I will reserve comment, other than to say that I am impressed with the following statement from faculty members at Erskine College and Erskine Seminary (two of whom were professors of mine while I was there, another I know personally). You can read the entire article at either Reformation 21 or The Aquila Report. Here is the statement itself:
GOOD FRIDAY STATEMENT BY CONCERNED FACULTY MEMBERS
OF ERSKINE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AND ERSKINE COLLEGE
The ARP Church has historically held to a high view of Scripture as inerrant in the original autographs (see Historical Addendum below). It has consistently rejected Barthian and Neo-Orthodox refusals to speak of the inerrancy of Scripture and to affirm unequivocally that Scripture is, rather than becomes, the Word of God. Furthermore, the clear lesson of history is that Barthian fuzziness on the inspiration and authority of Scripture has had a disastrous impact on the mission and witness of the Church in Europe, Great Britain, North America, and elsewhere.Despite these clear affirmations by the ARP Church, of which Erskine Theological Seminary and Erskine College are agencies, after decades of theological conflict between the Church and the Seminary over the inspiration and authority of the Bible, Barthianism continues to be tolerated at Erskine Seminary.In recent years, one faculty member has publicly and privately expressed his strong opposition to the stated position of the General Synod of the ARP Church regarding Scripture. We are profoundly disappointed that some in the Erskine administration and board find it acceptable for those who hold Barthian views of Holy Scripture to teach their viewpoint at Erskine.Some may say that debates over the inerrancy of Scripture are nothing more than semantics, arguments among theologians who are more interested in precise definitions of words than they are the peace of the church. We regret that characterization of the issue. Pious-sounding bromides regarding Scripture are no substitute for a clear articulation of the church’s historic doctrine of Scripture, especially when such bromides conceal positions that fatally undercut the church’s confidence in our God-breathed book, the Bible. The inerrancy of Scripture is not a second or third order issue, but one of critical importance for the life and well-being of the church. As much as we dislike controversy, we are compelled to say that this is not a matter for equivocation or compromise. Rather, we must be clear in our articulation of the doctrine and resolute in our stance.We rejoice that, Dr. David Norman, President of Erskine College and Theological Seminary, has publicly affirmed his support and acceptance of the ARP Church’s statement on the inerrancy of Scripture in the original autographs.By virtue of the actions of the 2008 General Synod, this statement has been added to the General Synod’s definition of Evangelical belief, is now required of all new teaching and administrative employees of the General Synod, and will be added to the ordination vows required of all ARP ministers and elders.We, the undersigned, believe that, after almost half a century of resistance by some Erskine Seminary faculty members to the historic theology of the ARP Church (again, see Historical Addendum below), ongoing conflict over the doctrine of Scripture threatens not only the Seminary’s reputation for orthodoxy and its relationship to the ARP Church, but the very well-being of the school–as prospective students opt for other seminaries that affirm a more consistent theological stance.As members of the faculty at Erskine College and Theological Seminary, we believe this situation is unacceptable. Therefore, we humbly call upon the Board and Administration of Erskine College and Erskine Theological Seminary to support and defend the position of the ARP Church on Scripture, and to work toward an Erskine Theological Seminary and an Erskine College that stand strongly and unequivocally for the authority of God’s inerrant and infallible Word.We represent a wide range of theological specialties and different denominational affiliations, but we are united in our affirmation of the church’s historic doctrine of Scripture.Signed:Terry L. Eves, Ph.D.Professor of Old Testament, Erskine Theological SeminaryChair, Dept. of Biblical StudiesPresbyterian Church in AmericaThe Rev. R. J. Gore Jr., D.Min., Ph.D.Professor of Systematic Theology, Erskine Theological SeminaryFormer VP and Dean, 1998-2003; Dean 2003-06Associate Reformed Presbyterian ChurchDale W. Johnson, Ph.D.Professor of Church History, Erskine Theological SeminaryChair, Dept. of Theology and Church HistoryPresbyterian Church in AmericaThe Rev. Toney C. Parks, D.Min.Assistant Professor of Biblical Counseling, Erskine Theological SeminaryChair, Dept. of MinistryNational Baptist ConventionThe Rev. William B. Evans, Ph.D.Younts Professor of Bible and Religion, Erskine CollegeChair, Dept. of Bible, Religion, and PhilosophyAssociate Reformed Presbyterian ChurchJohn Makujina, Ph.D.Professor of Biblical Studies, Erskine CollegeIndependent Baptist
The Associate Reformed Church stands stoutly for the plenary inspiration of the Scriptures. Its testimony is that the inspiration extends not merely to some portions of the Bible but to the whole Bible; not only to the words and sermons of Christ but to the Epistles of Paul and Peter as well. Its position is that not merely the contents, the body of truth found in the Scriptures is inspired of God but that the inspiration extends to the very words; that not only does the Bible contain the Word of God but the Bible is the Word of God…The Associate Reformed Church does not contend that that there are no errors in the Bible as we have it today. It would be strange indeed if having passed through so many hands, and so many casualties, and having been so often transcribed, some errors should not have crept in. But the contention is that as originally given to the church there were no errors, and that the originals have been so guarded by the Spirit, and so reverently and carefully handled by godly and faithful men that whatever errors may have crept in through human frailty are slight and have not corrupted or changed in any particular the originally inspired documents.
Erskine College has recently celebrated the eightieth anniversary of its founding in 1839. At the time of its organization there was not a single institution in South Carolina that afforded the advantages of a college training under Christian influences. It opened its doors under the presidency of Rev. E. E. Pressly. Robert C. Grier was the president from 1847 to 1858 and again from 1865 to 1871. For twenty-eight years its president was Dr. William Moffatt Grier, whose daughter is the wife of Dr. James Strong Moffatt.
Many of the ablest men whose careers are described in these pages acknowledge their debt to Erskine College for some of the most stimulating influences of their early lives. Erskine College, while not aspiring to the rank of a university, has for years done thorough work as a co-educational institution. Under the presidency of Doctor Moffatt it is better equipped than ever. The campus has six modern buildings, and the facilities for a thorough college education are supplied in the midst of a quiet and classic atmosphere and with every safeguard to the spiritual and moral welfare of the students.
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