I’m not sure which is more disappointing, this post from a defector that he has used to spam the comments of other blogs, or the fact that a pastor and even a seminary professor would try to use it to bolster a failing case.
In a way, I am pleasantly surprised with myself. I didn’t think I was capable of being disappointed with the prof anymore.
A couple of observations (not by any means the only ones that could be made): Scott Hahn was a Gordon Clark disciple and a devotee of Gerstner. His “conversion” was a slingshot reaction, not a result of the influence Taylor Marshall alleges.
Marshall doesn’t seem to understand what is happening to “ontology” and who is aligning with him and who is trying to rethink it.
He completely misses the issue of merit.
And his basic premise is wishful thinking. “Many will sink their teeth into it and many will find it wanting.” Sorry, people who have their whole Bibles and their kingdom theology are quite full. They don’t want anything but more of the same.
On the other hand, people who want to add to this the practice of necromancy and idolatry and a corpus of human writings that trump Scripture are revealing hearts headed in a different direction entirely.
Mark,
I don’t know Taylor Marshall, but I don’t find his article to be nearly as disturbing as you do. It isn’t particularly surprising that a convert to Roman Catholicism would view all good things as ultimately leading to Rome.
What is truly sad is that Reformed pastors and theologians would take such “road to Rome” language seriously. Why Rome anyway? As Peter Leithart has pointed out – why not suggest that many of the men associated with the Federal Vision are going to become Lutherans? Of course, such an assertion would be every bit as invalid. I wonder how Dr. Clark would respond if a Baptist suggested that he was Romeward bound because he practiced infant baptism. He would, of course, realize that such an assertion was silly – but he doesn’t seem to realize that his own assertions about the Federal Vision are equally silly.
Here is the SADDEST point: The entire conservative Reformed establishment don’t seem to care. If you were a Trustee, fellow faculty member, or graduate of WSC – wouldn’t you be embarrassed by Dr. Clark’s attempt to radically narrow the boundaries of acceptable orthodoxy and his outrageous accusations regarding those who disagree with him? Yet, no one seems willing to speak out. I don’t for a moment believe that the entire leadership of the Reformed establishment is in agreement with Dr. Clark. Yet, if they continue to remain silent, we must conclude that at least some of these men are cowards.
Your brother in Christ,
David
For someone who’s (rightfully) concerned about the spread of slander against other PCA ministers, you sure are careless in your anti-Catholic polemic. As has been said before on here, invocation to the saints is not necromancy, nor has it traditionally been called that in Protestant writings. The saints are not dead – they all live to Him. Now, as Heidelberg says, that doesn’t justify swearing by them or praying to them, but those who do such are not in the same category as the witch of Endor.
This is disappointing.
I am not careless but quite intentional. If you mean that RCs don’t believe that they are guilty of necromancy, I agree. But the reason I don’t do it is because it is necromancy.
God wants us is asking for the intercessions of the living who are here, not the departed.
Horne: “God want [sic] us is asking for the intercessions of the living who are here, not the departed.”
The Blessed Virgin and all the Saints are alive in Christ. They also surround us as a great cloud of witnesses. They are thus “living” and “here.”
No, Taylor, the Christians around you are here. You should not prefer ghosts to them. If being alive in Christ gave us telepathy it would apply to Christians on other continents as much as it does to the dead.
You need to repent of your superstitious sin, Taylor. God is not mocked.
[Invocation of the saints deleted by blog owner]
I too will pray that the Holy Spirit blesses you with faith, hope, and charity.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.