Jack Rogers' Scripture in the Westminster Confession

[crhoades]

I just picked this up used. I think it was his dissertation from the Netherlands. It is 450+ pages dealing with the historical situation and the primary documents of the framers. I did some research to find that Dr. Rogers is PCUSA. Any comments on this work? Good, bad, indifferent?

 

[R. Scott Clark]

Jack Rogers is the Rogers of the notorious and now discredited Rogers and McKim vol (1979) arguing for limited inerrancy and that Warfield's doctrine of Scripture was a novelty.

JR is not a reliable historian or theologian. Though once evangelical, he seems to have repented of his Fuller roots. He apparently went to war with the Confessing Churches (conservatives in the PCUSA) during his tenure as Moderator of the PCUSA. http://www.layman.org/layman/letters-editorials/0043-jack-rogers.htm

From a 2001 bio

Rogers was ordained in 1959. He has earned a Ph.D. in theology from the Free University in Amsterdam as well as Th.M. and M.Div. degrees from Pittsburgh Seminary. He taught for eight years at Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA, a Presbyterian-related school. He retired last year from the vice presidency of San Francisco Theological Seminary's Southern California program.

Rogers served from 1988 to 1990 as associate for theological studies in the Theology and Worship Ministry Unit of the General Assembly Council in Louisville.

Rogers is an expert on the Presbyterian confessions. A number of his 10 books are used as texts in seminaries and colleges and also as resources for congregations. They include Presbyterian Creeds: A Guide to the Book of Confessions, Claiming the Center: Churches and Conflicting Worldviews, and Case Studies in Christ and Salvation. A book he co-authored with Donald K. McKim, The Authority and Interpretation of the Bible: An Historical Approach, was nominated for the American Book Award in Religion in 1980.

rsc

 

[fredtgreco]

I have the same recollection as Dr. Clark.

Rogers is dangerous, something that even the "conservative" wing of the PCUSA would testify to.

 

[crhoades]

Thanks for the feedback. That's what I was looking for. Interestingly, this book/dissertation was published in 1967. He did his doctoral work under G.C. Berkouwer. By 1967 are we dealing with the early or late Berkouwer?

On a positive note, there is an extensive bibliography in the book and plenty of quotations from primary sources to go reference. At this point I will question every one of his interpretations. One thing lacking is that he nowhere discusses William Whitaker's Disputations as an influence on the Divines...

Dr. Clark...don't worry - I'm currently reading through Mueller on Holy Scripture!

 

[R. Scott Clark]

Originally posted by crhoades
Thanks for the feedback. That's what I was looking for. Interestingly, this book/dissertation was published in 1967. He did his doctoral work under G.C. Berkouwer. By 1967 are we dealing with the early or late Berkouwer?

On a positive note, there is an extensive bibliography in the book and plenty of quotations from primary sources to go reference. At this point I will question every one of his interpretations. One thing lacking is that he nowhere discusses William Whitaker's Disputations as an influence on the Divines...

Dr. Clark...don't worry - I'm currently reading through Mueller on Holy Scripture!

Definitely late Berkouwer. That did not help JR.

JR is not known for his careful investigations into sources.

In the PCUSA, with some exceptions, an "expert" on the confessions is one who has actually read them.

rsc

ps. It is "Muller."

Go man, go!

 

[fredtgreco]

For a good, short treatment of Berkouwer from a knowledgable source, check out:

Berkouwer: Hole in the Dike? by Carl Bogue

 

[crhoades]

Dr. Clark,

thanks again! M-U-L-L-E-R...trying to get it straight. Never mention this to him, but the reason I always get it wrong is having Ferris Bueller in my mind when I say his last name...Sometimes I hate being a product of my culture!

Fred,

After a quick skim of that Bogue article...it looks to be what the doctor ordered. The last portion deals with Jack Rogers extensively. I will have to print it out and digest it thoroughly later.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Muller, muller, anyone? anyone?