Comments on: Morris Chapman, Calvinism, and Saving Faith (Part 3)

By: Dr. James Willingham

Dr. James Willingham — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:00:37 +0000

Packer’s use of antinomy is an effort and an attempt to get some insight into the nature of apparently contradictory truths. Some might call them paradoxical. I attempted to name the phenomena of apparently contradictory teachings, These teachings such as education/illumination and trinity/unity/ Jesus God/man, inspiration human/divine, church and worship formal/informal, nature of the church universal, spiritual, invisible/local, visible, congregational, to mention some (I could add for the unchanging nature of God and yet His changes (immutability/mutability)). I have written papers on many of these issue across the years. One approach that has been helpful was the development of the thought in Paul Halmos’ work, The Faith of Counsellors, in which he sets forth his theory of creative dissonance in which he finds counsellors who experience a tension between the objective and subjective elements of their approach to counseling find the tension a desirable one that enables them to be flexible. I called the phenomena crisontist, Christ + dissonance My 6 years of research in church history (3000 5×8 notecards covering more than 250 sources – some 6000 pages of researc materials) then the writing of a number of papers along with a MA thesis in Intellectual History cros more twenty years enabled me to grasp how two-sided, apparently contradictory teachings set up a tension in one’s mind and person, enabling a believer to be balanced flexible, creative, and magnetic. This, though not set forth in clearly written understandings in the period from 1740-1820 is the explanation for that great creative outburst that tranformed Protestantism from being a gospel recovery, contentious, combative, rigid effort into an outgoing labor to win the world to Christ through persuasion along with the creating of a new nation with more freedoms than ever seen before and with a built in change mechanism to enable them to adjust to changing situations. Only problem was the change mechanism went out of whack with the importation of French Infidelity into biblical studies as so-called Higher Criticism (Higher???), really the ideas of the Philosophes of France along with some from England like Tom Paine. Now that that approach has finally begun to look like what it is, a flawed view of unbelievers adopted and adapted by some believers who could not see the gaps and errors in it, we are beginning to look once more at the Bible with eyes of wonder as to the depthof a Book inspired by Omniscience and to think it possible thatit might reflect such a depth of Divine wisdom as would challenge and transform us upon our grasping it as it was meant to be perceived.

By: The GCR is the Same Old Politics | Integrating Missionally – W. David Phillips

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:59:27 +0000

[...] of his report is to be commended. Some hated it, a la Timmy Brister (see here, here, and here). Some, like imonk Michael Spencer, thought is was right on target. I tend to agree with imonk. [...]

By: Branton Burleson

Branton Burleson — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:01:54 +0000

John Piper actually has an article on the DGM website that explains why he disagreed with Packer that sovereignty and responsibility are an antinomy. I think Piper wrote it back in the 70s and gives an Edwards explanation as an alternative to “antinomy.” Very good, so you might check it out.

By: Greg Bailey

Greg Bailey — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:34:08 +0000

Though I don’t want to discourge Timmy from writing on the subject of Baptists and salvation (regeneration, justification et al) a reference on such things would be Bob Selph’s (now Pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Taylors, SC) “Southern Baptists and The Doctrine of Election.” Published by Gano I believe. Bob has been an SBC/ARBCA pastor and Director of ARBCA and a contributor to many things with Founders Ministries and other Baptist and Reformed Ministries.
Grace Alone,
Greg

By: stephenleecavness

stephenleecavness — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:00:27 +0000

***updated w/ page number***
timmy,
one you might add to your collection, as quoted by robert selph in his book, “southern baptists and the doctrine of election” is this statement by f.h. kerfoot, who was the corresponding secretary of what was then the home mission board and who took the place of boyce as theology prof at sbts;
“and, in common with a large body of evangelical christians, nearly all baptists believe what are usually termed ‘the doctrines of grace’ ” pg.73

-stephen cavness

By: stephenleecavness

stephenleecavness — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:37:33 +0000

timmy,
one you might add to your collection, as quoted by robert selph in his book, “southern baptists and the doctrine of election” is this statement by f.h. kerfoot, who was the corresponding secretary of what was then the home mission board and who took the place of boyce as theology prof at sbts;
“and, in common with a large body of evangelical christians, nearly all baptists believe what are usually termed ‘the doctrines of grace’ ”

-stephen cavness

By: Wade Rials

Wade Rials — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:43:26 +0000

Great job Tim. Maybe if Chapman would spend some time with a different group of Baptists he might come to a different conclusion. Thanks for the insight.

By: Greg Alford

Greg Alford — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:18:16 +0000

Timmy,

I hope you are working on your manuscript… this is good stuff.

Seriously, you should think about publishing your work (in printed form)… it would be a great benefit to many.

Grace Always,

By: Charlie Wallace

Charlie Wallace — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:08:23 +0000

This is by far one of the most exhaustive lists of quotes about regeneration that I’ve seen. Thanks for compiling this.

By: Rick Mang

Rick Mang — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:09:37 +0000

I am not familiar with the theology of Mell so I can’t tell if the first part of his quote indicatates a hypothetical condition or a settled one. I do however, agree with the conclusion of the quote.

I also think that Chapman would agree with his conclusion. But because his (Chapman’s) reasoning lacks cogency, it would be no wonder if he doesn’t agree that his position attempts to (divest?) God of the praise He alone deserves.

A very well thought out series of articles. I hope it provokes a serious discussion.

Rick