Categories
Soteriology

Tensions regarding soteriology, within the Southern Baptist Convention

I am not a Southern Baptist, but I am a Baptist, and I watch with interest theological developments within the Southern Baptist Convention. Like many other Baptist associations, they have not clearly identified themselves as either Particular or General Baptists, that is, as Calvinistic or Arminian in their theology. This has caused significant tension in […]

Categories
Divine revelation Soteriology

Romans 1, Calvin, and the usefulness of natural revelation in salvation

In my biblical and theological study of the possibility of the salvation of the unevangelized, I have presented a position that I call “accessibilism” (see Who Can Be Saved?). Among the varied understandings of how God makes salvation accessible to everyone, is a position I call “universal revelation accessibilism.” This asserts that God saves some […]

Categories
Books Theology of religions

Miles on the Bible and religions

            It has been many months since I began to read and talk about Todd Miles’s book,  A God of Many Understandings?  Summer travel and moving rather messed up my academic pursuits and I am still getting back to them somewhat slowly. The Bible and religions In his second chapter, […]

Categories
Books Soteriology Theology of religions

The exclusivity of Christ and a Christian theology of religions

            The western world is increasingly diverse religiously, and so it has become more urgent that we have a well formulated understanding of how we should view and relate to the religions of the world and their adherents. This fact has not escaped the attention of either theologians or missiologists, […]

Categories
Mission Soteriology

Acts 2 and 10: gospel exclusivist or accessibilist?

Matthew Barrett examined an “inclusivist” reading of Acts 2 and 10 and found it wanting, in his 2011 ETS paper. He has done good work and his critique deserves consideration and response. Matthew Barrett’s critique of inclusivist readings Barrett studies Acts 2 because he has met inclusivist proposals that “the Spirit poured out on all […]