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The Evangelical Left: Encountering Postconservative Evengelical Theology

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George Marsden has devoted a large portion of his career as an historian of American religion to teh task of defining the term "fundamentalist." He has confessed, only half-jokingly, that the best working definition he can come up with is "an evangelical who is angry over something." But then, what exactly is an "evangelical"? Whether one's approach is sociological or theological, historical or structural, "evangelicalism" is a notorious slippery term to define. This greased pig seems to be getting more slickly lubricated by the minute. Any observer of teh contemporary American religious scene will readily note some surprising theological developments within the rising "Evangelical Left." A growing number of "evangelical" theologians are reconsidering the most basic foundations and methods of theology in light of postmodern thought and arriving at some striking conclusions.

As Distinguished Professor of Theology at Baylor's Truett Seminary, and as author of nearly twenty books, including perhaps the most widely-used basic theology textbook among Baptists. Millard Erickson is well-positioned to offer a thoughtful analysis of this movement. More alertist than alarmist, Erickson offers a balanced critique of a trend which concerns him greatly. In the opening chapter Erickson succinctly traces the history of evangelicalism, ably guiding the reader through the usual highlights: Edwards and the Calvinist Great Awakening, Finney and the Arminian Second Great Awakening, the publication of The Fundamentals, the Scopes monkey business, the 1929 reorganization of Princeton Seminary, the founding of Fuller Seminary and the rise of Neo-Evangelicalism. Most recently there has emerged what UVA sociologist James Davison Hunetr describes as "a brand of theology that for generations had been considered 'modernistic' being advocated by theologians who vigorously defend their right to use the name evangelical." Erickson contends that this new brand of 'postconservative evangelicalism" is a movement that had been developing for some time rather silently, but that has only recently emerged publicly.

Prominent evangelical teachers such as Roger Olson, Clark Pinnock, Stanley Grenz, and John Sanders are openly "shedding theological conservativism" (p. 29), while continuing to lead the evangelical movement. Erickson offers a list of brief bullet points in order to idnetify the main characteristics of his subject: an eagerness to engage non-evangelicals to the left (accompanied by a disdain for those to the right), a recognition of the influence of social location on theology and the need to seek out multi-cultural voices, a broadening of teh souurces of theology from Scripture alone to include experinece, an emphasis on narrative over propositions, a process theology-influenced conception of God (as a vulnerable and limited risk-taker rather than sovereign controller), a greater stress on teh concern for nature, a belief in universal salvation, a rejection of classical theories of biblical inspiration, an emphasis in Christology on the humanity of Jesus, and a renewed Arminianism.

In four tightly-fashioned chapters, Erickson proceeds to illustrate these features from the works of prominent contemporary evangelicals. Chapter two examines the task and method of the Evangelical Left via Pinnock, Grenz, Bernard Ramm, and James McClendon. Chapter three examines the doctrines of Scripture from the vantage point of Jack Rogers, Donald McKim, Robert Gundry, Paul Jewett, including the famous "Black Saturday" incident at Fuller Sem. Erickson's chapter on the doctrine of God features the warm endorsements of certain elements of Charles Hartshorne and Process Theology by such evangelicals as Gregory Boyd, Stephen Franklin, and Richard Rice. The doctrine of salvation chapter provides a solid summary of the arguments of the so-called 'open' view of salvation, variants of universalism, and annihilationism, with Pinnock again garnering the most attention. Each of these chapters concludes with Erickson's summary evaluations, concisely listing positive and negative aspects of the teaching in question. Lucid, pointed, and accessible, these chapters would prove exceedingly rewarding reading for any undergraduate or seminary course concered with contemporary evangelicism.

In his final chapter, Erickson attempts to forecast the future of the Evanglical Left, and in the process he is compelled to sacrifice some of his focus. For example, his momentary excursion into psychoanalysis is highly stimulating, but jeopardizes his credibility with some readers. He postulates that for many post-conservatives, having jettisoned nearly all epistemological anchors, sentimental atachments to traditional practices serve as the only deterrent to a much further leftward drift. Erickson ponders what will become of the next generation who "will have not had the experience associated with the older theology" (p. 133). Moving still further afield, Erickson vaguely repeats the tantalizing observation of the Barthian theologian Wm. Hordern that those moving directly from a conservative theology to neo-orthodoxy, without ever having been convinced liberals, "lack something" (p. 135).

