From
Christianity Today
we hear of the Evangelical Theology Society coming close to expelling two members,
one of them (Clark Pinnock) very well known, for failing to believe in the principles of
the Society. Though I think that "Openness Theism" is dead wrong, I don't believe in
inerrancy myself and so would deserve to be expelled if I belonged, but I admire how
well they seem to have managed things.
...
But Nicole's disagreements with Openness Theism were high-minded and principled, and did
not offer the slightest hint of animus. So moved was Clark Pinnock that he stood at the
close of Nicole's presentation to say that he felt closer to Nicole now than he ever
had. As the crowd milled about during their break, Nicole and Pinnock embraced.
Later Wednesday morning, Pinnock had his turn at the microphone. He talked about how
much the challenge to his membership hurt. "But thanks be to God," he said, "what began
as an experience of tension filled with anxiety has turned around and became something
very different, an experience of grace mixed with truth." Regarding the process by which
the membership challenge was handled, Pinnock said, "The exchange of ideas and the way
in which I was handled by the committee was exemplary and a model of truth seeking and
fairness."
"They had a chance to nail me when they spotted a careless expression," he added, "but
they did not. They wanted to hear me out and not rush to judgment. Nothing remotely
like a witch hunt occurred."
Nicole's motion to request Gundry's resignation followed and passed 116 to 41, despite
the plea of J. Julius Scott of the Wheaton Graduate School of Theology that the ETS
would, by its action, be implicitly calling Gundry a liar when he says he believes in
inerrancy.
Gundry, in his resignation speech, said, "I shall miss the fellowship in the ETS. I'm
interested in seeing how you handle Knight's motion in practice. I congratulate the
society on its concern for doctrinal purity and its opposition to a tolerance that leads
to syncretism. And I urge those who have supported me to stay in the society."
In the event, the membership voted not to expel retired McMaster Divinity School
theologian Clark Pinnock and Huntington College theologian John Sanders. The proposal to
expel Pinnock received 212 yes votes and 432 no votes, thus failing to reach the
necessary two-thirds majority by a wide margin. Sanders squeaked by. The proposal to
expel him received 388 yes votes and 231 no votes, barely missing the required 66 2/3
percent by less than four percentage points.
I would have voted to acquit both, on the grounds that their heresy is a minor one,
and quite compatible with inerrancy. Indeed, outright Pelagianism is, or Arianism. On
the other hand, a similar proceeding back around 1983 also reached the right conclusion
in expelling a member whose method of interpreting scripture made a mockery of
inerrancy, or, indeed, of taking the Bible seriously.
Christianity Today
in 1983 wrote
George Knight III of Convenant Theological Seminary then promptly moved that "the ETS
go on record as rejecting any position that states that Matthew or any other biblical
writer materially altered and embellished historical tradition or departed from the
actuality of events." Despite the efforts of Ward Gasque of Regent College to table
Knight's motion, it passed 119 to 36, with many abstentions.
I admire Grundy's resignation speech. He is saying, properly, that from his point of
view the Society made a mistake, but he is glad they aren't namby-pamby anything-goes
liberals.
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