Hopefully we are beginning to see a movement to head off the schism within evangelism. Along with Steve I have heard a few other leaders beginning to express concern. Here is an article by Roger Olson I thought I would Share. This one is short enough that I thought I would simply paste it here instead of supplying a link. Following that is a joint statement by a number of evangelical leaders written in 2001 to the same effect.
“Big Tent” Versus “Small Tent” Evangelicalism
October 6, 2014 by Roger E. Olson 0 Comments
Something that grieves me very much is the gradual disintegration of the evangelical movement in America. And I know where I assign the blame–on what I call “small tent evangelicals” who practice tribalism and totalizing with regard to who is and who is not recognized as “authentically evangelical.”
I don’t remember very many things from elementary/primary school which was a very long time ago. But one thing that stuck with me over the years is a little poem. I don’t remember the author and it doesn’t matter right now. Anyone can look it up. Here’s the poem: “He drew a circle that shut me out: heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win; we drew a circle that took him in.” We were made to memorize it as a means of combatting cliques and tribes in school (and the bullying that often followed from that).
I will never forget the shock I felt when I read Harold Lindsell’s bombshell book The Battle for the Bible (1976). I was in seminary and was being taught that “biblical inerrancy” was not what Carl Henry called “the superbadge of evangelical identity.” (Henry responded to Lindsell’s book by denying that inerrancy is that even though he strongly believed in inerrancy.) Lindsell and his friends drew a circle that shut me and many other evangelicals out. I grew up in a very evangelical church and denomination–charter members of the National Association of Evangelicals–that did not use the language of “biblical inerrancy.” Lindsell argued that belief in inerrancy is essential to evangelical identity.
Imagine my surprise when I read the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1979) that included qualifications of “inerrancy” (when applied to the Bible) that Lindsell had rejected in The Battle for the Bible! And Linsell signed that statement.
Over the ensuing years I formed the opinion, which I still hold, that much of the disintegration of evangelicalism has not been over real doctrinal issues but over tribalism. Cohorts form and become “us versus them” groups that shut people out just because they pronounce words and concepts differently. The “enemy” (false evangelicals) are those who don’t pronounce “Shibboleth” correctly.
A few years ago I engaged in a sustained e-mail dialogue with a strong advocate of biblical inerrancy who was also an officer of the Evangelical Theological Society. Once we agreed that we probably believed the same about biblical accuracy (given all the qualifications he added to “biblical inerrancy”) I asked him if I could join the ETS even though I do not think “inerrancy” is an intellectually honest word for what we both believe. He said no. That just confirmed to me that “inerrancy” has become little more than a tribal Shibboleth to keep people out who are deemed unfit to belong.
Recently here I celebrated what I believe evangelical Calvinists and Arminians agree about–that God gets all the credit and glory for anything good that we achieve or do because we cannot do it without God’s transforming work within us. How many Calvinists agreed? Only a very few. Instead I hear that Calvinist leaders are still misrepresenting Arminianism and describing it as Pelagian or semi-Pelagian. What is that but tribalism? Small tent evangelicalism. Drawing circles unnecessarily to shut out people deemed somehow unfit to be part of the club of authentic evangelicals.
I consider this mindset and the excluding rhetoric and practices it leads to “neo-fundamentalism.” Unfortunately, it is catching on to the point that the totalizers and exclusivists are capturing the label “evangelical” for themselves.
These people have put tremendous pressure on “big tent” evangelical publishers and educators to cater to them–to not publish articles and books by those who do not pronounce Shibboleth correctly. Fortunately, most of the said publishers and educators have not caved in to them–yet.
Some years ago, when I was on the faculty of a well-known evangelical institution of higher education, former Youth for Christ leader Jay Kessler, then president of Taylor University, spoke to the faculty about this very trend and problem. He addressed it directly and advised moderate to progressive evangelicals to “hunker down” until the storm passes by. Unfortunately, it didn’t pass by.
My evangelicalism is that of the founders of the post-WW2 evangelical movement. It tried to include fundamentalists but they labeled it “neo-evangelicalism” and rejected it. The NAE and similar organizations that brought together non-fundamentalist, postfundamentalist evangelicals in a “big tent” coalition centered around the gospel was the evangelicalism of my youth and I miss it. From within its own ranks, unfortunately, arose new fundamentalists who were dissatisfied with the movement’s breadth and inclusiveness (e.g., of Arminians) and began to nit pick, draw exclusive circles, totalize their own brand of evangelicalism, and misrepresent those evangelicals they perceived as unworthy of the label.