Erickson provides an excellent overview of various trends in neo-evangelical theology. Like all his books, it is well-organized and discusses the pros and cons of the ideas under consideration.

A masterful exposure of the main shortcomings of neotheism, namely its unawareness of compensating for the bias of its own presuppositions. Every theological framework, including neotheism, has a historical/philosophical context with all the accompanying premises, stated or unstated, conscious or unconscious. The author irenically but repeatedly points out the failure of neotheists to put their control belief cards on the table for all to see, then honestly evaluate them in the light of Scripture, reason and history/philosophy/logic for consistency, coherence, and authentication. Until this movement and its proponents are able/willing to do this in a reasonably thorough way, it cannot hope to intelligibly or meaningfully engage the historic Biblical position on God's infinite foreknowledge, for example. Assuming that even Almighty God cannot know a future we humans have not created makes the god of neotheism in Phillips' words, "your god is too small", and thereby colors all relevant texts examined in support of their theory. Can't the Bible declare a God Who knows all the future exhausively while simultaneously allowing humans to unfold it making Him aware but them responsible? The presupposition that God knowing the future doesn't force humans to make it so should be just as valid as the opposite premise. Which is more plausible and Biblical is a matter of examining all the relevant Scriptural material,not selective anthropomorphic/anthropopathic verses, to see which presupposition can account for all the Biblical data. This book read in conjunction with D.A.Carson's Exegetical Fallacies is a powerful rebuttal to neotheism. See also Norman Geisler's Creating God in Man's Image.

In panning the thought of these theologians, Erickson has actually recommended them. Writers are often known by who criticizes them the most, and if this is so than the subjects of this book should thank Millard for the compliment.

There is no evangelical left. To hold to the basic tenets of evangelicalism, however loosely, is to be to the right of the spectrum. This is neither good nor bad, it is simply a statement. Evangelicals are often slandered in today's culture, and this is sad, since many of their best thinkers (Grenz and Stott, for example) are truly intelligent people. To see them eating their own in this book is frightening.

Erickson is the greatest living evangelical theologian. He has taught for many years at several Baptist institutions all across America. He has taught for less than ten years at schools in Texas, and he has never lived in the state on a full-time basis. It is true that his work is not read very much by liberals in dying denominations and dead churches, but it is greatly appreciated by evangelical seminary students and pastors."The Evangelical Left" is a superb study of dangerous trends in the world of evangelical academia. Erickson does a superb job of describing how "evangelical" liberals are advocating heretical understandings of God (the "openess view") and salvation. He summarizes a large amount of literature in brief, concise chapters, and he offers short, but penetrating critiques."Evangelical" liberals will dislike this book because it is orthodox, biblical, and conservative. On the other hand, some conservatives have pointed out a few minor weaknesses. Erickson fails to evaluate the evangelical left from a confessional standpoint. Instead, he seems more motivated by nostalgia for the neo-evangelicalism of the 1950s. Also, Erickson lumps together a diverse group of individuals who do not agree on a lot of issues.Despite these minor criticisms, however, Erickson's book is extremely valuable, especially for the busy pastor or seminary student who does not have time to read everything that Pinnock, Grenz, and others have written.

Praise God for this book! For too long the real Christian church has allowed the evils of liberalism to rule our pulpits. First, integration, then women, soon gays, and all under the guise of "postmodernism." All the men in this book will burn in hell for the way they have perverted the TRUTH of the BIBLE. Millar Erickson has the guts to tell the real story. It represents people like me, who think hard about what is wrong, and get sick when slick neotheologians try to tell us that there is no unchanging TRUTH. READ THIS BOOK, it reveals why the churches are weak, but the TRUE CHURCH will remain forever, and partly because of this book and other like it. Anything "postconservative" cannot be Christian, and modernism is bad enough (along with formalism and worldliness), but POSTmodernism cannot be tolerated. This book is great for Bible classes, church training classes, and adult reading clubs. It is for thinking people, but is written at a level that anyone in the Church can read it and profit from it. Please read this book.