Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 04-04-2008, 01:27 AM

Peter Enns is the author of Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament (or via: amazon.co.uk). From the reviews, it appears that he recognizes that parts of the Hebrew Scriptures derive from Sumerian poems and not directly from God. He also wrote that the authors of the gospels wrenched the clear meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures from their context.

Quote:

Enns gives us a number of startling New Testament passages that use the Old Testament by wrenching the original words violently out of context and even altering them. For example, Matthew 2 tells us with confidence that Jesus' trip down to Egypt as a boy (and his eventual return to Galilee) fulfilled Hosea 11:1, "Out of Egypt I called my son." But Hosea 11:1 is simply describing the Exodus; it is a passage, Enns points out, which "is not predictive of Christ's coming but retrospective of Israel's disobedience." In other words, Matthew is shamelessly proof-texting, in a way that would get any student enrolled in Practical Theology 221 (Expository Skills) sternly reproved.

As a consequence, his employer, Westminster Theological Seminary, has suspended him, despite his tenure: story1 and followup

Quote:

In his book, Enns attempts to confront issues raised by historical-critical Bible scholars that seem to compromise the Bible's divine inspiration. Enns uses an incarnational analogy, meaning that Scripture is both human and divine, similar to Jesus Christ.

The debate lies in whether Enns's incarnational analogy falls outside of the Westminster Confession, since the confession never directly addresses a human dimension of Scripture. Some question whether it is appropriate to say there's a human side of Scripture because they worry it opens the door to an attack on its divine authority and authorship.

Critics argue that Enns's method falls outside the Westminster Confession's statement, "The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself."

"Instead of allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture, Dr. Enns interprets verses in isolation from and at odds with the clear testimony of other parts of Scripture, and allows an infelicitous use of extra-biblical sources to reassess what Scripture as a whole is," said church history professor Jeffrey Jue, who dissented in the faculty resolution.

"[Enns's book] has caught the attention of the world so that we have scholars that love this book, and scholars who have criticized it very deeply," Lillback told students this morning. "We have students who have read it say it has liberated them. We have other students that say it's crushing their faith and removing them from their hope. We have churches that are considering it, and two Presbyteries have said they will not send students to study under Professor Enns here."

Underseer · 04-04-2008, 02:46 AM

This isn't surprising. His research produced results that disagreed with the ideology of the denomination associated with the university that he taught at, and that cannot be tolerated.

Because the ideology is Truth, then there can be no facts that conflict with it, therefore his facts were wrong, therefore he must have been a poor academic, therefore he should not have tenure and should not be teaching university students. QEDumb.

DrZoidberg · 04-04-2008, 02:51 AM

No, it is surprising since Westminster Theological Seminary is supposed to be doing serious research. I suspect there's more to the story. It isn't uncommon for theological schollars to criticize various parts of the Bible for a variety of reasons. It's pretty much what they're supposed to do.

Steven Carr · 04-04-2008, 03:31 AM

This is still more evidence of the fact that people are EXPELLED for daring to question.

Just wait until Ben Stein makes a film about this.

How come all these EXPELLED (TM) people are expelled from religious institutions?

Could it be that religious institutions don't believe in the free speech that Ben Stein campaigns for?

Yellum Notnef · 04-04-2008, 08:59 AM

Burn the witch! :devil3:

eheffa · 04-04-2008, 10:59 AM

When Truth or Facts collide with Orthodoxy - Orthodoxy wins every time.

-evan

Buck Laser · 04-04-2008, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrZoidberg

No, it is surprising since Westminster Theological Seminary is supposed to be doing serious research. I suspect there's more to the story. It isn't uncommon for theological schollars to criticize various parts of the Bible for a variety of reasons. It's pretty much what they're supposed to do.

I agree that there's probably more to the story. My wife, as executive secretary to the president of Northern Illinois University for 15 years, always had some role in hearings regarding revocation or denial of tenure to faculty. The real issues almost never became public, but the victims usually managed to float rumors that showed them in a favorable light.

I know nothing about the Enns case, but my natural skepticism leads me to withhold judgment. On the other hand, I do know of faculty members who were "too liberal" and thus purged from Baptist divinity schools.

Toto · 04-04-2008, 11:27 AM

I think this has to be straightforward. Enns had tenure, he wrote a book that some evangelicals liked and others thought was heresy, he was brought up on charges related to whether his work was compatible with the Westminster Statement of Faith, and a majority of the board of the university decided he should be suspended.

There's no church state separation issue here, no basis for a lawsuit, and the college clearly had the right to do what they did - so no reason to look for hidden political issues.

As one of the commentators at CT said, this will enhance Enns future career and is a black mark on Westminster.

Minimalist · 04-04-2008, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Westminster Theological Seminary is supposed to be doing serious research.

Provided such "research" supports their pre-determined notions, apparently.

Clivedurdle · 04-04-2008, 12:32 PM

Am I correct in believing they may find this guy's views problematic as well?

http://www.mercifultruth.com/graham.htm

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04-04-2008, 02:46 AM	#2
Underseer Contributor Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburbs Posts: 39,172	This isn't surprising. His research produced results that disagreed with the ideology of the denomination associated with the university that he taught at, and that cannot be tolerated. Because the ideology is Truth, then there can be no facts that conflict with it, therefore his facts were wrong, therefore he must have been a poor academic, therefore he should not have tenure and should not be teaching university students. QEDumb.

04-04-2008, 02:51 AM	#3
DrZoidberg Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 5,746	No, it is surprising since Westminster Theological Seminary is supposed to be doing serious research. I suspect there's more to the story. It isn't uncommon for theological schollars to criticize various parts of the Bible for a variety of reasons. It's pretty much what they're supposed to do.

04-04-2008, 03:31 AM	#4
Steven Carr Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: England Posts: 5,629	This is still more evidence of the fact that people are EXPELLED for daring to question. Just wait until Ben Stein makes a film about this. How come all these EXPELLED (TM) people are expelled from religious institutions? Could it be that religious institutions don't believe in the free speech that Ben Stein campaigns for?

04-04-2008, 08:59 AM	#5
Yellum Notnef Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Gone Posts: 4,676	Burn the witch! :devil3:

04-04-2008, 10:59 AM	#6
eheffa Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 84	When Truth or Facts collide with Orthodoxy - Orthodoxy wins every time. -evan

04-04-2008, 11:27 AM	#8
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	I think this has to be straightforward. Enns had tenure, he wrote a book that some evangelicals liked and others thought was heresy, he was brought up on charges related to whether his work was compatible with the Westminster Statement of Faith, and a majority of the board of the university decided he should be suspended. There's no church state separation issue here, no basis for a lawsuit, and the college clearly had the right to do what they did - so no reason to look for hidden political issues. As one of the commentators at CT said, this will enhance Enns future career and is a black mark on Westminster.

04-04-2008, 12:32 PM	#10
Clivedurdle Contributor Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: London UK Posts: 16,024	Am I correct in believing they may find this guy's views problematic as well? http://www.mercifultruth.com/graham.htm

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