Westminster Theological Seminary suspends OT Professor
Christianity Today reports:
Two of the hottest issues in evangelical theology right now are the New Testament’s use of the Old Testament and evangelical textual criticism. Peter Enns’s 2005 book, Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament, aimed to pose difficult questions about the human aspects of Scripture. It received both praise and criticism from noted evangelical scholars.
And it made things difficult for Enns at his school, Philadelphia’s Westminster Theological Seminary. A battle over whether the book undermined or contradicted the Westminster Confession of Faith has been raging for some time now, and apparently came to a head Wednesday at the meeting of the school’s board, which decided to suspend Enns (at the close of the school year).
Trevin Wax summarizes the controversy nicely:
- Enns has been criticized for emphasizing the human nature of Scripture over against the divine.
- Enns has written that the first chapters of Genesis are firmly grounded in ancient myth, which he defines as “an ancient, premodern, prescientific way of addressing questions of ultimate origins in the form of stories.”
- Enns claims that Scripture is inspired and inerrant, however the way he describes Scripture seems to counter that belief.
- Enns does not seek to harmonize seemingly-contradictory parts of Scripture because he believes the diversity of Scripture is complementary.
- Enns rejects the idea of objective unbiased historiography.
It is very unfortunate whenever any seminary faculty member is suspended or dismissed on theological grounds. Do pray for Westminster Theological Seminary (students, faculty, Board of Trustees, and families) as they go through this controversial time. May we all examine ourselves and our own theology first, and read carefully about what is actually being debated, before pointing any fingers.
A Prayer of Blessing for this Christmas
“For unto us a child is born…”
Father we thank you for this Advent season…
…this time when even the secular seems to have touches of the Sacred.
As we rush to prepare for services celebrating the birth of your Son,
let us not forget to take time ourselves to consider the meaning of it all.
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.
Let that truth pierce our hearts this week… as though we just heard it for the first time.
Out of His great love for us, the Infinite God squeezed himself into our tiny little finite existence!
Fill us with wonder anew that it may drip out onto those around us…
…so that we won’t be just leading services this week, we’ll be experiencing them.
Bring those who need to hear the Good News of Great Joy.
Help us to proclaim it with love and grace.
Fill us all with the Peace that passes all understanding as we gather once more around the manger.
Just as the shepherds did so long ago…
…to bow in worship before the King of all Creation.
To Him be the Glory and Honor and Praise forever and ever.
Amen.
Glad tidings of great joy,
Alex S. Leung
