http://jaspry.blogspot.com/2008/06/building-bridges-to-be-published-soon.html

“Dr. Aikens final sermon was tremendous. It is a call to arms to all Bible believing SBCers. Definitely not a downgrade. Remember, Spurgeon did not fight for Calvinism in the Downgrade, but for a common and Biblical meaning of gospel and church.”

I agree wholeheartedly that we should be at arms, amen Dr. Aiken. But as far as downgrade, don’t forget that Spurgeon said that calvinism is the gospel. I don’t believe for one second that Dr. Aiken should be on the other side (pardon the terminology) of the point as Ascol.

It’s not Aiken that’s detrimental to the SBC. It’s the power hungry people who water down the gospel – at best – in order to have large churches and big baptism numbers so they can hold office in the SBC. They’re influencing many young and impressionable SBC pastors with the roles they play in the SBC.

These men do not and will not uphold church discipline. They do not call for fruit meet for repentance in church membership. They do not have any accountability to church rolls. They’re like the Mormons, once you’re on the roll – you’re always on the roll and they use this to gain prestige in the conference. It’s sad and it’s horrific. It makes the SBC a laughing stock to the world.

We need men who will build bridges, but we also need men who are willing to stand up and say that is unbiblical and we will have no part in it. We need men who are willing to downsize rather than downgrade. You know what caused the reformation – God using someone like Luther.

Can you imagine what Luther would have said to Yarnell?

Where are the Luthers? Forget political correctness and let’s get to the truth and draw lines in the sand.

Please don’t take this as vitrioloic. I say this with tears. The gospel is at stake! The glory of God is at stake! The preeminence of Christ is at stake!

These are far greater than the SBC and whether it lasts or not!

Yes we should try and meet. Yes we should try to agree. But when do we stop and part ways!

It’s not Aiken and men like him who are not 5-point calvinists that we should be debating (I say this nicely). Where was Jerry Vines during this conference? Is he interested in getting it right? Probably no more than Yarnell.

We go to learn, be taught, get to the truth! Repent when necessary, recant when necessary – with the goal of getting to the truth for the glory of God.

But at some time we must shake the dust off our feet!

That’s what we should be talking to men like Aiken and Patterson about. When do we shake the dust off our feet towards those who do not hold to the true gospel?

Agreed. There is much to be commended in Garrett’s works. My point (and I think Gene’s) point is how Calvinism is being couched by Garrett et al. in recent years. The issue of his systematic theology is a different matter, although I think his more popular articles in the state paper will not work positively in his favor.

i certainly did not agree with Dr. Garrett’s assesment in the Alabama Baptist paper. However, I am a little concerned that some people are simply written off out of hand because they are not Calvinists. i know that is not what you were doing and i appreciate the fact that you always try to represent people fairly. I am sure that both of us know people who have the mindset that if you are not a calvinist you have nothing valuable to say.
Dave

Perhaps so, but what systematic theology class is even offering Garrett’s systematic even as an optional textbook. The fact that his book is not even optionally recommended says something. But aside from that, his articles on Dortian Calvinist in the Alabama Baptist did not reflect first-rate scholarship (IMHO).