Antiheritage: The Purpose of Theological Education

by T. C. Pinckney                                                                                      Vol. XIV, No. 2, February 2001

 

The North Carolina Biblical Recorder of 25 November 2000 carries a full page article on the initial meeting of "Mainstream Baptists of North Carolina", one of a series of "Mainstream" groups being established in various states to divert churches, dollars, and people from the SBC. According to the report, most speakers focussed on building a rationale for diverting NC funds from support of SBC seminaries to NC theological schools. One of the keynote speakers was David Currie, the active Texas "Mainstream" leader.

But the purpose of this report is not to critique Currie's remarks, but to share a point made by Wayne Stacy, dean of the divinity school at Gardner-Webb University (GWU) as reported in the Biblical Recorder,

"Stacy pointed to differences between models of theological education at GWU and the SBC seminaries. Students at GWU are encouraged to unpack their current theological bags, he said, to examine their options, and then repack their bags with conclusions that are most meaningful to them."

Wow! Think about the presuppositions and implications of such a position. To Stacy and the divinity school of GWU Christian doctrine is no more fixed, no more authoritative than the clothes one packs for a weekend trip!

"... and then repack their bags with conclusions that are most meaningful to them." That places final authority in the hands of the individual and snatches it away from God. It attempts to make the individual the final arbiter of doctrine, and to substitute "meaningful" in place of "Thus saith the Lord". It is hard to see how someone who makes such a statement can have any conception of the majesty and sovereignty of God, the finitude and sinfulness of men, and/or our proper spheres as "douloi" (bondslaves) of Christ.

There is also an important lesson here for young people and their parents: Do NOT assume that just because a school (at any level) has the word "Christian" or "theological" in its name, it really espouses and teaches biblical truth. Do NOT expose your young people to the insidious blandishments of Satan's minions even though they come disguised as angels of light. Check out each school conscientiously.