RTS, Bruce Waltke, and Statements (and Non-Statements) of Faith

John Stackhouse: RTS, Bruce Waltke, and Statements (and Non-Statements) of Faith

Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) has dismissed  Dr. Bruce Waltke because he recently stated publicly two radical convictions: (1) that a Bible-believing Christian could believe in evolution; and (2) that the church needs to beware of becoming a cultural laughingstock for retaining anti-evolutionary views that cannot be supported scientifically.

What’s pathetic about this action is that those points weren’t even radical in the nineteenth century, when Darwin himself had a number of orthodox defenders. So RTS apparently is not quite ready to catch up with almost two centuries of theology/science dialogue. ...

People sometimes ask me how I can stay with the PCUSA in light of views I have on certain issues. And there is no question that there is a lot of squirrely stuff going on with my tribe. But if you want reasons for why I don't look to more conservative denominations, here is a one prime example. Unbelievable.

Comments

[Steve Hayner]

Amen! While I have only met Bruce Waltke once, I am a long-time admirer because of his biblical scholarship and intellectual integrity.

[Dave Moody]

Bruce was my favorite prof in grad school @ Regent. His prayers were worth the price of admission, and his class on Genesis was superlative. I love Bruce Waltke and am so grateful for his faithful scholarship. May his tribe increase.

I always thought highly of RTS for having him as a prof. This is sad. I guess all God's children need each others prayers.

[john]

Why is it we Christians fight so vigorously over whose definition of Genesis 1-2 is right, while we seem rather indifferent to truly heretical views promoted, preached, and taught throughout our disintegrating denomination? When was the last time one of our seminaries fired someone for denying the unique indentity of Christ, the authority of Scriptures, or the purity of the Church? Whne was the last time any presbytery anywhere dimissed a minister or elder for heresy? But we turn our heavy guns instantly on RTS?

[(Rev.) Robert R. von Oeyen, Jr]

We have nothing to fear in terms of 'undermining' saving truth from the right use of science, historical-critical methodology (hcm) and the like -- when such methods are used rigorously by one who believes that "Jesus is Lord" (and the confessions that followed through the years). Because He is Lord He will lead us to the truth as He is the Truth! We must end this caricature of "believers" as those who have checked their brains at the church door! An excellent example of one who can convincingly use hcm rightly is Richard Bauchham, whose relatively recent publication, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, is like a bowling ball strike scattering all 'ten pins' of 'form ciriticism'(fc)to the winds, in so far as fc has been (wrongly) employed to distance the evangelists from the events of the Gospels and thus undermine their facticity. One could go on -- but the point is this: it surely does no good to check our God-given brains at the false altar of 'fundamentalism' as a way to stay true to an evangelical faith. What is needed is just the opposite: an intelligently informed apologetics led by the Spirit.

[Gary H. Aven]

Little news makes my jaw drop. The news of RTS firing Bruce Waltke is an exception. I am very concerned about the unbelief in all denominations,today. I believe that good Christians can disagree on evolution and remain in One Body. Why must evangelicals make Christian Faith and science opposites? Perhaps one of our mainline PCUSA seminaries will include Dr. Waltke under its wide umbrella and allow Dr. Waltke to bring his scholarship and witness to its faculty. Dr. Bruce Waltke teaches neither unbelief nor fairytale belief.

Gary H. Aven