Southern Baptist Texas pastor Bart Barber has written a lengthy response to a self-published paper titled “The Errancy of Inerrancy” authored by Jim Denison who is the Baptist General Convention of Texas’ Theologian-in-Residence and President of the Center for Informed Faith. Barber’s post, An Errant Bible: The Gateway Heresy, has received much attention across the blogosphere. Russell Moore, Dean of the School of Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, featured Barber’s critique of Denison on his blog. Nathan Finn, Assistant Professor of Church History at Southeastern College, also featured Barber’s critique of Denison on the popular blog Between the Times. Between the Times is sponsored by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and included among its contributors are Daniel Akin, President of Southeastern Seminary, and Ed Stetzer of Lifeway Research. Outside of the Baptist Blogosphere, popular evangelical blogger Justin Taylor highlighted Barber’s critique of Denison.
Jim Denison has been the BGCT’s Theologian-in-Residence since January 2009. I’m not sure exactly what a Theologian-in-Residence does. However, The Baptist Standard recently reported that Denison will debate Calvinism and the implications of Reformed theology with Timothy George of Samford’s Beeson Divinity. This debate will be held following the BGCT’s Annual Meeting on November 17 in Houston.
Though I’ll be the first to admit that I suffer from Calvinism and inerrancy fatigue (surely these two topics have been debated to death!), I hope that Denison will take the time to respond to Barber’s critique and perhaps provide a copy of his paper, The Errancy of Inerrancy, online for all to read what Barber was responding to.
Thanks for the link, O Big Daddy.
I, too, think that it would advance the cause of scholarship for Denison to publish the paper in a more widespread fashion. I also recognize that my response itself is the legitimate target of critiques.
In case anyone reading is wondering, legal concerns prevented me from providing the text of Denison’s paper on my blog.
I have to admit, my eyes glaze over whenever someone starts into an inerrancy debate. In the end, it seems to become one of two things.
1) I believe the bible more than you do…
or
2) My interpretation is more right than yours.
Tim