The “Word Made Fresh” statement (2001) that I posted here recently was our (moderate evangelicals’) attempt to call all evangelicals back to “big tent” evangelicalism. It’s as much needed now as it was when it was written and signed by over 100 evangelical leaders and scholars.
The Word Made Fresh: An Evangelical Statement from 2001
October 3, 2014 by Roger E. Olson 9 Comments
This November two events will honor the life and theology of Stanley J. Grenz who died unexpectedly at age 55 in 2005. Stan was like a brother to me and I still miss him. The two events will be symposia at the Evangelical Theological Society and at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion. I will be presenting a paper at the latter event which will be in San Diego. (Like all events at AAR annual meetings it is open only to persons registered for the annual meeting.) Stan and I, together with two other evangelical theologians, wrote the following statement, circulated it to over one hundred other evangelical theologians, and published it on line. This was presented in the context of the controversy over open theism, but it was not limited to that issue and signers did not necessarily agree about open theism (as to whether it is an evangelical option or not). What the over one hundred signers agreed about is stated in the statement itself. I think the statement is still relevant and I present it here in honor and memory of Stan who was, in many ways, our leader among postconservative, progressive, evangelicals.
The Word Made Fresh: A Call for a Renewal of the Evangelical Spirit
To be evangelical is to be committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ–the Word incarnate–in all areas of life and to the supreme authority of the canonical Scriptures–the written Word–in all matters of faith and practice. To be evangelical also entails being characterized by an irenic, Christlike spirit of love toward those with whom we disagree and a cautious openness to the reform of tradition as the Spirit leads us to fresh understandings of the Word that are even more faithful to the entirety of God’s revelation. We oppose unfettered theological experimentation and accommodation to culture that threatens the gospel of Jesus Christ. But we also deplore a present tendency among some evangelicals to define the boundaries of evangelical faith and life too narrowly. For this reason, we call evangelical leaders and thinkers to make room for reverent exploration of new ideas and reconsideration of old ones without assuming too quickly that we know what Scripture clearly does and does not teach.
Throughout history, evangelicals have courageously stood against attempts to compromise biblical faith. Unfortunately, passionate resistance to error has repeatedly also led to militant, separatistic habits of mind and heart from which evangelicals in the mid-twentieth century struggled to free the movement. We are concerned that some claimants to the evangelical heritage appear to be falling back into some of the more onerous attitudes of fundamentalism. Out of this concern, we call all evangelicals to acknowledge the value of the kind of genuine diversity and fresh reflection, grounded in the written Word and centered on the incarnate Word, that has always been the hallmark of the true evangelical spirit.
To this end, we call all evangelical leaders and thinkers not to reject out of hand constructive theological proposals that are reverently rooted in biblical reflection, even when they challenge aspects of what some consider to be the “received evangelical tradition.” Rather than a sign of decline, constructive theological endeavor and rigorous debate about theological issues are marks of evangelical theological vitality. Premature closure of dialogue and debate by means of condemnations and threats of exclusion, in contrast, disrupts community and often quenches the Spirit who brings new life and leads us toward ever more faithful readings of God’s Word. Therefore, we admonish all evangelicals to resist attempts to propagate rigid definitions of evangelicalism that result in unnecessary alienation and exclusion. And we call all evangelicals to affirm the genuine diversity and fresh reflection, rooted in the authority of the written Word and centered on the Word incarnate, that has always been the hallmark of the true evangelical spirit.
Let peace prevail among evangelicals. We pray not for peace at any price, but for peace and harmony among equally God-fearing, Bible-believing, Jesus-loving evangelical Christians who may find that they disagree about many secondary matters. We call all evangelicals to rediscover and honor the motto: “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.” May the irenic spirit of generous orthodoxy that has energized and unified the evangelical movement prevail in our evangelical theological discourse. And may all evangelicals seek to renew the broad, historic evangelicalism that honors the oneness of faith that unites all who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and submit to the authority of the Word.
William J. Abraham.
