Strike a blow for the redemptive-historical hermeneutic
I don't know much, if any, of the background of what took place down at Coral Ridge. What is included in this published decision by the elders at Coral Ridge Presbyterian church is very enlightening. I don't agree with everything that happens down at Coral Ridge PC. But... at the very least, what we have here is a session that is publicly on record as saying that the redemptive-historical hermeneutic *is* confessional, something that up to this point has, in some quarters, been a begrudging admission.
Reading between the lines of this published decision, Knox Theological Seminary apparently attempted to suspend Dr. Warren Gage (author of "The Gospel of Genesis") over his understanding that the typology of Scripture isn't always explicit. In its decision that effectively overturned the Seminary's board, Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, which has oversight of the seminary, sided with Gage and with Vos and with Ridderbos and with Clowney. The church session says Gage's "hermeneutical approach is within the mainstream of historic Reformed biblical interpretation, in accord with the writings of Reformed scholars like Geerhardus Vos, E.J. Young, Meredith Kline, O. Palmer Robertson, and Herman Ridderbos." The Session also considered the scholarly opinion of Dr. Edmund P. Clowney..."
As one who empathizes with Gage's viewpoint as it is stated here, it's heartening to see a published decision like this point out the obvious: Gage's hermeneutic is not "weird" or "bizarre". It is a hermeneutic in fact developed and shared by Reformed scholars such as Vos and Ridderbos (interesting that Gaffin's name is not included?).
Here are the pertinent paragraphs:
"Dr. Gage said he could not agree not to set forth any typology except that which is explicit in the Scriptures. After a full hearing, discussion and deliberation, the Session determined that WCF 1:9 does not require that the use of typology be limited to what is explicit in Scriptures. Instead, the Session found that WCF VII:5 speaks much more clearly to the issue by indicating that there are a great many types, all of which point to Christ.
Article VII .5 provides:
“This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the gospel: under the law it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all foresignifying Christ to come; which were, for that time, sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the Spirit, to instruct and build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they had full remission of sins, and eternal salvation; and is called the Old Testament.”
"The conflict between Article VII .5 of the WCF and a restraint on typology as adopted by the Board and imposed on Dr. Gage required action by the Session to protect the integrity of the Seminary’s adherence to the Westminster Confession of Faith. The restraint imposed by the Board and delivered to Dr. Gage and to the Session was in writing in the following form:
Dr. Gage...[Condition] 1) Must agree not to set forth any typology except that which is explicit in the Scriptures. For example: Jesus' teaching on the Road to Emmaus does not include specific Old Testament references. We may not speculate on how and where Jesus used the Old Testament.
"This restraint is simply in conflict with the much broader view of typology expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith, VII. 5 (above). The restraint had been proposed by an Anglican bishop in the early nineteenth century, but it is not a doctrine of the Reformation.
Furthermore the language in Condition 1 above, as formulated by the Knox Board has been declared unacceptable and non-reformed by such scholars as Patrick Fairbairn (Typology of Scripture) and Louis Berkhof (Principles of Biblical Interpretation). The Session maintains the Board’s action was a deviation from our historic reformed hermeneutic (interpretation) and the Westminster Confession of Faith.
"The Session rejected the idea that the WCF compels adherence to Condition 1, finding persuasive the opinions expressed in a letter from Dr. Dominic Aquila, the President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, in which he states that, "Dr. Warren Gage's writing, teaching and preaching are in conformity and in accord with these principles of Systematic Theology and Biblical Theology. His hermeneutical approach is within the mainstream of historic Reformed biblical interpretation, in accord with the writings of Reformed scholars like Geerhardus Vos, E.J. Young, Meredith Kline, O. Palmer Robertson, and Herman Ridderbos." The Session also considered the scholarly opinion of Dr. Edmund P. Clowney, the late Reformed theologian and first president of Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia, PA), as it related to Condition 1. Dr. Clowney wrote, “Only the lack of hermeneutical method can shut us up to recognizing types only where the New Testament itself explicitly recognizes them.” (Preaching and Biblical Theology, pp. 111- 112). Dr. Clowney’s statement clearly supports the position of the Session." -- Statement of the CRPC Session Regarding the Recent Suspension of Dr. Warren Gage by the Knox Theological Seminary Board of Directors
Reading between the lines of this published decision, Knox Theological Seminary apparently attempted to suspend Dr. Warren Gage (author of "The Gospel of Genesis") over his understanding that the typology of Scripture isn't always explicit. In its decision that effectively overturned the Seminary's board, Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, which has oversight of the seminary, sided with Gage and with Vos and with Ridderbos and with Clowney. The church session says Gage's "hermeneutical approach is within the mainstream of historic Reformed biblical interpretation, in accord with the writings of Reformed scholars like Geerhardus Vos, E.J. Young, Meredith Kline, O. Palmer Robertson, and Herman Ridderbos." The Session also considered the scholarly opinion of Dr. Edmund P. Clowney..."
