Gavin Ortlund on the danger of modern evangelicalism ignoring historical theology

[clawrence9008]

“To the extent that evangelicals adopt a kind of ‘me and my Bible’ theological method, as though theology can be done without appropriation of the battles and settlements of earlier generations, we diminish and destabilize our theological witness.”

— Gavin Ortlund, Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals: Why We Need Our Past to Have a Future (Wheaton: Crossway, 2019).

 

[Charles Johnson]

Some might find that a little rich coming from Crossway...

 

[retroGRAD3]

Some might find that a little rich coming from Crossway...

Indeed

 

[clawrence9008]

Some might find that a little rich coming from Crossway...

What are you referring to by this statement brother?

 

[Knight]

“To the extent that evangelicals adopt a kind of ‘me and my Bible’ theological method, as though theology can be done without appropriation of the battles and settlements of earlier generations, we diminish and destabilize our theological witness.”

— Gavin Ortlund, Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals: Why We Need Our Past to Have a Future (Wheaton: Crossway, 2019).

Be sure to think about not only where Ortlund thinks settlements were accomplished but also who were the settlers.

I've watched enough of his videos to have a very low view of his ecumenical ecclesiology.

 

[Charles Johnson]

What are you referring to by this statement brother?

Crossway's catalogue consists almost entirely of publications from the last 5 years, and their biggest seller, the ESV bible, is not only recent, but it's updated so frequently that the last update can't be more than a few years old.

 

[clawrence9008]

Crossway's catalogue consists almost entirely of publications from the last 5 years, and their biggest seller, the ESV bible, is not only recent, but it's updated so frequently that the last update can't be more than a few years old.

Perhaps I show my ignorance and naivete here, but I don’t really see how this is a problem. Not every Christian publishing company has to primarily publish or republish older Reformed works to be helpful (BoT and RHB primarily republish older Reformed and Puritan works, which is great, but not every company needs to do what they do). While I would say that most works written by the Reformers, Puritans, and/or Reformed Orthodox are better than most of what is being published today, there is still absolutely a place for publishing generally solid (not that every book that Crossway puts out is without flaw) new Calvinistic and Reformed literature. Perhaps I’m missing your point.

I’m also an ESV guy generally (not dogmatically, it’s just my favorite translation), so I’m a little biased on that front as well.

 

[Polanus1561]

Crossway is republishing updated Owen works. Published Joel Beeke’s systematics. Publishing retrieval theology (Barrett’s upcoming series). ..

 

[B.L.]

“To the extent that evangelicals adopt a kind of ‘me and my Bible’ theological method, as though theology can be done without appropriation of the battles and settlements of earlier generations, we diminish and destabilize our theological witness.”

— Gavin Ortlund, Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals: Why We Need Our Past to Have a Future (Wheaton: Crossway, 2019).

I was thinking along these lines the other day while eating at a Vietnamese restaurant and staring out the window at a Church of Christ (Restorationist Movement) building. While theological retrieval has become all the rage the past few years, I think Ortlund's point is spot on.

 

[alexanderjames]

As I (rather slowly ) read more from the past, it becomes ever more evident that we keep rehashing the same arguments and debates that were worked out far more thoroughly and by far more learned (and dare I say faithful) Christians centuries ago. For example, last night's reading was of David Dickson's 'Truth's Victory over Error', which demonstrates how to ably and simply refute heretical and apostate sects and beliefs from the Scriptures. Now we go to YouTube and social media.
I do think Crossway is doing good work. Most of their books are at the very popular lay level but the authors are largely bringing solid old teachings to a new generation, albeit often in a dumbed down form.