism as Opposed to Calvinism: A Historical and Theological Comparison of the Missiology of Andrew Fuller and John Calvin (hereafter “Fullerism”) by A. Chadwick Mauldin ($12.80 Wipf & Stock Publishers, Eugene, OR, 130 pages). With a Foreword written by Michael A.G. Haykin, Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Mauldin offers an invigorating proposal to contemporary Baptists—perhaps especially to those Baptists among us who insist on making Calvinism proper the theological benchmark for orthodoxy within... Read more →

The John 3:16 Conference: A Vindication by Peter Lumpkins

Over the past few weeks, several commenters have logged on to SBC Tomorrow only to lob a petrol cocktail toward The John 3:16 Conference held at The First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Georgia almost three years ago. One commenter illustrates nicely for the others: "If the John 3:16 Conference was any indication, Calvinists are certainly not wanted and are practically anathema to our denomination... That makes me sad considering our roots" (emphasis mine; //link, //link) Whenever I ask the person logging such a low evaluation of the John 3:16 Conference to... Read more →

Top Ten Theological Truths for New Generation Christians by Peter Lumpkins

Theologian, Malcolm Yarnell, offers a great piece to consider for new generation believers. Entitled "Top Ten Theological Truths Every Young Christian Should Know," Dr. Yarnell's piece is a condensed version of a summary of doctrine created for the Youth Ministry Lab at its 2011 meeting. He includes succinct but helpful theological statements on The Trinity, The Holy Spirit, and Humanity and Sin, and Creation and Providence among others. For example, Yarnell writes of Creation and Providence: "On the basis of His love, the triune God created all things, visible and... 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 →

Bart Ehrman Honks James White's Nose by Peter Lumpkins

Internet apologetics is destroying conservative evangelicalism. It's only a matter of time. How do I know this? Take 10 minutes and listen to Bart Ehrman completely break down Reformed apologist, James White in cross-examination. I know little to nothing about textual criticism. But I do know when someone is bluffing with an answer. James White embarrassed evangelicals with this poor dialog with Ehrman. Ehrman walks away looking like an accomplished scholar. On the other hand, White crawls away like a whipped mongrel. Hear for yourself: Unfortunately the sound-bite I linked... Read more →

FBC JAX Pastors' Conference by Peter Lumpkins

Carrying on the great, 25 year tradition of inspiration, encouragement, and love for the local church pastor, First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida is in the final preparatory stages for the 2011 Conference. This year's theme is endurance and will be held January 28-February 1. Dr. Mac Brunson, Senior Pastor, FBC Jax, rightly observes that while some pastors are concerned about enduring until they retire, so many pastors today are struggling with how to endure to the end of the week! Here's a peek: Dr. Brunson obviously is attempting to reach... Read more →

Founders Journal & Whosoever Will: Observations: Part I by Peter Lumpkins

Founders Journal represents the theological thinking of the largest network of strict Calvinists within the Southern Baptist Convention, Founders Ministries.* In its most recent edition, Founders offers its critique of Whosoever Will: A Biblical-Theological Critique of Five-Point Calvinism, edited by Drs. Steve Lemke and David Allen. The issue entitled “Theological Debate Within the Family” (FJ 82) unfortunately ran into some technical difficulties and is being presently republished (though the misprinted version had already been sent out). I want to offer a few observations about the critical journal entries and will... Read more →

Quiet Revolution or Open Celebration? Calvinizing the Southern Baptist Convention by Peter Lumpkins

In his book, A Quiet Revolution, Earnest Reisinger (along with co-author, D. Matthew Allen) notes what he feels is the forsaking of historic Christianity in the Southern Baptist Convention and the recovery of the gospel... A Quiet Revolution Plainspoken in the clearest terms, Reisinger describes what he thinks ails the largest Protestant body in America—the absence of the gospel, the absence of Calvinism. He writes: “Calvinistic Christianity is nothing more and nothing less than biblical Christianity. It follows, then, that the future of Christianity itself is bound up in the... Read more →

Thabiti Anyabwile on The Economist by Peter Lumpkins

Recently, I put up a piece linking to the 9Marks Conference hosted by the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, especially profiling the address on Romans 9 by Thabiti Anyabwile, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman in the Grand Cayman Islands and a Council member with The Gospel Coalition, and comparing his perspective with another perspective on Romans 9 by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s professor of theology, Malcolm Yarnell. Anyabwile’s latest blog-post hardly displays the careful presentation he demonstrated at the 9Marks conference. Instead, we’re distracted from his concluding... Read more →