Albert Cook Outler Professor of Wesley Studies
Perkins School of Theology
Southern Methodist University
Dan Allender
Dean, Mars Hill Graduate School
Mark D. Baker
Assistant Professor of Mission and Theology
Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary
Craig Blomberg
Professor of New Testament
Denver Seminary
Barry Callen
University Professor of Christian Studies
Anderson University
M. Daniel Carroll R.
Professor of Old Testament
Denver Seminary
Craig Carter
Vice President, Academic Dean and Professor of Religious Studies
Tyndale College
Rodney Clapp
Editorial Director
Brazos Press
David Clark
Professor of Theology and Ethics
Bethel Theological Seminary
Charles J. Conniry
Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology
Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program
George Fox Evangelical Seminary
George Fox University
Stephen T. Davis
Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies
Claremont McKenna College
William A. Dyrness
Professor of Theology and Culture
Fuller Theological Seminary
C. Stephen Evans
University Professor of Philosophy and Humanities
Baylor University
Gordon D. Fee
Professor of New Testament Studies
Regent College
Doug Frank
Adjunct Professor of History
The Oregon Extension of Houghton College
John R. Franke
Associate Professor of Theology
Biblical Theological Seminary
Al Glenn
Professor of Theology and Apologetics
Fuller Theological Seminary
Joel B. Green
Dean of the School of Theology
Professor of New Testament Interpretation
Asbury Theological Seminary
Stanley J. Grenz
Pioneer McDonald Professor of Baptist Heritage, Theology and Ethics
Carey Theological College
Professor of Theology and Ethics
Regent College
Vernon Grounds
Chancellor,
Denver Seminary
Douglas Harink
Professor of Theology
King’s University College
Christopher Hall
Professor of Theology
Eastern College
Fisher Humphreys
Professor of Divinity
Beeson Divinity School
Samford University
Douglas Jacobsen
Distinguished Professor of Church History and Theology
Messiah College
Alan F. Johnson
Professor of Theology
Wheaton College and Graduate School
Robert K. Johnston
Professor of Theology and Culture
Fuller Theological Seminary
Henry H. Knight
Associate Professor of Evangelism
Saint Paul School of Theology
D. Brent Laytham
Assistant Professor of Theology
North Park Theological Seminary
Randy L. Maddox
Paul T. Walls Professor of Wesleyan Theology
Seattle Pacific University
Gerald R. McDermott
Associate Professor of Religion and Philosophy
Roanoke College
Scot McKnight
Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies
North Park University
Nancey Murphy
Professor of Christian Philosophy
Fuller Theological Seminary
James Nelson
Professor of Theology
North Park University
Eric H. Ohlmann
Dean
Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Dennis Okholm
Professor of Theology
Wheaton College
Roger E. Olson
Professor of Theology
George W. Truett Theological Seminary
Baylor University
Alan G. Padgett
Professor of Systematic Theology
Luther Seminary
Tim S. Perry
Associate Professor of Theology
Providence College
Ronald W. Pierce
Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology
Talbot School of Theology
Biola University
Christine D. Pohl
Professor of Social Ethics
Asbury Theological Seminary
Daniel G. Reid
Senior Editor, Academic and Reference Books
InterVarsity Press
Kurt Anders Richardson
Boston University
Douglas R. Sharp
Professor of Christian Theology
Northern Baptist Theological Seminary
Lewis Smedes
Professor Emeritus
Fuller Theological Seminary
Klyne Snodgrass
Paul W. Brandel Professor of New Testament Studies
North Park Theological Seminary
Russell Spittler
Professor of New Testament
Fuller Theological Seminary
John Stackhouse
Sangwoo Youtong Chee Professor of Theology and Culture
Regent College
Glen Stassen
Professor of Ethics
Fuller Theological Seminary
Bryan Stone
E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism
Boston University School of Theology
Don Thorsen
Professor of Theology
C. P. Haggard School of Theology
Azusa Pacific University
Terrance Tiessen
Professor of Theology and Ethics
Providence Theological Seminary
Leanne Van Dyke
Professor of Reformed Theology
Western Theological Seminary
Miroslav Volf
Henry B. Wright Professor of Systematic Theology
Yale Divinity School
Yale University
Jerry Walls
Professor of Philosophy and Religion
Asbury Theological Seminary
Robert Webber
William R. and Geraldyne B. Myers Chair of Ministry
Northern Baptist Theological Seminary
Timothy Weber
Dean and Professor of Church History
Northern Baptist Theological Seminary
Jonathan Wilson
Professor of Religious Studies
Westmont College
Ben Witherington
Professor of New Testament
Asbury Theological Seminary
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