Building Bridges Conference

My reading appetite has gone woefully underfed this semester. I haven’t had time for much of anything that isn’t labeled multivariable calculus, physics, or engineering statics. But a steady stream of thought provoking and edifying audio has helped offset the lack of reading. This weekend, as I try to overcome a small mountain of homework, I’m enjoying the audio from the Building Bridges conference put on by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Founders Ministries.

I’ve only heard about 40% of the audio thus far, and with one exception, I’ve found it both challenging and edifying. And from the brief blog reviews that I’ve skimmed over, the rest of the conference looks like it will follow suit.

About that one exception. I have a few bones to pick with Malcolm Yarnell’s presentation. But let me preface them by stating the obvious. Dr. Yarnell is an Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Assistant Dean for Theology Studies, Director of the Oxford Study Program, and Director of the Center for Theological Research. I’m a tall, skinny nobody. Dr. Yarnell is my elder brother in the Faith. I’m just a babe in Christ. Dr. Yarnell stood before an audience that, I assume, was largely comprised of individuals who would have substantial theological differences with him and delivered a passionate message. I’m sitting on my duff in front of a computer. Believe me, the magnitude of the differences here are not lost on me. And it’s entirely possible that my beefs with Dr. Yarnell’s presentation are simply due to the fact that he had a lot to say and a limited amount of time to say it. Clarity is often lost in such situations. Nevertheless, a few shortcomings in his presentation need to be pointed out.

The first is the use of the stick labeled “Calvin Burned Servetus”. It’s the same stick that atheists use against Protestants when they tire of swinging the stick labeled “Spanish Inquisition” against Catholics. The historical record is clear enough for those who can approach it without looking for a club to swing. Calvin warned Servetus through an intermediary that he could not guarantee Servetus’ safety if he came to Geneva. Yet, Servetus came anyway. Calvin sought advice from several churches throughout Europe after Servetus’ imprisonment. All responded alike – let Servetus burn; and he had already been condemned to death by the Catholics. Calvin pleaded with the city counsel that Servetus’ death be by some other means than burning. But proving that Calvin was not “Geneva’s Dictator”, the counsel did not listen to him.

Calvin was only granted bourgeois status at Geneva in his old age; he never became a citizen of the city. He could not stand for office and, until Dec. 1559, could not even vote in the city elections; nor did he have privileged access to, or direct influence over, the city council at any point during his career.

Calvin could and did urge, cajole and plead; he could not, however, command.

~ Alister McGrath, A Life of John Calvin (p.109, 125)

Now that Dr. Yarnell has used the “Calvin Burned Servetus” stick, atheists will forever be able to point to a conservative Southern Baptist’s use of it to justify their own (trust me, it won’t matter to these people that Dr. Yarnell didn’t say the words “Calvin Burned Servetus”). And even more lamentable is the “guilt by association” implicit in Dr. Yarnell’s usage. The tactic is as identifiable as it is reprehensible. Sully a view of soteriology that, by convention, bears the name of an ancillary character to a horrific historical event by pointing out the proximity of said character to said event. All this when the event in question sheds no light on the soteriological view in question whatsoever.

My second beef is more of a lead in to the third, but common in the Calvinist/Non-Calvinist SBC debate. I agree that it is helpful to define terms in a debate. But I found Dr. Yarnell’s definitions to be very unhelpful. The gist of his definition of Classical (sometimes Dortian) Calvinism seemed to be — a five pointer + something else. But what that something else was I cannot say as Dr. Yarnell wasn’t very clear. Is it holding to one degree or other the Regulative Principal of Worship? Holding a particular view of eschatology? Or do we have to jump all the way to paedobaptism to define the Dread Classical (or Dortian) Calvinist? This becomes important later.

Regarding Dr. Yarnell’s definition of a Calvinist Baptist, it seemed that he defined it as — a four (or less) pointer. He didn’t say that, but that’s what I took from this section of his message. This also becomes important later.

Dr. Yarnell did very little as far as defining Hyper-Calvinism, but a litmus test was offered. If you have theological problems with the “Sacrament of the Invitation” (my term), according to Dr. Yarnell, your a Hyper-Calvinist. It’s too bad, because a workable definition that anyone can understand isn’t really hard to come up with. Namely, Hyper-Calvinism is rooted in the belief that man’s inability negates man’s responsibility. It’s a 180 degree turn from the Arminian belief that man’s responsibility negates God’s Sovereignty. And both Hyper-Calvinism and Arminianism are 90 degrees out of phase with the truth that man is responsible and God is Sovereign.

Finally, the third bone of contention. Based on the definitions given by Dr. Yarnell, when he says that Classical (or Dortian) Calvinist are unwelcome in the SBC, I hear “5-pointers are unwelcome in the SBC.” And I have a feeling that I’m not the only one. I may well be wrong, but cannot conclude that I am wrong based on anything Dr. Yarnell said. And here’s what I’m getting at; if it’s true that Calvinism is indeed on the rise in the SBC, and that near 30% of recent graduates from Southern Baptist Seminaries identify themselves as Calvinist, then putting out a sign reading “5-pointers are not welcome” is the functional equivalent of leaving unwanted children out to exposure. Some may well stay and endure the hostility but many may well be taken in joyfully by other denominations. It’s unreasonable to expect these graduates to stay where they are not wanted and then stand by and say that we are shocked – Shocked! – when these men, reared in Southern Baptist Churches and Seminaries, seek a home elsewhere. The same can be said about those of us sitting in Southern Baptist pews.

In closing I have to say that I’m glad Dr. Yarnell spoke at the conference. He could have very easily blown off the opportunity. But if bridges between Calvinists and Non-Calvinists are to be built within the SBC, then men like Dr. Yarnell are needed on the bridge building teams. Else, we’ll be building bridges to nowhere.