Calvinist Flyswatter

Texas mag fouls out

BAPTIST STANDARD SOFT-PEDDLES
THE CASE ON MODERN "CALVINISM"

The State paper for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, Baptist Standard, does not have a stellar reputation in Texas for either knowing or presenting the truth. It is generally regarded by many as simply a propaganda publication for the BGCT hierarchy.

In fact, it has been one of the primary sources of the anti-inerrancy of Holy Spirit-inspired Scripture element for years, and helped promote the defunding of Southern Baptist seminaries at its annual convention in October, 2000. The BGCT has been on the downgrade ever since in more ways than one.

For years, the Standard was seen by many to simply be a pawn of the kingpins of the BGCT, men such as millionaire John Baugh, former Baylor president Herbert Reynolds, and their cadre of followers in the militant "Texas Baptists Committed" anti-inerrancy organization. See this web site for the truth about these so-called "mainstreamers."

One of their editors once threatened me with legal action if I did not cease publishing my writings about the Standard, etc. I told him to 'have at it," and reminded him we still have freedom of the press in this country. He later was "laid off," and took a secondary position on a church staff.

Now, when the Baptist Standard writes on "Calvinism" in a manner which even seems to please the Flounders' chief flounderer, Tom Ascol, you know something stinks at Dallas headquarters.

And indeed it does. I did not bother to read the articles in the Standard of April 28, 2008 until today, or I would have been squawking sooner than now. The articles on modern "Calvinism" in that issue are almost a total dud, a foul ball, a flat tire.

Why so?

It completely ignores the very heart of the modern "Calvinism" of the non-creedal variety being advocated by the Flounders and other so-called "Reformed" sources which teach "pre-faith regeneration," or "born again before faith." All creedal Calvinists known to me repudiate this perversion of the creedal view of "Effectual Calling."

The post-17th century non-creedal notion of "born again before and without faith" was concocted by the "We Be Abraham's Seed" sect of Pedobaptists and is an extension of their "regeneration of infants" or "covenant children" heresy whereby their offspring allegedly receive "regeneration" either before birth or shortly thereafter.

This phantasmagorical hallucination lies at the root of nearly all modern "Reformed" theology, and is delineated in the writings of such pedobaptists as W. G. T. Shedd, Louis Berkhof, Iain Murray, J. I. Packer, R. C. Sproul, and their disciples. I did not even see where Roger Olson, the "Arminian" of Truett Seminary who is quoted several times in the Standard, made mention of this primary heresy.

Silence on this matter is inexcusable in any consideration of modern "Reformed" "Calvinism." In fact, it should be front-and-center of any serious discussion of modern "Calvinism."

But why am I squawking?

When writers who have been published in the Baptist Standard have sometimes pleaded "ignorance" of what is meant by the word "inerrancy," should I really expect the Standard to present a thorough perspective on the modern Pedobaptist "Reformed" version of "Calvinism"?

That might be another instance of finding a jewel in a swine's snout. (Proverbs 11:22)

posted by Bob L. Ross @ 9:58 PM