As one who empathizes with Gage's viewpoint as it is stated here, it's heartening to see a published decision like this point out the obvious: Gage's hermeneutic is not "weird" or "bizarre". It is a hermeneutic in fact developed and shared by Reformed scholars such as Vos and Ridderbos (interesting that Gaffin's name is not included?).
Here are the pertinent paragraphs:
"Dr. Gage said he could not agree not to set forth any typology except that which is explicit in the Scriptures. After a full hearing, discussion and deliberation, the Session determined that WCF 1:9 does not require that the use of typology be limited to what is explicit in Scriptures. Instead, the Session found that WCF VII:5 speaks much more clearly to the issue by indicating that there are a great many types, all of which point to Christ.
Article VII .5 provides:
“This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the gospel: under the law it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all foresignifying Christ to come; which were, for that time, sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the Spirit, to instruct and build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they had full remission of sins, and eternal salvation; and is called the Old Testament.”
"The conflict between Article VII .5 of the WCF and a restraint on typology as adopted by the Board and imposed on Dr. Gage required action by the Session to protect the integrity of the Seminary’s adherence to the Westminster Confession of Faith. The restraint imposed by the Board and delivered to Dr. Gage and to the Session was in writing in the following form:
Dr. Gage...[Condition] 1) Must agree not to set forth any typology except that which is explicit in the Scriptures. For example: Jesus' teaching on the Road to Emmaus does not include specific Old Testament references. We may not speculate on how and where Jesus used the Old Testament.
"This restraint is simply in conflict with the much broader view of typology expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith, VII. 5 (above). The restraint had been proposed by an Anglican bishop in the early nineteenth century, but it is not a doctrine of the Reformation.
Furthermore the language in Condition 1 above, as formulated by the Knox Board has been declared unacceptable and non-reformed by such scholars as Patrick Fairbairn (Typology of Scripture) and Louis Berkhof (Principles of Biblical Interpretation). The Session maintains the Board’s action was a deviation from our historic reformed hermeneutic (interpretation) and the Westminster Confession of Faith.
"The Session rejected the idea that the WCF compels adherence to Condition 1, finding persuasive the opinions expressed in a letter from Dr. Dominic Aquila, the President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, in which he states that, "Dr. Warren Gage's writing, teaching and preaching are in conformity and in accord with these principles of Systematic Theology and Biblical Theology. His hermeneutical approach is within the mainstream of historic Reformed biblical interpretation, in accord with the writings of Reformed scholars like Geerhardus Vos, E.J. Young, Meredith Kline, O. Palmer Robertson, and Herman Ridderbos." The Session also considered the scholarly opinion of Dr. Edmund P. Clowney, the late Reformed theologian and first president of Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia, PA), as it related to Condition 1. Dr. Clowney wrote, “Only the lack of hermeneutical method can shut us up to recognizing types only where the New Testament itself explicitly recognizes them.” (Preaching and Biblical Theology, pp. 111- 112). Dr. Clowney’s statement clearly supports the position of the Session." -- Statement of the CRPC Session Regarding the Recent Suspension of Dr. Warren Gage by the Knox Theological Seminary Board of Directors
posted by Chad Richard Bresson at 1/18/2008 06:27:00 AM
16 Participation
