Dallas Willard and His Theology

[bouletheou]

Hey Gang,

I'm working my way through Dallas Willard's Renovation of the Heart for the third time. I've also read The Divine Conspiracy, and don't remember too much there to object to, but that's been five years ago.

I wonder if anyone else has any thoughts about this book and about Willard's particular expression of the theology of sanctification.

I find some things that bother me.

1. The company he keeps, and the people who are attracted to his writings are not what I'd call Reformed.

2. His theological anthropology is incoherent. I'm still trying to figure out what he's saying there. Those issues have been landmine issues in my congregation due to the influence of a certain Christian counseling center nearby.

But some of what he says seems sound, and I see particular points of contact between his views and the views espoused by Wilhelmus A Brakel in Vol 4 of The Christian's Reasonable Service.

Anyone else got any thoughts?

 

[au5t1n]

I read Renovation of the Heart a few years ago. I don't remember it being all that bad, but my theology has changed a lot since then and I don't remember the book well. He is a very devotional writer, which may be good if done well. He is a little too approving of the quaker Richard Foster and his contemplative spirituality stuff for my liking. Recently he was discussed on the Fighting for the Faith podcast by Chris Rosebrough (the guy from alittleleaven.com) if you want to listen to that: Fighting for the Faith: Is Dallas Willard a Christian?