Arminian, Calvinist, or Baptist by Peter Lumpkins

One must read the newest white paper at Baptist Theology website. Several scholars have written a statement answering those who insist on making a particular soteriological stamp one’s preferred brand—especially either Calvinist or Arminian. They write: Are we Calvinists? No. Are we Arminians? No. So, then, who are we? We are Baptists. We are majoritarian Baptists in the Sandy Creek tradition, who formulate theology according to the authoritative, inerrant, and sufficient Word of God so that we might better proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to all human beings. We... Read more →

Dr. Ergun Caner Receives More Public Support by Peter Lumpkins

Contra the Muslim-Calvinist coalition led by British Muslim, Mohammad Khan and Reformed Baptist and Hyper-Calvinist, Rev. James White, a swelling number of Christian scholars and leaders are speaking out. Why? According to a statement just released... "Converted Muslim, Dr. Ergun Caner has been under attack by extreme Muslims and others who have challenged his integrity and character, claiming that he was not a Muslim, let alone a devout one, and that he intentionally made false statements related to his Muslim background and conversion to Christianity" (//link). Among the public respondents... Read more →

Whosoever Will: Non-Calvinism Gaining Traction in the Marketplace by Peter Lumpkins

Earlier this year, Time Magazine listed neo-Calvinism as one of the hottest new "ideas" blowing through our cultural milieu (//link). Does this renewed focus on theological determinism have what it takes to sustain inquiring minds? Time Magazine does not say. For my part, I think not. Reformer Balthasar Hubmaier's most famous dictum is apt: truth is unkillable Even so, I just learned Whosoever Will: a Biblical-Theological Critique of Five-Point Calvinism is currently their third best-selling book. Into its third printing with B&H, another 2500 copies is expected in the warehouse... Read more →

"Whosoever Will" Getting Good Press by Peter Lumpkins

As I posted late last week, Whosoever Will: A Biblical-Theological Critique of Five-Point Calvinism edited by Drs. David Allen and Steve Lemke and published by B&H Publishing Group is already on backorder (//link). More good news is, reviews are beginning to come in with positive results. The Southern Baptist TEXAN has two reviews, one by TEXAN correspondent, David Roach and the other by Editor, Gary Ledbetter (respectively here and here). Of the volume overall, Ledbetter concludes: “Some who read articles by members of the Founders’ movement or hear messages from... Read more →

Whosoever Will: Off to a Good Start by Peter Lumpkins

Looks as if Whosoever Will: A Biblical-Theological Critique of Five-Point Calvinism edited by Drs. David Allen and Steve Lemke and published by B&H Publishing Group is already on backorder. I'm told the first printing of Whosoever Will sold out in two weeks. B&H is scurrying to get a second printing. It appears the wait time is 4-6 weeks. Whosoever thinks the young, restless, and Reformed coddling among Southern Baptists is not getting the attention of the grassroots Southern Baptist Convention may need to rethink their proposition. Our congratulations to Drs.... Read more →

Seminary Enrollment: Do the Numbers Reveal Decline? by Peter Lumpkins

I just finished scanning the student enrollment for Southern Baptists' six seminaries beginning in the academic year, 2005-06. Honestly, I am unsure what the numbers finally reveal. However, some of the statistics I found remarkable. For example, the "head-count" enrollment for four of our six seminaries was less in the 2008/09 academic year than in the 2007/08 academic. The two exceptions are New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS)*, which rose from 3,509 students (2007/08) to 3,570 students (2008/09), and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS) which climbed from 1,006 students to... Read more →

Dr. David Allen: A Review of Dr. Tom Nettles on William Dembski's Theodicy by Peter Lumpkins

In the most recent issue of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Southern Baptist Journal of Theology (13.4 2009), Professor Tom Nettles reviews The End of Christianity: Finding a Good God in an Evil World. Let’s just say Professor Nettles was entirely unimpressed with Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's Research Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Cultural Engagement, Dr. William Dembski and his attempt to contribute an original theodicy from an old earth perspective. Indeed one might conclude Nettles took off his gloves and punched Dembski right in the theological... Read more →