Click on the title of this entry to see the video of Dr. Richard Turnbull, principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. This is a lecture from 2006 on the topic of Evangelical theology and its distinctives.
While I agree with Turnbull's assessment, he does not go far enough. The doctrine of justification by faith alone, or sola fide, is an essential doctrine of the Protestant/Evangelical faith. At his recent lecture at the Wycliffe Hall Winter Conference in Orlando, February, 2009, Turnbull noticeably did not say anything about the 5 solas of the Protestant Reformation. I agree we ought to be on guard against theological liberalism. However, to compromise with Anglo-Catholicism is essentially to set out on the road toward theological liberalism. Scripture alone is the final authority in all matters of faith and doctrine and Anglo-Catholics absolutely do not believe the doctrine of sola Scriptura.
I did e-mail Dr. Turnbull after his lecture at Reformed Theological Seminary and tell him what I thought. He was surprised to say the least. He approached me the next day and asked if I had e-mailed him. He remarked that he's often been attacked by the left but never from the right. I realize that he is fighting a different sort of battle in England but the fact remains that there are five solas of the Protestant Reformation. If we leave out even one of these solas, we are no longer in the Evangelical camp. Evangelicalism is not Evangelical without the Protestant Reformation. We ought to stand together and pray for one another but we should never hesitate to point out weaknesses in our position to one another and to challenge one another do do better!
Be that as it may, this is a lecture worthy of your attention.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Charlie
While I agree with Turnbull's assessment, he does not go far enough. The doctrine of justification by faith alone, or sola fide, is an essential doctrine of the Protestant/Evangelical faith. At his recent lecture at the Wycliffe Hall Winter Conference in Orlando, February, 2009, Turnbull noticeably did not say anything about the 5 solas of the Protestant Reformation. I agree we ought to be on guard against theological liberalism. However, to compromise with Anglo-Catholicism is essentially to set out on the road toward theological liberalism. Scripture alone is the final authority in all matters of faith and doctrine and Anglo-Catholics absolutely do not believe the doctrine of sola Scriptura.
I did e-mail Dr. Turnbull after his lecture at Reformed Theological Seminary and tell him what I thought. He was surprised to say the least. He approached me the next day and asked if I had e-mailed him. He remarked that he's often been attacked by the left but never from the right. I realize that he is fighting a different sort of battle in England but the fact remains that there are five solas of the Protestant Reformation. If we leave out even one of these solas, we are no longer in the Evangelical camp. Evangelicalism is not Evangelical without the Protestant Reformation. We ought to stand together and pray for one another but we should never hesitate to point out weaknesses in our position to one another and to challenge one another do do better!
Be that as it may, this is a lecture worthy of your attention.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Charlie
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